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| Posted on Thursday, June 01, 2006 |
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By Danielle Rexrode
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
Serious golfers know any day is a good day to play golf. And with at least seven golf courses within ten miles, Charlestown and Oak Crest are in the perfect location for golf lovers.
Lifelong golfer and head of Oak Crest’s golf club, Bill Horney is a regular at nearby Gunpowder Falls Golf Course in Kingsville.
“We have 40 golfers—men and women—who play every other Tuesday at Gunpowder Falls,” says Bill.
“I’ve been a golfer all my life. I lived on a golf course in Florida before moving to Oak Crest and my son is a professional golf instructor,” he says.
“I enjoy getting together with everyone and being outdoors. There’s a $20 membership fee to join the club and $20 to play the course. Each time you play it’s different and challenging. Some people, like me, are out there in the summer, winter, rain, wind …others take it bit more lightly and only play occasionally,” he says.
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Tips for Staying on Top
of Your Game
Golf involves an extreme amount of bending, twisting, lifting and stretching. As we get older, our bodies lose flexibility and strength making us even more prone to injury.
The three most common causes of injuries are excessive play, poor swing mechanics, and poor physical conditioning.
Here are a few helpful tips to get your ball rolling this golf season:
STAY ACTIVE. Get involved in a regular low-impact exercise routine including activities such as walking, swimming, riding a stationary bike, and lifting hand weights. This will help keep your muscles and your cardiovascular system in good working condition. | |
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PRACTICE. Find a place to swing your club indoors. This helps you stay limber and prevent stiffening. Back injuries can occur if you bend too far forward during your swing.
Ready to practice with the ball? These days manyplaces have indoor driving ranges allowing you to practice year round.
WARM UP. Every year injuries occur because people don’t take the time to warm up. Golf is a strenuous sport and it’s easy to strain, tear or pull muscles that haven’t been warmed up. So be sure to perform a few stretches before picking up your club to stay loose.
EAT RIGHT. What you put in your body will determine how your body will perform for you. A well balanced diet plays a big role in how your body will hold up. Eat fruits (apples, bananas) and grains (cereals, energy bars), to keep your energy level constant. Don’t eat a big meal before a round. And drink lots of water. |
Golfer Bill Kirk started teaching an instructional golf class at Charlestown in 1998. Since then, the class has evolved into a club with nearly 30 members who hit the links twice a month at Forest Park Golf Course in Baltimore.
“I have fun doing it,” says Bill, who was once a seven handicapper. “I enjoy being outside and the friendships I’ve made in the club.”
Striving for Par-fection
Joe Booker
is the present leader of Charlestown’s Golf Club.
“I love the game. There’s nothing like golf. It’s a game of precision. You’re constantly challenging yourself—it’s you against the golf course,” says Joe.
Joe plays year round. From January through March he travels to Kenilworth Lodge in Sebring, Fl., where he’s been golfing with friends for years.
Going for the Green
In addition to being just a stone’s throw from a handful of popular golf courses, both Charlestown and Oak Crest feature onsite putting greens complete with sand traps for you to practice your stroke.
“We have so many avid golfers at our communities,” says Charlestown Retirement Counselor Steffany Byers, “We wanted to accommodate them any way we could. We obviously weren’t able to build them an 18-hole course, so we opted for a putting green.”
Both clubs welcome golfers of all skill levels. And Charlestown community members who are new to the sport can also take advantage of Bill Kirk’s on-site class.
So what’s the secret to becoming a good golfer?
“Practice! Practice! Practice!” says Bill Horney.