Tommy Snell offers golf resolutions that go extra holes
Oprah Winfrey and Weight Watchers want us to have our best body in 2016. A Good Morning America report offered suggestions for making resolutions stick faster than a Balata ball on a soggy green. The "science" behind making resolutions stick might interest golfers who will tee off with pledges this year.
The ball dropped in Times Square, and so will weight for a few months. A New Year's Eve report on GMA stated that the No. 1 resolution for 2016 is "Live life to the fullest." Does that mean eating anything and everything? I think not.
For golfers, play golf to the fullest might be a better choice. To do just that, linksters who have a genuine desire to have their best year have to define "fullest." Better yet, they should list a few definitions that play key roles in the resolution script.
GMA offered two scientific rules for making promises last more than 18 holes: 1) make resolutions public and 2) set milestone markers. With that in mind, let's get started with resolutions that will make us play golf to its fullest. The number 2 is always good on a scorecard, so why not start with a pair of sound resolutions.
1. Walk more: Park the golf cart. Once a week throw your clubs on a cart that allows you to walk without having to carry your clubs. Tell your friends to meet you once a week for at least nine holes. You've made your resolution public, and you've set a milestone.
The Rose Center for Health concluded that walking nine holes on a hilly course is the equivalent of walking 2.5 miles. One training guru suggested that the time spent playing 18 holes and walking is similar to a 45 minute fitness class.
2. Eat better: This is not rocket science. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Eat less bread. Kris Gunmars quoted on Authority Nutrition, "The whiter the bread, the sooner you're dead." Let's face it. If you're in better shape, chances are you'll play better. Even more important, you'll be able to play golf longer if the quote holds any truth.
She adds, "The starches in bread get broken down quickly in the digestive tract and enter the bloodstream as glucose. This causes a rapid spike in blood sugar and insulin levels." Set a milestone that you won't eat any bread that's not whole grain. According to WebMD, "whole grains provide more vitamins, minerals and fiber than refined. But overdoing whole wheat bread can add pounds, too."
When you eat more fruits and vegetables and eat less bread, you're making it public because people will ask you why you're not ordering a burger or sandwich. Tell them. Make it public. You'll be doing yourself and someone else a favor.
Okay, so those are my two resolutions that I plan to keep for the entire year. Make your own, but create two that you can keep all year if not for life.
Tommy Snell, golf coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, writes a column for the Sun Herald.
This story was originally published January 4, 2016 at 2:10 PM with the headline "Tommy Snell offers golf resolutions that go extra holes ."