Sunday, August 28, 2011

The Texas Wedge Putt

The Texas Wedge is just another name for the putter. Except that it is only called a Texas Wedge when putting off the green. Mastering the Texas Wedge putt can be a great way to enhance your short game.

For example, you may be surprised how far you can putt a golf ball. In very dry conditions you can certainly putt over 25 yards and potentially up to the 50 yard mark. Given this, when your ball has landed on the fairway a little short of the green you should consider putting onto the green as an alternative to chipping. Even if you have landed on slightly longer grass around the green, if you are close to the green then you can Texas putt your ball onto the green, and even close to the flag.

When on the golf course, it’s best to pull out the Texas Wedge when the grass is very dry. As is the case on the greens, the dryer the course the further the ball will role and the further you will putt. If the course is wet then the Texas Wedge can be less effective, and under-hit putts can leave you some distance from the hole and may not even make the green. As such, if the course is very wet then chipping may be a better option.

My tip would be to try longer putting on practice putting greens. If possible try putting from distances further than 25 yards towards the flags. In addition to this, if it’s also possible to putt out of slightly longer grass around the green then you should try it. Aim to get these longer distance putts within five or six feet of the flag, while with a shorter lag putts you may aim for more like 3 ft – approximately the length of your putter.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Golfing Near the Lake of Ozarks, Missouri

Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri is a fantastic setting for golf and golf vacations! Aside from the exceptional lake scenery, Ozark's golf courses are hardly a walk in the park with water features and elevation changes built into championship golf courses by famed designers like Robert Trent Jones, Tom Weiskopf and the great Arnold Palmer.

Undoubtedly, Arnold Palmer is one of the most exciting names in golfing history. As a player, he lit up the game with his bold and adventurous play. As a designer, his championship golf course in Ozarks, the Osage National, is one of his foremost creations.

Regarded as the must play course of the lake, it is not difficult to see why. Designed in 1992, this course offers 7,510 yards of zoysia fairways and bentgrass greens. The River and Mountain nine were Arnie's signature courses opened in 1992, with the Links 9 being added in 1999. 27 holes of championship golf provide the luxury of having three 18 hole combinations! With five golf tees, the course also caters for players of all skill levels.

The tranquil setting provides the backdrop for a fantastic round of golf. With the course laid out on forested rolling terrain surrounded by imposing lakes and the Osage River, such a variety of water hazards make it a hard to keep your golf balls dry!

The course has four-signature holes set-up nicely for aesthetics and playability. Two and nine on the River course are great holes, both challenging and scenic. Teeing up from the gold tee, hole 9 on the River course boasts the longest hole within Osage National with an alarming 626 yards of terrain separating the tee from the green! This, combined with water down the left side, makes it a tricky proposition.

On the Mountain course, numbers 3 and 8 are beautiful because of elevation changes. On hole 3, out of bounds and trees puts a premium on the tee shot. Hole 8 offers a forest of a hole, with trees throughout it. At 484 yards off the gold tee, it's also the longest part 4 on the course.

Aside from the courses, the Osage National resort offers a range of amenities for golf vacation seekers. A fitness center, within the clubhouse, is equipped with Nautilus equipment. In addition, an exciting new swimming pool complex is due to be opened in 2008. For dining, the club has the Eagle view bar and Grille boasting a good-sized menu.

Osage National also offers golf packages, which enable visitors to tailor a golf vacation on the Ozark Lake to suit them. This, along with specials such as discount twilight golf, is something that vacation seekers might wish to take advantage of.

With such course variety, combined with a range of amenities, the Osage National stands out as one of the Ozark's premier golfing destinations. An excellent choice for a golfing vacation!