78524

If you have any interest in the art of golf tournament organizing, there are a number of vitally important things that you need to remember. While a golf tournament is essentially a competition, you want to make sure that everyone has a good time during it and there are several ways to make sure that that happens. one of the ways that you can make your golf tournament organization run smoothly is to think about the people involved in four groups and to meet their needs.

The first group is the competitors themselves. A pre-registration will get things in order and will help things run smoothly. Offer incentives for registering early and make sure that your tournament rules are clear and easily available. A website can keep you in touch with everyone, not only by making sure that information can be changed quickly and easily, but also for whipping up excitement for the event!

The second group that you should consider when organizing your golf tournament is the staff at the site. While this takes care of itself if you own the course, there is a lot to be done if you are renting the venue. Make sure that you are familiar and friendly with the staff; dont question their rules and treat everyone with courtesy. They can help you a lot when tournament day comes, and if you have any questions, ask them early!

Your own volunteers are the third group and with any luck, theyll be the easiest to work with. If your friends or family enjoy the game of golf, get them involved, whether that is helping with concessions or manning the check in. Make sure that they know that while they have certain responsibilities that they are also permitted to enjoy themselves and keep them well-hydrated throughout- especially if they are known to be workaholics!

Finally, the fourth group that you need to keep in mind are the spectators. They are there to support your competitors, so make sure they are comfortable. You will want to check with the venue, but make sure that refreshments are available, as well as things like sunscreen and water bottles.

golf tournament organizing is something of an art, and as the person in charge, you need to make sure you know what is going on, even if you are not the one immediately responsible for it. Its still a lot of fun, though, so remember that even if the day gets hectic, that youre definitely there for a good time, just like everyone else!

For more information on golf tournament organizing, including tips on planning a golf tournament, visit http://www.golftournamentpro.com today.

// posted by 91850 @ 6:52 PM 0 comments

Often on the driving range I see golfers swinging and then stopping at the top of their backswing to see if the club is in the correct position or not. But this is a very hard and not very accurate way of telling if your top of the swing position is correct or not.

If in the past you've struggled to know if your golf backswing is correct or not then today I've got a great golf drill that will allow you to quickly and easily check it.

To do this golf drill you simply have to swing back to the top of it and stop and hold your backswing position for a couple of seconds.

Then from this position simply slowly loosen your grip and let the shaft fall down. And if the club hits you on the tip of your right shoulder that tells you that your golf swing is in a good position. But if the club misses your body altogether that indicates that it is too flat. And conversely if your club hits your head or neck that indicates that your swing is too upright.

Now if after doing this backswing exercise you find that your top of the position is not where it should be then please don't do this:

Do not try to manipulate what is happening near the top of your backswing to get the club in a good position, because you must understand that the golf swing is a chain reaction. Let me explain that some more by looking at what happens when you impact the golf ball.

The position you get into at impact is the result of the downswing position that you were in. The position you get into in the downswing is a result of how you transitioned from your back position to the downswing. The position you get into at the top of your backswing is simply the result of the position you were in half way into it. Where the club is half way into your backswing is simply the result of how you took the club away. And finally, the way you took the club away is largely a result of your setup.

So you see, you can't take one position in your golf swing and try and fix that because the positions that you got into before that determined the future positions. Instead what you need to do is systematically work on getting each phase of the swing the best it can be, working from the setup, take away and on from there. If you do that you'll naturally and automatically get into a great top of the swing position.

The professional golfer nick Bayley has discovered from extensive analysis just one golf swing fault that could be stopping you from ball striking consistency and success. And now you can take a simple 2 minute golf swing test to see if you have this swing fault or not. To take the The golf swing Test go here now

// posted by 91850 @ 9:43 AM 0 comments

The 2007 British Open will be played at Carnoustie Championship Course. For four days fans will see the world's greatest golfers tested by one of the toughest links courses in scotland, if not the toughest. Links courses aren't as popular in the United States as they are in scotland, which means you may never have played one. But if you have, you know that you must adopt a different style of play to score well on the course and keep your golf handicap down.

A links golf course, as I've explained in my golf tips, is the oldest style golf course. It was first developed in scotland. The word comes from the Scottish language and refers to both an area of coastal sand dunes and sometimes open parkland. many links courses though not all are located in coastal areas, on sandy soil, often amid dunes, with few water hazards and few if any trees. Links courses reflect the nature of the scenery where the sport originated, and the fact that only limited resources were available to golf course architects at the time. Earth moving had to be done by hand, so it was minimized.

Challenges of A Links Course Uneven fairways, thick rough, and small deep bunkers known as "pot bunkers" characterize links courses. many links courses are frequently windy, affecting the style of play required. Since many links courses consist of an "outward" nine in one direction along the coast, and an "inward" nine that returns in the opposite direction, players often have to cope with opposite wind patterns in each half of their round.

Playing a links course is demanding. You're often exposed to extreme weather conditions and usually play in winds far stronger than you experience inland, so you need to keep most shots low and/or on a line. A links course may look flat and featureless from a distance, but once you start playing you'll discover the ground is a mass of humps and hollows. many tee shots are semi-blind.

Hard, fast-running fairways cause unpredictable bounces. Your ball shoots forward on the first bounce, while the same shot pitching into a hump stops quickly. Occasionally, a ball flying in the middle of the fairway kicks into the rough. The short grass and closely mown fairways on a links course remove some of the fear of mid-range approach shots. But a crisply struck iron generates a great deal of backspin because very little grass comes between the clubface and the ball at impact.

Take Advantage of the Wind The wind is almost always a factor on a links course. Use it to your advantage. With a tailwind you should hit the ball higher to gain maximum distance on the shot. With a head wind it's difficult to put enough backspin on the ball to pitch and stop it neatly on the green. Also, forget the distance you usually hit a ball because the wind drastically alters your normal club selection. Take less club, swing smoothly, and let the wind carry the ball well short of the green and expect plenty of run on the shot. Crosswinds force you to aim way off line and allow the ball to be blown back on target.

Wind Also Affects the Short game The wind also affects the short game on a links course. A low pitch and run is safer when playing in the wind than a high lob, as I've explained in my golf tips. A 7-iron is the ideal club for the shot. Bunkers are hard to spot in the humps and hollows of a links course and devilishly difficult to escape from. Don't take risks it's fine to sacrifice distance particularly if it keeps you on the fairway.

When you land in a fairway bunker it's unlikely you'll have a direct route to the green. Concentrate on making sure your next shot isn't from the same spot. The powdery fine sand is perfect for the high splash shot. Open your stance and keep the clubface open. Swing long and smooth on an out-to-in path. Huge sandy dunes are punishing hazards that surround many fairways and greens. The thick, wiry grass doesn't let go of your ball easily.

Putting o a links course is no easy task, either. A long putt on a large sloping links green often takes two or three different breaks. It's important to study the green's slope carefully. Look at a putt along the ball-to-target line and then from the side on to give you a better perspective. Wind also affects the ball's roll. Occasionally, a long putt drops, but you should never be disappointed to get down in two strokes

Playing a links course for the first time is exciting. But you need to adjust your game to make up for the differences in a links style course and to set realistic goals for yourself. If you try to be too aggressive, your scores-and your golf handicap-will suffer.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction

Copyright (c) 2007 Jack Moorehouse

// posted by 91850 @ 4:33 AM 0 comments

Yoga has had resurgence in popularity over the last few decades and new classes form everywhere every day. Thousands of new teachers are certified every year, but with such a large percentage of new teachers, how can we be sure we're getting the yoga knowledge and teaching ability we seek?

The different schools of yoga are really all based on the same movements, or yoga asanas, but they do it in different tempos and combinations in order to achieve specific results. The school's stated purpose can be a good place to start. For example, if you're looking to lose weight, you'll want one of the quicker-paced schools. If you're looking for spiritual repose, you may prefer a slower-paced yoga with longer holds. This is largely a matter of personal preference, and several schools may all meet a single type of need, so don't give up if the first one you choose isn't what you hoped for.

Finding the right kind of teacher to whom you'll respond isn't always easy. In the first place, there is no real certification processed or approved training sequence. Without these standards almost anyone can hold themselves out as professional yoga instructors.

Find out what kind of training a proposed teacher has had. What school of yoga did he study? How many hours did he put in before becoming a teacher? A program that includes not only learning, but also practice teaching sessions, and is around 200 hours seems to be standard. You'll find some certification programs that take a year or more to complete, and those that are an intense weekend of correspondence-type study. Expect to pay more to and learn more from the former. Avoid the latter altogether.

Also check his experience. How long has he been teaching? Usually, the longer the experience, the better the teacher, but if he's new, don't rule him out on that alone. Talk to some of his students. What do they like about him and what would they change? How do they feel after a session with him? Compare their answers with your ideal of a yoga instructor.

If you're new to yoga, you may want to have a discussion with a potential instructor. Find out how she got into yoga, and what styles and schools she's tried. Ask what she focuses on the most in her classes - strength? Flexibility? Balance? Meditation? Does she limit the size of her classes? If you're attending for a specific medical reason, such as high blood pressure or back pain, make sure she has experience with those conditions.

Some good clues to look for are 1) is the teacher enthusiastic about yoga and its myriad of benefits for students? 2) Does he seem knowledgeable, using Sanskrit names for the asanas? These things don't guarantee expertise, of course, but they indicate a good amount of time spent in study.

after you've checked her credentials and chosen your yoga instructor, try a few lessons before you commit to any length of study. You'll want to assure yourself that you and she are compatible as student and teacher. Do you like the routines she leads? Do you find her instruction easy to follow? Does she give individual help when you need it? Does she provide demonstrations? Does she care about her students and watch over them carefully to assure they are doing the asanas correctly and in a way they aren't prone to injury? Does she correct not only with words, but also with gentle physical repositioning? Are you overly sore when you finish a session? This may be a sign of an unbalanced routine and another teacher may be in order.

Again, don't be discouraged with a bad teacher. just try again. There's always another, better, yoga teacher just around the corner.

Michael russell Your Independent guide to Yoga

// posted by 91850 @ 1:06 AM 0 comments