The Tierra Del Sol Golf Club

The Tierra Del Sol Golf Club course, in Aruba, is ranked as one of the top golf courses in the Caribbean. This Trent Jones golf course expands some 6,811 yards. It is located alongside the eastern and western Caribbean shores, just a couple of miles off Palm Beach. You might even find some lizards on the course. Check out this course tour video of its 18 holes:

Five Putting Pitfulls

Putting is a big part of the game of golf. You will certainly make at least one putt for every hole you play. Indeed, you will probably make more putts during an average round. Lots of putts on the green will inflate scoring, so here are a few of the pitfulls to note when putting.

Select the Wrong Putter

Let us first consider the putter itself. Putting with an inappropriate putting club could raise your putting averages. Putters can come in various shapes and sizes, so make sure that the putter you use is suitable. Overall, the putter will need to be of a suitable size, and not be too heavy.

Not Reading the Green

When on the golf course there are a few things to consider when putting on the green. Before you even step on the green make sure you pay attention to the topology. Do not forget that few greens are exactly flat, and will likely have a variety of upward and downward slopes. If you hit an uphill putt as you would a putt on a flat putting green then the ball will likely not reach the hole, and could even start rolling back depending on the steepness of the slope. A downward putt needs to be a little lighter as the ball will roll further. It should also be noted that longer putts will break towards or away from the hole on more sloped greens. Balls also roll further on dryer greens than wet ones.

Underhit Putts

Even if you are lagging a putt towards the hole, do not underhit the putt so that it doesn't reach the hole. Evidently, an underhit putt will never go into the golf hole. As such, with lag putts you should really try and over hit the putt slightly, so it goes a little past the hole leaving just a short putt to finish. With a degree of luck such a lag putt may even go in the hole! I've put a few longer distance putts in the hole myself. But over hitting the ball a little is more essential for short putting.

Hit lag Putts Like Short Putts

Lag putts and short putts are not the same. While short putts are aimed to go in the hole, this is not necessarily the case with lag putts. Most of your longer lag putts will probably not go in, and so you need to aim to finish just a few feet off the hole (within three feet would be great). As such, accuracy is not so important with these, but how hard you hit the ball, and the tempo of the putt, is more so. While the setup is the same, lags require a longer, sharper putt.

Forget to Remove the Flag

Remember that in the game of golf you should remove the flag before you putt on the green. This is because if you do not, and the ball goes into the hole touching the flag, then you should add a two stroke penalty to your score. So overall, it would be good to remove the flag from the hole!

Those are five putting pitfulls. Make sure you have a suitable putter, read the green, don't underhit putts, do not play longer putts the same as shorter and also remove the flag from the hole before you putt on the green.

Golf Digest 2013 Golf Course Rankings

Golf Digest have updated their top 100 American golf course rankings! Eight new courses have made it into the rankings. In 2013 their official golf course ranking list is as follows: 

1. (2) PINE VALLEY G.C.

Pine Valley, N.J. / George Crump & H.S. Colt (1918)

7,057 yards

2. (1) AUGUSTA NATIONAL G.C.

Augusta, Ga. / Alister Mackenzie & Bobby Jones (1933)

7,435 yards

3. (5) CYPRESS POINT CLUB

Pebble Beach / Alister Mackenzie (1928)

6,524 yards

4. (3) SHINNECOCK HILLS G.C.

Southampton, N.Y. / William Flynn (1931)

7,041 yards

5. (4) OAKMONT C.C.

Oakmont, Pa. / Henry Fownes (1903)

7,255 yards,

7. (6) PEBBLE BEACH G. LINKS

Pebble Beach / Jack Neville & Douglas Grant (1919)

6,828 yards

8. (8) WINGED FOOT G.C. (WEST)

Mamaroneck, N.Y. / A.W. Tillinghast (1923)

7,258 yards

9. (9) SAND HILLS G.C.

Mullen, Neb. / Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (1994)

7,089 yards

10. (11) FISHERS ISLAND CLUB

Fishers Island, N.Y. / Seth Raynor & Charles Banks (1926)

6,566 yards

The Pine Valley golf course.

As such, Pine Valley has eclipsed Augusta as Golf Digest's top U.S. golf course. This golf course, which is surrounded by virgin woodland, has climbed up from second spot. For a golf course that has hosted no notable championships, except perhaps the Walker Cup, it doesn't have huge championship pedigree compared to courses such as St Andrews, Pebble Beach etc. But as is stated on the Golf Digest site, "Pine Valley blends three schools of golf course design." 

Overall, there's not a notable shift in the top 10 of the rankings at least. Fishers Island Club, in New York, is one of the new entries at number 10. This is a supposed Cypress Point of the east, a coastal course which has a variety of holes located along Block Island Sound. 

Aside from that, the top 10 are pretty much the same. Cypress Point, at Pebble Beach, is another of the climbers, which is the shortest course in the top 10. That's the one with the terrific par-3 hole, which has green separated from the tee by its ocean coastline. Its neighboring course, Pebble Beach Links, has dropped a place, but remains the top ranked U.S. public course. 

I'm sure I've added posts about some of these courses in previous posts on AG. Check them out via the archives. For the full rankings check out the Golf Digest site. 

The First Golf Club & Course in North America

Golf came to North America during the 19th century in 1873. Then Scottish colonialists arrived in Montreal to establish the very first golf club on the continent. That was the Royal Montreal Golf Club.

It was there that the first North American golf course was constructed. This was a small six hole golf course, which was later expanded to nine. That golf course occupied Fletcher's field on the outskirts of Montreal. Here the first interclub games in North America emerged as they took on Royal Quebec Golf Club. Thus the Canadians were among the first beyond the British Isles to embrace the game.

The other golf course constructed soon after was that of Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club. That golf club's nine hole course was established in 1875. Unlike the first course at Royal Montreal it remains intact today as one that you can play on.

The Royal Montreal Club relocated to Dixie, approximately 10 miles out from the city. Later the club moved to  Île-Bizard, Quebec in 1959. There the club remains today with an 80,000 square foot clubhouse that is the home of North American golf. Here the club has three modern golf courses: the Blue, Red and Dixie course which has nine holes.

The Blue Course is one that has been rated among the top 100 within North America. The course stretches some 7,153 yards overall. On the latter nine holes there are some substantial lakes which surround the 15, 16 and 17th hole, bringing water into play along their fairways. The 17th par-3 hole includes a green separated from the tee box by water, reminiscent of Augusta's Golden Bell hole. As a venue of the PGA Tour it has hosted the Presidents Cup.

As a the home of golf in North America the club is steeped in history. Here you can also play at one of Canada's great courses. Check out the Royal Montreal site for further details on the historic club.

Golf in the Maldives

So it's clear that the floating island golf course is set to put the Maldives on the golfing map. But that's not exactly set to be the first golf course in the Maldive island chain. In actual fact two golf courses are already there.

One of the golf courses can be found at the Kuredu Island Resort. You can reach the Kuredu Island via seaplane, and here there are some lovely tropical beaches. This resort has also added it's very own golf course.

However, that golf course has just six holes. All the holes included here are par-3s. The average yardage of the holes is approximately 55 yards, and so it is more of a pitch and putt golf course. But the resort does include a range as well.

At Shangri-La's Villingili Resort there is an altogether larger golf course. That is a new golf course which is located across seven and a half hectares of land. This is a nine hole golf course with holes that average 123 yards. If that is so then it should be 1,107 yards. The course has a variety of exotic plants, palms and pandanus scattered alongside the holes and adjacent beach coves.  

I checked the course map, and the more exciting holes here could be the ninth and third. Those holes seem to have the most distance, and also play alongside the coastline. The ninth finishing hole includes the most bunkers, and also has a small lake (or possibly pond) located just ahead of the green. Check out the course's website for further details, photos and the map.  

So, you can now play golf in the Maldives at these golf courses. Even if the courses lack distance, they still have some great landscapes alongside the sea. When the floating golf course becomes the first full sized 18 - hole course in the Maldives who knows what could follow with additional man made islands.

The First Floating Golf Course

An island in the Maldives.

Golf courses up mountains and in deserts are one thing, but now the first floating golf course is to be constructed. It is at the Maldives, a low elevation island chain in the Indian Ocean, that plans have been drafted for a new floating golf course that will be surrounded by sea water. Forget about Pebble Beach, as this will be more than a mere coastal course.

This golf course is just a part of a wider plan in the Maldives to replace sinking, or flooded, islands with a network of new artificial islands. The Maldives have turned to the Dutch Docklands International to construct a series of new man made islands. Among them will be the floating golf course that will consist of three small interconnected floating islands, and that is supposed to pave the way for the construction of further islands in the Maldives. One of the architects stated, "When it comes to the golf course, the islands will be floated into position first and then the grass will be seeded and the trees planted afterwards."

The golf course's islands will be interconnected with a series of underwater tunnels. The underwater glass tunnels will be a little like some of those aquariums you might find. Check out the images from Daily Mail's report. The course's clubhouse will also be connected underwater, via elevator.

The more specific destination for this new golf course will be just off the Maldive capital, that of Male. It is expected that a short speed boat ride will be required to reach the course from there. The course is scheduled to be complete sometime in 2013, and the overall resort by 2015. Then you can play at the first floating golf course!

Amateur Golfer Makes Top 10 of Technorati's Golf Blog Rankings

Amateur Golfer is now ranked among the top 10 Technorati golf blogs! It was ranked 10th (although may have dropped to 12th) in the rankings. Here's a shot of the Technorati ranking page when it was in the top 10:

Hopefully this upward trend will continue, and who knows how much further the blog can climb in their rankings. Keep coming back, I promise more posts.

What to Check For When Selecting a New Golf Bag for Your Clubs

A golf bag is a fairly essential bit of kit for the golf course which is used for carrying the golf clubs. As such, unless you hire golf clubs with a bag you will need to have your own golf bag for the golf course. Overall, there are a few types of golf bags, and here are a few things to look for when upgrading your golf bag.

Firstly, you should consider whether the golf bag is a female or male bag. The main difference between these bags is that ladies bags are usually a little shorter than the male bags because ladies golf clubs are also shorter. In addition to this, they can also have additional extras and variable designs.

As mentioned, there are various different types of golf bags, and so this is also something to consider. For example, there are cart bags, stand bags, and tour bags. The main difference between the cart bag and stand bag is that the cart bag is designed to go into the back of golf carts. If you happen to ride around golf courses in the carts then cart bags are something to look for. If not, then you can overlook them in favor of other alternatives.

Those other alternatives include the stand bags and tour bags. The stand bag is a golf bag that comes with stands, and this is really the most prevalent golf bag for the course. With these stands the golf bag will not need to be rested on anything, or put on the ground. As such, stand bags are the better bag for most.

The tour bags are really the largest of golf bags that are included on the PGA Golf Tour. In the pro game tour bags are more prevalent because the golfers usually need to fill the bags up with the maximum number of golf clubs. Then, in addition to this numerous other accessories. If you are after a large golf bag then the tour bags are certainly something to look out for. If not, then you may want to overlook them in favor of smaller alternatives.

As such, the size and dimensions of a golf bag is certainly something to take note of when looking for a new golf bag. While larger bags such as the tour bags will certainly be able to fit more of the largest clubs, and more accessories, it's worth noting that they are also not particularly light-weight. Most amateurs will not have caddies to carry their bags, so this is a disadvantage. Equally, most amateurs will not likely take a full set of clubs onto the course, and so smaller light-weight bags can be a better alternative. Either way, the size and weight is certainly something to note.

Aside from this, it's also worth checking how many dividers the golf bag has for golf clubs. The number of dividers the bags have for golf clubs is one of the biggest variations between golf bags. For those who take more than a half set out onto the golf course there more dividers for golf clubs will likely be required.

In addition to this, it's also worth noting how many additional pockets the golf bag may have. A good number of additional pockets may be required, not just for golf balls and golf tees, but for bottles, wallets, and additional golf gloves. In this respect, a golf bag with a number of pockets, or some large pockets, is something to look for as well.

These are just a few things to consider when looking for a new golf bag. Check whether the bag is a men or ladies bag, check whether it is a cart or stand bag, consider the size and weight of the bag, note how many dividers the bag includes, and also check how many pockets the golf bag includes.

Mountain Golf Courses

Have you ever played golf up a mountain? Probably not, and it should be noted that very few golf courses are actually located on mountains. But then there are a wide variety of great golf courses that still have scenic mountain settings. Those are courses that sit right next to, or within the proximity of, mountain ranges so that they are integral part of the course landscape. These are a few of the more famous mountain golf courses to note.  

Banff Springs Golf Club

The Rocky Mountains at Banff

One of the most highly rated golf courses in Canada is the one at Banff Springs. This has a fantastic mountain setting with the course located beside the Canadian Rockies. The Stanley Thomson course at this resort is set among a forest of pine trees, as well as the Bow River which runs alongside its holes. But its the towering mountain located right beside this course which dominates the landscape.  

From the black tees the course stretches some 7,000 yards. Its most famous hole is most probably the par-3 fourth hole. That is a 192 yard hole which includes a lake that separates the green from the tee. The Canadian Rockies tower above the hole which is rated among the top 18 in the game. But the course is not a one hole wonder, and includes a great stretch of holes along its back nine as well.  

Troon North  

At the Troon North club, in Arizona, there are two 18 – hole courses. Those are the Mountain Course and Pinnacle Course, which may sound familiar as I might have added a blog post about them previously. Those are desert courses which are set alongside the foothills of Pinnacle Peak Mountain, and the Troon Mountain and McDowell Mountains are also nearby.

Royal County Down

Hey, this one might be familiar too! Check out the last blog post for further details. And of course this is another that has a fantastic mountainous landscape. There it's the majestic Mountains of Mourne that provide the backdrop for this course. One of the top ranked golf courses in N Ireland, this is one with an exciting compilation of holes.  

Gallery at Dove Mountain

The Gallery Golf Club North Course is a modern golf course located in Arizona. Alongside this golf course is the minor mountain range of the Tortolita Mountains which rise some 4,652 ft. The two golf courses, which include the North Course, have considerable average elevation of approximately 2,875 yards.

There's considerable desert landscape here, and the course's holes meander through two rugged canyons. It's ranked among the top golf courses in Arizona, and also boasts one of the longest holes in the United States. That's the one which extends some 725 yards, and there's already a post about that hole on the blog.

La Quinta Mountain Course

The Santa Rosa Mountains

The Quarry at La Quinta is a scenic 18-hole golf course. It's a golf course that has relatively level fairways. Nestled along the Santa Rosa Mountains, in California, its holes flirt with the mountains. Holes such as the second and 14^th  both lie at the steps of the surrounding mountains. Its 16^th hole includes an island green surrounded by rocky desert landscape.

Those are a few of the more famous mountain golf courses. Here there's some great mountain landscapes alongside the courses. 

The Top Ranked Golf Courses in Northern Ireland

There are some great golf courses in N Ireland. Golf Digest Ireland has ranked the top 100 courses in Ireland, a few of which are among the top ranked within Britain. These are the highest ranked N Ireland courses in Golf Digest Ireland's rankings.

Portstewart Strand  

Portstewart Strand course is one of the top ranked courses in N Ireland. The course is set among gigantic sand dunes alongside the Inishowen peninsula and Causeway Coast. From its championship tees it is a 6,912 yard golf course. There's plenty of great holes at this course, but it's the first opening hole, a downhill 425 yard par-4, that is perhaps the most exciting.  

Mount Juliet Golf Course

This golf course is ranked at 15^th within their rankings. The course is located in a country estate just outside Thomastown. It extends up to 7,112 yards, although this can be more like 5,554 yards from other tees. Mount Juliet has a wooded layout with holes that have plenty of trees and rolling fairways. Water also comes into play on eight of the course's holes. The most notable holes on this course are its finishing holes that include lake alongside their fairways and greens.

Royal Portrush G.C.

The Royal Portrush Dunluce Course is one of N Ireland's foremost golf courses that is approximately 7,143 yards. This is located at the Causeway Coast, close to Dunluce Castle. It is more famous as the one golf course in N Ireland that has hosted a major golf championship, that of the British Open.

Among its signatures holes is the fourth. That's a long par-4 golf hole that extends some 480 yards. Several bunkers run alongside its undulating fairway, and the green is located between two small sand hills.

Royal County Down G.C.

The top ranked golf course in Ireland, and beyond the United States, is that of Royal County Down. This is located below the majestic Mountains of Mourne. Combined with the Dundram Bay coastline it is a scenic golf course with great landscapes. Royal County Down G.C includes an exhilarating front nine routed near the sea which have dunes that rise some 40 feet above you.  

The ninth 486 yard par-4 is among the course's highlights. Here you play from an elevated tee atop a hilltop, with the fairway some 80 feet below it. As such, it provides an ideal vantage point for the surrounding landscape. Along the fairway there is a wide corridor which sits between a couple of sand hills. It is ranked among the great 18 holes in the sport.

These courses are great venues for golf. They are among the top ranked courses in Golf Digest's rankings. For the full rankings check out this page.

Tee Box tips

At the tee box your ball position could be essential to the overall score for that hole. Where you put the ball in the tee box, and its relative position for the set up, can be essential. Let us consider how that can enhance your scoring.

Let's suppose you were playing the 18th at Pebble Beach Links. That's an 18th hole with a lake along the left side of the fairway. If you tee up on the left side of the tee box, and the ball then flies further to the left, that could potentially leave you in the Pacific Ocean. Add one stroke and tee off again!

As a suggestion, play a provisional ball if you're not sure if you'll find your ball. Then you won't have to walk back to the tee box if the first balls disappeared. If you do find the first ball you need not include the provisional ball for the scoring.

If the reverse is true, and you're playing a hole where you could lose your ball on the right, either in water or trees, do not tee up on the right. If you pull shots more to the left then at least position your ball center. If more of your balls go to the right then you should station the ball as far left to the tee box as possible.

What if the fairway bends to the left or right? If that is so then tee up further left if the fairway bends right. If it's the opposite, then place your ball more to the right of the tee box.

If you're playing a shorter par-3 hole, less than 150 yards, then note the position of the pin (or flag). If the pin is located in a larger spot to the left of center on the green place the tee more to the right of the tee box. As it stated in my golf book, "This will give you best angle to the flagstick."

With regard to the set up, place the ball further left for longer clubs, and more to the center for the short irons. Make sure you don't tee the ball up too far to the left or the ball could fly leftwards. If too far to the right it might be sky high with reduced distance.

The golf tees can come in variable sizes. Generally the longer the club the larger the tee you'll need. With the longer woods at least an inch of tee should be above the grass. For short irons with more loft select shorter tees, and press them down more. If you tee the ball too high then you could undercut it, sending the ball skywards with little distance.

More effective tee box positions will ensure you land on the fairway or green with greater regularity. Check the hole layouts with score cards beforehand, and then position your ball appropriately.

Great Dye Golf Courses

The architect, Pete Dye, has opened some famous golf courses in the United States and beyond. Some of Dye's courses are regular PGA Tour venues, and are ranked among the top golf courses. These are a few of the more famous Dye golf courses.

The Players Stadium Course (TPC Sawgrass)

As the seasonal venue for the Players Championship you might have heard of this one already. This course is set within 415 acres of Florida Swampland. The Players Stadium Course extends some 7,215 yards from the gold tees, although this can be reduced to almost 5,000 from its green tee positions. Along its fairways there are a variety of waste bunkers, otherwise long strips of sand, and the course includes slick putting greens.

This course includes the great Island Green hole. That's a short par-3 hole that has a green located in the middle of a lake. At 132 yards you can probably reach the green with an 8-iron, and certainly a seven, but if the ball lands a few yards off it then it's in the water.  

The finishing hole at this illustrious course is also among the more exciting. The 462 yard par-4 has a fairway that plays alongside a large lake. It's similar to the 18^th at Pebble Beach, with water dominating the left flank of the hole.

Whilstling Straits

Whilstling Straits Course is located in Wisconian. This is a golf course that is located alongside two miles of Lake Michigan, and so there's plenty of water on the holes. Eight of its holes play alongside it. The course is also notable for its rolling greens, grass-topped dunes and elevation variations. Having hosted the PGA Championship its a notable championship course, and among the top ranked in the United States.

It extends some 7,790 yards. As such, its holes have plenty of distance. Among them the par-5 fifth hole which is 603 yards. With a hole layout that zigzags from left to right this is the Snake hole. Here a notable slice of the lake comes into play with water along the left side of the hole's fairway.  

Harbour Town Links

The Harbour Town Links is another of Dye's classic golf courses. This golf course, located in South Carolina, is one that is ranked among the top golf courses in the United States. It is approximately 7,101 yards, and is dominated largely by par-4 holes. Along its holes are narrow fairways, oaks, pines, dark lagoons and palmettos.

The signature hole is most probably that of the 18^th. This is a 472 yard par-4 that plays alongside the Calibogue Sound on the left side of its fairway. Behind its Bermuda grass green is that of the red and white striped Harbour Town lighthouse which rises some 90 feet.

The Ocean Course

This Dye golf course is one of five at the Kiawah Island resort in South Carolina. Having hosted the Ryder Cup and PGA Championship the Ocean Course is probably the most famous. As a course located on the coast it has some scenic coastal golf holes which cover some 7,365 yards. Check out this post for further details.  

The Ocean Course, Players Stadium Course, Harbour Town Links and Whilstling Straits are among the most famous Dye golf courses. They include innovative holes combined with scenic landscapes, and are certainly exciting golf courses to play at. The best thing is they are all resort courses which can be played at without club membership.

Golf Vacation Destinations: Bandon Dunes

The Brandon Dunes golf resort at Brandon, Oregon could be a suitable destination for your golfing vacation. This is the resort that tops Golf Digest's top resorts in North America. With four top class golf courses located on the Pacific coastline there's plenty of variety at this resort.

Among its courses is that of the Pacific Dunes golf course. The course extends some 6,633 yards. This is a course that has a variety of holes that play alongside the ocean, such as the par-4 13^th. This is a course with shore pines and 60 acre sand dunes. As the architect notes, “The rippling fairways are very much as we found them; so are the natural bunkers at the 2nd, 7th, 11th, 13th, 16th, and 18th holes, which guided our routing.” Golf Magazine ranks it the top public golf course in the United States.

Or you can play the Bandon Dunes Course. This is located on a bluff elevated above the Pacific Ocean. As it unfolds across pristine native dunes a variety of the course's holes have scenic ocean views.  

The Bandon Trails golf course is one that merges with sand dunes and the coastal forest. This is a 6,732 yard par- 71 course. Unlike other courses at the resort it does include any coastal holes.  

The longest course at this resort is that of Old MacDonald which extends 6,944 yards. This is the most recent layout to be added to Brandon Dunes. Old MacDonald begins further inland, plays across dunes on the third hole and then the course expands to the resort's Pacific coastline. Along its holes there are notable variations in elevation, and some huge greens are included. At the 377 yard par-3 there is an uphill climb to the hole which is plopped atop a dune ridge with the ocean below. With a variety of coastal holes it seems the course is comparable to other gems at the resort.

With a collection of great modern golf courses the Brandon Dunes resort is one to note. Check out its website for further details.

Golf Course Reviews: Old Course St Andrews

St Andrews Links, in Scotland, is considered the home of golf. This is because it is one of the oldest golf courses. Golf was being played at St Andrews some time before the first United States golf courses were established in America. As such, it is a great golf course.

To begin with the basic stats. The Old Course is an 6,721 yard 18-hole golf course. Overall, the golf course is a par 72. For the most part the golf course is dominated by par-4 holes, with two par 5s and two par-3s included among its 14 par-4 holes. The female Old Course is shorter than the male course, and includes a number of short par-5 holes.

The Old Course is a links course, and is one that is notable for its bunkers. The golf course has over 100 bunkers scattered among its holes. Some of these bunkers are many feet deep, and can trap any golfer.

In addition to this, the Old Course is also renowned for its giant double greens. These double greens are two greens combined, with a number of the Old Course's holes sharing the same greens. In fact, only a few of the holes at the course have their own greens.

Given its great championship history, St Andrews has a few famous holes. Among the most notable of these is the 17th Road Hole. The Road Hole is a long par-4 which is almost 500 yards long. The replica sheds that stretch out from the Road Hole Hotel require tee-shots over onto the fairway. This hole also includes the Road Hole Bunker, which is one of the deepest bunkers on the Old Course. The longest hole on the Old Course is the par-5 14th, which is 530 yards from the white tees.

As mentioned, the course is a great championship golf course. The golf course has staged the UK Open 28 times. Many of the game's great golfers have played and won at St Andrews Old Course including Nicklaus and Woods. Most recently Louis Oosthuizen won the UK Open at the Old Course. Other notable golf championships that have been staged at the Old Course include the Dunhill Links Championship and the Walker Cup.

Overall, the Old Course is one of the game's more famous courses. The course is a public one, and the St Andrew's resort also has further accompanying golf courses. For further details visit the St Andrew's website.

Golf Course Elevation

A number of golf courses have variable elevations. Golf course architecture can include holes that have tees someway above the green, from an elevated tee box, or alternatively they can be below the green if the hole has some upward slopes. As stated in a previous blog post overall course altitude will impact distance, but so too can variable elevation on the course itself.

Any ball will travel further on a hole that has elevated positions than one that is entirely flat. For example, let us suppose that a par-3 hole has a tee box 50 feet above the green and hole. If you select the same club that you usually would for the equivalent distance the ball might land 20 yards past the green.

In my KISS golf book it states, "Generally speaking, for every ten to 15 feet of elevation change... you need to change your club selection to the next club up." So, if you were 50 yards above the green then you might have to select a club with a number three bigger, i.e. an 8-iron instead of 5-iron, than what you may select if the hole were flat. This would compensate for the extra distance on a short par-3 hole.

But what if the green is elevated above the tee box?  There are quite a few holes that can have elevated greens, with upward slopes, such as the seventh Pampas hole at Augusta National. On that hole there is an upward approach to the green. If there's an upward elevation of 50 feet, with the green about 50 feet higher than yourself, then that will mean that you'll have to select a longer club to enhance your distance.

Your distance may be enhanced or decreased with holes that have variable elevation. If there's any notable elevation changes on the hole you should select an alternative golf club.

How to Play at the Augusta Golf Course

Unless you can get on the member list of Augusta's club, make the top 50 of the golf rankings, or win a Major you can't play the holes of Augusta. Well actually you can!

Just make a trip to some golf courses that have replicas of Augusta's holes. One golf course that includes a compilation of replica holes, two of which from the Augusta course, is that of the Castle Course at Northern Bay Golf Resort. This golf course actually includes several from renowned championship golf courses: Oakmond Country Club 3rd, Oakland Hills Club 5th, Firestones Country Club 16th, TPC Sawgrass 17th (the green surrounded with a lake) and the Bill Hill 18th. In addition to them are the 16th, the 194 yard hole that plays entirely over water, and 13th holes at the Augusta course.

The 16th hole at the Augusta National Golf Course

But that's not the only course that includes Augusta replicas. The Tour 18 golf course in Texas is another that has a compilation holes from the course. Those are the 11th, 12th and 13th holes at Augusta, among them Rae's Creek hole that has a creek between the tee and green.

Another course that includes a variety of replica golf holes is that of the World Tour Golf Links, which is located in Myrtle Beach. This boasts up to 27 replica holes at its three nine-hole courses. Among its open nine are the 1st and 18th holes of St Andrews, as well as the 16th from Augusta.The Championship Nine course also has the 11th to 13th holes from Augusta. The International has holes from Valderrama, the 8th at SpyGlass and 18th at Invernes Course which has hosted three PGA Championships and four U.S. Opens. Check out the club site for some photos of the legendary holes at their courses.

So, for a taste of championship golf these courses should not be missed. With a compilation of replica holes from renowned courses, they are the closest you can get to playing at courses such as Augusta at least. But you can still play at St Andrews in Scotland.

How to choose the right tent for your event

If you are planning an outdoor event, party, or get-together, you probably have been considering a tent rental. Tents can provide shade, shelter, and lovely ambiance to any occasion. In fact, today most outdoor occasions usually involve a tent rental, so the options have become quite extensive. There are different types, sizes, shapes, and prices—which make choosing the right tent for your event sometimes quite overwhelming!

Tent Events

Tents are a great fixture at outdoor events, and the options are endless. There are pole tents, plain tents, and clear span tents. All of them differ in difficulty in set-up; however, when managed by a professional, you don’t have to worry about that! You also have the options to decorate and customize tents by choosing your own fabrics, lighting, and liners. You can add your own festive feel to any tent to create a celebration no one will forget.

Weddings

As one would imagine, the most popular time for a tent rental is for an outdoor wedding reception. Tents for weddings are usually about 2400 square feet in size, or about 40 by 60 feet. This is the size for an average wedding rental, and can cost up to one thousand dollars. Of course, there are even bigger tents available. Some can be as large as 4000 square feet and cost up to two thousand dollars to rent for an evening. For these elaborate occasions, many people opt to dress it up a bit with draped liners or pole draping. These liners often form the walls of the tent, making a private, outside room. A tent is so versatile, that you can have both the ceremony and reception in the same space with just a few simply modifications.

Protection from the Elements

Probably the most practical reasons for renting a tent for you event are to protect your guests from the weather. Tents offer a temporary structure where party-goers can enjoy being outside while staying dry, warm, and comfortable. Other reasons why tent rental is a good idea is that they are great for seating a large number of people when indoor space is limited. They also make great shelter for picnics, concerns, dances, or meetings. The possibilities for tent use are endless.

Anyone who has seen a tent at an event immediately assumes a more festive attitude, and this is another benefit to having a tent at your event. It stands as part of the celebration’s decoration and promotes a fun and cheerful mood.

Promotional Use

A number of pop-up tents are making their way into the professional circuit. You can find these types of tents at fairs, carnivals, sporting events, and just about anywhere there is a congregation of people. These tents are fully customizable and often have a company or organizational name displayed on them. This allows workers at the tent to stay cool and protected from the sun. Plus the organization name is prominently featured in order to draw people over to the booth.

Outdoor Shade Canopy

There are also a number of different canopy tents that are available for your event. The poles and equipment used for these canopies are made of steel, while the covering is usually made of cotton. They are used for a variety of needs, such as outdoor shade, camping, on the beach, and in the backyard. If you are having a small get-together in your yard, a garden canopy tent is an economical way to add shape and ambience.

There are also retractable and patio canopy tents that are made for to add comfort and living space outdoors.

Tent Customization

Along with tent rental, many rental companies offer lighting and seating options as well. It’s smart to get all of your event needs from one company: the tent, tables, chairs, even heaters. You can get everything you want for your occasion by simply working with an event planner that caters to your needs. You may even want special colors and fabric choices for liners and ceilings, making your event even more special.

A reputable rental company will have all of your party needs at one place. They will even set up and install your tent, seating, and lighting, plus remove it after the event. Though you have to pay for this convenience, it is worth saving time and aggravation of trying to do it yourself. Tents are quickly becoming the go-to route for weddings, anniversaries, graduations, and birthdays for good reason. They are convenient, easy, and most often—quite affordable.

Shaw Tent & Event Rental is an equipment rental company located in Atlanta, Georgia.

How to Check Golf Ball Contact

A golf club impact sticker

The sweet spot of a golf club is the center of the golf club head. On some clubs it may be highlighted. This is the optimum point for ball contact. Thus if you hit the ball at the sweet spot it will travel somewhat further than if you do not.

But how can you check your ball contact? You can do so with golf club impact stickers. These are a great golfing accessory that will highlight ball contact.

Stick a golf club impact sticker to your club header. The club head can be a wood, iron or putter. Then play from the tee as you usually would, or alternatively a range. Check the golf club impact label afterwards, and note the position of the ball mark that has been left on the sticker. A sticker can include up to eight marks before you'll likely need a replacement.

All the ball marks should be at or around the sweet spot, but probably won't be! You might find some golf club impact stickers at your golf club. For further details on these great golfing accessories check out this page.

Guest Blogging on AG

Hello and happy new year! In 2013 Amateur Golfer will be including guest blog posts, so long as suitable posts are submitted. Guest blog posts are those that are not produced by the original blog owner, i.e. myself. At the end of each post links can then be included back to the guest blogger's blog.

Suitable guest blog posts can include golf course reviews, or golf travel destinations, but not anything relating to PGA golf championships. It would also be great to have some golf photography blog posts. Include a title with the blog post. Images can also be added with guest blog post submissions.

To submit a guest blog post to Amateur Golfer post your email address at the end of this post, or any other on the blog. Then I'll get in touch about Amateur Golfer guest blogging.

Magnetic Golf Hat

A few days back I unwrapped a golf hat. This was a Titleist golf hat that had one notable addition that most likely do not include.  A magnetic ball marker came included with it. At the front right of the golf hat there is a magnetic field. With this magnetic field you can stick golf ball markers of various shapes and sizes so long as they are magnetic. You can even stick coins to the hat as well!

With a magnetic golf hat such as this you won't lose your ball markers. With those you can mark your ball on the putting green, and lift it up if required. If your ball has accumulated mud from the course it can then be wiped, and placed back down where you left the ball marker.

The highest Golf Course... anywhere!

Apparently there was a golf course at Tuctu that rised some 14,000 feet above the sea. That's some altitude, and needless to say it was the highest golf course with fairways that flirted with the clouds. However, now that it has been abandoned since the '90s, with the former course overgrown with vegetation and weeds other mountainous courses lay claim to the highest golf course altitude record.

In the USA you can sure find some of the highest courses. Take a trip to Colorado which includes a few that rise over 9, 000ft, such as the The Lodge Resort at Cloudcroft. Whilst they certainly set the records in the USA, a higher altitude golf course can be found in Bolivia.

That golf course is La Paz at the Valle de la Luna. This golf course rises some 10,695 ft which is the record altitude. From the gold tees it is approximately 6,771 yards. Here you can play golf over eroded sandstone mountains which have left a flatter landscape for the course itself.

It is indeed unique terrain, and the course has some interesting holes. When you make it to the 12th you'll find an island hole and cross two bridges en route to the tee box. From here the ball will travel over rocky outcrops before landing on a flatter fairway.

One thing you can sure of at this golf course is that your ball will travel further. That's because your golf balls go that much further when playing at higher altitude courses. At Le Paz you could expect an additional 20% more distance, that's 20 more yards for every 100. Thus mountain courses are in fact somewhat shorter than their yardage charts may suggest.

Xmas Golf Game

I have my own Christmas gift for the thousands that flock to this blog. Check out this link for an Xmas golf game. Leave some of your scores at the bottom of the post.  Merry Christmas! 

Browsing the Archives

Today there are hundreds of posts on Amateur Golfer. So, I've selected a few notable blog posts from the blog's archives. Check out some of the following:

Golf Stats for the Golf Course: 

This blog post includes some golf stats for course. Stats such as stroke average, putting average etc.

Ryder Cup of Amateur Golf: 

As a team based golf championship the Walker Cup is similar to the Ryder Cup. The Ryder Cup of Amateur Golf post covers the Walker Cup championship.

Golf at the Olympics:

A brief blog post about Olympic golf championships. Only a few championships have been played at the Olympics, but golf will return.

Cypress Point Golf Slideshow: 

Check out this post for a great course video. The video includes a photo slideshow for the Cypress Point golf course.

T - Rex at St Andrew's Old Course: 

Believe it or not a T - Rex was discovered. This blog post includes a remarkable photo of a T - Rex at the St Andrew's Old Course. Add it to your desktop wallpaper.

Great Mackenzie Golf Courses: 

Mackenzie has some great golf courses from Georgia to California. Among them the Augusta championship course. This blog post covers some of Mackenize's more famous courses in the United States and beyond.

The Ideal Half-set of Golf Clubs: 

Check out this post for some golf club selection suggestions. It includes details for golf half-sets, and which seven or eight clubs should be included in your bag.

Those are just a few from the archives. The links included above will take you to the posts. Browse the blog archive on the right, below the article links, for additional posts on Amateur Golfer.

Video tour of the PGA Golf de Catalunya Stadium course

Today I've dug up a video tour of the classy PGA Golf de Catalunya Stadium golf course. As you may recall this was ranked within the top 10 European golf courses beyond the United Kingdom, and has a variety of lakes which are combined with the course holes. This golf course stretches approximately 6, 588 yards from the white tees. 

Battles of Pacific War blog

Battles of the Pacific War blog is another of my blogs included on the links to the right. This is the blog for my book Battles of the Pacific War 1941 - 1945. Here you can find all the details on my book, which alas has absolutely nothing to do with golf! The blog includes colour video footage from the Pacific War and some photography from the Pacific, alongside further details for the book. If you have any questions about the book you can put them on that blog, or at the end of this post. So why not check the blog out?

Europe's top 10 golf courses beyond Great Britain

Today I found interesting course rankings from Golf World Magazine. Golf World Magazine's top 100 courses in Europe ranks those within mainland Europe, leaving out those in Britain & Ireland. The top 10 of the rankings are as follows:

1. Les Bordes Golf Club
2. Golf de Morfontaine
3. Royal Hague Golf & CC
4. Royal Zoute Golf Club
5. Le Golf National
6. Valderrama Golf Club
7. Kennemer Golf & Country Club
8. PGA Golf de Catalunya
9. Noordwijkse Golf Club
10. Bro Hof Slott Golf Club

And so it is Les Bordes Golf Club that is the top course for continental Europe. Not a golf course that I've heard much about, but it's a large one that stretches approximately 7,000 yards. The course is set in the forests of Sologne, in France, alongside the River Loire. As such, this golf course's holes are combined with both water and the birch forest.

A number of other French golf courses are included on the list. Among them the Le Golf National which is a future venue for the Ryder Cup, and the Golf de Morfontaine is another of France's gems which ranks in at second. Both climb above more famous courses such as the great Valderrama Golf Club, a golfing mecca that has formerly hosted the Ryder Cup. Set alongside the Pyrenees, on the eastern Spanish coastline, is the PGA Catalunya Golf Course which is another PGA Tour course in Spain ranked among the top 10.

I'm not sure how many of these courses are public ones, but if membership is not required they are certainly worth noting for a golfing vacation in Spain and France. Check out the Planet Golf site for the full rankings of Europe's finest courses. Additional Golf Digest course rankings for the USA can be found in previous posts on this blog.

Siminole Lake Country Club

The Siminole Lake Country Club, located at Juno Beach, is Golf Digest's top ranked golf course in Florida. It's ranked higher than the famed TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium course. This is a 6,500 yard golf course with an abundance of wildlife. Check out this tour of one of Florida's hottest golf courses.

Great US Golf Courses

There are some great golf courses in America, either private or public venues. Generally, they are regarded as some of the best golf courses you will find. So, here are a few of some of America's finest golf courses.

Augusta

The Augusta golf course hosts the Masters golf championship each golf season. So undoubtedly, the Augusta course is a very hard championship golf course with some particularly notable holes. Hole twelve is one of the most notable holes on the course, known as Rae's Creek, where the creek passes by in front of the green and includes Ben Hogan's bridge crossing. Augusta is a scenic golf course with slick and fast greens. However, few actually play on this fine course largely reserved for the Masters golf championship.

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Pebble Beach, in California, is a golf course that plays alongside the Pacific Ocean. It is a par 72 golf course, approximately 6,828 yards overall. While Pebble Beach is a championship calibre golf course that has hosted US Opens, it is also open to public play. Many of the course's holes run along the Monetary coast line, with views of the ocean, and are susceptible to prevailing winds. Signature holes on the golf course include the seventh and eight holes. The eighth 416 yard par 4 hole includes an elevated landing area on a cliff above the green. While the 7th hole is the shortest on the course, at a little over 100 yards, the hole has a cliff-side green.

Pine Valley 

The golf course of Pine Valley is regarded as one of America's best courses. Overall, the course is a par 70 at 7,000 yards in length. Set in hundreds of acres of virgin woodland, the course is also one the trickiest. It is a golf course which has a fine collection of par 3 and par 5 golf holes, and a particularly notable 18th hole.

Cypress Point

Cypress Point's golf course is another fine course located at Pebble Beach, California. Like Pebble Beach links, it has some holes along the Pacific coast such as the 231 yard 16th hole which plays over the ocean. The first nine holes of the course run through the Del Monte forest, while the latter holes run out along the rocky Pacific coastline. Overall, it is regarded as one of America's best courses.

Oakmont 

Oakmont is one of the more historic golf courses. Overall, it dates back to 1903 and has hosted a number of Major championships, including eight US Opens and three PGA Championships. It's a tricky golf course, with hard and slick greens, narrow fairways and a variety of deep bunkers. Notable holes include the third, which has church pew bunkers on the left and deep bunkers on the right side of the fairway, and the 1st long par 4 hole.

These are four great American golf courses. The Augusta and Pebble Beach courses are two fine courses that have hosted major championships, while Pine Valley and Cypress Point have some of the best finishing holes.

Chipping Over Bunkers

If you're behind a greenside bunker pitching isn't always essential. In actual fact chipping over bunkers can be a more effective alternative. I myself have chipped over bunkers, but you can't be too far away from the green.

To chip over a bunker you should be very close to the greenside bunker. The closer you are the closer you'll be to green, and thus the ball will more likely make it over the bunker and land on the green. If you're more than 10 yards behind the bunker then it's best not to chip over.

In addition to this, the greenside bunker itself has to be a small one. A small greenside bunker should leave only a few yards for your chip to clear, preferably between five or ten yards. The bunker should also be a shallow one.

You'll also need to select a suitable club for the chip. The wedges are the most suitable clubs for the the bunker chip, because they have the most loft to provide the carry over the bunker. The sand and loft wedge could be the most suitable if you require minimal roll on the green. If more roll is needed a pitching wedge could be more effective. But the most essential thing is that the ball makes the green.

The advantage of greenside chips are that they can be more accurate. But then of course, if they don't make it over the bunker the sand wedge will be required. Check out the YouTube video for further details.

Golf Courses in Arizona

Arizona is not just deserts, canyons, and mountains. In fact, Arizona is also a great destination in the US to play golf. Some of America's best nationally recognized golf courses can be found in Arizona. These are a few of the more notable nationally recognized golf courses which have been highly ranked by golfing magazines.

Troon North Golf Club

The New Pinnacle course at Troon North Golf Club is one that has now established itself as the best golf course in Arizona. This is desert golf at its finest, with a golf course littered with cactus plants alongside the natural ravines and foothills of the Sonaran desert. New Pinnacle's sister golf course Troon North Monument is also a highly rated golf course in Arizona.

The Stadium Course

The Stadium Course at the TPC Scottsdale is perhaps one of the most famous golf courses in Arizona. The Stadium Course is a championship calibre course, and venue of the PGA Tour, that hosts the FBR Open which is one of the oldest golf championships. This golf championship has some great turn-outs, and many of the games great players have played in it at the Stadium Course. This course also has some famous holes, such as the 16th Coliseum hole, which is a closed in hole surrounded by spectators.   On this hole Woods hit a famous hole-in-one early in his pro golfing career.

Arizona National Golf Club

Arizona National Golf Club has perhaps the best golf course in Tucson, and one of the best in Arizona. This Trent Jones designed desert course is set in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains and has some great scenery along its 6,735 yards. As such, it has been rated as one of the top 100 golf courses in the USA.

Wee-Ko-Pa Golf Club

Wee-Ko-Pa has two great nationally recognized golf courses. These are the Cholla and Suagaro golf courses set in unspoiled Sonaran desert. These are two golf courses which have plenty of yardage, with holes up to and eclipsing 600 yards in distance. Both are considered to be among the best public golf courses in Arizona, and also the USA.

Grayhawks Golf Club

The Grayhawks Golf Club includes the two nationally recognized golf courses of Talon and Raptor. Both golf courses have become established as PGA Tour venues, having hosted championships such as Frys.Com Open, Williams World Challenge, and Accenture Match Play Championship.  They are two championship golf courses that have great views of the McDowell Mountains and the distant Phoenix skyline. As such, the courses are also rated among the best daily-fee courses in Arizona.

These are a few of the nationally recognized golf courses in Arizona. They are top-class venues for golf set among the deserts and mountains of Arizona, and some are also public courses, as well as venues for the PGA Tour.

Golf Forums

There are a variety of golf forums on which you can post. On golf forums you can post to topics on the forum, or even begin your own golf topics. Usually you have to register on the forum before you can begin posting.  Most are included on golf websites, and these are a few golf forums to note.

Golf Monthly
ShotTalk Golf Community
Golf WRX
Golf Magic
Ozgolf.net 

Those are just a few of the forums that you can check out. Input the keyword 'golf forums' for more.

A Brief Guide to the Wedges

The wedges are a group of iron clubs which have the highest lofts. They are fairly essential golf clubs to have in your bag, so you'll need to bring at least one of them out on to the course with you. Overall, there are four primary wedge clubs which are ideal for short play.

The Sand Wedge 

The sand wedge is the wedge for playing out of bunkers. It's the best club green side bunkers at least, although in fairway bunkers club selection can be more variable. This wedge has plenty of loft, and in that respect is only eclipsed by the lob wedge. For shorter distance pitching and chipping out of longer grass this can also be a very effective club.

The Lob Wedge

This wedge has more loft than any alternative club in your bag. As such, with this club you can get the ball over almost anything on the course with a precise pitch. The club has a short carry distance, suitable for anything within about 50 yards of the flag. Don't select this club if you're further than 50 yards or so.

The Pitching Wedge

The pitching wedge is the wedge with the least loft. As such, this makes it ideal if you're too far off the green for a chip, but too close for a 9-iron. To be more specific 50-100 yards from the flag. It can also be an alternative club for green side bunkers.

The Gap Wedge

The gap wedge is one of the newer wedges which provides an additional wedge for club selection. Not the most essential wedge in the bag perhaps with more loft than the pitching wedge, but less than a sand wedge. Its average distance is also less than the pitch wedge, but more than a standard sand wedge. As such, the gap wedge fills the void between those wedges.

Any of these clubs are suitable for pitching and shorter distance chipping from around the green. Make sure that you have a few in your bag when on the golf course.

Cape Kidnappers Golf Course

Cape Kidnappers is a golf course located in New Zealand's Hawke's Bay on the east coast which extends some  7,119 yards. It's another golf course that has some fantastic coastal landscapes, and  is ranked among the best golf courses beyond the States. Check out this Cape Kidnapper video for a great overview of this course. 

When the Summer Ends

When the summer ends expect golf courses to be wetter than usual. This will ensure an accumulation of casual water on the course, soaking your balls and reducing their roll. Less roll equates to less distance, so consider some of the following suggestions.

Forget about longer distance chipping. Longer distance chips, otherwise bump-and-runs, rely on more extensive ball roll for the ball to reach the flag. In which case, on a water soaked course, your chip may not even make it to the green. Revert to pitching when required.

In much the same way the Texas Wedge putt will not be so effective either. In sunny Texas this could get you close to the hole from some distance, but when the rains left puddles it's usually best to leave the putter in the bag if you're off the green. Chipping is usually the better alternative. However, if you're still very close to the green it could still come off.

Select longer clubs than usual. For example, a chip that may require a sand wedge on a dry course could require something more like a 9-iron for the same distance on wet courses. In addition to this you should select longer irons on the fairway to provide some more roll for the ball.

If your ball lands in a puddle, otherwise casual water, remember that you do not have to leave the ball there. You can drop the ball out of the puddle without having to add a stroke. Just make sure that you drop the ball a little behind the puddle and not ahead of it. Never drop balls ahead of the original position.

On the green a little more pace will be required for your putts. Up the pace a little more than usual with firmer putting. But even on a wet green you can still over hit putts.

Wash your golf clubs when you can. They'll be more muddy than on dry courses, but can be rinsed down in deeper puddles on the courses. At the least you should rub your clubs down with a towel, or if nothing else your jumper to remove some of the mud from the club heads.

Those are just a few suggestions for wet golf courses. Check out this page for further details.

Great Public Golf Courses

You have to be a member to play at a private golf course. Such golf courses can have membership fees running into thousands of dollars, so for the casual golfer are not the best option. However, public golf courses do not require club membership to play on them, although they will likely still include membership packages. So, here are a few recommended public golf courses.

Pebble Beach Links

Pebble Beach Links is regarded as one of the best golf courses, and has hosted a number of top golf tournaments such as the US Open on five occasions. The best bit is that as a golf resort course it is open to the public, although admittedly has a high green fee approaching $300 dollars a round. Still, it is a great golf course that plays alongside the Pacific Ocean. Including some fantastic holes and setting, it can make for a great golfing vacation.

BethPage Statepark Black Course

Also featuring high on Golf Digest's top public golf courses is that of BethPage Black. This golf course played host to the 2009 US Open, and so is undoubtedly a tricky golf course. Although perhaps not ideal for beginner golfers, BethPage Black golf course is much more affordable than the likes of Pebble Beach with green fees ranging from $60 - $120.

The Ocean Course

The Ocean Course is the jewel in the crown of the Kiawah Island Golf resort. It is similar to Pebble Beach, in respect of its coastal setting, but is alongside the Atlantic shoreline. The course includes some great views of the Atlantic shoreline, although prevailing Atlantic winds can always impact a round at the Ocean Course. Notable golf tournaments such as the 1991 Ryder Cup have also been staged at the Ocean Course, as well as the World Cup of Golf.

Old Course at St Andrews

The Old Course of St Andrews is a great links course with a fine history. It is also a public venue for public golf, and so is recommended. The home of golf has played host to a number of UK Open tournaments, and has some great holes such as the road hole which is a long par 4, and the 11th par 3 hole. While the course is closed on Sundays, you can play it most other days providing there is no championships being played on it.

Kape Kidnappers

Kape Kidnapper's golf course in New Zealand is a golfing marvel. This golf course is a sea-side golf course, set alongside Hawke's Bay. Surrounding the golf course are 600ft cliffs that plunge into the sea, with some cliff-side greens for good measure. Course designer Tom Doak has said of Kape Kidnappers:

“Our goal in designing golf courses is to create interesting holes you wouldn't find anywhere else. That wasn't hard to do at Cape Kidnappers, because the site is not like anywhere else in golf.”

So overall, Kape Kidnappers is a spectacular public golf course and resort. The golf course has been ranked as one of the world's top golf courses by publications such as Golf Magazine. Admittedly, green fees are almost as steep as the cliffs at Kape Kidnappers, but it is a recommended public golf course.

So, these are five recommended public golf courses. The golf courses of Pebble Beach Links, Kape Kidnappers, St Andrews Old Course, BethPage Black, and the Ocean Course of Kiawah Island are all excellent public golf courses and resorts that have variable green fees.

Red, White and Yellow Stakes

If you've played a few courses, you'll probably have noticed a few multi-colored stakes on some of their holes. These are usually wooden stakes, located around lakes, near to fences or other parts of a hole some way to the left or the right of the fairway. This is what the stakes are highlighting.

Red Stakes

The red stakes will be located alongside lateral water, such as a meandering stream, which may be running along the side of a hole. If your ball lands in one of these, then you've probably lost it if the stream is full of water. During the summer months streams might not be full of water, and you may still be able to find your ball to play out. However, if not then you'll have to drop you ball within a couple of club lengths behind one of the red stakes nearest to the point where you ball fell in the water.

White Stakes

White stakes are something else, and highlight those points of a golf course which are out of bounds. If you find that your ball has landed beyond a series of white stakes, possibly 25 yards apart, then it's gone out of bounds. In which case you'll have to pick your ball up, if you can find it, and go back to the approximate spot where you made the previous out-of-bound shot to drop ball. As a tip, you might want to leave a tee-marker at the original spot before searching for the ball if it may have gone out-of-bounds. Add an extra number to your scorecard and proceed.

Yellow Stakes 

Thirdly, there are also yellow stakes which will most likely be located around golf course lakes or smaller ponds. They're pretty similar to the red stakes, except that the lake or pond is not lateral. As such, if your ball lands in the water here you'll just have to drop the ball a little behind one of the yellow stakes closest to where you ball landed in the water. And of course, add a penalty stroke as well.

So, when on the course you should drop replacement balls close to these stakes if your ball goes in the water. Drop the balls a little behind them, no nearer to the hole where the ball originally landed. Or alternatively, return to the point where you made the original shot if the ball is out-of-bounds.

When the Golf Season Ends

November means the main golf season is all but over. However, that does not mean that all golf courses close, and so golfing can continue during the off-season. So, why not?

Certainly, the climate will drop a few degrees as winter sets in. But in certain parts of the US you can certainly expect mild climates to remain in those southern US states such as Florida, Arizona etc. Beyond winter, as spring emerges you can expect milder climates still before the golf season really begins.

However, playing golf in colder weather may still require warmer clothing. A good golf jumper should be okay. In addition to this, vests, gloves, and woolly hats are recommended. In addition to this, a Thermos flask with tea or cocoa will also be worth taking onto the golf course.

You can also expect that golf course conditions will likely be wetter. That is to say, with annual precipitation greater beyond summer and during the winter months. If the weather is colder still, frost can also make golf courses damp. Damp golf courses will mean that the ball will not roll as far, and so in this respect less distance. For putting, putts can be under-hit and missed on damp greens.

The chances of downpours may also be greater off-season. In this respect, if it starts to rain heavily you might have to abandon the course. Take an umbrella out on the golf course, and do not play if overhead clouds are very grey.

Despite this, there are a few advantages to playing golf during the off-season. Some golf courses may reduce rates during the off-peak periods. As such, off-season golf can be more economical.

During the off-season golf courses you can expect the golf courses to be more empty. Emptier golf courses means that you can play round the course more quickly. Alternatively, quite the opposite if no golfers are behind you can take your time. Overall, golf courses will be easier to get on to with no advance book that may be required during the summer.

Still, if you must not play on a golf course during the off-season, then ranges are a better alternative. Whether it's pouring or not, golf ranges will be open. As such, this can be the next best thing to playing on course.

So, playing golf in the off-season has its advantages and disadvantages. For sure, weather conditions can vary, and golf courses will certainly be wetter during the off-season. However, during the early spring you can expect more sunshine, and potential discounts during the off-season

Best Golf Courses Video

Which are the best golf courses? This video includes a great compilation of "some of the world's best golf courses." Check it out! 

Great Mackenzie Golf Courses

Mackenzie was a great course architect who inspired some famous golf courses in the early 20th century. Mackenzie's golf courses in the United States stretch from Georgia in the east, to California in the west. These are a few of Mackenzie's great golf courses.  

One of the holes at the Augusta National.

Augusta is one of the most famous golf courses in the game. Located in Georgia, this is one you've probably heard of as the annual Master's golf championship is played here. It's the only course that has its own Major, and extends some 7,445 yards. I've also included course video tours in previous blog posts.

Around its famous holes the course has a compilation of plants among its flower beds, and pine trees which run alongside some of the fairways. In addition to this, the course has water on some of its more exciting holes, such as the 12^th Rae's Creek where a creek separates the green from the tee-box. For further details, check out this previous blog post.

Cypress Point, in California, is another great Mackenzie course. Both Golf Magazine and Golf Digest have ranked this among the top five golf courses in the United States. It has a fantastic coastal setting, as it meanders through coastal dunes and also passes through the Del Monte forest over the front nine. The 16^th 231 yard par-3 hole is one of the most exciting par-3 holes you'll likely find on a course with a tee-shot required over the Pacific to make the green. This previous blog post includes a Cypress Point video tour.

The Royal Melbourne and the Crystal Downs Country Club are two other notable Mackenzie courses. The Royal Melbourne is located in Australia, and its composite course, which includes holes from both the East and West courses, is one of the top rated courses beyond the United States. Mackenzie primarily inspired the West course when he visited Australia during the 1920s. The Crystal Downs Country Club is a 6,518 yard course that plays alongside Lake Michigan and Crystal Lake, and this too has made the top 10 of Golf Digest's course rankings.  

These courses are ranked among the best in the world. Few course architects have courses which match these classic Mackenzie golf courses.  

Merion Golf Course

Today I've dug up another golf course tour video. This time, it's the Merion East Course in Pennsylvania. This is a 6,846 yard golf course that has hosted four U.S. Open  Championships. The next U.S. Open will also be played at this course as well. Check out the video below.

Golf Club Selection for Longer Grass

A Pebble Beach green surrounded
by longer grass

Around the fairways and greens there is longer grass on the golf course, otherwise the rough. When your ball lands in the longer grass, effective golf club selection will go some way to ensuring that your ball will fly out of it. Here are a few suggestions to note.

When selecting a club for longer grass, clubs that have more loft will be most effective in playing out of it. Certainly, if you are in longer grass very close to the green, the wedges should come into play. With either a sand or pitching wedge you should be able to chip your way out of longer grass and onto the green.

Some may be familiar with the bump-and-run chip, which is essentially a longer distance chip which rolls onto the green. Don't play any longer distance chips from around the green if you are in longer grass, and cannot expect the ball to land on the green first. The longer grass will take most of the roll off the chip, considerably reducing the distance. Instead, select a wedge for a pitch onto the green.

What if your ball is in longer grass closer to the tee-box? A lofted wood can be a good choice of club, as it will also provide some distance as well. Consider a club such as the 7-wood, which can have up to 20 degrees of loft. Short iron clubs such as the 9 and 8-iron are also good for playing out of longer grass along the fairway.

But, if you're in very long grass you should select a wedge, such as a the sand or pitch wedge, wherever you are on the hole. Select a wedge for a pitch out of the grass, to get the ball back onto the fairway. This may reduce distance but it will also reduce the possibility of the ball remaining in the longer grass.

So, any of the wedges, 7 or 9-wood, or the 8 and 9-irons should be suitable clubs to select when in longer grass. Make sure you have a few of them in your bag for a range of suitable clubs for the longer grass.

Brief Guide to Short Play

In the game of golf the short play refers to shorter distance shots such as putting, chipping, and pitching or bunker play. This can be either on the putting green, or alternatively around the green up to 50 yard or possibly 75 yards.

On the putting green, though you might never have guessed it, the putter is used! From here, a longer lag putt may be required to set-up a shorter putt for the hole. For example, if further than 10 or 12 yards from the hole then you will likely need a lag putt. Then a shorter putt of about three feet may only be needed.

The greens can be variable. Some might be flat, while others may include slopes. For these, you need to be careful and take into account that a putt will not go so far up a sloped green. Equally, a ball will roll further on a dry green than a wet green.

It should be noted, that even if you are not on the green, then putters can still be used to putt the ball onto one. If you are close enough, and on reasonably short grass, then a putt onto the green from the fairway can be effective.

Of course, in the event that you are slightly further from the green then a putter may not be suitable. In such cases, balls can be chipped onto the green from variable distances up to 50 yards or possibly even further with enough ball roll. Realistically, it is best to chip from within 50 yards with an iron club such as seven, eight or nine. Alternatively, for short chips then a sand or pitching wedge can also be suitable.

However, the chip shot does have its limitations. Let us say, for example, that you are in the rough grass with a fairly large bunker in front. Here, a chip would not clear the bunker so a pitch shot would be a better alternative. The pitch shot is short lofted shot that can clear bunkers or even water.

The actual distance of pitching can vary. Usually, they can be within 50 yards of the green, or possibly further away for longer pitches. In such cases that only a short shot is needed to land on the green, then pitches are also suitable.

Only the wedge clubs are really suitable for pitches. Clubs such as the sand wedge or pitching wedge have a good amount of loft. Other longer irons will not have the loft required.

Bunker play from green-side bunkers, can also be considered short play. If a ball lands in a bunker, then a bunker shot from out of the sand and onto the green is best. Overall, the sand wedge is the club for bunker play from greenside bunkers.

Overall, putting on the green is the most important part of short play. However, chipping, pitching or bunker play will also likely be required on most holes from around the green.