Las Vegas Golf Courses, and the “Losers” Who Play Them

Author: Albert Medinas

It should come as no surprise that some of the most expensive golf clubs in the country are found in and around Las Vegas.  It’s just not as easy as you might think to keep a lush green in the middle of a desert!  That said, many private golf courses in the area don’t even list rates, so one can only guess how steep the rates actually are.  But there are still a number of private and public courses where you can go and play a great round of golf – and still leave the green with some greenbacks in your wallet.

I lost at blackjack last night but I still have $50 left…can I play golf, or should I just head over to the slot machines instead?

Well, I guess that all depends on just how lucky you feel.  But if you are tired of giving the casinos all of your money, and want to take advantage of the great golf courses Las Vegas has to offer, then you are in luck…maybe.  A growing concern for those wanting to play on the golf courses in the Las Vegas area is the fluctuating rates.  Hey, we’re all used to rates changing due to seasons, lighting conditions, reservations…the works.  But some of the golf courses in Las Vegas have divided the seasons up in ever-more-imaginative ways, that seem to try and squeeze every last possible dollar out of the green.  However (and this is subject to change, so DEFINITELY try to book some green time as far in advance as possible), the following golf courses can be played for $50 or less: Craig Ranch, Los Prados, and Eagle Crest.

I managed to escape the casinos with $100…golf anyone?

If you have been able to squirrel away a Ben Franklin, then a lot of the golf courses Las Vegas offers will gladly put you on the green.  Now again, the rates at some golf courses are changing by the day, it seems – so be sure to check before showing up with only Ben.  Those officially posting fees of $100 or less during the winter months are: Desert Rose, Las Vegas Golf Club, Painted Desert, Highland Falls, Palm Valley, Las Vegas National Golf Club, and the Rhodes Ranch.  Oh, and for those not “in the know”, rates tend to be higher for golf courses in Las Vegas during the winter months, as the heat can be downright brutal during the summer.  Oh yeah, Las Vegas is in the middle of a big desert, isn’t it?

I really need to stretch my golfing funds as much as possible…what options do I have?

No worries, my friend – sometimes the cards just aren’t rolling.  You can save anywhere from $5-15 by walking golf courses instead of driving the carts.  Not a great option during the heat of the summer months, but an option that can help stretch the dollar a little farther.  

Twilight rates are another way to save money, but they can be very confusing.  What is most confusing about the golf courses Las Vegas has to offer is that their twilight rates are not necessarily offered in the dying light.  During the summer months, and due to the extreme heat, twilight hours tend to start in the late morning and early afternoon.  In the winter, however, twilight hours occur at the end of the day, and it is not uncommon for golfers to not get in an entire 18 holes.

While Las Vegas does have many exclusive golf clubs, with prices so steep that they refuse to post them, there are a number of reasonably priced golf courses that offer some great greens at prices even the worst of gamblers can afford.  Plus, if you are wise and plan accordingly, you can get those low prices even lower – and maybe even get in another round of golf to keep your mind off those lousy cards for a few hours longer!  After a great round on the green, I can promise you that you will not leave Las Vegas feeling like a “loser” – even if your wallet tells you otherwise.

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About the Author:
Albert Medinas has developed and maintains the website  Best Golf Courses , which answers the most common questions players have about  Golf Courses .  Please visit us at  http://www.bestgolfcourses.net  today.

Custom Golf Club: Custom fitting golf clubs

Author: Simon Gelfand

Every golfer’s physical capability and swing is distinctive. Many of today’s best golf clubs can be custom fit for lie angle, shaft type and length, grip type and size. Custom fitting golf clubs involves several easy measurements and a quick self-assessment of your game. This custom golf club has become more than a fad that even not so professional golfers test its waters.

Custom fitting is the process for tailoring a golf club to suit your personal swing. 

Whatever your level, with a custom golf club the aim is to ensure that if you do make a good swing, the club will be square at impact and should produce a straight shot. 

Custom Golf Club How To’s:

To custom fit your golf clubs, you need to know: your gender (male or female); your height in your stockings or socks; the distance from your wrist (where it bends) to the floor with your shoes off; your age; your handicap or skill level; how fast you swing a golf club; what club you use at the 150 yard marker.

Gender is used to put you into the correct fitting scale for custom golf clubs. The golf industry uses different definitions of “standard length” for men and women. 

Your height and the distance in inches from your wrist to the floor are used together to determine the length of a custom golf club that is appropriate for you. The starting point for club length can vary up to 3 ½-inch ranging from ladies to men plus 1 ½-inch. A tall person with long arms can very easily require shorter clubs than an average height person with short arms. About 80 percent of golfers are standard length. 

Your age, handicap (if you happen to have one), self-assessed skill level, estimated golf swing speed and club you use at the 150 yard marker are all combined to determined the custom golf club’s shaft flex that is appropriate for you.

Custom fitting can fix your slice. If you slice the ball it means that the toe of the club is leading into the ball which opens the face of the club. That may be down to a swing fault, but it could be because the club is too flat. So as part of the custom fitting process you can make the custom golf club more upright to help with this. This will mean that the toe of the club will be slightly off the ground at address to compensate.

There are different methods of fitting according to custom golf club manufacturers but ultimately they are all trying to improve your game. To begin with simple measurements such as wrist-to-floor, height and hand size are taken and will point you to the right size club and at what angle it should be to the ground. Then you will take a club and hit some balls. One method is to place impact tape on the bottom of the custom golf club and an impact board on the floor.

As you hit the ball the board will leave a mark on the tape showing whether the heel or the toe of the custom golf club is striking the floor first. The resulting mark will show whether the club face needs to be flatter or more upright. Then things get a bit more advanced. Analysis equipment can measure everything from your club speed to the side spin of the ball so that you can get maximum distance from your shot. You can also measure the launch angle of the ball, how much backspin you generate and impact efficiency – all which affect distance. The angle in which the custom golf club approaches the ball and the sidespin of it can help fix your game too.

Rather than bringing down your old clubs, it might be better to start from scratch. It’s a big misconception that custom fitting is only for good golfers. Anyone can benefit. That said, if you plan to upgrade a new set of clubs with the same manufacturer they may be able to adjust your old set to become custom golf clubs. 

Custom fitting won’t cure all your bad shots. Coaching will sort that out. But if you do make a good swing, then the custom golf club will arrive correctly at impact and should produce a straight shot at your target. That alone will save shots during a round. 

Lastly, custom fitting is often free of charge. But it is usually on the condition that you buy some clubs once you’ve been fitted. So it really depends on what your budget is. If you’re prepared to buy a new set of clubs it’s definitely worth getting fitted.

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About the Author:
Simon Gelfand a golf enthusiast also runs ArticlesBase  find articles  and  submit articles  at this free articles directory.

The Callaway Golf Club

Author: Simon Gelfand

The Callaway golf club  is one of the most popular and also reliable types of golf club in the market today. There are so many people (particularly retired men) that are fascinated with golf today and it is no wonder why the Callaway golf club is now in the peak of success in the world of golf clubs.

The Callaway Golf club  is headed by Ely Callaway. He bought half of Hickory Stick USA and renamed it Callaway Hickory Stick USA. After purchasing it, he decided to hire the best people that would be an instrument in supporting his dream of Callaway golf club. He hired Richard C. Helmstetter to be the Chief Club Designer and this as others would say is the point of no return. The designs for Callaway golf club are truly revolutionary and innovative which is why the Callaway golf club is dubbed as the type of golf club that is unique and also high-performance kind golf equipment. After that, Ely Callaway renamed his company into Callaway Golf and then relocated from Cathedral City, California to a sleepy seaside town called Carlsbad, which is just north of San Diego.

One of the most innovative designs that the firm came up with was to create a stainless steel driver that had a larger and more forgiving head than any previous design. The CEO, Callaway dubbed it as “Big Bertha” which was derived from a German cannon back in WWI which was famous for its capability of shooting long distance range. This type of design was the one that made Callaway golf club a house hold name in the states because it experienced millions of sales and the Big Bertha type of Callaway golf club was the reason why Callaway became the number one manufacturer of golf clubs not only in the US but in the whole world which shows how popular golf is to the whole world.

At present, there are six classifications of the Callaway Golf club. The first classification is the drivers which are comprised of two models which are the Big Bertha Fusion FT4 and Big Bertha Titanium 454. The next classification of Callaway golf club is called the Fairway Woods. Fairway Woods have three types of clubs which are Big Bertha Fusion Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Titanium Fairway Woods, and Big Bertha Fairway Woods. The next classification of the Callaway golf club is a hybrid which is designed for long and distant shots. The model for this type of Callaway golf club is called Big Bertha Heavenwood Hybrids. The next classification is called irons which are divided into five types of models and these are Big Bertha, Big Bertha Fusion, X-Tour, X-18, and X-18 Pro. Another classification of the Callaway golf club would be the wedges and the model here is called Forged+ Wedges. The last classification for Callaway golf club is called the Putters. The Putters have two models in its classification which are Callaway golf I-Trax Putter and tour Blue.

The classification and models of Callaway Gold Club mentioned above are the ones that the firm manufactures. All of these models were made in the lieu with science, research, and practice. All of these models are worth a try and who knows? You might be the next Tiger Woods in the world of golf.

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About the Author:
Simon Gelfand a golf enthusiast also runs ArticlesBase  find articles  and  submit articles  at this free articles directory.

Golf Lessons From a Zen Master

Author: Albert Medinas

When watching golf on television, one cannot help but wonder how men and women can make millions of dollars playing a game that looks so simple.  Honestly, who can’t hit a ball into a hole with 4 or 5 tries?  Ahh, but golf is another one of those “finer arts”, and it can take years and years of practice before you break par – let alone try for those birdie thingies!  For people looking to get into the sport, golf lessons are probably the best way to go – unless you were raised on the greens like dear Tiger.

So, is there any real difference between instructors, or will anyone do?

Hey look, there are $7 an hour fry cooks at McDonald’s and $100,000 per year chefs – both can teach you how to cook, but the results you’ll experience will be far different.  While a higher price does not always mean higher quality, it is a good rule of thumb to go by when looking for the “Zen Master” instructor for your golf lessons.

How do I choose an instructor?

As with almost any decision we make, the budget is always a factor.  How much money can you afford?  Are these golf lessons to help you meet clients, or are you just looking to learn how to play the game?  If you really don’t like golf but know it would be a great business asset, then you will want a better instructor.  After all, the golf lessons then become a business investment, correct?  You will generally find the more experienced and sought-after instructors giving golf lessons at the higher end clubs and resorts.  A Las Vegas golf lesson at the Walter’s Golf Academy might be given by Chuck Matlack, Mike Davis, or Jimmie Pollard – all of whom are seasoned pro’s with great portfolios – and with great rates to match!

Do I have to have private golf lessons, or are there other options?

Now that is a very good question.  You can either receive golf lessons from an instructor in a one-on-one setting, or attend a “Golf School” where lessons are given in groups.  Clearly, you will get more personalized golf lessons with a personal instructor, but the process can take months, and progress may be slow.  But if you want to save some money and need a crash course, then golf lessons from one of the many available schools is the route to take.

What else should I know?

You should definitely know your own commitment level.  Look – golf lessons are not cheap.  Whatever you learn – be it from Jimmie Pollard during a Las Vegas golf lesson or at Greg’s Golf Shack – you will need to reinforce what you learn with practice.  Otherwise, you are just wasting your money.  So be sure that you really want to play the game, be it for business or pleasure, before deciding to take golf lessons.

As with anything else, you’ll want your golf instructor or school to be the best investment of both time and money possible.  Therefore, don’t be afraid to ask for references, or even to interview the potential instructors before making a decision.  After factoring in budget, instruction style, and your own commitment level, select the best golf lessons option for you and your needs. You’ll be glad you did.

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About the Author:
Albert Medinas has developed and maintains the website  Golf Lessons for YOU , which answers the most common questions players have about  Golf Lessons .  Please visit us at  http://www.golflessonsforyou.com  today.

Are You Using The Right Golf Balls?

Author: Lee Dobbins

Contrary to what many people think, all golf balls are not made alike.  In fact, they are so diverse that there have been over 5,000 design patents for golf balls given in the last ten years.  It may seem like they haven’t changed in decades, but golf balls are some of the most researched and advanced pieces of equipment in any sport today.  

Selecting a ball that is right for the way you swing is critical to your golf game.  As important as picking the right set of clubs, you need to find the type of golf ball that matches your style of play and your golf swing.  Different golf balls have a different spin and a different feel.  They are made with different cover materials and of varying density.  Picking the one that works for you depends on your skill level and how you hit the ball.

The first thing you might look at is the compression of the ball.  This relates to how tightly the ball is wound.  The lower the compression the softer the ball.  Softer balls are better if you have a slow swing, they will fly farther but are harder to control.  High compression balls, on the other hand  are easier to control but are best used by those with a fast swing.

To decide which golf ball is best for you, you can divide them into 3 general categories.  The solid two piece ball is the most common and, of course, the cheapest.  It is comprised of a hard cover over an inner core.  This is a good ball for beginners which can often hit the ball thin or fat.

The three piece ball is multilayered.  Softer than the two piece ball, it gives you more control but won’t fly as far.  This ball is recommended for intermediate players as it will let you get more spin and control over your shots.  The three piece ball is more expensive than the two piece but can add an edge to your play if you are past the beginner stage and looking for something to give you an edge.

The high performance balls can be rather costly and won’t last as long as the other types of balls.  These balls are for  the expert player who wants more control and spin than the three piece ball can offer.  Although it is costly, this type of golf ball has what it takes to go the distance.

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About the Author:
Lee Dobbins writes for  Sports Wise  where you can learn more about all your favorite sports and read more great golf articles .

Golf’s Most Important Rule – Golf Ball Contact!

Author: John Bolt

Ever wonder how to get that great distance and control on the course? It all has to do with golf ball contact. Everything depends on how and when you hit the golf ball, and you’ll see it in your results.

Hit Down to Get the Ball Up:
This may sound a little bit crazy to some but, with every club except the driver and putter you should be striking the ball with a slightly downward blow. What this does is, it allows the loft of the club to work as it’s supposed to and launch the ball up into the air. Proper golf ball contact will also increase distance because when the ball is hit at impact, the descending movement compresses the ball witch in turn releases more energy sending the ball further. 

There is a common mistake made by beginners. What they tend to do is try to scoop the ball and help it into the air with their fairway woods and irons. This is a critical mistake because hitting up on the ball will only causes a lot more miss hits and give the player poor distance on each shot.

When you are swinging your irons and even fairway woods you should be aiming at the bottom front of the ball itself or even a little bit before the ball. This will allow the very bottom of your swing arc to still be on a descending path when you make contact with the golf ball. If you watch a good player when they hit the ball with a 9-iron for example, you’ll notice that their divots always begin in front of the ball and never after the ball.  What this means is the golfer is making contact with the ball first still on the downswing, and then contact with the turf takes place.

When this is done correctly the golf ball gets squished or pressed between the clubface and the ground, witch increases the compression and results in more distance and spin for that particular shot. If you try to hit up on the ball with your fairway woods or irons you could end up topping the ball or even missing it. 

The Exception:
There’s always one exception to every rule. This one involves hitting your driver off the tee.  With this club you want to try to make golf ball contact on the slight upswing or the beginning of your upward swing arc. One of the main reasons for doing this is because the driver has very little loft and it’s harder to get the ball into the air.  

The other reason is the drivers now have very few grooves witch helps to eliminate spin that is put on the ball during compression. It allows the ball to travel through the air with a piercing or floating type action and travel great distances.

One of the most important tips you can learn about equipment and your golf game is when to make proper golf ball contact.  It all depends on what club you are using and the situation. Try and use this little bit of info the next time you’re on the course and watch what happens.

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About the Author:
John Bolt is the owner of Golf Equipment Source and has created the ULTIMATE FREE online guide to properly fitted  equipment used for golf .Learn more about golf equipment  http://www.golfequipmentsource.com