The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-12
GoIfirlg For Healtlp
py \. ADprNGToN BRUoR

About this time of year many men, on the advice of their physicians, turn te golf as ar Ald Tn the maintaining or restoring of health Not all physicians, though, are sufficiently explicit with regard to the way golf should be played in order to have real medicinal value.
 There even are physicians who forget tc add cautionary word as to the danger oi overdoing on the golf links.
 Perhaps this is because golf theoreticaly IS a game offering exceptional facilities for light, pleasurable exercise. To stroll Ieis urely from hole to hole, to swing one's club briskly but effortlessly, to chat socially with ones golfing companions, would indeed seem to be an ideal way to get thealthful outdoor recreation.
 But in golf possibly more than any other game theory is one thing, actuality is likely to be quite another.
 Actually, in these days when ererybody seems to want to go golfing, leisureIy stroll ing from hole to hole is feasibly only if one is willing to play at hours inconvenient for most people. Effortless swinging of the clubs, especially in the case of inexperienced but eager players. is pretty sure to give place to strained. effortfuI swinging.
 And unless one schools oneself--and one's golf companions--to insist on regarding golf more as a mere diversion than as game oI skill, socisble chatting is in danger of being conspicuous by its absence.
 These are facts which every physician should explicitly call to the attention of the patients fer whom he prescribes golf In stead of semi-casual, You ought to take up golf" more detailed instructions such as these might well be given: Take up golf, but don't take it up too soriolIaIv Havn YsrnfaUoinnal Oiva 1roll . few. lessons, so that you'll get an under. standing of the different strokes And prac. tice them bit to acquire some smoothness in their execution.
 But never forget that you are playing golf for your health, not for the purpose of making low scores. If you let the score craze obsess you, golf will do you more harm than good. For then the poor strokes you make--and you are certain to make many will put an energy-wasting strain on your temper.
 "Your round of golf will in that case be 50 much time wasted-in fact, worse than wasted-from the health point of view. It will weary you instead of inyigorating you. so foolish as to play when the links are crowded.
 "That will mean playing faster than is good for you. From the moment you leave the first tee-sometimes before you even tee off--you will feel annoyingly pressed and hurried. Which is not good for the nerves of theShealthiest
 "Of course you cannot reasonably expect vigorous and younger players to accommodate themselves to your slow pace And it would not be, exactly fair to insist on holding them back So make it point to arrange to play when few other golfers are out."
 Undoubtedly it would be splendid thing if every community of any size were to es- sablish golf courses for the special benefit of those who play golf wholly for their heaIth's safe. Until such courses are pro yided the health-seeker who would derive from golf all the good it most assuredly can give him, must make it point to minimize a far as possible the stresses incidental to playing on club or public links.