Improve Your Golf Swing » United States

Dinah Shore

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:32:12 +0000

Dinah Shore was a very famous entertainer, actress and songstress. In the course of her career, she won 10 Emmy awards and was often revered as a great actress. In the world of golf, Dinah Shore is known in a much different way. Long an avid golfer, Shore wanted to pass on her love of golf and especially female golf to the world.
Shore founded one of the most prestigious golf tournaments on the LPGA tour, the Colgate/Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle Golf Championship which is now the Kraft Nabisco Championship in Rancho Mirage, California. This is one of the four major tournaments on the LPGA Tour. Even though the tournament no longer bears her name, people still refer to it as the Dinah Shore.
Ironically, the Dinah Shore golf tournament, kind of like its founder, is not without controversy. In her lifetime, it was speculated that Shore was a lesbian a fact that her fans have adamantly denied given her scandalous relationship with Burt Reynolds who was twenty years her junior. There was also an allegation that she was part African/American which lost her some popularity among her more closed-minded fans.

The golf tournament she founded has been touted as the largest gathering of lesbians in any one place at any one time. Now some people really dont care about this. They just want to see the greatest womens golfers take to the links and compete for the prize. But others are just not comfortable being around so many people like that. Id like to note that this author falls into the first category who cares!

The Dinah Shore tournament has seen its share of great wins just like on the mens tournament. In 1988, pro golfer and winner Amy Alcott started a tradition that is still practiced today. At the conclusion of her round when she was declared the winner of the competition for the second time, she jumped in the lake off of the 18th green. Today, it is a winners tradition to participate in the swim at the Shore.

When the Kraft/Nabisco Company took over the tournament in 1982, the possibility of some huge prize money became a reality. This giant conglomerate certainly had the resources and wanted to make this event THE event to win on the LPGA. They consistently increased the purse over the years and today, the winner takes home a whopping $2 million dollars!

Dinah Shore died in 1994, but her name lives on the golf world. She has been inducted into the LPGA hall of fame and is well-respected among golfers of the world.

Callaway

admin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 10:35:11 +0000

The Callaway Golf Company is one of the worlds best known brands of premium golf equipment. Callaway manufactures various golf club including woods, irons, wedges, and putters. They also produce golf balls and licenses its name for apparel, footwear, and accessories. Callaway Golf also owns and manufactures products under the Odyssey putter brand as well as Top-Flite and Ben Hogan brands.
The company first made its name building clubs that were friendly and forgiving for amateur golfers, but became famous for its success among notable professionals and endorsers that include Phil Mickelson, Rocco Mediate, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Johnny Miller.
Callaway Golf is perhaps best known for its Big Bertha drivers, the industrys first wide body, stainless steel wood and the club that launched the company to iconic status among pro and amateur golfers. The Big Bertha would put Callaway golf into the forefront of golfers minds as they realized that Bertha would help them with long drives beyond their own expectations.
The company was founded in 1982 by former Burlington Industries textile president Ely Callaway. A dynamic leader and famously successful businessman, Mr. Callaway sold his Temecula, CA-based winery for a nice profit and was enjoying a brief retirement before adding club maker to his resume.
Never one to sit idle, he was playing plenty of golf and was on the lookout for new business opportunities when he spotted a wooden pitching wedge in a Palm Springs-area golf shop. The club was reminiscent of the hickory-shafted clubs he had used as a child, but this shaft was hollowed and filled with a steel core for consistency and strength. He bought half of Hickory Stick USA and renamed it the Callaway Hickory Stick USA.
Mr. Callaway was well known for thinking big, and he did this a lot when forming and growing his company. Today, the company continues to develop and manufacture technologically advanced golf equipment, including its line of two- and three-piece golf balls, as well as its Fusion FT-3 Driver, which combines titanium and carbon composite materials and allows golfers to choose internal weighting options that can counteract a slice or hook or enhance a draw or fade.
Callaway is preparing to release their latest driver the, F-Ti – a new technology in drivers with a square head. Phil Mickelson used two versions of the driver a draw and a fade in his 2006 Masters victory. Swedish sensation Annika Sorenstam, who has used and endorsed Callaway Golf equipment for her entire pro career, became the only woman to shoot 59 in competition in 2001 and in 2006 used the FT-3 Driver to earn her 10th major championship victory.

Business on the Golf Course

admin — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 04:51:29 +0000

Theres probably no better place in the world to conduct business than on the golf course. Business executive all over the world know that sharing a common frustration with their golf game promotes the perfect environment for business talk. More partnerships and businesses have been changed on the golf course than you could ever imagine.

When you are conducting business on the golf course, you have the luxury of sharing a common goal to beat each other. Yet at the same time, when you are playing with business associates on the golf course, you really need to practice some decorum when playing golf with a potential business affiliate.

So how do you balance business with sport on the golf course? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. Just as with any decision in business, you have to weigh the outcome with what is happening. If you are trying to land a big account, you probably wont want to make fun of your potential clients missed chip shot.

However, you wont want to gain a reputation as a suck-up either. If your potential client makes a 7 on a par 3 hole, you really dont want to whoop and holler because it will be obvious you are just trying to stroke his (or her) ego. Conducting business on the golf course is a delicate proposition, so start with a plan in mind.

DO NOT and we stress this a lot DO NOT begin your golf match with a declaration of what you hope to accomplish by the end of the round. If you want to insure that you will be landing that big account, dont put on your golf glove on tee #1 and declare your intention. The idea behind conducting business on the golf course is to make friends first and then do your business.

As you are playing, keep in mind that you will want to bring your A game as much as is humanly possible. Sure, you might be playing against a person who is head and shoulders above you, but if you are the better player, DONT let them win just because you want to gain their business. Play golf like you mean it and gain that prospects respect.

There is much business that is done on the golf course every day of every week. You wont find a better place to make a business deal than on the links. However, you will want to use some form of decorum to insure that your business goals will come to reality. Taking business on the golf course could be the best business decision you ever make!

The British Open

admin — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 10:17:24 +0000

For amateur golfers, having an open tournament is a great opportunity to break into the world of professional golf. But the U.S. Open isnt the only open tournament theres also the British Open for the golfers across the pond. Open tournaments were designed to allow amateur golfers to perhaps break into the pro pool by winning one of these contests.

Many people think that the U.S. Open was the first open championship to be founded, but that just isnt true. The British Open was being played 35 years before the United States got in on the open tournament phenomenon. Since the turn of the century, the British Open has included amateurs from all countries. The U.S. Open is currently trying to make a move towards this trend, but for years, The British Open has been known as The World Open.

Originally designed as a way for unknown golfers to make a name for themselves, the opens have long been touted as the greatest chance an amateur has for worldwide fame and fortune as a professional golfer. The British Open was the first tournament to bring forth this amazing idea, and golfers all over the world became excited at the prospect of becoming a pro.

The British Open is one of the four major golf tournaments of the year and winning it is a great honor. Just as with the U.S. Open, it is one of the championships that tournament professionals strive to achieve and wear the honor with pride. However, amateurs should beware. Because the British Open is an open event, the pros can play too.

The last time an amateur won a British Open was back in 1930 when American legend Bobby Jones won with an overall score of 291. Since that time, there have been many amateurs who have made good showings, but as far as winning the open, that hasnt happened in quite some time.

To qualify for the British Open, you must strive for one of the 156 places that are available. Most of the field of players has achieved entry into the open through exemptions by playing well throughout the year on the tour. The rest of the field has won qualifying rounds in local events that lead them to the big show and perhaps the chance of the lifetime!

The British Open just like the U.S. Open is a wonderful way for excellent amateur golfers to break into the professional circuit by doing what they love playing the game of golf. The British Open has a long and storied history and while considered one of the major events in the PGA, still holds a bit of mystery and hope for those who dream of a life as a PGA professional.

St. Andrews

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:42:26 +0000

St. Andrews is located in Scotland and is commonly thought of as the birthplace of golf as we know it today. St. Andrews is home to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, founded in 1754, who exercises legislative authority over the game worldwide except in the U.S. and Mexico.

The beautiful golf links in St. Andrews (acquired by the town in 1894) is the most frequent venue for The Open Championship, the oldest of golf’s four major championships. Visitors travel to St Andrews in great numbers for several courses ranked amongst the finest in the world, as well as for the sandy beaches.

The St Andrews Links occupy a narrow strip of land along the sea. As early as the 15th century, golfers at St. Andrews established a customary route through the undulating terrain, playing to holes whose locations were dictated by topography.

The course that emerged featured eleven holes, laid out end to end from the clubhouse to the far end of the property. One played the holes out, turned around, and played the holes in, for a total of 22 holes. In 1764, several of the holes were deemed too short, and were therefore combined. The number was thereby reduced from 11 to nine, so that a complete round of the links comprised 18 holes.

There are six golf courses in St. Andrews including The Old Course which is where the game was first played. The clubs are open to the public as are the courses, but be prepared to wait! The Old Course has over 40,000 rounds of golf played on it every year. In fact, as of this writing, the official St. Andrews website reports that tee times for April through October of 2007 are completely booked.

You may have the best luck on one of the other courses, but you will need to make reservations well in advance. St. Andrews allow you to book tee times online, so check out their website and make a reservation as soon as you know when youll be there.

Be prepared to pay to play St. Andrews, however. Greens fees during the prime season between April and October are $235 for an adult on the Old Course. Of course, the other courses are slightly cheaper and youll save some money in the off-season as well.

There are plenty of places to stay when you want to golf at St. Andrews. There are over 500 hotels and numerous dining places nearby. There is easy access from local airstrips, so you wont have much problem actually getting to the links on your scheduled day to play. In the meantime, youll enjoy some of the most beautiful countryside in the world complete with old castles and historical sites!

You can visit the official St. Andrews Link website at www.standrews.org.uk.

Sports

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 02:28:02 +0000

Of all the various sports practiced in the world today, golf has got to be one of the most often played by amateurs and professionals alike. It is one of those sports that can be played with little skill by people of all ages young and old alike. Recognizing that golf is one of the major sports in the world has been a great advancement for people who love this game.

Most people think of traditional sports as one on one or team competitions. While golf is often played with other people, the real competitors in the game of golf are you against the golf course. Sure, you can try to score better than your opponents, but really what you are doing is trying to take into consideration things like sand traps, water hazards, and distance so you can make it from tee box to hole with as few strokes as possible.

While golf isnt a very intensive sports activity, it does provide for good exercise especially if you walk the course instead of taking a cart. Youre not going to get a good cardio workout, but you certainly will benefit from a good stroll across the links. Plus, the swinging motion will work your back muscles as well as your arm muscles.

Golf is one of the most competitive sports both professionally as well as for amateurs. The lighthearted bantering you can hear on the golf course during a tournament is quite interesting. Many side bets occur on tee boxes and before a match begins. Theres quite a lot of ways you can try to best your opponents and make a little money on the side as well!

You can also find competitive golf in schools as part of their sports programs. These days, its not uncommon to find a golf team at the middle school level, and high school and college golf teams have been part of sports programs for years. This is great as it introduces golf to kids at younger ages and they are more likely to continue that interest into their adult years.

Golf is one of the fastest growing sports in the world with fans spanning all age groups coming from all walks of life. Participating in golf as part of a sports regimen provides for much enjoyment, some stress, and a lot of great experiences. If youve never tried golf as one of the sports you participate in, you really should. Gain the benefits of this traditional game and see all of the amazing things you have in store!

Ryder Cup

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 02:51:10 +0000

The Ryder Cup is a golf trophy contest held every other year matching a team of players from Europe and a team of players from the United States. The name of the tournament came from Samuel Ryder who had watched the first casual match of this format and though it would be good to make the match official. He donated the first gold cup prize and they named the contest after him. The first official Ryder Cup match was played in 1927 in Massachusetts.

Each Ryder Cup team is captained by an experienced golfer. They will get to choose some of the golfers who will play on the team, but most of the team is chosen according to how well they have played since the last Ryder Cup. There is a point system that is in place and their position on the team is dependent on their points.

The matches in the Ryder cup involve various match play matches. Currently, the matches consist of eight foursome matches, eight four ball matches, and twelve singles matches. The winner of each match scores a point for their team with point each for any match that is tied after 18 holes.

A foursome match is competition between two teams of two golfers. The golfers on the same team take alternate shots throughout the match with the same ball. A team takes the hole when it completes the hole with the fewest shots.

A four ball match in the Ryder Cup is also a competition between two teams of two golfers, but all four golfers play their own ball throughout the round rather than alternating shots. Whichever golfer completes the hole with the lowest score wins the hole.

A singles match is a standard match play competition between two golfers.

Many changes have been made to the Ryder Cup over the years, but it still remains one of the most exciting and competitive tournaments in the golf world. The next Ryder Cup competition will be held in 2008 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

While teams have yet to be officially picked, we do know that the United States Ryder Cup team will be captained by Paul Azinger. Right now, it appears well probably see Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, and Davis Love III as team members based on their points they have accumulated.

The European Ryder Cup team will be captained by Nick Faldo. Expect to see names like Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia, and Luke Donald as probably team members.

Palm Springs Golf

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:32:24 +0000

Theres probably no better place in the United States to play golf than in Palm Springs, California. This beautiful location is host to many, many golf courses that give amateurs and pros the chance to best the course while basking in the beautiful California weather. There are more than a hundred golf courses in the Palm Springs area, and most of them are of a professional quality that you wont find anywhere else in the United States.
Palm Springs is located on the Northwestern boundary of the Coachella Valley, which also includes several other rapidly growing communities including Cathedral City, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, Indian Wells and Indio.
Discovered in the early 1920s by some of Hollywood’s elite, it is no longer the group of sleepy little villages it once was. While the area has changed over the years, the one thing that has not is the magnificent clear blue sky and the mild climate. It’s a great feeling to be soaking your body in a warm outdoor pool or playing a round of golf on a manicured course while the rest of the country is slipping and sliding behind a snow plow.
The Palm Springs region, with its world-class golf courses and destination golf resorts, while not as large, is rapidly becoming the West Coast version of the Myrtle Beach golf scene.
You have your choice of several different professional level courses when you travel to Palm Springs to golf. The great California weather makes it a premier, year-round vacation destination for golfers.

While we strive to remain unbiased in our review of Palm Springs golf destinations, we have found some of the more popular courses and feel compelled to pass these on to you.

* Indian Springs Golf and Country Club – The 18-hole “Indian Springs” course at the Indian Springs Golf & Country Club facility in Indio, California features 6,404 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 69.8 and it has a slope rating of 112. Designed by John Gurley, Sr., the Indian Springs golf course opened in 1962.Neil Finch manages the course as the Director of Golf.

* Indian Wells Country Club – The 18-hole “Classic” course at the Indian Wells Country Club facility in Indian Wells, California features 6,478 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. Designed by David A. Rainville, ASGCA/Harry Rainville, the Classic golf course opened in 1955.ClubCorp USA, Inc. manages this facility, with Mark Neneman as the General Manager.

* Desert Dunes Golf Club – Desert Dunes Golf Course was the first desert course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Voted as one of the best public courses in Southern California. Laid out among large dunes and mature desert trees, Desert Dunes has a unique Scottish links flavor.

Theres no doubt that golf in Palm Springs is a golfers paradise. When you golf Palm Springs, you are surely in for a trip that you will remember for years to come!

Myrtle Beach Golf

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:33:35 +0000

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is one of the best places to take a golf vacation to in the United States. Myrtle Beach boasts 85 golf courses, 60 places for accommodations and four golf schools. Many golfers say that Myrtle Beach is one of the prettiest places to golf in the United States as well as offering some very challenging courses. Here are some of the top golf resorts in Myrtle Beach:

* Blackmoor Golf Club – Gary Players only Grand Strand signature course is built on the historic Longwood Plantation, which parallels the Waccamaw River. This spectacular undulating design takes advantage of the natural terrain and beautiful vistas making it a most enjoyable place to play.

As the worlds most traveled golfer, Player was able to use his wisdom and talent to provide a challenging course for the most capable golfer. Yet, the clever layout provides the high handicapper a very fun round.
When you couple the charm of this course with its truly hospitable staff and inviting facilities, Blackmoor becomes a must-play year after year. Be sure to visit the website to see the areas only live course web cam!
* Brunswick Plantation and Golf Resort – Brunswick Plantation, a 27-hole golf resort located just minutes from Myrtle Beach, features quick champion Bermuda greens.
Each nine has a special flair, presents challenges and provides a scenic backdrop with tall Carolina pines and water views.
The 14,000 square foot, plantation-style clubhouse offers a fully-stocked pro shop with friendly, professional service. A putting green and driving range are also available.
Located just three miles north of the N.C./S.C. state line, youre sure to experience a special brand of Southern hospitality.
* Burning Ridge East – While playing golf at this great Myrtle Beach course, you will encounter elegantly shaped mounded fairways and large yawning bunkers before you reach our smooth putting surfaces.
Burning Ridge was the winner of the 2006 Myrtle Beach Golf Course of the Year and winner of the Myrtle Beach Golfing News Hospitality and Operational Excellence- 2002.
There are plenty of places to stay in Myrtle Beach when you go for a golf vacation. Most of the resorts in the area are lush and beautiful. They offer excellence in both service and accommodations and pride themselves on providing some great Southern Hospitality.

Golf in Myrtle Beach is an experience beyond no other. You can easily spend a full week in one of the resorts and play on a beautiful golf course every single day. Myrtle Beach truly is a golfers paradise.

Las Vegas Golf

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 02:12:43 +0000

There may be a lot of things that Las Vegas is famous for, but golf isnt the first thing that comes to mind. However, golf in Las Vegas is becoming a sport for the well-to-do and the common man alike.
Twenty-nine years ago, locals and visitors played at The Tropicana Golf Course, which has been replaced by the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. The Dunes course, since replaced by Bellagio and Monte Carlo Hotels, Desert Inn Country Club, is still there, though it will be gone soon. The Municipal Golf Course, Las Vegas Country Club, Craig Road, Sahara Country Club, Winter Wood, two courses at Nellis and Paradise Country Club, are all still there, though the names may have changed. They were pretty much the only courses in the valley.
Today, there are 57 golf courses in and around Las Vegas. They’re not all up and running yet as that number includes under construction and on the planning board. Also, the number includes courses within a two hour drive of Las Vegas, Mesquite, Primm, Laughlin and Pahrump.
Even so, that’s a lot of golf courses for a city of less than one and a half million. Of course, thirty-six million plus tourists a year add to the profitability of opening one. Greens fees for Las Vegas golf can be quite steep for the common man and many locals have given up local golf for just that reason.
Las Vegas golf courses were designed by the pros who also played them in tournaments every year. Palmer, Nicklaus, Chi Chi Rodriques, Johnny Miller and Fuzzy Zoeller have all designed courses there. All of the major pro tours, PGA, LPGA and the SPGA have annual tourneys here. They started to play Las Vegas in 1953.
Golf is a year-round sport in Las Vegas. Even on those forty days a year that there’s some rain, you still might get 18 holes in. There are only about 5 days a year when you can’t play. In the spring there may be a few days of high winds that postpone your game. On cold days in the winter, you tee off at noon. On hot days from June to September, try to get a tee time from 6-9 am, to be off the course in the afternoon. Call very early for a tee time.
You will have a lot of options when you choose to golf in Las Vegas. But the best part about a Las Vegas golf trip? You can always try out the blackjack tables if your golf game stinks.