WALKING not only boosts physical health but new Australian research shows it can also help your brain stay younger longer.

That’s good news for (the many cartless) older golfers and means that even if your score starts to skyrocket as your aging body deteriorates, at least you’ll still have the mental capacity to add it all up at the end of the round.

The University of Western Australia study was conducted over 18 months with 170 participants aged over 50 who felt they had memory problems.

The participants were divided into two groups and for six months one group aimed to walk for 50 minutes three times a week or participate in other moderate exercise.

The other group continued with their usual activities.

Results revealed the exercise group performed better on cognitive tasks and had superior delayed recall than the other group.

The landmark study was published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Lead researcher, Nicola Lautenschlager of the University of Melbourne, said the improved memory occurred not only during the trial but for 12 months after the end of the physical activity program.

“We have known for a long time that exercise is a great way to improve cardiovascular health, but it may be that in the future exercise can also be recommended to protect against the ageing brain,” she said.

“The improvement on the memory testing was significant and it was higher than in previous drug trials with Alzheimer’s (disease) medications in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Professor Lautenschlager said she believed this was the first ever trial to demonstrate that exercise can boost memory in older adults at risk of developing conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

She said brisk walking was the safest form of exercise for older people and the results suggested 20 minutes of daily exercise could possibly delay the onset of conditions such as dementia.

“We are not talking onerous, dramatic physical activity but (walking 20 minutes is) something which I think most people would feel, ‘yeah that is something I could incorporate into my daily routine’.”

Playing golf for four plus hours, including all the walking and associated physical activity, would have to more than fit the bill. We’d have to concede that even those using carts are still getting enough exercise to keep some blood flowing to the brain.

The Australian study comes on top of a recent Swedish study that found playing regular golf can actually prolong your life.

The study showed the death rate for golfers is 40 per cent lower than for other people of the same sex, age and socioeconomic status. See Golfers live Longer

The strong six man Australian team chosen to compete in the 2008 Asia-Pacific Senior Golf Championship in Malaysia in November is hoping to go one better after previous national teams finished second in the last two championships.

The Australian team includes Rick Oliver (NSW), Denis Dale (NSW), Ross Percy (VIC), Brian Sams (NSW), Nigel Goodall (WA) and Stefan Albinski (NSW).

Oliver and Dale are current winner and runner-up respectively of the recently completed Australian Senior Order of Merit and the rest of the team have been in winning form at various events throughout the year.

In his first year of eligibility for AUSOOM events (Aged 55+), Sydney’s Stefan Albinski has had a major impact and is the current Australian Senior Amateur Golf Championship winner.

Albinski also won the 2008 Queensland Senior Amateur Championship and the North Sydney Seniors Championship in June and recently tested his skills in trying conditions at the 2008 British Senior Open Amateur Championship.

The Asia Pacific Senior Golf Championship will be played over 54 holes at the Karambunai Golf Resort, Sabah, Malaysia from November 11-13, 2008.

Men’s Senior Match Play returns to Barwon Heads Golf Club

The Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Match Play Championship will return to the challenging Barwon Heads Golf Club for the 64 player match play event to be held from the 5 - 10 October 2008.

The top 64 ranked players on the Men’s Senior Order of Merit (who enter) will be drawn to play for the title of Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Match Play Champion.

Golf Australia says with the guarantee of six rounds (defeated players continue playing all week) of golf at the picturesque Barwon Heads layout and the relaxed feel of the seaside location, the Championship will be a highlight of the Australian Seniors golfing calendar.

Entries for this event close on Monday September 8. For details see the AUSOOM website or for a list of current entries and entry form see the Golf Australia listing here.

State Senior Golf Championships

Also coming up soon on the senior amateur golfing calendar is the 2008 South Australian Seniors Championship to be played at Murray Bridge Golf Club from October 22-24 and the 2008 Victorian Seniors Championship at Rosebud Golf Club from October 27-30.

(Australian Senior Golfer site Navigation Tip: To see all AUSOOM related stories click on the Events\AUSOOM category at the top of the page, or you can click on the AUSOOM “tag” below the headline in related stories. You can also use the Google Custom Search function in the sidebar to search this site.)

The maximum men’s golf handicap has now increased to 36.4 under changes announced by Golf Australia. A number of other measures come into force as of September 1, including new provisions cracking down on players suspected of “manipulating” their handicaps.

Golf Australia says one of the positive outcomes of the new handicap ceiling will be that players whose golf diminishes over time due to age will be better encouraged to remain actively engaged in competitions and club life.

Beginners will also be better encouraged to become actively engaged in golf and club life and the new handicap level is also in line with US and European systems.

Another new provision will help players who may be recovering from injuries or illness and will allow for an immediate manual adjustment of their handicaps.

For full details of the the new provisions see our previous story of the announcement:

Men’s handicap increase…but golf cheats beware

Many people have long suspected Tiger Woods could walk on water and now there is a video to “prove” it. The first look at a long-rumoured “Jesus Shot” has been posted on YouTube, showing Woods hitting a wedge from the middle of a water hazard. Problem is, he does break Rule 13-4 in the process.

The video is expected to be part of a new promotion for the EA Sports’ Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 Video game and comes about because of a glitch in previous editions allowing Woods, or at least his digital persona, to hit shots while walking on water.

In the new video, filmed at Woods’ Orlando, Florida compound, when his ball lands on a lily pad in a water hazard, Woods nonchalantly takes off his shoes and socks, grabs a wedge and walks across the surface of the water and hits the ball in the hole.

Keen eyed observers have already pointed out that when Woods dips his club into the water prior to his shot he clearly violates Rule 13-5.

According to the rule a player must not “touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club.”

Though he can violate the laws of physics by walking barefoot across the surface of a lake, breaking the laws of golf is a much more serious matter.

For violating Rule 13-5 he would incur a penalty of two strokes in stroke play or loss of hole in match play.

If Woods really can work miracles, he should do something about his knee.

Australian Senior Golfer is teaming with Ramsay McMaster, one of the world’s leading authorities on golf and the body to publish a series of articles on golf fitness, particularly relating to older golfers.

Ramsay is a groundbreaking golf specific physiotherapist and has worked with thousands of average golfers, with leading tour pros and coaches, with major golf organisations in Australia and elsewhere and is the founder of the Melbourne Golf Injury Clinic.

Ramsay’s vast experience working not just with professional players on all world tours but with more than 5000 average weekend players of all ages makes his insights on the game and on golf and the body invaluable.

Ramsay has some simple advice and exercises that can not only help prevent injury and prolong golfing longevity but can also improve overall mobility, stability and posture and give you a better basis for a consistent golf swing and of continued game improvement.

Just by effectively warming up, staying ‘warm’ throughout your round and warming down correctly afterwards you stand a good chance of preventing injury and playing better, more consistent golf. 

For those who do have injuries or chronic conditions affecting their golf, there are also pointers to effective treatments, programs and individual assessments.

Just by effectively warming up, staying ‘warm’ throughout your round and warming down correctly afterwards you stand a good chance of preventing injury and playing better, more consistent golf

Ramsay, an A Grade golfer himself, was the first therapist to realise the need to develop a practice specifically to service and treat golfers.

He established the Melbourne Golf Injury Clinic in 1992 and has continued to build a talented multi-disciplinary team dedicated to the treatment and wellbeing of golfers of all ages and abilities.

The clinic provides a range of services including physiotherapists specifically trained to work with golfers, golf specific myotherapists, remedial massage therapists, orthotists “working with golf orthotics”, 3D swing analysis, golf specific exercise programs, Fitball classes for golfers, “Get fit for golf” lectures for golf teams and clubs, and a number of others.

There are also new and unique programs including the “Train like a Tour Player” program and “GUR: Golfers Under Repair”.

For individual advice and assessment visit http://www.golfmed.net/ or email Ramsey at golfphysio@golfmed.net

Ramsay consults to a number of organisations including The Australian Institute of Sport Golf Unit,  the PGA of Australia and the PGA ‘s of Britain, US, Ireland and New Zealand amongst others. 

Golf Fitness Articles: Ramsay McMaster and the Melbourne Golf Injury Clinic.

Your 5 Minute Golf Warm-Up 

More to come.

Irish golfer Padraig Harrington has come from nowhere to win the US PGA Championship and end Europe’s 78 year drought in the event.

Harrington rallied from three shots behind Sunday to close with a 4-under 66 at Oakland Hills to win his second major on the trot.

Harrington is only the fourth player to win the British Open and the PGA in the same year and he has won three of the last six majors.

The Irishman won the event by two shots from Spain’s Sergio Garcia and American Ben Curtis with Colombian Camilo Villegas and Swede Henrick Stenson finishing in a tie for fourth.

Aaron Baddeley was the best placed Australian, closing with a final round three over par to finish on six over for the tournament in 13th place, nine shots behind Harrington.

Baddeley played solidly in extremely tough conditions that saw just three players finish under par and he secured his best ever finish at the PGA Championships.

“I was close to being right there this week, just not quite, said Baddeley. “I just didn’t get off to the start I wanted for the final round which was disappointing.”

A dropped shot on the final hole saw him lose his grip on his first top ten finish in the event.

“I bogeyed the last hole to miss the top ten so I am disappointed with that.  I was thinking if I could at least sneak in to the top 10 it would be some sort of consolation prize,” he said.

Stuart Appleby finished one shot behind Baddeley in 15th place with a final round 72. He described the conditions as ‘brutal’ and despite a strong putting performance, last week’s Bridgestone Invitational runner up just couldn’t quite land the shots.

FINAL AUSTRALASIAN SCORES:

WINNER: PADRIAG HARRINGTON (Ireland) - 3, 277

 T13, Aaron Baddeley , +6, 71, 71, 71, 73, 286

T15, Stuart Appleby , +7, 76, 70, 69, 72, 287

T24, Mark Brown , +9, 77, 69, 74, 69, 289

T31, Robert Allenby , +11, 76, 72, 72, 71, 291

T31, Geoff Ogilvy , +11, 73, 74, 74, 70, 291

T39, Steve Elkington , +12, 71, 73, 73, 75, 292

T42, Michael Campbell , +13, 73, 71, 75, 74, 293

T42, John Senden , +13, 76, 72, 72, 73, 293

T68, Peter Lonard , +20, 74, 74, 74, 78, 300

71, Richard Green , +23, 71, 77, 79, 76, 303

 Missed Cut:

Brendan Jones , +9, 71, 78

Adam Scott , +10, 77, 73

Nick O’Hern , +10, 74, 76

Scott Strange , +11, 73, 78

Rod Pampling , +11, 70, 81

Mathew Goggin , +16, 81, 75

Stuart Appleby was back in form at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at the weekend and is one of 16 Australasians lining up for the final major of the year, the US PGA Championship.

Appleby was just centimetres short of forcing a play off with eventual winner Vijay Singh but had to settle for a tie for second place with England’s Lee Westwood.

 The Australian’s birdie attempt at the 18th stopped achingly short but his strong finish on the last three holes has backed up his recent comments that he felt a form reversal was near.

“It’s the best tournament I’ve had this year,” Appleby said. “I think if I can keep playing like this, that’s sort of what I’ll keep doing. It’s just a matter of maintaining my swing and maintaining my thoughts mentally. I’m very sure good things will come from it.”

Vijay Singh holds the record for post 40 year old PGA Tour wins ahead of Sam Snead

For 45 year old Vijay Singh the win was his 20th since turning 40. Singh holds the record for post 40 PGA Tour wins with Sam Snead in second place with 17.

Speaking of age, Peter Lonard claimed he was feeling his after turning 41 on July 17.

Earlier in the tournament, Lonard was asked if he was feeling fit now.

“Yeah, I feel good, apart from being old. I’m ready to go,” he told the media.

Lonard managed to stall the march of time long enough to shoot a final round four under 66 that included four birdies and no bogeys.  The laconic Australian pocketed about $200,000 for his sixth placing and he will also line up for the PGA Championship.

US PGA Championship

THERE are 16 Australasian PGA Tour players teeing off in the US PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club starting Thursday. The line-up is: (AM tee times round one) Robert Allenby, Peter Lonard, Richard Green, Rod Pampling, Mark Brown, Aaron Baddeley, Geoff Ogilvy, Nick O’Hern (PM tee times round one) Mathew Goggin, Adam Scott, Brendan Jones, Michael Campbell, Stuart Appleby, Steve Elkington, John Senden and Scott Strange.

The Foxtel pay TV network will cover the championship. Each round will be shown live for about six hours from 3am on Friday and Saturday with replays each afternoon and for eight hours on Sunday and Monday from 1am.

Greg Norman fourth in US Senior Open

Greg Norman has finished fourth at the 29th US Senior Open, his third consecutive top five finish since his inspiring British Open performance.

Norman carded an even par-70 in the final round at Colorado Springs.

Eduardo Romero won the tournament with a final round three-over 73 to become the second Argentine golfer to win the trophy. . He beat American Fred Funk (75) by four strokes and Norman by six. 

Funk, who began the day two strokes back, saw his bid to become the fifth straight come-from-behind winner disappear with a triple-bogey on the 13th hole.

The likelihood of Norman returning to confront Augusta National for the US Masters next year has confirmed even further with new bride Chris Evert expressing her interest.

“I’ve never been to the Masters before, but it would be great,” Evert said. “I’ve watched it every year on TV and it’s great. I’ve watched a lot of golf on TV lately, but never gotten to go to the Masters tournament.”

Australian veteran golfer Greg Norman is odds on to return to the scene of the crime and resume his troubled relationship with the US Masters in April next year.

Norman qualified for Augusta National when he turned back the clock to finish tied third at the British Open last month.

But he turned down an invitation to this year’s final major, the US PGA Championship next week, and had kept tight lipped about Augusta.

But lining up for the US Senior Open in Colorado Springs this week and with the competitive juices flowing, he said: “I feel great that I’ve played my way into Augusta….so I can look forward to that come April, play myself into [shape].”

Settling in to married life with new bride Chris Evert, Norman must feel confident about taking on the old dear again.

He will be forever remembered for his infamous final-round meltdown in 1996 when he blew a six-stroke lead to finish second behind his long-time nemesis Nick Faldo.

Norman, having played the British Open, Senior British Open and now in the midst of the US Senior Open, says he has realised this month that his competitive nature is as strong as ever.

“I have been disappointed in my two finishes the past two weeks, which is a very good sign,” he said.

“It’s is one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make in golf, turning down the PGA,” the 53 year old said.

Meanwhile, Norman has confirmed he will play in the Johnnie Walker Classic at The Vines course in Perth next February.

Tiger Woods for Australian Open? 

But Norman won’t be a starter at the Australian Open at Royal Sydney this year because of a clash with his own event, the Shark Shootout in the US.

However, he will remain in the sights of Golf Australia, with the big announcement this week that the Aussie Open will remain in Sydney till 2015.

Golf Australia has already begun moves to lure a number of internationals - including  Rocco Mediate, Mike Weir and Retief Goosen - to join the likes of Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy and defending champion Craig Parry to the event this year.
Golf Australia’s tournament boss Trever Herden said that while several of the world’s leading players would be approached to play this year, even Tiger Woods remained a possibility in the future despite a $4 million appearance fee.
“Tiger cannot play this year because of his injury but I’m sure he’d love to return to Australia and play the Open,” Herden said.
“We now have substantial backing and we are seeing the Open as an investment so it’s not out of the question we would invite him to play.
“We will now be chasing players like Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia  and Vijay Singh.”

Scott Strange leads Aussies at World Golf Championship

 First timer Scott Strange leads a solid Aussie contingent after the first round of the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in Akron Ohio, just two shots behind leader Retief Goosen.

Strange, playing in his first ever World Golf Championship event finished the day at the top of the Aussie pile with a solid two under par 68 and is tied for sixth place in a group of 14 players including Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Rocco Mediate.

“I played great,” said a delighted Strange after the round.  “I struck the ball nicely after about the third hole on. The golf course is there to be played a certain way and I just played it the way I could. I could have holed a few more putts and had a couple less but at the end of the day two under is a good score.”

One shot behind Strange is fellow first timer Brendan Jones, Rod Pampling, Peter Lonard and Adam Scott who are in a tie for 20th place.

2002 Champion Craig Parry, Nick O’Hern and Stuart Appleby all finished their rounds at even par with Appleby making an incredible comeback after blowing out to five over at the turn.

Two time World Golf Championship winner Geoff Ogilvy was satisfied with his one over par but could have finished even, except for missing a short putt for birdie at the last.

NSW golfer Rick Oliver has won the Australian Senior Order of Merit with an exceptional year of consistent golf.

Oliver posted an amazing record of 11 Top 10 finishes from 12 starts and takes the 2007-2008 title despite not winning an individual event.

He also finished tied for 11th in the Australian Seniors and was placed in the Top 5 in six events.

Runner-up in the AUSOOM was Denis Dale (NSW), who won the competition in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Dale also had a consistent year without winning a title finishing in the Top 10 in seven of the 10 events contested.

Third place went to Victorian Ross Percy. Percy contested eleven events and was placed in the Top 10 in six, including a fourth place in the 2008 Australian Seniors Championship.

New South Wales senior Tony Gresham won the Senior Order of Merit Medal for golfers aged 65 years and older. Gresham finished ahead of the West Australian pair of Alex Cleave and Mal Roberts.

Players will receive their medals as part of the presentations for the 2008 Australian Senior Matchplay Championships to be held at Barwon Heads from September 21-26.

The Men’s Senior Order of Merit is open to golfers aged 55 plus and runs annually from August 1, through to July 31 the following year.

Top 10 players on the Order of Merit

1. Rick Oliver   NSW   1426 points

2. Denis Dale   NSW   1241 points

3. Ross Percy   VIC   1212 points

4. Brian Sams   NSW   1104 points

5. Nigel Goodall   WA   1090 points

6. Stefan Albinski   NSW   1010

7. Grahame MacDonald   QLD   961

8. John Beaumont   SA   936

9. Ross Bockman   NSW   780

10. Tony Gresham   NSW   742

For full details see the Australian Senior Order of Merit website at www.ausoom.com

With his new bride watching from the sidelines at the British Open, an Old Grey Shark has captivated the sporting world.

But whilst the 53 year old veteran Australian golfer didn’t win, Greg Norman did strike a major blow for older golfers everywhere and provide a massive incentive and inspiration to keep on swinging.

Of course it was a huge disappointment that he failed to capitalise on his third round lead - at least he lost to an Irishman named Paddy - but his achievement should be congratulated and celebrated.

As Norman said after his loss: “I can walk away from here being disappointed, but I can walk away from here with my head held high because I hung in there.”

As was endlessly repeated during the tournament, the 53 year old had put himself in a position to be the oldest ever major winner.

It would have been an historic and hugely popular win - as you could imagine, here at Australian Senior Golfer we were amongst those salivating at the prospect - but not to be.

What Greg Norman did prove, especially with the whole package of the British Open lead, the Bahamas wedding to Chirs Evert and the dignified defeat, is that there is life after 50.

To those of us around or over that age it comes as no surprise or shock. The older you get - apart from maybe a few creaks, pains and physical limitations - you still largely feel the same as you did as a teenager. The “old” people are always those people just over the horizon. But try telling that to the “younger” generation.

A lot of people seemed genuinely surprised that at his “advanced” age Norman was up and around on his own, let alone in danger of winning one of the most coveted prizes in golf for the third time.

What does often change as you get older are your priorities.

“….a lot of people should take stock, no matter how old you are, if you really want to chase something and chase a dream, you can go do it.” Greg Norman

As Norman said:” Quite honestly, I’m sure I surprised a lot of people. But at the same time, immediately I think about it now, what happens if I won. What happens if I won, then I might have had to be out here playing more golf, and maybe that’s what I didn’t want to do anyway.”

Norman is due to play in the upcoming Senior British Open and the Senior US Open and has made no commitments after that. His third placing means, among other things, an automatic invitation to the US Masters next year. Now that would be interesting.

Commenting on the physical aspects of his age on his golf, Norman said: “I made the comment in the pressroom a couple days ago that the only thing that would have been different was my shot-making ability. That would have been the only thing different. Even Judy Rankin said that watching me play, as she did for the last couple days on ABC television back in the States, that there wasn’t a whole lot wrong with my game. I’ve still got the components in there.”

On his performance generally he said: “I think it’s a great indicator for every player out there, whether you’re just coming on the Tour for the first year or you’re turning 40 or in your 50s. The game of golf is there to be played, and if you go in there with the right attitude and keep yourself physically fit, you can put yourself in that position no matter what.

“If I’m a young kid, looking now and seeing a guy at 53 years old leading the British Open and I’m only 18, I’m going to say, boy, I’ve got a lot of years left in my career. I think it’s great, I really do.”

And as a final inspiration: “I’ve said this before, I think at the end of the day, a lot of people should take stock, no matter how old you are, if you really want to chase something and chase a dream, you can go do it. Even though there’s failure at the end of it for me, I still put myself in position to really show a lot of other people that you can go do something if you really want it.”

Update: Greg Norman finished in a tie for fifth in the Senior British Open at Troon in Scotland, four shots behind eventual champion Bruce Vaughan, who beat fellow American John Cook in a play-off.

Greg Norman’s new lease of (golfing) life

Greg Norman’s Open Honeymoon