Golf World Tour - The Craziest Courses in the World!

No two golf courses are alike, which is the subject of this guest post from Stewart Probert. Different ways of achieving par, complex settings offering architectural and geographical choices and the types of challenges faced along the way leave a myriad of options for golf beginners through to players who want a considerable competitive edge. Enjoy this article and feel free to leave your comments below.

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About the Author: Stewart Probert from Sweetwoods Golf Club in East Sussex, is a keen golfer, traveller and writer. When not taking chunks out of his local course and/or throwing clubs into the trees, he can usually be found reading and writing about sports, anywhere that anyone will let him!

One of the things that makes golf unique amongst most sports is the fact that no two courses are ever the same, making every round of golf a potentially new experience. But with thousands of golf courses around the world, it takes something that little bit special to stand out from the crowd and entice players from all around the world. These are a few of those courses who have gone above (way above - literally in some cases!) and beyond to provide anyone gracing their greens with a truly unforgettable experience.

Legend Golf and Safari Resort

 Legend Golf & Safari Resort, South Africa

The Legend Golf & Safari Resort it most famously known for the “Extreme 19th’ - a par 3 hole that begins 400m above the Africa-shaped green on Hanglip Mountain, and requires a helicopter just to reach it! Numerous notable figures have come to play the Extreme 19th, including celebrities and well known professional golfers, although it’s notorious difficulty means that making par is something of a feat. The Legend Resort even keeps a “Leaderboard” of lowest scores for the hole on their website, peppered with a few names you’ll recognize.

There is much more to the resort than its 19th hole however: the 18 holes that make up the ‘Signature Course’ have been designed by 18 of the world’s top golfers including Colin Montgomerie and Sergio Garcia. Meanwhile there is also the tribute course - a 10 hole stroll through golfing history that features the best par 3 holes from courses around the world including Pine Valley, Augusta and the Old Course at St Andrews. It’s like a whistle-stop golf world tour!


La Paz Golf Club, Bolivia

Elevation is a vital ingredient when it comes to a good golf course, but when that course is already 3,318 metres above sea level, perhaps it isn’t that important. The La Paz Golf Club is the world’s highest golf course, and as a result you’ll notice that those balls travel that little bit farther - or maybe you just perform better when thousands of metres above the sea?

Coeur d’Elene Resort

The Coeur d’Elene Resort, Idaho

Many golf courses are known for their treacherous water hazards, but the 14th hole at the Coeur d’Elene Resort is unlike anything you’ll have had to negotiate, as this hole has a floating green in the middle of Lake Coeur d’Elene.

The moveable floating island green is currently the only one of its kind in the world.

While getting on to the green may be difficult, at least you won’t be faced with a dilemma about whether you should take the easy or difficult route. Although landing your ball on the green might be tricky, you can get there yourself quite simply at least with a short boat ride. 

Le Touessrok, Mauritius

Imagine playing golf in the lush surroundings of a tropical island and you’ll begin to imagine what Le Touessrok is like. Just a couple of hundred metres out from Mauritius, the course is surrounded by crystal clear blue waters and an abundance of plant life. If there’s any course on earth where you’re going to be coaxed into enough of a tranquil, content state of happiness by your surrounding scenery that you’ll forgive yourself for missing a 2 foot-putt that ordinarily would send you into a club-throwing tantrum,  this would definitely have to be it.

 Tornio Golf Club, Finland/Sweden

Tornio Golf Club Finland

Have you ever hit a ball so hard and so far that it raced into another time zone? Play a round at the Tornio Golf Club (which is officially in Finland) and you’ll be able to say you have. The course straddles the border of Finland and neighbouring Sweden allowing players to blast their ball back and forwards across time zones and national borders until they feel like Marty McFly himself. Now if you’re late getting back from the clubhouse, saying that you didn’t know what time it was will be a perfectly valid excuse.

 Uummannaq, Greenland

The World Ice Golf Championships have been held annually in Greenland since 1997, but only as long as conditions have been acceptable. After all, playing golf on this extreme landscape of Uummannaq is dangerous enough as it is. If you thought trying to contend with bunkers was difficult, perhaps you should consider how you’d cope with wind chill, or just how you’re supposed to land your ball on a green that is actually white.

Golfers that have been lucky enough to play a round on this unique course have claimed that the stunning scenery is more than enough to distract you from the freezing temperatures. 

Hans Merensky, South Africa

We end our world tour where we began in South Africa, at a course that borders Kruger National Park. While fantastic scenery is guaranteed you never know what wildlife you might see, so keep your eyes peeled for giraffes, hippos and rooibokkies. 

Where to next?

So there it is, the world tour with a difference. While golf has long been thought of as a traditional and conservative game, as it becomes more mainstream and more golfers look for unique experiences, it’s likely that the number of courses offering something novel will increase. One course attempting to push the boundaries to a new, debatably insane level is the incredibly bizarre new course under construction at Mission Hills in China.

Most simply described as a giant crazy golf experience, the course aims to bring the novel charm of crazy golf with its colourful, zany obstacles to life in the form of a full 18 hole course. With proposed hole themes including a floating green in a giant bowl of soup (complete with huge noodles and chopsticks!), one hole utilising the Great Wall of China as a hazard and one with a fairway straight through some Mayan Ruins, the Mission Hills course certainly sounds like one to keep an eye on!

Mission Hills Golf "Noodles" Hole

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Big Break Mexico Golf Channel Premiere...Arriba!

For golf fans who simply cannot live without watching a season of Big Break, the wait is finally over. The new season of BB hails from IBEROSTAR Playa Paraiso Golf and Spa Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico with a GQ factor of 10-plus. Will a budding Tiger Woods or Annika Sorenstam emerge from this group?

All of the personalities on Big Break this season are "lookers" with game-faces in position and resumes which almost rival rookie tour players. Early on in this show's history, Big Break offered a chance to golfers who were good amateurs with a strong game who wanted to go pro but, as I went over the bios of these young stars, many have already "been-there, done-that"...

...and BB is here to offer up a slew of prizes as well as to advance them to that next rung on the ladder of success, namely, a gig to play a pro tour event. A female winner gets invited to the 2013 Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Banamex and Jalisco and, if a male wins Big Break, expect to see him competing at the Mayakoba Classic.

Many of the competitiors come with tournament experience:

Stefanie Kenoyer who, at twenty-four year old, is a full-time competitor on the Symetra Tour. McKenzie Jackson had four top-tens on the 2012 Cactus Tour.

Liebelei Lawrence who was a two-year member of the Ladies European Tour and who tied for 27th position at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters Tournament.

Each of these golfers has an "impressive golf resume" as opposed to season 2003 Big Break participants who were chosen by open audition with prerequisities of a "scratch" handicap and demonstrative proficiency with various types of shots.

Personality, of course, also had to be "engaging" to the viewer as Jay Kossoff, 2003 Senior Producer of Golf Channel, once said, "positively or negatively"... which still applies for all television shows. And yes, a good story still sells; Jason Seymour's story should bring a tear to your eye.

That being said, take a gander at the cast of Golf Channel's Big Break Mexico and make sure you tweet your thoughts during the season using the hashtag #BigBreak to @Golf4Beginners.

How I Got My Kids to Love Golf

Is it really that difficult to get your kids to try...and love...golf? In a Golf Digest article, Johnny Miller  said that the most important thing you can do to get your kids involved, and remaining in the sport, is "unadulterated praise. When your 7-year-old hits a good shot, say "Great shot!" When he hits a bad shot, exclaim, "Great swing!"

Bob Rotella mentioned that you shouldn't necessarily teach the child but instead, let the kid teach you! Most importantly, Mr. Rotella explained that, "the best thing you can do is show your kids what a great time you're having. If they see you having a wonderful time, then chances are they'll have a good time, too."

Make golf fun for kids and in turn, they will want to see what all of the excitement is all about!

David Bryce, a contributing writer to Golf for Beginners, has decided upon five points he believes necessary to engage and encourage children in the sport so that they find it a positive experience.

Enjoy!

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David Bryce is an online publisher for Thousand Hills Golf Resort in Branson, MO. He blogs on the topics of golf, travel, and vacations.

It wasn’t as hard to do as one might think.  In fact, it wasn’t difficult at all.  I’ll tell you the secret right now.  It was all about the environment.  In short, it was positive and fun.  I let the kids like it on their own terms and not mine.  While each experience with undoubtedly by different and unique, there are things that can be done to help foster a love of the game.

Start young.  I hear this regularly from many other parents and pros.  Starting young will help them develop skills as a young mind is a sponge ready to soak up information.  Granted, introducing a young child to golf takes patience, it can prove to be well worth it.  With a young child, say three, four, or five years old, the best thing you can do is give them a golf club (preferably one more their size) and a ball to hit around the backyard. 

Avoid the TV.  At first, anyway.  I mean this twofold.  This is a point a few of my friends like to argue with me on.  While I’m sure there are a few kids really enjoy to watch golf, it’s generally after they have a grasp of what’s going on.  The best way to get that grasp and understand of the game is to play it firsthand.    My second point is video gaming.  There are a few golf games out there and even fewer that are genuinely good.  You can’t learn to play with a controller, even if it is motion sensitive.  In my experience, due to the simplicity of the gameplay, the games can give a false impression of the game both in terms of physical environment and personal ability, especially when you’re trying to learn the game in the real world.  These games lack weight, gravity, and in many cases, a sense of reality.

Once a child has a grasp of the game, then yes, it’s a good idea to watch professional matches on TV (and in person, if possible).  They can see how these players interact with the course, how they hit the ball and how they concentrate, plus they’ll probably land on a player who they’ll idolize and want to emulate, and emulation is an excellent learning tool.

Get out and play.  Go to a practice green or a driving range, or both.  When you’re there, focus on showing and not telling.  Let them observe you and others, then let them have at it, in fact, the soon they’re swinging the golf club, the better, since watching someone else enjoy something is exceptionally boring.  They’re not going to be perfect on the first, second, or twenty-fifth swing, but they’ll gradually improve.  Your goal is to let them discover the love of the game for themselves, so take a step back (which, when they’re swinging, you and everyone else should be a few steps back).  Nothing is more satisfying than the feeling of the head of the club comes into contact with the ball and that ball is sent soaring.  Kids learn that one fast.

Work on form.  Once kids have a feel for absolute basics, you’ll likely have to intervene a bit to work on their form.  Yes, you can get a golf pro or register them for classes, but it’s good to start off with a familiar.  However, this is where observing pros play can be beneficial.  Emulation is great for working on form.  Kids will likely need assistance getting into various forms, but don’t let yourself become a rusty pair of training wheels.  Again, focus on fun. 

Hit the golf course.  Take them to a municipal or similar course where their talents won’t be judged and the patrons are more likely to have more patience.  Let them play golf on their own terms, but encourage them to use the skills they have picked along the way.  They’ll quickly discover the more they use those skills and the better their form is, the better their performance will be.  Have a fun time, cheer them on and shower them with praise when hit a good shot. 

Want to read more by David Bryce? Read: Should Golfers Have to Pass an Etiquette Test?

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photo credit: GolfDigest.com, Clearly Sports

How to Get the Most Out of Summer Golf Camps for Kids

The following guest golf blog was submitted by Danie Steyn about how kids can get the most out of summer golf camps. These summer camps, in my opinion, can provide positive reinforcement, improve upon the basics and, perhaps, even offer friendships that last a lifetime to all skill levels from golf beginners to amateur players.

Have you sent your kids to summer camp? Feel free to comment below and thanks to Danie for this informative article!

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Written By Danie Steyn

When choosing a summer sports camp, it's always best to know how to prepare yourself for the activities ahead. I’m Danie Steyn, a golf pro at JKCP’s Julian Krinsky Camps; Programs Golf Camp, and I have some golf tips to help you plan for camp.

We have both beginner level students and those who consider themselves serious and dedicated golfers. For beginners, we'd encourage you to prepare by reading as much as you can about the game of golf and its etiquette. Also watch some golf on TV to visually enhance your approach before you spend your summer playing on the course with pros at a golf camp.

To fully maximize your time at any youth golf camp, especially if you only come for one week, one simple idea every golfer can use is to bring a notebook. 

There will be a ton of learning of drills and practices that you can write down to practice over and over on your own.

If you have a smartphone, being able to record video of correct form, and audio recordings of drills and practices would put you well ahead of your peers. 

Gathering notes, visuals and audio for later use is the best way to learn, especially if you continue to practice what you've learned at camp. 

Keep in mind you'll be learning the basic fundamentals of golf: golf swing instruction (backswing, downswing, follow through), putting, chipping, driving and all the necessary skills to make you proficient on the green. 

More advanced golfers will be refining those techniques. Beyond the skills on the green, you’ll be learning the rules and regulations including golf etiquette of how to play on the green, around the bunkers and more. At many camps like JKCP, golfers are paired with others at their same skill level.

We always get questions about the specific golf gear and equipment needed. The golf courses at JKCP require certain attire that includes: collared shirt and knee high shorts with trainers or golf shoes. 

We highly suggest bringing sunscreen, a hat, golf tees, an umbrella, at least one golf glove and definitely bring golf balls. JKCP Golf can provide you some golf clubs, but if you have your own that's a huge plus! You will not need too many clubs as long as you have your Driver, Fairway Wood, Long Iron, Mid Iron, Short Iron or Wedge and Putter, you'll be fine.

Our camp has weekly tournaments on Fridays that help you to gain tournament skills. You'll have fun playing the course and meeting golfers from all around the world that lead to friendships that will last beyond the green. That sums up the fun and excitement of what you can expect by attending JKCP's Golf Camp.

This Summer you can learn the basics of Golf with JKCP's Golf Programs. You'll be able to play on several courses in the Philadelphia, PA area, which is home of the 2013 U.S. Open. You'll leave JKCP with a more well rounded approach to golf.

Bio: Danie Steyn

Danie Steyn has competed in golf tournaments all over the world and also teaches Golf as a Pro with JKCP. Danie Steyn is a South African born, professional golfer. Playing on the Alp and Pepsi tour. Captain of the Southern Free State provincial team. Seven holes-in-one.

Here is Danie Steyn recording a very difficult "backwards" golf shot. Enjoy!

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Picture credits: Danie Steyn

Is Golf The New Bad Boy Sport?

Remember when bad-boy behavior was unacceptable in golf and high moral standards separated golf from the rest of the sports world? Throwing a golf club, obscene language or spitting into the cup (Sergio) just wasn't tolerated.

Support for Tiger Woods seems to be back on the "Pro" side now that he has a few golf tournament wins under his belt but does "Winning (Really) Take Care of Everything"? Does Nike hope that revealing a bit of "naughty" along with his wins in their marketing strategy will get Woods' problems out into the open and actually expel them from his life?

By now you've seen Tiger Woods sassing it up with Rory McIlory, rumbling with Arnold Palmer and you've most likely read about the new found happiness shared with Lindsey Vonn but is the new Tiger Woods image brand-build working...are you liking Tiger Woods again?

In the case of Tiger Woods, and with other athletes who have suffered problematic situations (think Kobe Bryant), advertisers take a few steps back, wait for a rebound, an apology to fans perhaps and watch for the sports celebrity's new lease on life...and all is forgiven in the advertising and branding space.

In a recent TMZ.com poll, almost 75,000 fans were asked if "Winning Cures All" and fifty-five percent said "YES!"

Lewis Blackwell "begs to differ", stating that "winning is never enough" and "it needs to be dirtied up a bit."

"You have to win brilliantly, or win dirty, or win tragically, win sexily," claims Blackwell, "or lose with style and a sob story. For heaven's sake, don't win normally and expect acclaim."


Fans now adore Woods cheering him on three-deep at golf events, a new lease on life is on the horizon, the great Arnold Palmer is sharing laughs and co-starring with TW in videos and Jack Nicklaus is defending Tiger's Masters decision and opening up once again about Woods ...not like before, when Tiger was, well...toxic,

"I've said it, and I continue to say it, that I still expect him to break my record." said Jack Nicklaus recently. "I think he's just too talented, too driven, and too focused on that."

Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer share a laugh

Tiger Woods is just now beginning to rebuild his commercial life but does winning really cure all?


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photo credit: thesun.uk, TMZ.com

Sharpen Your Game with 365 Easy Golf Tips from the Pros

Have you noticed that, after taking a golf lesson with your instructor, your game shows a marked improvement? Shortly after however, and without continued guidance, your game slowly reverts back to its original state. Most golfers don't have an instructor on the range or course during the entire season but now you can have great golf tips at your fingertips 365 days a year.

Illustrations and one-page tips from putting to sand play offered in the golf book "365 Golf Tips and Tricks From The Pros" by Jay Morelli are designed to simplify every area of your game with a suggestion per day ...playing without fear is my favorite.

This golf book rightfully opens with tips on the rules, segues into Golf Etiquette, takes you through course management, drills, the mental game and even offers help on purchasing the right type of equipment for your game.

Below are three golf tips I selected from the book (one tip each for beginner, intermediate and advanced golfer). For a read into the other 362 tips, click on the link at the end of this golf blog.

Tip 40: LOGICAL BALL POSITION,
Dick Capasso, PGA Teaching Pro, Augusta Georgia
Many players get confused about where to play the ball in their stance for shots off the turf.

We have all heard conflicting advice on this subject. Each shot is a new experience and should be treated as such. The best place to place your ball is in the way of your swing. Try taking a few practice swings and pay attention to where the club nips the turf. That spot is where the ball should be played for that particular stroke.

Tip 179: PLAY WITHOUT FEAR, by Jay Morelli, Director of the Original Golf School, Mount Snow, Vermont

Golfers are so often afraid of bad shots that they sometimes play timidly, making timid golf swings. You are much better off going ahead and making a committed and strong swing. Commit to the shot and don't even think about what not to do. A non-swing will never produce a good result.

Tip 269: COIL UP FOR POWER, by Sandra Jaskol, LPGA Teaching Pro, Old Westbury Golf & Country Club, Old Westbury, New York

To get more power and distance, practice with a medium-sized rubber ball between your legs to feel the rotation of your upper body uncoiling above a stable, planted lower body. This springlike effect will keep you more centered over the ball while maximizing your coil with explosive power and speed.

If you expect your golf game to improve, you need a teaching pro. That being said, when your instructor isn't around and you require a brush up (even on the golf course), pull out your "365 Golf Tips and Tricks from the Pros" pocket-sized guide, thumb through it and you'll most likely find the answer to your questions.

About the Author:

Jay Morelli is Director of The Original Golf School at Mount Snow, Vermont and Plantation Golf Resort in Florida. He has been teaching and improving golfers at all skill levels for more than 40 years. He founded the Original Golf School and the Accelerated Teaching Method in June 1978. Golf Digest voted him the top teaching pro in Vermont, and he has been named New England PGA Teacher of the Year. He has produced four major DVDs and written four books on golf.

Bruce Curtis has been at the forefront of photography for more than four decades. As a photographer for Time, Life, and Sports Illustrated, he has been on the frontlines as a photographer of many conflicts around the world. He has won more than 25 awards and provided photography for more than 40 books.

Learn more about 365 Golf Tips and Tricks from The Pros

Photo credit courtesy of 365 Golf Tips and Tricks From The Pros

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