Golf Skins Game

In golf, a skins game has players competing for prize money on each individual hole. There is an annual skins game for male professional golfers that takes place near the end of the year after the end of the official PGA Tour season. It is recognized by the PGA Tour, but it does not count towards the official money list. It is currently played at La Quinta Golf Course in La Quinta, California.

The Skins Game differs from most PGA tour golf tournaments for several reasons. First, only four golfers are invited to the tournament and the golfers play to win individual holes or “skins” in a match play format.

Each hole is assigned a different monetary value and the golfer who has the lowest score on the hole wins the money for that hole. In the event that two or more golfers tie (which is called “halving) on a hole, the skin money carries over to the next hole. If two or more golfers would happen to halve the final hole, a playoff begins until one golfer wins the hole outright.

The Skins Game has a long tradition for being highly competitive, but also very fun both to play and to watch. In 2001, the player winning a hole outright had to tie or win the next hole to collect his skins from the previous hole. This was very tough to do. Greg Norman was the only golfer that could back up his win on the previous hole. He won the 17th and tied for low on the 18th to collect $800,000 which was the largest skin ever collected for one hole. He would go on to win $200,000 in a playoff to win the entire $1 million dollar prize money.

In the 2004 Skins Game, the first six holes were worth $25,000 a piece. Holes 7 through 12 were worth $50,000 each. 13 through 17 were valued at $70,000 a pop, and the 18th hole – known as the Super Skin – carried a value of $200,000.

Fred Couples is given the nickname of “Mr. Skins” because of his dominance in the Skins Game. He has won $3,515,000 and 77 skins in 11 appearances. He has won five of the Skins Games overall.

You can conduct your own skins game when playing golf. Of course, your holes won’t be valued quite as high as the pros are, but you can sure have a blast as you compete to see who can become your own club’s “Mr” or “Ms” Skins.

Written by Golfswing Analyze on November 24th, 2008 with no comments.
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Jobs in the Golf Industry

There are many job possibilities for you to find in the golf industry. If you have a love of golf and want to work closely with the industry, it’s easy to find a job that involves golf every single day. For some people, working in the golf industry is a dream job. What kinds of positions are available?

* Club Pro – this golf job requires that you are a very good golfer with consistently high scores. Usually a golf pro job is held by someone who has been to golf teaching school and is a member of various professional organizations.
* Greenskeeper – some people this is the most important golf job at a golf course. A greenskeeper is responsible for taking care of the greens (obviously). This person must have a knowledge of chemicals and know how to apply them so that the greens are lush and – well – green. The greenskeeper is also responsible for mowing the greens and taking care of the fringe.
* Course manager – this job can be one of the most intense jobs at a golf club. This individual is responsible for directing and overseeing all operations of the golf course including management of personnel.
* Golf shop staff – the people with this job assists and registers customers for play. They oversee merchandise control, take money for greens fees, and often assist with running of tournaments.
* Starter – The starter maintains the starting times and tee sheet, and ensures that golfers get off the first tee in a prompt and orderly manner. This job is crucial in keeping the tee times on time. The starter also helps golfers find a game if they are by themselves. The starter is an important part of making sure customers will have a pleasant golfing experience.
* Equipment mechanic – Golf courses use many different types of hand tools, cutting devices and motorized vehicles. This mechanic’s job would be responsible for keeping everything in working order is crucial to the facility’s smooth operation.
* Golf course maintenance – People most suited to work on the golf course maintenance team are those especially fond of nature and working with the land. This position usually reports early in the morning and is off work by 2:00 or 3:00 pm. This outside position could be responsible for cutting grass, irrigation, sodding, trimming, applying fertilizer and pesticides and much more.

Having a job where you work at a golf course is a great way to get out on the links as an insider at the golf club. When you pursue a job at a golf course, be sure you are qualified and then enjoy your new position!

Written by Golfswing Analyze on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
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Golf Training Aids

There are literally hundreds and hundreds of different golf training aids on the market these days. Golfers will spend hundreds of dollars on the latest golf gadgets in hopes for a better golf game. Do these golf training aids work the way they are advertised? Perhaps.

There are more golf swing training aids now than ever before. They are rampant and golfers chomp at the bit when a new one comes out. The only problem is are they effective at curing your swing fault. Here are a couple of golf swing training aids:

* The Medicus Golf Club is a swing trainer that is specific to many swing faults and can give you immediate feedback. It has been around for a very long time and has been endorsed by Davis Love III for many years.

* Golf swing plane training aids can specifically help you get a feel for the proper swing plane for your body size. These also have stood the test of time and are used on many driving ranges as a teaching tool.

Putting is no doubt one of the most important parts of the golf game. That’s why another essential golf training aid that will benefit your golf game is some type of putting trainer. There certainly many to choose from, but pick one that specifically addresses your putting flaws.

* A putting track is a great golf training aid. This contraption helps keep your putter in a straight motion and really can improve your putting skills by giving stability to your putting stroke.

* Many people have seen golf putting mats, and they can be good training aids for your putting game. These are just mats – usually made of astro turf with holes or cups at the end that simulate a putting green. The golf putting mat is a great way to work on your putting game in the cold months when you can’t get on the course!

Finally, you may want to use a golf training aid to improve your golf swing speed. There are also many of these out on the market, but keep in mind that swing speed isn’t everything. A good, effective golf stroke is smooth and calculated and doesn’t necessarily depend wholly on the speed of your stroke so much as your form and strength.

There are many, many golf training aids available to help what’s ailing in your golf game. Some of them really do help, but others prove ultimately to be a waste of money as well as time when using them. Do some research on golf training aids and choose wisely. Then, hopefully, watch your golf game improve!

Written by Golfswing Analyze on November 6th, 2008 with no comments.
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