(NC)-The good news is that Canadian children are playing hockey, basketball, football and golf in record numbers. The bad news - they're doing it on a video game, not outdoors.

"I want to inspire kids to play real golf, not Wii golf," says Conor O'Shea, a 25-year-old golf instructor and author of a book called Marcus' Golfing Adventures.

The book sends a message that youth can take up golf for the sake of fun, without putting pressure on themselves about their score. Getting kids into and enjoying golf early is important, says O'Shea, as it's an activity they can do for life.

That idea fits perfectly with the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation's Because You Can! public awareness and education campaign, which O'Shea is proud to support. The campaign promotes proactive steps that people can take through their lifetime to keep their bones and joints strong.

O'Shea believes that anyone can play and love golf if they take the right approach. That's the lesson Marcus learns in the book, O'Shea's first. In it Marcus is a young boy who is trying to cope with the frustrations of the game. He learns to deal with the ups and downs, and take pleasure from the game itself, and not from his scorecard.

"We need positive messages like this to get kids moving," says Angelique Berg, CEO of the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation. "Children make a habit of activities they enjoy."

O'Shea's first book is already getting great response from within the golfing community.

"The Marcus Golfing Adventures message is a great roadmap for parents of junior golfers and kids in general," says Stephen Ames, the Canadian golf professional." It delivers the right message about a lifelong game."

To order Marcus' Golfing Adventures, visit www.marcusgolfingadventures.com.

For more information about lifelong bone and joint health, visit www.canorth.org.

- News Canada