DEL.ICIO.USMY FAVORITE WORKOUT: Bonnie Banks, golf
Marietta octogenarian discovers passion for golf
For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, September 22, 2008
Her inspiration: Bonnie Banks, 85, moved to Marietta in 1997 from Florida to be closer to her daughter. As she had recently become a widow, she decided to start a new chapter in her life. “You close one and you open another,” she says. Soon after moving she joined Marietta’s Indian Hills Country Club. Then she decided to take up golf. “My dad loved golf,” she says. “By the time he died I looked in his wallet; he had a wallet full of holes in one. I thought, ‘that’s amazing. I’ll never be able to do that but at least I can play golf.’ “
Her start: Banks admits that when she first tried to play alone on the course at Indian Hills, she felt a bit embarrassed. “The greenskeepers encouraged me,” she says. “They stopped their mowers to help me concentrate. They’d see this little old lady with gray hair and they’d say, ‘That’s good’ or ‘No’ when I’d miss it.”
ADRIENNE HUGHES-HARRIS/Special
Bonnie Banks finds that golf keeps her mentally and physically healthy, as well as being a great way to make new friends.
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Finding her swing: Banks says that after 25 years of being a caregiver to both her family and at the VA Medical Center in Florida where she volunteered, she was ready for some me-time. “All of a sudden when I was on that golf course I was just Bonnie. I couldn’t believe that I had found me again. I loved the beauty and the quiet of the course. It was peaceful,” she says. She now plays two to three times a week.
Making friends: Rather than continuing to play solo, Banks soon joined a group of women at the club called the Niners, named for their weekly ritual of playing only nine holes. Banks liked the time commitment (just two and a half hours each Thursday) and the wide age range of its members. “The participants are between the ages of 30 and 80,” says Banks, who adds that she thinks of herself as the grandmother of the group.
Why she loves it: While she admits she’s not much of a competitor, she still enjoys the challenge of self against par. But for Banks, golf is more than just a game. “The exercise, the social life, the friendships are priceless to me,” she says.
How she makes fitness fun: So how’s her game after over 10 years of play? “I just maintain my handicap, which is a high handicap,” she says. “But that’s OK because when we play with other clubs, a person with a high handicap levels the playing field and that makes it fun.” She says it’s definitely a workout for her but it’s also very relaxing.
How it keeps her young: Golf helps Banks to feel healthy both mentally and physically. She says it keeps her energized and positive in her thinking. “From the nose up it’s the way you look at life,” she says.
Other loves: Banks, who is a grandmother of three, also enjoys walking in her neighborhood with her daughter. “We have a good time. My daughter and I are very close,” she says.
Her advice: Golf is a great way to make a fresh start, according to Banks: “Determine to reach out, be involved and there is no more beautiful place than a golf course with its wide open space, beautiful flowers and good friends.”
TAKE A SWING
•Indian Hills Country Club where Banks plays has golf memberships: www.indianhillscc.com or 770-971-2605.
•Atlanta Golf Academy offers golf lessons and even a free coaching consultation over the phone www.atlantagolfacademy.com or 770-331-3881.
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