The Globe-Trotting Golfer's Guide to Retirement
The secret to a happy, successful retirement, according to author Dave D’Antoni, is a structured day. His approach might strike the neophyte retiree as a tad regimental, but he certainly makes his point when he writes that, “My schedule involves leaving home each morning at 7:30; eating breakfast at the golf club with the guys at 8:00 while debating club, local, U.S. and world problems; warming up by hitting practice balls and practicing putting; playing 18 holes in competition with two to ten other guys, and eating lunch at the 19th Hole while we pay off our bets and repeat our discussions…”
It is stating the obvious to say that D’Antoni, who retired six years ago as a vice president of a chemical company, loves golf. Indeed, his love of golf, which he is lucky enough to share with his wife, Sue Ann, figured heavily in the decision to relocate from a northern state to Florida. Golf also plays a role in his ambitious travel itineraries and in the philosophical way he copes with life’s moments in the rough.
Golf is, of course, the running metaphor for The Globe-Trotting Golfer’s Guide to Retirement. D’Antoni presents his book as a primer for retirement planning, but he doesn’t let his devotion to the game get in the way of presenting broadly applicable advice.
He recommends planning for retirement in one’s forties. Plans should be realistic, tailored to income expectations, health status, and personal interests. He suggests talking to people who have been through this phase of life already and finding out why they failed or succeeded in reaching their retirement goals. While such planning may seem elementary, he was surprised to discover how many retirees spend their golden years in bars or in a state of boredom.
D’Antoni believes that his experience can be applied to those at nearly any income level, but his apparently substantial financial resources might cause those of lesser economic well-being to read his account with a bit of envy. Toward the end of the book, D’Antoni’s effort transforms into a travel guide, leaving behind his stated objective to serve as a retirement guide.
Since his own retirement, the author and his wife have taken thirteen major trips. They’ve been to China, Hawaii, Scandinavia, Italy, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Portugal, and a few other countries. He provides tips on what to see in many of those places, including the Mayan ruins on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and the Parthenon in Athens.
Regardless of the author’s unexpected excursion into travel writing, his book provides useful guidance for anyone getting ready for the retirement game.
Reviewed by
Thomas BeVier
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
