By: Charles W. Boatright
Mark Twain’s Quote; “Golf is a good walk spoiled.”
Unofficially, Mark Twain was credited with this quote that appeared in the 1948 August issue of The Saturday Evening Post about walking and the sport of golf. But, on the contrary to Mark Twain’s quote, I can’t think of a better walking exercise for a person of any age than the sport of golf, especially if you walk the course.
Mark Twain’s pin name, Samuel Langhome Clemens, was tied to the River that he loved and wrote about, The Mississippi River. Sailors navigating the Mississippi would take soundings. The term Mark Twain represented two fathoms or 12 feet. Sailors used a rope with a weight on one end and a knot tied every six-foot.
Also golf is an excellent athletic activity to incorporate into a homeschool setting. Golf can be played on an individual or team level, with little to no sport-related injuries. My 405- Training Drill can be performed practically anywhere using the special golf ball called AlmostGOLF® balls.
How to Walk a Marathon Every Week
I regularly walk my home course in Madison, MS, between three to four times per week. This is in addition to my CASPER Workout Program that I follow. The main reason that golf is a great walking exercise is that I have a pedometer app on my I-phone that I carry in my left pocket during my round. The distances that I walk per round is approximately 9.75 miles, or 29.25 miles per week, with bag in tow. That’s approximately 3.05 miles more per week than walking or running a marathon each week.
I would suspect that Mark Twain’s unofficial quote might have been in regard to his inability to develop a consistent golf swing and lowering his score or lack of his appreciation for the art of golf. But the art of golf contrary to Mark Twain’s assessment can actually offers people a great means to walk distances that one could not even be imagined under any other conditions or circumstances.
There was another golf quote similar to Marks Twain’s quote in a book entitled, The Boss of Little Arcady, on page 367– This new game of golf that the summer folks play seems to have too much walking for a good game and just enough game to spoil a good walk.
The Benefits of Golf on Your Health
Golf is like any objective in life; the more you understand and know about how golf is played, the better you can enjoy this game you can play for a lifetime. Golf requires just as much as what golf can provide, but what it requires also is beneficial to the golfer. Golf provides the golfer the ability to:
- Be flexible, which is key to our health as we age to prevent injuries.
- Have mental and physical stamina for problem-solving.
- Have a great positive attitude, which is critical for cognitive function.
- Have an understanding of how the conscious/subconscious mind works.
- Develop a mental picture of one’s expectation or objective.
- Have respect for the game and others, especially in regard to youth.
- Help Veterans adjust back into society. What benefits the body and heart also benefits the mind.
- Prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s because of what Bobby Jones said about golf– Golf is a game that is played on a five-inch course – the distance between your ears. Golf is played between the ears.
- Short-term focus for critical learning skills.
- Have a sport you can play for a lifetime, from age eight to 98.
- Develop the 10 Mental Rules of Golf.
- Have a social structure that can last four hours. If I were in business to influence others to buy into a certain philosophy or product, I would welcome that ability to have four uninterrupted hours with a prospective client or customer. Especially, if you improve their golf game.
The Saturday Evening Post
There is a cover of an issue by The Saturday Evening Post featured above that caught my eye in an antique store. This issue pictured a businessman leaving his office early in the day with the caption, “An Important Appointment.”
One of the best ways to learn the golf game and/or improve your golf game is to learn to take your baseball-style golf swing from the batter’s box to the tee box. I wrote a book, The ESPY Golf Swing Coach, that contains classic golf swing mechanics and techniques that my grandfather, H.Q. Boatright, noted in his red book.
To learn to take your baseball-style golf swing from the batter’s box to the tee box, purchase your copy of The ESPY Golf Swing Coach from the links below, or visit your local bookstore:
My book can also be purchased at Edwin Watts Golf Store in Jackson, Mississippi. Phone No. 601-956-8784
820 East County Line Road, Ridgeland, MS 39157
My book can also be purchased on-line at:
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
This book is a self-coaching forum that provides basic and advanced fundamentals to help you play golf with confidence and start lowering your handicap.
Please take advantage of my SR-925 Diet Program, where I lost 6 inches in my waist in 3- months (FREE of CHARGE) with the CASPER Workout Program, detailed in Section 20 of my book:
Please include an exercise routine in your weekly schedule.
Also, learning The ESPY Golf Swing Coach process is an excellent way to develop Rhythm without experiencing the Blues in your golf game, learn how to take your baseball-style swing from the batter’s box to the tee box.
Locker Room:
Please visit “The Locker Room” for an Index of all my golf articles to improve your golf game and life. Discover how you can take your baseball swing from the batter’s box to the tee box.
For Comments or questions, please contact me at 1-888-514-1228 Mon – Fri from 9 am to 4 pm CT Zone.