Beat the heat, play golf

Beating the heat can take on different meanings. To most, it means staying cool, but for the bold few it means not being held prisoner to the weather and going out and doing something.

The historic and dangerous heat wave, which has hit the west had temperatures here soaring on Monday to 113 degrees. While Euro tourists and tourists from out of state scrambled to drive to nearby Death Valley “to feel the heat” and watch eggs fry on the pavement, most locals just stayed indoors.

According to the Weather Channel, this weather pattern would remain until the end of this week.

A few decided to brave the heat and hit the golf course. At Mountain Falls Golf Course there were five people on the playing during the hot afternoon hours at 111 degrees between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Ed Moy is a Pahrump local and loves the weather here. He came out to play some golf with his neighbor Bill Rettig and friend Rich Patino before he left on vacation to Chicago. The three were found finishing up their game on the 17th hole at around 2 p.m.

“It’s a little overcast today, good golfing weather because there is a little breeze. We started about 11:30 a.m. I did have one problem on one hole. I think it is because I am a diabetic. I took a little break and had a couple of sugar tablets and I was fine,” Moy said.

His friend Rettig was smiling and looked pretty refreshed for being on the 17th hole and did not appear as if he had been playing in the heat at all.

“Why not golf out here at this time,” he said. “We have done this before and I am not going to say it does not bother us. The neighbor and I wanted to play one more time before he took off for Chicago. I brought an extra towel to wet down with ice water, it brings you back to life.”

Their golf buddy Patino said the heat adds to the fun.

“We are not like the Euros who want to come and feel our heat, we play in it. We have been doing this for years and do this at least once a year. We love it. We have no one in front of us and no one behind us,” he said.

It took seven holes to find the next golfers playing on the 11th green. Paul and Matt Lancaster, an uncle and his nephew, had come out on the spur of the moment.

“I have lived in Pahrump for the last six years. My nephew is visiting me from out of town. He is from Ohio. He said let’s go golfing and I jumped at the opportunity to golf,” Paul said. “It does not feel that bad. The clouds and the breeze does help a bit. I would rather golf in 115-degree weather than 45-degree weather in a heartbeat. I will take the heat over the cold any day.”

Obviously, the key to being outside in the heat is to stay hydrated. Former Trojans golfer Daniel Shimakawa from the class of 2010 golfs five days a week at Mountain Falls and says he is used to the heat and drinks plenty of water.

“They have towels and stuff you can throw on your neck besides water.  I come out here when its hot all the time. It does bother me a little but I can handle it. I have been doing this since high school.”

Professional fitness trainer George Arceo recommends people not used to the heat hydrate before they go outside. He recommends drinking up to 16 ounces of fluids with electrolytes an hour before going out. He says hydrate again 20 minutes before you leave the house, drink up to eight ounces more of water.

“The important thing to remember is many people don’t realize they are dehydrated until they are. Being thirsty while in the heat is a sign of dehydration,” he said.

He said everyone is different on the exact amounts of fluids. These are only estimates.