Golf Etiquette Explained

Golf is an ancient game that carries age-old rules of etiquette. Among the many codes of golf etiquette are some strict attire guidelines. Most golfers will happily respect and comply with the rules of etiquette, and these polite players are welcome at proper golf courses.

Golfers who scoff and consider the rules "stodgy" are destined to contain their games to a golf course that shares their disdain. That is, if they can find one.

Most golf courses, both private and public, enforce etiquette rules to some degree, and nearly all have restrictions on golf apparel. Wearing proper golf attire is considered to be one of the most important areas of etiquette, and respectful players are happy to play along. The most common requirements to golf course dress codes are collared shirts, long pants (not jeans) and golf shoes. These rules come into play both in the clubhouse and on the links.

Arriving promptly for your tee time is one of the primary rules of golf etiquette. Plan on being at the course at least twenty to thirty minutes before you will tee off. This will give you plenty of time to park the car, get changed, buy extra balls, get a cart, practice and warm up. Don't expect to be able to arrive five minutes before tee time and immediately hit the driving range.

Modern times have brought about another important rule of golf etiquette. Your cell phone or pager is not welcome on the links. Leave your electronic gizmos in the car or keep them in your locker. If you absolutely must bring the phone along to check for emergency calls, turn the ringer off and tuck it into your bag.

Using proper golf etiquette is all about minding the needs and wishes of the other players. It's important to understand how your group wishes to play before you get started. Ask if the first ready golfer should be the starter, or if the golfer with the best score on the proceeding hole should tee off first. It's easy to offend a stranger if you don't understand their wishes. Be sure that you ask the rules when you join a new group.

Golf requires precision and a great deal of concentration, so you must respect the other golfers' need for a quiet place to play. Golfers can be unforgiving if they think you've blown their big shot. Following golf etiquette requires your ability to keep quiet and stay out of the other golfers' direct line of vision. This can be a hard rule to follow, especially when you're having fun with your buddies, but it is golf etiquette in its most rudimentary form.

There's much more to golf than just a fun game. To many, it's a social springboard and a showcase of their good breeding. Even if you just play for the fun of it, you've got to appreciate that fact that golf etiquette represents more than just a persnickety dress code. Centuries of culture and tradition have created the rules of the modern game. So now, you can button your collared shirt, pull on your chinos and lace up your golf shoes with pride.

Article Source: http://www.superfeature.com

Writer Emery Deiryme is a frequent contributor to a variety of popular web magazines, on outdoor sports recreation and all American recreation subjects.
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By: Emery Noile

Country Club Golf Courses

Almost all country club golf courses will let none members play for a payable green fee. You need to balance this cost against the cost of a membership as the amount you spend n green fees would of course depend on how much golf you play.

If it costs you $25 to play a round and you only ever play Sunday mornings then you are only spending $1300 a year on your golf. If your local country club wants say $2000 for an annual membership then it would be silly to take up the offer unless you were going to make use their other facilities such as tennis courts etc. Play two rounds a week however and obviously it is a different story and you should join the club.

Country club membership isn't just about golf though and you should check what else is on offer such as a sauna and spa, gym, pool, tennis courts etc. As a golf player you should find out if there is a members league, how many competitions a week etc. Also, if you are taking a family membership, what is the youth program like for the younger members of your family and is there much for your partner to get involved in if golf is not there thing.

For many people joining the local country club is all about status. These clubs can be important for making important business contacts etc. as the club house is usually the center of the social life. While some may be joining to perhaps get closer to potential customers for ther business others join so their teenage children can make new friends and contacts as they approach adult hood. The country club golf house is a great place for kids to learn correct etiquette.

For true golfers though, these are just added bonuses to being a member of what is hopefully a great golf course. As a golfer, what might be of interest is that many country club golf shops offer discounts to their members. These can range from 10% up to 20% and you could also be offered discount green fees to any none members who accompany you for a round of golf.

Some country clubs offer a monthly membership which can be a good idea if you are new to the area and want to try several golf courses before deciding on which country club you will be joining.

You can buy property that is within the borders of many country clubs. These homes are usually (but not always) aimed at active retirement couples and usually come with country club golf membership already in the price of the property. One such club is the Gaillardia Country Club in Oklahoma. The community is gated for security and the championship golf course was recently redesigned by Tom Kites. Not a bad place to retire!

These live in country club golf courses are very popular in Europe, in particular Portugal and Spain. Already tens of thousands have taken early retirement from northern european countries such as England and made a new life for themselves with a warmer climate and world class golf.

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By: adrian calow

Positive Aikido - Part Two

Positive Aikido - Part Two

Positive Aikido - Part Two..

When I was teaching in America, I was asked to visit a large dojo in Texas. Everything they said was in Japanese, so I tried to look as if I understood, but to be honest I didn't have a clue, and I don't suppose a Japanese person would understand much of our Western interpretation of their language either. I am often asked what are the best books or videos to buy, and I always point to the tatami and say: "That's where it's at!".

In the beginning, Abbe Sensei would not discuss Ki (spirit, mind, energy) - he said you had to be 1st Dan before you could understand. I still agree with that. What I find a little disturbing in Aikido is that some people really believe that Ki is almost a form of magic. Abbe Sensei's method was that you first trained very hard physically to develop your spirit and your mind. He said that when the body says it is tired the strong mind will override it and carry on.

Some teachers of Ki Aikido have had previous study of traditional Aikido, and this, along with the practice of Ki, is good. But the students who have been taught only Ki style cannot fall back on to the good, solid, traditional style when in difficulty with certain techniques. My own students are aware of Ki and its meaning, but it is not a word I use very often. I teach students the flow and power of breathing as an important part of their exercise and Aikido training.

During Nakazono Sensei's last visit to the UK, he asked me to be his assistant at a demonstration at a venue in Acton, London, for Otani Sensei. Chiba Sensei was there too, but only as a spectator. Knowing how hard Nakazono was from past experience, I feared the worst and thought I was in for a hard time, but Sensei was a little older and had changed dramatically. I think he threw me only twice, and then we spent about an hour kneeling while Sensei went into some very deep philosophy which none of us could understand. Even Chiba Sensei looked puzzled, and when I think of this particular seminar, I wonder: Is this how O'Sensei changed?

When I saw Nakazono Sensei again in Santa Fe, New Mexico, he gave me two books he had written, and signed them for me. I spent about four hours at his home, and he and his wife made me most welcome, which made me think: Yes, I am a privileged student.

After 40 years in the Martial Arts, with many friends who are bouncers, boxers, fellow Martial Artists and Street fighters, it is my honest opinion that the hardest man to beat is the natural street fighter. My assistant for many years and a great personal favourite of Chiba Sensei, was 'Mad' Geoff Goodwin, who disappeared some years ago. Geoff came from Derbyshire and followed me to London, where he later became my special assistant. He was a natural-born street fighter and we had some great battles.

My son, Richard, who studied Aikido from the age of 5 and continued until he was 14 years old, is also a natural street fighter. He has now been back into Aikido for a year and is running the junior section with great success. We often practice together and I try my techniques against him, and with his natural balance and Aikido training, his reactions and responses are very fast. It makes you very aware that an opponent has more than one hand.

I teach as Abbe Sensei did, that Uke must attack on balance, remember at all times that two people are practising, Tori to throw, and Uke Atemi and Ukemi. What I don't allow is the Uke attacking with his or her back leg off the mat. I also don't like to see Uke trotting around Tori's circle on his toes like a trained poodle on a lead, waiting for the instruction to jump!

You have dojos in the United States affiliated to your school, I believe.

Yes, in Dallas, Texas and in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The teachers there, Al Montemar and David Rogers, were my students in the early 1980's when they were with the US Air Force at Greenham Common. I was fortunate enough to be able to visit both dojos during 1992 and give seminars and grading examinations for

Plan to Succeed - As a Baseball or Softbal Coach!

Plan to Succeed - As a Baseball or Softbal Coach!

If it's so easy to coach youth baseball and do it well, why do you see so many poor coaches? In my years as a player and as a coach, I can tell you that my opinion of poor coaching can be simply boiled down to: A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND A LACK OF PREPARATION! Simply stated... NO Game Plan! The great news is...both can be taught and both can be learned! And please don't say that you don't have the time. You do!

Here�s the math over a typical 15 week season:
10 practices of 90 minutes = 15 hours
20 games (includes exhibitions, etc.) = 40 hours
Misc. phone calls of 2 hours a week = 30 hours
Plus meetings, evaluation & draft, rainouts, team pictures, personal instruction, travel time, etc. Lets say that = 65 hours

Plus, who knows what I haven't added in, and the money you spend just doing these activities! You've just spent 150 hours... 10 hours per week (plus cash) on a hobby, community service, enjoying baseball, mentoring kids, or whatever your motive is for being a coach.

Get a plan...save your sanity... NOW! It will flat out save you time, not cost you time. It will reflect positively on your kids and your team's play, and as a byproduct, coaches, parents and players will see a better coach who is having a better time!

So... What does it take?
1. Interest in becoming a better coach.
2. A PLAYBOOK. A simple 3-ring binder where you can write out your practice plans on lined paper. If you write in it the night before each practice or game, you will be dedicating about 25 minutes each week (based on 2 practices/games). You will begin remembering to do it as soon as practice sessions start because you will be bringing it with you and referring to it at each practice.

Hints for your Playbook

Include all the correspondence, notes, and forms from your league or school that you find yourself collecting and passing out to your players. Keep that stuff in your new "playbook." It will easily become a habit and a central spot to refer to regularly.

Use a pencil and simply make it legible. Don't make a big deal out of this, just get it done!

Beginning in practice #2, you should always spend 10-15 minutes reviewing any new concept you might have introduced in practice #1 or the previous practice. It is a common fault (not to mention a complete waste of time) to teach your team a concept and assume that players will perform when the time comes in a game situation just because you taught it once. And it just kills player confidence after the play because he knew he'd been taught. But obviously, not well enough. Your error, coach!
So ... What's in the binder?

The practice session number

The date, time and field of the practice.

Goal of the particular practice (keep it simple).

Each activity or drill. Note whether a review or new concept.

Time allowed for the activity or drill. NEVER OVER 20 MINUTES! If you'll simply wear a watch, you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish and how much fun your kids have, not to mention how much more baseball your team will learn. Keep 'em moving: No drills over 20 minutes!!

Anything else that will help you, such as: which coach runs which drill, which pitchers and catchers throw together, reminders of when the next game or practice is. Just make it legible and don't allow this to take up too much time. This isn't supposed to be work, it's an activity to keep coaching from becoming work! ENJOY YOURSELF!

Coach JP's Note
Want to know the easiest way to teach and learn winning, fundamental baseball? Check out our newest videos aimed at younger ballplayers. Why do we suggest videos? Quality repetitions!! Learn at your own pace and on your own time. A remote control lets you slow it, repeat it, absorb it and understand it...year after year. Trust yourself to learn. If you are a dad or are coaching a team, you are your kid's best chance of learning about the game. Camps, clinics and lessons can be great, but you are there to teach and reinforce through quality repetitions. Ever

By ContentMart Editor

Positive Aikido - Part One

Positive Aikido - Part One

Positive Aikido

Interview with Henry Ellis by Arthur Lockyear - Fighting Arts International - Issue 93

Where and when were you born, Henry?
I was born in Yorkshire, in May 1936 in a little coal mining village called Brampton, near Rotherham. A place where you had to fight your way to and from school each day.

When did you begin your study of Aikido?

It was in 1957, I was studying Judo and Karate at the 'Abbe School of Budo' at the 'Hut' in Hillingdon, Middlesex. My direct teacher was Mr Ken Williams, who was 3rd Dan (3rd degree black belt) Judo, and we were all students of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei, 8th Dan Judo, 6th Dan Aikido, 5th Dan Karate, and 5th Dan Kendo. At this time no-one in the United Kingdom had heard of Aikido. Abbe Sensei told Mr Williams that he had received a letter from O'Sensei Morehei Ueshiba, stating that all instructors outside of Japan now had permission to teach Aikido to anyone who wished to learn. Mr Williams was his first student and he then selected a hard core group of Judo students to study Aikido - this was when I started.

Abbe Sensei made Mr. Williams National Coach for Aikido and I became Mr Williams' assistant, a post which I held for approximately 15 years.

Abbe Sensei and Williams Sensei then brought eight of us special students up to 1st Dan, the only Aikido Dan grades in Great Britain at that time, and all in one dojo (place of training)!

All the Dan grades were hard training and strong with no 'bandage men' amongst them.

Sunday morning practice was for Dan grades only and Williams Sensei would lock the doors to the dojo - it was then that the serious practice started, with real fighting. He would allow the younger black belt grades to try and prove themselves against him - without success, I might add. It was at that time that Williams Sensei started to visit other dojos to introduce Aikido.

I have heard that Aikido training was harder back then...

In the early days the training was extremely difficult, with the emphasis on very strenuous exercise. My students and I used to train four or five nights a week as well as on Sunday mornings.

Immediately after taking the students running for several miles, we would return to the mat and perform 200 press-ups on the backs of the wrists, which was then followed be general practice and a further two hours of hard practice. Abbe Sensei's Aikido was the pre-war style of Aiki Jutsu, which was very physical. Both Abbe and Williams were excellent teachers - they worked very hard to train us, whilst promoting Aikido to a rather unreceptive public.

When I was graded 1st Dan by Abbe Sensei, Williams Sensei instructed me to take a good student as an assistant. The assistant I chose was a 17-year-old by the name of Derek Eastman, who is now 3rd Dan and technical Director of our Basingstoke Headquarters. Mr Eastman is now 48 years of age and still a loyal friend. It proves one old adage: that you cannot buy or demand respect, you earn it.

At what point did you go 'on the road' to spread the 'Aikido gospel'?

When Mr Eastman reached 1st Dan, I was 2nd Dan and Williams Sensei advised us to spread the word of Aikido.

We both gave up our jobs and travelled all around the U.K. It was so difficult trying to introduce Aikido, because most people had never heard of it. Mr Eastman and I left home and headed for the Midlands, without money and with little hope. In some areas where Sensei Williams had already introduced Aikido, we would find accommodation with the students and receive a small fee for teaching. We would visit Judo and Karate clubs, sports centres, etc.

In the areas where there was no Aikido at all, we would take a job for a few days to feed ourselves. We had many jobs and in one area we worked as assistants to a funeral director. We had to collect the bodies from the mortuary and take them back to the chapel of rest.

The boss caught me in the chapel of rest with a young maiden who had no right being there.. she being

Premiership Highs and Lows - Manchester United Football Club

Premiership Highs and Lows - Manchester United Football Club

Most fans of English football and the Premiership in particular would agree that Manchester United have certainly had their share of 'Highs' in the twelve seasons since the Premiership began .......... and what would be considered a 'Low' by Utd fans (such as finishing third behind Arsenal and Chelsea) would in fact be considered a significant 'High' by most other clubs!

Here are what I consider to be some of Manchester United's major highs and lows since the inaugural Premiership season kicked off in 1992:

*** Highs ***

Out of a total of just twelve seasons, Man. United have lifted the Premiership trophy no less than eight times and a particular high was taking the title in the very first Premiership season.

United have achieved the Premiership and F.A. Cup 'double' three times ....... in 1994, 1996 and in 1999.

They have won more Premiership games, won more points and suffered less defeats than any other team in the league.

Manchester United have scored the greatest number of goals overall since the Premiership began and in fact also hold the record for the most goals scored in a single season: 97 scored in 1999-2000.

United also hold the record for the highest number of goals in a Premiership game which they achieved in March 1995 with a 9-0 victory against Ipswich ....... a game where Andy Cole scored five of the goals.

*** Lows ***

One recent major low for Manchester United came at the end of the 2003-2004 season when they not only finished outside of the top two (a full fifteen points behind the winners Arsenal) but also equaled their lowest ever points total for a season.

How many can forget Frenchman Eric Cantona's infamous flying kung fu attack on a fan at Crystal palace in 1995? His kick may have looked at home in a Bruce Lee film but it earned him an eight month suspension which many consider was a major factor in United losing the title that season to Blackburn Rovers.

In 2003 there were two major lows for Manchester United:

The first was David Beckham leaving to join Real Madrid. His �25 million transfer fee was good for the United coffers but not so good for the team as there was no suitable replacement waiting to step into his shoes.

The second was defender Rio Ferdinand, the record �30 million signing from Leeds United, being banned for eight months for missing a routine drugs test.

For anyone interested in a very detailed, month by month view of Manchester United's twelve years in the Premiership, I fully recommend 'The Breedon Book of Premiership Records' by Breedon Books which is available from their website at:
http://www.breedonbooks.co.uk/publications/1859834191.html

Chris Towland

About the Author

Chris is the webmaster of www.football-nut.co.uk where he challenges you to prove your football knowledge and win prizes in the free monthly football quiz and prize draw.
The Football-Nut website also contains up-to-the-minute news for all of the major UK football clubs.

By ContentMart Editor