Soak Them Bones

While golfers like me often think of outdoor hot tubs as the place to soak our bogey-beaten bones, a remarkable array of indoor spa facilities are available, too

Indoors or out, spas offer real health benefits for golfers and civilians alike. “Body-healing temperature is 102 degrees,” says Association of Pool and Spa Professionals Chairperson Penny Johnson. “Just ten minutes in water at that temperature can make you feel like a whole new human being.” The Arthritis Foundation says hot tubs relieve stiff joints, tight muscles, and poor circulation. Sleep researchers have long prescribed a hot soak before bedtime as a great way to encourage a good night’s sleep. There’s some evidence that spas help with weight loss and reduction of cellulite and many people also believe hydro-massage encourages production of endorphins, which enhance your feeling of well-being.

You don’t need a huge outdoor hot tub to enjoy those benefits, either. Manufacturers like Jacuzzi and Kohler offer whirlpools and air baths in numerous styles and configurations that fit any décor and lifestyle. Kohler BubbleMassage baths offer full-body hydro massage from more than 100 adjustable air jets that inject warm air into the bath and allow use of bath oils and salts. Other options include chromatherapy, which illuminates the bath with color to enhance your mood. The Kohler Purist model starts at $5,300.

The Jacuzzi Fuzion Salon Spa bath (starting at $4,900) provides seating for two with sculpted arm supports and contoured backrests with pillows. There are also fifteen jets (with eleven dedicated to the back and feet) that are fully adjustable to provide twelve different hydro-massage experiences in addition to the thousands of warm air bubbles generated by the bottom channels. You and your partner will also enjoy the infinity edge drain system so you can fill the tub to the very brim and a chromatherapy lighting system with 256 mood-enhancing colors.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds