Kawana - Fuji Course

October 2008

Add ImageMount Fuji

The Kawana Fuji course (ranked #80 in the world) is often called Japan's Pebble Beach because it is a golf resort set on cliffs near the ocean. The course is accessible only to hotel guests. Kawana is located in Shikuoka Prefecture, two hours from Tokyo on the Izu Peninsula. It is located within a national park on Sagami Bay. The course was completed in 1936 by Charles H. Alison, partner of the great H.S. Colt. Alison took a vacation at the Kawana hotel in 1930 and convinced the owner that he should use the amazing land here to build a golf course.

During the Second World War almost all the golf courses in Japan had to be converted into farmland to produce food. The remaining courses were taken over by the occupation forces. Hotel Kawana was taken over by the U.S. Eighth Army and was later handed over to the Australian troops to be converted to a recreation center.

Unfortunately, we played Kawana on a rainy day. When you travel 6,500 miles to play a course, you're going to play no matter the weather. I didn't have a particularly good nights sleep since rain was pelting the windows all night long. We delayed the tee time an hour because at breakfast it was still raining like a monsoon. We played the first three holes in a downpour, but luckily the weather got progressively better as we went along. The picture at the top of this post is of the 12,388 foot high Mt. Fuji, which you can see from the course only about a half-dozen times a year, given the vagaries of the weather patterns near the mountain.

Kawana is a beautiful Alison course with brilliant use of terrain, a lot of shot variety, beautiful bunkering and memorable par threes. The start at Kawana is one of the best in the world. You tee off from a high, elevated tee down into a narrow fairway with a view of the water in the distance. It reminded me a bit of the first tee shot at Spyglass. The drop off the elevated tee is quite dramatic, and drops about 100 feet. Riviera has a similar elevated first tee shot. My estimate is that the drop in elevation here is probably twice as high as the one at Riviera.

k1-3

Looking down the fairway from the 1st tee at Kawana

You can see from the picture taken off the second tee that the elevation change at Kawana can be quite acute throughout the course.

k2 fairway

2nd fairway with big sweeping hill

The third hole, pictured below, is narrow and the landing area is at an odd angle from the teeing area. The hole plays significantly longer than the 450 yards on the card. Kawana reminded me of playing in Northern California at times. Variously, it looks like either The Olympic Club, Spyglass and Pebble Beach. This hole reminded me of the narrowness at Olympic.

K3 Fairway

The narrow third fairway at Kawana

The greens are generally round and fairly small at Kawana. This one, of the fourth green, below, is typical of what you will find in terms of green shape or size.

k4 round green

4th green at Kawana

The greens at Kawana are almost always elevated, as was typical of Alison's design style. They are also well-bunkered, as you can see from the most acute example on the course seen below, on the 18th hole.

k18-4

The 18th green at Kawana

This picture below was taken on the 17th fairway. As an island nation, the weather in Japan is changeable. One of the great aspects of playing golf is being out in the elements. Sometimes you catch the weather just right. Other times you have to adjust to the conditions at hand and enjoy the moment. Low clouds were blowing through quickly as we played the back nine. As the clouds lifted, it revealed the high mountains in the background. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time. It was probably a result of jet-leg, too little sleep and a mild hangover, but a couple of times while playing Kawana it felt like an out-of-body experience. Playing the 17th hole was a magical moment and illustrative of how enchanting playing in Japan was.

k17-2


17th fairway at Kawana


The terrain is so steep throughout the course that to get to the 5th tee box you have to take an outdoor escalator. I have taken an elevator before during a round of golf, namely, at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, but this is the first time I've taken an escalator.


Escalator to the par three 5th hole


The natural undulations of the terrain can also be seen well in this picture of the 9th fairway, below, looking backward from the green.

k9 back from green


9th fairway at Kawana


The 15th at Kawana is clearly one of the world's greatest golf holes. It is a par five that plays next to the Pacific Ocean on a high cliff with dramatic views. You hit over a deep ravine to a fairway below you and to the right. This part of the course feels a lot like Pebble Beach.

k15-2

The dramatic 15th hole at Kawana

After your tee shot the hole plays uphill and the fairway slopes from the right side to the left, toward the water. You are not immediately adjacent to the water; there is a buffer of bushes and you can clearly hear the waves crashing below you and see the water in the distance over the dense foliage.

k15 fwy-2

Uphill 2nd shot from the 15th fairway

The best view of how much waving and rippling there is in the fairway can be seen in this shot, below, taken from the green looking back on fifteen.

k15 looking back


15th hole looking back from green

Hitting your approach shot long to the 15th hole is not recommended, as you can see the steep drop off behind the green.

k15 green from behind


15th green as seen from behind


Planet Golf compares the terrain at Kawana to Turnberry, Mid Ocean and Pebble Beach. I've been lucky enough to play all three and agree that Kawana belongs in this small group of the world's most scenic courses. The difference at Kawana is that there is thick foliage between the edge of the cliffs and the course, but you can see the water from virtually the entire course.

Holes thirteen through fifteen are fabulous holes, as is the finish generally. Seventeen and eighteen both play uphill and are difficult holes. The only weak stretch of holes is eleven and twelve, which appear a bit out of character with the rest of the course. The Korai greens, a thick bladed (like bermuda) grass, are slow.

Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe stayed at Kawana on their honeymoon in 1954, and my sense is that the beds in the rooms are still the same ones. The resort is a bit dated, and the dining room has the ambiance of a corporate cafeteria, but if you are in Japan it is worth the two hour journey south of Tokyo to see this C.H. Alison beauty.

Since Kawana is a public course, it is the only way most people can play a course designed by Charles Alison, the maestro of golf course design in Japan. A round of golf at Kawana is ¥26,500 or about $265.

I would personally rank Kawana higher than #80 in the world.

Kawana's website



Two interesting photos from the late 1940s showing American soldiers at Kawana during the occupation. Note the American flag flying over the pool:



Winter Competitions

October 2008
All the Winter Competitions begin on Sun. Entry forms will remain at the club until Friday lunchtime, when they will be collected and confirmed. Any potential entrant who has not paid the required amount by the time of collection will not be entered into the league or KO competitions, so please ensure that you have done so.

As passed by the Gent's AGM, starting handicaps will be as follows:

1. Those who have an existing handicap from last years competition will begin on that handicap. If the existing full course handicap is lower, then that will be the starting handicap.

2. All new competitors will use their existing "Summer" handicap.

3. Reductions will be as per those outlined in the Competitions rule book, however an upward revision will also be in place for the first time. This will be in the order of 0.5 for scores of 33 points and under.

A full listing of the starting handicaps will be posted in the club on Saturday, in preparation for Sundays play, as will the draws for the KO competitions.

If there are any queries regarding the above, please contact the undersigned.

F Martin
Comps Sec

Sorenstam, Inkster see future of LPGA in fortune cookie. Also, Your golf swing could hinge on these tips

October 2008

Click here to listen.




China, food for thought?

In addition to keeping up with Russia and the U.S.A. with a newly developed missile system, China is also intent upon improving their visibility in the golf world and proving, as Annika Sorenstam said, that the LPGA is becoming a "global tour".

Shanshan Feng, the only Chinese player on the LPGA Tour (so far) believes that, "China can become another Korea for golf. I believe so. Maybe not now but in the future." In order to familiarize China as a golf destination, Feng, in the final round this week, even wore a shirt with a red China map on it.

Go China! The Empire is alive and well. The force is definitely with them.

Don't underestimate the growth of golf in Korea and Japan either, two countries who are hosting the 'triple-play' of this month's venture into Asian territory. This past week, out of a sixty-three player field, two-thirds were of Asian descent with over fifty of the ladies appearing in the upper crust of the LPGA money list.



What does this mean for the LPGA Tour? Juli Inkster contends that, instead of forcing the girls to learn English (as was the intent of Ms.Bivens) and suspending them if they did not, perhaps a more subtle approach is needed.

Inkster's thought is that an experienced golfer should play in their foursome to show them how it's done. As the seasoned veteran mentioned, "If I get four Korean men in this pro-am, even though I don't speak their language, I'm going to make it fun for them."

And fun is the name of the game as Sorenstam learned during the pro-am. Even though an interviewer mentioned the men were "depressed" over the way Sorenstam hit the ball longer and straighter than they did, she managed to do what is done in every part of the world when it comes to golf...create business opportunites for herself on the course. Annika shared some of her "secrets" with the guys (one a big developer stated Sorenstam) in a possible exchange for the opportunity to build a course in Asian territory. As Annika divulged, she "was trying to throw my name into the pool, and we'll see."

Only time will tell if this will be good for the LPGA Tour. If sponsorships favor Asian interests, Korea, China and Japan could very well form their own mini-tour taking both American and Asian hopefuls with them by making purses more attractive and keeping the LPGA out of the loop.

The European Tour is starting to offer bigger prize money right now and PGA Tour stars like Phil Mickelson are gung-ho at the prospect. Only time will tell.

All I can say is thank goodness Michelle Wie is both Korean and American! She may keep the LPGA alive!

Golf for Beginners also gives sound advice about one of the most important parts of your swing, the wrist hinge.


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

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"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by Arizona Golf Packages, 1-866-444-0992.


Photo Credit: © Seoul Sisters

End of Season Tri-Am

October 2008
We have received the draw from Marion and it is as below.

Remember, it's a £3 entry per team, that's £1 per person for those of you, like the bloggers, who skipped maths class at school.

11.00S Scott J Scott M Scott
11.07 A Morrison K McLeod C Sturgis
11.15 E Gray R Fraser G Allardice
11.22 D Gillespie L Duncan S Robertson
11.37 D Butchart I Butchart J Griffiths
11.45 "The Three Amigos"
11.52 M Tinker D Tinker R Tinker
12.00 S Thomson D Thomson G Martin
12.07 DJ Alexander DM Alexander R Michie
12.15 D Findlay M Bell C Davidson
12.22 J Menzies M Menzies J Davidson
12.30 "The Morons"
12.37 B Jackson B McGowan AN Other
12.45 C Tinker P Tinker M Woodcraft
12.52 G Haynes L Haynes F Barber
1.00 B Groom J Groom R McGeoghegan
1.07 J Taylor M Robertson S Fenner
1.15 D Norman A Grewar J Douglas

Dramatic Vistas make Black Mesa Golf Course and Santa Fe, New Mexico, truly a Land of Enchantment

October 2008

Click here to listen.




Sprawling mountain views surrounded Barry and myself as soon as we departed Albuquerque airport for a week-long golf vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The closest we had been to seeing vistas like this was when we travelled through Red Rock Canyon in Nevada over fifteen years ago, as a side trip to Las Vegas.

The thin air first caught my attention as I climbed the stairs to our 'casita' in the newly opened Encantado Resort, a member of the Auberge family of upscale properties. The 'room' in which we stayed had the same effect as the altitude. Approximately seven-hundred square feet of comfort and cool Santa Fe style surrounded our senses, from the wood-burning fireplace to the original artwork on the walls, all welcoming us to take off our shoes and relax awhile. From the casita, we toured the Resort only to find the same upscale luxury throughout, from the Spa to the Lodge, with incomparable views and luxurious amenities.



During the week we were slated to play both Black Mesa and Paa-ko Ridge Golf Courses. An early snowfall closed Paa-ko Ridge to golfers (there were still a few stragglers in the dining room praying for a miracle) so we were a bit disappointed not to be able to play one of GolfDigest.com's Reader's choice awards for 2009.

Instead, we had two prime days of golf at Black Mesa Golf Club, and I'm glad we did as once just wasn't enough in order to appreciate the creative masterpiece of Baxter Spann. "Each hole could have easily been a signature hole," Barry mentioned, and that a comprehensive strategy is needed for each dramatic layout. Success at putting is a must: tricky greens and undulating fairways force you to decide where you want to place the ball.




Black Mesa is definitely not for beginners but the option of five different teeboxes allows a golfer to visualize the course from different angles making it worthy of several rounds of play. Stand at the tips, bring a camera and enjoy views of the Rio Grande!


I wanted a true Santa Fe experience and found one while dining at a charming, ninety-year-old retreat; Bishop's Lodge. The food was superb and the staff gave us a tour of the property which includes a spa, skeet/trap range and, I understand, a stable filled with Palominos. Only about five minutes to town, I would certainly consider this Resort for our next stay!


During our vacation we did everything from making our contribution to the newest Casino complex, Buffalo Thunder, to watching buffalo roam and tumbleweeds roll, all while being surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo mountains. We played golf at a course that you can never tire of and I even got an on-course lesson from Tom Velarde, Director of Instruction at Black Mesa. Brian Whitcomb, PGA of America President also agrees as he recently stated, "The truth is that golf in New Mexico is a gem." The 42nd PGA Professional National Championship is set to take place at Twin Warriors and Santa Ana Golf Clubs and will be televised by the Golf Channel.

New Mexico is unique destination that travelers should see at least once in their lives. I now understand why it is called the Land of Enchantment!

This week's Golf for Beginners show talks about why you should visit Santa Fe, NM at least once and offers tips from our rounds as well as from Black Mesa's Director of Instruction Tom Velarde. We also have plenty of pictures to show of Black Mesa ... click here for front nine and back nine and of our trip. Enjoy!

Note: If you cannot see the photos, just head over to the MySpace page below and locate 'pics' under my lead picture.


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed:http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes.


Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100's of easy golf tips free!

Check us out on MySpace!

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by Arizona Golf Packages, 1-866-444-0992.

4 Club Challenge

October 2008
Saturday saw the annual piece of fun and mayhem that is known as the 4-Club Challenge a field of 40 turned up with a variety of different selections and produced the following results:

Placings

1st. I Scott - Nett 70
2nd. R Tinker - Nett 70 (After Countback)
3rd. Michael Bell - Nett 71
4th. Fergus Martin - Nett 72

Great result, so this year it's Ian's turn to be constantly reminded that he shouldn't bother with the other clubs in his bag. Well done Ian.

2's

4 people recorded 2's a the weekend, Donald Thomson, Eric Ritchie and Rory Tinker at the 6th, whilst Iain Butchart grabbed one on the 17th.

Well done fellas.

Next up will be the annual end of season Tri-am, so get a couple of pals together and get your team in the draw.

Japanese Golf Etiquette - A 12 Step Program

October 2008
Near the first tee at Naruo

Japan is a highly ritualized and organized society. Playing golf in Japan is no exception to their ordered lives. There is a strict protocol and structure to playing in the land of the rising sun. Playing in Japan can be more accurately described as a day of golf rather than a round of golf. This is not a country where you throw your bag over your shoulder and walk nine holes after work. Having just completed playing the top three private courses and one resort course, I can offer the following advice to my fellow golf adventurers traveling to Japan:

1. Play with long pants - Golf at a private course requires long pants. Japan is a very hot and humid country and it would be nice to wear shorts, but long pants are required at private clubs.

2. Wear a jacket upon arrival. Like at the exclusive Garden City Golf Club in New York and Muirfield in Scotland, the proper protocol when arriving at a private Japanese club is to wear a jacket.

3. Arrive on time. Don't arrive early and don't arrive late. In a country where subway trains arrive the second they are supposed to, there is a premium put on punctuality. Bow when you meet your host and thank him profusely for hosting you. Bring a small gift and give it to your host when you meet him.

4. Check-in. When you arrive at the club for the round you will be greeted with a reception area similar to a hotel check-in. You will be given a little card holder and locker key with a number on the front. If you want to buy something in the pro-shop or halfway house, you sign the chits with your assigned number and everything is charged to the card. As you leave, you settle the bill. As with most payments in Japan, credit cards are accepted but as with most transactions in Japan, they prefer cash.


The caddie assignments at Tokyo golf club

5. A pre-round cup of coffee. If your host offers you a cup of coffee before the round, have it. All three hosts offered me coffee before the round, which you take sitting in the grill room as a prelude to the round.

6. No tipping. There is no tipping in Japan, period. This includes caddies, locker room attendants, etc.

7. Sign the sheet the caddie hands you. When you go out to play you will have a female caddie. She will have your bag already loaded on a cart and will have counted your clubs. You are asked to sign off on the number of clubs in your bag before teeing off and at the conclusion of the round. Since she won't speak English and the sheet she hands you is in kanji characters, it took me a while to understand what I was being asked to sign.

A Japanese caddy

8. Lunch after nine holes. Unlike in the U.K. and the U.S., you stop after nine holes and have lunch. Lunch includes a beer before and coffee afterwards. I got a couple of dirty looks when I tried to skip either the beer or coffee, so I suggest having both. If you are not an adventerous eater and are worried about getting fish heads or some exotic dish, most courses have a curried rice dish that you can always fall back on. Some courses will give you a back nine starting time as you go in for lunch, others allow you to tee off on the back when you are ready. You will stiffen up pretty good at lunch, usually making the 10th hole an interesting hole.

9. Post-round communal hot bath. After the round, the fun really begins. The pièce de résistance of any Japanese golfing experience is the bath, known as o-furo. Your locker will contain a pair of small plastic slippers that will be about three sizes too small for your feet. After you finish playing, take off your golf shoes and put on the slippers. Leave your clothes on, but take a change of clothes with you. Head toward the bath area. As you enter, take off your slippers and walk to a changing area filled with baskets. This is where you take off your clothes and grab a small towel.

Whatever you do at this point, do not grab a large towel, it is a big breach of protocol. You then enter the shower area with your hand towel. There are western style showers available which are acceptable to use, but most Japanese men sit on foot-high little wooden stools and wash themselves vigorously out in a big open area. Japanese men are very reserved in all aspects of their lives except washing themselves in public. They embrace the task with such élan that I was taken aback each time I saw it.



After you have finished cleaning up, the custom is to take a communal hot bath. We're talking buck naked, boys. No towels to hide behind and no bathing suits allowed. Picture fifteen of your geriatric best friends together in a large hot tub immersed in water up to your neck, and you get the idea. Some of the bathers put the little towel on top of their heads during the bath, which makes them look like some sort of escapee from a lunatic asylum. The whole thing looks like it comes straight out of a Fellini movie.

The biggest faux pas possible would be to jump right into the hot tub without first showering. You would show yourself to be the ultimate gaijin (foreigner)and I shudder to think what would happen. It's the equivalent of peeing into a swimming pool back home.

Once you get it through your head that this ritual is not some sort of trick designed so that everyone can stare at your chibi anatomy, the whole bath routine is a nice way to finish off your round and does help your back feel better. Be warned that the scalding water can lead to an unexpected contraction of your most important organ.

Leaving the shower area, you must put the slippers back on after you dress to walk back to your locker, but only after stepping out of the area with the baskets. It is hard to remember the precise sequence of all these steps since there are so many little nuances. The first time I did this whole thing I got some disapproving stares because I walked to the bath area wearing only my BVDs. Oops. Saru mo ki kara ochiru (everyone makes mistakes).

10. Post-round drink. Have a post-round drink, usually beer, and try to regain your dignity.

11. Learn the word arigato. Arigato means thank you in Japanese. If you say it about 300 times a round, you're off to a good start. It is also ok to say, 'goo shot' if a Japanese player hits a good shot. I know it sounds goofy, but it's a bastardized English expression that you will hear often.

12. No gimmie putts. I'm not sure if this is true all over Japan, but the members I played with at all three courses didn't give any putts. Not even a three inch putt.

Shinkansen - The Bullet Train

October 2008
A bullet train passing Mt. Fuji

We took the Shinkansen yesterday from Tokyo to Kobe to play the two highest rated courses in Japan - Naruo and Hirono. The Shinkansen goes at a maximum speed of 188 miles per hour and is more commonly known as the bullet train. The train has a smooth ride, but to be honest was a bit of a disappointment since you don't really feel how fast the train is going while you're on it. The other problem with the train is that the view out the window isn't exactly of the French countryside.

Japan is a highly industrialized, developed nation where essentially every square inch of land that is not mountainous is fully developed. If your cup of tea is poorly designed housing units and factories, you'll love the view.

Bullet train arriving in Tokyo Station

Several things did catch my attention though. One is the continued politeness of the Japanese. The train conductors bow each time they enter or exit a car and are highly respectful, as is everyone here. The other thing that was ideal is that no-one, repeat no-one speaks into their cell phones on the train. There are only small areas of the train where cell phone use is allowed and it makes for a very pleasant ride.

The golf here is incredible, I will be putting up my course reviews between now and year end, and you will be amazed at the quality of the courses.

A sneak preview below, Kawana's 15th hole:

4 Club Challenge

October 2008
The Aim: Complete 18 holes in as few shots as possible

The Challenge: You can only use 4 Clubs

The Draw:

Earlies

0800. M Scott, T Ogg & B Simpson
0807. B McGowan, S Schofield & S Bolderson
0815. J Wood, M Hill, A Jones
0822. C Fairweather, B Jackson & P Crockart
0830. D Fenner, P Simpson & J Torrie
0837. D Findlay, A Ramsay & M Bell

Lunchies

1200. J Scott, M Truswell & D Thomson
1207. S Thomson, G Martin (Jnr) & A Hughes
1215. W McGregor, R Michie & E Ritchie
1222. P Barnett, AF Christie & DM Alexander
1230. E Gray, F Moran & I Scott
1237. S Robertson, F MArtin & D Gillespie
1245. C McDonald, C Thoms & I Butchart.

It'll be fun and rumours are reaching us that certain people have been spotted doing a bit of practising already.

Japanese Driving Ranges

October 2008
Japan is a golf obsessed country and has driving ranges located everywhere. Whenever you drive down the highway you will see tall green netting, indicating a driving range. Since land is at such a premium, the ranges are small in shape and vertical - usually three stories. The range below is in the city of Osaka and is three levels.




Most of the ranges are mechanized - a ball pops up after you hit your ball and the ball cleaning machines are automated, scraping across the ground to retrieve the balls.

The Japanese are golf obsessed and it's quite a sight to go to a driving range at 10:00pm at night and see all the range players hitting balls.

Golf Fitness Helps Generate More Speed in Your Swing!

October 2008

Golf Fitness Helps Generate More Speed in Your Swing!

by: Sean Cochran


The golfing industry speaks about clubhead speed constantly. We see advertised in the golf magazines all the time. We hear about it on the Golf Channel endlessly
Clubhead speed is more a result of what you do with the golf club than an entity of its own. A driver is not going to generate clubhead speed on its’ own! Someone has to swing it!
Clubhead speed is contingent upon swing speed. Swing speed is directly related to the person swinging the golf club. So the question to really ask is:
How Do I Develop Huge Gains in My Swing Speed?
Another term directly related to swing speed and clubhead speed is power.
More Power = More Swing Speed = More Clubhead Speed
Bottom line is we are looking to increasing the power outputs of your golf swing. This will allow for an increase in swing speed. An increase in swing speed translates to more clubhead speed.
So how do we increase the power in our golf swing?
Two aspects require tuning and development of you wish to improve the power in your golf swing.
§ Number One: Improve Your Swing Mechanics § Number Two: Improve Your Body
Developing optimal swing mechanics is the first part of the equation to great power.
The golf swing is one of the most difficult, finite, and complex athletic movements performed. As a result, it requires time spent on the refinement of the movements involved.
Any athletic movement, the golf swing included, can be performed efficiently or inefficiently.
An efficient golf swing allows for the highest percentage of power generated by the golfer to be translated into the club, and delivered into the golf ball. An inefficient golf swing decreases the amount of power delivered to golf swing.
Efficient Golf Swing Mechanics = High Power Outputs
Inefficient Golf Swing Mechanics = Low Power Outputs
A pretty simple equation if you think about it.
Now how do you develop efficient golf swing mechanics?
Through a process of proper instruction, proper practice, and time. The body can learn either the correct or incorrect way to swing a golf club. In order to learn the correct way to swing a golf club, proper instruction is required.
Secondly, the body learns through repetition. In order to learn efficient golf swing mechanics it is necessary to practice the correct way to swing. Finally, this process takes time.
The body will not learn how swing a golf club correctly in a day. It takes consistent time spent on the swing.
Putting it in math terms, the equation for efficient golf swing mechanics is:
Proper Instruction + Proper Practice + Time = Efficient Golf Swing Mechanics
Unfortunately, efficient golf swing mechanics is only one-half of the equation to increasing clubhead speed, swing speed, and power.
The second half is your body.
The golf club cannot develop power on its own. It is a combination of developing efficient golf swing mechanics and a body that can generate power.
A Body that can Generate Power = Increased Clubhead Speed
Your body swings the club through the mechanics of the golf swing. In order to perform this efficiently and powerfully requires the development of certain disciplines within your body.

Japanese Caddies

October 2008
Caddies in Japan are women in helmet-like hats draped with long white hankerchiefs, long pants and long sleeved shirts




Tiger Woods rebuilding Mexico for blue-bloods and thinking outside the tee box

October 2008

Click here to listen.



Please don't say that Tiger Woods is becoming an elitist!

I always thought that Woods' upbringing was middle-class Cablinasian , entering the sport at a bit of a disadvantage but now it appears to me as if Tiger Woods is becoming one of them...that is, corporate, blue-blooded American. Even his name, Tiger, seems much more of a terrific marketing ploy than Eldrick, a name in which his father tagged him after being saved by a South Vietnamese soldier during the war.

Woods believes, before even building his new golf course in Punta Brava, that it will rival Pebble Beach! Nattily clad at a press conference at the Bel Air Hotel in Los Angeles, CA, Tiger said, "When you get to No 12 it is similar to No 8 at Pebble Beach."

Ah but there IS a difference between Pebble Beach and Punta Brava, dear Tiger. Pebble Beach, although woefully expensive to tee off from, is public and Punta Brava will be private and, as Woods mentioned, "safe".

Perhaps Woods is building up his new course as a way of building his high-end brand (as Tim McDonald believes)?

As anal as he is with his golf game, so is he with his golf course. Tiger Woods "walked three and a half hours on site and had to have surgery the next day," mentioned Brady Oman, Flagship Group co-founder and one business partner in the deal.

Another surgery? Maybe el Tigre is tired of playing the game and is now resorting to, well, resorts? Despite a slumping economy, there are still plenty of wealthy individuals who would pay upward of $3 million dollars for a plot of land where Tiger plans to settle himself. Although Woods is 'mum' on his return, he has mentioned that he won't be 100% until 2010!

Golf for Beginners also offers plenty of golf tips this week in addition to the Tiger Talk. We discuss offbeat and peculiar ways to get to the green. Do you always have to sink a birdie putt with a putter?




Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed:http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes.

Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100's of easy golf tips free! and check us out on MySpace!

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by Premier Golf, 888-439-1831.


Photo Credit: © PETT
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader - Lexington, United States

TRANSCO Cup and DWAM Results

October 2008
Thanks to everyone who played in this event and their understanding of the course conditions. The results are below and our congratulations go to Ian Scott on winning the TRANSCO Cup.

Placings

1st. Ian Scott - Nett 63
2nd. Rory Tinker - Nett 67
3rd. DJ Alexander - Nett 67 (After Countback)
4th. R Miller - Nett 68

As a result of the competition being played on a mix of Full and Winter green, this competition was deemed non-counting, therefore there are no handicap changes this week.

2's.

6 players managed to Nett 2's this week. They are as follows:

6th hole - Rory Tinker & Andrew Hughes
11th hole - Scott Thomson
13th hole - Rob Milligan, David Douglas & Grant Martin.

Strip your bags down and get ready for the 4-club challenge next week, any 4 clubs will do, as long as they conform with R&A regulations.

Golf in Japan - Arrival

October 2008


Well, here I am.

I made it to Japan. Fourteen and half hours and thirteen time zones later, I arrived at Narita airport in Tokyo. Tokyo is the largest metropolitan area in the world - with 35.5 million people. The next three largest are significantly smaller: Mexico City 19.2 million, Mumbai 18.8 million and New York 18.6 million.

Japan is a golf obsessed country. It has 2,300 courses, which is more courses than Scotland. I am looking forward to the trip. According to Links Magazine it is customary in Japan to stop for a full lunch, hot-springs immersion and an hour-long massage after nine holes. Bring it on!

We are past tsuyu (the rainy season), so hopefully the weather will cooperate with us. Time permitting, I also hope to rise early one morning and see Tsukiji , the world's biggest fish market. Perhaps some Sumo wrestling, and hopefully we'll have time to catch a Japanese baseball game.

Elevated expressway through Tokyo

The first course built in Japan was the Rokko golf club in 1901, near Kobe. In 1930, Joe Kirkwood and Walter Hagen went to Japan at the invitation of the Japan Golf Association and played ten exhibition matches. After their visit, golf started to take off, with thirty courses built in the next few years.

Many of the courses in Japan have two sets of greens because the summers are so hot and humid, the idea is to lessen the wear on just one set of greens. Japan is a small country with a large population, a lot of the land is steep mountainsides unsuitable for living or golf. There is a law against converting farmland to golf courses.

One name I have already become familiar with is C.H. Alison, a British golf course architect who visited Japan in the 1930s and was responsible for almost all the world-ranked courses in the country.

My course lineup includes:

Hirono Golf Club (ranked # 35) - Japan's most distinguished golf club
Naruo Golf Club (ranked #75) - Japan's Hidden Gem
The Kawana Fuji course (ranked #80) - Japan's Pebble Beach
Tokyo Golf Club - The most prestigious club in Tokyo



I'm eager to expand my vocabulary, my waistline and my golf repertoire. Get the Kobe beef ready and keep the Sapporo chilled. The American Embassy has warned the Japanese people - for the next week - bring the women and children indoors. The complete jackass gaijin (foreigner) has arrived.

I will post frequently to keep you up to date.

TRANSCO Cup and DWAM

October 2008
This weekend sees the annual Medal Winners shoot out, The Transco Cup, whilst the remaining mere mortals make up the field as those who "Didnae Win A Medal"

The draw is as follows:

Out First

0800. C Davidson, C Brown (FH) & L Bushby
0807. M Tinker, G Miller & A Valentine
0815. P Arkell, R Miller & C McDonald
0822. G Ironside, S Bolderson & M Bell
0830. B Simpson, A Docherty & I Clark
0837. A Ramsay, S Schofield & K Macleod
0845. M Hill, P Crockart & M Melville
0852. D McDonald, I Stewart & L Duncan
0900. R Milligan, P Simpson & C Fairweather

Next Up

1200. M Scott, D Douglas & J Scott
1207. I Butchart, E Gray & S Thomson
1215. E Ritchie, DJ Alexander & R Tinker (Jnr)
1222. G Martin (Jnr), A Hughes & P Barnett
1230. F Martin, FJ Moran (Jnr) & M Truswell
1237. DM Alexander, R Michie & I Scott
1245. F Moran, C McKenna & J Wood
1252. D Robinson, A Aird & D Thomson
1300. P Henvey, C Thoms & J Morrison.

Good Luck to all participating.

Mixed Invitation Draw - 12 October

October 2008
Marion has kindly forwarded the draw for the above competition for your perusal.

Tee Times


1st Tee


12.00 J & B Taylor & F Moran(J) & H Robb

12.07 M Robertson & M Stringer & D Norman & Partner

12.15 S Scott & Partner & M Young & B Arscott

12.22 R McGeoghegan & P Howlett & J&E Merry


10th Tee


12.00 J&T Griffiths & C Sturgis & Partner

12.07 M Hill & Partner & R Fraser & J Crerar

12.15 F & J Moran & S Bailey & E Gray

12.22 J Scott & Partner & J French & G Bullock

October Monthly Medal Winners

October 2008
Well, Saturday was far from fair, with a touch of the four seasons thrown in, however around seventy folk of sound mind apparently, braved the elements in the monthly medal. The results of which are published below.

Divisional Winners:

Gold K Taylor - Nett 69
Silver P Barnett - Nett 71
Bronze C Thoms - Nett 69

Sweep

1st. K Taylor
2nd. C Thoms (after countback)
3rd. P Barnett

Handicaps.

Only Craig Thoms received a handicap reduction after this competition and now has a playing handicap of 21.

The following players receive handicap up-revisions as a result of this competition.

M Scott - New Playing Handicap - 5
I Scott - New Playing Handicap - 10
J Wood - New Playing Handicap - 16

2's

Only one player achieved a 2 in this competition, Lee Bushby, with a 2 on the 6th, and with a rollover from last week, collects a brim full envelope!

Well done all.

Next Up, the Transco Cup and DWAM on Saturday 11th October.

How to Choke like Anthony Kim. Tiger Woods, Natalie Gulbis in the news and you can lose but you're not a loser

October 2008

Click here to listen.



Since Anthony Kim is now being heralded as one of the rising young stars of the PGA Tour (and this weekend with a third place finish at the Korea Open), it seems befitting that we spend some time examining the reasons behind his choked down golf grip. The obvious intent is to improve upon basic contact but it's also a way to establish better control over all of your shots.

Kim's grip even caught the eye of announcer Johnny Miller who made this assessment. "If you grip down, you don't get the club stuck behind you. Your body can move much faster." Miller went on to say, "It's probably something that could help Tiger, who tends to have that problem. But if you don't have that kind of arm and body speed, you're not going to hit it so far gripping down like that."

Whereas some golfers prefer to use this grip at all times and sacrifice a bit of distance, Butch Harmon, for example, mentions that it would behoove most amateurs to follow suit with all golf shots from 130 yards and in!

Even though you might feel your shots are going to be shorter, crisp contact between the golf club and the ball will often nullify the effects of a shorter shot. Just remember to never change the tempo of your swing but, instead, follow this "choke-chart" to determine how to best utilize this golf tip, taking it to the range before using it on the golf course!

This week, Golf for Beginners podcast discusses the benefit of the choke shot and how you can get the most out of it. We also talk about my participation in the Paper Cup, an EWGA annual best-ball team match play event. While Paula Creamer was busy making waves at the Samsung Tournament, I was struggling with my partner to strategize, losing our match with four holes to play! Not very good golf for either of us!

Although the event coordinator purchased "winner" and "loser" shirts, I questioned the idea between being a "loser" and losing a match. Naturally, I refused to wear the shirt.

Finally, we dig deep into the internet and find some interesting news on both Tiger Woods and Natalie Gulbis.


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed:http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes.

Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100's of easy golf tips free! and check us out on MySpace!

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by MyrtleBeachGolf.com, 866-409-2177.


Photo Credit: © Streeter Lecka/Getty Images .

Sign-In and Sign-up Sheets

October 2008
A couple of points to pass on:

1. Sign-in Sheets. Please ensure that you have annotated the sheets before going out on the course, whether this be midweek or at the weekend. Failure to do so may be interpreted as not having entered the competition, whether you have deposited money or otherwise.

2. Sign-up sheets. As you will see from the October Medal, we have a vastly overbalanced morning shift. A reminder that in general we have 13 slots (39 players max) available morning and afternoon, and only infrequently will be be able to persuade the centre to free up additional booking times. If the sheets are becoming full for any time-period, I would ask you to consider signing up for the less congested period.

Thank you all

Fergus Martin
Comps Sec

October Monthly Medal

October 2008
Another fine field for hopefully another fine days golf. The October Medal takes place this Saturday with over 70 entrants, terrific stuff. The field is listed below. Please note that the afternoon is an earlier start due to the Ladies Scott Trophy.

Early Birds

0800. SA Robertson & M Scott
0807. L Bushby, N Millar & K Taylor
0815. L Duncan, R Miller & I Scott
0822. B McGowan, G Miller & M O'Toole,
0830. S Bolderson, R Milligan & G Ironside
0837. A Docherty, M Bell & A Low
0845. D Gordon, Simpson & C Davidson
0852. I Stewart, M Melville & A Ramsay
0900. S Schofield, K Macleod & AM Blair
0907. C Fairweather, A Hughes & A Valentine
0915. M Hill, P Simpson & P Crockart
0922. D McDonald, M Allen & J Ireland
0930. A Jones, D Findlay & D Fenner
0937. J Torrie, C McDonald & T Bennett

Lunchish Bunch

1130. I Butchart & C McKenna
1137. A Easton (Jnr) & D Gillespie
1145. J Scott, M Bell (Jnr) & S Thomson
1152. GN Hunter, A Aird & S Robertson
1200. E Ritchie, DJ Alexander & R Michie
1207. P Barnett, DM Alexander & J Wood
1215. J Morrison, F Moran & M Truswell
1222. F Martin, D Thomson & C Thoms
1230. E Gray, F Moran (Jnr) & B Ruffhead

Happy Huntin all.
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