Sports

The Great Aspen Resort Ski Vacations

2008-01-28T06:11:00.000-08:00

When you think of all the ski resorts in the world one of them stands out inyour mind. Aspen offers a variety of ski areas for all levels and it covers 4,500 acres or more spread over four mountains. This resort is known for itsnightlife because of the downtown area and the quieter Snowmass resort area has something to offer everyone.

Aspen provides all the restaurants and bars you could ever want or need You can take a stroll
through this luxurious city and find many boutiques and much more. There is a lot of history in many of the buildings that are in the downtown area. One of these buildings is the Ute bank; this building can be dated back to the silver area around the 1800's.

With everything that there is to do in Aspen you shouldn't find yourself getting bored. Aspen is
located in Colorado, and with the various mountain ranges, you are sure to find slopes that are suitable for your level. Snowmass is one of the most popular resorts in the world, so be sure to make reservations well in advance.

Tennessee Ski Vacations

2008-01-25T19:26:00.001-08:00

Located near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Ober Gatlinburg is the only ski resort in the state. It is more than just a ski resort, however. It is a complete family vacation spot with an amusement park, indoor ice skating, a bungee tower, an alpine slide, and many other activities and attractions – there is something to please everyone.

With an elevation of 3301 feet, and a vertical drop of 600 feet, Ober Gatlinburg features eight trails: two beginner trails, four intermediate trails, and two advanced trails. There are three lifts, including two quad lifts, one double lift, and one surface lift. The season runs from the middle of December through early March, and night skiing is allowed on all trails except the Grizzly trail.
Rentals are available for both ski equipment and snowboarding equipment. Private and group lessons for skiing and snowboarding are also available through the Smokey Mountain Snow Sport School. You can also easily find food at the many snack bars, food carts, the café, the restaurant, or in the lounge.

You must not miss the longest chair lift ride in the south! You will see awesome views of the Great Smoky Mountains. You will also get a bird’s eye view of some of the slopes, and you can have your picture taken on top of the mountain. If you don’t ski, don’t worry! You can ride back down the mountain on the chair lift as well. Don’t forget the Tramway. The tramway departs from downtown Gatlinburg and takes you to the ski resort and the amusement park.

Even if you don’t ski, you can still explore the thrill of flying down a mountain at a high speed – or a slow speed if you choose. This is possible with the Alpine Slide. The slide is approximately 1800 feet long, and takes you down a winding wooded slope. You have total control over your speed with the use of a braking device on each sled. Other attractions at the amusement park include the Black Bear Habitat, a bungee jump, a water race, go karts, indoor ice skating, kiddie land, an arcade, miniature golf, a Spider Web Velcro Wall Jump, water rides, and a shooting range.

No matter what type of fun or adventure you are seeking, there is something to satisfy everyone in the family at Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort and Amusement Park. This is definitely a trip worth taking– especially if you have younger kids or senior citizens traveling with you.

Tahoe Ski Vacations

2008-01-21T07:08:00.001-08:00

If you are planning a ski vacation and there are beginners in your group, or you are a beginner yourself, you should definitely consider Tahoe Donner in Truckee, California for your ski vacation. Since 1971, when construction first began at Tahoe Donner, the area has come to be known as a world class cross country ski center, but beginners are still welcome, and this is one of the better places to learn how to ski.

Located near Tahoe and Truckee, Tahoe Donner provides a family atmosphere, and is very affordable. It features a 601 foot vertical drop, and the highest elevation is 7353 feet. There are approximately 120 acres for skiers to enjoy, with over 13 trails for beginners, intermediate skiers, and expert skiers. The resort features four lifts, with two of the list being surface lifts, and two being chair lifts.

Snowboarders are also welcome at Tahoe Donner. The resort has reasonable lift ticket rates, and there are rentals available. Here, you will also find a variety of ski programs and a ski school. After a full day of skiing, be sure to visit the Lodge Restaurant for a wonderful and relaxing dining experience.

THE VOLLEY AND OVERHEAD SMASH.

2008-01-20T03:39:00.000-08:00

The net attack is the heavy artillery of tennis. It is supposed to crush all defence. As such it must be regarded as a point-winning stroke at all times, no matter whether the shot is volley or smash.

Once at the net hit from the point at the first opportunity given to get the racquet squarely on the ball. All the laws of footwork explained for the drive are theoretically the same in volleying. In practice you seldom have time to change your feet to a set position, so you obviate trouble by throwing the weight on the foot nearest to the ball and pushing it in the shot.

Volleys are of two classes: (1) the low volley, made from below the waist; and (2) the high volley, from the waist to the head. In contradistinction to the hitting plane classification are the two styles known as (1) the deep volley and (2) the stop volley.

All low volleys are blocked. High volleys may be either blocked or hit. Volleys should never be stroked. There is no follow through on a low volley and very little on a high one.

You will hear much talk of "chop" volleys. A chop stroke is one where the racquet travels from above the line of flight of the ball, down and through it, and the angle made behind the racquet is greater than 45 degrees, and many approach 90 degrees. Therefore I say that no volleys should be chopped, for the tendency is to pop the ball up in the air off any chop. Slice volleys if you want to, or hit them flat, for both these shots are made at a very small angle to the flight-line of the ball, the racquet face travelling almost along its plane.

In all volleys, high or low, the wrist should be locked and absolutely stiff. It should always be below the racquet head, thus bracing the racquet against the impact of the ball. Allow the force of the incoming shot, plus your own weight, to return the ball, and do not strive to "wrist" it over. The tilted racquet face will give any required angle to the return by glancing the ball off the strings, so no wrist turn is needed.

Low volleys can never be hit hard, and owing to the height of the net should usually be sharply angled, to allow distance for the rise. Any ball met at a higher plane than the top of the net may be hit hard. The stroke should be crisp, snappy, and decisive, but it should stop as it meets the ball. The follow through should be very small. Most low volleys should be soft and short. Most high volleys require speed and length.

The "stop" volley is nothing more than a shot blocked short. There is no force used. The racquet simply meets the oncoming ball and stops it. The ball rebounds and falls of its own weight. There is little bounce to such a shot, and that may be reduced by allowing the racquet to slide slightly under the ball at the moment of impact, thus imparting back spin to the ball.

Volleying is a science based on the old geometric axiom that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points. I mean that a volleyer must always cover the straight passing shot since it is the shortest shot with which to pass him, and he must volley straight to his opening and not waste time trying freakish curving volleys that give the base-liner time to recover. It is Johnston's great straight volley that makes him such a dangerous net man. He is always "punching" his volley straight and hard to the opening in his opponent's court.

A net player must have ground strokes in order to attain the net position. Do not think that a service and volley will suffice against first-class tennis.

Strive to kill your volleys at once, but should your shot not win, follow the ball 'cross and again cover the straight shot. Always force the man striving to pass you to play the hardest possible shot.

Attack with your volleys. Never defend the ball when at the net. The only defensive volley is one at your feet as you come in. It is a mid-court shot. Volleys should win with placement more than speed, although speed may be used on a high volley.

Closely related to the volley, yet in no way a volley stroke, is the overhead smash. It is the Big Bertha of tennis. It is the long range terror that should always score. The rules of footwork, position, and direction that govern the volley will suffice for the overhead. The swing alone is different. The swing should be closely allied to the slice service, the racquet and arm swinging freely from the shoulder, the wrist flexible and the racquet imparting a slight twist to the ball to hold it in court. The overhead is mainly a point winner through speed, since its bounce is so high that a slow placement often allows time for a recovery.

Do not leap in the air unnecessarily to hit overhead balls. Keep at least one foot, and when possible both feet, on the ground in smashing, as it aids in regulating the weight, and gives better balance. Hit flat and decisively to the point if desired.

Most missed overhead shots are due to the eye leaving the ball; but a second class of errors are due to lack of confidence that gives a cramped, half-hearted swing. Follow through your overhead shot to the limit of your swing.

The overhead is essentially a doubles shot, because in singles the chances of passing the net man are greater than lobbing over his head, while in doubles two men cover the net so easily that the best way to open the court is to lob one man back.

In smashing, the longest distance is the safest shot since it allows a greater margin of error. Therefore smash 'cross court when pressed, but pull your short lobs either side as determined by the man you are playing.

Never drop a lob you can hit overhead, as it forces you back and gives the attacking position to your opponent. Never smash with a reverse twist, always hit with a straight racquet face and direct to the opening.

Closely connected to the overhead since it is the usual defence to any hard smash, is the lob.

A lob is a high toss of the ball landing between the service-line and the baseline. An excellent lob should be within 6 feet of the baseline.

Lobs are essentially defensive. The ideas in lobbing are: (1) to give yourself time to recover position when pulled out of court by your opponent's shot; (2) to drive back the net man and break up his attack; (3) to tire your opponent; (4) occasionally to, win cleanly by placement. This is usually a lob volley from a close net rally, and is a slightly different stroke.

There is (1) the chop lob, a heavily under-cut spin that hangs in the air. This, is the best defensive lob, as it goes high and gives plenty of time to recover position. (2) The stroke lob or flat lob, hit with a slight top spin. This is the point-winning lob since it gives no time to, the player to run around it, as it is lower and faster than the chop. In making this lob, start your swing like a drive, but allow the racquet to slow up and the face to tilt upward just as you meet the ball. This, shot should seldom go above 10 feet in the air, since it tends to go out with the float of the ball.

The chop lob, which is a decided under cut, should rise from 20 to 30 feet, or more, high and must go deep. It is better to lob out and run your opponent back, thus tiring him, than to lob short and give him confidence by an easy kill. The value of a lob is mainly one of upsetting your opponent, and its effects are very apparent if you unexpectedly bring off one at the crucial period of a match.

Ski Vacations with Ski Clubs

2008-01-14T04:20:00.000-08:00

There are many different types of clubs throughout the world. In fact, there is a club or organization for just about everything that you can imagine! Skiing is no exception. Ski clubs are a great way to learn new things, and to go on ski vacations with other members. In fact, ski club members often get discounted rates on ski vacation packages.

No matter where you live, there is a ski club near you. This is true even if you live in a place that does not ever get snowfall! These clubs regularly get together for trips to various mountains, ski areas, and ski resorts. Some are local clubs, meaning that the slopes that they ski on are within driving distance, while others are more national or global, which means that they not only ski locally, if possible, but they also plan ski trips.

Again, members of ski clubs often receive deep discounts on ski vacation packages. Arrangements are usually made through the club, so that everyone is eligible for the discounts. The money that is required from each member for the trip is usually paid to the club, and the club passes the funds onto pay for lodging, airfare, meals, lift tickets, and other perks that are included in the trip. Because arrangements are being made for a group of people?which is usually fairly large ?discounts are given. This benefits all members of the club.

The discounts aren't the only thing to be excited about. These clubs get together regularly ?even if they aren't getting together to ski. They join together for other activities as well, such as cookouts and fundraisers. Many ski clubs do annual fundraisers to help less fortunate families and children at Christmas time. Others do annual fundraisers to help preserve the environment ?which is usually a topic of great importance to skiers who love being out in the wide open spaces and fresh air.

While skiing is what brings these groups together in the first place, it is not necessarily what keeps them together. Their love of a common sport, and their common interests and feeling of community is what keeps them together ?and it keeps them skiing together for years and years. If you are a skier, you should definitely consider joining a club. It doesn't matter ?in most cases ?what level you are at. Beginners are usually welcomed, and this is a great way for beginners to quickly improve their skills and techniques out on the slopes.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SINGLES AND DOUBLES IN TENNIS.

2008-01-13T03:29:00.001-08:00

Singles, the greatest strain in tennis, is the game for two players. It is in this phase of the game that the personal equation reaches its crest of importance. This is the game of individual effort, mental and physical.

A hard 5-set singles match is the greatest strain on the body and nervous system of any form of sport. Singles is a game of daring, dash, speed of foot and stroke. It is a game of chance far more than doubles. Since you have no partner dependent upon you, you can afford to risk error for the possibility of speedy victory. Much of what I wrote under match play is more for singles than doubles, yet let me call your attention to certain peculiarities of singles from the standpoint of the spectator.

A gallery enjoys personalities far more than styles. Singles brings two people into close and active relations that show the idiosyncrasies of each player far more acutely than doubles. The spectator is in the position of a man watching an insect under a microscope. He can analyse the inner workings.

The freedom of restraint felt on a single court is in marked contrast to the need for team work in doubles. Go out for your shot in singles whenever there is a reasonable chance of getting it. Hit harder at all times in singles than in doubles, for you have more chance of scoring and can take more risk.

Singles is a game of the imagination, doubles a science of exact angles.

Doubles is four-handed tennis. Enough of this primary reader definition.

It is just as vital to play to your partner in tennis as in bridge. Every time you make a stroke you must do it with a definite plan to avoid putting your partner in trouble. The keynote of doubles success is team work; not individual brilliancy. There is a certain type of team work dependent wholly upon individual brilliancy. Where both players are in the same class, a team is as strong as its weakest player at any given time, for here it is even team work with an equal division of the court that should be the method of play. In the case of one strong player and one weaker player, the team is as good as the strong player can make it by protecting and defending the weaker. This pair should develop its team work on the individual brilliancy of the stronger man.

The first essential of doubles play is to PUT the ball in play. A double fault is bad in singles, but it is inexcusable in doubles. The return of service should be certain. After that it should be low and to the server coming in. Do not strive for clean aces in doubles until you have the opening. Remember that to pass two men is a difficult task.

Always attack in doubles. The net is the only place in the court to play the doubles game, and you should always strive to attain the net position. I believe in always trying for the kill when you see a real opening. "Poach" (go for a shot which is not really on your side of the court) whenever you see a chance to score. Never poach unless you go for the kill. It is a win or nothing shot since it opens your whole court. If you are missing badly do not poach, as it is very disconcerting to your partner.

The question of covering a doubles court should not be a serious one. With all men striving to attain the net all the time every shot should be built up with that idea. Volley and smash whenever possible, and only retreat when absolutely necessary.

When the ball goes toward the side-line the net player on that side goes in close and toward the line. His partner falls slightly back and to the centre of the court, thus covering the shot between the men. If the next return goes to the other side, the two men reverse positions. The theory of court covering is two sides of a triangle, with the angle in the centre and the two sides running to the side-lines and in the direction of the net.

Each man should cover overhead balls over his own head, and hit them in the air whenever possible, since to allow them to drop gives the net to the other team. The only time for the partner to protect the overhead is when the net man "poaches," is outguessed, and the ball tossed over his head. Then the server covers and strives for a kill at once.

Always be ready to protect your partner, but do not take shots over his head unless he calls for you to, or you see a certain kill. Then say "Mine," step in and hit decisively. The matter of overhead balls, crossing under them, and such incidentals of team work are matters of personal opinion, and should be arranged by each team according to their joint views. I only offer general rules that can be modified to meet the wishes of the individuals.

Use the lob as a defence, and to give time to extricate yourself and your partner from a bad position. The value of service in doubles cannot be too strongly emphasized since it gives the net to the server. Service should always be held. To lose service is an unpardonable sin in first-class doubles. All shots in doubles should be low or very high. Do not hit shoulder-high as it is too easy to kill. Volley down and hard if possible. Every shot you make should be made with a definite idea of opening the court.

Hit down the centre to disrupt the team work of the opposing team; but hit to the side-lines for your aces.

Pick one man, preferably the weaker of your opponents, and centre your attack on him and keep it there. Pound him unmercifully, and in time he should crack under the attack. It is very foolish to alternate attack, since it simply puts both men on their game and tires neither.

If your partner starts badly play safely and surely until he rounds to form. Never show annoyance with your partner. Do not scold him. He is doing the best he can, and fighting with him does no good. Encourage him at all times and don't worry. A team that is fighting among themselves has little time left to play tennis, and after all tennis is the main object of doubles.

Offer suggestions to your partner at any time during a match; but do not insist on his following them, and do not get peevish if he doesn't. He simply does not agree with you, and he may be right. Who knows?

Every doubles team should have a leader to direct its play; but that leader must always be willing to drop leadership for any given point when his partner has the superior position. It is policy of attack not type of stroke that the leader should determine.

Pick a partner and stick to him. He should be a man you like and want to play with, and he should want to play with you. This will do away with much friction. His style should not be too nearly your own, since you double the faults without greatly increasing the virtues.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PHYSICAL FITNESS.

2008-01-09T06:21:00.000-08:00

Physical fitness is one of the great essentials of match play. Keenness can only be acquired if the physical, mental, and nervous systems are in tune. Consistent and systematic training is essential to a tournament player.

Regular hours of sleep, and regular, hearty food at regular hours are necessary to keep the body at its highest efficiency. Food is particularly important. Eat well, but do not over-eat, particularly immediately before playing. I believe in a large hearty breakfast on the day of a big match. This should be taken by nine-thirty. A moderate lunch at about one o'clock if playing at three. Do not eat very rich food at luncheon as it tends to slow you up on the court. Do not run the risk of indigestion, which is the worst enemy to dear eyesight. Rich, heavy food immediately before retiring is bad, as it is apt to make you "loggy" on the court the next day.

It is certain injury to touch alcoholic drink in any form during tournament play. Alcohol is a poison that affects the eye, the mind, and the wind three essentials in tennis. Tobacco in moderation does little harm, although it, too, hits eye and wind. A man who is facing a long season of tournament play should refrain from either alcohol or tobacco in any form. Excesses of any kind are bad for physical condition, and should not be chanced.

"Staleness" is the great enemy of players who play long seasons. It is a case of too much tennis. Staleness is seldom physical weariness. A player can always recover his strength by rest. Staleness is a mental fatigue due often to worry or too close attention to tennis, and not enough variety of thought. Its symptoms are a dislike for the tennis game and its surroundings, and a lack of interest in the match when you are on the court. I advocate a break in training at such a time. Go to the theatre or a concert, and get your mind completely off tennis. Do your worrying about tennis while you are playing it, and forget the unpleasantness of bad play once you are off the court. Always have some outside interest you can turn to for relaxation during a tournament; but never allow it to interfere with your tennis when you should be intent on your game. A nice balance is hard to achieve, but, once attained is a great aid to a tournament player.

The laws of training should be closely followed before and after a match. Do not get chilled before a match, as it makes you stiff and slow. Above all else do not stand around without a wrap after a match when you are hot or you will catch cold.

Many a player has acquired a touch of rheumatism from wasting time at the close of his match instead of getting his shower while still warm. That slight stiffness the next day may mean defeat. A serious chill may mean severe illness. Do not take chances.

Change your wet clothes to dry ones between matches if you are to play twice in a day. It will make you feel better, and also avoid the risk of cold.

Tournament players must sacrifice some pleasures for the sake of success. Training will win many a match for a man if he sticks to it. Spasmodic training is useless, and should never be attempted.

The condition a player is, in is apt to decide his mental viewpoint, and aid him in accustoming himself to the external conditions of play.

All match players should know a little about the phenomenon of crowd-psychology since, as in the case of the Church-Murray match I related some time back, the crowd may play an important part in the result.

It seldom pays to get a crowd down on you. It always pays to win its sympathy. I do not mean play to the gallery, for that will have the opposite effect than the one desired.

The gallery is always for the weaker player. It is a case of helping the "under-dog." If you are a consistent winner you must accustom yourself to having the gallery show partiality for your opponent. It is no personal dislike of you. It is merely a natural reaction in favour of the loser. Sometimes a bad decision to one play will win the crowd's sympathy for him. Galleries are eminently just in their desires, even though at times their emotions run away with them.

Quite aside from the effect on the gallery, I wish to state here that when you are the favoured one in a decision that you know is wrong, strive to equalize it if possible by unostentatiously losing the next point. Do not hit the ball over the back stop or into the bottom of the net with a jaunty air of "Here you are." Just hit it slightly out or in the net, and go on about your business in the regular way. Your opponent always knows when you extend him this justice, and he appreciates it, even though he does not expect it. Never do it for effect. It is extremely bad taste. Only do it when your sense of justice tells you you should.

The crowd objects, and justly so, to a display of real temper on the court. A player who loses his head must expect a poor reception from the gallery. Questioned decisions by a player only put him in a bad light with the crowd and cannot alter the point. You may know the call was wrong, but grin at it, and the crowd will join you. These things are the essence of good sportsmanship, and good sportsmanship will win any gallery. The most unattractive player in the world will win the respect and admiration of a crowd by a display of real sportsmanship at the time of test.

Any player who really enjoys a match for the game's sake will always be a fine sportsman, for there is no amusement to a match that does not give your opponent his every right. A player who plays for the joy of the game wins the crowd the first time he steps on the court. All the world loves an optimist.

Ski Vacations ?What To Pack

2008-01-08T05:22:00.000-08:00

If you will be traveling for a ski vacation, it is often difficult to know what to pack. You may not even have a problem knowing what to pack, but instead have a problem figuring how to get everything that you need from your home to your destination. Skis do not easily fit into suitcases, and if you are flying, this presents a huge problem.

Start by knowing what is available at your destination. Is there a rental shop? How much are the rental fees for skis, boots, and poles. If it is reasonable, and you don't mind skiing with rented equipment, this is a viable option ?and it makes packing and traveling much easier.

If you don't care for rented equipment, there is another option. Find out if there are any ski shops in the area. There usually are. Get prices on skis, poles, and boots, and then ask if they buy used equipment. If they don, ask if there is anyone near by that does purchase used equipment. Call that place to get an estimate on how much you could get for barely used ski equipment. Figure the difference in the money you will spend on the ski equipment, and the money you will get for the used equipment when you are finished with it. If it isn't much more than what it would cost you to rent the equipment, go for it!

Ski suits, ski jackets, and sweaters can be very bulky, and hard to pack. These items will take up a lot of room in your suitcase, and leave less room for other clothing and essentials. If you are trying to pack for a two week ski vacation, it will be impossible to fit everything you need into one suitcase.

There is a way to solve this. Call the lodge or resort where you will be staying. Tell them that you need to ship a package, for yourself, to them, and that you need that package to be there when you arrive. Ask them if they will hold it for you at the desk. In most cases, they will. Next, get a box, put all of your ski suits, your ski jacket, and any other bulky items in the box, and ship it to yourself, in care of the lodge or resort. Shipping can be overnight, two day, or three day depending on how far it must travel. Depending on how much the box weighs, you will usually pay less than fifty dollars to ship a package in the continental United States?which is a lot less than you would pay an airline for extra baggage!

Ski Vacations on a Budget

2008-01-05T21:09:00.001-08:00

When you start thinking about ski vacations, you will find a lot of information about various resorts and packages. Finding terrific vacation spots isn't difficult, however, finding ski vacations that fit into your budget can be a challenge.

To save money, look for lesser known resorts. This doesn't mean that these resorts won provide you with a fun vacation ?it simply means that they aren't quite as well known as other resorts, and therefore, the prices may be a great cheaper. Also look for ski vacation packages that will include your lodging, lift tickets, lessons, rentals, and possibly even some meals.

Be willing to make some sacrifices if money is a real issue. For instance, instead of eating in an expensive restaurant each night, eat cheaper fast food, or make sandwiches in your room. Borrow equipment from friends instead of renting it. Join a group for lessons instead of taking private lessons. Don't stay at a lodge, stay at a motel farther away from the slopes if necessary. There are numerous ways that you can cut down on the expense of your ski trip. It is all about the powder after all!

Ski Vacations ?Learning How To Ski

2008-01-04T20:46:00.000-08:00

If your family wants to go skiing on your next vacation, but you don't know how to ski, go ahead
and plan that ski vacation anyway! You can learn how to ski, and you will have a great time doing it. You don't even need to know the first thing about skiing before you arrive at the resort ?all of the knowledge you will need is there waiting for you, and you can literally be skiing down a mountain after an hour of instruction.

Learning to ski is really quite easy. Most resorts have a ski school on the premises, and lessons are reasonably priced. Group and private lessons are usually available. It is a good idea, however, to schedule an appointment before you arrive at the resort. This will ensure that you can start learning to ski the very first hour of your vacation.

Most ski instructors start by showing you how to maneuver around with your equipment. When you are wearing ski boots, you will be inclined slightly forward ?there is a reason for this hen you are skiing down a mountain, you will be inclined forward! Walking in ski boots the first time is a bit difficult ?but it works just fine if you learn to walk with your knees slightly bent.

The first maneuver you will learn is called the plow, or snow plow. This is a technique that is done by literally using your skis as a snow plow. You make the back of the skis slowing move outwards, away from your body by applying pressure ?and this stops you. You guide yourself on skies by bending your knees and leaning in one direction or another, depending on which way you want to go. All of these techniques can be learned in one hour, even if you have never been on a pair of skis in your life.

The beauty of skiing is that after you have learned how to snow plow, and how to guide yourself on the skis, you are ready to ski! Get on the lift, head up the mountain, and give it a try. Control your speed by snow plowing ?go slow at first. When you want to pick up some speed, draw your skis back in to pick up a little speed, then push them back out into the plow position to control that speed.

As a beginner, you should stick to the trails that are designed for beginners. At most resorts, these trails are marked with a green emblem. Blue trails are for intermediate skiers, and after one day of skiing the beginner trails, you may be ready for those trails. The black trails are for experts. These trails can be dangerous for people who don't have the skill level to handle them! Avoid black trails until you have had a great deal of ski instruction and experience. You will know when you are ready!

Ski Vacations at Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah

2008-01-03T05:38:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for the ultimate Utah ski vacation,Solitude Mountain Resort has everything that you could want or need. During the early 1900's, the area was full of silver miners, who gave the area its famous name. Today, the area is covered with skiers ?but the crowds are rather light.

The area became a skier's paradise in 1957. It was developed by Robert Barrett, who made his fortune as a uranium miner. He basically started developing the resort because he was denied restroom privileges at the ski area in Alta ?because he was not a guest.

Now owned by a different family, the resort features 1200 acres of 63 runs for beginners, intermediate skiers, and experts. There are eight lifts, including seven chair lifts and one surface lift. The top elevation at Solitude Mountain is 10036 feet, with a vertical drop of 2048 feet.

There are five lodging options for guests, and activities and events take place all throughout the year. The resort looks like a Tom Kincaide painting, and one can't help but wonder if this is where some of his inspiration came from!

Red River Ski Vacations

2008-01-02T03:35:00.000-08:00

Red River, New Mexico is home to one of the most popular ski resorts in the United States, and has been for many decades. The resort offers six chair lifts and one surface lift, and the trails are equally divided for beginners, intermediates, and experts. Top elevation at Red River is 10354 feet, and the vertical drop down the face of the mountain is 1601 feet. Unfortunately, it doesn't snow much, and about 85% of the powder is man made. There are 58 trails scattered over 247 acres. Red River is called the Ski town of the Southwest.?

The resort has three restaurants, all of which offer fabulous fare. Lodging can be obtained in cabins, chalets, inns, or private condominiums in the area, and many lodging packages, as well as ski packages are available through Red River Central Reservations. Red River also offers snow pass rates which allow children to ski for free, and teens to ski at reduced rates. This is a great way to save money on your family ski vacation.

Red River also has a ski school, and group lessons and private lessons are available. Even if you're never skied before, you will quickly be on the slopes after your lessons. There are even lessons for snowboarders, who are welcome on the Red River slopes. You can also rent all of your ski and snowboarding equipment for very reasonable rates.

The nightlife in Red River is also great. After a day on the slopes, you can kick back and relax at the lodge, or visit one of the taverns in the area. For the younger crowd, there is a great game room located right in the center of the town. One of the great things about Red River is that everything is within walking distance of the lodging areas, and shuttles are provided for transportation to and from the slopes.

You can also enjoy taking scenic chairlift rides, hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping, snow-mobiling, and hunting. You can even take one of the jeep tours to go see the abandoned gold mines in the area. So, even if you don抰 ski, there is still plenty of fun to be had at Red River Ski Resort.

Childcare is available while you spend your day on the slopes. Your child will be well tended at the Li抣 Buckaroos Child Care Facility, and the center provides lunch for your child as well. At Red River, everything has been thought of and taken care of to ensure that your ski vacation is as enjoyable as possible.

Planning a Family Ski Vacation

2007-12-31T19:06:00.000-08:00

It's time to plan the family vacation ?and everyone wants to go skiing. Don抰 worry, skiing isn't as expensive as you might think, and there are numerous resorts that cater to families, offering a variety of packages designed to save you money. The problem will be choosing the destination.

Most ski resorts have websites. Start the planning process by accessing these websites to determine where you and your family might want to go for your family ski vacation. There are many different things to look for when choosing a resort. The absolute most important thing to look for is a ski school if someone in your family will need instruction. While most resorts do have ski schools, some don't. Don't make the mistake of choosing a destination where one or more of your family members won't have fun, simply because they don抰 know how to ski.

Next, take a look at the slopes, lifts, and trails. You want to make sure that the resort has something to offer everyone in your family. If the resort only caters to beginners, an expert skier will become quickly bored. If you have a snowboarder in your group, and there is no snowboarding park or terrain, that snowboarder will not be happy. There are resorts that serve all winter sports ?so make sure that your families interests are covered.

Lodging is the next thing to look at. You want to be comfortable, so where you will sleep at night matters a great deal. In most cases, there is a hotel right at the base of the slopes ?but this isn't necessarily the best or most affordable place to stay. Find out what your lodging options are for the area, and choose the one tht is right for your family and your budget.If you will be staying farther away from the slopes, make sure that there is transportation to and from the slopes each day!

Your family will have many more interests that you will need to search for before deciding on a particular destination and resort. Some of those interests may be dog sledding, sleigh rides, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, or horseback riding. Resorts do offer these activities, but some don't ?so be sure to ask about the winter activities, as well as the planned events during the time that you will be at the resort. This will help you plan a ski vacation that your family will enjoy and remember for the rest of their lives.

Okanagan Mountain Range Ski Vacations

2007-12-30T04:30:00.000-08:00

Okanagan is a mountain range that runs through valleys close to three mountain ranges.During the summer this is the perfect place to do some camping, but when winter hits you will have great skiing weather and conditions. There are small resorts that are scattered throughout the area. The climate here will make for great skiing down the slopes and through the trails.

These scattered resorts are very quiet and peaceful. Lifts are available, but they are limited to specific times and dates. These resorts have great skiing around them, even though they are small. This area of mountains offers the most consistent weather conditions, and the resort offers lodging for everyone that cares to stay - at a reasonable price.

The mountain ranges offer different trails and skill levels, but most of all they provide you with the skiing vacation of your dreams. During the winter, temperatures in the Okanogan range often drop to zero degrees. The items you bring will need to keep you warm at all times and safe no matter which trail you may choose to ski.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MATCH PLAY IN TENNIS.

2007-12-28T21:19:00.001-08:00

The first and most important point in match play is to know how to lose. Lose cheerfully, generously, and like a sportsman. This is the first great law of tennis, and the second is like unto it to win modestly, cheerfully, generously, and like a sportsman.

The object of match play is to win, but no credit goes to a man who does not win fairly and squarely. A victory is a defeat if it is other than fair. Yet again I say to win is the object, and to do so, one should play to the last ounce of his strength, the last gasp of his breath, and the last scrap of his nerve. If you do so and lose, the better man won. If you do not, you have robbed your opponent of his right of beating your best. Be fair to both him and yourself.

"The Play's the thing," and in match play a good defeat is far more creditable than a hollow victory. Play tennis for the game's sake. Play it for the men you meet, the friends you make, and the pleasure you may give to the public by the hard working yet sporting game that is owed them by their presence at the match.

Many tennis players feel they owe the public nothing, and are granting a favour by playing. It is my belief that when the public so honours a player that they attend matches, that player is in duty bound to give of his best, freely, willingly, and cheerfully, for only by so doing can he repay the honour paid him. The tennis star of today owes his public as much as the actor owes the audience, and only by meeting his obligations can tennis be retained in public favour. The players get their reward in the personal popularity they gain by their conscientious work.

There is another factor that is even stronger than this, that will always produce fine tennis in championship events. It is the competitive spirit that is the breath of life to every true sportsman: the desire to prove to himself he can beat the best of the other man; the real regret that comes when he wins, and feels the loser was not at his best.

The keen competitive spirit that stimulates a match player also increases the nervous strain. This should be recognized by tournament committees, and the conditions of play should be as nearly standardized as weather permits.

The first thing to fix firmly in your mind in playing a match, is never to allow your opponent to play a shot he likes if it is possible to force him to make one he does not. Study your opponent both on and off the court. Look for a weakness, and, once finding it, pound it without mercy. Remember that you do not decide your mode of attack. It is decided for you by the weakness of your opponent. If he dislikes to meet a netman, go to the net. If he wants you at the net, stay back and force him to come in. If he attacks viciously, meet his attack with an equally strong offensive.

Remember that the strongest defence is to attack, for if the other man is occupied in meeting your attack, he will have less time to formulate his own system.

If you are playing a very steady man, do not strive to beat him at his own game. He is better at it than you in many cases, so go in and hit to win. On the other hand, if you find that your opponent is wild and prone to miss, play safe and reap the full crop of his errors. It saves you trouble and takes his confidence.

Above all, never change a winning game.

Always change a losing game, since, as you are getting beaten that way, you are no worse off and may be better with a new style.

The question of changing a losing game is a very serious thing. It is hard to say just when you are really beaten. If you feel you are playing well yet have lost the first set about 3-6 or 4-6, with the loss of only one service, you should not change. Your game is not really a losing game. It is simply a case of one break of service, and might well win the next set. If, however, you have dropped the first set in a 2 out of 3 match with but one or two games, now you are outclassed and should try something else.

Take chances when you are behind, never when ahead. Risks are only worth while when you have everything to win and nothing to lose. It may spell victory, and at least will not hasten defeat. Above all, never lose your nerve or confidence in a match. By so doing you have handed your opponent about two points a game a rather hard handicap to beat at your best.

Never let your opponent know you are worried. Never show fatigue or pain if it is possible to avoid, since it will only give him confidence. Remember that he feels just as bad as you, and any sign of weakening on your part encourages him to go on. In other words, keep your teeth always in the match.

Don't worry. Don't fuss. Luck evens up in the long run, and to worry only upsets your own game without affecting your opponent. A smile wins a lot of points because it gives the impression of confidence on your part that shakes that of the other man. Fight all the time. The harder the strain the harder you should fight, but do it easily, happily, and enjoy it.

Oregon Ski Vacations

2007-12-27T05:55:00.000-08:00

Oregon is famous for the ski slopes found around the state, and if you are planning a ski vacation, you should definitely consider Timberline Lodge, located near Mt. Hood in Oregon. There is quite a bit of history in the area, starting with the lodge that was built during the Great Depression by a master craftsman. The Timberline Lodge also has a bit of more recent history attached to it. Part of the movie, The Shining, was filmed here. Many of the Outside? shots were done at Timberline Lodge.

The lodge is entirely hand made, and well preserved. The hand woven draperies and the hand hewn beams add to the rustic charm and history of the place. The lodge sits in the middle of 1400 acres consisting of 35 trails. The trails are perfect for beginners, intermediates, and experts. The top elevation at Timberline Lodge is 8504 with a vertical drop of 2501. There are six chair lifts to accommodate skiers.

One of the most unique things about Timberline is that it is the one place in the United States that offers year-round snow skiing. Palmer Snowfield is part of the Timberline Resort, and it is permanently covered with snow. Beginners are not always allowed on Palmer snowfield ?the conditions are considered each day when making this determination.

Skiing, snowboarding, hiking, snowshoeing, and lodge tours are the main attractions at Timberline. Here, it is all about the powder! Mt. Hood is an active volcano which is considered to be dormant. Occasionally, tremors are felt, and steam vents are often visible. The Cascade Dining Room is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, but the hours do change with the seasons. Other fare can be found at the Ram抯 Head Bar, the Blue Ox bar, the Wy扙ast Kitchen Cafeteria, the Market Caf? and the Mt. Hood Brewing Company.

Rental equipment is not available at Timberline. You must bring your own equipment. However, smaller items such as gloves and goggles can be purchased at the lodge, along with some clothing items. There is a snowboard and ski school on the premises, and private and group lessons are available.

If the idea of a 憆ustic?ski vacation appeals to you, as opposed to trips with accommodations that are a bit fancier, then Timberline Lodge in Oregon is the place to be! Again, it is definitely all about the history and the powder here. However, whether you ski or not, you must not miss the Magic Mile, which offers a panoramic view of the Cascade mountains that cannot be matched!

Nub's Nob Ski Vacations

2007-12-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

If you will be in Michigan, you should definitely visit Nub抯 Nob Ski Resort. Nub抯 Nob has what is considered to be the Midwest抯 best snow, and the resort has a reputation for being a family friendly mountain. Generations of families have brought their children here for their very first ski run.

The mountain layout is fairly simple with an elevation of 1338 feet and a vertical drop of 427 feet. There are 43 trails serviced by eight chair lifts. Boasting one of the best skiing and snowboarding schools in the country, both private and group lessons are available. If you are brand new to the sport, you can even learn to ski free, and take advantage of Nub抯 Cubs Childcare Center while you learn.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that intermediate or expert skiers won't find any challenges waiting for them at Nub抯 Nob! The terrain is varied, and you will find challenges. Night Skiing is also available. The Ski School offers training programs for advanced skiers who are interested in racing, and many racing events are held at the resort. You can signup for race leagues at the resort, and many league events are planned each season.

Equipment rental is available, and there is a General Store right inside the lodge, where you can purchase gloves, hats, and neck warmers among a variety of other items. You should also visit the technology center to have your ski's tuned or repaired.

You won't go hungry either! Nub's Nob Cafeteria is open for breakfast and lunch, and if you brought your own lunch, you can eat in the Trown bag?room. Nub抯 Winter Garden serves grilled burgers when the weather allows. Pintail Peak Warming Hut is located at the top of the Black Lift. Here, you can enjoy amazing views while enjoying home made soups and sandwiches.

Nub抯 Nob is the place to go if you want to have a great family ski vacation ?or if you are already an expert skier interested in racing and skill events. There is plenty to do and see. In fact, you may find that you have a problem deciding which activity to participate in first! Don抰 worry about missing anything, though ?if you want to ski now and board later, you can do that. Most events are planned for the weekends, so arrange your schedule so that you are able to attend or participate in the planned events.

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF TENNIS.

2007-12-24T20:56:00.000-08:00

I trust this initial effort of mine in the world of letters will find a place among both novices and experts in the tennis world. I am striving to interest the student of the game by a somewhat prolonged discussion of match play, which I trust will shed a new light on the game.

May I turn to the novice at my opening and speak of certain matters which are second nature to the skilled player?

The best tennis equipment is not too good for the beginner who seeks really to succeed. It is a saving in the end, as good quality material so far outlasts poor.

Always dress in tennis clothes when engaging in tennis. The question of choosing a racquet is a much more serious matter. I do not advocate forcing a certain racquet upon any player. All the standard makes are excellent. It is in weight, balance, and size of handle that the real value of a racquet frame depends, while good stringing is, essential to obtain the best results.

After you have acquired your racquet, make a firm resolve to use good tennis balls, as a regular bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a "dead" ball is no practice at all.

If you really desire to succeed at the game and advance rapidly, I strongly urge you to see all the good tennis you can. Study the play of the leading players and strive to copy their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a great assistance.

More tennis can be learned off the court, in the study of theory, and in watching the best players in action, than can ever be learned in actual play. I do not mean miss opportunities to play. Far from it. Play whenever possible, but strive when playing to put in practice the theories you have read or the strokes you have watched.

Never be discouraged at slow progress. The trick over some stroke you have worked over for weeks unsuccessfully will suddenly come to you when least expected. Tennis players are the product of hard work. Very few are born geniuses at the game.

Tennis is a game that pays you dividends all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any town. The brotherhood of the game is universal, for none but a good sportsman can succeed in the game for any lengthy period. Tennis provides relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the man who is tied hard and fast to his business until late afternoon. Age is not a drawback. The tennis players of the world wrote a magnificent page in the history of the World War. No branch of sport sent more men to the colours from every country in the world than tennis, and these men returned with glory or paid the supreme sacrifice on the field of honour.

The following order of development produces the quickest and most lasting results:

1. Concentration on the game.

2. Keep the eye on the ball.

3. Foot-work and weight-control.

4. Strokes.

5. Court position.

6. Court generalship or match play.

7. Tennis psychology.

concentration.

Tennis is played primarily with the mind. The most perfect racquet technique in the world will not suffice if the directing mind is wandering. There are many causes of a wandering mind in a tennis match. The chief one is lack of interest in the game. No one should play tennis with an idea of real success unless he cares sufficiently about the game to be willing to do the drudgery necessary in learning the game correctly. Give it up at once unless you are willing to work. Conditions of play or the noises in the gallery often confuse and bewilder experienced match-players playing under new surroundings. Complete concentration on the matter in hand is the only cure for a wandering mind, and the sooner the lesson is learned the more rapid the improvement of the player.

The surest way to hold a match in mind is to play for every set, every game in the set, every point in the game and, finally, every shot in the point. A set is merely a conglomeration of made and missed shots, and the man who does not miss is the ultimate victor.

Mount Snow Ski Vacations

2007-12-24T06:54:00.000-08:00

Mount Snow, located in Vermont, is the one of the largest ski resorts in the Eastern United States. Featuring 26 lifts and more than 135 trails, the top elevation at Mount Snow is 3600 feet, with a vertical drop of 1700 feet. There are 20 chair lifts and six surface lifts available.

Snowboarders are welcome at Mount Snow, and there is a ids only?terrain park as well as a special tubing park. The Grand Summit Hotel and Crown Club sits right off the slopes, and guests enjoy a heated outdoor pool and ski in/ski out accommodations. There is something to suit everyone at Mount Snow.

Many different winter ski vacation packages are available. Many of these packages are really great deals designed to save families money. Child care is available at Mount Snow, and the youngsters will be well cared for, and learn to ski as well. The adults aren't left out of the learning process either! Both group and private lessons are available.

Mount Snow is very family oriented. At Mount Snow a unique ack-to-base?trail system is used that keeps everyone in your family from getting lost. Kids under six ski and ride for free. When an adult buys a 3 - 5 day ticket during mid-week, their kid receives a free ticket for that same time period as well. During January, the Kids Ski & Learn Free weeks seem to be the most popular family deals.

Mount Snow features a full service health spa that you should take full advantage of. A variety of massages are offered, as well as various skin treatments. Spa packages are also available, and the spa caters to couples as well, and wedding parties are also welcome. There is also a fully equipped health club and fitness classes are offered. There is always something to do at Mount Snow ?even if doing nothing but relaxing is on your agenda!

Winter activities at Mount Snow also include snowmobiling, snowshoeing, tubing, cross country skiing, and sleigh rides. There is a ski shop on the premises and rental equipment is available. There are several restaurants and bars on the mountain to choose from as well. Again, Mount Snow is family oriented. You will find that this is a very safe environment for your entire family, where you can relax and have fun ?without any worry. Be sure to ask about the family deals when you call for reservations or information.

Lost Valley Ski Vacations

2007-12-23T01:57:00.000-08:00

If you will be traveling to the North East, you must not miss Lost Valley Ski Resort. Located on 300 acres in the middle of Maine, the resort offers many different types of terrain, hills, streams, bridges, and fifteen well maintained trail systems.

The Lost Valley Resort is best suited to beginners and intermediate skiers, but there are more thrilling trails available for expert skiers as well. There are three lifts to accommodate skiers, including two chair lifts and one surface lift.

Equipment can be rented for all sports that are catered to at Lost Valley Resort, including ski equipment, snowboarding equipment, mountain bikes, and paintball equipment. Ski and snowboarding lessons are also available for private parties and groups.

At the lodge, you will experience a warm family environment with outstanding food and beverages. This is an absolutely wonderful place to bring a family. There are training programs, adaptive ski programs, racing events, a snowboard terrain park, mountain biking, and a huge twenty acre paintball park. Lost Valley Resort is also a great place to hold meetings, family reunions, weddings, and other special events. Catering is available.

Italy Ski Vacations

2007-12-22T02:54:00.000-08:00

If you will be in Italy, you should definitely visit Limone. Limone is one of Italy's oldest ski areas, and it is a very old village with a twelfth century church and many other old buildings. The town is located near the French border, and is only about
thirty miles from Nice.

At Limone, you will experience a real taste of old Italy. The nightlife has a lot to offer, and the gourmet food is out of this world! Food and skiing are everything here ?with more than fifty restaurants, and 46 ski runs. The top elevation is 6689 with a vertical drop of 3033 feet. Most of the runs are best suited to intermediate skiers, with a few that are suitable for beginners and experts. There are twenty seven lifts, including seven chair lifts and twenty surface lifts.

Remember that the village is very old ?and the locales like it that way. If you prefer high technology and modern buildings, Limone probably isn't for you. But if you want to truly experience Italy, Limone must be on your list of places to visit in Italy.

Holiday Mountain Ski Vacations

2007-12-21T05:40:00.000-08:00

Holiday Mountain, located in New York, is a popular area for skiing. Even though the highest elevation is only 1300 feet, and the vertical drop is only 400 feet, this area is a popular place for the younger crowd, and it is definitely a great place to learn how to ski.

There are eight lifts, including three chair lifts and five surface lifts. There are 15 trails for beginners, intermediate skiers, and expert skiers. While skiing and snowboarding are the main attractions, there is much more here as well, including bumper cars, an arcade, and a mechanical bull. There is always something to do at Holiday Mountain Ski Resort.

The best place to stay when visiting Holiday Mountain Ski Resort is the Villa Roma Resort Hotel, which is located in the Sullivan County Catskills. Villa Roma was named as one of America's 50 Best Family Resorts by Better Homes & Garden Magazine, and with the amazing amount of fun activities, it is easy to see why. The resort features a rail park for snowboarders, birthday packages, snow tubing, and of course skiing.

THE DRIVE IN TENNIS

2007-12-20T00:49:00.001-08:00

The forehand drive is the opening of every offensive in tennis, and, as such, should be most carefully studied. There are certain rules of footwork that apply to all shots. To reach a ball that is a short distance away, advance the foot that is away from the shot and thus swing into position to hit. If a ball is too close to the body, retreat the foot closest to the shot and drop the weight back on it, thus, again, being in position for the stroke. When hurried, and it is not possible to change the foot position, throw the weight on the foot closest to the ball.

The receiver should always await the service facing the net, but once the serve is started on the way to court, the receiver should at once attain the position to receive it with the body at right angles to the net.

The forehand drive is made up of one continuous swing of the racquet that, for the purpose of analysis, may be divided into three parts:

1. The portion of the swing behind the body, which determines the speed of the stroke.

2. That portion immediately in front of the body which determines the direction and, in conjunction with weight shift from one foot to the other, the pace of the shot.

3. The portion beyond the body, comparable to the golfer's "follow through," determines spin, top or slice, imparted to the ball.

All drives should be topped. The slice shot is a totally different stroke.

To drive straight down the side-line, construct in theory a parallelogram with two sides made up of the side-line and your shoulders, and the two ends, the lines of your feet, which should, if extended, form the right angles with the side-lines. Meet the ball at a point about 4 to 4 1/2 feet from the body immediately in front of the belt buckle, and shift the weight from the back to the front foot at the MOMENT OF STRIKING THE BALL. The swing of the racquet should be flat and straight through. The racquet head should be on a line with the hand, or, if anything, slightly in advance; the whole arm and the racquet should turn slightly over the ball as it leaves the racquet face and the stroke continue to the limit of the swing, thus imparting top spin to the ball.

The hitting plane for all ground strokes should be between the knees and shoulders. The most favourable plane is on a line with the waist.

Never step away from the ball in driving cross court. always throw your weight in the shot.

The forehand drive from the left court is identically the same for the straight shot down your opponent's forehand. For the cross drive to his backhand, you must conceive of a diagonal line from your backhand corner to his, and thus make your stroke with the footwork as if this imaginary line were the side-line. In other words, line up your body along your shot and make your regular drive. Do not try to "spoon" the ball over with a delayed wrist motion, as it tends to slide the ball off your racquet.

All drives should be made with a stiff, locked wrist. There is no wrist movement in a true drive. Top spin is imparted by the arm, not the wrist.

The backhand drive follows closely the principles of the forehand, except that the weight shifts a moment sooner, and the R or front foot should always be advanced a trifle closer to the side-line than the L so as to bring the body clear of the swing. The ball should be met in front of the right leg, instead of the belt buckle, as the great tendency in backhand shots is to slice them out of the side-line, and this will pull the ball cross court, obviating this error. The racquet head must be slightly in advance of the hand to aid in bringing the ball in the court. Do not strive for too much top spin on your backhand.

I strongly urge that no one should ever favour one department of his game, in defence of a weakness. Develop both forehand and backhand, and do not "run around" your backhand, particularly in return of service. To do so merely opens your court. If you should do so, strive to ace your returns, because a weak effort would only result in a kill by your opponent.

Do not develop one favourite shot and play nothing but that. If you have a fair cross-court drive, do not use it in practice, but strive to develop an equally fine straight shot.

Remember that the fast shot is the straight shot. The cross drive must be slow, for it has not the room owing to the increased angle and height of the net. Pass down the line with your drive, but open the court with your cross-court shot.

Drives should have depth. The average drive should hit behind the service-line. A fine drive should hit within 3 feet of the baseline. A cross-court drive should be shorter than a straight drive, so as to increase the possible angle. Do not always play one length drive, but learn to vary your distance according to your man. You should drive deep against a baseliner, but short against a net player, striving to drop them at his feet as, he comes in.

Never allow your opponent to play a shot he likes if you can possibly force him to one he dislikes.

Again I urge that you play your drive:

1. With the body sideways to the net.

2. The swing flat, with long follow through.

3. The weight shifting just as the ball is hit.

SERVICE-THE OPENING GUN OF TENNIS.

2007-12-19T03:54:00.001-08:00

Service is the opening gun of tennis. It is putting the ball in play. The old idea was that service should never be more than merely the beginning of a rally. With the rise of American tennis and the advent of Dwight Davis and Holcombe Ward, service took on a new significance. These two men originated what is now known as the American Twist delivery.

From a mere formality, service became a point winner. Slowly it gained in importance, until Maurice E. M'Loughlin, the wonderful "California Comet," burst across the tennis sky with the first of those terrific cannon-ball deliveries that revolutionized the game, and caused the old-school players to send out hurry calls for a severe footfault rule or some way of stopping the threatened destruction of all ground strokes. M'Loughlin made service a great factor in the game. It remained for R. N. Williams to supply the antidote that has again put service in the normal position of mere importance, not omnipotence. Williams stood in on the delivery and took it on the rising bound.

Service must be speedy. Yet speed is not the be-all and end-all. Service must be accurate, reliable, and varied. It must be used with discretion and served with brains.

Any tall player has an advantage over a short one, in service. Given a man about 6 feet and allow him the 3 feet added by his reach, it has been proved by tests that should he deliver a service, perfectly flat, with no variation caused by twist or wind, that just cleared the net at its lowest point (3 feet in the centre), there is only a margin of 8 inches of the service court in which the ball can possibly fall; the remainder is below the net angle. Thus it is easy to see how important it is to use some form of twist to bring the ball into court. Not only must it go into court, but it must be sufficiently speedy that the receiver does not have an opportunity of an easy kill. It must also be placed so as to allow the server an advantage for his next return, admitting the receiver puts the ball in play.

Just as the first law of receiving is to, put the ball in play, so of service it is to cause the receiver to fall into error. Do not strive unduly for clean aces, but use your service to upset the ground strokes of your opponent.

Service should be hit from as high a point as the server can COMFORTABLY reach. To stretch unnecessarily is both wearing on the server and unproductive of results. Varied pace and varied speed is the keynote to a good service.

The slice service should be hit from a point above the right shoulder and as high as possible. The server should stand at about a forty-five degree angle to the baseline, with both feet firmly planted on the ground. Drop the weight back on the right foot and swing the racquet freely and easily behind the back. Toss the ball high enough into the air to ensure it passing through the desired hitting plane, and then start a slow shift of the weight forward, at the same time increasing the power of the swing forward as the racquet commences its upward flight to the ball. Just as the ball meets the racquet face the weight should be thrown forward and the full power of the swing smashed into the service. Let the ball strike the racquet INSIDE the face of the strings, with the racquet travelling directly towards the court. The angle of the racquet face will impart the twist necessary to bring the ball in court. The wrist should be somewhat flexible in service. If necessary lift the right foot and swing the whole body forward with the arm. Twist slightly to the right, using the left foot as a pivot. The general line of the racquet swing is from RIGHT to LEFT and always forward.

At this point and before I take up the other branches of serving, let me put in a warning against footfaulting. I can only say that a footfault is crossing or touching the line with either foot before the ball is delivered, or it is a jump or step. I am not going into a technical discussion of footfaults. It is unnecessary, and by placing your feet firmly before the service there is no need to footfault.

It is just as unfair to deliberately footfault as to miscall a ball, and it is wholly unnecessary. The average footfault is due to carelessness, over-anxiety, or ignorance of the rule. All players are offenders at times, but it can quickly be broken up.

Fun Valley Ski Vacations

2007-12-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a great place to go for your family ski vacation, Fun Valley, Iowa is the place to go. This resort caters to families and beginner level skiers, but it is also great for intermediate and expert skiers as well. There is something to suit all levels at Fun Valley.

The top elevation at Fun Valley is 1201 feet, with a vertical drop of 200 feet. There are six lifts, including three chair lifts and three surface lifts. The new learning center is something to see ?and experience if you are a beginner. Tubers and snowboarders are welcome, and there is an excellent terrain park available. Rental equipment, including tubes and boards, is available.

Fun Valley offers outstanding group rates for groups of ten or more. Birthday packages are also outstanding for kids twelve and under. Every Wednesday and Thursday night, the resort offers a student night, with greatly reduced rates. Buddy Pass Friday's are also popular ?bring your friends and you will all save on lift tickets. Coca-Cola sponsors Sprite Saturday's at Fun Valley, where you can participate in three activities for one flat affordable fee. Sundays are Family Four Pack Day.

GRIP, FOOTWORK, AND STROKES IN TENNIS.

2007-12-17T04:58:00.001-08:00

Footwork is weight control. It is correct body position for strokes, and out of it all strokes should grow. In explaining the various forms of stroke and footwork I am writing as a right-hand player. Left-handers should simply reverse the feet.

Racquet grip is a very essential part of stroke, because a faulty grip will ruin the finest serving. It is a natural grip for a top forehand drive. It is inherently weak for the backhand, as the only natural shot is a chop stroke.

To acquire the forehand grip, hold the racquet with the edge of the frame towards the ground and the face perpendicular, the handle towards the body, and "shake hands" with it, just as if you were greeting a friend. The handle settled comfortably and naturally into the hand, the line of the arm, hand, and racquet are one. The swing brings the racquet head on a line with the arm, and the whole racquet is merely an extension of it.

The backhand grip is a quarter circle turn of hand on the handle, bringing the hand on top of the handle and the knuckles directly up. The shot travels ACROSS the wrist.

This is the best basis for a grip. I do not advocate learning this grip exactly, but model your natural grip as closely as possible on these lines without sacrificing your own comfort or individuality.

Having once settled the racquet in the hand, the next question is the position of the body and the order of developing strokes.

All tennis strokes, should be made with the body' at right angles to the net, with the shoulders lined up parallel to the line of flight of the ball. The weight should always travel forward. It should pass from the back foot to the front foot at the moment of striking the ball. Never allow the weight to be going away from the stroke. It is weight that determines the "pace" of a stroke; swing that, decides the "speed."

Let me explain the definitions of "speed" and "pace." "Speed" is the actual rate with which a ball travels through the air. "Pace" is the momentum with which it comes off the ground. Pace is weight. It is the "sting" the ball carries when it comes off the ground, giving the inexperienced or unsuspecting player a shock of force which the stroke in no way showed.

A great many players have both "speed" and "pace." Some shots may carry both.

The order of learning strokes should be:

1. The Drive. Fore and backhand. This is the foundation of all tennis, for you cannot build up a net attack unless you have the ground stroke to open the way. Nor can you meet a net attack successfully unless you can drive, as that is the only successful passing shot.

2. The Service.

3. The Volley and Overhead Smash.

4. The Chop or Half Volley and other incidental and ornamental strokes.

GENERAL TENNIS PSYCHOLOGY.

2007-12-15T20:19:00.001-08:00

Tennis psychology is nothing more than understanding the workings of your opponent's mind, and gauging the effect of your own game on his mental viewpoint, and understanding the mental effects resulting from the various external causes on your own mind. You cannot be a successful psychologist of others without first understanding your own mental processes, you must study the effect on yourself of the same happening under different circumstances. You react differently in different moods and under different conditions. You must realize the effect on your game of the resulting irritation, pleasure, confusion, or whatever form your reaction takes. Does it increase your efficiency? If so, strive for it, but never give it to your opponent.

Does it deprive you of concentration? If so, either remove the cause, or if that is not possible strive to ignore it.

Once you have judged accurately your own reaction to conditions, study your opponents, to decide their temperaments. Like temperaments react similarly, and you may judge men of your own type by yourself. Opposite temperaments you must seek to compare with people whose reactions you know.

A person who can control his own mental processes stands an excellent chance of reading those of another, for the human mind works along definite lines of thought, and can be studied. One can only control one's, mental processes after carefully studying them.

A steady phlegmatic baseline player is seldom a keen thinker. If he was he would not adhere to the baseline.

The physical appearance of a man is usually a pretty clear index to his type of mind. The stolid, easy-going man, who usually advocates the baseline game, does so because he hates to stir up his torpid mind to think out a safe method of reaching the net. There is the other type of baseline player, who prefers to remain on the back of the court while directing an attack intended to break up your game. He is a very dangerous player, and a deep, keen thinking antagonist. He achieves his results by mixing up his length and direction, and worrying you with the variety of his game. He is a good psychologist. The first type of player mentioned merely hits the ball with little idea of what he is doing, while the latter always has a definite plan and adheres to it. The hard-hitting, erratic, net-rushing player is a creature of impulse. There is no real system to his attack, no understanding of your game. He will make brilliant coups on the spur of the moment, largely by instinct; but there is no, mental power of consistent thinking. It is an interesting, fascinating type.

The dangerous man is the player who mixes his style from back to fore court at the direction of an ever-alert mind. This is the man to study and learn from. He is a player with a definite purpose. A player who has an answer to every query you propound him in your game. He is the most subtle antagonist in the world. He is of the school of Brookes. Second only to him is the man of dogged determination that sets his mind on one plan and adheres to it, bitterly, fiercely fighting to the end, with never a thought of change. He is the man whose psychology is easy to understand, but whose mental viewpoint is hard to upset, for he never allows himself to think of anything except the business at hand. This man is your Johnston or your Wilding. I respect the mental capacity of Brookes more, but I admire the tenacity of purpose of Johnston.

Pick out your type from your own mental processes, and then work out your game along the lines best suited to you.

When two men are, in the same class, as regards stroke equipment, the determining factor in any given match is the mental viewpoint. Luck, so-called, is often grasping the psychological value of a break in the game, and turning it to your own account.

We hear a great deal about the "shots we have made." Few realize the importance of the "shots we have missed." The science of missing shots is as important as that of making them, and at times a miss by an inch is of more value than a, return that is killed by your opponent.

Let me explain. A player drives you far out of court with an angle-shot. You run hard to it, and reaching, drive it hard and fast down the side-line, missing it by an inch. Your opponent is surprised and shaken, realizing that your shot might as well have gone in as out. He will expect you to try it again, and will not take the risk next time. He will try to play the ball, and may fall into error. You have thus taken some of your opponent's confidence, and increased his chance of error, all by a miss.

If you had merely popped back that return, and it had been killed, your opponent would have felt increasingly confident of your inability to get the ball out of his reach, while you would merely have been winded without result.

Let us suppose you made the shot down the sideline. It was a seemingly impossible get. First it amounts to TWO points in that it took one away from your opponent that should have been his and gave you one you ought never to have had. It also worries your opponent, as he feels he has thrown away a big chance.

The psychology of a tennis match is very interesting, but easily understandable. Both men start with equal chances. Once one man establishes a real lead, his confidence goes up, while his opponent worries, and his mental viewpoint becomes poor. The sole object of the first man is to hold his lead, thus holding his confidence. If the second player pulls even or draws ahead, the inevitable reaction occurs with even a greater contrast in psychology. There is the natural confidence of the leader now with the second man as well as that great stimulus of having turned seeming defeat into probable victory. The reverse in the case of the first player is apt to hopelessly destroy his game, and collapse follows.

Taylor Made Golf Club: The Metalwoods Phenomenon

2007-12-15T04:31:00.001-08:00

Taylor Made golf clubs are into leading the combined driver, iron counts and fairway wood at PGA tournaments. The advancement of the metal wood technology employed by Taylor Made golf clubs make it possible to each player to have a his own club. This metalwood technology created famous clubs in the form of Pittsburgh Persimmon, Tour Preferred, Burner, and Burner Bubble, each is considered a high performance piece of device. With titanium clubheads, Taylor Made clubs are very strong but extremely light to use.

Taylor Made metalwood golf clubs boast of the following models with features that surely makes each golf club a hit to golfers:

R7 Fairway Woods is the Taylor Made golf club, which is with Taylor Made Launch Control (TLC) Port. TLC cartridges can be installed and removed to permit users in changing the CG location to vary the degrees of draws and fades that will consequently promote more accuracy and distance.

R5 Titanium Fairway is another Taylor Made golf club that has a titanium clubhead that is very easy to hit. It has permanent TLC cartridges that facilitate the launching of the ball high, long and straight for the players who would rather not change cartridges.

V Steel Fairway Woods claims its having the ultimate combination of power, accuracy and versatility. It is the Taylor Made golf club that attributes its excellence to its V-shaped sole that improves the force of how the sole interacts with the turf at impact.

Rescue Dual is a Taylor Made club that has double TLC ports that are widely spaced for increased forgiveness on incurring mis-hits. It has a new T-shaped sole that is responsible for the increased clubhead stability and decreased drag at impact that in turn promotes better accuracy and distance. With its low center of gravity (CG), it a lot easier to launch than a long-iron and this makes shots higher and longer.

Rescue Dual TP, with dual TLC port and Taylor Made movable weight technology,is best known to promote the variation of degrees of draw and fade. Further off, it makes for greater forgiveness. The difference between Rescue Dual and Rescue Dual TP is that TP has a higher center of gravity (CG) position that allows a lower, piercing ball flight that many experienced golf players find easier to manipulate.

Rescue Mid is said to be Taylor Made breakthrough utility club that is engineered to be easier to use than a long-iron while displaying prowess in providing better distance. This golf club excellent performance is from its way of uniting a high flash of inertia with a lower, deeper center of gravity. This creates maximum forgiveness on mishits, high launch angle and high spin for high, long shots that quickly stops.

Rescue Fairway is the Taylor Made golf club that indulges in its having a low profile that is responsible for its low and deep center of gravity (CG). It is made to smooth the progress of hitting the ball high, long and straight. This golf club is crafted with double sole that improves playability from a variety of lies. Taylor Made engineered it to launch a high angle with high spin for long-carrying shots that surely impress each player.

The Ping Golf Club: An Overview

2007-12-14T18:57:00.001-08:00

For a golfer, one of the most important things that he should examine is his golf club because according to experts, it is one of the main reasons why they do not hit the ball. This is the exact reason why the Ping golf club was born.

Karsten Solheim was the one who invented the ping golf club with different intentions. The story has it that Karsten was practicing golf but he could not hit the ball so he started to practice up to the time that he began to design and experiment his very own putter so that he could play better through it. He thought of designing his own putter without a figment of a though that it would be known worldwide. By the year 1959, his putter experiments had evolved into 1A design. While deciding for the name, he heard the sound of his putter and declared proudly to his wife that he would name the putter from its sound, hence the name ing? At that same year, Sports Illustrated published an article in their August issue regarding the ping golf club dubbing it as a musical putter.

This was the beginning of success for the ping golf club. At present, the Ping golf club is manufactured in Phoenix, Arizona by Karsten Manufacturing Corporation. There are more than 400 patents registered for the ping golf club and each of these designs are all innovative and very original designs that are suited for each and every golfer. Here are some of their key patents and products:

In the year 1962, the Heel-toe weighting type of ping golf club was granted patent. This design was the one that revolutionalized other modern designs and golf clubs that are manufactured in the market today. In the year 1969, another type of ping golf club was introduced which was the perimeter-weighted, investment-cast iron. The reason for this type of ping golf club is that the perimeter weighting is able to increase the moment of inertia thus when a ball is not struck squarely on the face it makes the club more forgiving. Another innovative movement for the ping golf club was the application of investment casting in the manufacture of the K Series Irons. This is not really a new technology in fact; the old name for it is the lost-wax process. The purpose of this type of method is to ensure precise detail and consistency to all of the parts of the ping golf club. Another type of patent for the Ping golf club is the Cushin Selective Filtering Insert. This is a patented invention which screens out and disperses the unwanted frequencies that can harmfully affect muscle, bone, and connective tissue. Through this invention, the golfer receives less vibration with greater feel on each shot.

The reason why the ping golf club is popular and widely used is because of its innovative, ever-changing yet reliable design. These designs are what people, particularly golfers, recognize about ping golf club. lost one of your ping golf clubs? Do not worry because serial numbers are here to save you! In every ping golf club, there are serial numbers which are etched on every PING iron. If ever there is a need to replace one club, the company has the exact specs at the time of manufacturing on file and could actually build a new club to match your set.

THGOLF STORE

2007-12-14T05:09:00.001-08:00

With an increasing market of high-end retailers selling golf equipment, one could possibly miss a "real" golf store.

Typically, golf stores have the latest, if not the best, golf equipment and accessories needed by somebody who plays golf. Things could range from golf clubs to golf balls, to even posters, shirts, and wallpaper.

Most golf stores focus on ensuring the proper equipment for the interested golfer. They will provide hints on how to choose the right club and the appropriate golf ball. Golf stores do not only supply things relative to golf but some also offer services and knowledge about the sport itself.

Additional services could include club repair, club fitting, and swing analysis. Most of these golf stores use the True Temper Shaftlab and Achiever Launch Monitor swing analysis. These machines measure everything, from ball speed, club head speed to carry distance. They also provide printouts illustrating extreme deflection, shaft loading, downswing time and face angle.

Also, there are other golf stores that offer golf classes being thought by local pros.
Golf tutorials can also be offered for juniors along with women's clinics on the sport.

Golf collectors will find many interesting items in a golf store as well. Hobbyist may find collector items like golf balls used by some of the world's most renowned players. Signed items may be available too.

Plus, there are golf stores that offer unusual golf gifts. These things range from the most common to the most creative golf gifts one could get for just about any occasion.

Most golf storeowners are actually golfers themselves. Usually, they put up a golf store after retiring from playing golf. Like most businessmen assert, it's good to be passionate about what you are selling. This "passion" will give feelings of satisfaction and gratification to the golf shopper and this is something money cannot buy.

TEE YOUR WAY TO GREAT GOLF RESORT

2007-12-13T05:45:00.000-08:00

Great things come in great packages, so to speak.

In particular, golf resorts provide more than a golf player would ask. Generally, it caters to different kinds of people and not just golf enthusiasts. Golf resorts can really stand out in the vacation business.

Due to its nature, golf resorts literally have rooms and villas situated in a secured place. The rooms and villas are full of necessary services usually seen in a typical resort: large air-conditioned rooms, luxurious bathrooms, cable televisions, and internet connections.

Most of these golf resorts have magnificent views coupled with mild and healing climate. Landscapes and ornamentations are carefully drawn in the most luxurious way. There are beautiful pools and ponds that captivate visitors.

However, unlike other types of resorts, a golf resort caters to the specific needs of a golf player or a golf aficionado. These golf resorts are specially made for people who want to relax, have fun, and at the same time enjoy playing golf.

There are golf resorts that offer a variety of golf packages. They have several golf championship courses. Generally, most golf resorts have 18-hole course, par 63 Challenge course, and an 18 hole live turf Putting course.

Because of its specialized nature of market, golf resorts are dedicated to make every golf player a better player by trying out their different golf courses in a more comforting manner. Nearly every golf resorts offer golf lessons that will help every golfer improve their playing skills such as swing and putting.

Other golf resorts offer a variety of golf instruction programs for golfers of all skill levels. Golf resorts may offer individual instruction, group clinics, corporate clinics, junior clinic or multi day golf instruction packages.

On the other hand, there are golf resorts that can give practice facilities to beginners or to those that just want to try playing golf for the first time. In this type of golf resort, their practice facilities can give you the chance to work on all aspects of your game from wedge to driver. These golf resorts could offer you a place where you can practice your putting, chipping or pitching on a large two tier putting green.

In the United States, the most well known golf resorts are situated in Central Florida and Southern California where the climate and views are a perfect concoction so as to make golf resorts very entertaining.

Other golf resorts are Avila Beach Golf Resort in California, Eagle Crest Resort in Central Oregon and Championship Golf Resort in Central Florida.

The Eagle Crest Resort boasts of its golf courses carved out of an ancient juniper forest huddled at the foot of the majestic Cascades. Eagles Crest Golf Resort is also known for its meticulous grounds keeping, fast true greens, and beautiful summer wildflower displays. And because of their lower elevation, Eagle Crest Golf Resort have the longest quality golf season in Central Oregon making them adept in keeping one of their championship courses open all year round.

The Avila Beach Golf Resort, on the other hand, has lavishly landscaped greens. The Avila Beach Golf Resort driving range has great teeing areas and is open from dusk till dawn. They also offer various golf instruction programs.

The Championship Golf Resort likewise caters to most golf fanatics and players. This golf resort is easily within 20 minutes of all the top attractions such as Disney and Universal Studios. And because it is situated at the west of the attractions, Championship Golf Resort could be easily reached using Florida Turnpike and Osceola Parkway toll roads, with which vacationers could avoid the heavy congestion often experienced when approaching from the east.

Aside from these three marvelous golf resorts, there are still many other golf resorts waiting to be discovered and enjoyed. You could try looking for them at the Web because most of them have Web sites already; or you could ask for brochures and pamphlets of different golf resorts.

With the wonderful things mentioned, you can be assured that golf resorts are great alternative ways of making your vacation or golf activities truly an invigorating one.

Happy teeing!

Wintergreen Resort Ski Vacation

2007-12-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

Known as the single best ski resort in the South, Wintergreen Resort in Virginia has quite a bit to offer skiers. Featuring 11,000 acres with 19 trails, Wintergreen has a top elevation of 3516 feet, with a 1003 foot vertical drop. Beginners, intermediates, and experts will all find suitable trails at Wintergreen Resort.

To accommodate skiers, there are six lifts, including five chair lifts and one surface lift. There is also a dedicated terrain park for snowboarding. The resort is located near Charlottesville, Virginia, and you will experience breathtaking views of the Appalachian Mountains, and be surrounded by luxury that most people only dream of. There is also a world class golf course located near the resort.

Other activities include tubing, snowmobiling, tennis, hiking, and horseback riding. The Out of Bounds Adventure Center is a very popular attraction at the resort with rock climbing and bungee trampolines. The Outdoor Wilderness Leadership school offers corporate retreats, real rock climbing, rappelling, and mountain biking.

This is an ideal spot for a family vacation. You and your children can participate in a variety of craft workshops, enjoy campfires and storytelling, go on hay rides, and enjoy many more community events that are scheduled throughout the year. There are many planned activities for families, including winter hiking, skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and swimming in a cozy indoor pool.

While vacationing at Wintergreen Resort, make time to see the civil war history attractions, and visit the local wineries as well. Also take time to enjoy the Wintergreen Spa. At the spa, you can be pampered with massages, body wraps, skin treatments, and nail care. You can also visit the Mountaintop Aquatic and Fitness Center which features the latest in cardiovascular equipment, strength equipment, heated pools, hot tubs, steam rooms, and saunas.

The Wintergreen Performing Arts has many musical performances throughout the year that are sure to delight you and your family. If you are less interested in culture, and more interested in nature, the Wintergreen Nature Foundation is for you. This foundation promotes the understanding and conservation of natural resources that the Blue RidgeMountains are famous for.

No matter what your interests are, if getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life is what you want, this is the number one spot in the South for fun, relaxation, and rejuvenation. The Wintergreen Resort is open all year long, with activities that are suitable for every season.

Frost Fire Mountain Ski Vacations

2007-12-11T05:21:00.000-08:00

For the ultimate family ski vacation, you must visit Frost Fire Mountain in North Dakota. Located near Walhalla, the resort features three lifts, including two chair lifts and one surface lift, 25 acres, and ten trails for beginners, intermediates and experts. The top elevation is 1346 feet, with a vertical drop of 345 feet.

Although this is not a large ski resort, it is a great deal of fun, and perfect for family ski vacations. This is the perfect place to bring kids to learn how to ski. Both ski and snowboard lessons are available at reasonable rates. There is a rental shop and ski maintenance area on the grounds, and many motel accommodations in the area to choose from. There is a separate terrain park for snowboarders as well.

There are many restaurants to choose from, and you can also visit the areas antique shops when you aren't busy enjoying the slopes. There are many historical sites to see in the area as well, as Walhalla is the second oldest town in the state of North Dakota.

WHAT'S IN A GOLF BALL?

2007-12-10T04:58:00.000-08:00

In the chemistry of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics, surface structures are vital physical element. History has it that there are things that seem to be peculiar on their make-up hundreds of years ago which eventually came up with a better composition based on scientific research. And a golf ball is the best paradigm of this theoretical stand in history.

During the earliest days of golf on the eastern coast of Scotland, most players used ancient apparatus in order to play the game in a more disorganized and informal way. Here, the first clubs and golf balls are made up of wood.

It was on 1618 that the feather golf ball was finally introduced. This was commonly known as the "Featherie". This feather golf ball was a handcrafted ball made with goose feathers securely pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere. This is being done while the ball is still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded creating a hardened ball.

But because these kinds of golf balls are specially handcrafted, they usually cost higher than the clubs. In doing so, only a few privileged people could afford to play golf during those times.

Next came the Guttie golf ball. This prehistoric kind of golf ball was made from the rubber like sap of the Gutta tree that can be found in the tropics. Normally, these Guttie balls can be easily shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually used as a golf ball. With its rubber nature, guttie balls can be cheaply reproduced and can be easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.

However, between the two earliest forms of golf balls, the feather golf ball was said to travel farther than the gutties. This is due to the smooth surface of the gutties that limits the capacity of the golf ball to cover more distance.

With this new scientific analysis, the developers of golf ball finally came up with balls with the "dimples" that are predominant in modern golf balls nowadays.

Dimples are crafted into golf balls so as to reduce the aerodynamic drag, which will be acting on the ball if it were totally smooth. This is because smooth balls, when sailing through the air, leave a huge pocket of low-pressure air in its stir therefore creating a drag. With the application of drag, the ball slows down.

Hence, by having dimples on golf balls, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball. This, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results to a smaller wake and lesser drag.

Dimples also help players to put backspin on a shot making the golf ball break off on the putting green.

The idea of putting dimples on golf balls can be traced back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. It was during this time when the players observed how their shots become more and more predictable as their balls turned rough from play.

When William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell ball in 1905, golf balls finally took their modern form.

From then on, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf balls took its form with standard size and weight.

Today, there is an abundant selection of golf balls to fit different golf game and condition. There are golf balls that offer control, while some offer distance. In whatever ways golf balls vary, only one thing is common and known. Golf balls are not just elements of the sports arena; they are more than ever paradigm of a concept in physics.

Durango Mountain Resort Ski Vacations

2007-12-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

Featuring more than 2500 acres of ski area and 75 trails, Durango Mountain Ski Resort has much to offer skiers of all levels. The resort claims that there are approximately two people per acre on their slopes during operation hours. The crowds are small, and lift lines do not exist.

Located in Colorado, the top elevation is 10822 feet with a 2030 vertical drop. There are eleven lifts, including nine chair lifts and two surface lifts. You can find lodging at the resort, or in the town of Durango, which is nearby. If you stay at the resort, make sure that you actually visit the town while you are there. While the town is small, there is much to see and do.

Rentals are available for both ski and snowboarding equipment, and private and group lessons are also available at the Durango Mountain Resort. There are plenty of activities and events both at the resort and in Durango to keep everyone in your family happy. When it comes to family ski vacations, this is one you don't want to miss!

Golf Bags for Beginner Golfers

2007-12-08T19:42:00.001-08:00

You might be a golf beginner looking for your first set of golf clubs and equipment or a pro shopping for upgrades, but all will agree that golf bags are essential in the game. Next to golf clubs, a golf bag is one of the most important golfing equipment there is.

It is considered a necessity. A good golf bag will lessen your worries on the golf course, (i.e. all your clubs are in their proper place) and you can focus on your teeing.

If you're a beginner golfer, then golf bags are definitely a must. However, there are things that you should know before going to the nearest golf store and buying a golf bag on impulse. First, there are two types of golf bags? carry bags and cart bags.

Carry bags are golf bags that are used when you are planning to have a lot of walking on the golf course. Cart golf bags are those that you use when walking is not possible (as some golf courses prohibit walking), and riding a golf cart is your option. A beginner golfer will most definitely buy a walking bag at first, although if you are a serious beginner of the game, then you will eventually buy both types of golf bags.

If you are a newbie in the game, you might ask "What is a golf bag for? I only have four golf clubs." A golf bag is a functional equipment rather than a fashion statement. It is not just for your golf clubs, but it can also hold your other golf equipment and accessories. Some advanced golf bags even have pocket coolers that can keep your drink ice-cold even for hours! You might want to consider that, especially when you will buy a carry golf bag.

When buying a golf bag, especially a carry golf bag, find a comfortable one. One should check the straps to see if it fits comfortably and whether it can be carried easily. Remember that your golf bag will be one of your trusted companions on the greens, and that you will spend hours with it. So choose wisely. Don't buy low quality bags, because you will end up purchasing another bag in the next few months if your old golf bag tears up. You should also buy your golf bag depending on the number of golf clubs that you have. Most golf bags can carry up to 15 golf clubs. A tournament however limits the number of golf clubs in your golf bag.

Another important thing to consider when purchasing a golf bag is its weight. This is one of the most important things to know. Golf bags should be light enough to be carried or carted easily, but sturdy enough to hold your clubs and protect them. Some golf bags are even water resistant, and are rain proofed for the protection of your clubs. Most of these golf bags have 8 or 9 dividers or pockets. Again, the number of dividers that you will need depend on the amount of clubs and accessories you will carry. If you have many golf clubs then choose a golf bag with many dividers. However, these types of golf bags have the tendency to be heavier. Some bags can weigh less than 5 pounds! These types of bags are made up of space-age materials such as graphite, however, they more expensive.

Remember that when buying golf bags, the lighter it is, the better and more comfortable it will be.

Crystal Mountain Ski Vacations

2007-12-07T20:44:00.000-08:00

f you are in or near Washington State, you should definitely check out Crystal Mountain. With an elevation of 7004 feet and a vertical drop of 3102 feet, Crystal Mountain actually sits below Mount Rainier, which has a top elevation of 14,408 feet. Between the months of November and April, several feet of fresh powder falls on Crystal Mountain, due to the cold Cascade storms common to the area.

This is rough terrain, and there is little offered to beginners as far as the ease of the trails go. But lessons are available, as well as rentals for ski's and other equipment. At Crystal Mountain, there are morethan 2300 acres and fifty trails, making this the largest ski area in the state of Washington. There are ten lifts available: 2 high speed six passenger lifts, 2 high speed quads, 2 triple chairs, 3 double chairs, and 1 children's surface lift.

The season runs from the middle of November to the middle of April, when the most snow fall is experienced. There are several places to choose for lodging, meals, and nightly entertainment, but the biggest attraction is the skiing, of course.

The Crystal Mountain Express Buss service runs on weekends from the middle of December to the middle of March. You will be picked up from your lodge and dropped off at the base plaza ?where you can begin a full day of fun on the slopes. After a day of skiing, you should definitely head over to East Peak Massage & Fitness to take advantage of the hot tub, sauna, showers, and even the game room. Massages are also available, with a reservation.

If your kids aren quite ready for the black diamond trails ?but you are ?you can register them in the Kid's Club. The Kid's Club is open from 8am to 4pm each day for children aged four to eleven years old. The kid's aged 4 ?11 will be supervised while they ski on a id appropriate?slope, and snowboarding is also available for children aged 7 ?11 years old. Your child will have fun, while being supervised and taught. The cost of the care includes a four hour lesson, a lift ticket, lunch, and supervision. Rental equipment is available for the kids for an additional fee.

Everyone has fun at Crystal Mountain. It is a great place for a family vacation, but again, the slopes are more for intermediate skiers and expert skiers? although beginners will have fun as well. Just use good sense, and avoid trails that you don't feel like your ready for.

Aspen Ski Vacations

2007-12-07T09:12:00.000-08:00

Aspen Mountain has long been known as the playpen of the rich and famous ?and it is. But it is also a great place to take a family ski vacation. Christmas in Aspen is especially wonderful! Aspen Mountain rises above the town of Aspen, with a top elevation of 11215 feet and a vertical drop of 3269 feet. There are 76 trails suitable for beginners, intermediates, and experts, accessible by eight lifts, including seven chair lifts and one cable car line.

While Aspen has much to offer skiers, as well as those who enjoy the night life in a ski town, you should expect lots of crowds and lift lines on the slopes. Again, this is the playpen of the rich and famous, and many people choose this ski vacation spot simply for that reason ?as well as for the great runs and nightlife.

There are numerous places to stay in and around Aspen, with more than 100 restaurants to choose from as well. Ski instructions and equipment rental are abundant in the area, and snowboarders are welcome.

Alaska Ski Vacations

2007-12-06T05:48:00.000-08:00

Alaska, which has always been a source of awe and mystery, has some of the best skiing in the world, and the Alyeska Resort is one of the finest resorts in the state. With a top elevation of 2751 feet and a 2501 vertical drop, the area gets an average of 631 inches of snow annually.

Although this is some of the best skiing in the world, you won find the slopes overly crowded, and there are no long lift lines. There are nine lifts, including six chair lifts and two surface lifts, and one cable car line. There are 68 trails for beginners, intermediates, and experts, with the majority of the trails designed for intermediate skiers.

Night time skiing is allowed, which makes your ski experience more adventurous and thrilling. You will see snow capped mountains, hanging glaciers, and of course, the famous Northern Lights. This resort is ranked number nine of the top twenty-five killer ski trips by Skiing Magazine.

The season begins at the Alyeska Resort in mid November, and runs through mid April. This area of Alaska boasts the longest daytime areas in the United States, with approximately sixteen hours of daylight each day during April. During December, however, there are only about seven hours of daylight ?which makes night time skiing necessary if you are going to get in the time that you want to spend on the slopes.

The Alyeska Prince Hotel is the place to stay! Here you will enjoy elegant rooms and fine dining. Nightly entertainment is available as well. There are other nightlife spots in the area as well, that are not associated with the Hotel.

If tubing interests you, then visiting the Glacier Tubing Park is an absolute must! Featuring two lanes of terrain and a surface lift, everyone in the family will enjoy spending time at the tubing park. The Alyeska Terrain Park is a must for snowboarding enthusiasts. Other winter activities that can be enjoyed in and around the Alyeska Resort include flight seeing, helisking, ocean cruising tours, dog sledding, ice climbing, back country skiing, mountaineering, and polar bear viewing.

At the Alyeska Resort, the ultimate winter vacation can be experienced. Brave the elements, then return to the Hotel for some pampering. Get a taste of what Alaska is really like, and what skiing is meant to be! There are activities for the entire family to enjoy, and there are many area sights and attractions to be enjoyed as well. This really is an awesome winter family ski vacation!

Golf Tips Involving Golf Equipment

2007-12-05T06:03:00.000-08:00

Blaming your moves, shots and swings for your golf mishits and mishaps? Well, no matter how much time and effort you have been spending over practicing your moves to perfect your game, you still won't achieve your goal if you use unsuitable or defective types of golf equipment, will you?

Now is high time for you to consider the following golf tips that involve checking on your equipment's quality.

If you plan to choose used golfclubs as beginner's tools, scrutinizing before purchasing is a must. The clubheads, the shafts, and the grips are golfclub parts that should pass inspection first before landing a decent spot in your golf equipment cabinet. Another excellent golf tip that will get you through the game is making sure that the set of used golfclubs you're eyeing have set consistency. It will also help a lot if you check first the price of new clubs vs. used.

A golf tip for a golfer that plans to regrip his clubs: Be cautious. This is because the grips are the only contact points one can access to affect the shot. Before carrying out the regripping, know the core grip of the club and your hands grip size. To determine your core size grip, measure the diameter of the butt of the shaft you're going to re-grip. The shaft's diameter should match the grip's core diameter. In determining your hands grip, the available size grips are regular, mid-size, oversize and jumbo. Use only the best re-gripping materials that will provide optimum performance for your golf clubs.

Another golf tip or advice is that using ill-fitted clubs will be an obstacle to your golf playing success. A golfer must consider his or her body type in choosing the best-fitting equipment to support and deliver his backswings efficiently. Too steep angles in carrying out backswings may be avoided if one selects the perfect fitting equipment available.

Custom golfclub fitting makes a better option than just buying new golf clubs. Getting custom fitting golfclubs is a golf tip that translates to a very worthy investment. The uniqueness of each person is attributed to the need of this way of buying new golf clubs. A custom fitting produces golfclubs that specifically suit the height, strength, swing characteristics and clubhead speed of the golfer.

The type of club shaft also helps in predicting whether you'll do good in a game or you won't. There's a choice between a steel club shaft and a graphite-made club shaft. This golf tip aims to make you realize which type of golfclub shaft will benefit your game. Observations tell that the steel club shafts are more preferred by professional golfers while graphite shafts become more popular with women, senior players and beginners. Steel shafts are less expensive than graphite shafts though.

One more golf tip that could help you is that the golf clubs that must be the main content of your bag must suit your skill level. Since various skill levels need various golf clubs, it won't be wise to just use or bring a golf club that is just lying around. And, don't ever forget about the maximum golfclub load your bag is allowed to hold. You can only bring 14 golf clubs in your bag. No more. No less. Aside from your skill level contemplation, your mastery of a certain golfclub and your being comfortable with using it must also be put into consideration in deciding which golfclub to hit.

A good combination of the right moves and good choice of equipment will better arm you to become the best golfer you could ever be.

Custom Golf Club: Custom fitting golf clubs

2007-12-04T04:21:00.001-08:00

Every golfer's physical capability and swing is distinctive. Many of today's best golf clubs can be custom fit for lie angle, shaft type and length, grip type and size. Custom fitting golf clubs involves several easy measurements and a quick self-assessment of your game. This custom golf club has become more than a fad that even not so professional golfers test its waters.

Custom fitting is the process for tailoring a golf club to suit your personal swing.

Whatever your level, with a custom golf club the aim is to ensure that if you do make a good swing, the club will be square at impact and should produce a straight shot.

Custom Golf Club How To's:

To custom fit your golf clubs, you need to know: your gender (male or female); your height in your stockings or socks; the distance from your wrist (where it bends) to the floor with your shoes off; your age; your handicap or skill level; how fast you swing a golf club; what club you use at the 150 yard marker.

Gender is used to put you into the correct fitting scale for custom golf clubs. The golf industry uses different definitions of "standard length" for men and women.

Your height and the distance in inches from your wrist to the floor are used together to determine the length of a custom golf club that is appropriate for you. The starting point for club length can vary up to 3 ?inch ranging from ladies to men plus 1 ?inch. A tall person with long arms can very easily require shorter clubs than an average height person with short arms. About 80 percent of golfers are standard length.

Your age, handicap (if you happen to have one), self-assessed skill level, estimated golf swing speed and club you use at the 150 yard marker are all combined to determined the custom golf club's shaft flex that is appropriate for you.

Custom fitting can fix your slice. If you slice the ball it means that the toe of the club is leading into the ball which opens the face of the club. That may be down to a swing fault, but it could be because the club is too flat. So as part of the custom fitting process you can make the custom golf club more upright to help with this. This will mean that the toe of the club will be slightly off the ground at address to compensate.

There are different methods of fitting according to custom golf club manufacturers but ultimately they are all trying to improve your game. To begin with simple measurements such as wrist-to-floor, height and hand size are taken and will point you to the right size club and at what angle it should be to the ground. Then you will take a club and hit some balls. One method is to place impact tape on the bottom of the custom golf club and an impact board on the floor.

As you hit the ball the board will leave a mark on the tape showing whether the heel or the toe of the custom golf club is striking the floor first. The resulting mark will show whether the club face needs to be flatter or more upright. Then things get a bit more advanced. Analysis equipment can measure everything from your club speed to the side spin of the ball so that you can get maximum distance from your shot. You can also measure the launch angle of the ball, how much backspin you generate and impact efficiency - all which affect distance. The angle in which the custom golf club approaches the ball and the sidespin of it can help fix your game too.

Rather than bringing down your old clubs, it might be better to start from scratch. It's a big misconception that custom fitting is only for good golfers. Anyone can benefit. That said, if you plan to upgrade a new set of clubs with the same manufacturer they may be able to adjust your old set to become custom golf clubs.

Custom fitting won't cure all your bad shots. Coaching will sort that out. But if you do make a good swing, then the custom golf club will arrive correctly at impact and should produce a straight shot at your target. That alone will save shots during a round.

Lastly, custom fitting is often free of charge. But it is usually on the condition that you buy some clubs once you've been fitted. So it really depends on what your budget is. If you're prepared to buy a new set of clubs it's definitely worth getting fitted.

The Callaway Golf Club

2007-12-03T03:59:00.000-08:00

The Callaway golf club is one of the most popular and also reliable types of golf club in the market today. There are so many people (particularly retired men) that are fascinated with golf today and it is no wonder why the Callaway golf club is now in the peak of success in the world of golf clubs.

The Callaway Golf club is headed by Ely Callaway. He bought half of Hickory Stick USA and renamed it Callaway Hickory Stick USA. After purchasing it, he decided to hire the best people that would be an instrument in supporting his dream of Callaway golf club. He hired Richard C. Helmstetter to be the Chief Club Designer and this as others would say is the point of no return. The designs for Callaway golf club are truly revolutionary and innovative which is why the Callaway golf club is dubbed as the type of golf club that is unique and also high-performance kind golf equipment. After that, Ely Callaway renamed his company into Callaway Golf and then relocated from Cathedral City, California to a sleepy seaside town called Carlsbad, which is just north of San Diego.

One of the most innovative designs that the firm came up with was to create a stainless steel driver that had a larger and more forgiving head than any previous design. The CEO, Callaway dubbed it as ig Bertha?which was derived from a German cannon back in WWI which was famous for its capability of shooting long distance range. This type of design was the one that made Callaway golf club a house hold name in the states because it experienced millions of sales and the Big Bertha type of Callaway golf club was the reason why Callaway became the number one manufacturer of golf clubs not only in the US but in the whole world which shows how popular golf is to the whole world.

At present, there are six classifications of the Callaway Golf club. The first classification is the drivers which are comprised of two models which are the Big Bertha Fusion FT4 and Big Bertha Titanium 454. The next classification of Callaway golf club is called the Fairway Woods. Fairway Woods have three types of clubs which are Big Bertha Fusion Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Titanium Fairway Woods, and Big Bertha Fairway Woods. The next classification of the Callaway golf club is a hybrid which is designed for long and distant shots. The model for this type of Callaway golf club is called Big Bertha Heavenwood Hybrids. The next classification is called irons which are divided into five types of models and these are Big Bertha, Big Bertha Fusion, X-Tour, X-18, and X-18 Pro. Another classification of the Callaway golf club would be the wedges and the model here is called Forged+ Wedges. The last classification for Callaway golf club is called the Putters. The Putters have two models in its classification which are Callaway golf I-Trax Putter and tour Blue.

The classification and models of Callaway Gold Club mentioned above are the ones that the firm manufactures. All of these models were made in the lieu with science, research, and practice. All of these models are worth a try and who knows? You might be the next Tiger Woods in the world of golf.

CHOP, HALF VOLLEY, AND COURT POSITION.

2007-12-02T03:34:00.000-08:00

Chop stroke.

In Tennis, a chop stroke is a shot where the angle towards the player and behind the racquet, made by the line of flight of the ball, and the racquet travelling down across it, is greater than 45 degrees and may be 90 degrees. The racquet face passes slightly outside the ball and down the side, chopping it, as a man chops wood. The spin and curve is from right to left. It is made with a stiff wrist.

The slice shot merely reduced the angle mentioned from 45 degrees down to a very small one. The racquet face passes either inside or outside the ball, according to direction desired, while the stroke is mainly a wrist twist or slap. This slap imparts a decided skidding break to the ball, while a chop "drags" the ball off the ground without break.

The rules of footwork for both these shots should be the same as the drive, but because both are made with a short swing and more wrist play, without the need of weight, the rules of footwork may be more safely discarded and body position not so carefully considered.

Both these shots are essentially defensive, and are labour-saving devices when your opponent is on the baseline. A chop or slice is very hard to drive, and will break up any driving game.

It is not a shot to use against a volley, as it is too slow to pass and too high to cause any worry. It should be used to drop short, soft shots at the feet of the net man as he comes in. Do not strive to pass a net man with a chop or slice, except through a big opening.

The drop-shot is a very soft, sharply-angled chop stroke, played wholly with the wrist. It should drop within 3 to 5 feet of the net to be of any use. The racquet face passes around the outside of the ball and under it with a distinct "wrist turn." Do not swing the racquet from the shoulder in making a drop shot. The drop shot has no relation to a stop-volley. The drop shot is all wrist. The stop-volley has no wrist at all.

Use all your wrist shots, chop, slice, and drop, merely as an auxilliary to your orthodox game. They are intended to upset your opponent's game through the varied spin on the ball.

The half volley.

This shot requires more perfect timing, eyesight, and racquet work than any other, since its margin of safety is smallest and its manifold chances of mishaps numberless.

It is a pick-up. The ball meets the ground and racquet face at nearly the same moment, the ball bouncing off the ground, on the strings. This shot is a stiff-wrist, short swing, like a volley with no follow through. The racquet face travels along the ground with a slight tilt over the ball and towards the net, thus holding the ball low; the shot, like all others in tennis, should travel across the racquet face, along the short strings. The racquet face should always be slightly outside the ball.

The half volley is essentially a defensive stroke, since it should only be made as a last resort, when caught out of position by your opponent's shot. It is a desperate attempt to extricate yourself from a dangerous position without retreating. never deliberately half volley.

Court position.

A tennis court is 39 feet long from baseline to net. There are only two places in a tennis court that a tennis player should be to await the ball.

1. About 3 feet behind the baseline near the middle of the court, or

2. About 6 to 8 feet back from the net and almost opposite the ball.

The first is the place for all baseline players. The second is the net position.

If you are drawn out of these positions by a shot which you must return, do not remain at the point where you struck the ball, but attain one of the two positions mentioned as rapidly as possible.

The distance from the baseline to about 10, feet from the net may be considered as "no-man's-land" or "the blank." Never linger there, since a deep shot will catch you at your feet. After making your shot from the blank, as you must often do, retreat behind the baseline to await the return, so you may again come forward to meet the ball. If you are drawn in short and cannot retreat safely, continue all the way to the net position.

Never stand and watch your shot, for to do so simply means you are out of position for your next stroke. Strive to attain a position so that you always arrive at the spot the ball is going to before it actually arrives. Do your hard running while the ball is in the air, so you will not be hurried in your stroke after it bounces.

It is in learning to do this that natural anticipation plays a big role. Some players instinctively know where the next return is going and take position accordingly, while others will never sense it. It is to the latter class that I urge court position, and recommend always coming in from behind the baseline to meet the ball, since it is much easier to run forward than back.

Should you be caught at the net, with a short shot to your opponent, do not stand still and let him pass you at will, as he can easily do. Pick out the side where you think he will hit, and jump to, it suddenly as he swings. If you guess right, you win the point. If you are wrong, you are no worse off, since he would have beaten you anyway with his shot.

Your position should always strive to be such that you can cover the greatest possible area of court without sacrificing safety, since the straight shot is the surest, most dangerous, and must be covered. It is merely a question of how much more court than that immediately in front of the ball may be guarded.

A well-grounded knowledge of court position saves many points, to say nothing of much breath expended in long runs after hopeless shots.

Big Sky Ski Vacations

2007-12-02T03:11:00.000-08:00

With all that Big Sky, Montana has to offer skiers, it is amazing that so few know about its existence! Known for its wide open slopes and short lift lines, Big Sky Ski Resort has one of the largest lift served vertical drops in the United States. Over 5300 acres of ski slopes and trails await skiers, with over 33 feet of snowfall each season.

Big Sky Ski Resort features twenty three lifts, 220 trails, and a 4350 foot vertical drop. The top elevation is 11154 feet. Along with the ski lifts, there are also two cable car lines available. While there are beginner slopes, most of the slopes are geared toward intermediate and expert skiers.

There are many places to lodge in Big Sky Resorts Mountain Village, which rests at the foot of the impressive Lone Peak mountain. Enjoy Sleigh Ride dinners, ice skating, parties, snowmobile tours, and a variety of community events. At Big Sky, there are no strangers. Big Sky, Montana is one of the highest rated Ski Resorts in the United States, and there is something here for everyone.

GOLF EQUIPMENT: GEARING UP PROPERLY FOR GOLF

2007-12-02T02:53:00.000-08:00

Like any other sports, golf requires that you are geared up correctly to be able to properly play the game. This article will give you an idea of basic golf equipment one requires to be able to learn and play golf.

For starters, the basic golf equipment is a golf ball. Golf balls are dimpled tiny balls, use in to play golf. They are dimpled to reach farther length when driven by golf clubs.

Another important golf equipment is a golf club or golf driver. Golf drivers come in different varieties. This is because a golf course has different landscapes and different golf clubs are required to make the proper drive. Depending on the landscape, either sand, grass or cement, a golf club is essential to make the perfect drive. Professional golfers usually have a bag or two of golf clubs to cater to their golf needs. Most golf stores and sports equipment store sell golf clubs. Some golf clubs are sold in sets while other are sold individually.

To protect your golf equipment, such as your golf club, a golf bag golf club cover is essential. A golf bag will, of course, hold your golf club in one place and will make it easier for your caddy to bring your many golf clubs. Golf bags can also hold golf balls and other golf equipment like water bottle to quench your thirst while under the sun or extra shirt or your regular shoes. On the other hand, a golf club cover covers the edge of your golf club. This is done so to protect your golf club from unwanted scratches and dents. Dents can cause your drive to go from ok to bad. Dents in golf clubs can affect the drive of your golf ball. With these golf equipment, you can take care of the state of your club and your game.

One golf equipment that you need to invest on is a good pair of golf shoes. Golf shoes are different from usual rubber shoes or walking shoes. Golf shoes are created to walk on greens - the type where the sport is played. Golf shoes usually have pointed rubber under the soles to grip the earth and sand under your feet. This way, unnecessary shaking or moving is avoided. This is important because shaking can cause you to not hit the golf ball or to hit the golf ball in the wrong direction. If you plan to play professional golf a good pair of golf shoes is a necessary golf equipment to add up to your list. Choose one that is sturdy yet comfortable enough for you to walk into. Golf is a sport that requires walking from one hole to another or to where your ball landed (you can not use golf carts on the greens) and thus, if your golf shoes are uncomfortable, you would have a hard time concentrating on your game.

A golf equipment usually provided by most golf courses (aside from the golf ball) is the tee. The tee is the tiny pin like thing that you punch to the ground to stand your ball into. The tee is use in teeing off (the start of your first drive) thus the name.

The most amazing golf equipment ever created (for me, that is) is the golf cart. Golf carts can take you from one hole to the other, though as I said earlier they are not allowed on the greens, they still lessen the burden of having to walk under the hot sun. This golf equipment can be acquired from golf courses. Golf players are usually made to use golf equipment such as this to give them a better and easier time playing the sport.

Many specialty shops and sport shops offer golf equipment. The internet is also a good source of golf equipment. Second hand golf equipment are even auctioned off the internet, if you are on a tight budget. Check out your local golf shop, sports shop, specialty shops, E-bay or Yahoo! for your golf equipment needs.