Some equipment used in golf is essential while others are optional. For example, you

need clubs, balls, gloves and a bag. Understanding the purpose of golf equipment can

help you determine what you want to use to play the game and not waste money on

unnecessary equipment.

Golf clubs are essential to the game. You cannot play golf without clubs. You can rent

clubs, however, and that many be a reasonable choice until you determine if golf is your

cup of tea. There are rules dictating the number of clubs you can carry while playing

a round of golf but the composition of the clubs is completely up to you. Clubs are

categorized in to woods, irons and putters. You use a wood to drive the ball from the

tee and you hit the ball into the hole with a putter. There are hybrid clubs that combine

features of wedges and irons and you will only know what you like to play with by trying

all different types of clubs.

Golf balls are another essential piece of golfing equipment. There are specific rules

regarding the size and mass of the golf ball. There are three basic types of golf balls: 2,

3 and 4 piece covers. Four piece covers are generally more expensive.

Markers, while not essential, are used to mark the position of your ball if you need

to remove it in order for another player to play through. You can use a coin as a ball

marker.

Tees and pitchforks are other golfing equipment needed. You use tee to place the ball

on for the initial stroke from the green. Pitchforks will repair depressions or divots you

make while playing.

Golf bags are essential in that they allow you to organize and carry all your equipment

with you. They are generally cylindrical in shape with a plastic frame. They come with

a variety of pockets to carry your balls, tees and other small equipment as well as your

clubs. Choosing a bag that has wheels makes it easier to carry around the golf course.

A golf cart is a purely optional piece of equipment and most people rent one from the

club.

Gloves and shoes are very important considerations as far as comfort and performance

are concerned. Gloves can help you maintain a good grip without developing blisters

and shoes have spikes that allow you to have a good stance without slipping on the

greens.

Professionals and amateurs alike always strive to improve in the sport they play, in

this case we are talking about golf. Golf is a challenging sport, which requires practice

and developing strategies to succeed. When you play golf well, you will enjoy the sport

more and it is beautiful to watch. What can improve your golf game can range from

time, perfecting techniques, or getting assistance from a pro? You may benefit from a

combination of approaches to achieve the results you want.

Body position is one of the biggest areas where many golfers make mistakes and need

improvement. If you have an improper position then your swing will be off as well as your

grip. It is important to remember to develop the correct body position to get the power

and trajectory you need to control the ball. Next to body position, your swing mechanism

is what will help you have the correct follow through. You swing is what allows you to hit

the ball accurately.

The correct way to hold the club is another important aspect of good golf game. If you

do not hold the club correctly you will not hit the ball where you want it to go or as hard

as you can. You need to have the proper hand position and the correct angle of the

shoulders, arms and wrists.

These are the basic things you need to work on to play golf well. It is not just skill, but

the knowledge of the game that will bring it all together for you. But how do you develop

these skills? There are several ways to improve your golfing skills.

Most golf clubs offer courses you can enroll in. This is a great option, as it will allow you

to get professional and personal instruction. Check with local community centers as they

may offer courses in golf and would be more reasonably priced that what you would find

at a private club.

If personal training is too expensive for you the there are plenty of golfing videos that

you can watch in your home. Many focus on the basic skills you need to develop and will

show you the proper way to position your body as well as good swing mechanisms.

Practice, perseverance and patience are all required to excel at the game of golf. Golf is

a game of the mind as much as a game of physical skill.

Golfing is a pastime and sport that is enjoyed by many. If you live in the US there are

many courses available to you to play. In fact there are over twenty-one thousand

private and public courses to play on. You can find many subjective reviews of golf

courses both in magazines and online that may be biased to local greens and clubs but

to get a really good idea as to the most popular played courses in the US you can’t go

wrong with the recommendations of millions of players.

Some of the top rated golf courses in the US include the Black Course at Bethpage

State Park in Farmingdale, NY and the Spook Rock Course in Suffern, NY. In New

Jersey there is the Pine Valley Course in Clementon and the Liberty National Course

in Jersey City. California has many great courses that include Cypress Point in Pebble

Beach, Pebble Beach Golf Links, the North Course at Admiral Bakers in San Diego, the

Destroyer Course at the Navy Golf Course in Cypress, the Shorecliffs Course in San

Clemente, and Rio Hondo in Downey, CA. Massachusetts has the Farm Neck Course in

Oak Bluffs, the Hickory Hill Course in Methuen, and the Leo J Martin Memorial Course

in Weston. The Regulation Course at the Jefferson Park Golf Course is found in Seattle,

WA and the Wynn Course is in Las Vegas, NV. In North Carolina there is the Quail

Hollow Course and in Tennessee the Gatlinburg Course in Pigeon Forge. Also favorites

are the Quail Hollow Course in Charlotte, NC and the Sand Hills Course in Mullen,

NE. But no list is complete without the Augusta National Course in Augusta, Georgia

probably one of the most popular and favored courses of all time.

If you are fortunate to play at any of these courses favored by professionals and causal

players alike you will not regret your experience.

If you are looking for a course in California you might want to go to the Castlewood

County Club in Pleasanton. This hilly course has eighteen holes and is a par 70. The

longest tee is 6,240 yards. Rated at 71.1 with a slope of 127 and featuring Bermuda

grass this classic course that opened in 1923 was designed by William P. Bell.

But with over twenty thousand courses to choose from you are sure to find a course you

enjoy playing both locally and when you are on vacation.

There are about ten formats that golfing tournaments are played. Tournaments are

not just from the professionals they are designed for company competitions or by local

clubs. Knowing the rules of the different types of tournaments will help you decide if you

want to participate.

Alternate Shot is best played with two member teams. The team members alternate

hitting the ball. They use the same ball and only have one score per hole.

Scramble may be played with two to four members per team. This is one of the most

popular tournaments played. Every team member hits a ball and the best shot is chosen

to continue down the fairway to the hole.

Bingo Bango Bongo is another popular tournament with leagues and the golfing

association. You are rewarded if you are the first player to reach the green, you have the

ball closest to the hole or you are the first player to sink the ball.

Best Ball has every player hitting their own ball on every hole. The scores of the team is

the lowest members score for the hole.

Callaway is designed to bring together different skill levels of players. This is a

tournament plays at company outings. There is an allowance for handicaps. Player tee

off and score normally and indulge in stroke play. The highest score you can have on a

hole is double par.

Modified Stableford tournaments goal is to be the top scorer. You can play this in teams

or individually. You receive points on the score you get on a hole.

Peoria System is similar to Callaway. The gross score is calculated on selected holes.

Flags is a simple tournament that allots a number of strokes that you play until you use

up all your strokes. Whoever get the farthest is the winner.

Lone Ranger places the teams score on one member of the team per hole. Teams of

four rotate players. Calculating the team score is by coupling the remaining three team

members with the low score.

Pinehurst or Chapman is played by two member teams and is a combination of a couple

of other formats. After the ball is hit off the tee the ball is shuffled and the best ball is

chosen alternating until you reach the hole.

While some of these tournament formats are more popular than others you will find a

form of Modified Stableford played in PGA Tours.

While the goal of golf is to hit the ball into a hole there are many little rules and protocols

that one must follow to be a good and courteous player.

To begin a round of golf you have to set up your ball in the teeing box. It is important

to have a good grip and stance in order to hit the ball accurately when you want it to

go. There are several types of swings including takeaway, backswing, impact swing,

downswing and follow through. Once you leave the tee the goal is to get the ball to the

green where you can putt it into the hole.

When you hit the ball with a club into the air there are many things that influence its

trajectory. You might end up close to the hole, in water or sand. The goal is to avoid the

traps and get as close to the hole as possible.

Golf requires a certain amount of equipment in order to play. You need clubs, balls, tees,

a bag for starters. Then you might choose to use a golf cart. As far as clubs go you can

only carry a defined number clubs that may be either woods, putters, drivers, wedges

and hybrids.

As far as the rules of play the first rule to remember is to know the rules. There are

general rules in playing golf but there may also be specific rules at the course you are

playing. If you do not know these rules you may be penalized and that would make for

an unhappy golfing experience.

While golf is a test of attitude, mental strength and strategy you will be continually tested

by various conditions and understanding and complying with the specific regulations of

certain courses. But that is part of the challenge. Rules affect and change by match play,

number of shots, order of play, line of play, legitimacy of strokes, stroke information,

water hazards and other obstructions.

While knowing the rules is an important aspect of playing golf it does not end there.

You have to master the concepts of swings, how water, grass, air and sand behave

and affect the ball. Understanding these concepts separates the professional from the

amateur player.

Golf is a fun game to play. It can be challenging, time consuming and expensive. But if

you have the patience you can develop your game to where you have an enjoyable time

playing and competing with your friends and club members.

The Cervino Golf Course is in the shadow of the Alps and is Europe’s highest golf

course. Recently expanded to eighteen holes the course was built by Donald Harradine

in 1955. Located in Italies Valle d’Aosta and close to the Matterhorn the recent

expansion was in response to its popularity of golfers. The addition is designed by Luigi

Rot Caremoli, an Italian architect. Not only are they adding nine holes they are rebuilding

two holes from the existing nine. New bunkers are being strategically added. As the

newest nine holes are at the foot of the Matterhorn they are quite flat.

The project when completed will have the eighteen hole golf course at over five

thousand meters in elevation. The Cervino Golf cours is a par sixty-nine with a 129 slope

rating. This is a wonderful place to play golf as it is in a natural setting where you may

be playing in ice and snow. Natural elements are features on every hole that include

flowers, trees, rocks, ditches and the river. Built to USGA specifications it is the first

eighteen hole golf course in Valle d’Aosta.

Both families who enjoy golfing together as well as avid golfers look to Europe for some

of the most exciting, fun and action courses. European golf courses are destinations that

are both popular and exclusive and provide you the opportunity to experience the real

pleasure of the game of golf. You will follow in the footsteps of many current and former

golfing greats on the European courses.

The Ballybunion Golf Club is in Country Kerry, Ireland and ranked one of the top golf

courses in Europe. There are actually two courses the Cashen Course and the Old

Course. If you choose to travel to Ireland to play one of these courses you will not be

disappointed. Established in 1893 the Old course is located on the Oceanside and is

one of the most beautiful courses you will play. Features of the course include uphill

and downhill spots but is really identified by the natural and wild landscapes. There are

challenging contours that make this center of tournaments for the world class golfers.

This course challenges the experienced golfers as it is difficult to master. In 1982 the

Cashen opened to the general public. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and featured

in golfing magazines.

If you are looking for some of the best golf courses in the world start in Europe.

The Canadian golf course the Hilton Tucson is a Par 72 and relatively short course

layout. But don’t be deceived this course is challenging an alluring much like a high

desert golf course. The real challenge of this course lies in the natural terrain. The

fairways meander around and through arroyos and ravines making it demanding

strategically.

If you want to perform well at the Hilton Tucson then you need to choose your clubs

wisely. You have very little room for error on this course if you want to have a low

score. The diversity of the Hilton Tucson Course in Canada includes doglegs, extensive

mounding, and elevations that change from tee to green. You do have several birdie

opportunities on many of the par four holes if you are willing to take some risks. But

beware you may end up with an unplayable lie.

On this eighteen hole golf course the eighth hole is considered its signature. It is one

hundred eighty-three yards and considered to be one of the toughest par three holes in

Tucson.

The Hilton Tucson is a six thousand two hundred eighty-two yard course from the

longest tee and a par seventy-two. It is rated at sixty-nine point seven and has a 132

slope rating and features Bermuda grass.

The Hilton opened in 1982 and was designed by Jeff D Hardin and Greg H Nash and is

managed, of course, by Hilton Hotels.

Fees range from $99 to $125 and includes cart rental. If you are from out of town you

can stay at the Hilton Conquistador Resort or the Golf Travel’s Tucson Hotel & Resort.

Be sure you check with the resort for any changes in fees or recommendations for the

best times to make your reservations.

You can reach Tucson from by air on airlines Alaskan Air, Northwest Air, Southwest Air,

US Air, Delta and United. The nearest airport is TUS, Tucson International.

You should be able to find many deals combining air and hotel accommodations so be

sure to shop around.

If you are looking for a fun and challenging golf course to play while in Canada look no

further than the Hilton Tucson Canada. If a trip to Canada is in your future and you are a

golfer you don’t want to miss out on playing at this unique and challenging course.