Mountain Views News          Saturday, July 9, 2016

Mountain Views-News Saturday, July 9, 2016 11THE GOOD LIFE THE GOOD LIFE 
GREAT GADGETS FOR AGING GOLFERS 



Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you recommend any products that can help oldergolfers? I love to play golf, but at age 74, I have hip andback problems that make bending over to tee up orpick up the ball difficult. And I have arthritis in mythumbs that makes griping the club a problem. 

Ailing Eddy 

Dear Eddy,
There are actually a wide variety of nifty golfaccessories and adaptive equipment that can helpolder golfers who struggle with injuries, arthritisor loss of mobility. Here are several products fordifferent needs. 

Bending SubstitutesThe game of golf requires a lot of repetitive bendingand stooping that comes with teeing up the ball,
repairing divots, marking the ball on the green,
retrieving a ball or tee on the ground, along withpicking up a club, sand rake or flag stick off theground.

For teeing up the ball without bending over,
consider one of the Northcroft Golf Tee-Up devices.
These are long-handled tools (1.5 to 3 feet long) thathave trigger-style handgrips and a jaw that holds theball and tee for easy placement. They cost between$69 and $72 and are available at NorthcroftGolf. 
com. For other tee-up solutions, see the Tee Pal ($55,
TeePalPro.com) and Joe’s Original Backtee ($15,
UprightGolf.com).

NorthcroftGolf.com and UprightGolf.com also 
offer a variety of stoop-proof ball pickup accessories,
divot repair and magnetic ball marker productsranging between $5 and $12.

Or, if you just want a great all-around golf picker-
upper, consider the Graball GrabAll Jaw – soldthrough Amazon.com for $10 for a package oftwo. It attaches to the handle end of your putterand chipper and is designed to pick up golf balls,
flagsticks, putters and green side chippers. 

Gripping Aids
To help alleviate your golf club gripping problem,
there are specially designed golf gloves and grips
that can make a big difference.


The best gloves are the Bionic Golf Gloves(BionicGloves.com) that have extra padding in thepalm and finger joints to improve grip. And the 
Power Glove (PowerGlove.com) that has a smallstrap attached to the glove that loops around the clubgrip to secure it in your hand. These run between 

KATIE Tse.....................This and That 


BUSTED! 

I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July! In fact, I hope it was so wonderful that you completely forgot that I failed to send in a new story last week and recycled an old one. But this week you’re in luck! Not because anything new or exciting happened to me personally 

(and I’m fine with that!), but because we 

recently had dinner with my dad’s cousin, Phil, a.k.a. “The Most Interesting Man in the World!” 

 If you read my column often you probably remember Phil from stories such as “Here’s Lookin’ at You, Kid,” 

$20 and $30. 

Another option is to get oversized grips installedon your clubs. This can make gripping the clubeasier and more comfortable, and are also very goodat absorbing shock. Oversized grips are usuallyeither one-sixteenth-inch or one-eighth-inch largerin diameter than a standard grip, and cost around$10 per grip. You can find these grips and have theminstalled at your local golf store or pro shop.

Or, for a grip-and-glove combination fix,
consider the Quantum Grip (QuantumGrip.com)
that incorporates Velcro material recessed in thegolf club grip and a companion golf glove that hasmating Velcro material in the palm. Cost: $20 pergrip, plus $35 per glove. 

Vision Helper
If vision problems make finding the ball difficult,
Chromax golf balls (ChromaxGolf.com) can make a
big difference. These are reflective colored golf balls
that make them appear larger and brighter. Cost:
$10.50 for a three-pack. 


Ergonomic Carts
There are also ergonomically designed golf carts
that can help you transport your golf clubs around
the course. If you like to walk, the Sun Mountain
Sports Micro-Cart, V1 Sport Cart or Reflex Cart
are great options. These are three and four-wheeled,
lightweight push carts that that fold into a compact
size for easy transport. Available at SunMountain.
com for $200, $210 and $230. 


Or, for severe mobility loss, the SoloRiderspecialized electric golf cart (SoloRider.com)
provides the ability to play from a seated or standingbut-
supported position. Retailing for $9,450, plusa $550 shipping fee, this cart is lightweight andprecisely balanced so it can be driven on tee boxesand greens without causing any damage. FederalADA laws require that all publically owned golfcourses allow them. 

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O.
Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.
org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Todayshow and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. 

be like that. Heck, I want to be like that now! But back to the story...

 Phil’s mom, Muriel (Phil’s one of those people who refers to his parents by their first names) gave Phil a few dimes to go to the market (where Howie’s was) to buy her a pack of cigarettes. Keep in mind that Phil 

of the most frightening experiences of his young life. The patrol car was cavernous on the inside, and as he sat down the immense policeman sifted his massive gun to show Phil who was boss. Needless to say, it was a long time before Phil and Davey used Muriel’s cigarette money for candy again! 

was about five at the time. So Phil left for the 

market and met up with his friend. I forget the friend’s name, so we’re going to call him “Davey” for now. Phil and Davey went to the market, but even though these were the good old days when kids could get away with more than they can now, they still wouldn’t sell a 

five year-old cigarettes. 

This left Phil and Davey with Muriel’s money and some time to kill. Davey had the bright idea of buying candy, so that’s what they did. Phil described this retro delight as a giant fan-shaped lollipop with jelly animals around the edge. While Phil and Davey sat down to enjoy their treats, Muriel had become worried about Phil and called the police. After about one or two jelly animals, a big cop car pulled up in front of the boys 

and the officer sternly 

called out, “Phil!” Davey bolted and left poor Phil clutching his lollipop.

Phil describes the ride home as one 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS 



HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ….July Birthdays 

Nina Bartolai, Mary Lou Caldwell, Louise Neiby, Eunice Banis, Betty Hansen, 
Christine Durfort, Shahrzad Azrani, Jeanne Borgedahl, Janet Cox, Dorothy 
Montgomery, Bess Pancoska, Janet Swanson, Linda Thunes, Barbara Watson, Pat 
Alcorn, Karma Bell, Alice Clark, Dorothy Jerneycic, and Betty Dos Remedios. 
* To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of birth 

not required but you must be over 60. 
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ACTIVITIES: Unless listed differently, all activities are at the 
Hart Park House (Senior Center) 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre

 YWCA San Gabriel Valley - Intervale Senior Cafe 

Seniors 60 years of age and up can participate in the YWCA Intervale daily lunch program held 
at the Hart Park House Senior Center. Meals are served Monday through Friday at 12:00 pm 
and participants are encouraged to arrive by 11:45 am. Meals are a suggested donation of $3.00 
for seniors 60 and over or $5.00 for non-senior guests. Daily reservations are necessary, space is 
limited. Please reserve your lunch by calling 626-355-0256. 

Hawaiian and Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday morning from 10:00 - 11:00am. Join 
instructor Barbara Dempsey as she instructs you in the art of hula. 

Bingo: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00pm. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome to 
join. May be cancelled if less than 5 people. 

Free Blood Pressure Testing: 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11am to 12pm. No appt. is 
necessary. 

Brain Games: Thursday, June 16, 10:30 - 11:30am. Improve your memory and strengthen your 
brain. Activities facilitated by senior volunteers. 

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, June 15th from 10:30am to Noon. Attorney Lem 
Makupson is available for legal consultation. He specializes in Family Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates, 
and Injury. Appointment are required by calling 626-355-7394. 

Sing-A-Long: Music brings joy to the soul. Come join us Thursday, June 9, 10:30 - 11:30am. No 
music skills needed! This month: “Silly Folk Songs”. 

Balance Class: Monday, June 20, 11:00 - 11:45am with Paul Hagen. A variety of balance exercises 
are practiced; all ability levels are encouraged and welcomed. 

Chair Yoga: Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:00 to 11:45 am. A suggested donation of $5 at one 
of the classes is requested, but is not required. 

Case Management: Meets the 2nd Thursday of the month. Case Management services are 
provided by the YWCA and provide assistance in a variety of areas. Appointments are required 
and can be scheduled by calling the HPH Office at 626-355-7394. 

Birthday Celebrations: Every second Thursday of the month at the Hart Park House. The free 
birthday cake is provided by the Sierra Madre Civic Club. 

Game Day: Every Thursday starting at 12:00pm. (Please note the time change.) A regular group of 
seniors play poker. Other games available for use. 

Free Strength Training Class: Every Friday from 12:45pm to 1:30pm with Lisa Brandley. The 
class utilizes light weights for low impact resistance training. All materials for the class are 
provided. 

Senior Club: Every Saturday at the Hart Park House Senior Center. Brown bag lunch at 11:30am. 
Club meeting at noon. Bingo 12:30-3:30pm. Annual Membership is only $10.00. 

Lunch and Learn - Thursday, June 23 - 12:30 - 1:00pm 

 Did you know 1 out of 5 people 65 or older is eligible for a SilverSneakers membership! This 
active adult wellness program is offered through many Medicare plans. Increase your energy 
and your overall well-being is possible with SilverSneakers. A representative from Healthways 
SilverSneakers will give a brief presentation about this wonderful benefit and find out if your 
health plan offers the SilverSneakers Fitness program. If you are interested in having lunch with 
the Senior Lunch Café before the presentation please call 626-355-0256 to make a reservation. 

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UPCOMING EXCURSIONS: 

LAKE ARROWHEAD QUEEN 

Date: Wednesday, July 20
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Meeting Location: Hart Park House
Cost: $17.00 (Does not include lunch) 
Description: Ride in style in the enclosed Lake 
Arrowhead Queen paddlewheel boat. Experience the beauty and excitement of a narrated tour 
of Lake Arrowhead aboard the elegant Arrowhead Queen. The splendor and serenity of Lake 
Arrowhead’s lush forest, sparkling water and blue skies glide by, as you sit back and enjoy close-up 
of exquisite lakefront homes and learn about the fascinating history of the lake. Lunch is on your 
own around Lake Arrowhead Village. Participants should bring money for lunch and souvenirs. 
Level of walking: Medium. 
Please call the Hart Park House 626-355-7394. 


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SENIOR CINEMA • 1st & 3rd Wednesday Shown at the Hart Park House Senior Center 

“Kinkajou,” and “Grease Ball, the Chicken.” He is my go-to guy when I need writing ideas or just a good laugh. This latest story is from Phil’s childhood growingup in Sierra Madre in the 1930’s. Although Phil’s over 80, he and his wife, Joyce, are the kind of people who put a lot of younger folks to shame because they are so vibrant, good looking, and sharp. When I’m 80 I want to 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com