An Enjoyable Time at the Golf Course

Golf is game of leisure. When most other sports turn out to have nail-biting finishes and edge-of-the-seat final moments, Golf is a gentleman's game with no such frills and frivolities. It is remarkable that so many people choose this game to while away their time. Golf is indeed the game if you want to relax!

It is a good exercise to keep oneself fit as a fiddle. An eighteen-hole golf course will ensure that the golfers spend a few hours breathing fresh air and basking in the sun. Golf is a good option for people who do not have the scope to exercise due to work constraints. It is indeed an interesting sport that allows you some pleasant time outdoors!

Hardcore golfers do make it to the golf courses just for the love of the game. They simply enjoy the challenge it throws on them. Golfing indirectly helps you to meet the challenges faced in life just as you negotiate the swing in the golf course. Other than the sheer love for this sport, golf also offers various other advantages and let us check them out:

Did you know that golfing could get you in touch with other businessmen and professionals? Golf courses have always acted as a medium to forge business deals and contracts. Apart from this, it is a way to develop your social contacts too. Too many golfers have benefited by gaining clients and business proposals at the golf club. Treating your clients at a golf course will ensure that your business reaches a new height because a happy client means more business.

In the personal front too, golf plays a pivotal role. Having a troubled relationship with your spouse? Why not take a break to the golf course, try a hand on the game and enjoy the scenic beauty there? This is sure to have a soothing effect on the couples and things would certainly work out in the domestic front.

Schedule a meeting with friends at a golf course every now and then. This ensures that you are in touch with them despite your busy schedules and also helps in strengthening the bond.

If you are looking to spend your time leisurely with no worries, head to a golf course right away. It is the place that offers you relaxation and tranquility. Charge yourself up emotionally after a great game of golf and spread the message to your buddies too!

Where to Buy Golf Equipments in Florida

Florida is one of the hotspots of the golf sport where gorgeous vistas of golf courses can be found. But the beautiful courses are not the only thing you can find in Florida. If you have decided recently to visit the State to play golf yet wondering where you could possibly buy some items to help you in your eighteen holes play, here are a couple golf store recommendations in Florida.

Edwin Watts Golf

Edwin Watts Golf Shops, LLC is one of the world's premier specialty golf retailers headquartered in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. They have been in the business for over 44 years now, earning them the tag as America's Golf Club. They offer a wide variety of golf products, including clubs, apparel, shoes, balls, bags and carts, GPS and Rangefinders, accessories, training aids and even personalized items. They have several price drop offers, including discounts in Taylormade, Nike, Callaways and Adam's clubs. Edwin Watts Golf is available in 32 different locations in Florida.

Alf's Golf Shop

Alf's Golf Shop sells new and used equipment, and accepts trade-ins. They continue to satisfy the needs of the patrons who come their way for over 20 years now. They have clubs, balls, shoes, bags and accessories available in store for golf enthusiasts. They have gift certificates available as well as E-Certificates that you can purchase as a gift to your golfing buddies. Your buddies then can redeem the items at their physical retail stores using GC or online using EC. Alf's Golf Shop is available in three different locations in Florida. They have two retails stores in Miami, and the other one is located in Coral Gables.

Dick's Sporting Goods

Dick's Sporting Goods started from a hard-earned $300 savings. From there, it has evolved tremendously to over 450 stores operated by Dick's family, offering the finest quality products, including golf equipments. They have in store golf clubs, apparel, shoes, electronics, bags, carts, gloves and accessories. They are currently offering Callaway GC wherein you get up to $50 worth of free goods on purchase of Callaway items. Another promotion they offer is a saving on purchase of complete golf sets. And for those looking for golf memorabilia, they have a clearance sale on golf shoes, apparel and accessories. In Florida, they are accessible in 18 different store locations.

Golf Galaxy

Golf Galaxy just started its first store in 1997, but the enormous demands in golf-related products lead them to expand rapidly and to become the world's first and only interactive golf store providing world-class selection of branded golf items. They have lines of authentic golf equipment, apparel, shoes and accessories. They also offer custom club fitting, full service club repair, lessons and club trade-ins. They provide different advantages to patrons, including the Advantage Club, flat-rate shipping, price guarantee and free returns. Golf Galaxy is available in Fort Myers, Orlando and Pembroke Pines in Florida.

North Wales James Braid Golf Trail: Bangor St Deiniol Golf Club

Famous Scottish golf course architect James Braid (1870-1950) is remembered for his work in designing many well-known golf courses during his lifetime, including work at Gleneagles and Carnoustie. He also won the Open Championship five times, so he was as celebrated a player as he was a designer.

Braid designed a number of excellent golf courses throughout North Wales, and in 2012 these have been linked together as the North Wales James Braid Golf Trail, which comprises ten of Braid's golf courses in the North Wales area.

While all of Braid's courses were different in layout and design, they shared several common features. For instance, the 'lie of the land' was an integral part of each course's design, with natural features and obstacles being incorporated into the course to provide satisfying rewards for accurate play. And while at a typical James Braid golf course each hole varies in length and character, dog legs are a common feature - a shape which encourages playing for position.

Bangor St Deiniol Golf Course was opened in 1906 and re-designed by James Braid in 1909, and has been extended several times since. The mature 18-hole course covers 120 acres of grassland overlooking the city of Bangor, and boasts outstanding views of Snowdonia from almost every hole.

With the rise and fall of the land at Bangor St Deiniol, forget about brute force - it's control and course management that you'll need here. With so much greenery, gorse and woodland at Bangor St Deiniol, it's a course that is best suited to golfers that can exercise control. Most fairways offer risks and there are blind holes to provide some very satisfying challenges.

Despite advances in golf technology, with Bangor St Deiniol's tight fairways, hidden greens and strategic hazards good ball placement is essential. Although today's equipment provides extra length, this is no substitute for accurate play!

Only snow stops play at Bangor St Deiniol, where the course is playable virtually all year round. The course dries very quickly after rainfall, and winter greens are unheard of.
Notable holes

Bangor St Deiniol's signature hole is the third, which boasts several typical James Braid course features such as slopes, gorse bushes, a dog leg and a narrow fairway - and an elevated green to challenge players even further. This hole plays tough against the prevailing westerly wind, and when you take on the elevated green you'll need to be into or through the gap; if you're short of the gap, you risk taking on the bank 70 yards short of the green.

The view from the 16th tee is fantastic; it looks out to Llandudno, with Puffin Island and the Great Orme prominent. This par 4 hole is the easiest at Bangor St Deiniol, but it still offers both risk and reward, and a shot that slips down the back of the green will leave a difficult recovery.

The 12th is a firm favourite - all downhill, with a blind tee shot and gorse to both left and right, a large oak tree guarding the green, and a grass bunker.

The par 5 14th has two bunkers short of the green, but these don't draw the ball in. The shot from the top of the bank provides a good challenge, and the views are excellent too - this is the highest point in Bangor, offering a great view of Bangor Cathedral.

Bangor St Deiniol also has six par 3 holes, at least one in each direction - north, south, east and west - requiring the golfer to play downwind, upwind, and in both side winds.

Facts and figures

Size: 18 Holes - 5652 yards par 68

Address: Pen y Bryn, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 1PX
Tel: +44 (0) 1248 353098
Fax: +44 (0) 1248 370792

In the area

Bangor St Deiniol Golf Club is on the outskirts of the historic cathedral city of Bangor. On days when you're not golfing - or if there are members of your party that prefer not to play golf - there is plenty to see and do in the area. Bangor has an excellent high street shopping centre and there are several retail parks nearby. Bangor is within easy reach of other Snowdonia towns and villages such as Llanberis and Caernarfon, where there are many excellent attractions and activities to be enjoyed.

Top Golf Shoes

Footwear is a key part of the serious golfer's game. The right, or wrong, shoes can make a major difference. And in recent years, many courses have shifted away from metal spikes and to soft spikes. It's possible you may need to update your shoes.

The problem is, there are many options for golf footwear. Perhaps too many options. It can be overwhelming, when you step into the pro shop or sporting goods store and start browsing row after row of shoes.

Here are some pairs that every serious, committed golfer should at least consider before their next trip to the links.

>>Adidas Adicros

Price: $90

These shoes are spikeless and light weight. They have great resistance to slipping and strong flexibility. You'll love the 124 traction nodules that will really change the way you swing. Comfortable and light weight, you can do much worse than these. Adidas, while not the typical brand you think about when you think about golf, has years and years and years of experience making shoes for all different kinds of sports. That experience shows through. They are also available in several different colors if you're interested in some fashion coordination as you golf.

>>Footjoy Contour Casuals

Price: $100

Much like the Adidas Adicros, these shoes are spikeless with great slip resistance and the perfect amount of flexibility. They're understand and classy looking. In fact, you can wear these shoes on our off the course - they'll fit in almost anywhere. The shoe is waterproof with a rubber-nub outsole, which designers have used to enhance both comfort and traction. These shoes are highly customizable with a total of 47 possible size and width combinations. This company, Footjoy, is definitely accurately named.

>>Callaway Razr

Price: $185

These athletic shoes have perfect slip resistance with high flexibility. This is a higher-end shoe with full-grain leather. Callaway, one of the most well-known and reliable names in golf, offers a two-year waterproof guarantee. The Razr features a low-profile cleat receptacle developed by Softspikes. The goal is to improve feel and decrease the overall spike pressure. Designers of this piece of high quality footwear have also added a special layer inside the shoe is designed to mitigate any and all temperatures. Players rave about the comfortable yet secure feel of these shoes.

>>Nike Dunk NG

Price: $130

Hard to imagine that golf, with all its classic tradition, could have anything at all in common with skateboarding, an upstart sport for kids in baggy clothes with blaring headphones. Yet these shoes prove that it's possible. Nike Dunks, originally a classic basketball shoe, have seen popularity among the skateboard crowd. And now you can also get a pair perfect for the golf course. This shoe comes with a rubber cupsole with seven cleats and full-grain leather upper with a two-year waterproof warranty. A full-length, contoured sock liner brings it to a whole new level of comfort. Available in many colors and designs, these could be the ideal choice for the golfer who wants to maintain hipness and style on the course.

Things You Should Look for When Choosing a Golf Glove

Although a few people choose to play golf without a golf glove, you will not find it happening much anymore. Professional golfer Fred Couples is one, saying that it decreases the feel he has for the golf club. But he is a rare exception. It is a key piece of equipment to your golf game, and is the connection between you and your swing and your precious golf clubs that we give advice on all the time.

They offer protection for the hands, plus they give the golfer a better grip on the club, which is always important but imperative when the weather is damp or the hands get sweaty.

Protection. In everyone's golf swing there is some friction between the hands and the club, and the fingers moving against each other. The golf glove will prevent the hands and fingers from blistering, particularly if you haven't played for some time and the hands have yet to callous. Normally a right-handed golfer would wear a golf glove on his left hand, but you may opt for one on each hand if your hands are still soft from not playing.

Grip. Not only do you not want the club to slip out of your hands, but you don't want to be compensating with the slippage to have to clutch the club too tightly. Many amateur golfers do this, and it diminishes the suppleness in the hands necessary to generate maximum power. As golfing great Sam Snead once said, "If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork the way they do a golf club, they'd starve to death". The traction on a golf glove will allow you to loosen your grip.

Now that you know why you need a golf glove, what should you be looking for in purchasing a glove? First, it has to fit on your hand snuggly. If it's loose, it will allow the club to twist in your hand, taking away a main advantage. Plus it will loosen and stretch some with use. But it should still feel comfortable on your hand. The best ones will have plenty of ventilation between the fingers to allow moisture to vent.

The best gloves in the United States are Brazilian sheepskin, and they have a great feel and will last longer. On the other end of the quality spectrum are synthetic fabrics, which will do the job fine but will probably wear out quicker. It also will not have the nice, soft feel of the more expensive varieties will. Not only will quality vary, but there are those that perform better in rain as well as those which are heavier and will protect the hands against the elements.

I usually go with the moderately priced glove, and prefer to get a new one a little more often. You can prolong their life by keeping them dry when you are finished with a round, but don't dry them on direct heat or they'll become brittle.

Golfing in Monroe, North Carolina

Golfing is popular in the Monroe, North Carolina area, which is just 30 minutes south of Uptown Charlotte. The area's moderate climate allows for outdoor recreational activities most of the year. Golfers can enjoy several great public and semi-private courses near Monroe.

Monroe Country Club is one of the older municipal golf clubs in the area. The back nine holes were designed by the legendary Donald Ross. The par 72 course plays 6,759 yards from the championship tees. Fairways are Bermuda grass. The club is located on US Hwy 601 South.

The Divide Golf Club, at 6803 Stevens Mill Road in nearby Stallings, North Carolina is another public course. The traditional 18-hole, par 72 course has Bermuda fairways and bent grass greens. The course is 6,922 yards long. Club facilities include a fully stocked pro shop, driving range, and a grill that serves breakfast and lunch. Greens fees on Monday-Thursday are $42 (after 2pm $37). Friday rates are $47 (after 2pm $39). Saturday and Sunday rates are $57 (after 2pm $44).

Pebble Creek Executive Course is a walkable par 3 course in nearby Indian Trail, North Carolina. The course provides a great opportunity for golfers to develop their short iron game. The course is Bermuda with water hazards on several holes. Tee times are not required. Greens fees on weekdays are $12 for 9 holes and $18 for 18 holes. Weekend greens fees are $14 for 9 holes and $20 for 18 holes. The course is located at 6709 US Hwy 74E.

Stonebridge Golf Club is a semi-private club in Monroe. The course is considered one of the best conditioned courses in the greater Charlotte area, and it recently received a 4 star rating from Golf Digest. The par 72 course plays 6,963 yards from the championship tees. Other club facilities include a pro shop, practice facilities, and a grill that serves breakfast and lunch. Greens fees on Monday-Thursday are $39 (after 2pm $34). Rates on Fridays are $49 (after 2pm $37). Weekend rates are $59 (after 2pm $39). Stonebridge Golf Club is located at 2721 Swilcan Burn Drive.

Emerald Lake Golf Club is another good semi-private course in the area. The club is located at 9750 Tournament Drive in nearby Stallings, North Carolina. Emerald Lake is a par 71 course, measuring 6,820 yards long. There is a fully stocked pro shop, and the Lakeside Grille serves breakfast and lunch. Greens fees on Monday-Friday are $39 (after 2pm $32). Rates on Saturday and Sunday are $52 (after 2pm $37).

4 Tips to Help You Score Well on a Wet Golf Course

Most golfers prefer a dry course, but inevitably you'll find yourself facing wet conditions.

Perhaps you are playing in a tournament or on a special out-of-town course and a quick shower passes through the course. It a special day and you don't want to pass up the opportunity. Whatever the reason, playing a wet course requires some special techniques and skills.

For those old and new to golf, here's a quick safety tip.

Never play golf during a thunderstorm. Being struck by lightning is no laughing matter. Standing out in the open, unprotected, or under a tree or near water, and holding a metal shaft in your hands, puts you at a drastically higher risk. Don't wait to hear the thunder or see the first lightning strike, as the first strike might be close to you. Be smart. Mark your ball and get to the clubhouse at the first sign of any inclement weather.

After the storm has passed and it is safe to return to the course, here are some tips to help you get through a wet course without sacrificing your score:

1. When you are playing a course that is truly wet, and not just damp, you may notice your feet sinking into the turf. Choke down on the club shaft, up to one inch to prevent making fat shots.

2. The first hole you play on a wet course should be considered a course evaluation hole. Many inexperienced golfers assume they can play the same club on a wet course as they would on a dry course, but this is almost never the case.

As you hit your first series of shots on the first hole, pay close attention to how your ball reacts when it lands. You'll most likely find that it will not roll anywhere near as much on wet turf as it would on dry.

If this is the case, don't be afraid to add more club to your future shots. You may find that you can add one, two, or even three clubs depending on how wet the course is and how far or little your ball rolls.

3. If you find yourself in the rough on a wet course, you may need to adjust your swing. Raining your hands slightly at address will make the club shaft more vertical. A more vertical swing will get through wet grass easier than a horizontal club shaft.

Playing out of the rough also requires more power to compensate for the sticky grass that slows down club head speed. Try not to swat at the ball on the downswing. Just add a little more power throughout the swing to increase club head speed.

When playing on a dry course in the rough, we are told not to grip the club too tightly. On a wet course, the deeper grass provides opposition. Make sure you are holding the club tight enough to keep the face of the club from flying open upon impact with the ball.

Take a couple of practice swings in the rough to get a feel for the amount of resistance the club head is getting from the wet grass.

4. Putting on a wet green is almost always slower than normal. Little rooster tails of water indicate increased drag on the ball. Take this into account when judging the pace of a putt. If you are starting your round after the rain, then get to the practice green quickly to get a feel for the break and resistance on the ball.

You will also find that balls do not break as much on a wet green (with the exception of a crnss-grain). You may find that your ball actually "slides" down the grain on very wet greens as it goes with the water flow.

In general, it is best to be more aggressive when playing on a wet course. Try to make more solid hits on a straighter target path to compensate for the drag caused by the water. This may not work in every case, but the odds are with you in these conditions.

Always repair the ball marks on the green. With wet play the ball generally hits and sticks. Repairing the ball mark on a wet green will allow the green to be in better shape after it dries.

Playing a wet course requires you to adjust your course management skills and play modified shots that work with the water rather than trying to fight it.

Be patient, be mindful of your shots, and don't be afraid to change your tactics as you move from hole to hole.