By Danielle Rexrode
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

If golf is your game, you can’t find a better location than Charlestown or Oak Crest. With professional putting greens right on-site and at least seven golf courses within ten miles, you don’t have to travel far.

“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 weren’t able to build them an 18-hole course, so we opted for putting greens.”

The putting greens at Charlestown and Oak Crest provide the perfect place for people to practice their short strokes or spend the day with the grandkids. Oak Crest holds an annual putting contest in the fall.

Golfer Bill Witty of Oak Crest also frequents local courses like Gunpowder, Rocky Point, and Pine Ridge Golf Courseonce or twice a week. “I really enjoy the game. It’s something that you can take up when you’re very young and continue to play throughout your life,” says Witty. “All you need is a good temperament, patience, and practice.”

Joe Booker is the leader of Charlestown’s Golf Club, a group with 27 members. “I love the game,” says Booker, whose group plays the course at Forest Park every other Monday. “There’s nothing like golf. It’s a game of precision. You’re constantly challenging yourself—it’s you against the golf course. It’s the best deal going.”

The Golf Clubs at Charlestown and Oak Crest welcome golfers of all skill levels.

Tips to help you stay in the game
Golf involves an extreme amount of bending, twisting, lifting, and stretching. The most common causes of injuries are excessive play, poor swing mechanics, and poor physical conditioning. Here are a few tips to keep you at the top of your game: