Golf Club Demos, Food and John Daly at Myrtle Beach 19th Hole

Each year thousands of golfers descend upon the golf capital of the world for a chance at being named best in their flight - I am happily amazed at the growth of the Myrtle Beach Amateur Handicap Championship.

The tournament which started in 1982 with 682 participants has increased five-fold and is played on such well-known and beautiful golf courses as Caledonia Golf and Fish Club and the Barefoot Courses. Although there is a serious competitive spirit surrounding the Tournament, the focus is on FUN.

Myrtle Beach has around one-hundred golf courses, soft-sand beaches and, from last count, about 1700 restaurants so it's easy to understand why the Amateur Handicap Tournament is so popular year-after year. 

Is it the golf or the fun that brings the players back to the Beach? If you said both, you're RIGHT!

The BEST 19th Hole in the World in @myrtlebeach this week at the World Amateur #golf tournament! Ready, set, GOLF! pic.twitter.com/THZR1yYUDM

— Stacy Solomon (@Golf4Beginners) August 31, 2015

The World's Largest 19th Hole is a golfer's dream with celebrities, music and even a pro golfer in the midst. Taylor Hicks, American Idol winner, entertained, John Daly was mixing it up with his fans and stirring up the cocktails with his new vodka/tea drink (yes, it's another specialty of his) and there were putting and chipping contests, simulators and a line of PGA Tour Superstore booths filled with the latest golf equipment for hitting and testing by the participants.

My neighbor has been talking about the latest Wilson D200 driver and, lo and behold, there was a left-handed club waiting for me to test! My current driver is a Callaway X2 Hot so I went armed to the hitting booth ready to compare the two - here are my findings.

I could feel the "Reactive Face Technology" with every hit - there was definite forgiveness from the club as my shots seemed pretty straight from the get-go. I found the D200 to be very light but, for me, the head seemed to lag a bit (could have been the shaft). Overall a pretty good golf club to test against others when you go to PGA Tour Superstore to get fitted for your next driver. I also tried (and loved) the Ping G30 hybrid; high, straight, sweet-spot shots from the get-go, 

Barry got a hold of several irons too - he found the Titleist AP1 to have the best ball action off of the club face.

Booths each night were filled with a variety of tasty treats from southern barbecue and crab meat wontons to Shocktop and other refreshments. The lines, although a bit long, were quick moving and very chatty with golfers from Tennessee to Wisconsin talking about their day on the links.

I know that the Myrtle Beach World Am is all about the golf but...Thursday was the last night to attend the festivities and I'm getting hungry just thinking about my experience!

These folks (& ME) can't wait to taste tonight's Southern #BBQ at #MyrtleBeach World Am 19th hole! #golf pic.twitter.com/tHKtO2CyM4

— Stacy Solomon (@Golf4Beginners) August 31, 2015 

Have you attended the Myrtle Beach World Am Handicap Championship? Which was your favorite golf course...or was it the 19th hole that took center stage? Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and on our Golf for Beginners blog.


Thanks to Chris King - Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday

Experience The Rules of #Golf in an Entirely New Way

The world of golf is gaining technological steam, from the latest on-glove wearables and virtual putting greens to interactive videos designed to allow instructors to help students without ever having to see them in person. 

Now, the internet is helping players, both beginners and those who need a touch up on the rules of golf, to gain an education the fun and easy way.

I was sent a note last week from a representative of the USGA discussing a new interactive education tool designed to teach The Rules of Golf in a "new" way, by encouraging social sharing and active participation.

"The Rules of Golf Experience”, is said to be free for everyone (does not require a USGA membership) and is the first of its kind in the wealth of information it provides (a thousand pages of curriculum organized by fifteen subjects, seventy-three lessons and almost two hundred topics).

Everything from what to do when your ball rests on the cart path to the difference between yellow and red marker water hazards, are covered in the Rules. 

The digital experiences are designed to be fun, interactive, rewarding and challenging thus increasing a student's retention and engagement rate, with an average of twenty-minute session lengths). 

The email also stated that there are guest appearances by top golfers including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson and Paula Creamer, although I have not yet found any celebrity golf faces.

Sign up via Facebook or email and, once you do, you get a "scorecard" which allows you to explore new subjects. I think you should start where I did, with the topic, "The Principles Behind the Rules of Golf", by Richard S. Tufts (and I earned four "tees"!)

Guidelines to Begin Your Golf Experience:

1. Great Principle #1: You play the course as you find it.
2. Great Principle #2: Put your ball in play at the start of the hole, play only your own ball and do not touch it until you lift it from the hole.

Hmmm, seems simple enough but I think I've seen more than a few amateurs make these mistakes on the golf course...

Or, why not watch a video on what to do when your golf ball is unplayable?

Brush up on your golf etiquette and knowledge of the game without leaving the comfort of your home and, for times when you are out on the course, keep your handy rules book with you (as I do).

Do you think you'll use this new interactive experience? Let us know on our Golf for Beginners blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

The Shortest Way to the Cup - Playing Target #Golf

The object of golf is to get the ball into a 4.25 inch hole in the least number of strokes.

Each hole can be considered an individual adventure, leading the player through hazards and thought-provoking situations that require both mental and physical skill.

That being said, why is it so difficult for golfers to get to par?

Are you simplifying your shot process by picking a target, aiming and releasing...or are you thinking too much?

Not having a specific target for your next shot is like roaming aimlessly through the streets of a city trying to get to your destination. Without a map or pointing yourself in the right direction, you're more than likely to take more time to get to point B and, without a plan of attack in golf, you are more than likely to rack up strokes.

So, how do we create a plan of attack on the golf course?

"The secret of golf is to turn three shots into two. " - Bobby Jones 

Tips on Playing Target Golf

Have you ever heard the saying, "How Do You Eat an Elephant? One bite at a time! Instead of thinking in terms of playing eighteen holes, try taking the process down to one hole at a time.

Not always is your driver the best club to take off the tee box - assess which club can maneuver you into the best position for your next shot. Some golf courses give you books with tips on how to play each hole including the yardages to trouble spots - read the book as you approach the hole - this can be very helpful! You don't know how many people that we have seen on-course have the book in their hands and don't look at the book ... when they do, they only look at the pictures!

Whether on the tee box or approaching the green, pick the very smallest target you can see which will set you up for your next shot, whether it be a dark patch on the fairway or something that catches your eye. Aim at that target.

Pick a spot down the fairway that you want your ball to land.

You never want to look at, or acknowledge, trouble areas like bunkers or water hazards - you only want to focus on your target. I know, we have ALL said these words but...NEVER say before you hit your shot... "Don't go there." Your brain doesn't hear the "don't"... ah, those swing thoughts really make a difference, don't they?

Once you have decided on the target, visualization is key - keep your picture perfect shot and destination in your mind as you practice your swing, committing to what your mind's eye has just seen and swing away without thinking of swing mechanics. Adjusting your swing should be done on the driving range, not as you are aiming and pulling the trigger.

In this YouTube.com golf video, Alex Fortey talks about visualization and the golf swing, what to think about and what not to do!





Voice your opinions on Target Golf on our Golf for Beginners blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

photo: trustargolf.com