Achieving a rare marker in becoming a centenarian in human years is no mean feat, yet alone combining that with the fact the gentleman in question is still playing golf. Those of us who regularly play the game of golf understand its difficulties and challenges for players whatever the age. It is wonderful that John Skipper from Royal Adelaide Golf Club is still wielding his sticks and has been since 1944. He has been playing golf for three quarters of a century and his love for the game has not diminished. John recorded a second place in the Mixed Canadian Foursomes over the weekend with his daughter as playing partner. 100 YO man celebrates milestone with round of golf and we salute you.

Golf is a Game for Life

One of the great things about playing club golf is that you can play with players of all ages. I regularly play with octogenarians and enjoy the personal contact with individuals from other eras. There is much to learn, and it broadens one’s perspective on life. These golfers often boast incisive short games and frequently take my money when playing for squares on the board in the clubhouse. Golf is a game for life and John Skipper shows that in spades.

Golfing a Great Way to Get Regular Exercise

I have often thought that if everyone in the nation played golf a couple of times a week, we would save billions of dollars from the health budget. Of course, it would be a bugger getting a tee time. Golf is a great way to get regular exercise via walking and swinging the club, even, for those who drive in golf buggies. The average journey around a golf course is around 9km, when you factor in all those errant shots. Walking the course is best but the motorised carts are great for those who cannot manage to ambulate by foot. Golf courses are generally full of trees and green grasses, which make them excellent places to enjoy breathing fresh air.

Golf Demands We Stand Up & Swing

Modern life is entrenched in sedentary and unhealthy practices. Sitting down for long periods in front of screens is no good for our monkey bodies. Too many of us move from air-conditioned homes, to cars, and to offices, where we sit on our bums interacting with screens and keyboards. Golf demands we stand up and swing. Golf can reduce the amount of over-eating we do, as an average round lasts over 4 hours. The physical and mental requirements of competitive golf keeps you sharp, which is a saving grace for ageing human beings. Golf is growing in popularity for women, as gender equality spreads through golf clubs around the country. People of all ages and sexes are seeing the positive benefits of a life that contains regular sessions of golf.

Golf Australia has reported a boom in golf club membership in this country in 2020. There has been a surge of 126% and this has been put down to the impact of Covid 19. Lockdowns created the need for people to do something if they could not go to work. Plus, overseas travel and some interstate travel was banned, which meant retirees needed new outlets. The health benefits of regular golf via exercise and fresh air would, also, have been a consideration. I would hope that the increase in golf club membership popularity would be sustained post pandemic, as something good that has come out of this challenging period.

John Skipper is a beacon for club golfers everywhere, as he celebrates his centenary and 75 years of golf club membership. The great game of golf is still an undiscovered secret for many and the more who take up this game the better I say. It is an enjoyable cure for loneliness, aimlessness, poor health, and a disconnection from nature. My home course is alive with kangaroos, birdlife, reptiles, and native flora. Playing golf is a multidimensional experience and offers a rich serve of life to the senses. Many of the negative things surrounding club golf have diminished, as alcohol consumption and gambling have been reduced by the pandemic and social trends more generally. The pure nature of playing golf itself stands head and shoulders above everything else. Well, done, John, we salute you!

©GolfDom