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Golfing Tips for Beginners

Golf is a very beautiful game with the centuries-old history. In order to succeed in this game, one should devote much effort to it. Here are some pieces of advice that can help you when mastering golf.

· Buying the First Set of Golf Clubs

Good golfers who managed to succeed in this sports use the following phrase to describe some beginners: “He’s got a $1,000 bag and a $10 game.” There is some truth in this phrase. A person should not spend mint of money on golf until s/he masters it. Everybody knows that golf is an elite and therefore expensive game. Being a golf beginner, it is to your interest to be economical. Golf equipment producers such as Wilson, Ram, Knight and others offer quality golf sets for less than $150.

Another good option is purchasing used golf equipment at garage or yard sales. Here you can find quality golf sets previously used by experienced golfers. It is a famous fact that many professional golfers purchase new sets on a yearly basis. Thus you can find good golf equipment at low prices. In some time when you know how to play golf, you will be ready to spend as much money as you want on golf. In addition you can spend the saved money on other things necessary for beginners.

· Taking Lessons

If you are eager to spend money on learning golf as soon as possible, then a golf academy is a good choice for you. Many metropolitan areas have one or even several golf schools. You can have weekly lessons with a local professional. Many pros ask about $30 for a lesson ranging from thirty minutes to an hour.

· Where to Play Golf

Par-3 golf courses (with nine holes) are a good option for beginners. If you still wish to play on a full-sized golf course, you can address yourself to golfers you know for recommendations. The best choice for a beginner is easy, not too lengthy, and wide open course that does not have much water or sand. You may also want to play on a course without a lot of people watching. So ask for a golf course that does not have a ton of play.

Titleist Golf Equipment

Titleist is a brand name that belongs to the Acushnet Company that manufactures golf equipment. Acushnet is famous due to its Titleist golf balls as well as clubs and other accessories and equipment under such brands as FootJoy and Pinnacle in addition to Titleist.

The history of Tileist began in 1935 when two young MIT graduates Philip E. Young and Fred Bommer decided to found a company together and then release a superior golf ball that later got the famous brand name Titleist.

The success came immediately to this company after Titleist golf ball became the first at US Tour more than 50 years ago. In 1980 during the European Tour, the golf players highly appreciated the Titleist brand. At present Titleist golf balls have remained n#1 in the whole world allowing a great number of golf players to gain titles.

The Titleist success is composed of such components as productivity, quality and constancy. The company in question is adhering to these principles with success in the course of many years by strengthening and improving these components of success.

The Titleist Company did not retreat in face of difficulties. For instance in 1932 Phil Young, being the president of Acushet Process Company, allowed to put to the test Titleist golf ball. As it turned out, the rotation of the ball did not correspond to the standards. Young decided to develop a ball of better quality. In 1949 the Titleist ball won for the first time at US Open. This year marked the beginning of a new triumphant era in Titleist history.

In addition, Titleist increased the release of various new products that managed to bring the productivity of this brand to perfection. These are balls with the freezing fluid core, with the rotation system Great Circle, spin-controlling ionomer casing, cover abrasion-resistant, etc.

At present Pro V1 golf ball enjoys wide popularity. This is a high-performance golf ball designed for high-performance golf players.

After 4 years of world-wide fame, the driver Titleist Titanium 975 D, which enjoyed wide popularity among the best golfers, was compelled to give place to Pro Titanium 975J. This driver was immediately highly appreciated and it got wonderful results at golf tournaments.

Due to mastery, skills, constancy as well as innovations, Titleist golf equipment is very popular at every possible tournaments and golf shops in the whole world.

Famous Golf Courses

The historical homeland of golf is considered to be Scotland. In Scotland there are about 800 golf courses of various degrees of complexity. Spain and Portugal are also distinguished by a great number of very beautiful and picturesque golf courses. The largest golf complex in the world is situated in Hong Kong in the hotel’s territory Mission Hills Resort with 12 golf courses. The American golf courses are characterized by their wide scopes and diversity. The highest golf course in the world is found in La Canha Mas Alta Del Mundo (Bolivia). It is situated in the mountains at a height of more than 4000m above sea level. The given article provides the best, most famous and picturesque golf courses in the whole world.

  • St. Andrews, Scotland

This golf course is considered to be the most famous on in the world. According to a great number of statements people play golf here for more than 4 centuries. The beautiful landscape was highly appreciated by both professional golf players and amateurs that come from every corner of the world to visit this picturesque Scottish town.

  • Valderrama Golf Club, Spain

Valderrama Golf Club is one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. Mountainous terrain, inimitable in its beauty landscape and proximity to the Mediterranean Sea give a special charm to this golf course. Here a great number of golf tournaments take place. Thus Valderrama Golf Club is becoming a golf capital in Europe.

  • Royal County Down Golf Club, Ireland

Royal County Down Golf Club is considered to be one of the most difficult golf courses in the world. The local landscape is a typical Irish one that includes a mixture of plains, hills, ponds and settlements. The heath, that changes its color of dune, areas that become overgrown with canes give a unique charm to this golf course.

  • Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Australia

No wonder that the dune landscape and the structure of the Australian golf course bear a strong resemblance to the Scottish one as the founders of the given golf club are settlers from Scottland. Shortly cut grass, the numerous unpredictable bunkers, a range of natural obstacles make this game a truly unforgettable and intensive one.

  • Pebble Beach Golf Links, the USA

The Pebble Beach was built by Samuel Morse in 1919. He was nephew of the famous telegraph inventor. The given golf course is very beautiful and picturesque and it is situated at the Californian sea coast. Pebble Beach Golf Links is distinguished by the immensely difficult course where holes are enclosed by bunkers and the ocean. There is also a sequence of rocky obstacles. The major golf tournaments take place at the Pebble Beach Golf Club US Open included. Once a year, National Pro-Am is held at this golf club. National Pro-Am represents the competition among greatest golf players as well as Hollywood stars.

  • Les Bordes, France

The golf club numbers 30 golf courses. The ancient castles, small houses and installations that are situated in the golf club territory attract both golf-lovers and tourists who appreciate the French architectural heritage.

  • Pine Valley, USA

Pine Valley Golf Club is situated at one of the most picturesque places in New Jersey. The territory numbers 74 hectares and it is overgrown with conifers and pine trees. The golf course was opened in 1918. At present Pine Valley Golf Club is as before considered one of the best non-coastal golf courses.

  • The Green Monkey Golf Course at Sandy Lane

The golf course was built in the territory of Sandy Lane Hotel. It has such an unusual name thanks to the symbol of the Caribbean – Green Monkey. The unforgettable landscapes of the Caribbean Sea, sea breeze give the golf course a special charm. It should be noted that one of the holes of the golf course is framed with a grass islet in the form of a monkey.

  • Domaine de Sperone, Corsica

One of the most beautiful golf courses is situated in the southern part of the island. The golf course is distinguished by cliffs, ravines and the proximity to the sea.

Choosing the Right Golf Balls

A golf ball represents a round object that according to the golf rules is to be hit into each hole on a golf course. Until 7th century the golf balls were made of wood or wool that was covered with leather. After that people began to boil feathers, to press them and then to sew up into a leather cover. Later on in 1850 balls were made of firm gutta-percha (or of combination of gutta-percha with other matters). Finally in 1900 a golf ball gained a rubber cover. At present golf balls are produced from compressed synthetic rubber mass.

According to the rules, the diameter of a golf ball must be no less than 4, 27 cm. The weight of the golf ball should not exceed 46 grams. The surface of a ball has dimples. These dimples have important aerodynamical features that reduce the air drag during the ball flight. The number of dimples on golf ball produced by various manufactures varies from 300 to 500. It is proved that the more dimples a ball has, the higher the ball flies. However, too many dimples on a ball may lead to the decrease of its flight range. While choosing a golf ball you should take into consideration the weather conditions and special features of a golf course surfacing.

The internal structure of a ball may consist of one, two, three or more layers. There are also training balls which structure is simpler and correspondingly they are cheaper than the other types of golf balls. That is why training balls are ideal for trainings. They are light by weight; consequently their flight range is considerably lower than that of standard balls.

About Golf Etiquette

Etiquette is very important for golf. It represents the first section of the Official Rules of Golf published by regal golf club St. Andrew together with United States Golf Association.

Etiquette is the part of traditions in golf. It is also important for the maintenance of discipline and safety on the course. Any golf player should familiarize oneself with this set of rules. Here are some of the etiquette rules.

  • Do not walk and move when other golfers are playing.
  • You should be well posted about the game of the persons who play behind you. Make way for them if you detain these players. You should remember that a player must make a 230 meter stroke and then wait for you, although it may seem that this player is a great distance away from you. Be ready to step aside and show other players by a wave with your hand that they can go on playing. After you have waved let these players through. It is very important to give a wave when you have lost your ball. If you found your ball do not try to return quickly to the game and to play in front of those players.
  • Put the turf back or restore the green that was damaged by the ball after making the pitch.
  • When leaving a bunker, use a rake to make even all holes and footprints. If you do not have a rake at hand use the golf club head.
  • Do not stand close to the player that is making a stroke and do not divert him/her from playing by movements or talks.
  • Desist from playing till the group of players in front of you has moved away at a safe distance.
  • Never keep long the game. Vacate “putting-green” immediately after the players from your group have passed the hole.
  • Do not stand at the putting line of the other player.
  • Set the flag carefully right.
  • If there is the smallest probability that a ball is going to hit somebody shout immediately: “Fore”. If you hear that somebody is shouting the warning, do not turn round to find out to whom this word is intended. Just stoop down with your hands over your head.
  • Always wait until the players in front are out of reach.
  • Move quickly between making strokes not to keep long other players.
  • If you believe that you have lost your ball use the rule of provisional ball. This will save time. According to the rules you have 5 minutes to search for your ball.

Right Golf Apparel

You should not consider that to look dignified when playing golf means luxury and excess. Even if you are going to play golf with your colleagues, interpret this game as business meeting that demands wearing right apparel. The majority of golf clubs have the established dress-suit that usually directs to the following rules:

  • Wear a shirt with the collar for golf. If you are not sure about the acceptability of your clothing, you should put a brand name shirt whose company specializes in the release of such apparel.
  • You can also choose shorts that come up to your knees; however they must be sewed specially for golf.
  • It is inappropriate for golf players to wear clothing made of blue denim.
  • Trousers and shorts for golf playing should have belt loops. However your trousers should not have lapels as there dirt gathers.
  • Wear a leather belt.

Golf apparel can be bright and colored, but there is no need to use all colors at the same time as not all colors go well together. It is preferably to give preference to one bright color together with neutral brown, black or white. If you are going to play golf with your boss for the first time, it is recommended to use classical apparel combination of brown or blue and khaki colors. And do not use more than one chequered or patterned element.

It is also important to wear the right shoes. Do not choose jogging shoes or sandals. At present practically all golf clubs have chosen a special sole design of shoes. You should take an ordinary pair of shoes with you as well in case of having lunch after the game.

The color of long trousers should match with the color of your socks. If you decide to wear shorts for golf playing, give preference to socks of light colors for white or light brown shoes, and black socks for black shoes.

Do not forget about the right headgear. It may protect your face from sun and improve visibility. Choose baseball style or straw headgear for playing golf.

If you are to play in cool weather or at lower temperatures, for example in the morning, in this case you should put on a sweater, waistcoat or jacket for golf.

You should remember that the right golf apparel indicates the respect towards the person who has invited you to play golf, towards the other members of the group as well as towards this wonderful and great game.

Great Golfers: Tiger Woods

Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods is a professional golf player. He was born on the 30th December, 1975, California. He was called “Tiger” by his father in memory of a soldier from the South Vietnam Army. Tiger Woods is famous as the leading golf player who gained 14 major titles. The golfer is the highest paid professional sportsman in the world. During his professional career, Tiger Woods won fourteen professional major golf tournaments and 71 PGA Tournaments. He is one of the greatest star sportsmen since Jack Nicklaus. Before becoming a professional golf player, Woods displayed his uniqueness in his childhood. His father showed him how to play golf when Woods was 9 months old. At the age of 2, Woods performed a famous and momentous event: he hit a ball into a hole during the show of Michael Douglas.

From 1994 to 1996 Tiger Woods won three successive titles of amateur golf. In 1996 the golf player went in on professional sport. This year he also signed a 40$ million contract with Nike. In the course of ten golf seasons, Tiger Woods was ranked high by the public, when winning 46 PGA contests.

During the very first Masters Tournament in 1997, Woods scored a victory. Later on, the golf player won PGA (1999), British (2000), and American (2000) championships. Due to these victories, Tiger Woods was ranked among those players who won all major golf contests during their professional career.

In April 2001, Woods won Masters again, thus becoming the owner of all golf titles in a new century (British and the USA championship, Masters, PGA). By winning Masters in 2001 and 2002, Woods joined Nicklaus and Nick Faldo who are the only players to win twice these championships sequentially.

From 1999 to 2000, Tiger Woods gained six consecutive victories. Such record could not be beaten since the times of Ben Hogan in 1948. By strengthening his reputation of being Jack Nicklaus’ successor, Tiger Woods won the British championship in 2005. This year Nicklaus appeared at the golf contests for the last time. The next year, Woods won the British championship again. In 2006 and 2007 the golf player won PGA championship.

Interesting Facts about Tiger Woods:

· According to Forbes, Tiger Woods is the highest-paid sportsman in the world.
· The golf player founded Tiger Woods Fund that helps children from poor Afro-American families to play golf;
· Tiger Woods participated in such advertising campaigns as Nike, Buick and Gillette;
· Tiger Woods worked on golf course projects in Carolina, Dubai;
· Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 computer game has been released;
· On eBay online shopping and auction website, there a golf set with Tiger Woods was sold for $425 000.