For many people, retiring on a golf course can be the very definition of the good life. For an avid golfer, the idea of having a golf course literally out the back door is a dream come true.

The serene beauty combined with like-minded neighbors make golf course retirement the goal of many golfers as they age. Retirement communities built around golf courses are proliferating in areas where you can golf most of the year Central and Southern California, Florida, Hawaii, and Arizona.

Lets consider for a minute why golfing during retirement (and living near or on a golf course) is beneficial. Since the health benefits of golf are numerous and include increased flexibility and strength, lower blood pressure and increased cardiovascular fitness, its no wonder seniors are anxious to take advantage of it. Add to that the relative ease with which just about anyone can learn the game (even if not physically fit), the wonderful social benefits to golfing and the beauty of most golf courses, and its fairly obvious why so many retirees consider golfing and retirement to be happy bedfellows.

In addition, most people choose golf retirement communities in warm climates, which are generally more comfortable for people who are aging.

Certainly the largest numbers of retirement golf communities are found in Arizona, Florida and California. In general, these are also expensive places to live and certainly most other states will offer its share of golf communities for retirees as well. If you are open to moving out of the country, there are retirement communities featuring golf courses throughout the world in beautiful and warm climates. If not a full-time residence, certainly many retirees would consider such a residence for vacations. Some of the most popular are in New Zealand and Portugal.

If you arent interested in living full-time on a golf course, consider a vacation home. According to Golf Digest magazine, golf is a deciding factor in more than one-third of the 1 million vacation home purchases made each year.