Archive for January, 2008
January 21, 2008
They say Golf is the easiest game to learn but the hardest game to play…but why?
Golf is actually a simple game. One has a set of clubs and a ball. One whacks the ball into a few holes that were dug into the middle of a big lawn surface. Then after the 18th hole one has the irresistable desire to go into the 19th hole and tell those he didn’t play with that day about his heoric deeds on the course. Most of us play golf for recuperation and because we enjoy nature and looking at great landscapes. But also, of course, because of the athletic Energy and the improvement of our game. Reducing ones handicap is also a part of the Golf game that one should not fail to neglect.
Players like tigers Woods, Ernie Els and Bernhard Langer do exactly the same but are paid millions for their efforts. But they belong to the best pro golfers of the world. For fairness’ sake, one must also add, that it is also necessary to overcome a few obstacles. If I may liberally quote Winston Churchill; “Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into a even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose.”
Therefore, golf is the most difficult game in the world: The ball doesn’t move alone and on average there is approximately three minutes between each shot. One therefore doesn’t react to the ball like in most sports. Normally, balls are passed on, thrown, kicked, but in Golf they are struck with a club.
A golf ball simply lies quietly there and asks you defiantly not to lose it. Only a short moment is allowed in most sports in order for one to react to the ball. The movement of the body takes place automatically and the game follows wherever where the ball flies. In Golf the player has too much time to think out what their next move will be. Golf would be much simpler if the little ball could move itself and if the players had to wear roller-skates. But then it would no longer be Golf.
So what is Golf really about?
Simply expressed, golf is about whacking the ball into one hole after the other for 18 holes with as few as possible shots usine a selection of 14 differently angled clubs. After finishing 18 holes and pocketing the ball, the player tots up their results for each individual hole and gets their final score. The score is normally much larger than allowed by the rules. The lower the Score, the better the game. That is Golf. That’s all there is to it. The intriuging thing about golf is the fact that it lasts a long time (Normally between 3-5 hours per round). While one plays one normally develops their strategy as the game progresses while at the same time trying to have as few shots as possible per hole. There are many exterior and even more numerous interior influences that make this adventure so interesting. The best advice that we can give is to develop your game slowly and learn the different angles of the game without thinking too intellectually about every shot. Golf is a game that unconditionally demands the full concentration and complete contempt of the private ego. Try to attain the inner silence of a monk, at least for the duration of the round. Golf is littered with chances for foolhardy shots. But only you alone decides over successes or failures: Does one dare to the hit over the water 220 meters away from the green? Bring all your talents with you and discover the never ceasing fascination of this game that demands so much brain power. And every round has a different result. Most shots will be made to the hole from a distance of approximately 90 meters. Whoever makes shots within this range will improve their result faster than the player whose main goal consists of beating the ball as far as possible. Practise putting, the bunker game and short shots twice as often as the Drives. Those who do this will see their hard work pay off at the end of every round.
January 6, 2008
I thought it might be interesting for my readers to see what the Germans get up to regarding Golf:
“It is not only they wild youth that play Cross Golf. Rather, it is a mixture of all ages and social classes ranging from those with great golf abilities to those who can barely swing a club. It is played anywhere there is enough room and no danger to people or objects exists. There is only one rule for this golf away from the golf course: Safety First!
It isn’t surprising either that it is not played with normal but with soft golf balls. These are lighter and don’t cause any damage if they hit people or objects. Arranging to meet for games is done in the most peculiar way. It is a toss up as to whether mobile phone or internet is the most common meeting point for players. There are also the weirdest of venues used in order to arrange a round of Cross Golf for example:
www.crossgolf-portal.de
Players network here and arrange to meet for Cross Golfer from all over the German republic, Austria and Switzerland. This portal is used in order to talk about new game possibilities, to exchange views or to agree on a common Cross Golf event. It is not important either how well one plays Cross Golf only with whom one plays. So, fun is the priority here and not who has the fanciest car is the parking lot. You can wear whatever comfortable clothing you like and pretentious etiquette exists.
Homer Simpson is welcome.
It is not played towards holes but towards goals from the surrounding environment, so it can be a tree, a post or a trash can, for example, that one must reach with the ball. The more spectacular rather the shots and rugged fairways, the more enjoyable it is for the Cross Golfer. For a normal golfer, it would be quite unthinkable to kick the ball out from under a small rock or a park bench, for a Cross Golfer; however, these situations don’t represent any obstacle but only increase the attraction from the point to be able to play a good ball. It is also not really important to finish up with as few shots as possible but more about having lots of fun and realizing your creativity with the game. Here are a few funny situations that can also occur in the life of a Cross Golfer: A 100m shot played with one hand using a putter or to play a shot barefoot from a grassless field. As well, “special points can be awarded for “the worst shot of the day”, the biggest kicked grass tuft” or “the most headstrong swing style”.
Anything goes.
Rules for the Cross Golf are decided individually before each game and don’t represent any manifesto, since fun is the games main objective.
Expensive equipment is not necessary and usually two used clubs acquired on eBay, flea markets or Internet shops are completely satisfactory to meet ones needs. Complete sets incl. Bag can also be had for under 200 € and are becoming continually popular among the growing Cross Golf culture. For approximately 30 € one can obtain a “Starter-Kit” consisting loosely of a 7 iron plus balls on eBay.
Cross Golf is played throughout the whole year, even in the snow, with red balls. It is even played at night in gravel pits with fluorescent or blinking golf balls, in parks and quite often on building sites.
Tournaments are also held for example “Hiking Cross Golf” or “Gourmet Golf” and these are only two of the regularly held competitions. “Gourmet Golf” was played through the Black Forest against a trash can and the “Green Fees” were gourmet dishes that were tasted after the round and points for the food made up part of the final scores. The reports about the tournaments can be viewed on the Cross Golf website.
Since there are not any reception dues or membership rates with Cross Golf, it is something for everyone’s budget. But there are also club golfers that play along at the tournaments or agree to meet Cross Golfers for a casual and stress free round. On the internet platform www.crossgolf-portal.de you can meet like-minded players and begin to exchange views or to agree to get together for a game. If you have any further questions please contact: presse@crossgolf-portal.de. ”
January 6, 2008
The Scotsmen invented this “clean” sport and made it popular. Today, golf played is throughout the whole world and since 1900 is an Olympic sport.
In the course of this development, there were naturally numerous innovative new developments to the equipment that one requires for this sport. One major developement is obviously the present abundance of online Golf stores peddling all sorts of gadgets, equipments and information.
But not only this. Most on-line Golf shops are built to be very informative. One can learn something about the history of the sport, existing golf courses, existing golf clubs, the current golf tournaments and everything which one would like to know about the “white” sport.
The most important thing about online Golf shops is the range of golf equipment of course. And also here there are no borders to hinder the fullness of information and possibilities. One gets everything which one requires on the golf course, the whole nine yards from complete equipment for beginners, up to high-quality individual parts for advanced golfers.
Beside golf clubs (in all variations) individually or, as sets, many on-line Golf shopsalso offer a vast choice of assessories, of course. So, one can also get golf balls in all variations, and for example, clothing, bags and trolleys, books, DVDs and magazines as well as a mountain of other accessories (for example shot counters) span belts, umbrella holders, ball brushes etc.. . Some sites even offer high tech sattellite gadgets for tracking balls and detectors for spotting lost balls in snow or rough. Anything is possible.
If one is really interested in the golf then nothing surpasses an on-line Golf shop. Here, there is nothing, which is not here. Even Golf philosophy. Zen golf being a prime example.
So get yourself to an online store and check them out. The prices and variety of wares available are impecable.
