Golf is an old game; records show that it originated in Netherlands in the year 1297.  The initial equipment was a stick and a leather ball, which scholarly individuals play.  Today, varieties to golf clubs are being used to play this game.  Players are commonly the upper class individuals, however, developments introduced golfing to the middle class individuals as well.  It is therefore useful for golf players to know the rules before embarking on laying their foot on the tee.

This article will guide you to some of the important golf rules to follow while playing this game.

It may help to mention at this point, that the two large golf organizations that take care of the establishment and enforcement of the rules are the United States Golf Association (USGA) and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of Saint Andrews (R&A).

Both these bodies carry the flag of fairness in the rules.  To help you play this game fair and square, keep in mind rules of the game and apply.  Let these rules guide you and enjoy playing this relaxing game on the green, in the bunker and even on the water hazard.

Golf Rules

- Follow the equipment rules; depending on the tournament you are joining, you will need to bring the proper gear before you will be allowed to play.

- Players should play the ball right in the position where it rested after a stroke.

- Player must not accept assistance in making a stroke.

- The course must not be altered to gain advantage over the opponent

- The ball will only be replaced once proven unplayable or destroyed.

- Playing as an amateur requires that one should not have received money for it.

This is the general rule; some diversions to the rule apply in some other associations.However, most of the golfers of the world follow the above mentioned rules.

The rules however will not make sure that you are going to be able to play a good game.The best way to fully enjoy the game is to practice hard and being fair.

Finally, the choice of your golf club may also be important.  You however do not need to buy expensive and branded golf clubs.  This is a common mistake of golf beginners, they purchase costly golf clubs and when they finally hit the green, they are not comfortable with their equipment, they fail in their effort, and their hard-earned money went flying out their window.

The recommendation of golf experts is that you use the equipment you are comfortable with.  Buying a secondhand golf club will be advantageous for beginning golfers.  If you have extra money, invest on your shoes and other gear rather than the branded golf clubs.

Do you want to play golf?  Do you wonder how it feels to walk on the beautifully green golf course while playing?  If so, then you surely will enjoy the experience.  You however, need to understand the golf courses and their individual characteristics to give you an understanding of the game and how you will help take care of the green.  Understanding the golf green will help you navigate your golf ball around the green correctly and learn the famous golf swing along the way.

What the types of courses or golf green?

Links courses, this is the traditional type of golf course, much like the golf course in the British Isles.  These courses are mostly located in coastal areas, on sandy soil and with artificial water and sand hazards.

Parkland courses look like British parks as they are full of trees and have lawn-like fairways.

Heathland courses, they are less wooded as compared to parkland courses.  It has space that is more open and may even have tall grasses in them.

Desert courses are more preferred in Australia and some parts of United states.  These courses as you know may not be as green as you think it to be.  It may be quite difficult to navigate the ball around this course because of the flat space.

Executive courses, these courses are generally smaller than the usual 18-hole golf course.  They are however well manicured that assists players to ensure that they will enjoy their time.

The above are only a few of the types of golf coursesplayers enjoy.  There are other types of courses but these are the most common courses and the United States Golf Association (USGA) and R&A, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews accept them.

In playing on the gold green, you need to exhibit golf etiquette and respect for the environment.  Some of the golf etiquette players need to keep in mind include the following:

- Do not talk or laugh too loudly that other players may loose concentration.

- Never get in the way of other players, especially when they are trying to make a shot.

- Do not walk too fast or too slow that you may not be able to keep at pace with your plight partner.

- Play the ball right where it rested after a stroke

- Avoid causing damage to the green.  You may need to remove all traces before living the green.

The above are some of the golf etiquette that needs to be exhibited on the green.  They show respect for other players and respect to the green as well.

Knowing the golf ethics is one thing; the rules and regulation that are being enforced by the golf associations should also be followed while playing.  You therefore need to keep in mind the rules and regulation in combination with respect while playing.  Let me tell you that fairness and respect is the main contention of the rules of golf.  There are a number of rules and regulations being enforced but the main contention is fairness.

Finally, golfers need to carry with him the proper equipment especially the golf club.  This is to ensure that you will be comfortable executing your strokes.

Executing a good swing will only come with practice and can not be mastered overnight.  Thus, patience and following the rules will ensure you will have a great time playing this game leisurely.

Golf is a strategic game where you do not need power alone.  You will need strategy and lots of practice to execute a golf swing.  This is because a golf swing takes time to master.  For beginners, you will need to understand the concept of the game and practice until you improve your handicap, lower your score and execute a good swing.

Golf is both technical, strategically and a different kind of game where it is possible for you to play it while doing business at the same time.

This is because scholarly and rich individuals who may possibly do good to your business commonly play this game, thus learning golf is imperative if you want to be successful in your business as well.

Anyway, so much for commercial reasons, this article is to give you a guide to begin your journey into golfing fun.

What do you need to play golf?

Understanding of the game
Proper equipment
Patience
Practice

I do not want to be too technical about it, my mission is to help you start and improve your golf game.  Read on and have an open mind.

Understanding the game

You will need to know that your goal is to send the ball to the hole.You must be getting curious as to why players spend so much time to take the tee?  This is because you will need to learn the swing to send the ball to the hole. 

The golf course has many holes you need to cover and the distance between each hole could be somewhere from 100 to 600 yards.  You will need to learn how to swing the ball, possibly reach the level of hitting the ball to travel at 100 KPH.  To do this you will need to practice.

Proper equipment

One equipment you need to be comfortable with is your golf club.  Do you wonder why a golf bag contains numerous golf clubs?  This is not only to give the caddy a job; it is because in one single game, you will need all the different kinds of golf club.  Types of golf club necessary to play a golf game are the putter, iron, wood, wedge and the driver.

All of them play a particular part in the game and you will need to understand how each of them work.

Let me tell you at this point that many beginners mistakably purchase costly golf clubs and this is not necessary.  You only need a golf club that you will be comfortable with, thus if you must buy, buy your golf clubs intelligently.

Patience

You will need to give fluidity to your swing and if you are angry, frustrated or too excited, you will not be able to deliver the swing that will lead to the hole.You may feel frustrated at not being able to make good your swing but take time to relax and try again.

Practice

There is no overnight success in golf.You need to practice to execute that perfect swing.  Practice without the ball and practice with the ball.  You may be able to execute the swing perfectly without the ball, but executing it with the ball can make the difference.  Thus, you will need a lot of practice to perform that swing you see on tournaments.

I hope that the above will help you begin playing golf.Enjoy yourself and see you on the green.

Welshpool Golf Club

Golf is a sport that is originally thought to have originated in Bruntsfield Links, in Edinburgh, Scotland. In this game, a player hits the ball into each hole using many different types of clubs by using a minimum number of strokes. It is a game that is not played on a standardized area, but instead it is played on golf courses, and each golf course may be different and unique from other golf courses.

There are many different golf clubs that are situated all over Europe. In the United Kingdom alone there are thousands of clubs. One of the well known clubs is the Welshpool Golf club that is situated in the Golfa, Welshpool, Powys, which is situated in Wales. People who have played at the Welshpool Golf Club remember the experience as a splendid test of golf. Almost all of the guests are from the West Midlands and first-timers to the golf club are certainly taken away by the wonderful scenery of the beautifully landscaped club. It has been quoted by Bernard Darwin, who is a well-known golfing writer, as “it is a Golf Club of Dreams”. He also added later that he realized “how incomplete has been my golfing education until I had seen it” after he played in the club for the first time.

The Welshpool Golf Club was designed in the early on years of the previous century by the famous veteran champion known as James Braid. The course was built by the famous John Stutt of Paisly, and he said that the course resembled the famed Gleneagles course, and insisted that even the famous Gleneagles do not offer anything that is as spectacular as the Welshpool Golf Club. The club is situated among mountains and the giant peaks of Snowdon and Cader Idris are both discernible and offer wonderful vistas to visitors.

Bar and restaurant amenities are available at the club and also some fantastic offers can be availed.

The origin of golf is hard to place exactly. Several countries are claiming that they started the now popular game, but the most believed is the Netherlands. According to history, the Netherlands had the ideas of hitting balls into holes with a golf club in the 17th century. In addition to this, it is said that the word golf comes from the Dutch was kolf which means stick, club and bat. It does NOT come from the acronym “gentlemen only, ladies forbidden.” Despite this early introduction of golf, it did not come around in the United States until the 1880s.

The oldest course in the world dates back to St. Andrews Trails, located in the Royal Burgh of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. This course is known as the “home of golf”.

Even though it is commonly known that golf courses have eighteen holes, according to history, this has not always been so. Golfers at St. Andrews played on a route that was determined by the topography of the area. An eleven-hole course came about and players would play all eleven, turn around and play them again - twenty-two holes. Some thought that the holes were to short in 1764, so were combined with other holes. The number was reduced from eleven to nine, leaving a total of eighteen holes.

The size of the golf hole even goes back in history. The standard golf hole size is 4.25 inches in diameter. It was the St. Andrews Trails that were the founders of this standard size, with some assistance from the links at Musselburgh. This size was decided upon due to the fact that the folks at Musselburgh were the ones to invent the first known hole cutter in 1829. This cutter utilized a tool that was 4.25 inches in diameter. St. Andrews simply liked that size and adopted it for the games standard hole size.

The common used phrases in the game of golf are birdie, eagle and par. The word bird was a slang term in the 19th century that referred to anything considered remotely cool. So the term was used then for a great shot in a game of golf - one that led to a score under par - and was eventually turned into birdie. The word eagle followed on the same lines as the bird mentality loomed. Par was used long before it became associated with the game of golf and basically meant something that was acceptable or average. The word simply became associated over time with the game of golf to indicate an ideal score among golfers.

Where did these rules come from? Well, you honestly cannot play a game, any game, without rules. So from the very beginning there had to have been understood rules to play along with. No one knows what those rules were as the rules were never officially written until they were specifically written in 1744 for the Annual Challenge for the Edinburgh Silver Club.

Whether you are just getting started with golf or you are a seasoned player just coming off their off-season, here are some fitness ideas to help you condition for the game of golf.

The first thing you have to work on in golf fitness is your flexibility. Which makes sense, because in order to execute your golf swing correctly you have to develop the range of motions within your joints and muscles. Flexibility exercises should be done no less than four days a week. So that the exercises can be done correctly, allow ten to fifteen per session. Make sure you pay very close attention to your technique. If you aren’t doing your exercises correctly, then you won’t be doing any good for your golf game. And, finally, as always please consult a doctor or physician before going for any type of exercise.

You also need to incorporate strength training in your golf fitness program. The important thing with strength training is similarity. You want to do exercises that closely resemble your golf swing or at least a certain phase of it.

Stretching is common in all golfers, especially older players. But it is much different than stretching for a run. You should include mostly rotational stretches in your fitness program for your core, lower back, shoulders and hips. This will certainly improve your game on the course.

If you combine your strengthening and stretching exercises then you will be able to get maximum results. For every strength exercise you do, you need a stretch exercise for that muscle you are working.

Another body part that needs to be strengthened for golf is your wrist. Your wrists play an important part in your golf swing. They control the club and provide the power behind your swing. You need to incorporate some wrist strengthening exercises into your program that will strengthen them for their role.

It is important to stay healthy for you perfect golf game. Look after and condition yourself properly.

- Warm up properly with some stretches and practice swings.

-That sun can be lethal on a warm Saturday morning. Protect yourself with sunglasses and sunscreen.

- As with any outside activity, drink plenty of fluids. Along the course there are several beverages stations, take advantage. And don’t make your beverage of choice an alcoholic one. Alcohol dehydrates.

- When picking anything up, especially those heavy golf bags, lift with your legs.

- Those little golf balls can do a lot of damage if one ever hit you. Be aware of your surroundings and any flying balls.

- If you have any golf-related injuries, seek a professional’s assistance. You don’t want to injure yourself anymore than necessary.

- Get off the course immediately if you see lightning anywhere near the golf course.

Most people do not realize that when you are playing on those green hills on a beautiful Saturday morning there are rules to follow. You can’t just show up, hit some balls into some holes and call it a day. There are rules of golf. There are even long, descriptive, detailed books about these rules. Well, I will make it easy for you. I am giving you the five basic etiquette guidelines to follow when playing golf. Guidelines that veteran players need to brush up on as much as beginners need to know.

Tee Times - Most of the time, you may want to reserve a tee time to arrive at the golf course to play. When you and your golf buddies schedule a tee time, actually show up for the tee time. There is nothing ruder than making an appointment and not sticking to it. If your group misses your tee time, you could lose your spot and have to wait around for another opening. In fact, a good rule of thumb will be to arrive earlier than your scheduled time. This way you can warm up by hitting a few balls at the driving range.

Equipment - Make sure you have your equipment with you. Borrowing clubs is not necessarily frowned upon but you do not want to bother your companions by continuously asking to borrow their clubs. When arriving at the golf course, make sure you have all the clubs you need, not to exceed fourteen. Also, have enough tees and balls with you.

Dress - Check on your golf course’s dress code. Most courses do require certain attire. Khaki shorts and a button up shirt will fit the attire at most courses, but you may want to check just to make sure. Golf shoes and gloves are generally up to the player but you should still check before arriving without anything. Be sure to have extra loose bills on you for tipping purposes.

Course - These beautiful courses don’t deserve you coming in and being all rough and rude to it. Follow the rules of the golf cart. Do not drive where you aren’t supposed to, and especially keep them away from greens and hazards. Be sure to repair any divots and ball marks on the green. Never take a divot on a practice swing. And, finally, rake all sand traps to erase footprints and damage to area where your ball was.

Pace Appropriately - Having to wait on people is annoying. Making people wait on you is rude. Watch the game. Be ready for your turn. Wave faster groups all around you if you find that you are moving slowly. Keep pace with the group ahead of you. Do not waste too much time looking for a lost ball. If you want to keep to the five minutes allowed, wave groups behind you ahead so you will not hold them up.

Golf can be a fun, relaxing way to spend a morning, afternoon or even a full day. You can enjoy that time by being alone or with some of your friends or coworkers. Just remember that golf is a game and just as in most games there are rules to follow. Remember the golden rule? Yeah, keep to that.

If you are interested in improving your game or you are just contemplating starting to play the game of golf, you must have heard about golf lessons. So the question at the back of your mind is, are golf lessons really necessary?

Taking golf lessons is a good opportunity for people to learn not just how to play the game but how to be very good at it. They provide you with opportunity to learn without the frustration of stumbling through the necessary skills you need to be a good golfer.

They are different options available for you if you are considering taking golf lessons.
You  can take private golf lessons, go for group lessons organized by some golf clubs or you could go to a golf school.

Private golf lessons are really good if you prefer one-on-one coaching. you will get lessons suiting your individual needs. You won’t have to worry over other people seeing your mistakes as it will be between your golf instructor and you. There will also be time to concentrate on you and your needs. The instructor will go out of his or her way to make sure you perfect your game. Success to him or her means you are learning and mastering the game. The major downside to taking private lessons is the price, it is usually expensive.

Group lessons help you get it right at an affordable rate. Learning with a group will help you master your game well as there will be some sort of competition in the group. It’s human,  people will always try to outdo one another whenever they have something in common. This can be to your advantage as you will strive to be the best. The major problem with taking group lessons in learning golf is that there is not enough time for the instructor to attend to everybody’s individual needs, so success to the instructor is measured based on the percentage on people making progress not individual progress.

The decision to take golf lessons is up to you. But the truth is they will be of great help in mastering the game as you will have the opportunity to meet and interact with other golfers exchanging tips and advice on how to improve your game.

One thing that should really help you decide whether golf lessons are a necessity for you or not is identifying the reason why you want to play golf in the first case. 
A new hobby? You just want to be playing every now and then in your free time.
Business reasons? You just want to learn to be able to deal with your clients better. We all know that a lot of deals get sealed over golf games these days.
Professional reasons? You want to be a professional golf player.

If you have very urgent reasons like that of business, taking golf lessons will help you master the basics easily and quickly so that you can begin to play with your clients. If it is just for recreation, you may want to learn it yourself but if it’s professional, you need all the help you can get. Golf lessons should really come in handy, but then it’s up to you!

The peacefulness and scenery here in the Loire Valley make a golfing destination castle wedding a truly wonderful experience.

Regal chateaux spot the hillsides. Vineyards roll through copses of trees. French gastronomy is a veritable Paradise. One which you should try at least once in your lifetime. Amongst wine cellars, food specialities, son et lumiere (laser fireworks shows) are a selection of reputed golf courses: “Les Bordes” “Chateau Sept Tours” “Ardree” “Touraine” “Cheverny” “Orleans Donnery” “Les Aisses” “Sully-sur-Loire” “Limere” “Ganay”.

France, the size of Texas, is the largest country in Western Europe. Its geographical and cultural diversity is a tourism magnet that calls to be explored time and time again. The Loire Valley offers such a variety of exceptional sites where reputed golf courses are set alongside some 40 surreal historical chateaux and historical sites.

This valley of the Kings route has been plied for centuries along the longest river in France, the Loire River which remains the last of the wild rivers in Europe. The French Kings literally chateau hopped from one royal chateau to another along the banks of the Loire River.

The capetians established their dynasty here over 400 years ago before choosing Paris as their capital. The city of Tours in the middle of Touraine Region is known to be where French is best spoken and has cuisine of the highest reputation.

Here history combined with spiritual and cultural ways of life have mingled to produce the great Loire Royal Valley. The Loire is a superb region for a quality golfing holiday - just 3 hours drive from Calais and other northern ports. Famous the world over, the Loire Valley with its magnificent royal chateaux is the third most visited region in France, just after Paris and the Cote d’Azur.

The Les Bordes Resort not far from Chateau Chambord is undoubtedly the most impressive of all the resorts in terms of exclusivity and quality challenging golf - designed by Robert Von Hagge see Seignosse. Les Bordes is consistently ranked amongst the top 100 courses in Europe and one of France’s top 5. Water features on 12 of the 18 holes on this course and it really is a challenge even for low handicappers.

You can add to the delight of your holiday exploring the legendary Loire Valley by holding your wedding at one of the romantic chateaux available. Nothing says romance louder than a romantic castle wedding in france in a fairytale castle. With a wedding package getting married in France is more affordable than you would think. A french castle wedding package includes the venue, food, chapel, flowers, decoration, music, cake, horse and carriage, photography and wedding planner. All bride and groom need to do is turn up on the day with their wedding attire and rings.

As with any thing in life taking lessons helps beginners to learn faster. If you are just inclined towards becoming better golfer then taking lessons can surely help. No matter what your reasons for learning to play golf is, business, recreational or professional, good golf lessons will come in handy.

With  golf lessons, you can learn the basics and perfect the game. You can learn what it takes to come up with a master swing that will always let be in control of the ball. You can also get to learn how to determine which club is best for which distance and which shot and how to read the golf course..

Private Golf Lessons
Private golf lessons are great, as you get one on one coaching tailored to your individual needs. Private golf lessons are really a great way to learn golf. You have the instructor all to yourself and He will be concerned about helping you achieve the best in your game in a way that is convenient for you. If you have a great golf instructor, one who is actually a master of the game, you can get to learn certain secrets that you won’t get elsewhere. But the thing with private golf lessons is they can be quite expensive since the golf instructor gets to focus on your needs alone during your lessons.

Group Golf Lessons
If you can’t afford private golf lessons, you might want to consider going for group golf lessons. This will help you improve your game without hurting your finances. With group golf lessons you get to learn the game in groups. You will have your lesson with a group. The upside of such lessons apart from the price is that you get to interact with others and even practice with them giving you the necessary competitive edge that is necessary to bring out the best in you. The only downside to group golf lessons is that there is not much room for tailoring the lessons to individual needs, the instructor is more interested in teaching you all as a group . But if you are serious with it, you can take the lessons you learn in your group study into your personal practice and improve your game easily.

Self Taught Golf Lessons
If you can’t afford a golf instructor whether for private lessons or group ones, you can still go ahead and learn the lessons yourself. These are the best examples of self-taught golf lessons. By self-taught, I intend to say that it is very important for you to look around and search what is best for you. Use the internet to research free golf lessons and tips, and work them into your game Taking self-taught golf lessons requires a lot of trial and error to get your game right but that doesn’t make it impossible. You just need to work extra hard and be willing to do all it takes to improve your game.

A willingness to learn has always been the major difference between the champions and the average players in the world. If you are really interested in mastering the game of golf you must be willing to learn and go ahead and take golf lessons that will help you improve your game and help you master the game.