Speech - Jeb Brumley

With a growing number of health issues across the country and a lack of physical activity, Americans are in need of a new medium of exercise that is fun, feasible, affordable, and of course, healthy. Although it may seem like we have plenty of ways for people of all ages to get the exercise they need, like playing tennis, biking, or running, we often do not get the necessary physical activity for our bodies. Many types of exercise are too difficult or nearly impossible for people above a certain age to participate in because of joint pain and the fact that they are more susceptible to injuries. On the other hand, younger people in the United States spend a significant amount of time on social media and technology. So what activity can help solve these issues and help Americans be more active? Golf.

            Golf is a great sport for people of any type and will provide you with the exercise you need. It has been proven to prolong your life and stimulate your brain leading to better concentration and increased self-esteem. Playing golf is a great way to get away from most of the technology that distracts us each day and spend some time outdoors with your friends and family. If you start walking nine or eighteen holes on a regular basis, you can get an “optimal amount of endurance exercise for your heart” and boost your energy levels. In fact, eighteen holes, on average, equates to about five to six miles of walking in about four to five hours and includes all types of terrain and weather. You rarely need to worry about injuring yourself while playing golf, as it is usually leisurely and easygoing. Although golf is commonly played competitively, the majority of golfers play casually for fun and exercise. Anyone, male or female, of any age, can play. It is an activity that can be played within the first few years of your life, up until that the last few years of your life.

            Golf, like many other things people are unfamiliar with, is victim to stereotypes and false interpretations. This is why many Americans looking for exercise tend to avoid it and never give it a chance. They label golf as easy and claim that it doesn’t take any skill or athletic ability. Also, they state that it is very boring or that they don’t have enough money to play. Most of these people have probably never played golf and in reality, these ideas they hold against the sport are incorrect and lack credibility from those who do play. Golf is very challenging and requires a great deal of strategy and superb mental focus. Furthermore, golf is actually quite affordable and you will not have to spend thousands of dollars if you are looking to get started. A set of clubs will cost you a few hundred dollars and you can walk eighteen holes for about twenty dollars.

            Americans are very unhealthy when compared to the world and golf can become a great way to get the physical activity our bodies demand. With the thousands of golf courses across the United States, it should not be difficult to get more Americans participating. It is relatively cheap to get started and it is much easier to find time to play than you may think. In order to get good exercise through golf, it is not necessary to play a full round and spend a big portion of your day on the course. Playing nine holes takes about two hours and can go a long way for your health. If you can get some friends or family members to start playing on a regular basis, you may find you enjoy the game and you want to get better and play more often. Americans must be more active and become healthier and playing golf can help us relieve stress, exercise our body, and have fun.

            Americans need to change. We make up one of the unhealthiest countries in the world. A key to fixing this issue and transforming the United States is exercise. Golf is great exercise for people of all types to do to improve their health and enjoy themselves at the same time. It can become a route to change American health for good.

Sources

·       Forks Over Knives. Dir. Lee Fulkerson. Prod. John Corry. Perf. T. Colin Campbell and Caldwell   

Esseltyn. Virgil Films & Entertainment, 2011. Netflix.

·       "Golfing Can Be Good For You If Done Correctly." Health Information and Medical Information.

      N.p., 2004. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. <http://www.health.harvard.edu/>.

·       "Golfstinks." Web log post. Golfstinks. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. <http://blog.golfstinks.com/>.

·       Pennington, Bill. "Twelve Reasons Golf Is The Greatest." The New York Times. The New York Times,

            30 May 2010. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/golf/index.html>.

·       "Top10MostObeseCountriesInTheWorld." GlobalPost. N.p., 2014. Web. 14 Dec. 2014.

      <http://www.globalpost.com/>.

·       "Why Play Golf." Golfers Journal. Golfers Journal, 2013. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. <http://www.golfers-

      journal.com/>.

·       "Why You Should Start Playing Golf." Www.mensxp.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2014.

      <http://www.mensxp.com/>.

·       "9 Reasons Golf Is Good For Your Brain." Brain Training Brain Exercise Brain Fitness by Brain

      Training 101 RSS. N.p., 2009. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. <http://www.braintraining101.com/>.