Morning Rituals on the Green
Every morning, around 10 a.m., the quiet hum of life in Dunsford, Ontario, is joined by a familiar sound — the rhythmic thwack of three golf clubs cutting through crisp country air. It’s Rick McMenemy, Bob Nesbitt, and Mike Brown, three long-time members of the Dunsford Golf and Country Club, stepping up to the tee box like clockwork.
They don’t need reminders or tee-time texts. No fanfare. Just the steady pull of habit, friendship, and the love of the game. These men, all in their late seventies to early eighties, have turned golf into something far bigger than a hobby — it’s their daily declaration that life, movement, and laughter never retire.
Rain or shine, summer or fall, there they are — walking, not riding, through all 18 holes. While most players their age take carts to spare their knees or backs, Rick, Bob, and Mike lace up, stretch out, and walk the course as if it were sacred ground. Because for them, it is.
The Fairway Brotherhood
Golf, for these three, isn’t about the scorecard. It’s about something more profound — a quiet pact between old friends to keep each other moving, smiling, and living.
Rick, the steady one, is known for his slow backswing and sharp sense of humour. He’s got a storyteller’s gift and a knack for turning every round into an adventure. Bob, the technician, is all focus and finesse — he keeps stats, tracks progress, and somehow still finds time to coach newcomers with fatherly patience. Mike, the heart of the group, brings the spark — the laugh that cuts through morning fog, the optimism that says, “We’ve got 18 more reasons to be grateful.”
Together, they’ve built something that money can’t buy — a friendship that keeps pace with their footsteps and hearts that swing as freely as their drivers.
Walking the Talk — Literally
In an age of shortcuts and quick comforts, these men are a living testament to endurance and passion. Walking 18 holes, several times a week, is no small feat. It’s roughly five miles of steady movement, up and down gentle hills, across fairways kissed by dew and wind.
But here’s the secret — that’s precisely what keeps them young.
Every swing sends oxygen through their blood. Every step strengthens muscles and joints. Every shared joke clears the mind. For Rick, Bob, and Mike, golf isn’t just a game; it’s medicine. It’s therapy in motion — a fusion of fresh air, focus, and friendship that does more for the body and mind than any pill or treadmill ever could.
Doctors often say, “Use it or lose it.” These three have chosen to use it — their legs, their laughter, their zest for life — and the result is living proof that vitality doesn’t have an age limit.
The Dunsford Way
Tucked in the heart of cottage country, the Dunsford Golf and Country Club isn’t flashy, but that’s its charm. It’s a course that feels like home — surrounded by whispering pines, quiet ponds, and friendly faces who know your name.
It’s where community meets the outdoors. Where local retirees gather not just to play, but to connect, you’ll find couples on the greens, old rivals sharing jokes on the 9th hole, and yes, Rick, Bob, and Mike — leading the unofficial “10 a.m. walking league.”
They don’t just play here; they belong here.
Each season, they proudly enter the Senior League Championship, not necessarily to win (though they’ve done that, too), but to show others what’s possible. Their presence on the course is an open invitation to every senior in the region: Walk with us. Play. Feel alive again.
Health Beyond the Scorecard
Ask them why they do it, and you’ll get three slightly different answers that all lead to the same truth.
Rick might say, “It keeps my head clear.”
Bob might add, “It keeps my doctor happy.”
Mike will grin and say, “It keeps us outta trouble.”
But underneath the humour lies science — and heart. Studies show that seniors who golf regularly enjoy better balance, stronger cardiovascular health, and lower stress levels. The focus required on each shot builds concentration and mental sharpness, while the gentle pace of the game encourages mindfulness.
More importantly, golf combats loneliness — one of the quietest health risks of aging. When you walk the greens with friends, laughter becomes the soundtrack of the day, and purpose finds its way back into your step.
These men don’t see it as exercise. They see it as living well, one hole at a time.
Weathering the Seasons
Through blazing summer heat and crisp fall mornings, they keep showing up. When frost bites the fairway, they bundle up and still take their swings. It’s not about comfort — it’s about consistency.
“There’s no bad weather,” Bob likes to joke, “just bad clothing choices.”
The Dunsford trio understands something many overlook: the rhythm of seasons mirrors the rhythm of life. Some days you’re in full bloom, others you’re just holding the line — but you keep showing up because that’s how you stay in the game.
A Call to Play
Rick, Bob, and Mike have become local legends, not because of how far they drive the ball, but because of how far they drive each other — to stay healthy, active, and positive.
Their message to other seniors in the region is simple:
Don’t let age be your excuse. Let it be your reason.
Pick up a club. Stretch your legs. Feel the grass under your feet and the sun on your face. You don’t need to be a pro — you need to start.
Golf offers what few sports can: low impact, high reward. It’s exercise that feels like leisure, focus that feels like fun, and friendship that feels like home. Whether you play nine holes or eighteen, walk or ride, the benefits ripple through every part of your life — body, mind, and soul.
The Champions of Everyday
At Dunsford, the word “champion” means more than holding a trophy. It means showing up. It means cheering for others. It means knowing that the true victory isn’t in your score, but in your stride.
Rick, Bob, and Mike remind us that retirement doesn’t mean retreat. It means renewal. Every day they step onto that course, they prove that aging gracefully isn’t about slowing down — it’s about keeping your swing steady and your spirit strong.
So if you’re reading this, wondering if you still “have it,” take a cue from these three. The answer isn’t found in your years; it’s found in your drive — both on and off the course.
Final Hole, Never the Last
When their round ends and the clubs are packed, the ritual isn’t over. They sit on the clubhouse patio, watching the next group tee off. Maybe it’s the breeze off Sturgeon Lake, perhaps it’s the coffee, maybe it’s just contentment — but there’s a calm that hangs between them.
Eighteen holes, eighteen reasons to be grateful.
And tomorrow at 10 a.m., they’ll do it all again. Because for Rick, Bob, and Mike, golf isn’t just a sport. It’s a way of life — a rhythm of friendship, health, and hope played on the most beautiful course of all: time.
