Become a Champion of Golf Resorts!

Added: 07/27/2005

It may seem a boring and monotonous task to hit a ball to drive it into a hole. Still, the game of golf, rather an old one (it was first mentioned in the 15th century laws in Scotland prohibiting the game "gowf"),is becoming more and more popular and attracts people being a sport, entertainment and a way of relaxation at one and the same time...That is the reason why there are so many golf resorts in the world now.

Become a Champion of Golf Resorts!

It may seem a boring and monotonous task to hit a ball to drive it into a hole. Still, the game of golf, rather an old one (it was first mentioned in the 15^th century laws in Scotland prohibiting the game "gowf"), is becoming more and more popular and attracts people being a sport, entertainment and a way of relaxation at one and the same time. It can be played by anyone, no matter whether you are a professional or an amateur who's just learned the rules of the game. Here everything depends on you and you can't arrogate your mistakes to someone else. So, it is a good opportunity to check yourself.

That is the reason why there are so many golf resorts in the world now. Imagine a picturesque place with a luxurious hotel, restaurants, bars, swimming pools, fitness facilities, tennis courts, perhaps, a spa, and ... golf courses, where you can learn to play the game (in some resorts a golf school is associated to the course; besides, there are often so called practice ranges with practice greens, bunkers, and a driving area where long shots can be practiced) or, if you already know its principles, train there as long as you want.

There are different kinds of golf courses:

Link courses. They are located in coastal areas, on sandy soil. There are few water hazards and few trees. They are considered to be the most traditional type of golf courses.
Parkland courses. They resemble traditional British parks, heavily treed and with lawn-like fairways (where the grass is cut low that the balls can be easily driven).
Heathland. It is an open more course, with less trees and often heather. Such courses are represented by Woodhall Spa in England or Gleneagles in Scotland.
Desert courses. This is a relatively new golf course architecture widely-spread in the USA and in the Middle East. Desert soil requires heavy irrigation and a greater alteration of the existing landscape. Though it lacks naturalness, some people appreciate the experience of playing golf in a desert.

Here is the list of the best 10 golf resorts of the world:

1. The Lodge at Koel (Lanai, Hawaii, USA)

2. Westin Turnberry Resort (Aaytshire, Scotland)

3. Four Seasons Resort (Punta Mita, Mexico) 4. Manele Bay Hotel (Lanai, Hawaii, Usa)

5. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai (Big Island, Hawaii,USA)

6. American Club (Lanai,Hawaii,USA)

7. The Greenbriar (White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia,USA)

8. Four Seasons Resort (Nevis, West Indies, Carrebian)

9. Lodge at Sea Island (Sea Island, Georgia, USA)

10 Fairmont Orchid (Big Island, USA)

If you have decided to go to a golf resort and are still unacquainted with this game, take a chance to read about the main principles, rules and equipment related to it.

One of the obligatory attributes in golf is holes. This is the name of both actual holes into which the ball is driven and the area from the teeing ground (the place from where the ball is to be hit first) and the putting ground (the area surrounding the hole). Usually there are 9 or 18 holes in a golf course. The hole must be 108 mm and at least 100 mm in depth. Its position on the green is may be changed from day to day. There is a flag on a pole in the hole so that it may be seen from some distance.

Many holes (areas) include bunkers (or sand traps), from which the ball is more difficult to play than from grass, and water hazards (lakes, ponds, rivers, etc). Besides, holes have such a characteristic as a par - the distance from tee to green. And it is also the number of strokes that an expert golfer should make to play the ball into the given hole.

A golf play can be either match or stroke. The first is where two players or two teams play every hole against each other and those who have the greatest number of won holes become winners. In stroke play the total number of strokes made for a definite number of holes is counted, and the player or the team with the lowest score wins.

The equipment you need for golf is the following:

golf clubs

- woods (for long shots)

- irons (for precision shots)

- wedges (for approach shots to the green and for playing on difficult grounds sand or the rough)

golf balls
golf bags or golf carts to carry clubs and balls
golf shoes with exchangeable spikes attached to the sole
tees - a pole for a ball of wood or plastic for easy hitting
a score card to count the scores

There are certain rules and regulations worked out by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of ST Andrew and the United States Golf Association (they are limited to the USA and Mexico).

every player is entitled and obliged to play the ball from the position where it has come to rest after a stroke, unless a rule allows or demands otherwise (Rule 13-1)
a player must not accept assistance in making a stroke (Rule 14-2)
the condition of the ground or other parts of the course may not be altered to gain an advantage, except in some cases defined in the rules
a ball may only be replaced by another if it is destroyed, lost, or unplayable, and a penalty is incurred in the latter cases

("The rules of golf")

To learn the technique of the body movements used during the play you would better consult an expert. The advice of an experienced person will help you to understand all the main principles, which you'll train yourself afterwards.

Good luck!

References:

hobby.rin.ru/articles/html

www.runiga.com/ruso/home.

www.battles.ru

www.westin-innisbrook.com/

resort-golf.com/

www.pinehurst.com/golf_resort_history.asp

www.birdgolf.com/companyhist.shtml

www.worldgolf.com/

texas.allinfoabout.com/ features/golf_texasgolfresorts.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_course