Today, there are scores of folks who decide that they want to embark on an adventure that combines a love for golf with the pleasure one gets from a hearty vacation. With this in mind, more people have turned to taking a golf school vacation as their vacation of choice.

Anyone planning to go on a golf school vacation must know what to look for in taking one of these. A lot of it comes down to whether or not you want to put a great deal of time and effort into being a part of the golf school experience.

If you don’t feel as if you are going to be able to devote the effort it takes to learn new things about how to improve your golf game, and you feel better about the vacation aspect of your trip, then it’s probably best to skip the golf school vacation in exchange for a more traditional vacation.

Once you’ve determined that you do wish to continue on this quest, it is then up to you to know when you are going on leave, as this allows you to set the date, times and packages for your journey. Be sure to get in at a time when some sort of tournament or event isn’t taking place, if you wish to have a more leisurely experience and want to avoid gridlock.

One good thing about choosing golf school experiences nowadays is that these schools have begun focusing on particular aspects of the sport in order to be unique in what they bring to the table.

Among the many destinations for those looking for a great golf school vacation, people have visited Maryland, South Carolina, Louisiana, California, Florida, and Arizona for their getaways. Those who decide on the Sunshine State as their vacation spot can get a fantastic experience at any one of the nine locations offered by America’s Favorite Golf Schools. This is one of many schools in the state which provide excellent instruction, along with excellent golfing climate. Nearly a fourth of the best golf professionals in the United States reside in Florida — so it is definitely worth your while to seek a golf school vacation in Florida.

The vacationers who select California as their destination can look to San Diego for a pair of great learning centers — Mind Power Golf Schools and San Diego Golf Academy. These schools give students the chance to get a great golf school vacation thanks to the combination of fantastic weather and nationally-renowned instruction.

If Arizona is more to your liking, try checking out Bird Golf Academy’s Prescott location — an hour-and-a-half outside Phoenix — as well as Scottsdale Golf and Lodging. With wonderful instructors and a fine summer golf climate, these experiences promise to better your game and let you have a pleasant vacation time, too.

With these golf vacation school options available, along with so many others, you should now be able to consider taking a golf school getaway to ease the mind and body — and make your time on the links a good bit easier, as well.

Matt Murren owns and operates golf-school-advisor.com.

Golf is taken simply as recreation by many but very seriously by others. While the game itself may seem very simple in scope, there is actually a tremendous amount of physics involved in getting the golf ball into the hole.

There are so many variables involved in the trajectory of the golf ball, starting with the angle of attack of the golf club on to the ball, the existing wind force, the drag of the grass, the heaviness or lightness of the air depending upon humidity levels, the material of the golf ball itself, the surface of the golf ball as it creates drag against the wind, the material of the golf club itself and its inertia, the material of the golf club head and so on.

While addressing every single variable is beyond the scope of this article, we will be addressing only the material of the club head in this article as it pertains to the use of thermal spray coating technology.

Thermal spray coatings have been used as facing material on golf club heads in recent years. The general idea is that by facing the golf club head with a material that is very hard, the force of the swing gets little attenuation and all of the energy is transferred to the golf ball. Hence, in the early days of introducing thermal spray coating technology to golf, engineers used the plasma thermal spray process to deposit aluminum oxide onto the face of golf club heads.

Since then, innovations in thermal spray processes have taken place, and nowadays the coating of choice seems to be tungsten carbide cobalt material sprayed by the high velocity oxy-fuel process. In this process, the coating particles are given a tremendous amount of thermal energy as well as ignificant kinetic energy and are subsequently propelled and deposited onto the substrate material.

This is the current state of technology. However, this is not the correct solution in my humble opinion.

When you apply a thermal spray coating of tungsten carbide onto a club head face, the extreme hardness of the surface will definitely impart a higher amount of energy onto the ball. This is what is needed when the golfer tries to hit the ball to cover as large a distance as possible.

However, when the ball is to be hit with a high level of control gently, as in putting, you do not want a tremendous energy transfer between the club and the ball. In such cases, you actually need some force attenuation taking place.

Thus a straight tungsten carbide thermal spray coating will not work under these circumstances. Either you need different coatings for different clubs or a single coating system that will address all of the energy transfer needs of the golfer. Obviously, manufacturers of golf clubs will prefer the latter, since it is amenable to lowered manufacturing costs and better quality control since the same coating system gets put on for all club heads.

Additionally, application of a single coating system allows for automatic adjustment of energy transfer phenomena on medium range hits by being in between the long range and the short range energy transfer requirements. Such a coating system can be obtained by depositing first a softer coating relative to the tungsten carbide.

A suggestion would be to deposit a cobalt nickel chromium aluminum yttrium coating first and then follow up with tungsten carbide cobalt high velocity thermal spray coating. This will allow the energy transfer between the club and the ball to be maximized on long range hits and cushioned on short range hits; obviously the energy transfer would be somewhat in between for medium range hits. This is akin to the use of multiple springs with varied spring constants for the purpose of shock absorption in motor vehicles.

Hence with the use of a dual coating system, thermal spray coatings technology used on golf club heads can go farther than it is in the current state of technological affairs.

Kris Rogers writes for the Thermal Spray Coatings site.

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After my most recent round of golf, the guys in my foursome started discussing their favorite item in their golf bag. One of them loves his driver; another loves his putter; the last one loves his sand wedge even though he hates being in the sand. When it came to me I simply said, “My sunscreen.”

Use an Effective Sunscreen

I always ensure I use an effective sunscreen when I golf. An effective sunscreen will block both UVA and UVB rays. Think about it. A round of golf can take four to six hours to play, and preferred weekend tee times are generally in the mid-morning. Therefore, a golfer who tees off around 10am will be playing during the hours of the day when the sun is at its hottest. This means golfers are exposed to a lot of sun at the worst times.

An effective sunscreen is very important for women golfers too. A lot of women golfers have a UV factor in the make-up they use. Having a UV factor in makeup will provide some protection from the sun’s harmful rays. I would not recommend that this be their only protection, however, especially if they are very active or outdoors a lot. I realize that women golfers don’t like the shine that an effective sunscreen gives their face. Therefore, I always tell them to top their sunscreen with a blended face powder to help minimize the shine.

Re-apply Sunscreen at the Turn

I’ve discovered a lot of my fellow golfers are good at applying sunscreen before they golf, but forget to re-apply it during their round. Re-applying is very important. The effectiveness of sunscreen is diminished the longer you are out in the sun, especially if you’re sweating. My general rule is to re-apply sunscreen every two hours. Instead of watching the time, I re-apply my sunscreen at the turn (after 9 holes). In fact, I wish golf courses would offer golfers sunscreen between the ninth green and tenth tee.

Replace Your Sunscreen Regularly

It is also very important to replace the sunscreen in your golf bag regularly. Have you ever wondered why you got sunburned after applying that old sunscreen you had sitting in your bag? Sunscreen typically loses its effectiveness over time. Therefore, I always recommend to replace your sunscreen at the start of each new golf season.

Wear Sun Protective Clothing.

The next important step to protecting yourself from the sun is to wear protective clothing, especially a wide-brimmed hat. Sun protective clothing uses fabric to help protect your skin. Fabric is rated using an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UCF). UCF is very similar to the SPF rating for sunscreens. Sun Precautions® and Solumbra® are brands of sun protective clothing I recommend to my patients.

Play “Shade” Golf

Learn how to play “shade” golf. Basically, seek shade when you’re waiting to take your next shot. I always park my golf cart under a tree if possible. Not only does a shady spot help protect me from the sun, it keeps me cooler. In Florida, keeping cool is very important to enjoying a round of golf in the summer.

Drive Down Your Risk of Skin Cancer

All golfers want to lower their golf scores. Now it’s time to drive down your risk of skin cancer by protecting yourself from the sun’s harmful rays. You’ll appreciate avoiding that painful sunburn and potentially dangerous skin cancer in the future.

Dr. Bradley Abrams is a licensed Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine who is A.O.B.D. Board Certified in Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. He is noted as being one of the top dermatologic surgeons in the Sarasota, Florida community. You can learn more about Dr Abrams by visiting his website.

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It’s this time every year that I get really stoked about golf. As I write this article, I have The Masters on in the background. With The Masters on TV, that could only mean one thing: Spring is here, the weather is warming up, and soon golfers are going to begin flocking to the courses in big numbers.

Golf has become such a huge sport, not just in the United States but worldwide. There are a lot of great players in the world, but we can thank mostly Tiger Woods for the increasing popularity. The increase in popularity is great for the sport, but it’s also driving up our costs. It’s simple economics of supply and demand. Each year the equipment, training materials, and green fees continue to go up.

Each year when I begin golfing again as the weather warms up, I head out to a few of my local public courses and sure enough rates had gone up again. It’s usually only a dollar or two, but still it gets frustrating year after year. You can almost count on it annually just like paying your taxes this time of year.

There are ways to save money on green fees, however. You can call around to your local courses and ask them if they have any special promotional deals that particular month. Every once in a while you can find a “buy one round get the 2nd round for 1/2 price” deal. Or if you buy something in the pro shop, they will throw in a free round of golf.

Another way is to go to your favorite golf course’s website and sign up for its mailing list to receive its newsletter and/or ezine.. Often these newsletters will have specials each month. Usually some kind of discount or “buy one round get another round free in the same week” or something to that effect.

The best way I have found to save money is to get a discount golf card. You can usually buy a card for each course, but that gets a little expensive and may not save you money in the long run. But if you play the same course every time, then this might make sense for you.

If you’re like me, however, and like to jump around and play many courses in different cities and states, then you obviously can’t buy a discount card for each course. You need a nationally-sponsored card that is affiliated with many courses nationwide. The good ones I’ve seen have discounted or even free green fees at thousands of courses nationwide and in Canada. You can get these discount cards online buy doing a simple Google search. They usually are pretty inexpensive and can be found for not much more than a round of golf with a cart. So they are definitely worth the money each year to get one.

Chris McCann is a successful entrepreneur who enjoys helping golfers improve their golf game by using very simple techniques that golfers of all skill levels can implement and start using right away. Visit his site.

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Famous throughout the world as the incomparable city of dreams, glamor and glitz and its casino’s; where all luxury are lavishly presented; Las Vegas, Nevada has positioned itself as the United States’ fastest growing golf industry. Many new, very exceptional golf courses have opened its doors to the public the last few years. And the growth doesn’t appear to be slowing down.

Apparently the combination of glamor and golf is a perfect match for many people who want to be pampered during their vacations. Year-round sunshine and the mild temperature gives you full opportunity to play golf whenever you want. The friendly climate and the fact that Las Vegas is a city that never sleeps give you plenty of fun and entertaining choices after a full day of playing golf.

Many organizations like tour operators, casinos and golf courses offer Las Vegas Golf Packages. These kinds of packages include return flights, stays at top casinos/hotels, all local taxes on accommodations, rental cars and green fees.

Here’s an example of a 5-Day Las Vegas Golf Package:

Day 1

Upon arrival, using your rental car, you will check in at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. After some rest, you will head to the Royal Links Golf Course and play golf for the rest of the afternoon.

Day 2

Play golf at Badland Golf Course in the morning.

Day 3

Morning golf at Las Vegas National Golf Course.

Day 4

Golf arrangement at TPC at the Vegas Canyon Course.

Day 5

Leaving Las Vegas in the afternoon.

Outside the scheduled arrangements you are free to entertain yourself with many Las Vegas activities, from gambling at the casinos, dining at top Vegas restaurants or having unforgettable experiences at the many top shows featured at various hotels, casinos and convention centers.

John Soffer writes for Top Vegas Golf where you can find articles and tips on Las Vegas Golf Packages.

Would you like to play more golf for the same dollars you are currently spending? Do you enjoy the challenge playing golf on courses that are new to you? Or maybe you love making the rounds and teeing up at the various courses in your city or state; better yet, perhaps you travel for business or pleasure and get a chance to play a round or two of golf at a potpourri of courses across the United States. If this describes you, identifying discount golf courses to patronize can save you loads of money on green fees and tee times.

Unless you have an unlimited budget allotted to your golfing activities, playing multiple holes of golf when you want and where you want can get rather expensive in a hurry. Why burn a hole in your pocket when you can immediately start saving lots of money on your green fees and tee times by planning your golf excursions at discount golf courses or courses that offer substantial savings through the purchase of membership passes.

Many avid golfers are not aware of the fact that for a very small investment they can play more golf for less money than what they are currently spending to enjoy their favorite sport. There really is no need to pay for high green fees when you can received a discount, as high as 50%, at discount golf courses across the United States and Canada.

Don’t let the term “discount” fool you; the courses are often part of the network of courses you will normally play, and some are even better. It’s just that “informed golfers” do not pay full price!

According to the National Golf Foundation, in 2002 golfers spent an estimated $25 billion dollars a year on just equipment and course fees alone. Approximately 80% of this amount was spent on green fees for both public and private courses; about $5 billion was allotted for golf equipment.

Statistics from 2004 show that Americans played over 500 million rounds of golf. Anyone who tees up for more than 25 round of golf per year would be considered an “avid” golfer, and this segment accounted for two-thirds, or $16.5 billion of all golf related expenditures. By purchasing discount golf cards or discounted membership passes you can spread your golf budget much further, and thereby play more golf for the money you are currently spending. Also, utilizing booking services to schedule is a great choice for the budget-conscious golfer.

There are many local companies and organizations that market membership passes which offer significant discounts at local golf courses. These can be great bargains when you elect to play close to home; you can find many of these offers within minutes by surfing the Internet. For those who love to travel and partake in their favorite sport there are several companies that offer discount golf cards that are accepted at numerous highly rated public and private courses across the United States and Canada.

Just visualize yourself teeing up at well-known destinations across the country; not only are you fulfilling your dream of living the ultimate golfing experience, but you can do so without having to blow your golf budget. Although many of these courses will honor the discounts during the golf season and on weekends, if you would like to spread the same dollars around to play more golf, playing off-season is a great way to do so. Regardless, fall is peak time in just about any location.

Remember, if you’re watching your golfing expenses, playing off-season can translate into great savings; fall, of course, is prime time in almost any location. So get smart, plan your golf excursions at discount golf courses by investing in a membership pass, discount golf card, or by booking your tee times through the numerous booking services that offer a reduced rate.

Do it now, spread your golf dollars and join the smart golfers who are playing more rounds of golf at discount golf courses for the same dollars you are currently spending to play less!

Jay Land is a writer, webmaster and enthusiastic golfer who loves to travel to various destinations around the world and take on the challenge of playing the local golf courses. He writes for Golf Vacation Deals and Discount Golf Cheap where you can get more information on how to play golf more on the dollars you are now spending.

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Golf’s popularity has been on the rise the last few years, especially now that young players have opened the game to a wider audience. These days, you can catch golf tournaments on TV as easily as football or basketball playoffs. But why sit at home when you can get tickets? Via a reliable on-line ticket provider, you too can watch as your favorites play for that coveted jacket.

Throughout the year, golfers compete in various tournaments around the globe. For the best players, the ultimate goal is to qualify for The Masters, one of the four major men’s competitions. The Masters, an invitation only competition, is played first each year, offering the year’s high performers a chance to challenge each other for the coveted Green Jacket. Additionally, the winner of The Masters is automatically qualified for the other three major contests.

The Masters is one of the oldest major tournaments. Its first annual match was held in 1934. It also has the distinction of being the only major tournament held at the same course every year — the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. Getting to the Augusta National sidelines is simple for any golf fan.

Each year, during the first full week of April, competitors bring their best to Augusta. The first three days are reserved for practice rounds, and on Wednesday, the Par 3 Contest is held. The Par 3 contest is a separate competition, made up of nine holes played over DeSoto Springs Pond and Ike’s Pond.

Tournament golfers, non-competing past champs and Honorary Invitees are the only players allowed to compete. Oddly, no one has ever won the Par 3 contest and The Masters Championship in the same year.

For the remainder of the week, the players are engaged in four rounds — one 18-hole round per day. This schedule eliminates the necessity for qualifying rounds. You can get tickets for events on all seven days, even if the tournament providers are out.

The Masters has a long and colorful tradition that is appreciated by players and spectators alike. As part of that tradition, the golfers and fans maintain the dignified and sportsmanlike conduct that its founders, Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, prized. The Green Jacket tradition began in 1937, but the first green jacket wasn’t actually awarded until 1949, to Sam Snead, that year’s winner.

In 1958, commentator Warren Wind coined the term “Amen Corner” to describe the high difficulty of holes 11, 12 and 13. Every golfer to play the Augusta course knows the pitfalls of those three holes and has his very own “Amen” story to tell. Many of those stories we’ve seen, whether we watched on TV or lived the anxiety there on the sidelines.

Without fail, someone posts amazing stats or breaks a record, whether it’s a personal best or a tournament record. To date, Jack Nicklaus holds the record for most victories with six. Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods are tied with four wins each. Jack’s sixth victory in 1986 made him the oldest champion at 46. Tiger’s win in 1997, at 21, made him the youngest golfer to win the tournament.

Other interesting records include the best comebacks, by Nick Faldo in 1990 with seven strokes and Tiger Woods also with seven strokes in 2005. The 2007 winner, Zach Johnson, made three attempts before winning his first green jacket. According to tradition, last year’s winner, in Zach’s case Phil Mickelson, offers the distinctive jacket to the new champion. Nick Faldo (1989 & 1990), Jack Nicklaus (1965 & 1966) and Tiger Woods (2001 & 2002) are the only three golfers to successfully defend their titles. Come April, Zach Johnson will play for the chance to join this select group.

With so many talented players vying for a Masters green jacket, the tournament promises to be interesting. Getting there, however, is much easier than hitting a hole in one. If you’re a golf fan, The Masters is a can’t miss event.

Anna Woodward writes for Golden Tickets, where getting tickets to the Masters, the Kentucky Derby, Chicago Cubs or Dallas Mavericks games aren’t a difficult task, with online distributors making getting access to your favorite events just a click away.

By John Toepel

I played Wilson equipment while I was on the Tour. In fact I still have the irons I used. I can’t seem to quite bend the shafts these days. They are dynamic S and tipped. Actually I can bend them but the club has to be positioned between two chairs so I can sit on it.

The Wilson factory is in Chicago. I stopped in at every opportunity. There was a whole department for the Tour players clubs at the factory. All the players clubs were handmade in that small area. It was fun to see the clubs put together by those skilled craftsmen. They did it with great pride and the clubs showed it. In the 1970s, Wilson was on top with Spaulding and MacGregor trying to catch up. Have things changed a bit?

One day I was in the factory having some irons bent for the lie angle and Billy Casper stopped in. Billy had his golf bag on his shoulder, walked in, slid the bag off his shoulder and thumped it on the ground. He announced that there was something wrong with the 3-Iron and walked away.

I went over to his bag and studied his equipment. He had hit some shots with those clubs and won many tournaments. He liked those clubs and just wanted the 3-Iron to act the way it always had. He liked his foundation and wanted it to stay put.

After extensive examinations, the club makers determined that the shaft in the 3-Iron had changed and was no longer consistent with the other clubs. They changed the shaft immediately to match the other shafts. It was interesting that Billy could sense that there was some difference in the 3-Iron with no testing equipment except his hands.

Part of creating your foundation is your equipment. Find equipment you like and then find duplicates that you like just as well in case you need them some day.

John Toepel is a veteran PGA Tour Player, instructor, author, and professional speaker. He also discovered Concept Golf, the quickest way to immediate, life-long lasting improvements to anyone’s golf game. Visit his site to learn more about Concept Golf, including the most comprehensive golf instruction system ever, The Concept Golf Perfect Shot Making System.

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By Susan Dean 

Collecting is a great hobby for many people, from spoons, cards, music memorabilia to collectible golf clubs and putters. Whatever it is that takes your fancy you can be an avid collector.

And now with the use of computers and the Internet, collecting has become easier and much more popular. You can find almost everything online without ever leaving home. Whether you are a collector or a seller the Internet is the perfect tool for you. You will find many other enthusiasts such as yourself that collect all types of items including special release items.

There are groups and societies that have their own websites for you to join or check out. You have the option of eBay to purchase many different types of golfing items that you may want to collect. Not only are there collectible golf clubs and putters but you may be interested in obtaining other items of interest such as balls, books, score cards, medals, trophies, tees, club histories and much, much more.

The sky really is the limit when looking for collectibles for your interest online. You may be more interested in antique golfing items or only more modern ones. The choice is yours. Of course there is much more to think about than just what you want to find and buy. You need to work out how much you can afford to spend before falling in love with something you’ve spotted.

There is of course the added option of swapping. If you are a keen collector and have a large selection of different items then you may be able to swap something from your collection with that special something that another collector has on offer. Whatever you decide is right for you, doing it through the Internet is the most convenient and efficient way.

So, whether you are looking for collectible golf clubs and putters or some other golfing memorabilia why not take a good look around right now and see what is out there for you to find. We have researched and found the best golf merchandising online companies that may also be able to help you out with collectibles as well as up to date new and used golfing equipment and accessories.

Susan Dean is the webmaster and publisher of Discount Golfing Shop. Visit her site for discount golfing supplies.

By C. Downey

You play your best game when using your own set of clubs. When traveling with your golf clubs, you will want to protect them from banging around against other luggage or from rough handling.

Your golf clubs are an investment and you want them safe from damage when traveling!

Here are some tips when traveling with golf clubs:

Protect your clubs by first packing them in a golf travel bag or case. There are plenty of options and many price ranges, so you are sure to find the travel case that is right for you.

There are two types of golf travel cases: soft shell and hard shell. For traveling by air, the hard shell golf case is most recommended. Many airlines will cover damages if your clubs are first packed inside a golf travel hard case (please confirm with your airline first).

Hard shell cases can protect against very demanding environments. Most are made of heavy molded plastic that help protect your clubs against hard drops, throws or harsh banging. The hard travel golf case may cost more than the soft shell choices, however, the investment is offset by the level of protection provided to your clubs. If you prefer a hard case that will fit your golf bag inside as well, make sure to read the golf travel case descriptions before making your choice. Not all hard cases are built to fit your golf bag inside.

Golf soft shell travel cases can be a good option provided you pack your clubs well. The level of protection is not as great as the hard shell types, but by packing your clubs carefully and with a few precautions, you can do well with this choice if you plan on traveling by car and handling your own luggage. Also, most soft shell bags do fit your golf bag inside nicely.

To get the most protection for your golf clubs when using a soft shell case, be sure to pack the clubs inside carefully. First keep the clubs in your golf bag, cover the club heads with the golf bag cover (if your bag has one) or wrapped and buffered by some other material (towels or clothing work well) so that the club heads do not bang around loose or against each other inside the travel case.

By taking care to pack your golf clubs in a travel case that can offer protection from the elements and rough handling that can occur during travel, you will be on the right track to keeping your clubs safe from damage and enjoying them while traveling on holiday or golf tour.

You can find plenty of selections of golf travel bags and cases at C. Downey’s site, Golfing Fanatic.

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