Welcome To Golf Too

When you are first starting to learn how to play golf, or even if you are a seasoned golfer, you will probably always be on the look out for golf tips. This is especially true if you have a problem area that you would like to improve upon, or if there is just something you can’t quite seem to get right. Following are a few short tips that might help you the next time you are out on the golf course.

1. Balance is quite important when it comes to playing a good round of golf, especially when you are executing your golf swing. By keeping your knees bent, your weight will rest in the middle of your feet, thus keeping you balanced during your golf swing.

2. Another of the useful golf tips to remember is that you should not swing your golf club at 100 percent power. If you swing at 70 percent, you will keep your balance, which gives you enough distance for a good golf swing.

3. If you own one of the new drivers with 420 or 460 printed on the bottom, you will need to tee your ball higher to make sure you get it on the up swing.

4. When you have a short putt to make, it works best to keep the putter in line with the hole. To get really proficient at this, try practicing 1 foot putts.

5. In order to make a good pitch and run shot, think of hammering a tack into the ball. It will give you a solid hit.

6. One of the useful golf tips for winter play involves putting. If you are playing when the greens are dewy, you need to putt firm in order to make it to the hole.

7. Always remember to keep your golf grips clean so that you will have a good feel of the club.

8. When your ball lands on an un-even spot, don’t swing too hard, as you are off balance already. Swinging too hard will make the situation worse.

9. For long putts, it works better to stand taller. You will have a better view of the hole.

10. A good thing to remember when putting, is to focus your thoughts more on the putt than your stroke.

The best of all the golf tips you will hear is to relax when you are out playing golf. Being nervous will only put you off your game. If you start to feel nervous or tighten up, try pushing your shoulders up to your ears and hold them there a few seconds. Then let them drop. This is a method of instant relaxation and will help your golf swing be a good one.

Article Source: http://www.bettergolfarticles.com

In this photo provided by the USGA, The golden bear was not there, but a black bear runs across the 13th fairway during the second round of the 2008 U.S. Senior Open golf championship at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Friday, August 1, 2008.
Nobody was harmed, and neither was the bear.
(Jack) Nicklaus isn’t here, so I guess that’s a substitute,” cracked Funk.
The tournament officials were prepared to tranquilize the animal and stop play were it to become aggressive or spooked, after several minutes the bear crawled through a drainage pipe on the ninth hole that leads to the West Course, then went through another drainage pipe and into the wilderness, leaving unnerved galleries and golfers behind.
The course, carved into the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, serves as host to all kinds of critters, including bobcats, coyotes, deer, mountain lions, red foxes, snakes and turkeys.

Besides the bear, a few deer and red-tailed foxes were also spotted on Friday.
(AP Photo/ USGA, John Mummert)

When you love something too much, there is bound to be trouble. Nobody can balance

family life or love life and golf - something has to give. Suspect you’re going overboard when people are giving you golfing gear and picking their brains out to think of golf gift ideas when your birthday comes along. Read on to know if you love golf too much and learn how to balance the scales.

Are You Golf Crazy? Certainly, you know somebody who loves golf as much as Tiger Woods does. There are as many as 20,000 golf courses in the world. It’s no wonder thousands are addicted to the game, men and women alike, and 6 out of 10 families have at least one golf player or fan for sure.

Some people look at golf as a hobby, some as a compulsion. The game has to be played, no ifs or buts. Since it also takes a lot of time to finish a game, you tend to dismiss or neglect other things that need to be done. You spend less time with your wife and kids or the girlfriend, other non-golf playing friends, and even your dog. You cannot even have the time to mend a broken window lock! Here are other signs that you are loving golf a little too much:

* Your wife starts sporting a new name, THE GOLF WIDOW (get the point?).

* You run out of budget because golf can be quite expensive, unless you’re a pro.

* You’re using your credit card frequently for golf purchases.

* You talk of nothing else, on or off the course.

* Your home is crammed with golf figurines and golf ashtrays.

But golf isn’t all that bad. There also are good things that happen even when you’re engrossed in the world of clubs, balls, and the 18th hole:

* You meet new friends.

* You get to have some “you” time.

* You get to walk those legs of yours.

* You get to breathe fresh air and smell freshly cut grass for a change.

* You get a nice tan.

* You build sexy arm muscles and legs.

* You lose weight.

The Balancing Act

Before you find yourself ditched for another lover, decide at the soonest possible time when you’re going to give up a little of your golf time for the wife or girlfriend. Most golfers just dismiss threats to relationships as one of those things that can be fixed with a dinner out or expensive gifts, which are just as useless and expensive as well.

To even things out, you have to change your golfing lifestyle and spending habits. If you’re playing golf four times a week, prune it down to a weekend date or once a week. With more time spent with your family, you will be able to track your kids’ activities, take your wife to the theater, or have a good time with your friends at the pub. Perhaps they can wiggle from you some great golf gift ideas.

Time spent away from your family is like going fast forward and missing the things that mean a lot - Jamie’s school program, Deb’s Recognition Day, and your wife’s culinary adventures. Then, with a pang, you realize that you have missed the important things like being a father, a husband, and a friend. Golf is not the be all and end all. There’s more to life than golf.

You cannot give the game up, but you can still have time for it. If you are aiming to be a golf great like Nicklaus, Palmer, Hogan, or Tiger Woods, then go ahead with open eyes. Do you have the makings of a great golfer? Can you afford to be away from your growing kids and wife most of the time, considering that you still have a boss? Can your budget sustain this hobby? If you answer yes to all the questions, then go ahead.

Got a golfer in the family? There are lots of great golf gift ideas to choose from. For those overseas games, passport covers and a men’s leather money clip are sure to come in handy. Visit ExecutiveGiftShoppe.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bradlley_Mckoy

Brothers, ages 9 and 11, pull off an incredible golf feat.

By Garry Smits, The Times-Union

Davis Massey admits it. He was feeling some brotherly envy. “I was very jealous,” said the 9-year-old Ponte Vedra Beach resident, after watching his 11-year-old brother, Hanks Massey make a hole-in-one at the third hole of the TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course in the waning twilight of Thursday night.

His answer: knock the ball into the hole on top of big brother. As a result, the Massey boys beat odds only a bit less than scoring all six numbers of the Florida Lottery as they made back-to-back aces during a casual round with their father, PGA Tour marketing vice president Scott Massey.

Hanks and Davis Massey made the first aces of their young golf careers with Callaway balls stamped with the number “3″ and ending in the cup, cut in the back left. Hanks used a 9-iron and Davis an 8-iron, with the estimated distance to the hole placed at 103 yards.

Oddly enough, their father has only one hole-in-one in his life - nearly 30 years ago to the day, when he was 13.

The odds of two players in the same group making a hole-in-one have been estimated at 17 million-to-1 by Francis Scheid, a retired Boston University math professor who was commissioned by Golf Digest to calculate hole-in-one odds under various scenarios. The odds for a PGA Tour player have been pegged at 3,700-to-1 and a handicap golfer at about 13,000-to-1.

The odds at hitting the big prize in the Florida Lottery are about 22 million-to-1. Various Internet sites put the odds at being struck by lightning in Florida at 240,000-to-1 or being bit by a shark at 11 million-to-1.

The threesome of father and sons set out on the Stadium Course for a late-evening nine holes, and reached the third tee at about 7:30 p.m. Scott Massey hit first, from the blue tees, and missed the green. The boys went to the green tees and when Hanks Massey let fly with his 9-iron, the contact felt good and the ball flight looked better.

“I was hoping it was real close,” he said. “Then I thought it might be over the green.”

Scott Massey, hoping for the best, charged the hole to see if the ball was in, followed by his two sons. When they found Hanks’ ball, the three whooped, high-fived and hugged, then immediately started using modern technology to record and spread word of the moment.

Dad took pictures with his Blackberry and Hanks called his mother Nancy, then his grandmother Kay Massey Brown in Colorado to tell them what happened.

In the euphoria of the moment, Scott Massey remembered one thing: Davis had yet to hit his tee shot. He watched as his youngest son trudged back to the tee, golf bag on his back, and felt apprehensive.

“I knew Davis was happy for his brother,” Scott Massey said. “But you could tell there was a bit of that sibling rivalry going on. That was a tough shot to follow.”

Davis went to the tee and let fly with his 8-iron. The ball landed on the green 30 feet short of the pin, and began tracking to the hole. His father ran over to the side of the ball and literally began walking with it and urging the ball into the hole.

“It died right in the cup,” Scott Massey said. “It was incredible.”

The boys’ grandmother received a play-by-play of Davis ‘ shot, since Hanks was still on the phone with her.

“I screamed, ‘ Davis got one too!’” Hanks Massey said.

As a result, both brothers shared in the glory. Their reward: dinner at Moe’s that night and Dad’s promise to buy them Taylor Made fairway woods.

Hanks Massey said there will be one other perk. There are large plaques in the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse commemorating holes-in-one. Some of the names include Greg Norman, Miguel Jimenez and Joey Sindelar.

“We get our names up there now,” Hanks said.

01/26/2008 08:06 PM | By Shakir Husain, Staff Reporter

Dubai: The UAE is the most expensive golf destination in all of Europe, Middle East and Africa, and the country is setting new standards in the business, accounting firm KPMG said in a report.

Average revenues for golf courses in the Middle East are three to four times higher than similar golf course businesses in Europe.

The Golf Benchmark Survey Summary Report published yesterday showed that revenues of 18-hole golf courses in the Middle East average 5.3 million euros (Dh28.8 million).

Courses in Dubai, which accounts for more than half of the Arab region’s golf facilities, are especially successful, with revenues averaging about seven million euros (Dh38 million).

Among top European golf locations, courses raked in the average 1.8 million euros in Portugal and the Netherlands, 1.5 million euros in Spain and 1.3 million euros in Ireland.

“Golf in the Middle East continues to drive forward, setting new and extraordinarily high standards for the international golf business,” said Andrea Sartori, head of KPMG’s specialist Golf Advisory Services Team.

“The influx of expatriates from traditional golfing countries such as the UK, Ireland and Australia, and the interest of international golf tourists, continues to fuel the golf boom. Dubai, in particular, has led the way in positioning itself as a global destination for golf,” Sartori said.

Recent phenomenon

Demand for golf in the Middle East, where water and natural greenery are scarce, is a recent phenomenon as the sport is not traditionally enjoyed by the local population. In places like the UAE, tourism and real estate boom is driving golf developments. Dubai’s Jumeirah Golf Estates has engaged top golfers such as Greg Norman and Vijay Singh to develop a number of courses.

KPMG estimates the number of golfers in the region to be around 17,000, a .026 per cent golf participation rate, much lower than in European countries. In the UAE, the number of golfers is estimated to be 7,000.

Golf in the Gulf, is also the most expensive anywhere in Europe and the Middle East and Africa, KPMG said.

On average, 18-hole weekend green fees in the Middle East cost 107 euros, more than double the average 50 euros paid in Britain and Ireland.

The UAE, which has about 20 new golf courses under development or in planning, is also the most expensive country, where an 18-hole weekend green fee is 121 euros, followed by Portugal at 78 euros and Cyprus and Turkey at 76 euros.

The least expensive courses to play golf are located in South Africa and Eastern Europe, where people can enjoy the game for less than 40 euros.

KPMG said the report was based on 2006 data submitted by about 1,500 golf courses in 48 countries. Ten Middle Eastern courses participated in the survey.

Like the Middle East, golf courses in South Africa have year-round availability and high volumes of play, but their revenues and profits are significantly lower due to their low green fees and membership fees.

Despite having 10 times more staff than courses in Europe, Middle Eastern courses enjoy average profit margins 32 per cent higher than anywhere in Europe. On average there are 188 staff at 18-hole golf courses in the Middle East, with Dubai courses employing about 230 people KPMG said.

Taylor Made 200 Iron

Description:

Credit the club head’’s longer blade, perimeter weighting and CG placed lower and deeper behind the club face for a higher launch trajectory with more ball spin. The 200 irons” moderate offset promotes better alignment and shot shaping ability. Its straight leading edge and strong topline present a powerful look and aid alignment at address.

MSRP: $699

Taylor Made 300 Iron

Description:

From TaylorMade: "The traditional look comes from the thin topline, mirror chrome finish, straight leading edge and minimal offset. The modern conveniences of optimal weighting and center of gravity are achieved through TaylorMade’s exclusive trapezoidal cavity pad, which is placed behind the impact zone to maintain ball velocity and preserve feel. Like the 320 and 360 irons, the long irons in the Forged 300 set have negative bounce to help create lift, while the short irons have positive bounce to prevent ballooned shots."

MSRP: $799

SILVIS, Ill. (AP) -Kenny Perry beat Brad Adamonis and Jay Williamson in a playoff to win the John Deere Classic and escape with his third victory in five starts after bogeying the 18th hole on Sunday.

Perry had a one-stroke lead at 17-under through 17 only to lose it thanks to some poor shots from the fringe on the final hole of regulation. He and Williamson then watched as Adamonis, the PGA Tour’s oldest rookie at 35, missed an 18-foot putt for birdie that would have won it in regulation and given him his first victory.

The ball stopped three feet short and Adamonis was at 16-under 268 with the others.

While Adamonis and Williamson both hit approach shots into the pond on No. 18, Perry tapped in from 1 feet, 4 inches for par and the victory after his 24-footer stopped just short.

He picked the ball out of the cup and raised both arms, an ear-to-ear grin crossing his face.

He has reason to smile.

He’s enjoying the best stretch of his career and collected $756,000 with his 12th victory. Perry (1-under 70), Adamonis (70) and Williamson (69) were one stroke ahead of Charlie Wi (69), Will MacKenzie (70) and Eric Axley (69) after 72 holes.

LPGA Tour

SYLVANIA, Ohio (AP) - Paula Creamer shot a 2-over 73 and did just enough to make a big lead stand, going wire-to-wire to win the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic by two strokes.

Creamer, who captured her seventh career win and her third this season, had worse scores every day after breaking the tournament record with an 11-under 60 in the first round. She followed that with a 65 and a 70 to finish at 16-under 268, two shots better than Nicole Castrale who closed fast with a 64.

The 21-year-old Californian saw her lead drop to a shot when rookie Shanshan Feng - the first exempt player from China to play on the LPGA Tour - pushed her with five birdies through the first 11 holes. But Feng fell back with three straight bogeys down the stretch.

South Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji, second to Creamer after each of the first three rounds, shot a 72 and was third at 271. Feng had a 69 for a total of 272, followed by Karrie Webb who shot a 70 and was at 273.

European Tour

LUSS, Scotland (AP) - Graeme McDowell won the Scottish Open with three straight birdies on the back nine for a 3-under 68 and a two-stroke victory.

Phil Mickelson had a 73 and finished 11 shots off the lead in a tie for 38th.

McDowell trailed Simon Khan by two shots until Khan double bogeyed the 12th. McDowell then birdied the next three holes to move ahead and went on to win with a total of 13-under 271 at Loch Lomond.

James Kingston (66) finished second. Richard Green and Miguel-Angel Jimenez shot 69s to tie for third at 274. Khan had a 72 to finish fifth, another stroke back, but secured a spot for the British Open that starts Thursday at Royal Birkdale.

Ernie Els (69) tied for ninth.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2007-2008, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

Author: Claudia Beckford

The Golf number one player Tiger Woods had to recently face a reconstructive knee surgery which he had postpone due to the US Open tournament. After the procedure Woods gave a public speech during which he mentioned he will be required the use of crutches for no less than three weeks. Woods was not certain regarding the time he will be out of the golf course as it could be from six to twelve months; it really depends on how fast he recovers.

"I really don’t know," mentioned Woods during the conference call to promote his AT&T Tournament which takes place near Washington, D.C. and that he usually hosts but this time will not be able to attend. "We’ll have to see how this thing heals and everyone heals at a different rate. Some six months, some at nine and some at 12. To be honest with you, no one really knows until we start the rehab process and see how this thing goes."

Last June 16th Tiger Woods won the US Open in Torrey Pines, San Diego but he had already planned to get this surgery months in advanced as it was a necessary procedure in order for him to continue his golf career. Woods’ ACL injury came after last year’s British Open; one day when he was jogging but despite the injury he was able to put off the surgery until the end of the year; Woods really struggled with the decision and even played well most part of the 2008 season; but all of a sudden the knee began to get worse. Woods was then taken to the hospital a couple of days after his finishing second place in the Golf Master event.

"That was to get me through the rest of the ‘08 season," he said. "And then have it [reconstructive surgery] done after the ‘08 season. [But] I developed stress fractures and decided to bag it for the rest of the year."

While on rehab, Woods began to show problems with some stress fractures; therefore he was not able to attend the Memorial event. Basically he couldn’t practice for more than nine holes without dealing with the pain and that is why he decided to play the US Open and make that event his last one of the season.

The US Open was without a doubt a remarkable tournament for Woods; we can even say it was the best we have seemed of his previous 14 victories. Some days before the tournament Woods could barely walk and this prevented him from practicing daily but despite the tight situation he was able to move forward and get through such an important competition.

Woods did mention that he has been dealing with this problem for more than 12 years and he feels relieve that finally he will feel healthier without any kind of pain. Woods regrets the fact he will miss the British Open and the PGA Championship but he is certain to be part of these event next year when he is fully recovered.

Driver Features

The driver has two unique features that you must understand to use it effectively:

• The driver has the longest shaft of any club therefore your swing must be shallow, not steep. Steep, Ferris wheel like swings that are over the top produce bad drives.
• Your driver has the least amount of loft of any club-excluding your putter-and it is the only full swing club that is designed to ascend into impact.

Tips for Great Driving

To setup and succeed when driving, I recommend the following for right hand golfers:

1. Select a driver with enough loft for your natural swing speed. Players with low swing speeds should consider high launch drivers-13 degrees of loft or more.
2. Tee the ball high. At least 1/2 the ball should be above the top of the club.
3. Take a stance that is an at least an inch or two wider than shoulder width.
4. Stand slightly more upright and have your hands slightly farther from your body than your irons. You should be far enough away from the ball that your right hand is outside your chin. This promotes a shallow swing.
5. Tilt your spine to the right, away from the target and position 60% of your weight on your right foot.
6. Hover the club head above the ground behind the ball. Great drivers like Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Annika Sorenstam, and Tiger Woods all do this to assure a smooth shallow takeaway.
7. When you swing, sweep the ball off the tee. Your club should never swing steep and hit the ground.

Driving Practice Drill

To improve your driving, try the following drill:

1. Set two tees in the ground and place a ball on the farthest tee.
2. Take your driver stance, then set your torso in an erect posture with your arms parallel to the ground.
3. Make shallow, round swings and fell the club swinging like a merry go round, around your torso.
4. Gradually bow forward and feel the club working around your torso at a right angle. Imagine a wheel with your spine as the hub and your arms and club working like spokes.
5. Make two practice swings and try to nick the first tee with the bottom of the club.
6. Address the ball and swing. Try to swing the club through the air and nick the tee.

Follow these driving basics and you can hit the ball both long and straight.