Golf Tips Should Always Include Fitness
July 31, 2009
When you think of golf tips, do you usually think about how to improve your swing, or how to sink your putts? Those, of course, are good tips, but you also need fitness tips behind all of those technique tips. Without proper fitness, technique tips will fall short.
Take your swing, for example. You can meet with a golf pro on many occasions and he can tell you all there is to know about how to swing the club effectively. If you haven’t learned the fitness needs behind your swing, though, you will still not be performing to your true potential.
Your swing depends on having a fit back. It is an essential part of your swing, and if you haven’t conditioned and exercised your back through exercises and complimentary stretches, it is not going to allow you to swing to the best of your ability. Good back strength adds power to your swing, adds coordination and assists balance.
Your swing also relies on transferring weight correctly, wrist and ankle strength, shoulder and arm strength, posture… the list goes on and on, and all of these things are effected positively by a fitness program. Without good fitness and an understanding of how your body works, your game falls short.
Golfing Where Dinosaurs Roamed
July 30, 2009
Golfing Where Dinosaurs Roamed
by: Casey Coke
Golfing where dinosaurs once roamed? Not many golf courses can boast a claim like that, at least not many championship courses.
Squaw Valley Golf Course is built upon ground inhabited by dinosaurs millions of years ago and is located in Glen Rose, Texas (www.glenrosearea.com), which is affectionately known as the Gateway to the Hill Country, but Squaw Valley Golf Course is best known for its two challenging and acclaimed courses.
Squaw Valley Golf Course is a 36-hole municipal golf course owned by Somervell County. The club is known as one of the top facilities in the state and as “One of the Top 5 Municipal Courses in Texas” by the Dallas Morning News and is managed by golf pro Duff Cunningham. Additionally, Squaw Valley Golf Course has been given a 4-star rating by the golfing industry authority, Golf Digest. The course is comprised of two challenging, yet different, 18-hole courses- Apache Links and Comanche Lakes.
How To Choose A Self Defense Product
July 29, 2009
How To Choose A Self Defense Product
by: Rob Goyette
Let’s face it, martial arts and other physical self-defense courses aren’t for everybody. They can be time consuming and expensive for some - and others may not be able to handle the physical strain of them. It is quite a commitment to learn a self-defense discipline, and that is often a commitment that cannot be made by some.
That’s why there is an increase in the use of self-defense products by people. Whether it is carrying pepper spray on a key chain for convenience, or a taser in your purse for that ounce of protection, self-defense products are another way to protect yourself in the face of danger.
Sometimes, the mere sight of a person carrying a self-defense product is enough to scare even the most stout-hearted assailant from your path, and provide you with enough time to get away and ward off the attack.
Here are some of the most popular types of self-defense products on the market, and a brief description of their use:
Golf Practice Equipment Can Pave The Way For Better Golf
July 28, 2009
There is a great deal of equipment on the market today that can help you make your practice time more efficient and effective. Many people believe that simply getting out on the course and playing more often will make them a better golfer. Without effective practice, however, you could just be making the same mistakes again and again without actually improving your game.
Effective practice has been proven to improve golf scores. Consider the prisoner of war who spent years in a POW camp. Each day he played a perfect game of golf in his head, visualizing every hole, every swing, and every putt. He concentrated on playing perfectly. When released from prison years later, he got onto the golf course for the first time and shot the best game of his life. Mental imagery in itself can be a powerful tool.
Beyond your mind, you can find plenty of practice equipment that will help your game. If you want to improve your swing, consider purchasing a net to swing the ball into. Even a small backyard can become your own personal driving range. If you want to practice your swing but aren’t interested in a net, you can purchase a swing practice aid that includes a tethered ball, so you can hit the ball as you normally would, but it will just swing on its tether. You can also buy practice balls that are lightweight and will not travel far even when hit with a powerful swing.
Improve Your Golf Swing With Keeping Your Golf Club On The Correct Swing Plane
July 28, 2009
Improve Your Golf Swing With Keeping Your Golf Club On The Correct Swing Plane
by: Sean Cochran
We as golfers have heard the term swing plane many times during our golfing careers. But do we really know the definition of it and the bearing upon our golf swing?
Recently, I had a conversation with Dean Reinmuth (top 30 teaching pro ranked by Golf Digest) and I think he described swing plane the best. Dean suggests to think of the swing plane as an imaginary circle. The imaginary circle that represents the swing plane is set at an angle. It is the path on which it is necessary for the club to travel in order to execute the swing correctly.
Beginning at address, the clubhead and shaft should be positioned at the “bottom” of the swing plane. During takeaway into the backswing and at the transition point of the swing, the clubhead and shaft are to remain on the swing plane. These three phases of the swing represent the club traveling “up” the swing plane to “top” of it. Keep in mind the visual of the circle and the shaft of the club dissecting the shoulder during these phases of the swing.
Pacific Crest Trail - History and Hiking It
July 27, 2009
Pacific Crest Trail - History and Hiking It
by: Rick Chapo
The Pacific Crest Trail runs over the mountain ranges dividing the west coast and the rest of the nation. There is a lot of history tied to the trail and it offers great hiking.
Pacific Crest Trail - History
Running from the border with Mexico to the Canadian border, the Pacific Crest Trail was used by settlers in the 1800s looking for the good life in California, Oregon and Washington. This 2,500 mile trek offers a variety of environments including burning hot deserts and mountains peeks stacked up one after the other. Since most settlers came from the north, the trail area they encountered was definitely of the mountainous variety. While hikers of today will find it a beautiful and challenging trail, one can be sure many of the settlers had other opinions.
Ironically, the Pacific Crest Trail is really a relatively modern name. Prior to 1993, it was known as a general collection of trails running the route with parts of such trails as the John Muir Trail included as sections. If you could travel back in time, a settler would be baffled if you started talking about the trail.
Sciatica Exercises Alleviate Discomfort For Golfers
July 26, 2009
If you are fortunate enough to have never experienced sciatica, you may be wondering what it is. The sciatic nerves run from your lower back down each of your legs. They are the largest nerves in the body, growing to more than a half inch in diameter. Irritation or compression of these nerves, which can range from a mild tingly pain to excruciating pain that is debilitating, is referred to as sciatica. Many golfers experience lower back problems, and often this is due to sciatica.
If you experience sciatica, a few days of bed rest or lying on the couch is not the answer. Inactivity actually aggravates the problem. Weak or inflexible muscles can cause or intensify sciatica, so it is important to keep your back and abdominal muscles in good shape. While you don’t need to spend hours at the gym, some strengthening and stretching of these muscles can provide a lot of good and get you back out on the golf course.
Grunion Runs - Fishing With Your Hands In San Diego
July 25, 2009
Grunion Runs - Fishing With Your Hands In San Diego
by: Rick Chapo
Fishing is peaceful and inspiring sport regardless of the type of fishing your doing. Well, with one exception - grunion runs.
El Grunionino
Throughout the year, the fish known as the grunion run in San Diego and much of California. This little silver fish reproduces by “running” up the beach during the high tide in the middle of the night. Literally thousands of the fish simply come storming up the beach with the waves to lay their eggs in the wet sand. It kind of looks like the beginning of a triathalon except the participants are going the wrong way and are pregnant.
The fish picked up their name from Spanish settlers because of, well, the grunting noise the make when doing their thing. It is a bit saucy now that I think about it. Anyway, the grunion averages five inches in length and has a silvery hue that shows in the moonlight. With thousands in the water, it looks like the a really fat person wearing way to many sequins while dancing to disco music.
You’re Inner Barbarian
Learn How To Enhance Your Habitat
July 24, 2009
Learn How To Enhance Your Habitat
by: Steve Link
Enhancing your habitat Story
Habitat, simply put is the area where animals live. The key to wildlife survival, habitat provides four basic elements: food, water, cover and nesting areas.
Whether you have a small backyard or a larger area with fields and/or woodland, you can help provide these essential resources for a variety of wildlife, including birds, butterflies, insects, small mammals and some larger animals.
Begin by walking around your yard or property to identify any existing habitat resources. Make a map or plan of the land, noting any trees, shrubs, flowers, plants, vines and secret spots that might provide cover for wildlife. Look for brush and rock piles, as well as water or wetland areas.
Once your plan is completed, take note of those existing features that are providing good wildlife habitat. From here, you may decide to add more water features, an area for cover and nesting or additional native plants for food.
The Perfect Golf Swing Through Improved Posture And Balance
July 23, 2009
Every golfer is continually in search of that elusive feel of the perfect swing. Books are written on the topic. Instructional videos promising the "secrets of the perfect swing" sell like hotcakes by mail order and on the internet. Everyone everywhere wants to know what they need to do to swing like the pros.
The truth is there is no "perfect swing" ? at least there’s no one method for achieving it. If we’ve learned anything from years of watching professional golfers showcase their skills in tournaments around the world, it is what makes for the "perfect swing" varies from player to player.
That doesn’t mean the cause is lost and you’ll never find "that" swing. It just means that you have to find "your" swing. Learning a few tips along the way, tips that can and do apply to all golfers, can only help.
Two of the most important components of a good golf swing are balance and posture. If you’re off balance or have poor posture, your search of the perfect swing becomes more challenging. In most cases balance is improved by working on building strength and endurance of your core.
