New Blog Gadgets

I've added a couple of new gadgets on the right to the blog. Firstly, there is the Google Plus button, with which you can then add this blog to Google Plus when selected. Below this catch up on the latest blog chat on Amateur Golfer. This gadget includes links to the posts where you can then add your  own input.

A Guide to Golf in Anna Maria Island, Florida

Anna Maria Island, the small but glorious island off the west coast of Florida, has a marvelous golfing climate. As such, it is a popular destination for golfers the world over.

Being a mere nine miles in length, the island itself doesn't have the size to host a great number of courses. In fact, the Key Royale Club, boasting a challenging nine holes, is the only course located on the island.

But don't be alarmed! For there are more than 50 golf courses, public and private, in and around the Anna Maria Island area. With reasonable prizes, generous fairways and enough to test golfers of all skill levels. Islanders enjoy an easy commute to a number of these golfing gems.

Brandenton hosts a large number of courses. Manatee Country golf course is a public golf which has earned good reviews. As an 18 hole par 72 it has a course rating of 72, making it one of the trickier propositions in the region. The River Club also boasts a lot of tricky holes (with a higher rating of 74), including a par 4 with an island green. Whilst in the area don't overlook the River Run Golf links, where golfers get an exciting view of the Braden River which you cannot afford to miss! It is a public course, and slightly less demanding on the beginner with a rating of 67.9.

Further south, in Sarasota, there are also a number of interesting golf courses. The University Park Country Club offers five courses, from gold to bronze, which offer a world of opportunities! It is a pretty course and was named one of the best in America by GolfWeek magazine. One of newest additions on the Sarasota golf scenes is that of the Stoney Brook Country Club, designed by Arthur Hills. It is challenging and entertaining for both novices and pros alike, and also offers golfing tuition.

In Palmetto, just north of Brandenton, there is the Imperial Lakes Golf Course. This course has rolling and lush fairways, which are a definite draw! Near to Imperial Lakes, Buffalo Creeks offers an 18 hole Scottish links style course. It's a tough championship golf course, with wide open spaces. As such, this course is not so well suited for beginner players. At the Foxfire Golf Club, three exciting and beautiful nine-hole courses (Par 72) wind through the trees and lakes offering abundant glimpses of wildlife. It gets regular accolades as one of Florida's top public courses.

Just a note, whilst in Brandenton area you might also want to check out the world renowned Leadbitter Golf Academy. Leadbitter is regarded as one of the top coaches within the game. So this is an ideal place to enhance your golfing technique!

All things considered, Anna Maria Island is nestled in a sea of greens. With exotic wildlife, and a number of beautiful courses combined with the relaxing style of old Florida, the region is hard to beat when it comes to Golf.

Aircraft Carrier Golf Course

An aircraft carrier may not be the most likely place for a golf course, given the limitations of size etc. Yet despite this, as the desktop wallpaper below highlights, you can now play golf on the deck of an aircraft carrier. Lush green grass, fairways and greens dominate the deck of this carrier. Just watch out for the water! 

The Golf Courses in the Desert

You may not have considered a desert to be a great location for golf. But then you probably haven't played at the Troon North Golf Club, which is set among the foothills of the Sonoran Desert. Here two expansive golf courses are included, the Monument Course and the Pinnacle Course, which are ranked among the best in Arizona. Both courses eclipse 7,000 yards from the black tees. This Troon North Golf Club video provides further details, and includes some great footage of the courses.

How to Play Match Play Golf With Nobody to Play Against

If you're not playing in a group, you cannot play match play golf, right? Well in actual fact you can. To play match play golf without anybody to play against you simply have to input some stroke play numbers for each golf hole on the score card before you begin the round.

What those score numbers should be is entirely up to you. As a suggestion, you could simply take one of your own stroke play scores from a previous round, and input the score numbers for each of the holes. If you're playing on a course you've not previously played, then you'll have to input some new figures, but make sure that the overall score is comparable to your own averages.

Then you can play match play golf with nobody to play against. If you beat one of the hole scores on the card you win the hole, if level it is tied and if you go above the score then the hole is lost. At the end of the round tally up how many holes you have won.

As an example, here are two of my own golf scores for the same course: 5, 7, 6, 5, 3, 5, 4, 4, 5 and 4, 6, 6, 6, 4, 6, 3, 5, 6. With a match play scoring format, my first score would win the round 5.5 – 4.5. Perhaps not a big surprise, as that was marginally the better round overall.

Remove the Flag from the Hole

Make sure that you remove the flag when putting on the green. This is because if your ball makes contact with the flag when putting on the green you'll have to add an extra two penalty strokes to the scorecard. This counts if the flag is in the hole or not.

With match-play scoring it's not entirely the same. If your ball makes contact with the flag when putting on the green you will lose the hole. So, this has to be noted for a match-play round.

Of course, that is only if you are on the green. If you are putting from off the green then you can leave the flag in the hole. This includes any putts from the collar which is not considered a part of the green.

If you're playing on your own then it's best to place the flag off the green. Or alternatively, directly behind you. Then you can be sure that your ball will not make contact.

The Kiawah Island Ocean Course

The Ocean Course, at Kiawah Island, is great championship and a resort course. It's an ocean course with an Atlantic coastline. It will also be hosting the forthcoming 2012 PGA Championship. Here's another great golf course video which includes a tour of the course. 

Golf courses in Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona has a number of golf courses for golfers to play on. The region has a mild climate, and some great courses for the golfer to tee-off from. Big name designers have helped make some exciting courses, and the region also has golf vacation spots

Arizona National golf club should receive first mention. Designed by Robert Jones, the course features in quite unique desert surroundings. The course meanders up and down the Catalina Mountains, and has great views of the surrounding dessert. As a par 71, it has 6,776 yards of golf course and is accessible to most golfers.

As mentioned, the region has golf vacation spots. Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort is one of those. It has two 18-hole championship golf courses and one 9-hole course. They are all exciting to play and are not exactly alike. Also located in the Catalina Mountains, on high Sonoran desert, the surrounding desert plays its part in the golf. It is the largest golf resort in the region, and is not something to miss.

The oldest golf course in the region is the Turquoise Valley Golf and RV. Opened in 1908, the course is most notable for its unique par 6 hole. The longest golf hole west of the Mississippi, the hole is 747 yards long! The course itself has 6778 yards and a par of 71.

If you are looking for a good selection of courses, then head for Tucson City golf course. The Randolph golf complex is comprised of two 18-hole championship golf courses. Those being the Randolph North and Dell Urich. They are favored by the locals due to their proximity to the city, in addition to their age and heritage. Both are tree lined, parkland courses with flat fairways and undulated greens. Randolph is also the longest course in the city, with a total yardage of 6863.

The Crooked Tree course is an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Lee Trevino. It has some great holes which have desert and mountain vistas. The course is also host the Arizona Open, and other tournaments.

The golf resort of The Western La Paloma is in the foothills of the Catalina Mountain range and has two 9 -hole courses along with a more unique 10 hole course. The legendary Jack Nicklaus designed all the courses and with other amenities, it is a resort well worth visiting.

Ryder Cup Captain, Tom Lehman, had his hand in the Omni Tuscan National resort. It's been the home for the PGA Tour for three decades and is a rare gem, offering two sought after golf courses at fair value. The Sanoran Course and the Catalina Course are two championship courses, which can make for a great round!

These are just a fairly random selection of some of the courses in Tuscon of Arizona. There are more, but these are all notable courses in the region, with famous golfers and course designers behind them. From Nicklaus to Robert Jones, big names in golf have had their mark on the region.

Where to take a Golf Vacation?

Here on Amateur Golfer I have included a few golf posts covering golf vacation destinations. Check out some of the previous golf vacation destination posts. Here are the links:

• Sandy Lane
• The Costa Del Sol
• Pinehurst
• Pebble Beach
• Kiawah Island
• Golf Vacations in Europe

These posts provide further details on the vacation resorts. Also, check out the Travel Golf website which is included with this blog's links.

Golf at the Olympics

Golf was once played at the Olympics. Only twice has an Olympic golf championship been played in the early 20th century. These were at the 1900 Paris Olympic games and the St Louis Olympics in 1904.

The first gold was won by the American Charles Sand, and two UK golfers made the top three for silver and bronze. The format for the golf championship was pretty basic, with 36 holes played with a stroke scoring format. A total of 167 was enough to win the singles, and a team based championship was also played which was won by... Canada!

The second Olympic golf championship was something of a farce as it only had U.S. and a few Canadian golfers in it. As such, they scooped gold, bronze and silver!

Hereafter, golf was abandoned at the Olympics. Until now that is, and golf is set to return in future Olympics. A new Olympic course is to be included in Rio which will be the next venue. This golf championship should have lower scores than previous Olympic golf championships, and include a much wider variety of golfers, but whether it will match the Majors is debatable.

Cypress Point Golf Course Slideshow

You might have heard of the Cypress Point golf course, as it's usually ranked within Golf Digest's top 10 U.S. golf courses. This is a coastal course set beside the Pacific Ocean which has some great coastal golf holes. Check out this video which includes a slideshow of the course and its best holes. 

Golf Course Reviews: Arcadian Shores Golf Course

The Arcadia Shores golf course, is part of the resort golf academy of Myrtle Beach in south Carolina. This academy, is one of the foremost golf schools in southeast America.

The course of Arcadia Shores opened in 1974, along with the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort. Designed by Rees Jones, this course offers a good blend. Jones is quoted as saying:

"Arcadian Shores is an old-style true test of golf. I was proud of its design when it opened in 1974. And I am just as proud of it today."

It is a 6485-yard par 72. Hole distances range from 174-yard par three holes, to much longer 557-yard par 5s.

Amongst its natural features are great lakes, deceptive bunkers and tree lined fairways. Such natural and man made hazards, invariably make for an interesting challenge. The Tifton Bermuda greens also have distinctive contouring.

The course has multiple tees, offering different distances. There are actually five tees altogether, from red, gold, white, champions and tiger tees. These are in order, from beginner to advanced play.

Slope/course rating is also different from each tee. They range from 69 to 73 with regard to course rating, while the slope is 113 through to 136 on the tiger tees.

Of the course holes, 13 is the signature hole with the lowest rating. This hole has a large lake guarding the green, which can present quite an obstacle. Also worth noting, is the fairway, which starts level with the tees but drops sharply on approach to the lake. A tricky bunker lies behind the green, which can also be hard to escape.

The course was voted as one of the top 100 in America, 3 years after it opened. This was by magazines such as Golf Magazine and Golf Digest.

Green fees are approximately $89 dollars to $79 off-peak. Likewise, the course includes golf carts to use when available. It also provides golf club hire, a practice range and suitable clubhouse.

Player reviews are mixed. It is praised for its challenge and value. Some have criticized it for a lack of variety and too many sand traps. Amenities and maintenance, are two areas that players feel the Arcadia course could be better.

Overall, it is an old school course with a variety of tees, which makes the course suitable for all players. As part of the Myrtle golf resort, with nearby hotels, it can make for a suitable golf vacation location.

A Look at the St Andrews Golf Course

St Andrews golf course is one of the great golf courses. To get a closer look at this course I have included a relatively short video below. This video tour covers some of the highlights of the  St Andrews Golf Course. 

How Nine-Hole Golf Courses compare to 18-Hole Golf Courses

There are two types of golf courses in the sport of golf. There are those of 18-holes, and there are those golf courses which include only nine-holes. As such, there are a few contrasts between such golf courses.

To begin with, the most obvious disparity between nine and 18-hole golf courses is that of the size. The relative size of a 18-hole golf course will be thousands of yards more than that of a nine hole course. On average, you may find that a nine hole course may be something between 2,000 to 3,000 yards in distance. In comparison, an 18-hole golf course will be more like 6,000 yards in distance.

Of course, this does not necessarily mean that there is a big contrast in the average distance of the holes included. Holes on nine-hole golf courses can be just as long as those on 18-hole golf courses, with par 3, 4 and 5 holes included. It should be noted that nine-hole courses should not be confused with pitch and putt golf, whereby all the holes included are short par 3 holes.

It is also worth noting that you do not have to play nine-holes on nine-hole golf courses. In fact, most actually have an 18-hole option whereby you simply play the same nine-holes twice. They can then have variable tee positions. So, in this respect you can also play more extended rounds on nine-hole golf courses.

Nine-hole golf courses can also be more of a budget alternative to 18-hole golf courses. Because they have more holes, 18-hole golf courses usually have a higher green fee than nine-hole golf courses. As such, nine-hole golf courses are a good alternative if looking for cheaper golf rounds.

For the most part however, in the professional game championship golf is all about 18-hole golf courses. Name some of the most prominent golf courses and courses such as Augusta, St Andrews, and Pebble Beach may feature. All have staged Major golf championship and they are all 18-hole courses. Nine-hole golf courses may be suitable for amateur championships, but on the PGA tour they do not feature.

18-hole golf courses may overshadow their nine-hole counterparts, but there are still some great nine-hole golf courses. These golf courses are cheaper, and can also still have a long average hole distance. As such, nine hole golf courses can be good to start on.

Myrtle Beach Golf Courses

Myrtle Beach, in South Carolina, is home to a number of exciting golf courses. Designed by some famous golfers, and top course designers, the courses offer some great golf. In many respects, it makes for a good golf vacation destination.

To begin with, there is the West Course. Designed by Arnold Palmer, this is one of the most challenging in the Myrtle Beach area. The course is carved through majestic Carolina pine forests, and has numerous natural hazards in addition to fairway bunkers.

Alternatively, you could try the Nicklaus layout at Long Bay Club. This course has some excellent holes, with holes 7,10,13 and 18 featured in the book The 100 Greatest holes along the Grand Strand.' It has formidable features, including a 137-slope rating and countless man-made mounds. The course also has bottomless bunkers scattered about, and some tricky par 3 holes. While the par 3 holes can be pretty they can also be very hard, like the 13th which has a green surrounded by water!

There are two Robert Trent Jones courses in the region. Waterway Hills Golf Club is one, featuring the Oak, Ravine and Lake Courses. These are classic Jones courses, featuring strategic landing areas, great bunkers and crowned greens. They are all 9-hole courses, set amid woodlands and lakes.

If looking for a more Scottish golf course, then you could try the Aberdeen Golf Club. This is one of the newest clubs in Myrtle Beach area. As the name suggests, the club has courses with a more Scottish feel. The nine-hole courses of the Meadows, Highlands and Woodlands keep to Scottish tradition and feature mounding, wide land areas and bent grass.

The North Course at the Myrtle Beach National is one of the most exciting in Myrtle Beach. Arnold Palmer and his design group have transformed the North Course into one of the best in America. Golf Digest ranked it in America's top 10 new upscale courses, and it has been named South Carolina's course of the year.

What makes it so special? It has some dramatic holes like the 6th hole, which has an island fairway. The 12th hole has an island green, while hole 18 has over 40 sand traps guarding both sides of the fairway and a lake stretching out from it. Such holes make it perhaps the best course on the Grand Strand.

Of course, these are just a select handful of some of the more notable golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area. Overall, there are approximately 130 golf courses in the region for golfers to try their hand at. Myrtle Beach has golf courses featuring excellent design creativity and scenery, with water hazards featuring prominently. Certainly there is no lack of choice, and golfers of all levels should find something to cater for them in Myrtle Beach.

A Brief Guide to the More Essential Golf Equipment and Accessories

In the game of golf there is some variety of equipment and accessories. The equipment and accessories range in size and necessity. Here are a few of the golf equipment and accessories that should be taken onto a golf course.

Golf clubs

The golf clubs are the most essential equipment for a round of golf, along with the ball itself. You will need at least a few golf clubs for tee-shots, and also the short game. Overall, the golf clubs include woods, irons, wedges, and putter. The golf irons include clubs from 3 iron up to 9 iron, with the lower numbered clubs hitting the ball further. Then, for the short game the wedges and golf putter can be used for chipping, pitching, and putting on the golf green. As such, you can take as many as 14 golf clubs onto a golf course, but no more.

Golf Bag

The golf bag is something that is required to put the golf clubs in. Overall, the golf bags can be either stand bags which include a stand for support, or golf cart-bags which can be pulled. Such golf bags can carry a full-set of clubs, and also have additional pockets for accessories.

Golf head covers also come included with a variety of golf bags. Golf head covers are put over the longest clubs in the bag, such as the woods. They can come in various colors, shapes and sizes with novelty head covers a great addition to any golf bag. You can find plenty at websites such as: www.shopjust4golf.com.

Golf Tees

Golf tees are needed to tee the golf ball for tee shots. Overall, the golf tees can be smaller or larger tees, which tee the ball higher or lower depending on the loft required. In addition to this, the golf tees can be either the more durable plastic tees or wooden golf tees.

Golf Glove

Few golfers play without a golf glove. Golf gloves are for the left hand, and provide extra grip of the golf club. Golf gloves are usually either leather or synthetic, and leather gloves can be more durable than the synthetic alternatives.

Pitch-mark Repair Tool and Ball Marker

Pitch-mark repair tools are used on the green. If the green is not entirely smooth in places, then a pitch-mark repair tool can be used to flatten the green with. By flattening the green, a smooth putt can then be made towards the hole. The other golf accessory for the green are ball markers that can be left on the green to mark the position of a removed ball. As such, with one of these you can then remove your ball from the green to rub mud off it.

This is just some the golf equipment and accessories you can and should take out onto a golf course. Golf clubs, golf bag, golf tees, golf glove, pitch-mark repair tool, and golf shoes are equipment and accessories that can assist you during a round. Such golf equipment and accessories can be found at most golf stores.

An Augusta Flyover

The Augusta golf course has some great holes, all of which are included within this great simulated tour of the golf course. This EA tour flys over and through the course's holes from hole one to the final 18th. The flyover is from EA's Tiger Wood PGA Tour 12 golf game, which is the first to include the Master's golf championship.  Check out the video below for an overview of this famous course. 

This flyover of the 12th hole, with Rae's Creek, is also a great video:

A Brief History of Golf during the 20th Century

Towards the end of the 19th century golf was established in America. The first American golf courses ensured a burgeoning golf industry, and a new generation of golfers for an exciting era. With this, the professional game took off and golf became one of the most prominent sports.

It was in the UK that the PGA (Professional Golf Association) was first established in 1901. This was the first professional golf body that represented club professionals.

Advances in golf balls came in 1908. Taylor patented the first dimple design for golf balls in 1908. Such a design enhanced golf ball aerodynamics, and so allowed for players to hit balls further than they had before.

The U.S. Open was first established toward the end of the 19th century. However, in the 20th it continued to be dominated by UK golfers up until 1911. As such, it was John McDermott who was the first American golfer to win the U.S. Open, and indeed a major, on American soil.

This would be followed by the emergence of the PGA of America in 1916. The PGA of America was founded by Robert White, and would represent American professional golfers. In addition, the first PGA Championship coincided with the emergence of the PGA of America in 1916. Held in 1916, the PGA Championship was first won by Jim Barnes.

Match-play matches involving UK and U.S. golf teams the early '20s would see the emergence of new match-play event in 1926. Founded by Samuel Ryder, the Ryder Cup began in 1927 as a biannual match-play championship between the best American and UK golfers. The first Ryder Cup was won convincingly by the U.S., and up until '37 the championship remained relatively even.

In the early '30s the Augusta National course was opened. With this, the Masters golf championship began as the Augusta National Invitation on March 22nd 1934. The first championship was won by Horton Smith, and then Gene Sarazen in 1935 with the course layout reversed.

In the post-war era, with four major golf championships established, TV coverage of the game began. The U.S. Open was one of the first golf championships to be given such coverage by CBS.

Conferences between the USGA and R & A in 1951 would go some way to standardising the game. The golf bodies reviewed and revised the rules surrounding the sport. In addition to this, the centre-shafted putter was also introduced for the first time.

As the '50 gave way to the '60s, new golf stars would soon emerge on the PGA Tour. Players such as Ben Hogan and Sam Snead had set golfing standards in the '50s. Then, in 1962 the promising golfer Jack Nicklaus won his first major at the U.S. Open. It would be the first of 18 majors, a record set at the 1986 Masters.

The game became increasingly dominated by Americans in the '60s and 70's. However, in the '80s golfers like Ballestoros, Faldo and Norman would start to offer some more serious competition. This was reflected in the Ryder Cup by some great EU teams, as well as at some of the Majors won by European players.

By the end of the 20th century, the game of golf had more sophisticated clubs and balls. With more sophisticated clubs, and perhaps also better players, new golf records were set by the likes of Woods at the U.S. Masters.

Today, the game of golf is much cherished and one of the more widely played sports. In the 21st century, the sport should continue to excite and inspire.

The Longest Par - 5 Hole in the United States

Although not quite the longest in the United States, the 9th par-5 hole at the Gallery Golf Club North Course is the longest par-5. The hole extends approximately 725 yards, although from the red tees this hole is a somewhat shorter par-5. The hole also includes a large lake towards the end of the fairway.

North Course's 9th Par-5 hole

Undoubtedly, this is the highlight of the North Course which is rated as one of the best in Arizona. This course is set in Arizona's Sonoran Desert among sweeping red canyons. In addition to this, there is also a South Course which has hosted World Golf Championships.

Easter Golf Game

As it's Easter I've included this Easter golf game. Putt your way around this course with an Easter bunny. Happy Easter!

EASTER GOLF GAME

Master's Theme Song

Well it's April, which is Augusta Master's month! As such, I have included the Master's telecast theme song below. This dates back to the 1980s, and has remained with CBS since. 

Golf Course Reviews: Augusta National

The Augusta National golf course, in Georgia of the USA is one of the most famous in the world. It features prominently in the golf calendar, as the course, which holds the Masters golf tournament. As such, it can only be a challenging course.

To start with, this is an exclusive 18-hole golf course. By exclusive, I mean private, but also it can be taken further than that as it is a most private club. It boasts a yardage of 3,735 over the first 9 and 7,445 over 18 holes. Out and in, the par is 36 and adds up to 72.

So, Augusta is long and extensive. Naturally it has to be, for when the tour players come to town the distance needs to cater for it. It has 4 par 5s and the longest hole on the course is hole 2 measuring in at 575 yards. While it has an expansive fairway, with surrounding trees and two large bunkers protecting the green, the hole can be tricky proposition.

When talking about hard holes, the 18th hole is one of the hardest and most famous finishing holes in golf. The tee shot requires an accurate drive up to most a narrow fairway, with trees and bushes close on the left and right side. The hole bends, and as such you will need some distance for a clear shot on to the green. The green itself is surrounded by hilly terrain and a couple of bunkers.

Hole number 10 is a long par 4 at 495 yards. Once the first hole on the course, prior to 1935, it now offers one of the sternest tests on course. It is a hole that plays downhill, and the green itself is small and well concealed. A fairway bunker and green bunker, also stand in the path of approach shots from the fairway.

Aside from the tricky holes, the course has some impressive natural features. Hole 16, for example, has a large pond, which pretty much covers the route to the green. Generally, the course has large pine trees, which tower over the holes and also has bushes lots of bushes along with some flowerbeds.

Another famous hole on the course is hole 12, known as the Golden Bell. Aside from being the smallest hole on course at 155 yards, it is Rae's Creek, with the Ben Hogan Bridge crossing, which makes the hole famous. Aside from the need to get the club selection right, bunkers need to be avoided at the front and back of the pin.

So Augusta National is indeed a naturally impressive, most tricky golf course. For the average golfer, it would probably be a little too much in places. So it is perhaps fitting that is reserved for the Masters tournament.

Lucky Shots

Luck can play its part in any round of golf. Just check out this golf video which includes a variety of lucky shots. 

The Top Five Golf Courses in America

It is estimated that 50% of all the golf courses are in the U.S., so the top five golf courses in the U.S. are the best generally. Golf publications such as Golf Digest rank the best golf courses in America biennially, most recently in 2011. The following golf courses are Golf Digest’s current top five in the U.S. Read The Top Five Golf Courses in America. 

Golf Vacation Destinations: Sandy Lane

Sandy Lane is a golf resort that is located in Barbados. It is ranked 10^th on Golf Digest's best golf resort rankings. As such, this is a resort that has some renowned golf courses along Barbados' Platinum Coast.

The Sandy Lane resort has three golf courses. Among them is the Green Monkey, a golf course which extends some 7, 343 yards. As such, this is a course that has some long holes which are longer than 600 yards. The course is among the best in Barbados.

The Country Club course is another of the Sandy Lane golf courses. This course is located beside the Caribbean Sea, and the first nine holes include a number of lakes. The Country Club course is a championship calibre golf course that hosted the 2006 World Golf Championships Barbados World Cup.

The Old Nine golf course is the oldest course at the resort which dates back to 1961. This is a 3,445 yard nine hole golf course which has small greens and narrow fairways. Despite the more recent larger additions to the Sandy Lane resort, the Old Nine has remained among the resort's most highly rated courses.

Aside from the golf, the Platinum Coast is a great coastline in western Barbados. It has some great beaches such as the Sandy Lane Beach with sparkling Caribbean waters. Other highlights include Atlantis Submarines which provide underwater tours of the Platinum Coast's unique coral reefs.

The Sandy Lane golf resort is therefore one of the best in the Caribbean. For further details, take note of the Sandy Lane website.  

Lay up on the Golf Course

To lay up in golf, is to play a shorter short into a better position. This is in contrast to attempting a longer shot that may not come off and leave a player in a less than ideal spot.

Let us suppose that you find that your ball is in longer grass on the left of the fairway. The green is 120 yards ahead, but surrounded by bunkers. You can shoot for the green, which could leave the ball near the hole. Alternatively, you could land in a bunker or find that you cannot really get your ball near the green, and land in the rough again. 

However, you could also just use a pitching wedge and pitch your ball out of the rough and onto the fairway short of the green. From here, you can have a clear shot towards the green from off the fairway. At any rate, such an approach could well be the best approach if your shot from the rough were to miss the green.

So laying up is really about finding a better spot on the golf course. Usually, it is a short shot like a chip or a pitch that will cover perhaps 50 to 100 yards or less. Alternatively, shorter irons like the 9-iron are better for slightly longer shorts.

Overall, the wedge clubs like the sand or pitching wedge are best for pitching. Then for chipping these clubs along with irons like the nine, eight and seven can be appropriate. As stated, for longer shots irons like the nine or eight are suitable for this.

If you find that your ball has landed in a less than great spot on the golf course, then really playing off the spot and into a better position is usually more preferable that attempting a longer shot. As stated, if in long grass then to play towards a good fairway spot can be better.

Alternatively, you may be on the fairway but find that a spot of water does not permit a clear shot to the green. Instead of going over, go around with pitch or low iron shot further down the fairway. Then a clear shot to the green can be made.

At any rate, when you do not have a clear shot towards the green then that is the time to consider laying up. While bunkers are easy enough to clear, trees etc are not so.

Even closer to the green, you may consider a chip onto the green further from the flag as an alternative to pitching over a bunker. With the pitch, you may not clear the bunker but a chip round it will land on the green for putting.

So overall, it is about finding best position on the golf course. This as an alternative to longer shots that may land in a poor position on the course or even result in a penalty. Just remember the film Tin Cup in which Tin Cup lost the U.S. Open by landing in a lake when going for the green. Check out this post . 

Golf course reviews: Tierra Del Sol Resort & Country Club Aruba

The Aruba golf course is an 18-hole championship course on the Tierra del Sol. It is the only golf course on the island resort, and is described as: "An ocean course with a desert view."

Opened in 1995, it is another popular Robert Trent Jones designed course. As mentioned, it has 18 holes, and is a par 71 with a maximum yardage of 6811.

The course has a total of four tees, which make it suitable for various levels of play. The yardage from the red to the gold, ranges from 5002 up to 6811. As such, there is quite a difference in distance. The slope and ratings also vary from tee to tee. It has slopes ranging from 119-132, while the rating is 70 on the easiest tee, and 74.2 on the hardest.

As a championship course, it hosts the KLM Aruba Championship. This is a 36 hole, stroke play event with various participants from the likes of USA and other nationals.

The course has desert-like terrain, mixed in with the greens. They are flat and dry, while the fairways are flat and quite forgiving for a desert course.

Being an ocean course, wind is obviously a factor. One pro has commented: "keep your hat on tight when you play at Tierra del Sol!" You will need to have a varied club selection, as the wind conditions can vary.

Hazards on the course include the usual sand bunkers. The course also includes a few water hazards, with cacti and coral rock formations scattered around.

The greens of the course are more generous, and accommodating. They have Bermuda Tif Dwarf grass without any hidden breaks. Putting can be affected by the wind however.

Aruba has some tricky holes. Its signature hole is the 14th, which features a lake on the left of the fairway. It also has a heavily guarded green, with bunkers surrounding it. Hole 15 is also quite unique for a hole that is largely comprised of water! A body of water, which is left to shoot over from the tee boxes, surrounds the green.

The course rates can vary, depending on when the course is played. They range from $92 up to $159. This actually includes a cart fee, while golf clubs are available for hire. The resort also offers golf packages for vacation seekers. These include various three and five-day packages, which include shared cart, green rates and advanced tee times.

Overall the course offers an interesting combination. Dry dessert like terrain, mixed in with ocean and sea breezes. For a good golfing challenge, the course is well worth a visit for those on vacation in Tierra del Sol.

100 Posts on Amateur Golfer!

Indeed, this post is the 100 post on Amateur Golfer. As such, it's worth noting the Amateur Golfer archives and some of the older posts on this blog, as well as the more recent. Check out the 2011 Blog Posts post which  has a few links to previous posts on this blog. Alternatively, the Best of this Blog post is also worth noting.

Golf Digest's Top 10 Golf Resorts in North America

Among Golf Digest's numerous course rankings there are also golf resort rankings. These are Golf Digest's top 10 golf resorts in North America:

1. BANDON (ORE.) DUNES GOLF RESORT (RANKED NO. 3 IN 2009)

Score: 89.81
Contact: bandondunesgolf.com, 888-345-6008
Room rate:*: $250

2. PEBBLE BEACH RESORT/INN AT SPANISH BAY (1)

Score: 87.76
Contact: pebblebeach.com, 800-654-9300
Room rate:: $615

3. THE AMERICAN CLUB (6) Kohler, Wis.

Score: 87.47
Contact: americanclubresort.com, 800-344-2838
Room rate: $410

4. SEA ISLAND (GA.) RESORTS, THE CLOISTER & THE LODGE (2)

Score: 87.38
Contact: seaisland.com, 866-879-6238
Room rate: $525

5. THE GREENBRIER (8) WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.VA.

Score: 85.88
Contact: greenbrier.com, 800-453-4858
Room rate: $359

6. FOUR SEASONS RESORT HUALALAI AT HISTORIC KA'UPULEHU (4) The Big Island, Hawaii

Score: 85.29
Contact: fourseasons.com/hualalai, 808-325-8000
Room rate: $625

7. RITZ-CARLTON, KAPALUA (15) Maui, Hawaii

Score: 84.56
Contact: ritzcarlton.com, 808-669-6200
Room rate: $519

8. ONE & ONLY OCEAN CLUB/ATLANTIS (27) Paradise Island, Bahamas

Score: 84.14
Contact: oceanclub.oneandonlyresorts.com, 888-528-7157
Room rate: $890

9. FOUR SEASONS RESORT PUNTA MITA (NR) Nayarit, Mexico

Score: 84
Contact: fourseasons.com/puntamita, +52 329-291-6000 Room rate: $670

10. SANDY LANE (NR) Barbados

Score: 83.81
Contact: sandylane.com, 246-444-2000
Room rate: $1,445

As such, Bandon Dunes golf resort is ranked the best golf resort, having climbed up from 3rd in the previous rankings. This golf resort has four great golf courses located on the Pacific coastline of the Southern Oregon Coast. The courses of Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Old Macdonald and Bandon Trails have a great collection of holes routed along the Pacific. A fifth course with 13 par 3s, the Bandon Preserve, will be the new addition to the Bandon Dunes resort courses. Check out the Bandon Dunes website for further details on this resort.


The Bandon Trails golf course



Golf courses in Louisiana

Naturally, a US state will be home to a number of golf courses. The State of Louisiana is no exception. To narrow down the field, I will only look at some of the best the State has to offer.

A new golf course in Louisian is that of Santa Maria Golf Club which opened in 2006. It's an 18 hole, 6,969 yarder, with a par of 72. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, the course has been praised for its value. It includes a number of water hazards, and has silky smooth greens.

If seeking more of a challenge, the Carter Plantation might be of interest. At 7, 049 yards the course is longer and has a rating of 74. It has hard greens, and difficult bunkers to escape from. It has won a few awards, most notably GolfWeek Magazine's 2005 Best Public-Access Course in Louisiana award.

For a Links style course, you may wish to try Links on the Bayou golf course - par 72, with a 6,879 yardage. Although perhaps not the most scenic course in Louisiana the course is very well maintained, and provides excellent value. Be warned of the wind, for the course does not provide so much shelter!

Koasati Pines at Coushatta golf course is an 18-hole course with a lot of distance. As a par 72 with 7,617 yards, you can be sure of a good walk! The course has excellent maintenance, and features a number of risk-reward type holes.

The Audubon Park Golf Course can offer a test. The course has a rating of 64, and boasts some very challenging par 3s. It also has small greens that are well guarded by bunkers.

The Gemstone Plantation Golf Course, is a 6, 657 yard course which is great value. At less than $30 dollars you can get a full round here. A very well maintained course, with immaculate greens and great scenery to boot it is well worth a trip.

English Turn Golf Course has been described as a must play course in the New Orleans area. With approx 7,000 yards, it offers a fun challenge. At English Turn each hole is different, with undulating greens, and the 18th hole has been rated as one of the hardest on the PGA Tour. So, you might want to give the Nicklaus designed course a go.

The Squire Creek Golf Course is also worthy of note. A par 72, with 7,100 yards, which rates highly in all areas. In 2006, it was awarded Golf Magazine's Top Rated Golf Course in Louisiana.

Of course, there are many more golf courses in the state of Louisiana. But these courses, are some of the more highly rated golf courses within the location. Well maintained, with good facilities, these Louisiana courses should provide a good enough round for golfers in the area.

Golf Vacation Destinations: The Costa Del Sol

The Costa Del Sol is a region in the south of Spain that is a great golf vacation destination. The Costa Del Sol has approximately 70 golf courses along its Mediterranean coastline, and some great golf vacation resorts. Malaga and Marbella are two of the cities in the Costa Del Sol with sandy beaches and excting golf courses. Among the most famous golf courses in the Costa Del Sol is that of the Vaderrama golf course which has hosted some great golf championships such as the Ryder Cup.

Whilst Vaderrama is a private golf course, there are plenty of exciting public golf courses at the Costa Del Sol. Among them is the Marbella Golf and Country Club, which is located in Marbella! This resort's course is an 18 hole par 72 that is a relatively short 5867 yards from the white tee box. The course was designed by  R Trent Jones, and has a variety of lakes set alongside its rolling green hills and olive trees. The course rates can vary from 65 euros to 49.

Check out the Marbella Golf and Country Club website for further details. Or alternatively, the Costa Del Sol website is also worth noting.

Golf Travel Websites

There are a variety of great golf resorts in the United States and Europe. Golf resorts such as Pebble Beach Resort and Pinehurst have top class golf courses which have hosted Major championships. As such, there are also a number of great online resources. Read Golf Travel Websites.

Golf Desktop Icons

After you've added a golf theme, such as this one, you can further customize your desktop with golf desktop icons. Look no further than the golf desktop icon pack, which you can find further details on here. Then, the following golf desktop icons can be added to your desktop.   

Alternatively, you can also find some further golf desktop icons here. To change any desktop icon, right-click it and then select properties. Then select change desktop icon, open the folder which includes your golf desktop icons and select a golf desktop icon.

The History of the Masters Golf Tournament

While the Masters may not have quite the history of the British Open, in respect of length at least, the tournament still holds a special place in golfers' hearts. Since it began in 1934 it has become renowned for its quality, and has established itself as one of the world's best golf tournaments, if not the best. Read The history of the Masters Golf Tournament.

The 200 ft Golf Putt

"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." That's what I said in this previous Amateur Golfer blog post. In actual fact, you can putt a golf ball even further than 50 yards as this fantastic golf putt highlights. 

What a putt! This 200 ft putt covers approximately 66.66 yards on the green. So, who needs to chip from off the green? 

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

Robert Trent Jones is a famous golf course designer. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama is one of the largest golf construction projects attempted. The 11 golf clubs stretch from the Lakewood Golf Club in the south, to the Shoals in the north. In total, the trail extends 384 miles.

Lakewood Golf Club

Starting in the south, Lakewood Golf Club is a private club with two courses comprising 36 holes. This course has undergone extensive renovations and can be considered the most recent addition to the trail. It has considerable water features, and is lined with 200-year old oak trees.

Magnolia Grove

Just beyond Lakewood, you can find Magnolia Grove. This boasts three courses, the Crossings, Falls and an 18-hole par 3 known as the Short Course. The Short Course is regarded as one of the best par 3s in America while the longer ones are championship courses.

Highland Oaks

Highland Oaks is special for its 9-hole courses. It has four golf courses in total, with three championship courses and a short par-3 course which is most notable for its putting greens and bunkers.

Cambrian Ridge

The Cambrian Ridge also focuses on 9-hole courses. Take a look at The Sherling Trail, which may well be the best nine on the trail. The ninth hole features an uphill hole with a deep ravine, and shares a double green with Canyon's nine.

Capital Hill

Capital Hill, as the name suggests, does have a certain theme. With three courses appropriately named: The Senator, The Legislator and The Judge. These are three 18-hole championship courses, with The Senator having a Scottish style links layout.

Grand National Club

If looking for a longer par 3 course, the Grand National Club will be worth a look. It has an 18-hole par 3 course, in addition to two 18-hole championship courses. The links course is the cornerstone course, and has perhaps the hardest finishing hole on the trail. Spanning across a lake on the left, the tee shot requires a shot across the left side to make the fairway.

Ross Bridge

Ross Bridge has just the one 18-hole links course, the fewest number of holes for any club on the trail. It is designed for tournament play and has considerable elevation changes, combined with water and natural hazards, to provide a test.

Oxmoor Valley

For scenic forests, and numerous creeks, you might consider trying Oxmoor Valley. It boasts 56 holes, across three 18-hole courses. The short course provides elevation changes, and many downhill holes.

Silver Lakes

Silver Lakes provides four 9-hole golf courses. With some especially scenic golf, the Heart-breaker nine is considered to be the most challenging nine on the trail from the pro tees.

Hampton Cove

Hampton Cove has three golf courses on offer. The most unique of these is the River Course, the only Robert Trent course without a single bunker!

The Shoals

This brings us to the furthest northern course on the trail - The Shoals. It has two 18-hole courses, and Fighting Joe is an especially long one. As the first on the trail to break 8,000 yards, it is long trek.

These 11 golf clubs provide a number of fantastic championship and short courses for the average golfer to try their hand. Be careful on the harder ones, they are not ideal for the beginner, but the shorter courses can be suitable. One thing is certain; you will not be lost for choice, for the trail has a total of 26 golf courses on its 11 sites! Check out the Trent Jones Trail website for further details. 

The Best Golf Courses beyond the United States

I have included a few of Golf Digest's fascinating golf course rankings on this blog, and here is another. These are the top 10 golf courses beyond the United States:

1. Royal County Down G.C. Newcastle, N. Ireland
2. St. Andrews Links (Old) St. Andrews, Scotland
3. Muirfield Gullane, Scotland
4. Royal Portrush G.C. (Dunluce): Portrush, N. Ireland
5. Turnberry Resort (Ailsa) Turnberry, Scotland
6. Royal Dornoch G.C. (Championship) Dornoch, Scotland
7. Ballybunion G.C. (Old) Ballybunion, Ireland
8. Carnoustie G. Links (Championship) Carnoustie, Scotland
9. New South Wales G.C. Sydney, Australia
10. Sunningdale G.C. (Old) Sunningdale, England

As such, Royal County Down G.C. in Newcastle N.Ireland is ranked the best course beyond the United States. This is one of the older golf courses set in the backdrop of the Mourne Mountains that dates back to the 19th century, is just over 7,000 yards in length and has some great holes.

There are also plenty more UK courses which dominate the list, and most are links golf courses with plenty of sand. Of these, Scotland has the most in the top 100 with 17 courses in total. Only one from beyond the British Isles is included in the top 10, and that is New South Wales golf course in Australia.

The 1,410 feet Tee-Shot

Yup, that's right, this par-3 hole includes a tee at the top of a mountain with a 1,410 feet elevated tee-shot. Check out the video below for further details. 

Or you can visit the Legend Golf & Safari Resort where the hole is located. Here you can gain a glimpse of the mountain which dominates the course's skyline.

Golf Vacation Destinations: Pinehurst Resort

Pinehurst Resort, in North Carolina, is a golf resort which boasts up to eight golf courses. Prominent golf course architects such as Rees Jones, Ross, and Fazio have all played a hand in the design of the Pinehurst golf courses. As such, the resort certainly does not lack variety. The no 2 is the championship golf course that has staged a few Majors. Other courses, such as the first which dates back to 1898, are also more historic and have classic designs.

You can take your pick from the variety of golf courses. However, Pinehurst is not just about golf, with tennis courts, lawn sports, wine festivals, and the Pinehurst Beach Club which is a 200 acre private freshwater lake. Spa and fitness suite are also available, along with dining options such as the 1895 Grille. As such, Pinehurst has a variety of packages including golf, spa, and other recreational options linked with its accommodation options.

The Pinehurst No.2 sign. The first line, "I sincerely believe this course to be the fairest test of championship golf I have ever designed."

T-Rex at St Andrew's Old Course

Yes, strange though it may sound, a T-Rex has been spotted at St Andrew's Old Course! Golfers fled in panic as the T-Rex stormed up to the famous Swilcan Bridge, and then the R&A club house. However, one golfer that survived to tell the tale did manage to take a fantastic photograph of the T-Rex at St Andrews. And here it is:

The T-Rex at St Andrews!

This dinosaur photograph can be added to your desktop as desktop wallpaper. Check out this website for further details.

Bridgewater Golf Course, Lakeland, Florida

The Bridgewater golf course is an exciting new Florida course, in Lakeland, that was opened in 2007. Designed by Steve Symers, it is a links style golf course with 18 superb holes.

When Symers designed this course, he wanted to create a long golf course, which would provide a test for longer hitting players. Certainly, the course comes with some formidable par 5s. The longest hole is 583 yards off the black tee, while hole 3 has a lengthy maximum of 267-yards. Overall, the course measures 7,200 yards. The green complexes are also large, at approximately 10,000 square feet.

The course has a risk-reward approach, particularly around some of the greens. Heart-break ridge has become an example of this, and is considered the signature hole. It has an elevated green, which is surrounded by water on the left, and a deep bunker on the right. Likewise, it is almost a 500-yard par 4.

It offers a strategic challenge also. The risk-reward nature of the course creates various shot-options and routes to the hole. In many respects, this was as Symers intended.

The course has a good location, and as Symers put it, will actually turn into a nature conservancy as well. The course does indeed have a fair amount of wildlife to mix in with the golf.

It has 5 tees for players of all levels. These range from the shortest white tees, to the longest black championship tees. Players can pick the tee they feel best suits them, and play from there.

Rates at the course vary. The regular maximum rate is $60 dollars, before 2 pm. Off peak, after 2 p.m. the rate drops to $30. However, for a Florida resident it is only $25 dollars of peak. Better still, a Bridgewater player's card gives further reductions down to $15 dollars for an off peak round. A 10 round pass is also available.

The course is also next to a good club-house, which is well stocked. It includes a pro shop, plus a snack area and lounge and an impressive expansive patio. Equally, the practise facilities are upscale with target greens, short game with sand bunker and putting green.

Since opening, the course has been widely acclaimed. Golf Week Magazine has given it its seal of approval, rating it as one of the top 100 golf courses you can play.

Certainly this course should not be missed. It offers a good location, with moderate rates and a lengthy course with interesting design features.

Two, Three and Four-Piece Golf Balls

There are three types of golf balls which you can use on the golf course. These are the two, three and four piece golf balls. These golf balls have different aerodynamic properties due to their different designs.

To begin with, there is the two-piece golf ball which most will be familiar with. This is the most standard golf ball as they are the cheapest. These balls provide greater backspin, and therefore will travel further than the alternatives.

However, on the PGA Tour three-piece golf balls are favored. These golf balls are softer than two-piece golf balls, and have a core surrounded by a mantle. As such, even though they may not go so far they provide greater maneuverability than your average two-piece balls. So, they can be more accurate than two-piece golf balls. 

Four-piece golf balls are an enhancement on three-piece balls. They have more advanced designs with liquid cores, and so are usually the most highly valued golf balls. These balls are more likely to drop and stop on the green than a two-piece golf ball which could stop somewhat further from the hole.

So, it’s worth noting whether a golf ball is a two, three or four-piece golf ball. Check the golf ball details on their boxes which should highlight whether it is two, three or four-piece ball. Although, the majority are two piece golf balls with an emphasis on greater ball spin and distance that could ensure an extra few yards are covered on the course. 

The Gunpowder Golf Shot

Check out this gunpowder golf shot video!