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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Planning a Golf trip

Most avid golfers love the idea of going on a trip. This is the best chance for them to visit new places and play golf at some of the finest courses that they don't usually have a chance to play on a regular basis. In some cases though, golfers do not plan in advance and can wind up with a ruined weekend. Below are some tips that can help you with planning a golf trip for you and your golf friends.

- Gather as much information as you can: one thing that you should always remember is that no amount of information is ever enough. Look at the various websites that provide information on the areas that you plan to visit on your golf trip. Do your best to find golf trip packages that suit your budget. You should also check out some reviews of the courses included in the packages to find out which of them are really worth visiting.

- Check the course fees: Once you have chosen a place for your golf trip, you should check on the fees for the various golf courses you will be playing on. Be aware that they may charge premium fees during the weekends or on holidays.

Also, check to see if there are any discounts for playing later in the day or for playing a limited amount of time on a particular day. You should keep your expenses in mind and try to save some money where possible. For example choose a slightly lower lever course that is still a challenge.

- Inform the clubhouse staff in advance

You should inform the staff at the golf course in advance about your arrival time and the date you want to play. This is especially important if the trip is with a group. The reason for this is because the golf course staff might have a problem when trying to make last minute arrangements for an entire group. They can make arrangements easier if you are alone however.

- Book your tee time in advance

It also is recommended to book your tee time well in advance of when you plan to go on your trip. It is very important to get this done at least a few weeks before your departure date. Fortunately, most golf clubs allow people to book well in advance either through them personally, through their website, or through a third-party agency or company.

- Understand the payment policyUnderstand the golf club's payment policy in case you have to cancel, you should know whether they will still charge you or not.

- Plan well in advanceMost importantly, always plan ahead. Do not wait until the last minute because this is when problems will arise if you do not plan accordingly.

Utilizing these tips to plan your golf trip can help you avoid a lot of mistakes and will make your golf trip a very pleasant and enjoyable experience.If you fancy a golf trip to Celtic Manor

By: Jamie Hanson

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Where to play golf in Spain

For golf lovers, Spain is a real golfing haven. The country's sunny weather and beautiful green fields add to the excitement of a golf vacation. If you are planning a golf vacation in this beautiful country, have a look below for some of the more interesting places in Spain that will lead to an exciting golf experience. Costa del Sol Golf CoursesThe Costa del Sol region has over 60 golf courses. The following are some of the most popular ones that you may want to consider." Torrequebrada Golf: Located in the heart of the region, this golf course is more than 3 decades old. It was designed by Pepe Garcedo who is considered to be one of the greatest golf course architects. Torrequibrada offers a total of eighteen holes with really magnificent views. Also, the layout utilizes the small land area to its maximum. The course is full of hazards such as lakes and tropical trees. In addition, it has several bunkers that have been placed strategically throughout the entire course. In short, it can be a real challenge, even for the experienced golfer but is well worth it due to the courses' beautiful ambience." La Dama de Noche: This unique golf course is open 24-hours. It is mainly a 9 hole golf course but you can also play it for a full eighteen. The 24-hour play is possible because of the course's innovative lighting system. This system enables you to play even when it is sheer dark. The lighting system is placed in such a way that it does not cast a single shadow. In fact, it feels like that you are playing in the daytime when in actuality you're playing at night. " Alcaidesa: This is the only golf course in the region that comes close to being a links course. It boasts well-defined fairways and very high quality large greens. The course is a real challenge for all players, no matter what level. Beware though; the course has several holes can swallow a ball whole. The Par 3, 2nd is an especially dangerous hole, especially if you are playing from the back tees. Another magnificent hole is the redesigned Par 5, 15th. It can become a problem for those that are not big hitters because what normally would take two shots to get over the water will have to be done in one in order to reach the green.The Majorca Island Golf Courses

This Mediterranean island offers a total of 19 golf courses that have been blessed by a moderate climate including bright sunshine. The nice weather conditions and many features entice golfers to play here throughout the year.The Almeria desertThis is the only desert in Europe; the golf courses here are full of natural sand dunes and other natural hazards. One course is especially amazing. The Desert Springs Golf Course, is known for its astounding natural landscape and is a favorite in the area.Costa BravaCosta Brava has golf courses maintain very high standards. The courses are blessed with a really amazing geographical location that offer excellent weather conditions throughout the year. Two courses that are particularly famous are the Girona Golf Club and the Catalunya PGA Golf Club.Contact us for golf holidays in Spain & Spanish golf breaks at Almeria or Almerimar Golf Resort

By: Jamie Hanson

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Teaching Kids to Play Golf

With the newest addition to my family barely a week old, I thought I would address the issue of teaching kids golf.The first question I am usually asked is how old does your child have to be to learn to play golf? Most are surprised when I say two, or three. Tiger Woods was appearing on a U.S. talk show at the age of 3, so keep that in mind.

The real question to be asked is do you want your child to learn to play golf, or learn to enjoy golf? I have found the latter fosters the former. Over the years I have taught a great many kids aged three to five and to be honest, I didn’t teach them much. At least not skills-wise. I started golf when I was eight years old and my initial memories of it were not good ones. “Hurry up, slow down, keep that straight, bend that, don’t move this, move this!” I did not enjoy it.

When I teach golf to very young kids there are three things – and three things only - I focus on. Safety, fun, hit down. The first two sound cliché, but they are too important to gloss over.

Kids – especially boys – love to swing sticks. Look out when they get a golf club in their hands. It is critical to delineate an area in which they are allowed to swing their club, and stress that when outside that area the club remains down. If dealing with multiple kids, it is important to ensure they understand where those areas are for all the kids participating. Without even thinking it is nothing for a kid to drop their club and run to get more balls, and potentially run straight into the backswing of another child swinging. Not good.

If you are teaching your kids to play golf it is likely because you enjoy it. If you want your kids to say, “Can we do golf again?” you must ensure they have fun each and every time they play. Fun – especially in golf - is far more important than learning skills. Skills come easy when you enjoy something. If your right handed child is more comfortable hitting left handed, let them. If your child finds it easier to use a reverse grip or hit back handed (many do for leverage) let them. Let them just have fun. If they have fun they will come back for more, and there will be plenty of time to teach them skills later. You won’t be able to teach them skills, however, if they are not there, or do not want to be there.

The one skill-related piece of wisdom I do try to instill is the need to hit down at the ball to make it go up. The nice thing is they will not question it; kids are not nearly the doubters that adults can be. Hitting down is physically easier for a child than hitting up, so you may even find they are already hitting down. If that is the case reinforce the fact and commend them. Hitting up is the number one curse of an adult golfer - imagine if you had been hitting down naturally since you were three. As I said, I started when I was eight years old and did not enjoy it initially. Imagine where your child will be at eight if he or she is already hitting down at the ball, and most importantly, enjoying golf.

By: Clive Scarff