Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Friday, November 2, 2007

Working Up To Be a Senior Golf Pro

Some interesting facts about the senior golfer might have some people amazed. There are three classifications that some believe in strongly. The top golfers/pros, the good amateurs and the hackers. It is said that to become a pro you will need to start early in life and hit over three hundred and sixty thousand golf balls by the time you reach twenty. Now this may be an exaggeration, but it is possible to hit a hundred balls a day if you do not work or have any other hobbies or obligations.

For a top golfer or a pro it is said that they started as kids, had a mentor or a coach, were natural at athletics, hit thousands of balls and spent hours perfecting the game. It is also said they have belong to some sort of golf club and play eighteen holes of golf regularly. The younger they start the more they have learned and have hit many balls to lead them on their way to becoming a pro.

Now for the amateur senior golf player, they may have started as a kid, but usually start as a young adult. For the most part, they have some type of lesson whether professional or by someone, more experienced. They are also naturals as athletes and can say they have hit thousands of balls in their game. This is someone who also plays eighteen holes more often than not.

Now the hacker is said to be someone who starts out later in life and some have even had lessons or are just learning as they go along. This might just be a new hobby that they discovered and are probably not very athletic by nature. The hacker also usually only has a couple thousand hits and a few games to such as ten to twenty or so a year.

Some senior golfers believe you have to hit so many balls before the age of thirty to become a scratch golfer, which is someone that plays at par. This might not always be true since some golfers are just naturals at the game. Some pro golfers have the opinion that it is how you learn the game and how you achieve the distance needed to play the game. Whether you are a pro, amateur or a hacker, you can still come in at par or even under par if you have the god given talent at any age.

For the most part, if you start out young, you have a better chance of becoming a senior golf pro. The idea of giving up your childhood is not for everyone, but you can still make your way in life as a golfer by enjoying life as well. Most players that play the game still like to live a little and do have active family and social lives. Becoming a senior golf pro boils down to dedication and the ability to take guidance and run with it. As your game improves so does your recognition.

Three Popular Women Senior Golf Courses

For years, women have been playing golf and the senior golf pros prefer courses that are not as long as the men's courses. They prefer courses that are considered "linked". There are three popular courses for women, although there more these three are the top of the list. The Chisholm Trail, Bandon Dunes and the Royal Links are the three top golf courses, which have shorter distances and are not as tricky as what the men play. One golf course the women want to stay away from is Whistling Straits. They do not feel this is a friendly course to play.

The Royal Links in Las Vegas is friendly golf course for women. The course is shorter and if the women senior golf player can avoid the sand bunkers, you can actually have a scoring game. The Royal Links is a walking course only, you will want a caddie to help you along the way. Every hole has a different theme, while the course is designed and styled after the golf courses from Scotland, Ireland and England. On the eighteenth hole, you will find no water at the Royal links, which is rare for a golf course. This course is definitely a ladies senior golf friendly course.

The Bandon Dunes in Oregon look out over the Pacific Ocean and have a spectacular view. This golf course has gained recognition for being the best links golf course in the United States. The course has a bounce and roll reputation, which the women like. There are however some high winds will have you playing more of a ground game. The wide fairways also make it easier to stay out of trouble. The course is also a walk only course as the Royal Links and you will want a caddie to take care of your equipment.

The Chisholm Trail gained popularity as a mom and pop golf course when an optometrist retired and used a farm tractor to make the course. The sand hills in Kansas are the hot spot for this golf course. Many senior golf players would rather play this course than any other. You will not see any water surrounding the course, but you will see sand dunes and firm fairways and grasses that are native to Kansas. If you need some experience with low shots and some rough grass, this is a golf course to play. Sometimes the winds are as much as thirty-five miles an hour, but it is not uncommon to have consistent winds of about fifteen miles an hour.

You can other popular courses around for a good game of senior golf as everyone differs and has a favorite course different from someone else. The entire idea about golf is to find courses that require a little creativity to play. This is how the golfers prepare themselves for the trickier golf courses that the PGA and LPGA play throughout the year. The courses played by the pros are usually more or less groomed and designed to attract the tours that are nationally televised.

The Senior Golf Tour Spectator Rules and Amateur Qualifying To Play

If you are following your favorite player and want an autograph, you can do this whenever he player is not playing a round. It is strongly enforced that no senior golf player be bothered when trying to play the game. All their attention is dedicated to the play. Volunteer's watch over the crowds to make sure all the rules are followed. Security is at it strongest during the all the days leading up to the final few days when things heat up. You can bring cameras onto the golf courses in the days leading up to the Championship days. Cameras are forbidden during the Championship rounds as well as workers are forbidden to have cell phones on the greens.

Senior golf, which is for those fifty and older also, has vendors set up around the course where you can purchase food and drinks. They do have bleachers at some holes where you can rest for a while before moving onto the next hole. These do fill up quickly, so you should plan to stand the entire time. This can be of some concerns to the many senior golf followers. The do provide some handicap services such as scooters for mobility around the course. The Senior Open is set up to allow everyone to participate as the audience. Many people from everywhere head to the tournaments to see what all the excitement is about during the year.

Qualifying To Play The Senior Golf Open

If you have a Senior Golf Open coming to your city, you can jump up to the tee and try your hand at qualifying to play in the tour. Many times the tours need to fill some open spots and they have qualifying times for any senior golf player over the age of fifty. To even consider qualifying you need to an USGA handicap index of fewer than 3.4. You can apply to qualify and if you meet the requirements, you can be the next senior golf your participant. You will then play a few full rounds of golf and if you succeed, you can play with the pros.

For an amateur senior golf player, this is a dream come true. Many people do however apply to qualify but they usually only need a couple of people for each location. You can find more information about qualifying on the PGA website that gives you all the information you need to know about dates and times of qualifying. This is a stiff competition because there are so many entries and only a handful of openings.

Whether you are a spectator or interested in qualifying, you will enjoy your time. You have a chance to meet the senior gold pros and learn more about them and their techniques. It is after all a great way to learn a few tips about golfing. Keep in mind the rules that are in place and you should enjoy a great day of watching some of the best senior golfers around from around the country.

Starting Young to Become A Senior Golf Pro

To become a senior golf pro, you need to start early. If you have a good start when you are younger, you have a better chance of making it to the pros. You need dedication, focus, concentration and physical ability to become a senior golf pro. You can practice on the driving range and take a lesson to better your game. As you grow and continue playing, you learn more about your own abilities. As you gain more experience you can adjust your swing and equipment to give you more distance.

Senior golf is just as relaxing if you play the game right. As you learn over the years what your game is like, you can shift your concentration to the fairway and the greens. You can work your way into some mini tours that will give you even more experience before you make your way to the PGA. If this is your goal, you want to be your best and shoot the game like a pro. Keep up with your game and you can play with the pros someday. The best way to keep your game going forward is to practice weekly.

Once you know that golf is for you, before reaching your senior golf years, you want to maintain a healthy and fit you. Stretching and some type of physical fitness is necessary to stay fit and keep the body limber and flexible to play the game. If you start noticing you are feeling aches and pains, you might need to adjust your physical routine a little. As men and women reach their senior years, the body does experience changes. If these changes affect your game, you can adjust the way you golf or change your equipment to better the game. By changing equipment, you will give yourself more of an advantage with your swing.

The senior golf pro does from time to time have to adjust their swing and by doing this, you might need to invest in a new set of clubs that have more flex in the shaft. This will help you get more distance and cause you less stress on the body. The seniors that golf are always changing their clubs to keep with their changing bodies. You can take the time to try new golf clubs and if you use a range finder, you can actually judge which club gives you the greater distance.

When playing senior golf keep in mind some important tips from the pros. Relax, concentrate, and always focus on your game. Use the right equipment that will give you the edge on your opponent and stay on par or under. If you go over par on one hole, make it up with the next hole. If you keep these simple tips in mind, you can succeed in having a great game of senior golf. After all, this is what you need and want from a good game of golf, something to talk about with your golfing friends and family.

Some Spectacular Senior Golf Courses In Alabama

Senior golf can be played anywhere but some of the golf courses in Alabama have their fair share of visitors. If you want a great golfing experience and you happen to be a senior golfer, some these golf courses will intrigue you. The Appalachian Mountains are beautiful anytime of year. When you play a round of golf and look off to the distance, you will know you have experienced a great golfing experience. The Senior PGA Tour was played in Birmingham was just one of the major golf tournaments played in Alabama.

Many golf courses attract the senior golfer. Some are the Cotton Creek, which Arnold Palmer designed, The Kiva Dunes, which was designed by Jerry Pate. Both of these are located around the Gulf Coast area. Many hotels in these areas provide hotel accommodations and golf packages for anyone wanting a golfing vacation. The state of Alabama is truly a unique area to golf with all the spectacular courses they have. You would never be disappointed with any of the Alabama golf courses. They are some of the finest courses around. The designs are extraordinary and the skill levels of each golfer are tested each time you tee off.

Jones Golf Trail by Robert Trent Jones is unique in the design and development of the course. Jones was responsible for designing over six hundred courses and the senior golf players see these courses as a challenge of the game. The Jones Golf Course Trail will not be found anywhere in the world other than Alabama. The course is designed to be played along the trails. Completed in 1993, Alabama now has seven courses throughout the area.

Hampton Cove is a fantastic setting with three differently designed courses. The three courses are the Highlands, The River Course and a Short Course. The River Course is completely free of sand, you have no bunkers to watch for when golfing. Senior golf can be exciting at any one of these three courses. Other courses in the area are just as spectacular to play a round of golf.

There is Silver Lake, Oxmoor Valley, Grand National, Cambrian Ridge, Highland Oaks and Magnolia Grove. These are some of the finest golf courses around. The senior golf experience is wonderful and exciting when you play a game at these courses. If you want to try your game around the wetlands, rolling terrain or dense forests, you will want to play a round of golf in Alabama. Do as other senior golfers do and play a new one every day.

Senior golf in Alabama has become very popular with the uniquely designed golf courses. With the added attraction of the Senior PGA Tour, Alabama has become known for their spectacular golf courses. Nowhere can you find such unique and specially designed courses by Arnold Palmer and Robert Trent Jones. They have truly captured the hearts of golfers from everywhere. What a great way to enjoy a game of golf and meet people of all ages and skills.

Senior Golf- The Senior Open History

The very first Senior Golf Open was played in New York in June of 1980 at the Winged Foot Golf Club on the East Course. It was established because of the interest of senior golfers who wanted to compete on an amateur and professional level. The very first Senior Open had six hundred and thirty-one entries. At this time, the senior golfer had to be at least fifty-five years of age the day of the tournament. Some of the former champions competed in the first Senior Golf Open such as William Campbell, Tommy Bolt, Jack Fleck, Ed Furgol and Lew Worsham.

The winner of the first Senior Golf Open was Roberto De Vicenzo while William Campbell was in second place. The age limit was lowered to fifty just one year later to allow for more participants in the tournament. Arnold Palmer went onto win the second Senior Open at the age of fifty-one in Michigan. Miller Barber won the Senior Open in 1982, which was just one of his three wins for a Senior Open. The other two wins were for 1984 and 1985. As of 2002, there were a little over three thousand entries for the Senior Golf Open.

In 2006, Allen Doyle became the new oldest winner of the Senior Open at the age of fifty-seven, eleven months, seventeen days. The oldest winner before that was De Vicenzo at the age of fifty-seven years, two months and fifteen days. Don Pooley won his way into the Senior Golf Open by qualifying and went onto win the tournament in 2002.

Today, you will see only a three or four hole playoff if needed were in the past it used to be four playoffs of eighteen holes. There have only been a few times in the Senior Open history of a playoff occurring, once in 1981, 1983, 1988 and 1991 with the winners being Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper, Gary Player and Jack Nicholas respectfully.

In 2007, the Senior Open was played at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wisconsin where senior golf player Brad Bryant won the Championship. He had winnings of four hundred and seventy thousand dollars to take home with him. He did share his revenue with his caddies Tony Smith. The golf course designed Pete Dye was designed to attract PGA tournaments in the future. It proved to be a tricky course that is considered rugged terrain that does not have golf cart abilities.

If you want a chance to watch the U.S. Senior Open when it comes to your town, you can buy advance tickets, walk around with your favorite players, and see how they fair in the tournament. Some of the courses they play are set up according to the guidelines established for the tours. This is just another way to see how the pros do it and how they apply different stances and what clubs they use to get distance and win the game. It is always a spectacular event for any city and golf course when the Senior Open comes to town.