The Ultimate Golf Blog

The team side of golf

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 06:23:00 +0000

Not many people think about golf as a team sport. In fact, golf is one of the most individual sports in the world. Unlike other team sports where the athletes enter the arena in their team warm up suits and plenty of hype with the aim to work together to win the game, golfers simply step up to the tee box with a brief announcement and a polite clapping to begin a round that only they have control over. However, there is definitely a team side to this individual sport. Read on to find out more.

Team competition
Professional golfers occasionally compete in team events such as the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. These events are team orientated and provide for the team atmosphere often lacking from this sport. The team score in these events is the most important factor and even the most impressive individual performances can still find the golfer on the losing side. Many players list these events as some of their favorite golfing events of their career.

Team play
There are a number of alternative versions of golf that allow for team play. One of the most popular is known as best ball. In this version of golf a team of two hit alternate shots to try and achieve the best score. Other versions are also common and are very popular with social golfers.

The team behind the individual
Even in individual events professional golfers also have a team of staff to help them achieve their best play. Their caddy does more than just carry the club and offers advice during play. Their coach helps to improve their game. Some of the highest ranked professional golfers have other members of their team such as: physios, doctors, sports scientists, nutritionists and more.

Golf may not be the most team oriented sport in the world, but as you can see there are many team aspects that you may not have thought about before!

Why I Take a Golfing Holiday Each Year

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:56:00 +0000

Every year I visit the city of Melbourne in Australia for one reason, to play golf. Although this sounds like an odd place to visit I also have relatives there so I can pretend as if I am there to see them. Melbourne has some fine sand belt golf courses that require more than brute force to master, which is perfect for a short hitter like me. Most courses are open to the public and are the green fees are quite reasonable. There are literally hundreds of courses within a few hundred kilometres of the city, which means that I can play a different one each year.

Some of my friends have been known to visit other exotic golfing locations, such as Thailand or Hawaii. Their stories about these far away lands had me intrigued and I am planning on joining a group of friends for a golf break in Thailand later next year. I'm sure my family in Melbourne will miss my visit, but less family time means more golf! One place I have always wanted to visit is St. Andrews. Not only because it is the home of golf, but because my childhood idol Peter Thomson won his second Open Championship there. The best thing about visiting the United Kingdom is that there are hundreds of courses I would love to play. If Thailand is a success maybe I'll research golf breaks UK for 2013! Let me know in the comments your favourite golfing holiday destination.

Getting help with your game

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:36:00 +0000

Golf is a challenging game that requires a high degree of skill to master. Of course, anyone can play the game and have a great time, but if you really want to reduce your handicap you need to improve your all-round game. This is where attending a golf school can really help. These schools are like a specialist training camp where you can attend the school for a short period of time to work on your game. There are many advantages to this style of learning, but one of the most important for those wanting to improve their game is a professional coach. In many circumstances you will receive hours of one-on-one training aimed to improve your skills. There is nothing better than one-on-one coaching because the professional can focus on your strengths and weaknesses to help you with your individual game. Some of the best golf schools even provide video recording services to analyze your swing!

Most people assume that a golf school costs a considerable amount of money to attend, but in most cases the package deals work out to be quite reasonably priced. Even if you are on a tight budget a short package is very affordable. There are golf schools located all around the country, from schools in Florida to golf schools in myrtle beach, so whether you want a quick escape or a full blown getaway there will be an option available to you.

Why not consider attending a golf school for your next vacation? You will come away with some great tips for improving your game, but also some great memories and lifelong friends.

The Palmetto Golf Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:55:00 +0000

I am always looking for a great place to buy golf equipment online as I have found that the online stores offer a great price in most circumstances. The Palmetto golf shop is South Carolina's official golf store, but offer shopping and delivery to the rest of the country too. All the top quality golf equipment is in stock and they have sweetened the deal of online shopping for your golf equipment by offering free shipping within the USA!

Extra Features
What sets this online golf store apart from the rest is the extra features that they offer to their customers. This web store goes the extra mile by offering free instructional videos related to club repair. This 6 part series features; club re-gripping, club re-shafting and adjusting the golf club with fully featured instructional videos for those that need a little extra help.

Another of their special features that I like is free access to their newsletter. Once you are signed up you will receive the very latest product reviews and special discounts which just might save you some money. Signing up is a one step process and you can unsubscribe at any time if you are unhappy.

They also run a blog called "golf club insight" where you can get the latest information about a variety of golf equipment information. At the time of writing this review there is only one post, but this idea has a great amount of potential and I will continue to check back for more information.

The section called "Taylor's Hot Picks" is updated with the hottest and newest products on the market. This is updated often and should remain on your bookmark list so that you can check back from time to time to see what is new.

The store itself
The online store section of the website is exactly what you would expect from a top quality online retailer. They have listings for all the major brands such as Titleist, Cobra, Taylormade, Callaway, Nike, Adams, Ping, Cleveland and more. Their prices are good and with free shipping or orders over $100 you will probably find it works out to be very competitive indeed.

They have a very good range of ladies clubs, which can be found in the "ladies tee room." They also cater for people looking for a bargain with a good clearance section that has over 26 products on sale at the time of writing. Even if you are not a golfer and are simply looking for a gift they offer gift cards for that special golf loving someone.

Danny Lee - The next big thing in golf?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 09:24:00 +0000

I have been watching the Australian summer of golf (and not posting on this blog anywhere near as much as I should) and the name Danny Lee has been coming up a lot (that happens when you win a tournament I guess). He is the number 1 amateur in the world and beat a strong field to take out the Johnnie Walker Classic.

He put together 4 rounds of solid golf seemed calm and collected and much more mature than 18 years old! He plans on Turning pro after the Masters this year and I think the future is looking bright for him!

What do you think? Leave a comment.

Orlando golf courses

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 03:54:00 +0000

Apart from being a great place for a holiday with many great tourist attractions, Orlando is well known for its wide array of golf courses. Many of the Orlando golf courses are of a high standard and people come from all over the world to play on them. There are also a variety of courses and visitors and locals alike will be able to find an Orlando golf course to suit all levels of golfers.

The Falcon's Fire Golf Club is one of the top 50 Florida golf courses and is a fantastic place for a golf vacation. It plays nearly 7000 yards from the back tees and provides a valuable golfing experience for beginners right through to the more experienced player. It is also very affordable and is certainly one of the best Orlando discount golf courses. The golf club should be very proud of the fact that it received the rating of one of "America's top 15 women friendly courses" by Golf for Women.

The Falcon's Fire Golf Club website is a great place to get all your information about the course as well as provide you a discount for booking your tee times online. You can also stay up to date with the latest course news and information. If you are interested in a golfing vacation I recommend checking out their website.

Christmas presents for the golf buddies

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:35:00 +0000

Christmas is right around the corner and there are some people that are very hard to by presents for. I mean what do you buy the golfing buddy who has everything? Usually I try to find something a little wacky, but this year I have decided to go serious!

The LA police gear website stocks all the kinds of Tactical gear you can think of. They also have some great torches that caught my eye while browsing the website. So if you have someone that you want to buy an interesting present for, but can't quite find the right thing why not have a look through their website.

Lin Wen-tang wins Hong Kong Open

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:33:00 +0000

Taiwan's Lin Wen-tang won a nail-biting UBS Hong Kong Open on the second play-off hole on Sunday, becoming the first Asian champion here in 10 years.

Lin drilled an astonishing pitch to within a foot for a tap-in birdie as Northern Irish teenager Rory McIlroy found trees and missed a long putt to end a day of high drama.

Lin, from Taipei, seals the biggest victory of his career after three previous triumphs on the regional tour and becomes the first Asian Hong Kong Open winner since Kang Wook Soon in 1998.

The 34-year-old had missed a six-foot birdie on the last hole of regulation play to go into the play-off with McIlroy, 19, and Italy's Francesco Molinari, with all three locked at 15-under 265.

Lin then looked to have lost his chance when he drove into thick trees on the first play-off hole, the par-four 18th. But he made a miraculous escape to within four feet for birdie.

Molinari missed his 15-foot birdie putt to drop out of the play-off but there were no such problems for McIlroy, who lasered his pitch to within two feet to take them back to the 18th tee.

The teenager then found trees but kept his hopes alive with another breathtaking shot to the edge of the green. But he could not hole the putt, making Lin's victory a formality.

"Lin probably should have won it in regulation, and he made two threes in the play-offs. You can't beat that, to be honest," said McIlroy.

"I had an incredible shot for my second shot, but it just wasn't meant to be," he added.

The thrilling finish marked the first play-off here since 1994 and continues a tradition of excitement at the Hong Kong Open, which had been decided by a single stroke in each of the past five editions.

My Thoughts

Another great finish to the Hong Kong Open. If you are only going to watch one Asian tour event make sure it is this one!

Golf Christmas Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:56:00 +0000

I don't usually send Christmas cards (my wife does), but I always give Christmas cards to my golf buddies at the end of the year. I am constantly on the lookout for golf themed Christmas cards and this year I came across on the ball greetings. They offer some of the best collection of Golf Christmas Cards I have seen! They also stock other great golf themed gifts which are well worth checking out!

If you are looking for a great golfing gift for your golfing buddies, husband, wife or someone else close to you then make sure you check out their website!

HSBC Champions

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:55:00 +0000

Sergio Garcia won the five-million-dollar HSBC Champions tournament in a play-off here on Monday over England's Oliver Wilson, a victory that will see him rise to number two in the world rankings.

Garcia sank a seven-foot birdie putt from the fringe of the 18th green on the second play-off hole, after the pair finished regulation play in the rain-delayed tournament at 14 under.

The win means Garcia will overtake American Phil Mickelson as the world number two. Mickelson, the defending champion in Shanghai, fired a disappointing 73 in the fourth round to finish five shots back tied for eighth.

"I feel great.... I'm just so proud to win and (reach) number two in the world, so very happy. Great week," said the 28-year-old shortly after his dramatic victory that gave him his second European Tour title in three weeks.

In the final round that began on Sunday afternoon and was completed on Monday due to heavy rain earlier in the tournament, Garcia carded a 68 while Wilson, leader after three rounds, fired a 70.

Garcia lifted himself to 14 under on the par-five 18th thanks to a brilliant approach to about eight feet followed by a nerveless putt.

Wilson, who was playing in the final group behind Garcia, was already at 14 under and made an equally brilliant put for par on the 18th from about 10 feet to force the play-off.

The players then returned to the 18th tee for the play-off.

On the first play-off hole, Garcia missed a 15-foot birdie putt but Wilson left his birdie effort from half that distance short and to the right.

On the second play-off hole, again the 18th, Wilson's approach shot almost hit the pin, before spinning back to rest 10 feet short of the hole.

Wilson's birdie effort just slipped past the hole and he slumped to his knees and rested his head on the end of his putter in frustration.

Garcia then stepped up to knock in his birdie putt and collect the winner's prize cheque of 833,000 dollars, giving him his 19th professional title and the perfect start in the European Tour's lucrative "Race to Dubai."

Eyeglasses

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 05:57:00 +0000

Unfortunately I am one of the many people who need glasses for many of my daily tasks like reading and using a computer. While this isn't a huge affliction to have I often have the problem of leaving my glasses somewhere and forgetting where I put them, or I forget to take them with me where I go! For this reason it pays to have a spare pair (or two) of glasses in places you are likely to need them such as in your desk at work, in the car glove box and even in less common laces like your golf bag. Unfortunately, in the past, this could be an expensive task, but with online glasses store Zenni Optical cheap spare glasses are now a reality.

Zenni Optical have been selling cheap eyeglasses online now for quite a while and have established a strong reputation for quality and low price! They were even featured in the Chicago Tribune see this link for the story! If you are looking for a cheap pair of prescription glasses or sunglasses then check out Zenni Optical.

Oh and don't forget, if you are purchasing a new pair of glasses and don't need your old ones then donate them to a charity in your area so someone else can make use of them!

Chinese golf becomes a major force

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 05:51:00 +0000

By Nick Mulvenney

SHANGHAI, Nov 8 (Reuters) - China's golf chief Zhang Xiaoning said extending the rain-disrupted HSBC Champions to Monday signified the world's most populous country had arrived as a major force in international golf.

Wet weather washed out play on Friday and delayed the start of the second round by three hours on Saturday, forcing organisers of the $5 million tournament to schedule a fifth day.

"Monday play is an honour reserved for only the most important tournaments," said Zhang, secretary-general of the China Golf Association (CGA).

"It has proved we have one of the world's most important tournaments and it has proved Chinese golf has truly arrived on the world stage."

The 2005 Asian Open in Shanghai was also rain-disrupted and extended to Monday but China's golfing trailblazer Zhang Liangwei said the decision to extend this week's event was a "significant moment".

"I'm very proud for Chinese golf," said the 43-year-old, who was the first man from his country to play at one of golf's four majors, the 2004 U.S. Masters.

"At the start of my career there were almost no tournaments in China. Now we have an event that is treated with the respect normally given to the majors."

My thoughts

I keep hearing China is the future and this step shows that they are serious about their golf. What will the golfing world look like in 50 years? I am not sure, but I am convinced China will be involved!

Report that call

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:43:00 +0000

I am sure most of us can say we have received an annoying call or prank at some stage. Sometimes these are harmless fun, but at other times these calls can becoming quite annoying or even a little threatening. There is a new website that is trying to fight back by allowing users to report harassing calls. You can submit the details to their Harassing Caller Report and have it listed for others to watch out for.

I am not a lawyer and do not know the legal implications of this service. Make sure you know where you stand in your jurisdiction.

This week in golf

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:40:00 +0000

CHINA GOLF ASSOCIATION

HSBC Champions

Site: Shanghai, China.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Sheshan International Golf Club (7,199 yards, par 72).

Purse: US$5 million. Winner's share: $833,300.

PGA TOUR

Children's Miracle Network Classic

Site: Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

NATIONWIDE TOUR

Nationwide Tour Championship

Site: McKinney, Texas.

Don't forget the binoculars

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:43:00 +0000

Recently one of my golfing buddies was telling me he scored tickets to one of the major golfing events next year. My first reaction was to see if he had another ticket for me (or at least if he could get me one). Secondly I told him to remember his binoculars. I had once gone to a top tournament and while I had a great time I wished I had taken my binoculars.

If you don't have any binoculars then you are in luck. Nikon (one of the best manufacturers) are offering a $25 or $50 gift card with a purchase of certain models of their binoculars. This Nikon ATB Promotion is valid until the end of the year (2008) so there is still time to act. They would even make a great Christmas present!

Volvo Masters comes to a close

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:38:00 +0000

Soren Kjeldsen only needed an even-par 71 in Sunday's final round to win the season-ending Volvo Masters.

Kjeldsen finished the tournament at eight-under 276 and won the championship by two strokes over Martin Kaymer (68) and Anthony Wall (69) at a soggy Valderrama.

The third round was completed Sunday morning and then the players went back out for the final round. There was some rain on Sunday, but the final round was contested under mostly sunny skies.

It was certainly a sunny day on Sunday for Robert Karlsson.

The Swede, who only tied for 32nd place, won the Order of Merit title.

Padraig Harrington, winner of two majors this year, had the best chance to catch Karlsson before the tournament, but it was Lee Westwood who had the opportunity on Sunday.

If Westwood would have won the event, he would have gone past Karlsson for the money title, but it didn't happen.

My thoughts
Karlsson is a great golfer with a great future and one to watch out for in the majors next year. Also congratulations to Soren Kjeldsen who played very solidly to win the last Volvo masters.

Sunglasses

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:19:00 +0000

I make it a point to remind people from time to time about the damage the sun can do to your eyes. As golfers we spend a lot of time in the sun and can be vulnerable to the effects of sun damage to the eyes. It is also important to remember that not all sunglasses are created equal and it can pay to have a read through a sunglasses buying guide before making a purchase. This will ensure you get the best protection for your eyes as well as the best visibility for the golf course and conditions (a desert course might offer different light conditions than an ocean course for example).

When looking to buy sunglasses and accessories there is plenty of choice, especially with the advent of online shopping. With quality online shopping comparison sites like shopwiki you can find the best prices from stores all over the Internet. Search exactly what you are looking for (for example polarized sunglasses) and you will be presented with a list of results from many different stores and the prices of each item. This way you can compare prices and get the best deal on exactly what you are looking for!

Whether you are looking for a new pair of sunglasses or a laptop computer it is well worth checking out the shopping comparison site shopwiki where you can find everything from jewelery to watches. The site is well designed, easy to use and list many more stores than most of the shopping comparison sites I have used before. Of course there are many golfing products available and you will be hard pressed to find an item that isn't listed!

Strange golf news of the week

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:07:00 +0000

The Morgan County Sheriff's Office says a golf cart had more under the hood than it needed to putter across the fairway.
It had enough horsepower to elude deputies during a chase.
Sheriff's Sgt. Scott Peay says the driver took the cart into an alfalfa field, where it jumped irrigation ditches during the chase. Peay says the cart wasn't faster than sheriff's cruisers, but deputies couldn't get through the ditches that the cart cleared.
Peay says the chase started when the cart was spotted spinning out in a city park on Aug. 16. The driver got away, but officers recognized him and arrested him the next day at his grandmother's house.
Peay suspects the cart was fitted with a car engine instead of the original electric motor. He says the hot-rod golf cart's whereabouts are still unknown.

Area Codes

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:29:00 +0000

There are often times when you need to Find Area Codes for a specific location (after all there are lots of them and you can't remember them all!) The simplest way of doing this is to find a good website like www.areacodelocator.org which lists every area code down to the exchanges. You can also perform a reverse call look up with the site and it is very simple to use!

Crazy golf trick shot

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:11:00 +0000

Before I say anything else I will say this - Do not try this at home!

I have actually seen this trick shot performed by a couple of golfers before, but this video has the best introduction speech I have ever heard! Watch this shot and be amazed!

Did any of your family play golf?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:33:00 +0000

There are many people interested about finding more about their family history and with the invention of the Internet there has never been an easy way to trace your genealogy. The site www.publicgenealogy.org contains all the family history information you could ever need including; census records, birth and death certificates, passenger manifests and more. So if you are looking to trace your family tree I would recommend a visit to their website!

Golf tips: Improve your driving

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:21:00 +0000

When somebody asks me why I can hit the ball off the tee and they can I usually describe the process as less hitting like a caveman and more controlled deliberately slow swing. Once they start moving the ball off the tee they realize that it isn't always about trying to hit it as hard as you possibly can! This simple set of driving tips can help you make the correct adjustments to your swing so you can start hitting it longer and straighter!

Website reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:05:00 +0000

Have you ever wanted to find out more information about a website or find out what other people think of it? Well with www.talkreviews.co.uk you can find Website Reviews of many sites from around the world. The reviews show information like daily visitors, google pagerank, alexa rank and other important and interesting information. The site also has a top websites page where you can find out what is the most popular websites on the Internet (great for when you want something new to visit!)

Euorpean Golfer Ballesteros battles cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:02:00 +0000

Golf legend Seve Ballesteros has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and will undergo a biopsy on Tuesday.

The Spaniard was admitted to Madrid's La Paz hospital on 6 October after briefly losing consciousness.

The hospital said on Friday he had left intensive care, having been "admitted because of a partial epileptic fit".

But on Sunday, Ballesteros, 51, said: "I inform you that after an exhaustive check that was realised at Hospital La Paz, a brain tumour has been detected."

Ballesteros said he will undergo a biopsy on Tuesday and then doctors would decide on a course of treatment and thanked all those people who have shown affection and interest in his state of health

Fellow star golfers Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez have wished Ballesteros a speedy recovery.

Olazabal, who visited Ballesteros in hospital, said: "I thought Seve seemed very well. We were talking for a good while. I wish him a speedy recovery."

Jimenez said: "Seve, we love you. We hope you recover as soon as possible."

Ballesteros,a five-time major winner who suffered from an arthritic back and knee problems late in his career, retired in 2007.

He won 87 titles during his career, including the Open in 1979, 1984 and 1988 and the Masters in 1980 and 1983.

He also played an inspirational role in the Ryder Cup, winning 20 points from 37 matches, as well as captaining Europe to victory at the Spanish course of Valderrama in 1997.

My Thoughts

A sad day for European golf as one of their favorite sons is diagnosed. We all wish him a speedy and safe recovery!

Golfers in trouble?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:58:00 +0000

All of us get into trouble at one time or another, but sometimes people can get into quite a bit of trouble and find themselves in jail. Usually jail is reserved for serious offenses, but even things like unpaid parking tickets can land you in hot water. On the other hand there are times when employers, church groups and others may require a records of their workers/volunteers to keep things safe for everyone. In these cases a search of the free jail records from sites like www.countyjailrecords.org can help.