We all have tick-lists…Restaurants we have to eat at, hotels we have to stay in, things we have to do. For golfers, it’s the tick-list of “Courses I have to play before I die (and preferably whilst I can still get round a golf course under 100)”.
I’ve been lucky enough to play golf on five of the six continents (Australasia here I come!) and have always travelled with my clubs since the age of nine. Over the years I have seen amazing variety in golf course design - I calculate that I’ve played circa 1,500 golf clubs and I don’t want to know how many balls I’ve lost! It was inevitable that I’ve played golf courses that would be better used as cow fields and others that I could play for the rest of my life. Some of the golf courses’ architecture is flattering on the handicap and others make you think hard, struggle some more and eventually abandon all thoughts of posting a decent medal card. Nevertheless, if the course can beat you up and still entice you back for more, it must be good. Here’s my top 10 golf courses that provide a difficult challenge.
Kingbarns
Wow, this golf course’s design is good. Off the coast to the west of Saint Andrews, it’s quite a new course but you certainly couldn’t tell and the test is relentless. Stunning links golf with large greens, thick wispy rough and views to take your breath away. You need a good caddy, a strong [...]

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To play golf you need good hand-eye coordination, balance, and knowledge of golf swing biomechanics, athletic ability and a good amount of creativity. The average golfer’s gross score is about 107 shots. And no matter what area of your game needs improving, whether it’s balance and alignment or power and speed, there’s a simple solution.You want to play your game of golf with confidence. Know that you’re improving your swing each time that you play. It’s good to approach the game with a positive attitude and repeat predetermined affirmations like, ‘I play great golf all the time.’ Now if you’ve hit with your golf driver perfectly just one time, then you can do it every time you play. The subconscious mind knows the correct number and sequence of muscle contractions and nerve impulses that are needed, which is called muscle memory and is used in all sports. Be aware that the mental aspect of the game contributes to the difficulty of your golf swing.When you swing your club, you should use the muscles in your legs and trunk. And sidespin will occur when the clubface is not properly aligned perpendicularly to the plane of the swing. If you have problems with your left knee buckling when you swing, try imagining holding a soccer ball between your knees.Make sure to try to use the proper golf swing technique, never a shortcut. Ask your golf pro to take a minute to evaluate your posture and biomechanics while you’re swinging. And use the [...]

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The golf swing is arguably one of the most difficult athletic actions to perform. The golf swing requires you to draw the golf club through a long range of motion with proper technique and exact timing.Any error in swing plane, timing, or sequence will cause your golf swing to suffer, and suffer it will. Unfortunately, the result of your golf swing suffering will be errant shots, poor golf scores, and frustration on the golf course.Often the amateur is at a lost for why their golf swing results in errant shots. Countless hours are spent at the range in an effort to improve their golf swing. Hundreds or even thousands of dollars are spent on lessons each year, and not to mention the purchasing of new equipment.It all adds up to a lot of time and money spent on improving the golf swing. Unfortunately, for many amateur golfers their handicaps and score never improve. Leading to the question “why is my golf game not improving?”If this is you and this question lingers in your mind. The answer to your question could easily be staring right back at you in the mirror. The failure of improvement may have absolutely nothing to do with the driver you are swinging, the teaching pro helping you with your swing, or even your practice routine. It could all do with you! Yes you, the physical body swinging the golf club.Keep in mind the golf club does not perform the mechanics of the golf swing. Nor do [...]

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There are some ways to improve your swing and make a better Bunker shot. Although it still requires practice you work yourself out of that dreaded shot. You can adjust your swing according to the type of sand the Golf Course is using. Whether you need to speed up or slow your swing down is the question.
The sand used to fill up bunker areas can vary from course to course. Some locations use very soft, fine sand. Other bunkers have tight, firm sand. Some courses may even have less sand in their bunkers than others. All of these conditions will require different techniques if your ball lands in a bunker.

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