Parque Da Floresta course video

Today we're heading to the south of sunny Spain with this golf course tour video. To the Parque Da Floresta course in the Western Algarve! This is supposed to be one of the best in Spain, set alongside the rolling hills and golden beaches of the Lagao it is an 18 hole course to note. Check out the course tour video below.

Don't Forget the Yardage Chart

The yardage chart is one of the handiest things to have for a round. Yardage charts are those hole-by-hole sketches of golf courses, which include details of the relative hole yardages at various points on the hole. They can highlight yardages from various points off the green, not merely the tee to green yardage of the hole that's noted on the main scorecard anyway.

A lot of course scorecards include small course yardage charts on the back of them. Note that you can note down additional yardage points onto them with a ruler and calculator if they lack details. Multiply the yardage total by percentages, and then note their relative yardage position on the hole yardage chart. For example, the half yardage of the hole would be 0.5 x total yardage.

However, some golf clubs may also have larger, more detailed, mini-booklets which provide details for the hole yardages, and will also highlight the relative positions of the bunkers, ponds etc more closely. If so, add the mini-booklet to your bag. They can provide much more detail than what might be included on the back of a scorecard.

Either way, you should have some sort of yardage chart for the round. Especially if you are unfamiliar with the course and its layout.

A more detailed hole yardage chart
which highlights a variety of yardages. 

New Book

My new book, which has absolutely nothing to do with golf, is out now. Battles of the Pacific War 1941 - 1945 can be found at both Amazon and Lulu, in Kindle and paperback format. For further details, check out this blog.

Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course Tour

Arcadia Bluffs is a course located in Michigan. Undoubtedly, this is a modern golf course which was opened in the late '90s. This golf course is located on bluffs above the shores of Lake Michigan. As such, this is a golf course which has plenty of lake frontage and elevation. The course has been included in Golf Digest's top 50 U.S. public golf courses, and if you can reach it is certainly worth noting. Below is an Arcadia Bluffs video tour.

Golf Courses in Sugarland, Texas

Texas, the US State that is home to cowboys, cattle ranchers and golf courses! Sugarland, Texas, has five golf clubs, with nine golf courses, which should provide enough to satisfy most golfers of various levels. There are a number of courses a few miles further afield, but these are the courses exactly within the Sugarland area.

Let us first look at the public Greatwood Golf Club. It is an 18 hole regulation golf course of approx. 6,836 yards in length. With four tee boxes it can cater for a diverse group of golfers, and has green fees ranging from $28-$55 dollars. Being an open to all course, it is one that really should be sought out by all golfers in the Sugarland area.

The Riverbend Country Club is a private club, with a private course. Still, if that is what you want the course will provide an 18 hole par 72, with a yardage of about 6,600 yards. The eigth hole is especially tricky, with water from the tee to the green. Green fees are up to about $65 dollars.

If it's a nine-hole course you want, then you really should pay a visit to the Sugar Creek Country Club. For the club has three nine-hole courses for you to take on! The Trent Course, Robert Course and the Jones Course all provide 36 par, nine-hole courses between 3,100- 3,400 yards in length. The slope rating of these courses is not yet clearly specified.

Sweetwater Country Club has two 18 hole golf courses, which makes for a 36 hole golf club. The Pecan Course has the highest of slope ratings of the aforementioned courses, with a 74 course rating. It has a championship layout, but with four tees can provide a suitable course for other golfers. An 18 hole, par 72 it boasts a yardage of 7,145, making it the largest in the area.

And the second course at the same club is the Cypress Course. This has 18 holes and a par of 71. With a course rating of 72.6, it is the easier of the two courses. Likewise, it also has a smaller yardage of 6,728. Further more, it is the cheaper of the two courses available at the Sweetwater Country Club.

So, golf in Sugarland is catered for with largely private clubs with courses of variable length. From 3,200 yard nine-hole courses, to 7,145 yard 18 hole championship courses. Most of them have variable tee boxes, however, allowing for the selection of different starting positions to make the distance more or less. As such, the courses in Sugarland offer flexibility and value to golfers. How sweet!

Pine Valley Golf Course Tour

Pine Valley is one of the more famous U.S. golf courses. Even though it has not hosted many big golf championships, it has remained among the highest ranked golf courses in the states. The course is approximately 7,000 yards long, and has a great collection of par-5 holes and big bunkers which align the fairways and greens. Below I have included a simulated tour of the Pine Valley course.

Team Golf

Most of the golf championships may be singles, but there is such a thing as team based golf. The Ryder Cup is one such example in which the U.S. and EU teams play for the Ryder Cup trophy. This is a match-play championships, but there are various formats for team golf rounds. With a group of four these team golf scoring formats are worth noting.

For example, there is best ball. This is actually quite simple, each player finishes a hole, and then each team records their best single score for the hole. Best ball becomes Four Ball with the match-play format. Then the team with the lowest score for the hole wins the hole.

Scramble is another alternative. With scramble everybody tees off, but then only one spot where the team's balls have landed is selected for the next. The others pick up their balls, and then play from within one club length of their team's selected ball. Then it's the same again until both teams have holed out.

Those are two of the more widespread team scoring formats for championships, but you can always set up your own customized team formats for your own rounds. For example, why not consider combining everybody's scoring for a single hole? As such, in doubles two scores would be added for each team. That's one way, or you could take it in turns to play through holes instead so that only one from a team plays a hole. This would be a quicker team golf format than some of the others.

So overall, there's a few team golf formats. Best ball is probably the most straightforward, and in that respect is the format of choice for many.

Video Golf Course Tours

Where can you find video tours of famous golf courses? Well, you can at Amateur Golfer. Here are the links to eight of the previous golf course tour posts on this blog:

• Bethpage Black Golf Course
• Pacific Dunes Golf Course
• Troon North Golf Club
• The Ocean Course
• Pebble Beach Golf Links
• Cypress Point
• St Andrews Old Course
• Augusta

Stay posted, as their could be more to come!

Bethpage Course Tour

Bethpage Black Golf Course, at Long Island, is one of the few public courses which has hosted the U.S. Open. This is a renowned championship golf course which is some 7, 468 yards. Check out the latest addition to AG's golf course tours, the Bethpage Black video. 

Brief Guide to Golf Clubs

On the golf course, you can use up to 14 clubs. Any variety of clubs is allowed here, giving golfers some scope for selection. There are a few different types of club that golfers can select from.

The Woods

The Woods are clubs that can be used off the fairway and the tee. From the 1 wood to the 7 wood, they can have slightly variable design. As with other clubs, the lower numbered woods are the longest clubs used for the longest shots off the tee with most distance, which can be between 300-400 yards. Higher numbered woods can be used in longer grass, or off the fairway with greater loft. Equally, the lower numbered woods have the least loft. Generally, they have graphite or steel shafts and some have titanium club heads.

The Irons

The irons are the most flexible clubs. They can be used off the fairway the tee or even for shorter play with chip shots. Ranging from the two irons to the nine irons, there are longer and shorter irons for selection. Considering the range, the two, three and four are longer distance; with the five, six or seven irons more 100-175 yards and then the eight or nine irons the shortest irons for distance. The overall loft is also lowest for the two iron and then increases towards the nine iron. For short play, you can also use the irons like the nine, eight and seven for chip shots onto the green.

The Wedges

The wedges, are those clubs with the greatest loft, not usually used off the tee but available for short play. The sand wedge is a club used for bunker play and bunker shots from greenside or fairway bunkers. This is one of the most lofted wedges available. These clubs are also best used for pitch shots, which require greater loft and little roll. They can also be used for shorter chip shots onto the green.

The Putter

The putter is a club that is used for short play and putts on the green. Overall, this covers a good number of shots and is most often used for one or more putts on the green. However, it can also be used to putt onto the green. Putter designs can actually be quite variable, but like all clubs must be accepted for the market.

Overall, these golf clubs make a standard set of 14. Usually, seven or eight golf clubs will do. With multiple irons, woods then a few wedges and a putter to complete the set. While golf club design can vary, they must be approved beforehand.

Top 10 Best Golf Courses in the United States

I know I've included similar top 10 lists before, but those were just lists! Now I've found a classy video of 10 of the best courses in the United States. Check it out below.

Desert Golf Courses

The Sonoran Desert includes a
few Arizona golf courses

There are a variety of desert golf courses. Courses that are not only in the deserts of America, but merge some desert elements into the courses. And they are also sweltering during the summer. These are a few desert courses that are worth noting.

Remember the Monument Course? If not check out a previous blog post on this blog which includes a Monument Course video. This course includes saguaros and paloverdes, set alongside the deserts of Arizona. 

The Mountain Course at La Quinta is another worth noting. This course is carved into desert mountains, and even though it is a desert course also includes plenty of water. Check out the 16th hole which has an island green. 

The Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club is at Sandia Park. At approximately 7,500 yards, this desert course has plenty of distance. Its holes include ponderosa, pine and juniper plants, and the course is surrounded by mountain ranges.

Or you could visit the Desert Course at Prim Valley Golf Club. This is a Fazio golf course that is approximately 7,100 yards. The course mixes palms, plateaus and cacti alongside its native grasses.

Pay a visit to the Raven Golf Club at Sabino Springs, in Tucson, Arizona. This golf course is a Trent Jones course, and has a yardage of 6,776 yards. The course combines the desert and surrounding mountains, with steep slopes and saguaros scattered around it.

Those are just five desert golf courses in the United States. However, there are plenty of other desert courses. They can be played both in the summer and winter, although some may be closed during the winter period. Check with their golf clubs for further details on when the courses are open. 

Pacific Dunes Video Tour

Another video tour of a top class golf course! This is the Pacific Dunes course at the Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon, another ocean side gem. The Pacific Dunes is a par 71, and approximately 6,633 yards. 

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.