2011 Golf Season Round-Up

This will be the final post of the year on Amateur Golfer. As such, here is a round-up of who won the Majors in 2011, as well as the amateur golf championships the Walker Cup and U.S. Amateur Championship.

• Augusta Masters  - Schwartzel
• UK Open – Clarke
• US Open – McIlroy
• PGA Championship – Bradley
• The Walker Cup – Great Britain and Ireland
• US Amateur Championships – Hills

As such, South Africa, NI and the United States have all celebrated Major golf championship victories in 2011. NI had two Major victories which was fantastic. In the amateur game Great Britain and Ireland were victorious in the Walker Cup with a 14 to 12 victory that was another highlight. Great Britain’s team therefore regained the Walker Cup after three American victories in the last three Walker Cups. 

55 posts have also been added to Amateur Golfer in 2011. As such, also consider browsing the archives of this blog. Or alternatively, check out the author’s Helium articles via the links included on this blog.

Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas this week, so why not decorate your Christmas tree with golf Christmas ornaments?  For example, you can decorate your tree with golf ball Christmas ornaments, and there are various other golf baubles that you could add to your Christmas tree. Check out the Golf Décor website which has a range of golf Christmas ornaments, or input the Google keyword, golf Christmas tree decorations. And finally, merry Christmas!

Great Coastal Golf Courses

The Monterey Coastline of Pebble Beach

Golf courses beside the coast are usually among the more exciting. They can have some great ocean holes along their respective coastlines. As such, there are some great coastal golf courses.

Pebble Beach

The famed Pebble Beach course is one of the great coastal golf courses on the Monterey coastline of California. This golf course has some fantastic ocean holes such as the 7^th par 3, and the 18^th hole which plays alongside the ocean that is rated as one golf's best finishing holes. Pebble Beach is a venue of the PGA Tour and has hosted numerous U.S. Opens as well as other golf championships. It’s also a resort course so should be great for a golf vacation!

Cypress Point

Another of the great golf courses on the Monterey coastline is that of Cypress Point, a great alternative to the Pebble Beach course that is ranked second in Golf Magazine’s course rankings. This is a 6,525 yard golf course that has some classic holes that play alongside the Pacific. Among them is the great 16^th hole, a 222 yard par three on headlands sixty feet above the sea that requires a tee shot over the sea to reach the green.

The Ocean Course

The Ocean Course is the highlight of the Kiawah Island golf resort on the eastern coastline. This championship golf course has formerly hosted the Ryder Cup. For further details on this course this previous Amateur Golfer post is worth noting.

The Mid Ocean Course

The Mid Ocean Course is scenic coastal golf course which is the best in Bermuda. The famed golf course is one of the older American courses that dates back to 1921, and has remained a great destination for golf. The course includes some great holes such as the 18^th which borders the sea. The 5^th long par 4 hole is another of the course’s highlights.

These are four great coastal golf courses and resorts at Kiawah Island, Pebble Beach and Bermuda. These courses have plenty of highlights and great coastal settings.

Golf Holidays in the Iberian Peninsula

When it comes to golf vacations the Iberian Peninsula is one of the hottest destinations. Spain and Portugal have a number of great golf vacation resorts on the coast and further inland that have a variety of golf holiday packages. Both for golf and more general vacations Spain and Portugal have plenty of highlights.

Among the notable golf resort in Spain is that of the Marbella Club Golf & Spa Resort on the Costa del Sol. This golf resort includes an 18-hole par 73 course that is located on the Mediterranean coast. It also includes a shorter 9-hole course. Further inland there is also the PGA Catalunya, a 7,200 yard course near Barcelona which has 36 holes of championship golf, and has also been ranked among the top 10 golf courses in Europe.

In Portugal there are also some great destinations for golfing vacations. The golf coast of Lisbon has numerous golf courses and some noteworthy resorts such as the Cascais golf resort.  Lisbon was also one of the IAGTO golf destinations of the year in 2007.

Among the best golf resorts of the Algarve region include Parque Da Floresta Golf & Leisure Resort in the Western Algarve. This includes the Parque Da Floresta course, a 6,295 yard par 71, which is set in rolling hills and is well placed to nearby beaches along the Algarve’s coastline. It also has various golf holiday packages.

So, you can be sure to find some great resorts in Spain and Portugal. The Marbella, Cascais, PGA Catalunya and Parque Da Floresta golf courses and resorts are just three of the noteworthy golfing destinations there. When the summer comes these resorts are meccas for golf vacations. 

End of the Golf Poll

The matchplay & strokeplay golf poll has now closed. While there were not a great number of votes in this poll, 66% voted for strokeplay as the best golf scoring format. As such, strokeplay wins the poll with two thirds of the vote!

Cold Golf Balls

When playing in the winter do not expect the ball to travel so far as in the summer. Not only will it rain more during the winter, therefore reducing ball roll, but colder weather will also reduce the distance of the ball further. As a former PGA technical director has stated in his book Dear Frank, “at 40 degrees, the ball will travel about 10 to 12 1/2 yards less than at 90 degrees," Thomas wrote.

As such, you can expect a 10 – 20 yard drop in distance.  Factor in damp courses and less ball roll and that can reduce yardages by an extra few yards as well. So, you may want to use slightly longer clubs during the winter than you might for the same tee shots in the summer.

There are also some cold weather golf balls that you might want to note such as the ColdFusion Cold Weather Golf Ball. This golf ball is a winter golf ball that is supposed to travel further during the winter season. For further details on the ColdFusion golf ball check out their website.

The Matchplay & Strokeplay Poll

At the moment Amateur Golfer's poll remains level at one one. There have not been many votes as of yet, so it would be good to have some more to ensure a winner at least. Please vote in the golf poll.

Golf Vacation Destinations: Kiawah Island

Kiawah Island is one of the hottest golf vacation destinations in North America. This resort is located off the coast of South Carolina, close to Charleston. This barrier island has five award winning championship golf courses to play at: The Ocean Course, Osprey Point, Cougar Point and Turtle Point. This will also be the venue for the 2012 PGA Tour golf championship.

Of its golf courses, the Ocean Course is probably the most famous. This is the golf course that has already hosted the ’91 Ryder Cup, and it will also be the venue for the 2012 PGA Tour championship. This is a golf course that is located on the coastline, and has lots of seaside holes along the coast. With its miles of sand dunes the course is reminiscent of seaside link golf courses in the United Kingdom. The course is some 7,356 yards long from the championship golf tees, and has one of the highest course ratings. So, it’s probably not an ideal course if you just started playing, but nonetheless there are still four other golf courses at Kiawah Island which are alternatives. 

2012 IAGTO Awards

When considering a potential golf vacation destination, take note of the IAGTO Awards. These are the official awards of the golf travel industry, and highlight some fantastic golfing destinations. The most recent destinations selected for the 2012 awards are as follows:

Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year

BULGARIA

Golf Destination of the Year - Africa, Indian Ocean & Gulf States

ABU DHABI

Golf Destination of the Year - Asia & Australasia

PATTAYA, THAILAND

Golf Destination of the Year - Europe

FIFE, SCOTLAND

Golf Destination of the Year - Latin America & The Caribbean

LOS CABOS, MEXICO

Golf Destination of the Year - North America

PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

Golf Resort of the Year - Europe

FAIRMONT ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND

Golf Resort of the Year - North America

TURNBERRY ISLE MIAMI, FLORIDA

Golf Resort of the Year - Rest of World

MISSION HILLS • HAINAN, CHINA

As such, Palm Springs and FIFE are the best destinations in North America and Europe for a golf vacation in 2012. In addition to this, the golf resorts of Turnberry and St Andrews are also well worth noting. For further details on previous winners of the IAGTO Awards, check out their website which includes full listings of previous winners. Plus, take note of Amateur Golfer’s previous poll which voted the United Kingdom as Europe’s best golf destination!

Golf Digest's Best Public Courses

Among the other Golf Digest course rankings are the best public golf course listings. These are the best golf courses that are open to the public and so do not require any membership to play at. As such, they are ideal golf vacation courses.

And Golf Digest’s best public golf course is…drum roll please… Pebble Beach! Pebble Beach in California is ranked as one of the finest golf courses in America, one of the most exciting venues on the PGA Tour that remains a resort course. Pebble Beach has hosted five great U.S. Opens, and has a great coastal setting along the Monterey coastline. It includes famous holes such as the short 7^th and the 18^th hole which plays along the ocean and is rated as one of golf’s best finishing holes. For further details on their golf vacation packages check out the Pebble Beach website.

Another notable resort courses included in the top 10 is that of the Ocean Course. The Ocean Course is one of the famed resort courses on Kiawah Island on the eastern coast. Like Pebble Beach this has also hosted PGA Tour championships as well as the Ryder Cup in 1991. This golf course has more coastal holes than any other in the northern hemisphere. 10 holes run alongside its Atlantic coastline. Along with the other courses at Kiawah Island it is another great golf vacation destination.

Another notable championship golf course in the top 10 is that of Bethpage State Park which is ranked 7^th. Bethpage has hosted two U.S. Opens golf championships, and is also great value. The course includes a variety of tees to tee-off from so its overall yardage ranges from a 7, 297 yards – 6223 from the red tees.

These are three of the great public courses included in Golf Digest’s top 10. For the full rankings, check out this page.

Strokeplay V Matchplay

As most golf fans will be aware, the two main scoring formats in golf are strokeplay and matchplay. Strokeplay is the format used in all of the Major golf championships, while matchplay is used in the Ryder Cup and other team based golf championships such as the Walker Cup. Which is the best scoring format?

Well, that’s for you to vote on in the latest Amateur Golfer poll. Do you prefer a strokeplay match with overall scoring total, or a matchplay contest in which the player who wins the most holes wins the round? For further details on the golf scoring formats check out this previous post on Amateur Golfer. 

Overall, I feel that matchplay is a touch underrated and could be included for more golfing cups. There have been some great Ryder Cups with the matchplay format, and it could be extended further for non-team golf championships. As such, matchplay gets my vote. 

White selected for French Rugby Team

Gregory White has quickly emerged as a key player for the Toulouse Olympique squad, the only French team to play in the Rugby League Championship 2011. Never before had White played a senior rugby league game in Australia before being spotted by French rugby scouts.

Now it’s an altogether different story as not only is White playing for Toulouse Olympique, but has also been selected for the French Rugby League squad for upcoming internationals with England, Wales and Ireland after some impressive try scoring form. As such, now White could be playing for France in the 2013 World Cup, possibly against the Kangaroos. For further details, check out some of the links included in this blog post.

Night Golf

Well it’s November, and that means shorter daylight hours. However, who says you cannot play night golf? In actual fact there are numerous floodlit golf courses which are lit up when daylight visibility diminishes, and even non floodlit golf courses may not change their summer course opening hours during the winter. Golf courses such as the Al Hamra Golf Club are good examples of floodlit courses for evening golf. Just input the keyword night golf into Google for a range of floodlit golf course images.

Al Hamra Golf Course

Even if you cannot find a floodlit course, you can still invest in glow in the dark light up golf balls which will illuminate at night. In addition to this, bring a torch out onto the course with you. For further details on evening golf check out this website which highlights how holes can be illuminated without floodlights.

2011 Blog Posts

There have been 42 2011 blog posts on Amateur Golfer. A record number have been added in 2011 covering golf travel, golf championships, tips and golf courses and holes. Of course, you can find these in Amateur Golfer’s archives, but here are a few links to some of the more notable 2011 blog posts on Amateur Golfer.

The Fifth Major – the US Amateur Championship

This blog post covers the US Amateur Championship. It’s one of the biggest golf championships, and was once considered to be one of the Majors.

The Texas Wedge Putt

Putting off the green can be more effective than chipping. Here the Texas Wedge putt is covered in more detail.

Great American Golf Holes

This covers some of the great American golf holes in more detail. More specifically, the 18^th at Pebble Beach, 12^th at Augusta and 17^th at the Stadium Course are all covered in this blog post with details for each hole.

Putting Tips

Looking for some putting tips? Take note of this blog post which includes some.

America's Top 10 Golf Courses in 2011

Which are the best golf courses in America? This golf blog covers America’s top 10 golf courses in 2011. As such, it includes Golf Digest’s 2011 top 10 listing.

Longest Golf Hole in the United States

The longest golf hole in the United States is… Check out this blog post which provides further details on the longest golf hole in America.

Golf Desktop Wallpaper

Golf desktop wallpaper can be a great way to enhance the desktop. This blog post includes links to websites that have a good variety of golf desktop wallpaper.

These are a few noteworthy 2011 Amateur Golfer blog posts. And there are a good few more. For some further links to some of the best blog posts on this blog both before and during 2011 you should also check out this post.

Windows 7 Golf Theme

Windows 7 has a variety of customization options, among which include themes. So, why not add your own golf theme? I have already found a suitable golf theme that you can add to your desktop themes. Check out this golf theme.

In addition to this, you can also add a golfing screen saver to further enhance the theme. Visit this site which includes a range of golf screen savers which you can add to Windows 7. Or alternatively, you can add some further golf desktop wallpaper or photos which can then be included as part of the Windows Live Essentials screen saver. Just set up a folder for this, select Windows Live Essential screen saver settings and then the folder.

Free Drops

In some cases during a round, you may have a free drop if your ball lands in a specific lie as outlined by the R&A. With a free drop you can lift and drop the ball a little further back onto a playable lie. So, when can you free drop?

If your ball lands on something artificial you can have a free drop. However, as has been noted in the previous post, this is only the case if the artificial object cannot be moved. If you can move the artificial object away from the ball, then you should mark the position of the ball with tee marker and do so.

If your ball lands in casual water this is also another time that you can pick up your ball and drop it behind and out of the casual water. Note that casual water is any heavy and temporary accumulation of water on the course such as deep puddles or ice. As such, a lake is not casual water even if the water levels can rise and fall. If you land in casual water within a bunker, then you should still drop your ball back so that it lands in a dryer spot of the bunker if that is possible.

Some parts of a golf course may be ground under repair. Ground under repair are areas of course maintenance, and the golf course should highlight this with a ground under the repair sign. When your ball lands in a ground under repair area of the course, you can also pick your ball up and free drop it just behind the ground under repair area.

A number of golf courses may have carted paths. If your ball lands on a cart path, then you can also have a free drop.

So, you can free drop your ball if it lands on artificial object, casual water, ground under repair or a cart path. However, if that is not the case then you will usually have to add a stroke to your scorecard. Note than a dropped ball, either free or otherwise, should not be closer to the hole than it was before you dropped it.

What if your Ball Lands Beside a Bunker Rake?

At least one bunker rake is included on a hole, usually in or near to a green side bunker. As such, your ball can end up landing on and rolling beside a bunker rake. Take my word for it, as this is exactly what happened during one of my rounds with my ball parked up beside a rake which ensured that with the rake there it was unplayable.

It is stated that you are entitled to a free drop if your ball lands on, or by, anything artificial which a bunker rake is. However, it is also stated that if it is a movable then you should move it away from the ball. So, mark the position of the ball with a tee marker, and then move the bunker rake away and place the ball back in its original position. As such:

There is no requirement for a free drop if you can move the artificial object away from the ball.

Golf Magazine’s 500 Greatest Golf Holes

Golf Magazine has provided regular listings as to the top golf courses in the sport, and their book also lists 500 of the best golf holes in the game. In fact, it does more than merely list them, but also includes some great photography and illustrations as well as a variety of lists such as the best golf holes by number. The Washington Times has stated that this is a golf book, “on par with no other” and the Journal Sentinal, “the definitive guide.”

So, which are among the highly rated golf holes included? Among those included in the best 18:

• The 4th at Banff Springs, 192 yard, par 3
• The 15th at Cypress Point, 139 yard, par 3
• The 17th at TPC Sawgrass, 132 yard, par 3
• The 18 at Pebble Beach, 548 yards, par 5
• The 13th at Augusta National, 510 yards, par 5
• The 17th at St Andrews (Old), 461 yard, par 4
• The 13th at Pine Valley Golf Club, 448 yard, par 4
• The 12th at Southern Hills Country Club, 445 yards, par 4
• The 5th at Bethpage, 451 yards, par 4
• The 5th at the Mid Ocean Club, 433 yards, par 4

Those are 10 among the top 18 of Golf Magazine's best golf holes which are not ranked in a specific order. The 18th at Pebble Beach is rated as the best finishing hole in golf, which plays alongside the Monterey coastline. The famed 17th the TPC Sawgrass is also included which is a hole surrounded by water. Then there is the 17th Road Hole at St Andrews which has been one of the highlights of numerous Open Championships held there. Previous posts on Amateur Golfer provide further details on some of these holes, such as Great American Golf Holes and Famous Golf Holes.

Golf Digest's Top 10 Nine-hole Golf Courses

Nine-hole golf courses are always a good alternative to 18-hole courses, as there are some great nine-hole golf courses. Golf Digest has also ranked some of the finest nine-hole golf courses in America. These are the top 10 nine-hole courses:

1.) The Dunes Club
2.) Whitinsville
3.) Northwood GC
4.) Aetna Springs GC
5.) Sunnylands
6.) Birchwood
7.) Signal Point Club
8.) Links at Fisher Island
9.) Starr Hollow GC
10.) Pocantino Hills GC

As such, it is the highly rated Dunes Club in New Buffalo, Michigan that is ranked the best nine-hole course in America. This course is approximately 3,478 yards long, and is also a private course. It includes some great holes such as the 513 yard par 8 which has an elevated tee and small green.

A number of publications rate the Dunes Club as one of the best American golf courses regardless of hole numbers. For example, in 2001 it ranked 76 in Golf Magazine’s top 100 golf courses. While there does not seem to be a website for this course, this Dunes Club slideshow is worth noting.

Putting Tips

The golf putt, and golf putting, is an important part of golf scoring. Any golf hole will most likely need at least two putts, amounting to at least 36 putts for 18 holes. More effective golf putting, will certainly enhance golf scores. There are a few tips worth considering for improving at putting.

It is worth noting, that on the green there are really two types of golf putt: lag putting and short putts. A lag putt will be a longer putt, perhaps longer than 10 or 12 feet, aimed to be as close to the hole as possible for a short putt to finish. Then there are shorter distance putts, which can be putted into the hole.

Lag Putting:

Overall, more precise lag putts that finish up to 3 or 4 feet of the hole will likely reduce the number of putts required on the green. PGA tour player Ernie Els has said:

"Effective lag putting can turn a good round into a great one."

For Els recommends that careful attention be paid to the contours around the green and hole when lag putting. As such, it is most important to adjust the speed of a longer putt in relation to uphill and downhill slopes closer to the hole. A downhill slope will require a slightly lighter putt, while uphill putts will require a slightly firmer faster putt.

Overall, to get a good feel for lag putts, you should consider putting a number of longer putts from variable longer and shorter distances on an artificial putting green. Adjust the distance and position of the lag putts, and try to hit them within just a few feet of the hole.

Short Putting:

Shorter putts, can still be missed even up to 3 feet from the hole. They need to be more accurate that lag putts. Generally, a firm grip of the putter should avoid using the wrists when putting. While putting grips can be variable, a reverse-overlap grip has been favoured by golf pros as it keeps the wrists locked in. Another alternative is a cross-handed grip where the left hand is tucked under the right, and also keeps the wrists firm. Both grips are worth considering for golf putting.

With any putting grip, it should also be light, soft and not overly tight. Avoid a tight putting grip, which can reduce putting accuracy on the greens.

Putting clubs can be of variable design. The club heads can include markings to assist with aiming. In addition, they can be centre shafted or toe and heel putters. Overall, the hinged putter is recommended, which can assist with alignment and straight putting. If you are often putting three times on a green, then consider changing your putter. If is possible, trial any potential new putter at a club store.

So, there are a few ways that golf putting can be enhanced on the green. Reading the slope and contours with lag putts, can give a better chance of reducing putts. In addition, short putting will be more consistent with a soft but firm putting grip. Overall, two putts on the green is a good total to aim for.