| |
| |
|
Free Golf Tips | Sponsored by GreatGolfGizmos.com - Click Here to Shop for Great Golf Gizmos | Article List |
|
|
|
What Do Trees Have to Do With Golf?
On our way back from a recent round of golf, Fritz and I were discussing the way most golfers evaluate golf courses. We've had this discussion before, and it inevitably gets around to my heartfelt conviction that trees do not enhance the "golfing experience". Most golfers in North America assume that golf is not golf without tree-lined fairways. If I am not mistaken, this is a bias created by a century of golf course design compliments of a relatively small number of trend-setting designers. In Canada, Stanley Thompson was the main man. His course designs can be found across the country, and inevitably they feature lush green (soft) fairways lined with majestic trees. Of course there are many reasons for this, both practical and esthetic. For starters, eastern North America has lots of trees, and just as important, it is impossible to replicate the sandy turf of Scotland or Ireland in other parts of the world that do not share the same climate. Nevertheless it struck me as a bit odd when on a recent trip to Saskatchewan we found the same type of fairways in that relatively dry prairie climate as we have here in our much more humid environment in southern Ontario. What we have seen in first half of the last century was a progression from the use of native grasses in a place like St. Andrews or Dornoch, Scotland to the use of highly manipulated hybrids like bentgrass in Ontario, where the climate can (more or less) support them (with constant watering, of course). But rather than using native grasses in the prairie or semi-desert settings of the North American western plain, course designers in those regions seem to have imported the ideas developed in the east. Especially the use of trees and non-native grasses. One course we played near Elbow, Saskatchewan had water lying around from the overnight watering. This was in spite of the recent rainy period in the area. And while the greens seemed to be holding up well, they were typically left quite long and shaggy so they could withstand the inevitable dry spell that was just around the corner. Seems to me there should be native grasses that would do better than this. Of course I could be completely wrong... My point is that golf course design in North America has often created synthetic environments that alienate the golfer from the native terrain and turf. Which gets me back to trees... To my way of thinking, that trees should come into play during a round of golf seems an unfortunate departure from the original way the game was conceived. Once you play a bit of links golf you realize that the game was originally meant to be played by running the ball along the ground. Like curling, that other Scottish obsession, the game represents an attempt to control the way the ball (stone) interacts with the course (ice). In the first 100 years or so of golf in North America we have tried to take this element out of the game by making sure that the ground remains soft, that the grass is as green and lush as possible, and that there are as many strategically placed trees as possible to get in the way of our drives and approach shots. On the other hand, trees are an important part of the native landscape in many parts of North America, so I would be contradicting myself if I said they should not be part of a "natural" layout in eastern North American. I am not advocating the "denuding" of the landscape in order to create a pseudo links-like environment. But trees should remain strictly in the background as far as I am concerned. Thankfully, this seems to be the way golf course design has been moving for the last 15 years or so. From Golf Stories at Internetgolfreview.com Visit the article section at Internetgolfreview.com for more golf stories, articles and golf travel features. Rick Hendershot is a writer, avid golfer creator of the Linknet Publishing Network. For online advertising opportunities, visit Linknet advertising options.
MORE RESOURCES:
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Play Exclusive Las Vegas Golf Courses - The Not-So-Secret Secret Experience the luxury of tour-class caddies. Play the private golf courses that celebrities and touring pros play. Golf Lessons From A Beginning Golfer? Would you rather hear what you need to learn from someone who is already an accomplished golfer? Would a few hours with Jack Nicholas REALLY help your game? "Just do what I do, it's easy!" Or would you rather learn from a beginner, who understands the struggles, the small improvements and remembers those early changes that lead to greater success?It almost makes sense, doesn't it? The best coaches are often mediocre players, and the worst coaches were stars, who had everything come easy to them. Natural ability is hard to teach to others! As a beginning golfer, I have noticed some dramatic improvements, though, and wanted to pass them along to other beginning golfers. Why Tiger Woods Golf Swing Technique Is So Effective Golf sensation Tiger Woods' golf swing technique has been the subject of many interesting studies.One thing that has come out very clearly from this leading golfer's style and his golf swing technique is his amazing flexibility and high fitness level which have contribute tremendously to his golf career. The Impact of Golf Specific Exercise Golf specific exercises are part and parcel of the modern day golf game. Yet many people associate golf specific exercises with exercises used in other sports and by other athletes involved in more rigorous sporting activities. Benefits of A Golf Fitness Stretch Trainer Hardly any professional worth his name today will dare approach their game without a golf fitness stretch trainer of sorts.The game of golf has changed tremendously in recent times. Improve Your Golf Game Using the Unlimited Power of Your Imagination Today, it seems, that many people are all too familiar with what they can't do. We need to spend more time and thought on what we CAN do. Golf Schools Require Golf Fitness Are you planning on attending a golf school on your next golf vacation? Don't expect to kick your feet up, relax with a cold beer and nap every couple of hours. Furthermore, don't expect to enjoy your learning experience unless you prepare yourself physically. Perform Better Golf Right In Your Home To perform better golf, you need to take a different approach. I have seen and heard time after time how much money golfers will spend in hopes to perform better golf. A Golf Fitness Coach Equals Great Golf Golf fitness coach. Have you ever considered one?and if so, what exactly were you looking for? There are many 'general fitness' trainers trying to get a piece of the golf fitness and training market that seems to be rapidly gaining exposure both on the television and in print thanks to Tiger, Vijay and Annika. Quick Golf Tips for Restoring Muscle Imbalances As a golf biomechanic, my focus is on looking for areas of poor flexibility and muscle imbalances which effect the mechanics of the golf swing and create opportunities for the body to break down in injury. Each of these situations presents possibilities for improvement in your swing as well as keeping the body in an injury free state. Dramatic Effect Of A Stretching Exercise For Golf A stretching exercise for golf is capable of revolutionizing the quality of any individuals' game. In fact there is no single genuine golf exercise program that does not include stretching exercises. Golf Shots Versus Golf Swings - You Need Shots On The Course! Why do so many golfers hit a shot and immediately realize they messed up?There are two parts to a golf shot.Part one is planning. Golf Club Componets: Playing Golf The Lego Set Way To understand how to buy golf club components, you first need to know how these parts work and what they are in the first place. So let's begin in this way. Golf Instruction Is Only Part Of The Equation Golf instruction is critical in understanding the mechanics of the golf swing. I am a firm believer in golf instruction. Natural Golf Tips Golf tips are often welcomed by the most avid of golfers. This article will suggest some natural golf tips. Golf Industry Insights The time and effort for due diligence prior to the launch of Prescription Putting has provided a number of insights to the golf industry. The following are some of the things that we learned and ones that help shape what we do here at Prescription Putting. Training For Golf Combines Technical, Physical, Mechanical and Tactical When most golfers think of the elements of the game upon which they want to improve, the vast majority think in terms of either technical elements or think about outcome. "I want to make more putts. Sit Up Straight! It Will Help Your Game What does it take to reproduce the perfect golf swing? Precise coordination of muscle contraction and relaxation, muscle balance and body awareness are all required to recreate a good swing. A prerequisite to these necessary components is good posture. Golf Secrets To Dramatically Improve Your Game Every amateur golfer is constantly looking for golf secrets to dramatically improve their game. Yet they are not very easy to come by. Charity Golf Tournaments If you are involved with a non-profit organization, chances are you have been approached by people who specialize in hosting charity golf tournaments. Charity golf tournaments are extremely popular ways for people to raise money.
|
| home | site map | Sponsored by GreatGolfGizmos.com - Click Here to Shop for Great Golf Gizmos |
| © 2006 |
