Posts Tagged ‘golf’

5 Places You Must See When Visiting South Carolina

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

South Carolina, also known as the Palmetto State, receives over twenty-nine million visitors per year. It lies on the east coast of the US and borders Georgia to the south and North Carolina to the north. The original colony was named in honor of King Charles I, as “Carolus” is Latin for Charles. It has a population of over four and a half million and is ranked twenty-fourth among the US states. Columbia is the capital of this state and its forty-six counties. Like most of the states in the region, the weather is quite temperate year round which provides many months of comfortable tourism. If South Carolina is one of your destinations, there are many places you might consider visiting. Here are five of them, in no particular order: Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Columbia and Greenville/Spartanburg.

Charleston is the county seat of Charleston County. It is the oldest city in the state and the second largest. The city’s original name was Charles Towne in and it moved to its current location on Oyster Point in 1680. Charleston is known as The Holy City due to the prominence of churches and numerous steeples which dot the city’s skyline. It has a population of over one-hundred and twenty thousand. Marjabelle Young Stewart, an American etiquette expert recognized Charleston as the “best-mannered” city in the US in 1995.

Myrtle Beach is a coastal resort city in Horry County, South Carolina. It is the hub of both the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area and the Grand Strand, a complex of beach towns and barrier islands. The area’s attractions include its beaches and many golf courses as well as amusement parks, an aquarium, retail developments and nearly two thousand restaurants. Myrtle Beach has an estimated 460 hotels. The area also has an IMAX theatre, dinner theatre and nightclubs. Myrtle Beach welcomes Hard Rock Park, so named after the popular Hard Rock Caf chain (now called Freestyle Music Park). The Carolina Opry is another highly-acclaimed attraction as well as the Myrtle Beach Convention Centre. An interesting point, while gambling is not legal in South Carolina; visitors may access a gambling boat which sails into international waters beyond the reach of federal and state gambling laws.

Hilton Head Island or Hilton Head is resort town (located on an island of the same name) in Beaufort County, South Carolina. The island features twelve miles of beachfront on the Atlantic Ocean. In 2004, an estimated two and a quarter million visitors came to stay. The island’s population growth rate has been over thirty-two percent over the past decade. This town is known for its “eco-friendly” development and as a result enjoys an unusual amount of tree cover relative to the amount of development. Over 70% of the island is located inside gated communities; however the town maintains several public beach access points. The island offers an unusual number of cultural opportunities including Broadway-quality plays, the 120-member full chorus of the Hilton Head Choral Society, the Symphony Orchestra and the largest outdoor, tented wine tasting event on the east coast. It also hosts the Verizon Heritage, a stop on the PGA Tour.

Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the US state of South Carolina. The city’s name comes from a poetic synonym for America, derived from the name of Christopher Columbus. It is located thirteen miles northwest of South Carolina’s geographic centre and CNNMoney.com named Columbia as one of America’s 25 best places to retire. US News and World Report ranked the city 6th on its 2009 list of “America’s Best Affordable Places to Retire” List.

Greenville is the seat of Greenville County, in upstate South Carolina, US. It is the third largest city in the state and is the largest of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area (CSA) which in 2006 had an estimated population of over 1.2 million. The CSA is an eight county region of northwestern South Carolina known as the “The Upstate.” As the largest city in the Upstate, Greenville offers many activities and attractions. Greenville’s theatres and event venues regularly host major concerts and touring theatre companies. Greenville has the only golf course in the world that has each conceived by a different designer. CrossWinds Golf Club is a public Par 3 course that can be played in one hour for 9 holes or two hours for 18. Other attractions include Falls Park on the Reedy, Liberty Bridge, Greenville County Museum of Art and the Bob Jones University Museum and Gallery.

With so many amazing places to go and different places to see, the culture and history of this state are boundless to absorb. It is easy to see why so many tourists make South Carolina their destination of choice on vacation.

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Range Finders – Highly Popular With Golfers

Sunday, July 18th, 2010

Rangefinders have found by far the greatest popularity amongst golfers. Golfers have found them useful to be able to know how far a water hazard, a sand trap, or the pin may be – with a high degree of accuracy. This has improved the score of countless golfers across the world.

A GPS range finders work via a satellite, you download a map of the courses you are going to play for which there is a fee involved when downloading these maps. With some types you have to make a yearly payment to receive the maps or you can get them as pay as you go if you prefer, you should remember that this payment is on top of your purchase price of the unit this might work out expensive if you intend on playing different courses.

One will be to the front of the green and one to the middle of the green and one to the back of the green, it will not give the exact distance to the pin as accurately as a laser range finder would, this could be a slight problem if you are looking for pin point accuracy in your shots.

When you look through the viewer and focus on the flag a small circle appears around the flag on the screen, this means you have locked the laser on to the flag and it will give you a very accurate yardage reading to the pin.

One big advantage of this type of unit is that you can aim the laser at different hazards on the course to give you the yardage to help you make your decision on what club to take, this is really helpful when you are playing the golf course for the first time.

There is one very important factor you should know before you buy your range finder, you must know how far you hit your clubs, it is no good knowing the yardage to the pin if you do not know how far you hit a certain club.

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Are Nike Golf Shoes Any Good?

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Nike golf shoes are one of the tools you can use to raise the quality of your game. If you have only played golf in casual shoes so far, or if you’re just looking for a way to improve your general game, investing in a good pair of golf shoes can make a huge difference. Just like in other sports, the shoes you wear can seriously affect your performance.

Since you have to develop a smooth swing and be able to follow through on that swing in golf, all without losing any control of the strength in your swing, your golf shoes can help or spoil your game for you. Nike golf shoes are designed to help you balance, gripping the turf as much as necessary yet allowing you to put full power and control behind each swing.

Since these golf shoes have special compartments in the heels, every step is easier and lighter to make. They put a spring in your step and yet offer the level of support your feet, legs and knees need in order to enjoy playing your game of golf very comfortably for longer periods of time.

Since golf usually involves lots of walking, Nike golf shoes have been made as a blend of walking shoe and golf shoe. They cushion the joints of your legs and knees against impact with each step you take, allowing you to concentrate your strength and effort on your game of golf, rather than on how you are going to get to the next hole or to wherever your ball landed.

When you go to buy Nike golf shoes, there are several things that you should keep in mind. The first thing you need to consider is what level of skill you have achieved. Golf, like many other sports, has apparel that can be used by beginners or advanced professionals alike.

In most cases, beginners pick Nike golf shoes made for professionals, but never end up getting the full potential of the shoe, as they are not sure how they can best be used.

While professionals definitely do get great advantage out of these Nike golf shoes, it is often better for novices to purchase entry level Nike golf shoes which will better suit their needs. The increase in power given to your stroke will usually be wasted on those who are amateurs, as they do not yet possess the requisite skill to control the stroke as much as they would need to.

Therefore, it is best to buy Nike golf shoes that fit your level of skill, since these shoes will have the comfort and functionality you need. You can buy Nike golf shoes from a variety of sources. For those who want cheaper shoes yet still require the quality of the professional shoes, you can purchase last year’s models from Nike outlet centers.

If you only want to wear top of the range Nike golf shoes, you can purchase from online Nike stockists or through a variety of online retail vendors (see below).

If you are interested in learning more about Nike golf shoes, visit our website on Golfing Tips for Novices for loads of free tips.

Ladies Golf Apparel and Fashion

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

I was reading one of those ‘Golfing for Women’ magazines the other day and started wondering where the women are, who wear the golf attire modeled in women’s golf magazines? I’ve never seen women, professionals included, who would dress in such expensive and outrageous clothes!

It’s easy to spend lots of money fitting yourself out for golf. What with hats, sunglasses, gloves, shirts, shorts, socks, windbreakers and shoes, the costs add up very quickly, even if you do your shopping at the sales. Then factor in the cost of clubs, balls, bag, cart and fees and you have to play very often to keep the “CPU” (cost per use) down to a reasonable level.

One glossy advert showed a beautiful model in very short shorts (as if that’s allowed on courses!) that cost nearly $300, a golf shirt at almost $600, a jacket by Ralph Lauren at almost $200 and two-toned Utuser shoes costing $400 plus.

That adds up to about $1,500! I know that I could never hope to get the CPU on that outfit down to anywhere near a normal limit in my lifetime! Don’t get me wrong – I love clothes and I really love shoes, but could never afford, or even want, golf shoes or pants that cost more than most people’s weekly wage.

OK, you need comfy golfing shoes that don’t look like an old pair of wooden clogs, but honestly, you will be able to find less expensive and yet still trendy golfing shoes.

I have several very stylish golf outfits, although none of them are brand names. If I totalled up the cost of all of them, it would not cover the price of a Tse golf shirt. Personally, I’d rather have several nice outfits than one outrageously priced one.

If I were to wear a $1,500 set of golfing apparel to play golf in, I would just be too worried about getting it grubby or sweating in it to enjoy a proper game of golf.

If you liked this piece on fashion and ladies’ golf attire and you would like to read more about golfing, please go to our website on Golfing Tips for Novice Golfers

Senior Golf Vacation Packages

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

If you are looking at senior golf vacation packages where you can have golf lessons, a friendly game of golf or watch a PGA Tour, you could look on the Internet to see where the best destinations would be. You could travel to Arizona, Hawaii, Bermuda or Myrtle Beach.

You could have some exciting rounds of golf when you reserve a senior golf package that includes accommodation, airfare and a couple of days of golf. You will not only enjoy your golf, but the many attractions in the area as well. Vacation packages are great and when they involve golf at a very prominent club, you will have an even better time.

Myrtle Beach has some of the most impressive golf vacation packages with different activities built into each one. You can play the Big Cat and even have a lesson or two from the ex- Senior Golf Tour player Gary Cowan. Gary Cowan was the winner of two majors and had eight appearances in other majors.

You may prefer the Big Cat package, the Fanatic golfer package or the four rounds and three-night package. The latter is for the true golfer. Four days of golf and only three-nights in the hotel is what you get in this holiday package.

In Maui, you can play one of the courses designed by Robert Trent Jones; enjoy a day in the warm sun and experience a golf course like you have never played before. You can stay at the Kaanapali Beach hotel and take the short walk to the golf course.

The two courses are a senior golfer’s delight. The South Course has an executive style, but with little complexity whereas the North Course runs through the foothills and along the beach and is thought of as a challenging golf course. It is also home to the PGA Tour.

If you are looking for something out of the ordinary, you might like to try the senior golf vacation package to Bermuda. With nine golf courses spread out on twenty-one acres of land, you will find that this is one of the most extraordinary experiences of a lifetime. You can pick from fourteen hotels and resorts that offer senior golf vacation packages. With ocean all around, you will feel the warm breeze and smell the sea as you enjoy a great game of golf. Many vacation packages include at least one day of golf, but you can find vacation package deals with more days as well.

However, the story of senior golf vacation packages does not end there. You could enjoy a trip to Arizona where you can find some of the leading golfing schools. The golf courses in the area put on the PGA and the LPGA. The Scottsdale area is crammed with many senior friendly golf courses that will intrigue even the skilled golfer.

Not only do you have the game of golf, but some of the finest entertainment is offered in the area as well. You can plan a senior golf outing anywhere you can find a great package deal and professional lessons.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with St Croix Virgin Islands. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.

Ways to Improve Your Golf Swings By Performing Drills

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

I just wanted to explain a few of the best drills that you can use in order to perfect your golf swing. The type of golf drills that I approve of are the ones that do not force you to use a golf club right away. It’s best to be able to focus in on what your body is doing during the golf swing.

A drill that does not require a golf club is the following. Imagine that you are setting up for your golf shot by placing your feet a little bit more than shoulder width apart. Now take a practice swing ensuring that your elbows remain the same distance apart throughout the swing. Also, ensure that your hands remain close together.

The inner circle drill is a great way to ensure that your weight does not spill outside which will reduce the power of your swing. It is simple to perform since all that you will need to do is to swing your arms while taking a practice swing without the use of a golf club. You will remark that your arms are tracing a specific arc that ends after the point of impact of the golf ball. Afterward, when actually swinging your golf club, ensure that the arc is still present.

Using only one arm during your swing is a great drill to practice for any golfer. If you are right-handed, you will use just your left hand in this drill. By using only one arm, you will learn how to transfer your power from the back to the front without killing the ball.

One aspect of the golf game that most golfers do not practice is their short game. Most people practice only on improving the distance of their drives. The short game is a big part of golf. I recommend that you hit around 4 balls to the hole while being about 25 yards from the hole. As soon as you are able to get half of them about a foot from the hole, go the next hole and perform the same drill.

Another drill that will help with your golf drive is one that makes you focus on following through towards the target area of the golf ball. What you have to do is to drag the head of the golf club slowly through where the clubhead makes contact with the golf ball when it is on the tee. Make sure that your hips are turning towards where you would like the golf ball to land.

In order to make sure that your swing is consistent, I suggest that you try out the following golf swing drill. It consists of slowing down your swing and counting to three slowly during the swing so that you will have an idea of how your swing is broken up. When you say one, you should be performing your back swing. Finally, at number three, you should be following through to the point of impact.

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Lower Your Expenses With A Set Of Certified Pre-owned Golf Clubs

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

With the economy the way it is and the price of new golf clubs being what they are many individuals have turned a corner and began buying used golf clubs. The main reason that most all of the people buying used golf golf clubs give for the purchasing decision is related to the price. Plus, recycling anything is good for the environment! What should you know before you buy a set of used golf golf clubs?

The first thing that you need to look at is the head of the club and look for wear on the face. Older golf clubs that have been used a lot will have a noticeable thin or worn area on the face of the club. It many times appears shiny. This is not good because the club face won’t hold the ball as well as it should. Make sure the grooves still have well-defined edges and stay away from used golf clubs that show indentations in the club face as these can affect the ball flight.

The shaft of the club is the next thing that you need to examine. Make sure graphite shafts don’t have worn areas or indentations that could cause weakness. Make sure that you test the shaft by twisting the head and the grip in separate directions. If there isn’t great resistance, it’s a sign of weakness in the shaft. You only need to do this test with a graphite shaft. With a shaft that is of steel construction, looking down the shaft and making sure it hasn’t ever been bent is all you need to do.

The grips are also an important part of the club so you will need to examine them as well. You will be looking for cracks, splits, and worn areas. You can re-grip used golf golf clubs, but this will run between $6 and $15 per club adding to your cost.

Are all of the clubs consistent with each other? Compare them all by lining them up. Make certain that all of them look the same and were all from the same set of golf clubs. You don’t want a set that has a mixture of different golf clubs with varying shaft types from club to club. You can throw off the progression of your lofts throughout the set by mixing and matching.

Compare prices for new clubs versus what you will be paying for your used golf clubs. Sometimes you can get a new set for less than what the used set is selling for. You can also find some great discounts at golf stores, so don’t jump in too quickly to buy your used golf club.

Like anything else, until you test them out you can never be certain how well the golf clubs will perform. Make sure that you give the golf clubs a few nice test swings to assure yourself that you like the way they feel.

If you buy a set of golf clubs that are used you can save yourself a great deal of money on the essential golf gear that is the most expensive aspect of the game. You need to be careful though that you understand correctly what you are looking for before you hand out the coin. The difference that it can make in the set you choose is huge.

There are literally thousands of sites via the internet in which you are able to order golf clubs for sale and many of them even possess second hand sets. If you have never thought about golf utility clubs though you may really want to have a look. Learn more info at http://golfutilityclubs.com.

The Models Of Callaway 3 Wood On The Market

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

There are currently four different types of a Callaway 3 wood available, they are Big Bertha Diablo, FT-i Squareway, the X-Hot and the FT. These three woods provide different effects and are dependent upon the type of swing of the golfer. I will briefly discuss the main differences between each and inform you of the benefit of the specific enhancement.

A customized shape club head has been introduced into the Big Bertha Diablo and this has the effect of increase the length of the shot and providing a greater accuracy in shot placement.

If twisting action is problematic within your swing then then FT-i Squareway may be a better choice of club for you asFT-i Squareway has a squareway inertial design placing the weight of the club head in the most extreme corners of the club. The result of this is that the club is loss prone to twisting throughout the swing action.

The X-Hot is designed to increase accuracy in hitting the ball the sole is split into two sections hich creates a smoother movement within the stroke. This design is exclusive to the Callaway X-Hot series.

For increased flight trajectory and shot shaping the club of choice should be the Callaway FT 3 wood. This model combines a mixture of elements to enable the Callaway engineers to weight the club to enhance its centre of gravity giving a more flowing feeling within the club.

The angle of the club face on a three wood is usually between 13 and 15 degrees, this is known as the loft of the wood. From a three wood you should be aiming to get the ball to travel around the 250 yard mark. When a driver is not an appropriate club for the tee off a 3 wood can be used. It is also handy for shots where the ball is just off the fairway or when the ball has a good lie in the rough.

A lot of technical thought goes into the designing of clubs as illustrated by the four models discussed above. The best way to find out which club is right for you is to actually go out and use it. Everybody has a different style of swing and as such a club that is good for one person might not be the best for another.

As I said before many metals are used to create clubs however steel and titanium alloy are the most common. Steel clubs are a lot cheaper than titanium clubs so would be better for the beginner however the titanium clubs produce much more power within the shot due to their lighter weight.

The same metal compounds are used for fairway wood club heads as well. These woods increase in loft the higher the number of wood. This means that a 5 wood has more loft than a four wood and a four wood has more than a three wood. The more loft a wood has the higher the ball will travel in the air which means it will travel a shorter distance down the fairway.

The 1-wood is longest club a golfer can use, there are 2-woods manufactured but it is rare to find a golfer who uses one therefore the 3-wood is usually the second biggest club in a golf bag. The advantage of using woods instead of drivers is that they have smaller heads and are easy for beginners to start out with when striking a ball off the tee.

Use one of the best clubs out there by purchasing the Callaway 3 wood in your bag. Look online to find great costs, even on a nice canvas field bag to use. Go online now and find out more.

Choosing Golf Equipment

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Buying golf equipment can be like throwing your money onto the fire, but armed with some fore-knowledge, you can save yourself time and money when you’re choosing your golf clubs. As in many things, you can either spend a lot of money in one go or you can spend a little several times, before you get what you really need.

If you are just beginning and are not completely sure that you want to commit yourself to the addictive game of golf, you should either rent golf clubs at the clubhouse on the golf course, or buy a starter set of golf clubs.

Purchasing a set of beginner’s golf clubs enables you to become accustomed to them; enabling you to concentrate on your swing instead of wondering how this set of miss-matched golf clubs you just rented is going to pan out.

As you become better at golf, you should invest in a better set of clubs more fitted to you.

In general, a set of golf clubs includes a driver, one or two fairway woods, irons numbered 4-9, one or two wedges and a putter.

As you become more experienced and start thinking about new clubs, you may want to think about purchasing your driver separately. Some players want a driver to give them more accuracy, others need more distance.

There are numerous types of golf ball on the market and the golf ball box will often have a chart on the back to help you select the right golf ball for your requirements. As you learn more about the game and get better at playing it, you should try out different balls which could help improve your accuracy and/or your distance.

Having the right golf equipment is an important aspect of the game, so take care and buy wisely!

If you are a golfing novice, you could do worse than visit our Golfing Tips for Novices, where you will learn more about choosing Golf equipment.

Why Golfing Within The Algarve Can Be Stand Out.

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

The Algarve may be one of Europe’s most prominent and well liked vacation spots as well as great Golfing area. Located in the southernmost location of Portugal, the climate is ideal with regard to almost any out of doors activity or sport. The most popular by miles however, is always golfing inside the Algarve. It is possible to utilise as many championship Golf courses as your holiday time permits. If you have serene landscapes as well as beautiful vistas, it is no wonder that this is an ideal between the Golfing fraternity as well as holiday makers likewise. The Algarve is always of course even now the number 1 holiday location for the Portuguese as well. Here you’ll find high end shopping, nightlife, good delicacies, excursions, aquatic recreational areas and so much extra. Sun-drenched along with comfortable temps year round ensure this location is a perfect place for a trip and right for enjoying Golf the entire year. There are also a lot of exercises with regard to each and every member of the family. In the event that Golf isn’t your favourite option this tranquil holiday place is still worthwhile traveling to for the week or even 30 days, your time and energy invested here will not be in vain.

The golfing throughout the Algarve is world class and is of the very highest quality. Each and every Golf course is properly cared for as well as specific interest is paid to provide scenic views regarding every golfer. You can find Golf courses that make up the Western Algarve, and the Central and also the Eastern Algarve. All of the Algarve golf courses are challenging and many have tolerable green fees. The golf club houses have basically every amenity you can actually need to have and are actually easy to locate when you have hired a car.

Within the Western Section, you may pick a number of of golf courses. A few of these may include

* ALTO GOLF and COUNTRY CLUB:

Locale: Western Algarve; this is a premier golf and country club, having landscaped gardens, villas, townhouses and condos, more than a few with superb ocean views.

* Gramacho Golf Course:

Location: Western Algarve; Eighteen holes and 27 greens, players can enjoy the particular golf course quite a few times continuously coming across new problems.

* Parque da Floresta Country Club:

Locale: Western Algarve; the Algarve’s most westerly golf course, this particular golfing course has been developed in recent times in addition to that it has dropped the status of being a little naff.

* Vale do Milho Golf:

Locality: Western Algarve; a meaningful challenging 9 hole golf course that is suitable for newbies, families and more seasoned players to put into practice the short game.

Inside the Central Algarve Region, you are able to decide from.

* Ocenico Laguna Golf Course:

Location: Central Algarve; Eighteen holes on level ground provide clear fairways with a small number of trees. It is usually reported to be very much alike a Links course, apart from the water dangers and sand bunkers in open terrain.

* Royal Golf Course:

Locality: Central Algarve; 6,175 meters long the Royal Golf Course has championship tees. It is a good deal more demanding than the Ocenico Laguna Golf Course as a result of the terrain and it enjoys longer fairways.

* San Lorenzo Golf:

Locale: Central Algarve; opened in 1988 and conceived by Joseph Lee. This Golf course takes maximum advantage of the gently underlating pine forest on the Quinta do Lago estate

* Vila Sol Golf:

Contained in the Eastern Region, they have additional breathtaking and serious courses to select from. Some of these also include but aren’t restricted to,

* Benamor Golf:

Locality: Central Algarve; the Golf course happens to be nestled in 150 hectares of a beautiful natural setting. An architect Donald Steel designed the 27 hole golf area.

* Colina Verde Golf:

Locality: East Algarve; 9 hole par Three golf course suits golfers over each and every stage. This golf course has enough challenges to test practiced golfers who want to rehearse the short game, while being most excellent for freshies.

* Quinta de Cima Golf.

Locality: East Algarve; 18 holes Par 72 Golf course: this creation of William Roquemore Jr is situated inside the natural reserve Ria Formosa at which there are beautiful displays to the mountains and also the ocean.

Since golfing across the Algarve is matched by none, you can freely choose any one nearby golf course and , most importantly , know that you will be challenged and have absolutely unlimited stunning views that one could picture.

Algarve is an exceptional and terrific region of Portugal. The Europeans have known all about this area for many years. Experience your special stress-free vacation with close friends or family. You will discover something for everybody. Ensure that you do take in some golf while you visit, and experience first-hand that these courses are definitely some of the choicest on the earth.

For your best selection of golfing resources have a look at Algarve Golf Or perhaps you wish to find or even investigate a Algarve Villa.