Golf Tenerife

AYMERICH Golf Club invites everyone with a handicap to participate  in a stableford competition at

GOLF DEL SUR  in conjunction with HARRYS BAR (LOS CRISTIANOS) TOURNAMENT

19TH OF SEPTEMBER

SHOT- GUN at 9 a.m.

STABLEFORD INDIVIDUAL

3 CATEGORIES (0-11,4 / 11,5-18,4 / 18,5-26,4)

PRIZES FOR THE 1st AND 2nd of each category

RAFFLE SPECIAL PRIZES FOR HOLE IN ONE !!!

PRICE : GREEN-FEE + BUFFET

Platinum Members………………………………25 EUROS

Corporate Members……………………………..40 EUROS

Vacational Members…………………………….40 EUROS

Guests………………………………………………45 EUROS

Contact :-

Golf del Sur

Urb. Golf del Sur – Galván Bello – 38639 San Miguel de Abona – Tenerife Tfno: 922 738 170

We set out from Golf Del Sur towards Abama Golf Course myself  Sir Old Golfer and Gary both single figure handicap golfers full of expectations as we had just been quoted 400 Euros for two players for a day ticket including a buggy at Abama Golf, Tenerife but both being Celts we decided to go anyway and beat them down on the price in a face to face situation as no Golf Course was worth that price, their will de a deal to be done.

We hit the TF1 and headed west to the end of the motorway then took the road towards los Gigantes passing Callao and then about 5km’s further along the road it hit us “The Pink Palace,” no not a place where gays hang out, but the beautiful Abama Hotel and Golf resort the sun was shining and it just shone against the ocean background. What a day we had picked it was 27 deg with no wind and low humidity. Game on, Gary boy !

Turning the car up the slip road into the hotel grounds we came to a roundabout,turn left to the hotel and turn right up to the Golf course,academy and clubhouse.We drove into the clubhouse car park around 10.30am to be met by a charming girl with a name badge with Nicola on it. Good morning gents she said in perfect English will you be golfing with us today, “we may be” was our answer thinking we better get the price sorted out first.”I am Nicola and I am the caddy master,welcome to Abama Golf, are your clubs in the car ?” I will arrange for them to be transferred to your buggy, at this Gary was hooked and handed over his beloved car keys, he looks twice at me when I ask for them. Nicola then showed us down to the reception area where two girls in matching uniforms were dealing with a German couple one broke away and greeted us in English “can I help you, sir” We looked at each other and decided there was going to be no discount here, “two green fees please” Gary said and the bullet was bitten.Certainly Sir that will be 400 Euros and do you need any balls ect.

After a slight moaning about parting with all that money, we headed back upstairs and on the hall met an old friend of mine Mark Pursey who nowadays happened to be the head teaching pro at the resort, so we three went for a coffee in the beautiful terrace bar overlooking the course. Mark then explained the set up about the academy and the course so we had a much better idea of how things worked.

Finishing our coffee we went with Mark outside, and as he had no lessons for an hour,he took us up to the academy and driving range where we could hit a few balls before teeing off. The academy is on the highest part of the estate and we needed a buggy to get up to it. It has a five hectare practice area that includes three par holes for beginners and a superb putting green, many wont bother driving up but its well worth the run and its free.From the top the views over the Hotel and the ocean are nothing more than spectacular. This amazing golf course reaches a low point of 78 metres above sea level and reaches a staggering high point of 315 metres.Half a basket later and warmed up we headed down to the first tee, Mark decided to come down with us and play 3 holes before his lesson, we agreed and set of in our new buggy.I must say a bit about the buggy which was pre loaded with our clubs, thanks Nicola, also on board they had water in an ice cooler,4 bananas Abama face cloths and pitch repair markersand tees, all which I still have as a souvenir of the day and also a divot repair earth vessel. At almost every Tee they had free water and Bananas just part of the service.

Tee No1.as we were all good golfers we decided to play from the back white markers, but they have 4 sets of tees for all abilities, and if your Golf is not to a good standard don’t come to the whites, you will enjoy the course much better off the yellows as it a championship course and is set up as one, some of the fairways looked narrow and a bit daunting from the back tee.The course is a highly competitive 6,232 metres long par 72, and is set in the most natural surroundings.There are 22 lakes along the course joined by impressive waterfalls and white sand bunkers you travel between hundreds of palm trees and cacti and more then 300 species of sub-tropical plants and lush vegetation. Visible from most holes are spectacular views of the Atlantic ocean and the island of Gomera.The large greens provide an infinite choice of flag positions, which combined with the wide tee areas at each hole, makes it accessible to players with high handicaps, and a challenge for any professional player.

After our round we went to the bar and had beer and then decided to do it all again,so we went back round another 18 giving us 36 holes for the day.By this time the 400 Euros was long forgotten, we played 2 rounds with a buggy and we thought it was great value for money and will be going back as a wee treat once a year if Wifie lets me.

The Abama  Website

Do you struggle to find your target consistently yet your ball striking and distances are good? You are more than likely not aiming correctly. Here is a simple tip to help you improve your alignment and ultimately your accuracy on the tee box:

1. Before teeing up your ball, stand behind the tee markers and find your target.

2. Once you have decided on a target, find a smaller target on the ground one metre in front of where you are going to tee it up. This small target can be anything from a leaf to a different colour piece of grass or even a previous divot. This must be in the same line as your target.

3. Take aim at the smaller target in front of you and this will automatically aim you at your desired target further away.

If your accuracy was previously offline, you may find this method slightly unusual the first couple of times. However, you will find yourself hitting your target more often and your scores will improve.

The golf pro Prayer

The Pro is my Shepherd,

I shall not Slice.

He maketh me to Drive Straight

Down Green Fairways;

He leadeth me Safely

across Still Water-Hazards;

He restoreth my Approach Shots.

He Leadeth me in the Paths of

Accuracy for my Game’s Sake.

Yea, though I chip through the Roughs

in the shadows of Sand Traps,

For his Advice is with me;

His Putter and Irons,

they confort me.

He prepareth my Strategy for me

in the presence of mine Opponents;

He anointeth my head with Confidence:

The Cup will not be runneth over!

Surely Birdies and Eagles shall follow

me all the Rounds of my Life,

And I will score in the Low Eighties

Amen

This Video says it all about Golf Clubs and Members

RUBINA

(Extensive menu to suit all tastes, warm friendly atmosphere and loved by locals).

This restaurant has been on my list for a little while and as our friends have visitors this week we decided to try it just the two of us.

We were met at the door by Mo the Lebanese owner who is a first class host, you feel as if you have known him forever after just a few minutes. His English is faultless and he also speaks 5 other languages so this guy is no dummy.

We sat inside, in case it turned cool and it is very tiny, 6 tables each set for two people. Nicely decorated – typical Spanish style. There is no fast food in this place, just a tiny open kitchen where you can watch everything being made from scratch, so be prepared for a little wait. There were several tables taken outside and while we were there 4 people came for take-away pizzas. The menu was extensive but based around tourist tastes rather than anything Middle Eastern as he feels it might be a step too far for the majority of clients.

I had the ‘devil’s on horseback’ starter the dates were lovely and fresh as were the walnuts, OH had prawns in garlic oil. Neither were huge portions but big enough and certainly very tasty. For main course Mo recommended the fillet steak which he gets from Argentina. This comes in several forms all around €16.50 – €17.50. OH had this, cooked with onions and honey and served with mixed vegetables and sliced fried potatoes. I opted for the house special which was strips of chicken cooked in ginger, served with sliced potatoes and half a red pepper filled with a honey and ginger sauce. Having sampled OHs I can honestly say they were both delicious.

Mo the owner of Rubina – named after his wife.

They don’t have a large selection of puddings, mainly ice creams plus one main dish of the day, today it was a type of tart with caramel however because the main course was quite large we had no room for dessert. We had four drinks, plus a café con leche and a baraquito and the bill was (including tip) €51.00 While not the cheapest around it was very good value for money and I will certainly go back.

My only criticism is that OH would have liked some bread to mop up the garlic oil from his starter although it was only afterwards we realised it was an extra on the menu and had to be ordered.

If you are planning to visit it is easy to find, just up from the Aguamar Hotel and on the roundabout opposite the Language School in Los Cristianos and if you want to sit indoors it is best to book

The fabulous  Hotel  Jardin Tropical : Adeje are holding their 15th annual Golf tournament at the world class championship golf course of Abama here in Tenerife on the 6th of June 2009. There will be 3 prize categories for men and 2 for women, there is also a scratch prize and one for the best senior along with a car for a hole in one on a designated hole.

So if you have a Spanish Federation handicap and 86 Euros you can enter by calling the hotel’s Golf lounge on Tel : 0034 922 746 001

I will be playing at the event and I am looking forward to a great day out. Pictures and full report will follow…

You can have a good meal at any time of the day or evening at Restaurante Europa, on the corner of the pink building across the street from the entrance to the Botanical Gardens in Puerto de la Cruz.

With comfortable indoor and outdoor seating, this restaurant opens at 10 am and closes at 11 pm, so you can spend a leisurely time visiting the gardens and still cross the road for a meal afterward without wondering about closing time.

There is a menu of the day as well as pizzas and a varied choice from the à la carte menu.

Some sample dishes with prices: Solomillo à la pimienta (pepper steak) €13.50; Pork filet medallions with herb butter €11.50; Prawn cocktail €8.50; Pork chop, salad & chips €8.75; Mixed salads €5.75 to €7.52;

Spaghetti carbonara €7.50; Tortellini gorgonzola €7.50; Roast chicken & chips €6.75; Pizzas from €6.15 to €8.25; Papas arrugadas & mojo €4.00; Local fish with papas & mojo €9.00; Desserts, mousse and ice creams €3.00 to €3.50;

1 bottle Dorada beer €1.50; 1 glass wine €1.25; 1 cafe cortado €.75.

The pork medallions with herb butter and sautéed vegetables is delicious but my favourite dish is the tortellini in gorgonzola sauce.

Open every day including Sundays 10:00 to 23:00h.

Address: Calle Retama No.3, La Paz, Puerto de la Cruz

Telephone: 922 371 524

Recommended for casual dining.

Canarybird…..Visit My Website

CALENDARIO DE ACTIVIDADES 2009

JUNIO

06/06/2009 MATCH AMIGOLF

20/06/2009 III TORNEO CIRCUITO AYMERICH GOLF CLUB.

27/06/2009 TORNEO MUSICANARIAS.

27/06/2009 IV TORNEO ORDEN DE MERITO AMIGOLF.(Carpa y Comida).

JULIO

11 y 12 julio PUNTUABLE DE VERANO.

18/7/2009 III CIRCUITO ASOCIACION DE CAMPOS DE TENERIFE.

25/07/2009 IV TORNEO CIRCUITO AYMERICH GOLF CLUB.

26/07/2009 INTERCLUB.

AGOSTO

29/08/2009 V TORNEO CIRCUITO AYMERICH GOLF CLUB.

SEPTIEMBRE

12/09/2009 VI TORNEO CIRCUITO AYMERICH GOLF CLUB.

24/09/2009 CHALLENGE-09.

OCTUBRE

03/10/2009 VII TORNEO CIRCUITO AYMERICH GOLF CLUB.

10/10/2009 TORENO AETSAMI.

31/10/2009 VIII TORNEO CIRCUITO AYMERICH GOLF CLUB.

NOVIEMBRE

14/11/2009 VII TORNEO ORDEN DE MERITO AMIGOLF.

DICIEMBRE

07/12/2009 FINAL SOTAPAR

12/12/2009 VIII TORNEO ORDEN DE MERITO AMIGOLF.

19/12/2009 TORNEO NAVIDAD.

If you like going to simple typical restaurantes, which serve meat and chicken from the grill (carne a la brasa),

Canary soups such as rancho Canario, lentil potaje and chickpea stew (garbanzos) then you will probably enjoy a visit to Los Asadores.

This restaurant has been open since 1972 and I can remember when we used to sit on long wooden benches to be able to have some of their crispy grilled chicken, local wine, bread and chips.

But now there are tables and chairs it continues to be popular with locals and visitors alike.

There are usually no menu cards to be seen.

The waiter will tell you what they are serving that day, and so I have not included prices here but you can be sure they are reasonable.

More Canary dishes offered there: chicken and mojo, roast pork (asado de cerdo), lentil potaje, chicken livers, ribs in sauce, salad, fresh bread, frangollo (raisin pudding), leche asada (milk & egg pudding), rice pudding.

Los Asadores is located on the main road from Las Arenas down to Puerto de la Cruz at Carretera General de Las Arenas, 98.

You will find a convenient parking lot just below the restaurant, as well as a few places right outside the door.

If you are driving up the hill from Puerto de la Cruz it is on the right hand side, and the adjoining parking lot is just before the restaurant.

Open every day from 12 noon to 11 pm.

Telephone: 922 385 184 Their website with map.

My recommendation: This is one of those typical Canary restaurantes to visit for good, simple local dishes and Canary style grilled meat or chicken.

Canarybird…..My Website

Just some nice pictures of this little Gem

Los Palos’ Golf Tenerife Center is a par 27, nine hole course in the South of the  Island , five minutes from Playa de la Américas and Los Cristianos 

The III Circuito de Golf Tenerife-La Gomera your chance to play in competition at all the courses in Tenerife and La Gomera.

Here is a great Video from the Circuito from last year..

Just one thing, you need a Spanish Federation Golf licence 

It tees off on :-

30th May- Golf Las Américas 

13th June – Tecina Golf, La Gomera

4th July – Buenavista Golf

18th July – Golf del Sur

1st August – Golf Costa Adeje

22nd August – Abama Golf

19th September at Amarilla Golf.

Here are the full details and prices, its a stapleford full handicap competition. I will be in attendance at some events but cannot make them all this year…

Amarilla Golf Club  is keen to add new local members both of men and women between now and the end of the year. The only proviso is that you need to join either on June 1 or on July 1 and pay the subscription up front which will cover you for the rest of the year.

To take advantage of their offer, you don’t need to have a handicap  – they can organise that for you and you don’t have to be an experienced golfer.  If you want to join from June 1, you pay 1,400 Euros which will cover you to the end of the year. If you join from July 1, the amount will be 1,200 Euros this is for unlimited golf on the course. . You also get discount in the bar and the pro shop and a guest discount on their green fee.

They also do a twilight  card for residents allowing you to  play 18 holes for 20 Euro any day after 3pm. This makes a lot of sense to me as all the courses are empty at this time of day, only thing I don’t seem understand is that they don’t seem to advertise their offers !

All you need is an NIE number to get the card.

I have added a new Rules section on the right hand side side panel, the reason for this is that many of us are breaching the Rules and don’t even know it. This section is written by Barry Rhodes an authority on” The rules” and one of the few people I have found that can interpret the rules in a form that we all can understand.

So thank you Barry for letting me stream “the Rules” and I hope it helps me and others with our enjoyment of the game.

Barry’s has written a book  entitled 999 Questions on Rules of Golf and it is available from his web site

The wonderful Club House

View from the 18th green

Some More Views

This is Lucas he wanders around the course, Nice touch

Many of you may not know it, but I have been very busy  over the last 2
years putting my thoughts and ideas together in a  book. I am very proud of the results and to assist with the marketing, I am asking friends and family to help me out.

I believe my new book on golf gives the reader valuable playing tips and
insider information that I have gained through my years of struggle and
experience. I’m hopeful you find this a useful tool to help you enjoy your
game that much more as you enjoy the great outdoors.

Chapter 1 – How to Properly Line Up Your Fourth Putt.

Chapter 2 – How to Hit a Nike from the Rough, when you Hit a Titleist from
the tee.

Chapter 3 – How to Avoid the Water When You Lie 8 in a bunker.

Chapter 4 – How to Get More Distance off the Shank.

Chapter 5 – When to Give the Ranger the Finger.

Chapter 6 – Using Your Shadow on the Greens to Maximize Earnings.

Chapter 7 – When to Implement Handicap Management.

Chapter 8 – Proper Excuses for Drinking Beer Before 9:00 a.m.

Chapter 9 – How to Rationalize a 6 Hour Round.

Chapter 10- When Does A Divot become classified as Sod.

Chapter 11 – How to Find That Ball That Everyone Else Saw Go in the water.

Chapter 12 – Why your Spouse Doesn’t Care That You Birdied the 5th..

Chapter 13- Using Curse words Creatively to Control  Ball Flight.

Chapter 14-When to Let a Foursome Play through Your Twosome.

Chapter 15 – How to Relax When You Are Hitting five off the Tee.

Chapter 16 – When to Suggest Major Swing Corrections to Your Opponent.

Chapter 17 – God and the Meaning of the Birdie-to-Bogey Three Putt.

Chapter 18 – When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever.

Chapter 19- Throwing Your Clubs: An Effective  stress-Reduction Technique.

Chapter 20 – Can You Purchase a Better Golf Game?

Chapter 21-Why you always get that 30 foot putt… For an 8  ?

Thanking you in advance for your order.

When the old golfer died, Peter met him at the gates of heaven.
"Sorry, old man," Peter said, "But I can't let you in. You see
the big book here says you committed one unpardonable sin back
in 1978 -- You took the Lord's name in vain during a golf game." 

"Oh, yes. I'll never forget that one, and I'm terribly sorry
Peter, but I can explain...", the old golfer blithered. 

"Well," said Peter, "You'll have to take it up with The Big Guy." 

So Peter led the old golfer down a long golden hallway, to God's
office. "We've got another code 6 here, sir! Says he can explain..." 

"So," booms God, "You've been taking my name in vain." 

"Only once, your Almighty, Sir. But I can explain!" 

"OK. Try me, " replied the Lord. 

"Well you see sir, I was playing my best game of golf ever, and
I made it to the 18th hole, and I'd win the tournament if I could
just make par on this hole. I made my shot from the tee, and it
was sailing beautifully, when suddenly the wind shifted, and took
my ball off into the woods, and right behind this enormous oak tree..." 

"And that's when you took my name in vain?" 

"Oh, no, sir! I just took out my 6 iron and knocked that ball
clear out of the woods with one swing! It was gliding beautifully
toward the green, when suddenly it lost speed, and dropped into
a sand trap, right smack in the middle of a deep hole..." 

"So, that is when you took my name in vain?" 

"No, not then. I just took out my nine, and with one swing, drove
that ball right onto the green, and it rolled within two inches
of the hole..." 

"Don't tell me you missed a goddamn two inch putt!"

Its so nice to see in this economic climate a family with an eye on expansion and that’s what the Smith family, Paul, Bill and Muriel the very successful owners of Tenerife’s longest established Golf tour company, Going-Golfing.com have embarked on by becoming the new proud owners of Tenerife’s long established British owned Golf shop in La Chafiras. Seen by almost everyone  coming from the airport on the tf1 on the left hand side upstairs and very well established in its own right.

I spoke with the new owners about their future plans for the Golf shop and they see it linking well with their existing business due to the fact they have clients coming from all over Europe so as well as booking their tee times and hotel accommodation they can now offer deals on shoes, clubs,bags and all things golf related right down to tee’s. As for the local golfers they hope with the range of stock they will be carrying and the discounts they are offering it wont be long till The Golf shop becomes their first stop for golf products. They also hope to forge links with all the local golf society’s  and have already made inroads into that by issuing prize vouchers for their competitions.

The family have set about the shop with some gusto, when I went in I hardly recognised the place, it looks so much bigger and brighter. Bill tells me they are not stopping there, they plan to take a wall down and open up a practice/trial net area to allow customers to get a feel for the clubs before purchase. They are carrying more stock in all departments and are busy on the phone with all major suppliers to arrange to carry even more product ranges in the club, shoe,golf bags, clothing ( both for Ladies and Gents) and accessory departments. Paul says” if we don’t have it in stock, I will try my best to get it for you. “ You get the feeling just talking with him, this man means business .

Paul is the main man in the shop, with his considerable  golf experience and customer service dealing for years with golfers from all over the world,he is well placed to know the needs of golfers. He plans to stock all the top named brands in golf for clubs, Putters.wedges, golf bags, shoes and clothing  like Callaway, Taylor-Made, Adidas, Cleveland, Ping, Titleist, Nike, Mizuno,Foot Joy, Ashworth and Cobra.  Mum Muriel is helping out on the Ladies side of the shop in both the latest in clothing,shoes,gloves and in clubs for the fairer sex.

In the shop at the moment they have reduced a large number of products to make way for all the new stock that has been ordered. Some wonderful bargains on the clothing side to be had like Lady’s Callaway shoes that were 90 Euro’s they have been reduced to only 25 Euro and gents shorts from Calloway from 50 Euro to only 24.99Euro.

On the club side they have reduced all Odyssey Putters by 30% and Calloway wedges also have 30% off. If your new to golf they have a Full set of clubs (irons,woods and putter), bag and shoes, Paul says he will also throw in balls and tees, everything you need to get started for only 300 Euro.

They also have a Club repair workshop in-house where an experienced man is on hand to repair clubs, re-new grips, lengthen or shorten clubs they will even replace or renew shafts.They have in stock a large range of both club and putter grips and are running a special on re-gripping for only 4 Euro’s per club. Paul himself is very keen to learn this art and plans to go on a manufacturers course himself back in the UK as soon as possible.

Add to what’s already been mentioned Gloves by all the top manufacturers,tees all shapes and sizes, Soft spikes for your shoes, Carry bags for the aircraft,Trolleys and probably a lot more that I have failed to mention and you get an idea that the Smith’s mean business in this New Golf shop and will go out their way to help you the customer in any way they can, giving you a good deal along the way.

The Opening hours of the shop are 

Monday-Friday : – 9am-6pm

Saturday  :- 9am-2pm on

Their telephone number is 922-735129 Fax 922 735098

and you can Email them at thegolfshop@hotmail.com

Spring Hotels,  who are a major chain of 4* Hotels throughout Tenerife held their 2nd annual golf tournament at Golf Del Sur golf course on  Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd of May 2009 attracting some 110 competitors, both men and women, of all handicap levels from all over the Island of Tenerife and beyond. Both my Wife and I had the pleasure in playing both days in this most prestigious event.

No hurry guys its a nice day !

On arrival at Golf Del Sur we were met at the reception area by representatives of Spring hotels where we registered and were each  given from the sponsors  a lovely “goodie” bag containing a hat, pen, soaps, T-shirt and golf balls .

We were then given our buggy keys and score cards, all the hard work on them had already done for us,  by working out how many shots each competitor got by handicap, thanks to the Golf Del Sur staff.

The Sun was shining for this competition

The format on Day 1 was a pairs competition, the better ball format was used,whereby both players play and the best score at each hole using the stableford scoring system was used. This brought in some great scoring with one pair managing some 48 points.

Day 2 was for the Canada cup an individual stableford event.

The scoring system  for day two was  individual and the scores for each pair were counted then added to the first days score. Both days we were given super hospitality at the 9th hole which was appreciated by all competitors I am sure.

Hospitality was supplied at the 9th hole

To round off two great days of golf, fellowship and fun there was a cocktail party and prize giving on the final day.The prizes were some of the best I have ever seen at any event. Spring Hotels had organised from various sponsors a variety of prizes including overseas trips, plane tickets, All-inclusive hotel stays,  ferry tickets, blackberry phones, Large ham, Montblanc gifts,and many cases of wine.

The Course was in great order

How did we do ? Well as I had a bad back I did not so well, but my Wife came 4th overall so she won one of the two night stays at the Costa Los  Gigantes Spa and resort hotel and a beautiful trophy, which I may add put all my trophies to shame. So well done her, and as her prize was for two I will be going to Los Gigantes with her. I am looking forward to my visit as the facilities look first class and I have heard the food is great.

They had a fantastic raffle in which some of the top prizes were included, having watched it I think its fair to say most couples won something . To make matters worse my wife also won a case of wine in the raffle afterwards, me I won nothing ! … But I for one, god willing,  will be entering this fine competition again next year…

April 3rd and 4th 2009 saw the start of the inaugural Ryder Copa,the idea behind it was to bring together the two separate clubs within the Golf Del Sur golf course for a bit of fun but competitive golf and fellowship, with the UK and Ireland playing Spain. The squad from each team was made up of 24 members from The UK & Ireland,that being the members club at Golf Del Sur against 24 members from the Spanish Team Amigolf also from Golf Del Sur.

The Format

The tournament was played over two days at Golf Del Sur golf course .On day one the weather started off nice but became a bit cooler and overcast but by the mid afternoon the weather brightened up into a nice evening. Day two saw a much more windier  day but the sun shone for the duration.

Day one in the morning was the 2 ball better ball match play with 12 players from each side playing in four balls and in the afternoon we had foursomes match play again with 12 players from each team. Giving a total of 48 players on day one

The results

Day one

Morning session : 8.34 tee off  was the “ball better ball match play” with some 24 competitors taking part,they went out in 4 balls 2 from each team over 6 groups.I was given the honour of hitting the very first ball on the first day of the first ever Tenerife Ryder Copa an honour I readily  wont forget.The score when we went in for lunch was 3.5 to Europe and 2.5 to Spain.

Afternoon session: 14.26 tee off was the foursomes match play with another 24 taking place 12 from each side.

“In a foursome match , two play against two and each side plays one ball. In a foursome during any stipulated round, the partners play alternately from the teeing grounds and alternately during the play of each hole” .

Many had never played this format and it proved a lot of fun and some head scratching by all involved. The score after this section was 3 to Europe to 3 to Spain.

The day overall score was Europe 6.5 to Spain’s 5.5, so not much in it going on to the next day both sides had it all to play for.

What I particularly liked about the whole competition was the difference in skill levels from a low 5 handicap player to the highest handicap player of 24 and the age difference, we had a young lad of just 16 years old playing on the Saturday and also a more mature competitor of some 78 years old,  all of whom gave their all for their respective teams and in no way let their side down.

Day two

The Singles: 09.30 tee off. The Saturday seen the all important singles matches in which every 0.5 point counted , all the competitors knew that, for their respective team to win they would have to try their best half or win their game.

We played in four balls to allow us to get all 24 singles matches finished in time and to get  the results correlated to allow time for a late presentation lunch at 4pm.

The first game with no one in front raced round in just under 4 hours but as the competition got closer and fiercer  some groups took just over 5 hours to finish.

With about half the singles matches finished the score stood at 6.5 to Spain and 7.00 to Europe, remember Europe had a  1 point win to carry forward from yesterday,  it was imperative the players still out on the course held their nerve and their lead or if down tried their hardest to pull something out the hat for the sake of their respective teams.

With only 4 games out on the course it could go either way, what more could you ask for, a nail biting finish, in this the first time the event has been played.

The Result

In the end victory came Europe’s way wining by just 1 point over their Spanish rivals, the final score being Europe 18.5 points to Spain’s 17.5 points every competitor gave their best and it could be seen by the jubilation and relief on the faces of some whilst others seemed a bit down but all agreed the two days had been the best many have had in their long or short golfing career.

Game over now Lunch and the presentation

Win or loose almost all the competitors came to the lunch which was hosted at Golf Del Sur in their marvellous dining room,with all the tables set out in an almost Royal form and with wine on them and free beer for all. It was a buffet style meal with a large indoor BBQ on which they had Pork , Lamb and Chicken also a large salad table with all the accompaniments’ followed by a sweet table and cheese with coffee, all even the most hungry and thirsty golfer could handle.

We all  sat down round the dinner table and enjoyed a meal and a drink together, whither we could speak each others language or not, we all got on well and played to the spirit of friendship and to the rules of golf over the two days. I for one got a lot out of it as I am sure others did too..

I must mention the green staff  who done a wonderful job with the course as over the two days it was in super condition and to all the reception and marshalling staff who all kept the whole thing running smoothly.

Presentation of the Cup.

A welcome speech was given by the Director of Golf Del Sur Snr Nacio Cano Ortiz, a man who helped out with the starters job and I also roped him into being the official photographer as the teams went out and once his starting duties were over he drove round the course taking photo’s of both teams in action,for this we all thank him.

Then a presentation was given by the respective club captains Mr Gwyn Evans and Snr Jose Mi Periquet.

Snr Periquet addressed the audience in Spanish and to the delight of all tried and did a great job of welcoming us all in English, Gwyn replied to him in English with the odd Spanish word but Maca was on hand to translate for both teams.

The Cup was handed over to the victors and both teams posed for team photos. The day then drew to a close with all going their own way with the thoughts in their heads, if only I had done this or that but whatever their thoughts were one thing was for sure they all, god willing, they all want to be in that team next year……

Did you know?
The Ryder Cup trophy is solid gold and weighs 4lbs (1.8kg). It cost £250 in 1927 and measures 17 inches high by 9 inches wide. The figure on top is Abe Mitchell.

Golfing In Tenerife the blog started off some four months ago now, it was started to give me something to do in my spare time, as one can only golf so much, I love it. Golfing in Tenerife has became popular with many coming back time after time, I thought I may not have enough to fill a few pages but find myself involved in the subjects Golf and blogging that now seem never ending.

Sir Old Golfer still a handsome lad

I had never been involved in Blogs, had never really read any, thought they were a bit nerdy, but as I got more into it there are some great Blogs around and some very talented people behind them. Canarybird my restaurant guide writer is one for sure.

I have had some help along the way from other Bloggers, and great advice its been too, with regards SEO and have spent hours trying to learn how to optimise my blog, to this end I see no easy option, but one must improve listings by content and workload. I have never paid or signed up for any “help” but have plodded along, learning as I go and to be honest I have enjoyed every minute although at times it has felt a bit like a lost cause.

So where does Golfing in Tenerife go from here, Why upwards and onwards, I know there’s lots more to write about and I hope you are there to read my stories. This week I am involved in the Spring Hotels  Golf Tournament over two days at Golf Del Sur, Golf Course so I will have a full report on that coming up, just hope I win one of there great prizes……..

Sir Old Golfer

Its been confirmed European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomery and American veteran John Daly will both participate in this year’s Open d’Espana at the PGA Golf de Catalunya course in Girona.

The event, which begins on April 30th, will involve a number of the European Tour’s most recognisable figures. Manuel Angel Jimenez will be taking part in the tournament, as will former Major winner Paul Lawrie. They will be joined by Anders Hansen, Paul McGinley and Gregory Bourdy, as well as a host of other star names.
Montgomerie and Daly needed invites to the competition, but will be welcome additions to the field. John Daly will be playing in his first event since receiving a ban for poor behaviour by PGA Tour officials.

Are you frustrated with your driving at the moment ..

The problem with most people who have trouble driving well off the tee is the fact that they haven’t mastered their swing before using a driver.

Sound like you ?….

If you are having trouble with your driver ,the best way to get back on track is to leave it at home and tee off with a 4-iron instead or a Hybrid.

While you won’t get the same distance initially you will have more room for error and you will have a better chance of hitting the ball a lot straighter.The best idea is to swing your 4-ironor Hybrid in the same manner, as you would do with the 7-iron.

When you have the right control with these clubs you will begin to get more distance and you will be swinging in a slower more controlled manner, of course this won’t happen over night.

Once you move on  to the driver you will realize that you don’t have to ‘hit’ the ball. You will focus more on control with a slower swing and let the club do the work that you might have been expecting your body to do.

So remember this golf driving tips. Sometimes it is faster to take a few steps back to progress sooner.

“Pato Laqueado Pekin” Chinese Restaurant

(The Laquered Peking Duck)

This pleasant little Chinese restaurant is located in the La Paz area of Puerto de a Cruz, at the far end of Calle Aceviño on the ground floor of Edificio Mar y Cumbre. Open seven days a week from 12:00 to 16:00 and 18:00 to 24:00 this restaurant has ample parking outside and attractive cloth-clad tables in the roomy interior.

Prices are reasonable with combo meals for one starting at € 5.95, a menu for six priced at € 60.50 and several choices in a childrens’ menu for € 3.75.

  There is a large à la carte menu as well as take-away service. Examples of à la carte : Chicken chow mein €4.45, Sweet & Sour Pork € 4.65, Chicken with Almonds € 4.65, Sweet & Sour Prawns € 8.35,

Fried Rice Three Delicias € 2.95. Their spring rolls are good and generous in size with a price  € 1.15 each.of onlySpecialty of the house are the eleven different duck dishes, priced from € 10.75 to €11.95.

Topping the list is the ‘Duck Special of the House at € 28.05, which must be ordered in advance.

I was there the other evening with three friends and we ordered the menu combo for three persons, at € 27.50, adding an extra spring roll and dessert for the fourth person, with a bottle of wine (€ 6.25) and a beer (€ 1.50). With tip it worked out to around twelve Euros each for our dinner.

Service was efficient and discreet, with both English and Spanish spoken by the young lady who attended us. I think I will also come here for a takeaway meal on days when we prefer to dine at home since it’s so easy to find a parking space right outside the door.

The location is on the same street as Supermercado 2000 (Spar), around the corner on the right and at the far end, after passing Hotels Masaru, Teidemar, Riu Bonanza and Riu Canarife.

Recommended for a quiet lunch or dinner with good food,  good service and easy parking.

Calle Aceviño s/n Edif Mar y Cumbre, Pto. De la Cruz .

Open every day 12:00 – 16:00 & 18:00 – 24:00

Telephone: (922) 373 489

Canarybird Visit  My Site

 This is normally a Golf only site but I bowed to pressure and accepted this little man…Sorry Purists

His name is Basil and we love him to bits, His mum and dad have went to a concert in Santa Cruz, these dam youngsters, and left us in charge of young Basil….I am coping well but Lady Old Golfer does fuss a bit…

Normally this is a golf only site but for Basil one must make an exception…

Better Photo’s will be posted tomorrow as we go on our jaunts.I promise !

The Golf Clubs of Golf Del Sur, Adeje and Amarilla played in the Inter Club Summer Golf Challenge which started on Tuesday 21st April and of course Golfing in Tenerife was there, I had the privilege of playing with Snr Edwardo Tavio, one of the familly of the owners of the Amarilla Golf Club which I featured Here in an earlier post. Snr Tavio and his partner won their game over me and my partner Mr David Ellwell , but we await the next game where all going well, I will be in better form.

16 competitors from each club are chosen to compete on behalf of their club in a better ball match play competition, they play twice at each course during the summer period. I will be playing for the Golf Del Sur team.
The first of the six matches was played at Golf del Sur,weather was beautiful but in the home teams favour as the wind got up a bit, we had a small buffet afterwards which was enjoyed by all.

1st tee Nerves ?                                                     Afterwards all pals

After the first tournament the scores are as follows

Golf Del Sur 6 points

Amarilla Golf 5 points

Adeje Golf 1 point

The next match is at Amarilla Golf Club next month, so all to play for ! Come on Lads no beer this time the night before…..

The Canarian Tourism authorities want to see more golfers here in the islands, so to that effect they have doubled the islands golfing advertising budget.The advertising will be targeted at the English and German market but also looking at emerging markets such as Croatia and Slovenia.

I am sure this will have some effect, but think, is it enough? or is it too late when one sees how Turkey, Ireland,The Algarve and the Costa del Sol have all been actively trying to get their act together by encouraging tour operators, improving facilities, running very professional advertising campaigns and reducing prices.

Marketing is one thing but the golf courses themselves here must try to do more to attract a diminishing market due to the recession in Europe and the high rate of the Euro.I am afraid the gravy train days are over, and only the strongest may survive.

If you really want to get better at golf, go back and take it up at a much earlier age. 

Don’t buy a putter until you’ve had a chance to throw it. 

Never try to keep more than 300 separate thoughts in your mind during your swing. 

When your shot has to carry over a water hazard, you can either hit one more club or two more balls. 

If you’re afraid a full shot might reach the green while the foursome ahead of you is still putting out, you have two options: you can immediately shank a lay-up or you can wait until the green is clear and top a ball halfway there.. 

The less skilled the player, the more likely he is to share his ideas about the golf swing. 

No matter how bad you are playing, it is always possible to play worse. 

The inevitable result of any golf lesson is the instant elimination of the one critical unconscious motion that allowed you to compensate for all of your many other errors 

Everyone replaces his divot after a perfect approach shot. 

A golf match is a test of your skill against your opponents’ luck. 

It is surprisingly easy to hole a fifty foot putt . For a 10. 

Counting on your opponent to inform you when he breaks a rule is like expecting him to make fun of his own haircut. 

Nonchalant putts count the same as chalant putts 

It’s not a gimme if you’re still away. 

The shortest distance between any two points on a golf course is a straight line that passes directly through the center of a very large tree. 

You can hit a two acre fairway 10% of the time and a two inch branch 90% of the time. 

Since bad shots come in groups of three, a fourth bad shot is actually the beginning of the next group of three. 

When you look up, causing an awful shot, you will always look down again at exactly the moment when you ought to start watching the ball if you ever want to see it again. 

Every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two triple bogeys to restore the fundamental equilibrium of the universe. 

If you want to hit a 7 iron as far as Tiger Woods does, simply try to lay up just short of a water hazard.

To calculate the speed of a player’s downswing, multiply the speed of his back-swing by his handicap; I.e., back-swing 20 mph, handicap 15, downswing = 300 mph. 

One of my personal favorites:
There are two things you can learn by stopping your back-swing at the top and checking the position of your hands: how many hands you have, and which one is wearing the glove. 

Hazards attract; fairways repel. 

A ball you can see in the rough from 50 yards away is not yours. 

If there is a ball on the fringe and a ball in the bunker, your ball is in the bunker. If both balls are in the bunker, yours is in the footprint 

It’s easier to get up at 6:00 AM to play golf than at 10:00 to cut the grass.

A good drive on the 18th hole has stopped many a golfer from giving up the game. 

Golf is the perfect thing to do on Sunday because you always end up having to pray a lot. 

A good golf partner is one who’s always slightly worse than you are….that’s why I get so many calls to play with friends. 

If there’s a storm rolling in, you’ll be having the game of your life. 

Golf balls are like eggs. They’re white. They’re sold by the dozen. And you need to buy fresh ones each week. 

It’s amazing how a golfer who never helps out around the house will replace his divots, repair his ball marks, and rake his sand traps. 

If your opponent has trouble remembering whether he shot a six or a seven, he probably shot an eight (or worse).

Come off the TF1 at junction 24 and follow the signs down to the Golf Course, on arrival you notice right away that there is a new infrastructure going on all over the Amarilla area with the building of new roads and houses .In fact the road down to the course is almost as good as the TF1 having been newly upgraded and the views on the way down are wonderful over the ocean.

The day I went in mid January the weather was not the normal Tenerife south weather, it was a cloudy overcast day but dry and about 17 deg so nothing to complain about if you come from Northern Europe but for us locals we tend to wear a jumper and long trousers.

I entered the reception area and was met by a charming young lady called Vicky dressed in her Amarilla uniform of moss green polo shirts and trousers, which all the girls wore on reception very smart indeed and all multilingual as you would expect from a Golf course of this standard.

This championship course hosted a European tour event in 1990 namely the Tenerife Open it plays some 5846 meters off the back tees with a par of 71 it was designed by Donald Steel in 1989. The view from the first hole tee is quite daunting a narrow fairway with out of bounds down the right as it runs parallel to the driving range, with a spectacular view down to the first green the Atlantic ocean in the background, a tricky Par 4 at 380 metres and a good hole to get your round started if you get a par. Whilst on the first tee if you happen to look back you get a fantastic view over the mountain range including mount Teide which rises to 3,718m at its highest point, making it Spain’s highest peak and at this time of the year usually has snow on it.

The signature hole of the course must be the 5th a par 3 of only115 meters, but as you are at sea level and you are normally hitting into the prevailing wind, one actually plays over the ocean as the waves pound into the rocks causing a white wall of water swirling round the cove, a very tricky little hole which gets the nerves going of many a good golfer to that end their ball ends up in the ocean. Some days a 9 iron will make the carry more often or not you could be down to a 6 iron.

The course is surrounded by many “barrancos” or small ravines and rocky, volcanic areas. When Donald Steel first came here to build this course he must have wondered if it would have been possible when you see the rough terrain all around the extremities of the course and with a very limited yearly rain fall, but design it he did and has made a wonderful job of what nature laid out for him, with plenty of borrows and rolls with mountain and ocean views.

Your hat must take your hat off for all the green keeping staff because although the sun shines here almost every day they use lots and lots of water, which I believe is all recycled, as fresh water on the island is a very precious commodity and not to be used for leisure purposes. To keep this vast area green and in playable condition must be enormous and a very skilled job and when I was there the greens were running very fast and true although they did have some problem with the 17th green but it seemed on hand with a full reseed of the bottom half of the green.

Winter prices for visitors was 80 Euro per person but they do an after 2pm special price of 72 Euro another more economical way to play if you are going to play more than once is to ask about their Bono tickets. Buggy hire costs 30 Euro or trolleys at 4 Euro for 18 holes. Club hire was also available at 15 Euro for a standard set and with Callaway X series being 35 Euro per set. A handicap of 28 for men and 36 for women is required and the dress code is smart golfing apparel with shoes on soft spikes only which can be changed at the club house.

The course also has a full driving range with bunker and chipping areas as well as long range practice area. As you would expect from this facility it has attached to it two professionals, one of which is a well known player within the islands, Snr Javier Toll Messìa, himself playing on the Challenge tour they offer lessons on all aspects of your game. The cost is ½ hour 25 Euro or 1 hour 45 Euro per person they will also teach husband and wife, or small groups.

The Amarilla complex also has an excellent well maintained small tricky little nine hole pitch and putt course ideal for brushing up on your short game, maybe after a lesson, or for taking a youngster the cost is 13 euro including a trolley. If you can par this course you deserve a drink in the bar.

The 19th tee bar area is encompassed within the clubhouse where they also house a modern reception area with multi lingual staff and also a pro shop selling all the latest woman and gents golf fashion items along with shoes and balls, they also have a selection of Amarilla merchandise like ball markers, pitch repairers to enable you to remember your game here. The whole clubhouse eating and drinking area has nice comfy table and chairs with delightful views over the 1st tee down to the ocean. Food and drink are served all day and they have a snack menu to suit all tastes.

There is a lot of building going on around the course, with many of this project now completed; they have enhanced the area as a whole, with more people around the area and many restaurants and bars springing up. With the new road I mentioned earlier, all in all, Amarilla could be the next up and coming area especially as there is now a new marina with 350 berths of all sizes and plans to develop the area into a very upmarket tourist and commercial area. Here is the marinas own web site.

Whilst in the Amarilla area I took a run along the marina area to the lighthouse at the end of the pier and found it was a café called Bar De La Torres you go upstairs into a nice seating area where they sell food and drink all day, as its at the end of the pier the views looking over the ocean are breathtaking and then you turn round and you have the mountain range a full 360 deg vista and also the offices of Submarine safaris, a yellow submarine operator which takes people on an underwater adventure into the ocean here is their web site and also a jet ski safari operator.

Would I give Amarilla Golf Course a try now, yes I would they have got their act together and now have a smashing golf course and a very professional and pleasant back up team.They have their own web pages with more info Here..

I for one will be back.

The Peanuts Golf Society  originated in 1995.

And this is how it all got started :

The first Golf del Sur society was the ladies section. They  had problems with visitors driving into them and through them. The gentlemen being true Brits started booking the tee time behind them to prevent this happening.

There were four, Ken Gray, Ron Crawford, Don Uren and Don Edmonds. The four grew into eight and so on as more people became interested. A charge was instigated to play and the winner had free drinks in the Taberna Bar down on San Blas.

That carried on through 1995 and in February 1996 there were so many playing it was suggested they form a society.

They met in the Taberna and as they were always served a bowl of Peanuts with the drinks they decided to call it The Peanuts. That was on the 8th February 1996.

The format remained the same for a few weeks until it was suggested they have prizes rather than money or drinks.

Today the Peanuts goes from strength to strength attracting both gentleman members and visitors from all over the world to their competitions played every Thursday at Golf Del Sur Golf club at Golf Del Sur,Tenerife.

The format is normally stableford played over 18 holes, after the game they hold a small presentation with prizes for both members and visitors, the prize everyone wants is the famous Peanuts Polo shirt only given to the winner and runner up each week these cannot be bought but must be won in one of their competitions, all winning peanuts wear their won shirts on competition days many older members still wear their late 1990′s shirts on match days .

After the game members and visitors alike retire to the courtyard of the clubhouse for the prize presentation, any announcements and a small supper of chicken and chips in a basket at the cost of only 5 Euro. All drinks at this time are at happy hour prices with many of the lads taking full advantage and staying maybe a bit longer than they should, but the banter is great, if only I had have got that putt or if I had just missed that bunker on the 6th etc.

All in all a great day out with a nice bunch of lads, if you want any further information or would like to join in they have their own web site www.peanutsgolf.co.uk  and you just tell them you are coming out and they will book you in to their competitions.

Yesterday, my Wifie (Scots word),  Lady Old Golfer won outright the Bronze section in her Ladies Golf Club Championship at her local Golf course here in Tenerife. Ladies golf is a bit like trigonometry to me, I know its there, but don’t know much about it, but I am assured this was a great achievement .. 

So well done Lady Old Golfer, I am sure we will both enjoy your voucher prize… Now is my dinner ready ?

This was her taken after the event, you can see the look of achievement on her face, but wasp she was chewing was not so happy,  I surmise  !

Here is the feedback, I promised following my EFT treatment with Lynn Francis. I had heard through the grapevine that Lynn was achieving great results with Golfers who were experiencing psychological blocks in their game using a technique called EFT (emotional freedom technique) I read many articles about Lynn and learned she is well respected in the sports world and had even appeared on Sky sports TV. Her success in curing the nightmare problem known as the yips has brought people from all over the world for treatment with her. I was intrigued, so arranged to meet her for a chat.

During our discussion Lynn told me how she now wishes to play down her work with ‘yippers’ saying she feels that because of her success with the yips it actually stops many golfers from benefiting from her treatment. She went on to explain that although she now has enough ‘yippers’ to keep her going until retirement, helping local golfers with their psychological blocks is her aim now. Lynn’s main clients are golfers who are confident that their technique is correct yet still feel anxiety over certain shots and situations, loss of confidence, pre match nerves to name but a few can all be quickly and easily eliminated.

 I explained to Lynn that although I was confident that my technique was fine I still found myself questioning it due to the fact that I experienced an anxiety whilst chipping onto the green from 40yds in.  In practice I was fine and I could stand there all day and chip well but when playing in competition I over analysed and was aware of an inner tension over this particular shot.

 Lynn’s face lit up, excellent she said, that is a prime example of what I can sort out.  Really! Said I, so you can stop this happening, how long will it take. She explained that some problems can be quite complex and may take a few sessions but in many cases 1 or 2 sessions were all that were needed.. Now I really was intrigued so I booked a session.

Well all I can say is, it is a very strange technique indeed, and I now understand why she preferred not to try and explain anything about it prior to the treatment. I honestly would have thought she was a little crazy and me even crazier to go along with it. However what I do understand now is why she is so confident in her abilities, after only one 2 hour session, the problem has gone, yes completely gone, I no longer feel the anxiety and tension I felt prior to treatment, I now feel totally different when approaching this shot and chip with ease, it really is amazing!! I also feel more relaxed throughout my whole game.

It’s a feeling like going back to your “youth “when you really enjoyed your golf rather than putting pressure on yourself with these must get the ball close to the hole shots. I now believe I can achieve more in golf, at the moment I play off a handicap of five which isn’t bad at 50 plus and I am also the current club champion of our local golf club. With Lynn’s help I feel I can go much lower in handicap and may even have the confidence to enter larger amateur events in the UK to try to push myself even more to see in the end what is achievable. This technique has also eliminated my lack of tolerance, enabling me to accept other playing partners more readily and not to apply my standards to them as I now understand they are playing to their standard, This allows me just concentrate solely on my game rather than being upset with myself and others.

 All these changes were not gradual, but happened within a few days of my meeting and treatment with Lynn, I really was unaware that there was any changes in my game, the mind seems to trick you into thinking you are just playing better, nothing to do with the treatment. Lynn is fully aware of this phenomenon so for this reason before your first session she asks you to write down your feelings about the shot or situation that bothers or makes you anxious, just as well she did as you soon forget just how you felt prior to the session as you seem to think you have fixed yourself rather than accept that the treatment actually worked.  I cannot thank Lynn enough for what she’s done and will certainly be recommending her to all fellow players who may be experiencing psychological blocks or anxiety in their game.  Although Lynn is better known for curing the “Yips” she has definitely been a great help to me sorting the problems I had with my short game.  I highly recommend you give her a call, believe me, you have nothing to lose except your problem.

Thank you Lynn….

This technique is available to all,  Check out Lynn’s own site Here

Going to the range to hit some balls is a good way to knock the rust off of your swing. However, is your definition of practice going to the driving range and hitting the large bucket of balls with just your driver?

Well unless you are trying to compete for the  World Long Drive Championship, then you are probably not practicing the right way and may end up making your swing worse. The old adage, “practice makes prefect” is only accurate if what you are practicing is correct. For example, if your desire is to eliminate that slice off the tee and you go out and end up manufacturing a swing by hitting ball after ball until you can hit the ball straight, you may very well may end up hooking all your other clubs.

The first place to start is to get personal instruction in order to show you the right way to swing the club. By going out and hitting ball after ball with your current stroke, it will only reinforce that movement as it becomes ingrained in your mind. This is why the professional golfers are as good as they are because they start out with proper instruction and then are disciplined enough to practice that swing through repetition until it becomes second nature. Unfortunately, so many of us practice a bad swing and end up only with bad habits. Just remember, a lesson is about what one round of golf will cost and will eventually pay dividends later on down the road if you are able to lower your score and enjoy the game that much more.

When you are with the instructor, ask him or her if your equipment looks correct for you. If not, there is no good reason to practice by compensating from ill-fitted equipment. In this case, make sure to get fitted correctly before investing into a long series of lessons. In addition, practice can be frustrating at times. You may find that you are not improving
immediately or as fast as you would like. This is natural as the golf swing is a complex movement of many parts requiring muscle memory. So it may require taking one step back to go two steps forward as long as you continue to practice what was taught instead of reverting back to your old swing.

Here are some helpful tips to make the most of your practice:

Make it fun
If you treat practice as work, it will end up feeling that way and you won’t get the most of your time. Even if you don’t have time to go to the range to practice, you could try chipping or pitching the ball into a bucket in your own back yard.

Build confidence
If you are at the range with that large bucket, start out by hitting an iron (or favorite club) you know you can hit well. This will give you confidence that can carry over to the rest of the clubs. Just remember, that same swing that let’s say you hit your 7-iron well is the really the same swing as what you need to make with every club in you bag (well, except maybe the putter).

Mix it up
Just don’t hit you favorite club, try mixing what club you hit and try different shots. You may want to see what happens when you move the ball forward or back in you stance. Keep good notes as well. Writing down your results in a little journal or scrap piece of paper can be helpful the next time you are out on the course.

Work on alignment and distance
It is very easy at a range to just flail away at each shot as you usually have a large open area. However, make the most of your time by aiming at a flag or other focal point. You may also want to ask the operator at the range if the tees are up or back if the flags or signs have yardage markers associated with them, I use my Range finder to get exact distances. Pay close attention to the wind direction as well, just the same as you would have on the course. If you are hitting the ball more right than normal, it very well could be a strong cross-wind and not your swing.

Take your time
Keep that same pre-shot routine as you would on the course. You don’t get bonus points for hitting all the balls in x-amount of time.

On the green
This may not be an option at a range, but certainly it is prior to heading off to the course is to spend time on the practice putting green. Don’t just practice long putts. Try making those that are 3 feet and in by dropping a few balls around the hole. Once you can make a high percentage of these, then you can practice those 10-footers.

Read a book
If it is raining or cold outside, what better way is there to practice improving your game?

The game of golf is not only physical, but mental as well. So  spend your time here reading my Blog…. LOL.

Make the most of your practice time to truly make a difference in your game. From using the same pre-shot routine on the course, to aiming at a specific target, building confidence with your swing (even on the green) is all part about a good practice regiment.

But most important is to make practice a fun event, or what’s the point.

Golf etiquette is the practices and rules governing the socially acceptable behavior on the golf course. These rules are there for different reasons and can be broken down into the following categories: safety to others and yourself, maintaining the course conditions and enjoyment for yourself and others on the course.

Etiquette will be something that new golfers will learn as they play with other experienced golfers. But here are some basic rules you should know before going to the course for the first time.

Safety
Both the golf club and golf ball can cause harm to you and others if you do not pay close come close to someone in front of you or in an adjacent fairway, yell “FORE!” This will warn another golfer of an incoming golf ball.

You will make your fair share of bad shots. Even the very best golfers in the world make occasionally bad shots. Don’t get upset, this is normal. However, do not compound the problem by throwing your club as this could cause harm to yourself other others in your area. Besides, it is considered rude and childish behavior by fellow golfers.

Maintaining the Course
One very important rule is that you should leave the course as you have found it. This allows the course to be enjoyed by other who follows you. If you take a divot while striking the ball on the tee or in the fairway, immediately replace the sod. The will allow the grass to grow back for the next person who hits from that spot. Placing the grass back
and gently tapping it down with your feet takes little time and maintains the course’s beauty.

On the green, repair any ball mark you might have caused by your ball landing on the green. Even if you didn’t cause it and you see one in the area your ball landed, please repair the mark to allow the green to heel and allow the ball to roll smoothly over the mark. For beginners, have an experienced golfer show you the proper technique on repair a ball mark.

There will be sand on many golf courses. These act as hazards or areas to avoid hitting your ball into it, but occasionally your ball will land in one and you will have to hit your ball from that position. Make sure to rake the trap to remove your footprints and damage made from the ball and your club. Again, newcomers have an experienced golfer show you the proper technique.

If you drive a cart, make sure to observe any cart rules by the golf course. You may see signs stating that the carts should be on the “Cart Path Only” or to follow the “90-degree rule” when crossing the fairway. Never drive the cart on or near greens and hazards. There is usually a white line marked by the golf course superintendent to denote area not cross with the golf cart. Please follow these rules. Newcomers should allow the more experienced golfer to drive the cart. Pay close attention to how that golfer maneuvers the cart around the course.

It goes without saying to put trash in designated trash cans. These are found on the tee boxes or at the club house when you are finished with your round.

Enjoyment for Others
One of the reasons to get involved in the game of golf should be to have fun. However, the fun should not only be for you, but the others on the golf course as well. Having a conversation with a fellow golfer on the course is commonplace, but try and keep that volume to a minimum. That means no yelling to one another on the course (except to warn someone of immediate danger) and not to talk while someone is getting ready to hit the ball. Extend the same courtesy as you would when you are trying to concentrate on hitting the ball. Cell phone usage is also discouraged on the course.

The pace of play is important for not only you and your playing companions, but all others who follow you on the course. Tee times are usually set so many minutes apart to allow a certain pace of play. Generally, golf course wants you to play each hole in approximately 15 minutes. This means that for each 9 holes, 2 hours and 15 minutes should be sufficient time
to complete each side. A ranger might be present on the course to tell you to pick up your pace.

Here are some additional tips:

* The person furthest from the hole is the first to hit
* Be ready when it is your turn to hit
* Don’t spend too much time looking for a lost ball, help look for your playing partner’s lost ball to save time
* Know where to drop your ball if it lands in a hazard, is lost or goes out of bounds
* If you have to keep your cart on the path, then take more than one club when you go to your ball when it will be a distance from the cart
* On the green, do not stand where you can cast a shadow or walk in the line of another golfer’s putt
* Wait until the last person has putted out before going to your cart or going to the next green

Where appropriate attire at the golf course you will be playing. This usually means a collared shirt, shorts that come close to the knees and golf shoes (or at worst) tennis shoes with socks. If you do not know, ask ahead when you make reservations or the host you will be playing with.

This may seem like a lot to know, but many of these rules of etiquette should be common sense, while others will take a little time to learn the more you play this wonderful game. Playing with more experienced golfers will help educate you along the way so you are able to share those same values when it is your turn to play with someone new to the game.

Most of all enjoy… Its onlt a game…..

I just  realised today that many of my blog readers were from abroad, mainly from the U.S.A, and many don’t know exactly where Tenerife is, hard to believe for us Brits who have been holidaying here for years, but would we know where Cancun was if a few years ago British Travel companies hadn’t of put it on their brochures ?

Here is some useful information on Tenerife, a Spanish island, is the largest of the seven Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Africa. The island’s population is around 850.000

It is located at 28°19 N, 16°34 W and has a surface area of about 2000km2. Like the rest of the Canary Islands, it is of volcanic origin. The mountain in the middle is called Mount Teide (3718m) and is the  highest point in Spain and its on this island.

The largest city, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, is the capital of the island and seat of the cabildo insular (island government) Mainly a Touristic island with people coming from all over Europe for its all year round climate.

This Site will tell you much more about the Rock in the middle of the ocean on which I choose to live and play golf…..

Rules for Senior Golfers Only

Dirty Clubs !

It is common practice amongst club golfers to play with golf clubs caked in mud! A dirty club often means that the grooves on the club-face are filled in with mud. This has effect on the ball at impact (besides the extra weight). The point of the grooves is to create backspin as the ball runs up the face of the club at impact, which will keep the ball straight. Without this ‘grip’ the ball is more likely to fly with side-spin on it in the form of a slice or a hook. With short irons in particular it is this action that is responsible for stopping the ball quickly on a receptive green. Many amateurs should like to be able to make their ball spin back to the pin just like they see it on television – it is not easy, but you will certainly never achieve it with mud in the grooves!

Golf club cleaning

Golf club maintenance is easy and adds years of life to your set by simply keeping them clean and I think it gives a physiological advantage over an opponent just like dressing well and having clean shoes does. Read the rest of this entry »

Yes, this is the review of the new TaylorMade r9 Driver, it all sounds very exciting, till it comes to the price, here in Tenerife they want around 450 Euros for this club. Does no one realises there is  a recession on ?

Its too much for my blood but I think the price will plummet when some one wakes up to the fact that a golf club is not one of life’s necessities and in this global resession can be done without. On saying all that its a nicely designed club and I would love to own one.

The TaylorMade r9 Driver has three movable weighting ports with eight position settings allowing you to tune the head to create a desired flight and launch conditions. Read the rest of this entry »

Geoff Ogilvy beats Paul Casey 4 and 3, at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. Its not that Casey played bad, just on the day Ogilvy was on his game, I dont think anyone would have beaten him, his second shots into the green were like lasers. This is Ogilvy’s third World Golf Championships event wins, it started with 64 of the worlds best and on the day Ogilvy was that man.

Finishing with a final round of 66, Lorena Ochoa made up three strokes on third-round leader Paula Creamer to win the Honda LPGA Thailand for a three-stroke victory. Ochoa finished at 14-under 274 – shooting 71-69-68 the first three days – on the Siam Country Club’s Plantation Course, and earned $217,500, it was Ochoa’s 25th LPGA Tour title.

Well done that Lady

View from the club house down the 9th on the links Course

View from the 4th green looking down to tee on the North Course

Approach shot into the 7th on the North Course

Today I am having a session with this lady to improve my short game and relieve anxiety before I hit that short pitch or green side chip, I will keep you posted on how I get on. …….Here is the outcome of my treatment an interesting read

Are You Using The Wrong Club?

One of the biggest mistakes golfers make on the course is not using the right club. You can have a better short game, have more fun, and lower your score if you would just stick to a club which is the most comfortable for you when facing a specific shot. 

For example, if you are confident using a 7 iron club whenever hitting the ball from 35 yards in, then use it. Just because you may have read that an amateur or pro golfer prefers another club when facing the same scenario, or have seen a golf training video which stresses the use of a different iron, it doesn’t mean you have to follow their advice. Stick to what works, for you!

Short game success has just as much to do with your confidence and comfort levels as it does with technique and shot specifics. In time you will find what is called your “go to club” when playing through a specific shot. And when practicing your short game, those practice sessions should be focused around this club in order to improve at the fastest rate possible.

Stop Over-analyzing Everything

The reasons for choosing golf as your sport is to enjoy a game that is comfortable, confidence-building, and which is able to settle within your subconscious. This means avoiding the dreaded mistake over-analyzing everything. You must allow the game to come to you by just letting it happen.

The best thing you can do is develop a solid, consistent swing and grow your confidence with it. From that point on, the game of golf is simply hitting the ball towards the intended target, walking over and picking it up, and hitting it again, until you have reached the hole. 

This may seem like an oversimplification, and of course practice and preparation are important, but if you spend time analyzing every second of the game to the point of seriously frustrating yourself, you are on the wrong track. Rather, enjoy golf and use your energy to focus and concentrate when the time is needed instead of mulling over every minor detail.

Scoring Terms explained,  no I was not around when they came up with them !

The common used phrases in the game of golf are birdie, eagle and par. The word “bird” was a slang term in the 19th century that referred to anything considered remotely cool, still used today for women. So that term was used then for a great shot in a game of golf – one that led to a score under par – and was eventually turned into birdie. The word eagle followed with the same pattern as expected from the bird mentality. Par was used long before it became associated with the game of golf and basically meant something that was acceptable or average. The word simply became associated over time with the game of golf to indicate an ideal score among golfers.

You have all heard it but how many take heed ? Nobody is a naturally good putter, although some get lucky now and again, all the good putters I know practice and practice regularly.

Don’t putt with your wrists or hands, (Oh I do that ! No you bloody don’t) you have to use your shoulders like a pendulum and stand still, dont rock. Only use the big muscles, if your wrists break, you will not hit solid putts. Putts will most likely come up short, but sometimes you’ll blast one by six feet past ….Consistency breeds confidence.

So Tighten up those wrists and putt with your shoulders and I’ll guarantee you will hit more good putts. Now go out there and spend 30 minutes putting once a week and you will lower your scores quicker than wasting money on that new driver, you dont really need. No need to thank me just send cheques to the address listed. Here is the way the Scots do it

Tiger set  to make return at Accenture Match Play, The five-day tournament, which begins Wednesday, Feb. 25, will be Tiger’s first tournament since winning the U.S. Open last June at Torrey Pines. It will be 254 days in between the time Tiger won the U.S. Open in a Monday playoff  and the time he strikes his first tee shot Wednesday and hopefully he puts that special spark back into American golf. I don’t think he has entered this competition to be second, so look out the Tiger is back.

Another $ 1,134,000.00 for the Mickelsons after big Phil wins the Northern Trust Open in California. He nearly blew one of the biggest leads he has had in his career, and  scrambled for par to avoid a playoff, nevertheless show me the money. Well done Phil, looking forward to Tigers return, you will need to play better.

Managed to get an interview with Mark Pursey(P.G.A) head pro at the Abama Golf Resort here in Tenerife, we have scheduled for next week so looking forward to meeting the man and finding out his plans for the future.