Talk of the Town: Play golf—live longer!

Golf is good for your health? Ha! I know for sure that my husband’s blood pressure rises when he’s playing golf. And let’s ask Tiger. Isn’t his knee a little painful right now.

Well, according to Science Daily, golf can be good for your health.

It is a well-known fact that exercise is good for you, but the expected health gains of particular activities are still largely unknown.

A team of Swedish researchers has now presented a study of the health effects of golf — a low-intensity form of exercise in which more than 600,000 Swedes engage.

The study, which is published in “Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports,” is based on data from 300,000 Swedish golfers and shows that golf has beneficial health effects.

The death rate amongst golfers is 40 per cent lower than the rest of the population, which equates to an increased life expectancy of five years.

Golfers with a low handicap are the safest. (Well no wonder. Aren’t they the best golfers?)

Professor Anders Ahlbom, who led the study with Bahman Farahmand is not surprised at the result, as he believes that there are several aspects of the game that are proved to be good for the health.

“A round of golf means being outside for four or five hours, walking at a fast pace for six to seven kilometres (more than four miles), something which is known to be good for the health,” he says. “People play golf into old age, and there are also positive social and psychological aspects to the game that can be of help.”

The study does not rule out that other factors than the actual playing, such as a generally healthy lifestyle, are also behind the lower death rate observed amongst golfers. However, the researchers believe it is likely that the playing of the game in itself has a significant impact on health. (That’s excuse enough for my husband to play every day.)

Golf players have a lower death rate regardless of sex, age and social group. The effect is greater for golfers from blue-collar professions than for those from white-collar professions. The lowest rates are found in the group of players with the lowest handicap.

“Maintaining a low handicap involves playing a lot, so this supports the idea that it is largely the game itself that is good for the health,” says Ahlbom.

There were just as many people as there were pets at the grand opening June 7 of Central Pet, a full-service pet resort in Amado.

Hundreds of visitors and their four-legged companions swarmed the 9,600-square-foot facility, eager to see the animal resort.

Visitors toured the new boarding, grooming and retail areas, as well as the kennels, some of which were luxury suites featuring sofa beds and flat screen televisions so pampered pets can tune into their favorite programs.

Central Pet owner Julie Grounds, her business partner Lorin Jacobson and general manager Seth Jones were on hand to answer questions and direct visitors to the Central Pet kennel technicians who were also busy conducting tours of the building.

Besides introducing the new pet resort to the public, Central Pet staff offered free puppy potty training classes, snake avoidance training, a shot clinic and loads of free food and fun for the kids, as well as a free raffle drawing.

Members of the Santa Cruz Valley Humane Society were on hand with animals for adoption.

Grounds learned the business while working at a Texas pet resort, and said she longed to open a facility of her own.

“It’s just thrilling to see so many people come out to support us,” Grounds said at the grand opening. “I’ve dreamed of this for so long and now we are open. People love their animals and we do, too.”

Grounds spent eight years as vice president of operations for Dorn Homes in Green Valley before teaming up with Jacobson to make her dream come true. Grounds designed the resort. Jacobson Custom Homes handled construction.

“Central Pet offers a vacation-style atmosphere for your pet,” manager Seth Jones said. “We offer a wide variety of services, all designed to take the best care of your animal.”

All the kennel units are temperature controlled year-round with full air conditioning and heating.

Cat digs are also temperature controlled. Kitty amenities include flat screen fish tanks for viewing and windows with views of trees filled with bird feeders to keep felines amused.

Central Pet features a retail store with a full line of pet foods and accessories, including a large selection of organic and natural foods and pet care products.

Central Pet boasts a grooming salon with state-of-the-art equipment headed by lead groomer, Luana Barta.

Paul Blaushild is Central Pet’s director of training, and other staff members include Kim Auxier and Ally Grounds.

The staff is professionally trained and American Boarding Kennel Association certified.

Central Pet also offers pet pick-up and delivery, a service called Zoom and Groom, a per day care and grooming service.

Pet Central is at 2875 E. Frontage Road in Amado. From Green Valley and Sahuarita, take Interstate 19 south, exit Arivaca Road and turn left heading east. Take the first right heading south on the Frontage Road. Approximately 1.5 miles on the left side of the road.

From Tubac, take I-19 north, exit Aqua Linda Road and turn right. Take left on Frontage Road heading north about one mile down on the right side.

Call 520-398-8661 for more information or visit www.centralpetaz.com.

The Rotary Club of Green Valley installed new officers June 24 at a meeting held at St. Francis-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church hall marking the beginning of the fourth year of Rotary’s second century of service.

Tom Tilton, Rotary International District 5500 governor-elect presided. The new 2008-09 officers are: Jerry Ochs, president; Mitch Salyers, president-elect; Kevin Jordan, vice president; Michael Pease, secretary; Philip Brooke, treasurer; Mark Dugan, immediate past-president and directors: Ray Colony, Becky Roberts, Noble Rose, Father Michael Shay and Donna Gallagher.

For more information about the Rotary Club of Green Valley, visit: www.rotaryclubofgreenvalley.org.

rford@gvnews.com