Liverpool football club

Liverpool Football Club is an English professional football club, the most successful club in the history of English football. Its traditional colors are red and white, and LiverpoolÂ's current kit white shirts, black shorts and white socks with red trim. The traditional liver bird, which is placed inside a shield, is LiverpoolÂ's symbol. Home stadium of Liverpool club is Anfield; its capacity is 45, 362. LiverpoolÂ's hymn is Â"YouÂ'll never walk aloneÂ"; this line is written on the stadium gates.

This Football Club has a history of more than 100 years: it was found on 1888. John Holding, the owner of Â"AnfieldÂ" stadium, has decided to create a new football team, after Everton F.C., the former team, has moved to another location. The name of the new football club was supposed to remain Everton, but the football association refused to accept it under the former name, therefore it was changed to Liverpool, after the name of the city. Liverpool won their first Football League championship in 1901, and won a second championship in 1906.

Liverpool's longest standing rivalry is with Merseyside team Everton, after a dispute with Everton officials. Another well-known rivalry is with Manchester United, as a result of a success both clubs share. Liverpool football club has won five European Cups, and record eighteen English League titles. Liverpool also became the first English club to win three major trophies in a single season — the League title, the League Cup and the European Cup. Media also favors Liverpool – TV and newspapers regularly publish Liverpool news as the most famous football team in England. The city of Liverpool is associated with a variety of sport activities; however, football has proved to be the most successful.

Height in Basketball

Basketball news is one of the most popular sports news in the world. Many professional, as well as unprofessional teams are trying to raise young sportsmen, eager to play basketball. This game has its own very high demands: it is important to stay in good physical shape, devote your time to daily practices. Basketball, unlike other sport games, demands tall players. Naturally, this demand has its own reason – it is easier to access the hoop, if you are tall, and it is also easier to hit the target. We must ask ourselves, whether the playerÂ's height plays a crucial role in the game.

There are many people, whose height is not above average, but they nevertheless want to play basketball. They read articles about basketball, watch basketball tv, read the sports section and pay special attention to basketball games. They never miss a single basketball game on TV and discuss the results of every game with friends. What chance do they have to play serious basketball?

As a matter of fact, basketball needs technique not less, but even more, than height. A good basketball player needs, first and foremost, a good technique, which includes an ability to think and decide upon the right moves, good eye-hand coordination and swiftness. A good player should know how to move, run and through the ball, but he doesnÂ't need to be the tallest, in order to succeed.

The smallest player in the history of basketball was an American player Tyrone Muggsy Bogues. Even though his height was only 5.3 feet, Tyrone became a professional basketball point guard in NBA. He left professional sport after playing for five teams during his fourteenÂ' season career. Tyrone has proved that it is possible to succeed in basketball, even if you are not as tall as other players of the team.

Even though height is important in basketball, it doesnÂ't serve as a most important criterion. The most important of all criterions is a good technique. The most important thing about basketball, as in any other game, is playing and winning; it is important for the player to remember, that good technique brings success.

Football and its fans

Football has always comprised strong emotional reactions. Thousands of football fans watch with growing enthusiasm the on-going process of game, fully involved in a battle presented in front of them on a football field. This enjoyment of public games, presented in front of the viewers, goes back to the ancient games of the Chinese, which originally included kicking leather balls and win highest Football scores. Today, football is the most known sports game, attracting millions of viewers, which leads to the creation of thousands fan clubs around the world.

As the game proceeds, the excitement grows and sometimes becomes difficult to control. The excitement and enthusiasm is heated by the fact that no one knows how the game will end. The viewers make different bets, sometimes on large sums of money, and watch impatiently as the game proceeds, listening to updates in the Football coverage, hoping to hear that they won. Fans of different football groups are tracking the playersÂ' movements and criticize or praise their moves. The atmosphere becomes tenser towards the end of the game, when every second counts.

Emotional involvement in the game often brings to rivals between fans. At the mass brawl in May 2007, up to hundred Liverpool fans fought each other in Athens, hoping to get a single Champions League ticket. As a result, two supporters were injured and taken to a nearby hospital. The police didnÂ't succeed in putting an end to the riots. History of football remembers many similar cases with even worse injuries, sometimes even resulting in deaths of the excited football fans.

Football news has always maintained a foothold in the enthusiasm of fans around the world. Important competitions, like Champions League, attract audience all over the world, enjoy publicity and media attention. However, the importance of controlling the publicÂ' emotional reactions has become an everyday issue next to the success of specific football groups. It is important to raise awareness of the violence among football fans, in order to minimize the problem and simply enjoy good football games.

Cricket - English game

Cricket is the passion of all Brits. Playing cricket has been a well-known tradition in all English homes from the beginning of 18th century. English cricket was a part of leisure as well as English tea; playing it was considered a status of symbol, an exhibition of good taste. The announcements of cricket tournaments were often published in English newspapers: the pictures of the time depicted the players dressed in white shirts, white breeches and cylinders, elegantly leaning towards the cricket ball.

The Cricket game has been the favored game in most English high schools – the most Â"rich and famousÂ" schools hold a long history of cricket games. Eaton, Rugby and other selective schools were famous not only because of the education they provided, but also remembered for their sport games and sport groups. Cricket was a symbol of high standard, of belonging to a certain social group. The sight of boys and girls playing cricket on green lawns gave a British citizen feeling of certainty and trust in the strength of British Empire, known worldwide for its physical education.

The rules in cricket are not too difficult and can be easily learned: two teams, of eleven players each, play on grass field, in a center of which is cricket pitch. In some ways it is analogous to the American Baseball: a bowler, whose role in the game is to bowl cricket balls, is analogous to a pitcher in baseball. However, there are different categories of bowlers, relying either on speed or on the rotation of the ball. There are also different codes of behavior, which many players learn from their childhood.

Cricket has maintained its role as the symbol of British tradition – the passion for Cricket, developed in school years, doesnÂ't fade as the time goes by. These days, Cricket news is popular in certain countries just as much as soccer.

All You Need To Know About Chelsea

Chelsea football club is a famous English club named after the West London neighborhood, where it is located. The club is also known as Â"The PensionersÂ", or Â"The BluesÂ". An English professional football club, it was founded in 1905, and has proved to be a success for British sports.

Chelsea was accepted in a second division of Football League. Their home stadium is Stamford Bridge on Fulham Road, their capacity is 42,055. Their kit is blue with white and amber trim shirts and shorts. Their traditional crest is a ceremonial blue lion holding a staff; the kit is manufactured by Adidas. Chelsea has won several major trophies: 1955 League Championship, 1955 Charity Shield, 1970 FA Cup and many others. Having an estimated number of million fans,

Chelsea is one of the best-supported clubs in England. In 2007 Chelsea won the League Cup for the second time in three years, and finished second in Premier League. Chelsea also holds numerous records in European football, having the highest number of Premier League victories in a season. Since its foundation, the club has won three league titles, four FA Cups, two UEFA Cups and four League Cups.

Updated Chelsea news - The current owner of Chelsea football club is Roman Abramovich. After buying Chelsea in June 2003, he poured massive investment into the club, which allowed the club to develop commercially. The group has become a more elitist group, although this move was criticized in several circles. Chelsea continues to draw public attention; streaming video sites present the games of Chelsea live online and each victory of Chelsea brings more articles and TV reviews.

Arsenal Football team

Arsenal – professional football club, also known as Â"The GunnersÂ". Based in North London, this successful English football team is known as one of the leading football clubs in England. Arsenal was founded in 1886 by the group of workers at the Woolwich Arsenal Armament Factory. In 1891 the Club turned professional and changed its name to Woolwich Arsenal; the club joined the Football League in 1893. They won their first major trophies thirty years later, which included five League Championship titles and two FA Cups. Arsenal set a UEFA Champions League record by going ten matches without conceding a goal in the season of 2005-2006.

The team was initially based in Woolwich, but in 1913 moved to Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, and then to their current location, the Emirates stadium, which contains 60,432 people. Arsenal football club colors are red and white, their symbol depicting a canon, as a symbol of Armament factory. Arsenal's home colors have been the inspiration for at least three other clubs.

Arsenal keeps an on-going rivalry with Tottenham Hotspur and with several other football teams, with whom they compete. The manager of Â"ArsenalÂ" is Arsenal Wenger; the club belongs to the company Â"Arsenal HoldingÂ". Arsenal often appears in the media, in sports news and on TV. Arsenal games on-line attracts millions of viewers; Arsenal clips present the moments of victory. The club includes top players from different countries, such as Spain, Netherlands, France and Switzerland. Fans collect pictures of the group and watch videos of Â"ArsenalÂ" on-line; this leading football club enjoys publicÂ's attention all over the world.

Why Do We Like To Watch Sport Competitions?

Why do we like to watch sport competitions? Even people who never engage in physical activity often find themselves in front of the TV, watching football and tennis, basketball and rugby. Sports fans around the world watch with excitement their favorite team play, and never miss a single competition. This Sports articles presents several reasons, trying to solve the mystery involved in this known phenomena of love for sports.

One of the main reasons people like to watch competitions is because they tend to identify themselves with the winners. When they watch the precise moves of Rafael Nadal or Maria Sharapova, see the winning game of Champions League, they feel as if they themselves perform the brilliant move, and brought a victory to their team. Winners get attention from the media and the public, they are interviewed, they appear on TV – the public enjoys watching the known faces and see the winning formula. A fan, who may have never played football in his life, likes to see UEFA Cup, because he can identify himself with the top professionals.

Another reason is the unpredictability of sports games. You can never know how the game will end, which forces you to sit tightly and wait for the crucial moment, which designate all the twists and turns of the game. The course of sports game is always unpredictable: although you can make bets and try to guess the todayÂ's winner, but it is never certain, which makes the game interesting to watch.

Different, but also important reason for watching sports has to do with our national identity. When British watch Liverpool and Chelsea groups, they tend to identify themselves with the players and see all the failures and winnings as if they were their own. Sports games are nowadays considered to be one of the most important factors which help to raise the personsÂ' national identity.

There are several reasons which may answer the question Â"why do we like sportsÂ". Perhaps we never tend to think about these reasons while watching tennis or soccer. But they are nevertheless worthy to think about.

The UEFA Champion League

The UEFA Champions League (European CUP, UCL, or CL) is a football competition of seasonal clubs. Champions League is organized by UEFA (Union of European Football Associations), the controlling force of European football. Football club, which wins the Champions League, receives the trophy European Champion ClubÂ's Cup, which is considered the most prestigious club trophy.

The tournament first started in 1955, when the teams played two matches, and the winning team started the next round of competition. Later, in 1997, the tournament was renamed to UEFA Champions League. The championship in its current format is open to the league champions of all UEFA member associations. Real Madrid FC and AC Milan have won the competition three times.

In 1958, the Munich air disaster took lives of 23 of 44 passengers on board, players of the Manchester United football team, flying home from the European Cup match against Yugoslavia. After the tragedy the team finished the season, and reached the final of FA Cup.

The Champions League tournament begins in mid-July, and the Champions League final match takes place the following May. An association rank in the UEFA coefficients table defines the number of positions each group receives in the competition, and also the stage at which the association enters the competition. Each association sends maximum four clubs each season to play in Champions League.

The competition receives public and media attention: millions of viewers watch Champions League videos live on-line, read news articles and watch the matches on TV. Champions League has always been the center of public attention, being the most prestigious sport competition in Europe.

The Role of Media in Sport

Sport is one of the well-published issues in the Net. Sport issues gain a lot of publicity and discussions in the media. The examples are numerous: thousands of football news article depict the reactions of trainers to a particular event. Important soccer games are an everyday issue in TV channels. New technologies are used everywhere in coverage of sports: tennis streaming video presents the particular strokes of favored tennis stars, such as Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova. At the days of serious matches, fans enjoy watching the game of their favored teams in tennis or football online. We might ask ourselves: what is the role the Media plays in Sport?

One probable answer would be that the media successfully exploits the public need for entertainment. People have always felt the need to be entertained, starting from the days of gladiators, when the publicÂ' general demand was to see people die in front of them in exchange for their money. As the years went by, the forms of the entertainment changed and became less cruel, but the principle of the crowd asking for Panem et circenses (i.e. Â"bread and circusesÂ") remained the same. In this matter, sports news is the best possible entertainment, and watching sport online or on TV is the best possible way to witness the actual thing happening.

And here comes the next possible answer: media adheres to the needs of the wide public, fulfilling the desire to watch the Â"actual thingÂ" on-line. Although a football match might occur in Milano, and tennis game may take place in Moscow, media brings the tennis game and the football match straight to your living room, without the need to get up from sofa and buy the ticket to Milano or wherever you want to get to. Media makes use of our need to witness the actual thing by serving as a mediator between the sporting event, which happens somewhere out there, and us, the viewers.

Being a central part of our everyday experience, media brings sports coverage to our living room and shows it to us whenever we choose. IÂ'd say itÂ's a good thing, but you – choose for yourselves.

The history of Premier league

The Premier League – professional league competition for football clubs. It is the most watched league around the world, which attracts millions of viewers and provides a challenge for the top football players. Millions of viewers search the Net as they look for Premier League streaming video, and read the Premier League news articles. It was formed in 1992 from the Football League first division, which has been the highest division of the Football League, and the highest division of English football. Breaking away from the first division has been a milestone for the professional competition, which symbolized a new era in English professional football.

The English Premier League was given the right to negotiate broadcast and sponsorship agreement, which was an essential step towards commercial independence. In several years The Premier League became the most lucrative football league in the world; the league annual revenue was approximately 1.8 billion £. The League charged fans to watch sport on television, assigning television rights to SKY TV, which was a major commercially successful step. Sponsorship helped the Premier League to grow and develop. The sponsor determined the leagueÂ's sponsorship name: Carling, Barclaycard and Barclays gave their family names to the competitions sponsored by them. The investments paid off, allowing Premier League to invite the top players from all over the world.

Today, the Premier League is presented worldwide on networks in more than 200 countries. It gained freedom of signing the best players from the highest possible categories, owing this to the promotion of the League and large investment; nowadays Premier league soccer is EnglandÂ's primary football competition.

Soccer Riots

History of soccer recalls many accidents and disasters. The atmosphere at the football matches is more than often very heated, resembling a battlefield. Soccer fans of different groups watch with close attention the game of their favorite team, and often curse the opponents, which can sometimes lead to fights of different sport fans. Such events happened before and can happen again in situations, where watchers loose control in overcrowded places. The control over crowd at the stadiums is often too difficult: at the games of famous teams of the Premier League the stadiums are overcrowded.

Big stadiums around the world may contain an enormous number of people: for instance, the capacity of Wembley Stadium is 90,000 people, and of Old Trafford Stadium – 76,000. The capacity of Luzhniki Stadium in Russia is nearly 85,000 people, and of Stadio Olimpico in Rome- 82,000. This huge number of people is difficult to organize and control; crowd control problems often led to fights and riots.

Soccer news often reports on Hooliganism by football supporters often leads to disasters. Fights between supporters of rival teams sometimes take place before or after football matches, but they also may occur at pre-arranged locations in order to avoid police, and not necessarily at the stadiums. Sometimes human crushes occur, in which people might be crushed to death. Such an unfortunate event has happened in Hillsborough on April 15, 1989, causing the death of 96 people. The unprecedented influx of thousands of fans through a narrow tunnel leading to the stadium has caused a major crush, where people were being pressed up against the fencing by the weight of the crowd behind them. The overcrowding of people caused the fatal crash.

In a heated atmosphere of a football match, many people may loose control over their feelings and behavior. Many accidents and acts of hooliganism occur in overcrowded places, such as stadiums. In such cases, an intense crowd control is needed in order to maintain the peace and prevent disasters. Sometimes these events are recorded and later on published in Soccer TV clips. Accidents and disasters, which occur on stadiums, are remembered as unnecessary deaths, which could have been avoided. Overcrowded stadiums can easily lead to disasters.

Rugby

Rugby is considered to be one of the most violent sports activities. Rugby traumas and injuries can sometimes be very serious, since this game demands a high amount of physical energy. Known rugby injuries include shoulder, knee and ankle joint injuries, concussion and spinal injury. The most dangerous is the spinal cord injury – although it is rare, its results may be catastrophic.

The reasons which lead to injuries of rugby players are numerous – some refer to the nature of the game, other are more general. Lack of playing and training time may result in more or less serious injuries. One of the common reasons is the lack of a technique, of specific information, explaining how to protect the playerÂ's body from being injured.

Since rugby is a contact sport, injury risks are related to physical contact, primarily in tackle. Most rugby accidents involve the playersÂ' arms and hands, shoulders and back. There is also risk of fractures in the head, shoulders, arms, hands, or legs. The lack of defense in rugby, contrary to American Football, where the players use helmets, may result in head injuries.

Another reason for injuries in sports is carelessness combined with high level of adrenalin. It is known for a fact that careless player endangers not only himself but the players around him. However, the adrenalin burning in veins of young players and the desire to win the game, often results in injuries, when the players forget about the need to Â"play safeÂ".

Rugby, as every other sport, demands dedication and hard training. However, it is important to follow the rules and play carefully, in order to avoid injuries.

What do we know about MAN-UTD?

Manchester United Football club is one of the most successful and rich clubs in English football. The club was established in 1878 by the workers of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, and was called Newton Heath LYR. In 1885, the club has reached the final of Manchester Cup competition, and won it the following year. In 1902, the club was renamed and became Manchester United Football Club. John Henry Davies, a wealthy brewery owner, bought the team, saving it in time from large debt, and replacing its colors to the famous kit we today tend to associate with the club: red shirt and white trousers.

Man utd has won its first league in 1908; then followed many other trophies, starting from FA Cup in 1909. During its long history Manchester United Football Club has won the Premier League 16 times, and became the first English club to win the European club. The attacking style of their game brought them success; in the 90Â's, Manchester United won the Premiership, UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup. The number of their FA Cup titles amounts to 11. The club is known as one of the most lucrative football clubs in the world.

The club is based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Manchester; the capacity of the stadium is 76, 312 people. The manager of the club since 1986 is Sir Alex Ferguson. Manchester United is considered by many people as the most popular football club, having 50 million supporters around the world.

A big part of Watching Manchester united news is the interest in the Manchester united transfer rumous. The transferring of players and couches is one of Man utd most popular news updates.

The Golf Swing - My Seven Step Checklist - Step 4 - "The Backswing"

Now that you've taken your Grip, performed your Set Up Routine and The Waggle you're ready for action.

Before we start the backswing a few reminders or tips - 1. When you tee the golf ball, especially for use with the driver be sure to set it at the proper height. Note: The rule of thumb is the ball should sit approximately 1/2 of the diameter of the golf ball above the clubhead when the club is set on the ground. 2. Stay "Relaxed" during all phases of your swing - Note: If you've chosen to incorporate The Waggle into your swing routine then utilize it to its fullest advantage and make it not only your swing trigger but your reminder to "Relax" as well. 3. Make sure your head is upright so as not to impede the shoulder turn on the backswing. 4. Keep your left arm as straight as possible Note: Keeping the left arm straight may feel uncomfortable at first but it is critical to promoting consistent ball striking, accuracy and distance.

Now you're ready to go. In the instructional books and videos that I've studied I have sometime gotten conflicting information as to how to start the backswing. That does not mean that one method is right or wrong there are just different techniques and methodology used by different instructors. Immediately after The Waggle or no waggle, if that is your preference, you are ready to execute the swing. Most of the instructional material, when I was first learning to play, taught a move to start the backswing called the "One Piece Take Away". This means that your two arms, hands and the club formed a Y shape, which it does, and they would move back away from the target in one piece or motion while maintaining the Y shape. I had utilized that method for many years before I read about and experimented with the immediate wristcock, or setting of the wrist right at the onset of the backswing. By this I mean that instead of taking the club back in the Y formation I would break the w!
rist and start the backswing in more of an L position. Either method will work and it is a matter of personal preference and which feels more comfortable for you. In either method the wrists should be set by about waist height and the club should be pointing skyward as your arms approach parallel to the ground. Your weight should shift to your right side ( without a lateral movement of the body ) and your upper body should continue turning away from the target with minimal turning of the hips. This will allow a coiling of the upper body and a more powerful release as you uncoil in your Downswing. Make sure your shoulder turns under your chin and your back is facing the target, which will also promote a more powerful and accurate swing. Note: Do Not Overturn or Over Rotate. In Step 2 - The Set Up I mentioned to tilt the body slightly forward at the waist and remain in a reasonably upright position. This will create a spine angle which should be maintained during most of your!
swing. The Backswing and The Downswing should rotate around t!
he spine
as the central pivot point. The more that rotation can be maintained the more accurate and powerful the results will be.

When you reach the top of the backswing in practice make sure the club is pointing back toward the target line, which will happen automatically if your wrists are set properly. This will allow the club to stay on line to prepare for The Downswing. I would also like to stress again the importance of a straight left arm and to "Relax" always. Let's recap our checklist so far - Tee the Ball ( not on the checklist but I think you may have a problem going forward if you leave this out ), take your grip , perform your Set Up Routine and re-adjust your grip, if necessary, execute the Waggle, and make your backswing and most importantly - Have Fun!

Next - "The Downswing"

Golf "Etiquette" - An Important Part Of A Gentlepersons Game

There was a time not so long ago that I may have used Gentlemans in the title, as opposed to Gentlepersons, but then the ladies would have been all over me and not in a good way. The game of golf, did however, originate as a gentlemans sport. Have you ever wondered about where the term golf originated ? When I was in high school, not all that many years ago, my history teacher, who was a really cool guy used to digress in class from time to time. One day we arrived on the subject of golf and he began a dissertation on it. One of the things he explained was the derivative of the word GOLF. Supposedly, it was a term, created by a bunch of gentleman, and I use the term loosely, who at the time would have been considered chauvinistic to say the least and most especially by todays standards. The G stood for GENTLEMAN, O stood for ONLY, L stood for LADIES, and F stood for FORBIDDEN, so together it read, "Gentleman Only Ladies Forbidden". I cannot attest for sure if this was the ac!
tual derivation of the word but it moves for an interesting if not controversial topic to say the least. I guess the men of that era were looking for a little alone time with the guys. My personal opinion is that men and women should both have their space but it should be more of a mutual thing and not a mandatory edict.

I may have digressed a bit there myself so back to golf "Etiquette" - What is etiquette, you ask ? Well then I'll tell you. Etiquette is described in the dictionary as "Any Special Code Of Behavior Or Courtesy" and Golf is a game based on special codes of behavior and courtesies where this would especially come into play. One of the first golfing rules of etiquette and a very important one at that is -"To learn to play properly before going out on the golf course". I've been playing golf for about thirty years or so and there are many who venture out on the course without a clue as to how to play, the basic rules of golf and especially devoid of any etiquette required by the game. The tee times on the golf courses of today are set up approximately 8 to 12 minutes apart, depending on how busy the course may be, and whether a local municipal course, a resort course or Country Club, the play is expected to be maintained at a certain pace. Speaking from an experienced golfers po!
int of view, and you will be there one day, it is not fun to wait for your next shot while the group in front of you is taking as many strokes as they can to get the ball near or into the hole. The rule of thumb of about 15 minutes a hole is a good gauge for golfers and you should try your best to keep up with that pace of play. This means that the 18 holes of a regulation golf course would be played in about 4 1/2 hours. When I first learned, and I subsequently taught my significant other to abide by the same courtesies, I was told to take a swing or two and if you are not proficient enough to achieve a certain distance or sometimes miss the ball completely, then be courteous to your fellow players and don't take an inordinate amount of strokes just for the sake of swinging the club. It is not only discourteous to your fellow players, but the improper swing will become engrained into your sub-conscious making it more difficult to correct later. The way to observe etiquette!
is to pick your ball up, and place it at a spot near the rest!
of your
group, and try again. It is no great accomplishment to attain a total of 20 on a golf hole just for the sake of keeping score. You should repeat this process until you reach the green at which time you would putt to the hole. The same principal would hold true here, if you putt a number of times and can't seem to sink the ball, then pick it up and go on to the next hole. Many of us have been there so it's only a matter of time before you get the hang of it. A couple of suggestions I can make is one, try to play with someone with golf experience, especially for your first few times out and ask them to teach you the rules and etiquette associated with the game. If you have decided to take lessons, (which I would highly recommend) then ask your Instructor to advise you on the basic rules and etiquette of golf. Another suggestion would be to schedule a tee time when the course is not so busy (ask the starter at the golf course, or whoever is taking tee times on any particular d!
ay, to suggest a time when there is less play so you feel more relaxed and less pressured with less people around).

Some other Rules of "Etiquette" are as follows : Learning the basic rules of golf before venturing out on a regulation golf course and not breaking 90% of them before finishing the first hole - Standing to the side and out of the view of your fellow golfer and remaining still and quiet while they address and hit their ball( especially while on the "Tee Area") - Repairing your Divot (a ball mark or indentation on the putting green) and one or two others caused by a golf ball landing at that spot on the green - Waiting patiently while the player farthest from the hole hits first and being ready to hit when your turn comes - Not stepping in ones putting line while on the green( while it may seem trite, an indentation caused by the players footprint can throw a putt off line and can become a serious problem , especially if there is a wager on the line NOTE : I'm being facetious but some players can get pretty testy about anything that can affect their putts and score) - Not taki!
ng an excessive amount of time looking for a lost ball ( 3 to 5 min. max.) - Conceding a short putt, especially for the beginner so as to keep the pace of play moving( Not Allowed by the USGA Rules of Golf for Professionals in Competitive Play) -Being considerate enough to allow a quick playing group behind you to play through - Not taking more than twice the amount of strokes than noted for Par on any given hole, especially for the beginning golfer - repairing a Fairway Divot( a clump of grass removed in the fairway by the swing of your club)- Not driving your cart on or around the green or tee area - Adhering to the local rules of the golf course - Not marking your score around the green area while another group is waiting to hit up - Having the integrity to write your correct score on the card ( not critical for beginner to keep actual score) - Turning a lost club, by a fellow player, into the pro shop so they can retrieve it after their round - Wearing proper golf attir!
e onto the course because it is after all, A Gentlepersons Gam!
e - I th
ink you get the point. There are many more courtesies to be extended to your playing companions and fellow golfers. You will learn them as you gain more experience playing. Observe these simple courtesies and you and your fellow golfers will enjoy the journey all the more.

Happy Golfing!

Golf- Some Collateral Benefits Of The Game

In a previous writing I stated that I had been playing golf for about thirty years or so. For the first 13 years of the thirty, I had played the game but never realized the collateral benefits to be derived from the game. I used to arrive at the golf course, set up my bag and clubs on the golf cart, and proceed to go out on the course and beat that little white ball around until it got into the intended hole. Golf was meant to be a fun and delightful experience, not one of frustration or anger because the ball did not respond to your every whim and command. For the new or beginning golfer, who has not experienced the roller coaster ride of emotions and frustrations that you can encounter during a round of golf, don't be disheartened, you soon will. That is unless you employ the proper mindset right from the beginning and do not take the game too seriously.

I planned my first golf trip in April of 1990 and decided to go to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina "The Golf Capital Of The World". My experience on that trip and subsequent trips gave me a whole new outlook on the game. I guess you can say it was a Turning Point in my perception of what golf was really all about. You can think of it as just a game, like I did for the first 13 years playing, or you can realize and enjoy the more obscure collateral benefits of the game. What are these benefits, you ask ? Take the time to "Stop And Smell The Roses". What do I mean by that ? Most golf courses are designed utilizing the natural beauty of the surrounding terrain as a backdrop. Beside the beauty of the course itself you can often see nature at its best. When I started visiting Myrtle Beach and subsequently Florida, the wildlife and surrounding fauna and plant life was incredible. Not to mention the huge sprawling Elms, Oaks and Magnificent Cypress Trees and Palms, whose mere presence!
and appearance exuded a climate of an exhillirating and sometime exotic nature. Speaking of Nature, there have been many a morning that I have ventured out onto a course only to encounter a family of deer meandering across the fairway or grazing in the brush adjacent any particular golf hole. Some of my most memorable experiences, where I have encountered nature at its best, were at Pawleys Plantation ( near Pawleys Island - South part of the Grand Strand and a Jack Nicklaus design ), The Witch ( off of Route 544 south of 501) , and Oyster Bay ( Located in North Carolina ).

The first time I visited The Witch ( early 1990's), it was an eerie but exhilarating experience. I normally schedule the tee time early, around 7:00am, so we can play 36 holes if we so choose. When we arrived at the course, we signed in at the pro shop, saw the starter and were sent out to the first tee. The first tee is a good distance from the clubhouse, which by the way is built in the shape of a witches hat. A few minutes later we arrived at a secluded area at the first tee. It was prior to sunrise and I would guess about a quarter mile or so away from the clubhouse. There was a misty fog hovering over the ground everywhere. It blanketed the cart paths and the golf course, that added an eerie but appropriate ambiance to the setting of The Witch.The course was named, "The Witch" - how much more appropriate can you get ? Once the sun rose and the fog burned off, the course returned to its normal beauty and persona. On the next hole we were greeted by an alligator attemptin!
g to make some unsuspecting bird his prey. I guess the bird was flying too low over one of the ponds where the gator lived and he was looking for breakfast but luckily for the bird, he got away. I have seen at least a dozen or more gators in my last 18 years or so visiting Myrtle Beach and Florida. Most of the time the gator would be resting peacefully along side the golf hole sunning themselves. Even though the gator appeared to be sleeping, I would not recommend retrieving a golf ball that may have come within close proximity to them.

Although I only mentioned three courses as my most memorable experiences, almost every course has so much to offer in the way of natural beauty and wildlife, not to mention the intrinsic beauty of the golf course itself. Many golf courses provide homes to many varied forms of wildlife, including families of turtles, ducks, geese and the like abounding in their ponds and man made and natural lakes and streams alike. Swans, Ospreys, Egrets, Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and so many other species of birds too numerous to mention also abound around the courses in the temperate southern climate of Myrtle Beach and Florida. Since vacationing in Myrtle Beach almost 18 years ago I have enjoyed the experience of golf so much more.

The game of golf in itself is a wonderful experience but coupled with the beauty of nature and the associated wildlife and plant life that abounds on most courses, it provides and unbeatable combination for enjoying the game. While playing a game that I enjoy more than any other on the planet, the exhilaration and experience is now magnified many times since I have learned to "Stop And Smell The Roses" during the course of my round. We all want to play well but the enjoyment of the complete golf experience should be your first priority and not just what you score on your card. Take a tip from me - the next time you are on a golf trip or visiting your local course, "Stop And Smell The Roses". It will add a different perspective to the game that you may have never realized or appreciated before.

I would like to mention another, perhaps, more important collateral benefit of the game. Golf can be a frustrating and delightful experience at the same time. One or two holes you may play well, and then wonder what transpired on the next when you double bogey or worse ? It's the nature of the beast. When I am having a bad day on the golf course I recall a book given to me that taught me some very important aspects of the game.Golf can be a game of enlightenment about yourself and about life. I feel compelled to recommend the aforementioned book that I was given as a birthday gift by my sister and mother about a year ago. It is called "Golf For Enlightenment" The Seven Lessons Of Life by Deepak Chopra. I had heard of Mr. Chopra before but I am an avid fan of his now. If you take this somewhat spiritual journey with Adam and Leela, Mr. Chopras characters in the book, you may be amazed to see how playing the game of golf could relate to the game of life itself.

He can tell it much better than I and it is a book I would highly recommend for both the beginner and experienced golfer as well. You can visit his website at http://www.chopra.com or http://www.randomlargeprint.com It can help you immensely with your outlook of the game, which in turn will give you a much greater chance for success in both the game of golf and maybe life itself. As always, Happy Golfing To All!

Jack Nicklaus And Tiger Woods - "The Best Of The Best"

I mentioned Jack first, or should I say, Mr. Nicklaus in the title because alphabetically and historically I think he deserves that courtesy, but they both should be credited with phenomenal accomplishments for their time in Golf History. I grew up with Jack for my golf hero just as I had Mickey Mantle as my baseball idol in my formative years. I have admired many ball players since but no one can take the place of Mantle in my book.

There have been many great players both in his era and subsequently that may have even been historically and statistically better than he, but he still remains an all time favorite to me. As far as I am concerned, Mantle was the best and will always be the best, case closed. The same goes for Jack Nicklaus, he will always be number 1 in my book. Eighteen Majors and No one beside Tiger can even come close. Need I say more. Tiger is a phenom, no two ways about it and it would have been a heck of a battle to see Tiger and Jack go head to head in their primes. It would be like Mohammed Ali vs. Rocky Marciano - who was really the best ? We'll never know for sure on either count but our minds can play it out and choose who we think would come out on top.

I'm a big Tiger fan also and Phil Mickelson is not far behind, but watching Jack's duels with Mr. Arnold Palmer, and I mention his name with all the respect it deserves, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Gary Player, Johnny Miller and Tom Weiskopf was incomparable to the modern day era of golf, at least in my book. I don't mean to take anything away from the modern day PGA Pro - Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk and more than a few handfuls of other players, including Fred Couples and Davis Love 111, whose ability with a golf club would most likely allow them to be competitive in any era, are all great players, it's just not the same game to me. Through no fault of their own, the equipment and golf ball technology and advancement accessible for the modern day professional has made golf a different game than it was 20 years or more ago. I was a youngster at the time other golfing greats before like Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, BobbyJones ( actually a little be!
fore my time - I don't want to pre-date myself ), Cary Middlecoff and the like were around but I can still watch some of their duels on "Shells Wonderful World Of Golf" and I would have loved to see them compete in the modern day era. These guys used wooden clubs and inferior golf balls and were still striping 250 to 280 yd. drives down the middle and shaping shots like it was second nature to them. My favorite is the duel between Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan at Pine Valley, New Jersey( rated # 1 course in the world )- I'll leave it to your imagination to figure out who the winner was but BH were his initials. When I was following Jack or should I say Mr. Nicklaus in my youth, I never imagined that anyone could ever match his record let alone beat it. His last Victory at the 86' Masters was the clincher. It is still fresh in my mind as if it were just played a short time ago. So many golfing greats had phenomenal records in their careers, (Arnold, Gary, Tom, Ben, Sam, Byron, !
Bobby and the rest) but he was well ahead of the pack.

Tiger has shown the world what the "Power Of The Mind Or Thought Can Do" just as Jack Nicklaus most likely did in his day. They are two players that were gifted with the ability to excel above the rest. Tigers' dad Earl helped him establish early in his childhood, that if he wanted to be the best, to set that goal in his sights and contemplate on it every day and visualize himself accomplishing that goal. It is public knowledge that Tiger had his mindset on Jack Nicklaus' record at a very early age. It was an unreachable goal for most because they would not let themselves believe that it was possible, but not for Tiger and that's what makes him stand out among the rest.

It is inevitable that Tiger will beat Jack's record, as long as he remains healthy, and I wish him well on his quest. After all, records are made to be broken. He is a remarkable player and I would like nothing more than to see him in action one day. My ideal foursome would be Mr. Nicklaus,Mr. Palmer, Tiger ( I can say Tiger because he is more than a few years younger than I )and naturally myself. What a day it would be. I can hit the ball fairly well and I always wondered how I would fare against the best. In my younger days at Marine Park or Marine Dunes Golf Course in Brooklyn I hit the ball well and Par 4's and 5's were usually within reach on my second shot, depending on wind conditions. I know it may never happen but I can Dream, can't I ? You never know. No one can stop you from dreaming. So, whatever your goals in life may be, whether it's be to beat Jack or Tigers record, Jordan or Kobe in Basketball, Marciano, Ali or Roy Jones in boxing, Montana, Marino or Brady in!
football ( I had to mention some players from the modern era or I really would be dating myself ), or any other ideal, goal or person in a livelihood that you idolize don't ever give up - Take a tip from Nike - "Just Do It" and remember, Anything is possible if you want it enough!

The Golf Swing - My Seven Step Checklist - Step 3- The Waggle

What is a Waggle? About thirty something years ago I may have asked that question myself. The Waggle is a pre-swing move that will help you to trigger the backswing and promote a relaxing swing tempo. The KEY to all phases or steps of the golf swing is to - "Relax" - I will keep emphasizing this point because it took me a long time to incorporate the idea into my own swing sequence. I am assuming that the majority of golfers are similar to myself in that aspect. It takes a while to get used to. It is a natural tendency to grip the club too tight and to try and muscle the ball down the fairway to achieve the maximum distance possible, just to out drive or to show your friends that you can hit the ball farther than they can. But in reality the opposite holds true ! Grip the club lighter and tension free and swing the same way and "Voila" you will increase your odds of achieving the results and the greater DISTANCE you desire tenfold. Sorry, another digression - Back to The Wag!
gle.

Please note that "The Waggle" is by all means not a necessity to a good or correct golf swing. It is an important option that many golfers employ to help start or "Trigger" the backswing. It is a method to promote "Relaxation" ( very important ) and to initiate the "Tempo" that will be employed for the entire swing if done correctly. Another method of relaxation before you swing is to take a deep breath and exhale slowly to consciously let any tension GO AWAY or be released! Once you have released the tension and have successfully taken your Grip and performed your Set Up Routine as discussed in Step 1 and Step 2, ( Note: The Grip and Set Up should become second nature for you and a routine you should employ for every swing and golf hole that you play ) you are almost ready to go. Guess what the next step is? The Waggle, or any other method you would like to employ that works for you, whether it be a deep breath or clearing your mind of any interfering thoughts or absolutely!
nothing, etc..

We have been discussing the waggle for the past few minutes but in actuality - What is it? There are a number of different ways that the waggle can be performed and don't be afraid to invent a method that works for you. As noted earlier it is something that will promote relaxation and help you to initiate the proper golf swing. A technique I use that is best for ME is to actually rehearse the entire swing - I take my grip, set up to the ball and actually preview the swing path and moves that I will be performing during my swing. Many times I note that I have taken the club back on an improper swing path or maybe my wrists did not set the club properly and I can then correct the mistakes in my actual swing. Some others may just break the wrists off the ball, then return the club to the ball position or take a half or three quarter swing to check if they feel the tempo for the desired swing, etc. or maybe rehearse the entire swing as I do - (All Choices Optional ) Whatever you!
r Waggle method may be, as long as it works for you, make it part of your swing routine. It may take some experimenting to see what is most comfortable and what works for you but it will come! Have patience and fun as you learn to play. Enjoy the journey! I know I did, still do to this day, and hopefully always will. Happy Golfing!

The Golf Swing - My Seven Step Checklist - Step 2 - The Set Up

To quote a line from Ed Norton, Â"Step up, plant your feet firmly, and address the ball- Hello BallÂ" For all of you Honeymooner fans out there, IÂ'm sure you will recall that this was EdsÂ' direction to Ralph in the famous Honeymooner Golf Episode, which is one of my all time favorites. In order to prepare for the golf swing, the set up is where you will step up to the ball, place your feet in position and address the ball, so Ed was pretty accurate in his direction to Ralph, except of course for the Hello Ball part.

After the ball is set on the tee, step back and Â"RelaxÂ". The next step is to position your body in relation to the ball. The proper alignment to the target is key to accuracy in the set up. As noted in a tip in Step 1 of My Seven Step Checklist, you should choose an intermediate target directly in front of you and in line with the golf ball and your intended landing area. Once you have selected your spot the next step is to take your stance parallel to that line. Note: To practice aligning correctly to the target two clubs can be placed on the ground - One will be placed adjacent the golf ball and will be pointing directly in line with the ball, your intermediate spot and the landing or target area. The other will be placed in parallel to the first but at the area where your feet will be placed. Once you practice for a while utilizing this method you should acquire a feel for the correct alignment technique. (Note: The set up can be performed with the feet and body positio!
ned open or closed, in other words, out of alignment to the target line which will allow the golfer to work the ball left or right depending on the set up of the golf hole. This is done deliberately to promote the left to right or right to left ball movement. It is also a technique employed by the more experienced player and is not recommended for the beginning golfer). After you have established your line, the next step is the placement of your feet. When I take my stance, I like to place my right foot almost perpindicular or turned slightly to the right of perpindicular to target line and my left foot is angled about 45 degrees left of a perpindicular line toward the target ( Note: the information provided is meant for the right handed golfer and should be reversed for those left handed). The distance between my feet is approximately shoulder width, especially for the driver. This allows for stability in the stance, which is important in maintaining good balance thru out !
the swing. As you take your stance the knees should be bent sl!
ightly a
nd the upper body should be tilted forward a bit at the waist. The head should be kept upright so the chin does not impede the backswing and shoulder turn, which will be addressed in the next step. As the body tilts slightly forward at the waist and you have taken your grip ( as discussed in Step 1), make sure you allow your hands to fall in a relaxed position almost directly below your line of sight if you looked straight down - not too far or too close to your body. I would estimate the hands and club to be approximately six to eight inches away from the body, depending on your height, if done correctly.

I will again emphasize the importance of Â"RelaxingÂ" for the set up and the entire golf swing. I donÂ't mean to the point of falling asleep, but there should be no tension in the body, especially the arms, shoulders and legs. This will promote a much better tempo and allow the speed of the swing and the club to do the work, which in turn will produce much better results. Since all golfers are different in stature and ability, they may utilize a variation on the ideology noted above. This information is derived from personal knowledge and over 30 years of experience of playing golf and I would hope it would be helpful to the majority of golfers. There is nothing like practice and experience for learning the correct way to swing a golf club. In order for the practice to be efficient and your ability to improve you must have the basic foundation in place for the proper swing, playing techniques and strategies of the game. Learn Â"The Right WayÂ". Happy Golfing To All!

The Golf Swing - My Seven Step Checklist - Step 1 - The Grip

In this writing I will discuss The Grip, which is Step 1 of my seven step checklist for the golf swing. After years of reading, practicing and experimenting with different methods and techniques to prepare for the golf swing I have broken it down simply to seven steps that work for me. Since I am not a professional golf instructor and I don't claim to be, I will only present proven ideas and methodology that work for me. Every golfer is different and what works for one does not always work for someone else. On the other hand there are basic principles and techniques that can be gainfully utilized by 95% of golfers and I strongly feel that the steps I am presenting here will work for a majority of those reading this article. I have taken over thirty years of experience and assimilation of the correct golf swing to present this information to you. The seven steps in my swing checklist are 1- The Grip, 2 - The Set Up, 3 - The Waggle, 4 - The Backswing, 5 - Tempo, 6 - The Downsw!
ing, & 7 - The Follow Thru. I placed Tempo in the middle because it is an integral part of the entire swing from start to finish and will be elaborated on in a future writing.

As stated previously, when I first learned to play golf, it required a lot of experimenting and reading golf books and magazines in order to really get a feel for the correct golf swing for me. The grip is a very important and integral part of the golf swing. There are a number of different types of grip methods. There is the Vardon Grip ( named after the great Harry Vardon one of the premier golfers of the early 20th century ) The Baseball Grip, also appropriately named because the grip is similar to one you may use to hold a baseball bat, and my personal favorite, The Interlocking Grip, which incorporates the interlocking of the two hands together to form the grip. Note: Many of the instructional books, DVD's and Videos will illustrate these grips if you would like to see them in a visual presentation. If you are sports oriented and have never read or viewed any instructional information about the grip then you may have a tendency to use and feel more comfortable with the !
baseball grip as I did initially. Although it felt more comfortable I wasn't satisfied with the results. One day I was playing in a group with a considerably better player, probably a two to four handicap. I took note to some of his swing techniques and one of the things I noted was his golf grip. As we were waiting on one hole I asked him about it. He showed me how to do it and I have not changed my grip since. The steps I now use in setting my golf club grip are as follows: 1- I set or cradle the club in the creased part of the fingers of my left hand allowing the top of the club to protrude approximately 1" to 1 1/2" past the bottom part of the same hand which will actually be facing upward and toward your waist and belt area when you set the club to prepare to swing. Note: While gripping with the left hand make sure the clubface stays closed or close to perpendicular to your target line. Also for a fairly strong grip, which I would highly recommend, make sure the first !
two or even three knuckles of your left hand are positioned fa!
cing up
so you can see them when looking down on your hand and club. Then allow the thumb of the left hand to lay across the top of the grip on a slight angle to the right while keeping the thumb straight and on top of the club. Note: There are various ways to grip the club ( stronger and weaker grips ) to allow your swing to work the ball right or left but it is a more advanced technique should not be attempted until your game has progressed to a certain level. Next, set the club in the creased part of the fingers of the right hand and interlock the pinky of your right hand with the index finger of your left, thus the derivative of the name interlocking grip. The meaty part of the palm of your right hand, connected to the thumb, should be facing upward so you can also see it similar to the knuckles of the left. Note: You can experiment at the range with the adjustment of the strength of the grip that works best for you, (turn hands to right for a stronger grip and left for weaker )!
Also, please note that the grip methodology noted above is for the right handed player and should be reversed for the left handed golfer. Another important thing to remember, which will also be addressed in Step 2 - The Set Up is - Do Not let your right shoulder come forward when taking the grip with the right hand. It should remain back and aligned with your left shoulder. It should also be slightly lower than your left since your right hand is set lower on the club when taking the grip.

A tip I would suggest to help with your alignment to the target is to pick an intermediate target, that is in close proximity in front of you, ( it could be a leaf , dandelion ,or discoloration in the grass, etc. ) that is also in line with the golf ball and target line to the intended landing area in the fairway or on the green and use that spot to line up your shot. The Vardon Grip is similar to the interlocking grip except for the fact that the right pinky finger is cradled between the outside part of the left hand index and middle finger and does not interlock at all. The baseball grip is basically the same as if you were holding a bat in your hand and preparing to hit a baseball. It is probably the most comfortable, especially to the new golfer, but in my opinion the least effective of the grip selections available. The interlocking or Vardon grips may feel more uncomfortable at first but once you get used to them you will be much happier with the improvement they may p!
romote in your game. This is the first part of my "Swing" checklist and an important one at that. When you are at the range or swinging in your yard take the time to work on your grip so it becomes second nature to you.

In closing, I would like to add one very important and so often overlooked part of the ENTIRE golf swing - "RELAX" - do not let tension creep into any part of your golf swing. The club should be cradled gently in your hands with about as much pressure as if you were holding a babies hand or a small bird in your hand ( an analogy I think used by Sam Snead, one of the all time golfing greats ) and use the old expression to "Let the club do the work". You will be amazed at how swing speed and technique, together with a relaxed body and mind, produce so much greater results. Happy Golfing to All!

Golf Guide For Beginners - Tips And Info

I sincerely hope that the information that I will be providing will make your experience with golf an even more enjoyable and rewarding experience than it was for me. Enjoy!

In my opinion there are three things necessary to get started playing golf properly. Beside a desire to learn, the first and most obvious of the three is you need golf equipment, secondly, you have to have some basic knowledge of how to swing a golf club and the basic rules of the game, and last but certainly not least is learning "Golf Etiquette". As you will note I will keep emphasizing the "Etiquette" part of golf and as you become a more experienced player you it will become clear to you why.

Since the first item I noted as a requirement to play was Equipment, some recommendations I would make to acquire equipment are as follows: Golf equipment can be very pricey so it is important to know the type of equipment that is right for you before you make any substantial investments. Golf Clubs can range from as little as $150 per set to as much as $2,000 or more for the new, most advanced Hi- Tech equipment.

My recommendation for someone starting out is to buy a used set of clubs, either at a golf store or garage sale, borrow a set from a relative or friend, or purchase a starter set form your local golf or sporting goods store ie; Dick's Sporting Goods, Golfsmith, Modells, Walmart, etc.. If you decide to purchase a new starter set or a used set of clubs you should ask to speak to the resident golf professional ( Dick's or Golfsmith would offer this service). He should be able to recommend equipment that will allow you to get started without spending an exhorbitant amount of money. It will also give you a chance to experience the game and determine whether it is right for you.

As much as I love golf there are people who have no interest or desire to play. In conversation with them I usually find that either they have tried it, found it too difficult and gave up, or they were into other hobbies such as fishing, boating and did not think golf was an athletic enough sport for them. I'm assuming that if you're reading this that you want to learn to play golf. One of the topics of a subsequent writing will be how to LEARN TO PLAY the right way. It you want to give yourself a fair chance to see if you really enjoy the game you have to learn properly. Golf is not as easy as it looks and since we can't all be Tiger Woods, us mere mortals have to work a little harder at it if we want to learn to play well. Forgive my digression, but I will do that from time to time to emphasize a point. The next writing will be about learning how to play, so back to equipment.

The beginning golfer does not need to carry 14 clubs ( the approved amount of clubs allowed to be carried under USGA - United States Golf Association rules). When I first started playing I had a golf bag I borrowed, A driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 5 iron, 7 iron, 9 iron, sand wedge and a putter and it was more than enough clubs to play. The different numbered clubs are used for different distances. For example, the Driver is the least lofted club, which means you can achieve the most distance utilizing this club.The subsequent clubs noted, 3 wood, 5 wood, 5, 7 & 9 irons and sand wedge all have increasing angles of loft respectively, so as the number increases on the club the resulting distance will decrease accordingly. Each number will progressively represents about a 10 to 20 yard variance depending on one's ability and if you are using a wood or an iron. As you begin to play you will learn more about when and why you use the different clubs but the important thing is to get sta!
rted. Grab your clubs and get ready to learn to play"The Right Way".

"Las Vegas" - Gambling, Golf And Good Times

In my previous writings I spoke about my Myrtle Beach and Disneyworld golf vacations, which are two excellent choices for golf and vacation destinations, no two ways about it. I had been alternating between both places for about ten years and had some great times but we were ready for a change, for something different. Where would we go next ? I had always wanted to return to Las Vegas since my first visit there in 1976, but just never had the opportunity. I had stopped in Las Vegas for three days on my return trip home from my Honeymoon in Hawaii, my favorite place on the planet, met some friends there and had a blast.

In 2002, my 50th birthday was quickly approaching and my significant other surprised me with a gift that I did not expect, a four day golf trip to Las Vegas. Can it get any better ? I guess maybe a five or six day trip would be better but she wanted to make sure we did not go broke while we were there so four days was a good compromise. We were staying at the MGM on Las Vegas Blvd., more commonly known as "The Strip", where most of the more famous hotels in the city were aligned. From Mandalay Bay, The Luxor, Excalibur and New York, New York on the one end to Circus, Circus, The Riviera, The Sahara, and The Stratosphere on the other, and The Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Paris and Bally's in between how could you go wrong ?

Then there was the golf. Upon review of the available golf courses we chose three venues that we thoroughly enjoyed. We played Bears Best, a Jack Nicklaus design and who is my favorite player of all time, as some of you may remember from a previous writing, Angel Park, an Arnold Palmer design and another magnificent golf venue, which includes three courses, The Mountain being my favorite, and last but certainly not least is Bali Hai, adjacent Mandalay Bay, right on the Strip. Jacks' Bears Best course was designed by utilizing the signature hole layouts of some of his other outstanding golf course acomplishments to date and reproducing them in the Las Vegas landscape. The green fairways contrasting with the desert mountains and sand dunes in the background was a breathtaking site, especially if you have never been in the desert before. Angel Park was also very enjoyable and there was a great view of the golf course and a real green miniature golf course, (the only one I had e!
ver seen) right off the dining veranda and the club house. It was a great setting for lunch as we took in the gorgeous panoramic view. Bali Hai was as exotic as the name exudes. With well over two thousand Palm Trees imported by the course designers, and many thousands of other varied forms of exotic plant life, complimented by the beautiful white sand bunkers, it added a tropical touch of the South Pacific to the desert, a unique and fun innovation to say the least. After 36 holes of golf at Bali Hai, my birthday celebration meal was a real treat. Dinner at the elegant Wolfgang Puck, "Cili" restaurant located right on premises, in the club house, at the Bali Hai golf course. The design and the ambiance of the restaurant and clubhouse was a continuation of the tropical theme so blatantly displayed on the golf course. Great food, fine wine, dessert and espresso with a touch of Sambuca to top off the meal, which included some live piano music playing in the background was the!
icing on my birthday cake so to speak.

After our dining experience at Cili's we headed to the casinos. New York City is known as "The City That Never Sleeps", but Las Vegas is the literal personification of that expression. We walked from one end of the Strip to the other stopping at almost every well known Casino in town and all the joints were hopping no matter what time we went in. New York, New York, MGM, The Bellagio, Caesars, Bally's and Paris were our favorite stops. I actually won a few grand at The Bellagio but gave it right back at the Paris, but you only live once ( or do you ? - a topic for another time)so having fun should be the priority. It's only money. Once you become enamored with the casino atmosphere and lack of daylight and get into a hot run on the Blackjack or Craps tables, it is very easy to transpose night and day. The hours pass quickly and I see many people having dinner at 5:00 or 6:00am and breakfast at 10:00pm or midnight for that matter. Since we were playing golf , we usually went !
to sleep around midnight and were out and about by 5:00am or so the next morning, which is when we noted the varied dining habits of the habitual gamblers and night time crowd.

As we strolled down the Vegas Strip I could almost feel the presence of some of the larger than life personalities who frequented Las Vegas in the 50's, 60's and 70's - Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy and the rest of the Rat Pack to name a few. I was especially reminded of Frank because Frank Jrs.' face was plastered on the big sceeen video monitor and he was singing all of his dads hits and doing a pretty good job of it at that. Wayne Newton has been a lifer in Vegas and is still as popular as ever. Las Vegas has perhaps the biggest line up of top notch entertainment in the world. Wayne Newton, Barbra Streisand, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Celine Dion, Tony Bennett and The Blue Man Group plus the first class Magic acts and much more all entertain in Las Vegas. The list of famous Las Vegas personalities from the Golden Age would not be complete without including mention of perhaps the most well known and idolized entertainer of all time, Mr. Las Vegas himself, the veri!
table "King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley". His name is synonymous with the hierarchy of Las Vegas Royalty, they don't refer to him as the King for nothing. The list goes on and on, but just check on line if you are planning a visit and you will note a dozen or more top rated shows at any particular time you may choose to plan a trip there. On our next night we walked the entire Strip again (aka Las Vegas Boulevard) starting at Mandalay Bay and finishing at the Sratosphere. We stopped in a least a half dozen Casinos, including MGM, New York, New York, Paris, Ballys' and The Bellagio. The lights were incredible and the water light show in front of The Bellagio was most enjoyable and entertaining. It also kept me out of the casinos for a while longer and saved me some dough which made the time spent there that much more rewarding.

We revisited Las Vegas about four months later and we got some great deals on golf and hotel rooms. I guess they figured they should lower the rates for anyone crazy enough to play golf in 114 degree temperatures. It was tough I must say, but we played and still had a good time, wet face cloths and all. It was another wonderful vacation under our belt and they just keep getting better. If you're considering Las Vegas for your next trip, I can guarantee you won't be bored. It truly is the "City That Never Sleeps". You can get some terrific packages, both for golf or just to stay and play at the resorts. Las Vegas is truly the ultimate playground for the over 21 crowd. Happy Vacationing and Golfing To All!

Golf - Instruction Versus Self Teaching And Other Options

Golf can be fun no matter how skilled a person may be, but it's human nature to enjoy something more if you are good and excel at it. Wouldn't you agree?I know from personal experience that when I play well I feel much more exhilarated than when I have a bad round. Either way I enjoy the challenge of the game and always look forward to return and try to play better the next time. That's why taking lessons will help you attain your highest level of skill and allow you to enjoy the game much faster than self teaching.

Don't get me wrong, I self taught as stated earlier, and learning was a real challenge but I enjoyed the ride. So if lessons are not for you right now, for whatever reason, tight budget, time constraints, etc. don't let the joy of playing golf slip away by giving up. Self teach or learn from a friend or relative, watch video training DVD's (check ads on this site for some excellent teaching aids) read books on golf like I did, but whatever you do don't give up. You will be missing out on one of the greatest games ever devised by man.

There are many options to take golf lessons and the most important thing you can do is to select an instructor or teaching professional who is patient and doesn't mind working with a new golfer. Some teachers may be very good but do not have the patience and fortitude required for the beginner. I would suggest to get a recommendation from someone who plays, if possible, or interview the proposed teacher and explain that you are a new golfer and get a feel or reaction if they will be right for you.

I actually did take a lesson or two a few years after I started playing but I was very disappointed with the teacher. All he did was watch me swing and say "OK that looks good", no recommendations or advice on grip, set-up, tempo, timing, swingpath, repetitive swing thoughts, relaxing techniques, grip pressure - NOTHING and for that reason I was soured on lessons for quite a time.

I have to admit that I changed my mind when I saw some good pros in action so please don't let my experience sour you on the idea. I was at the local Golfsmith store about a year ago and I noted they had a supplementary section of the store just for lessons and practice. I was a bit unhappy with my game as of late and I wondered if they might be able to help. I bit the bullet so to speak and enrolled in a series of lessons for about $700.This included about ten sessions with the pro, including Video monitoring and playback, so you could see your swing in action. He was able to point out my swing deficiencies and I had direction of what I needed to correct in order to get back on track. Since you cannot see your own swing it is difficult to correct a swing fault by yourself. A good tool to use to practice is a mirror where you can stop and look at your swing during each step of the way, but you first need to learn the proper basics or you still won't know what you are doing r!
ight or wrong in your reflection.

A new player should minimally take a series of ten or even 20 lessons and schedule a monitored practice (which Golfsmith and some other golf schools offer ) to really put you on the right track to play. Your instructor will be able to rate your progress and you will see the results yourself as you begin to play. How quickly you improve will be the determining factor as to how many lessons an individual may need. If money is no object there are some excellent resorts that offer Instruction and Playing Packages.

These can also be found on http://www.golfdigest.com and many are built around some of the finest vacation spots in the world. For the tighter budget but still opting for a lesson or two, try the local pro golf shop or resident driving range instructor. Remember to ask them if they are experienced in teaching the beginner and let them know that this is your requirement. Happy Golfing!