Can Joining a Country Club Extend Life?

Cheater’s Guide to Living to 100

According to Parade Magazine’s article in their Sunday, April 5, 2015 issue, finding a “tribe” such as is found in a country club, can extend life, in some cases up to 14 years. Maybe I’m reading something into the article that’s not there, but I don’t think so. I think it’s a fact. Read the article for yourself and you decide.

Here’s what the Parade Magazine article says: Among the four lifestyle changes that give you the possibility of living to the ripe old age of 100, finding a tribe is the most important and weighs more than the other three, more than what you eat, more than having a purpose, more than physical activity. Your tribe, the people you hang out with, trumps all three for lengthening your lifespan in the most positive ways.

Country Clubs attract like-minded, healthy, fun-loving people, the perfect kind of tribe. And when I look around at the super seniors at Sierra View Country Club, I see a vital, sharp, funny, classy bunch of men and women. And another common element among this group is this: they have been hanging out with their country club tribe for a long time. They didn’t just join yesterday.

The article was written by Ginny Graves, based on over 10 years of research by journalist Dan Buettner. Dan spent the past several years studying the lifestyles of the healthiest, longest-living people all over the world. What he found in these pockets of longevity are not the frail oldsters, but vital, active people enjoying life. Some are still working! And to his surprise, these centenarians all have a tribe, some sort of social group from within their extended family or from good friends.

The tribes at a country club might be the men’s group, or the women golfers, or simply the natural coming-together of groups of club members who resonate with each other’s personalities or professions.

I don’t know about you, but I found this research to be fascinating. I am glad I found my tribe early!