Golf Tenerife

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2009

Becky Brewerton in action

Ladies’ European Tour Scoreboard

TENERIFE LADIES OPEN
Costa Adeje, Adeje, Tenerife, Spain
THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3×72)
204 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 66 69 69

207 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 69 72 66
209 Bettina Hauert (Ger) 69 73 67, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 71 70 68
211 Stefania Croce (Ita) 68 76 67, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 68 70 73
212 Elizabeth Bennett (Eng) 70 74 68, Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 72 71 69
213 K-m Juul (Den) 69 74 70, Paula Marti (Spa) 72 71 70, Nina Reis (Swe) 72 69 72, Anja Monke (Ger) 65 74 74
214 Julie Greciet (Fra) 70 74 70, Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (Fra) 71 73 70
215 Melissa Reid (Eng) 69 75 71, Laura Davies (Eng) 72 77 66

A young man who was also an avid golfer found himself with a few hours to spare one afternoon. He figured if he hurried and played very fast, he could get in nine holes before he had to head home. Just as he was about to tee off an old gentleman shuffled onto the tee and asked if he could accompany the young man as he was golfing alone. Not being able to say no, he allowed the old gent to join him.

To his surprise the old man played fairly quickly. He didn’t hit the ball far, but plodded along consistently and didn’t waste much time. Finally, they reached the 9th fairway and the young man found himself with a tough shot. There was a large pine tree right in front of his ball – and directly between his ball and the green.

After several minutes of debating how to hit the shot the old man finally said, “You know, when I was your age I’d hit the ball right over that tree.”

With that challenge placed before him, the youngster swung hard, hit the ball up, right smack into the top of the tree trunk and it thudded back on the ground not a foot from where it had originally lay.

The old man offered one more comment, “Of course, when I was your age that pine tree was only three feet tall.”

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

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 

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.

La Orquidea – French Restaurant Located at the quiet end of a busy street in the La Paz area of Puerto de la Cruz, La Orquidea is a lovely French restaurant. A family business established several years ago, it is know for its pleasant atmosphere and good food with a choice of full or half portions of typically French dishes ranging from Salade Niçoise to Snails,and from Carpaccio to Crêpes Flambées.

La Orquidea exterior                      La Orquidea interior

With comfortable seating, tables decked in linen and roses, it’s a perfect setting for a casual, pleasant luncheon or a special occasion dinner.

Here are some dishes and prices, some which are for 1/2 portions:

Salade Niçoise € 5 or € 8; Salad with Chicken Breast, Avocado & Roquefort € 5 or € 8; Snails Bourgogne with Mushrooms € 9; Lasagne Bolonese € 8; Spaghetti Provençale € 8; Veal Cordon Bleu € 9; Beef Carpaccio € 13; Veal Fillet Steak with Mushrooms and Cream Flambé € 19.50; Crêpes Flambées with Grand Marnier & Ice Cream € 5.20; Chocolate Profiteroles with Vanilla Ice Cream € 4.60.

It is situated 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, it’s the second location from the end of the street, easy to identify by the sign outside.

Hours are: 12 noon through to 10:30 pm. Closed on Tuesdays

Address: La Orquidea, Calle Los Aceviños s/n, Urb. La Paz, Puerto de la Cruz.

Telephone/Fax: 922 370 330

I give this a very good recommendation, especially for a celebration dinner.

Canarybird ..My Website.

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.

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…

This chain of Italian pizzerias and restaurants has a large and popular location in the El Trompo commercial centre, next door to the La Villa (Al Campo) shopping centre in San Jeronimo, the lower area of La Orotava. As there is plenty of seating, both inside and out on the patios overlooking the Orotava Valley, you should have no problem finding a free table as well as a parking spot right outside the door.  There is also a take-away service. Highchairs are available inside for seating small children.

The menu possibilites are great, with several pages of traditional Italian pastas and pizzas as well as other options. Half portions of most dishes are also possible, priced at three-quarters the full price. The full size portions are very large. Here are some examples:

Solomillo Roquefort €15.25, Revuelto (scramble) of egg, spinach and smoked salmon €9.40, Salad Caprichosa €8.50, Pizza Cuatro Estaciones (Four Seasons) €8.40, Pizza prices run from €6.25 to €9.95. Oriquiette in Gorgonzola Sauce €7.25, Spaghetti Bolonese €7.25, Tiramisu €4.05, 1 glass house wine €2.10, 1 bottle Dorada beer €1.80, 1/2 litre agua con gas €1.80, 1 cafe cortado €1.25.

You can spot the shopping centre by the large sign on the roof. Trompo translates as ‘spinning top’ (child’s toy) and there is a cutout of one on the roof, next to the name.

My comment: Food is good and pizzas have that authentic Italian flavour due to their traditional wood burning ovens. 

Service is prompt and efficient, but do check your bill carefully, as mistakes have been made on ours a couple of times during very busy hours.

Open every day from 12:45 to 00:30. Telephone 922 326 868.

Address: C.C. El Trompo, Local 9, 38300 La Orotava.

Here is a link to a webpage – in Spanish – with more menu options and photos.   (http://www.larutadelbuenyantar.com/norte_2.html)

Canarybird Visit….My Site

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.

It’s not often you find a restaurant that will make a fresh paella, including mussels and shrimps in the shell, for one person alone.

But at the Aguamarina you will find that and many other fish and shellfish dishes, as well as a full menu at economical prices.

Located in The Canary Centre on the main carretera Botanico leading in and out of Pto. de la Cruz, and across the street and down from the Hotel Botanico, this open air awning-covered terrace restaurant is open every day except Saturdays.

There’s a two course menu special for €8.90 which includes drinks, dessert and bread with much to choose from, including garlic prawns, spaghetti bolognese, grilled steak or cherne fish.  Their salad ingredients are grown on their own farm.

The all day breakfast menu lists seventeen types of egg dishes, averaging €3.50 including toast, butter and jam and a breakfast at €3.00.

There’s a full tapas menu as well as a choice of pastas and pizzas.

More prices: Pork Escalope in Pepper Sauce with chips and salad €5.90; small mixed salad for one €1.50; Mixed Fish Grill for 2 persons €15.00;

Spaghetti à la Carbonara €6.00;  Beef Stroganoff €8.50; Fillet Steak with Bearnaise Sauce €8.50; Sole with Shrimp Sauce €8.50; Paella for One €7.50; (for two €15.00); 1 glass of house wine €1.50; 1 bottle Dorada beer €1.50; cafe cortado €1.00.

Opening Hours from 11:00 am until 11:00 pm. Closed all day Saturday but open every other day including Sundays.

Located in The Canary Centre Shopping on the main Carretera Botanico road, Puerto de la Cruz.

Recommended for casual outdoor dining and seafood at very reasonable prices.

Canarybird…..My Site

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).

Wonderful, Riveting, Exciting, Fascinating  are the words I use to describe the most thrilling Masters from Augusta in years, the last day course set up was a bit easier than normal and that led to one of the most thrilling climaxes I can remember.

There were some unbelievable shots, some great shots, some normal shots and some downright bad shots but put them all together and you had some 7 hours of seat hugging TV. The big two were on a run and at one stage I thought Phil Mickleson was going to do it, then a loose shot into the water, showed him as a mere mortal.

Kenny Perry kept his nerve till the 17th, then dropped shots on both the 17th and 18th making him finish level  with Chad Campbell the club house leader. Whilst Angel Cabrera kept just kept his head down went for the Par’s and came into the club house tied with the other two to make it  a three man play off.

On the first play off hole Chad Campbell and Perry pull both their second shots  right, after great drives, Cabrera stuck his second in the centre of the green. Perry hit a sweet chip close which he holed, while Campbell from the bunker failed to get up and down so he was out.

Cabrera and Perry went to the 10th, the second play off hole, the upshot of which was Perry bogied and Cabrerra pared to claim the famous Green Jacket and a place in Masters History as the first ever Argentinean to win.

RESTAURANTE LA ESENTZIA

This is one lovely little restaurant that I can highly recommend for when you want to enjoy exquisite dining in an intimate setting at a very reasonable price. Located at No. 40 on the main Botanico road leading in and out of Pto. de la Cruz, it’s on the same side of the street and just a few steps down from the Hotel Botanico and although it is a recent newcomer to this neighbourhood, it has already begun to make its mark as a newly-discovered gem.

                  The exterior                                The entrance to dining rooms

The food is artfully presented and with the first taste, you will realize that chef-owner Raúl Brito has a special gift for creating beautiful food from seasonal ingredients. Menus are varied according to the available fresh provisions. He doesn’t use any frozen food. There is a 3-course daily luncheon menu priced at €13.90, and an evening daily dinner menu priced at €23.00. These menus also change from day to day.

And of course, there is the à la carte menu with interesting, delicious-sounding creations such as…’puff pastry stuffed with spinach sauce with goat cheese’…(€7.70)…, from the list of Vegetarian Dishes, or …’fillet of cherne in saffron sauce, with sautéed vegetables on a bed of risotto aromatized with macadamia nuts’ …(€13.50)…(see photo), charcoal grilled sirloin in bacon sauce with scalloped potatoes and vegetables…(€14.00)… (see photo), or the magnificent dessert I had the other day at the Friends of Tenerife charity luncheon held there…’ dulce de leche with Balinese vanilla sauce, almond croquant and caramel strands’ …(€3.50)… (see photo). When a table of chattering women suddenly goes silent, you know it’s because the food is so good it stops all conversation.

             Fillet of cherne                               Cod toast with salad

  The restaurant will also be holding special event story-telling evenings once a month in which a menu will be designed around a theme related to the entertainment and reservations will be taken after it is publicly announced.

Private groups and parties are welcomed with flexible menus and group prices to be arranged with Raúl.

Regular opening hours are 12:00 – 16:00 and 19:00 – 23:00. Closed Sunday evenings and all day Mondays. Smoking is permitted. Telephone 922 385 253.

Highly recommended as a really special dining experience.

Canarybird….My Site

Golf can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle,
followed by a good pint of beer. 

Golf! You hit down to make the ball go up. You swing
left and the ball goes right. The lowest score wins. 
And on top of that, the winner buys the drinks 

If you find you do not mind playing golf in the rain,
the snow, even during a hurricane, here’s a valuable
tip: your life is in trouble. 

Golfers who try to make everything perfect before
taking the shot rarely make a perfect shot. 

The term ‘mulligan’ is really a contraction of the
phrase ‘maul it again.’ 

A ‘gimme’ can best be defined as an agreement
between two golfers …neither of whom can putt
very well too cheat.

An interesting thing about golf is that no matter how
badly you play; it is always possible to get worse. 

Golf’s a hard game to figure. One day you’ll go out
and slice it and shank it, hit into all the bunkers and miss
every green. The next day you go out and for no
reason at all you really stink. 

If your best shots are the practice swing and the
‘gimme putt’, you might wish to reconsider this game. 

Golf is the only sport where the most feared opponent
is you. 

Golf is like marriage: If you take yourself too
seriously it won’t work, and both are expensive.

The best wood in most amateurs’ bags is the pencil.

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.

Its his 3rd time out after his Knee surgery Tiger Woods, had a  5-stroke comeback on Sunday in the Arnold Palmer Invitational to win over Shaun O’ Hair by one shot, holing a 15-feet, 11-inches putt for Birdie and victory on the 18th hole. 

Woods  final-round 3-under-par 67 for his best round of the tournament. His  Sunday score gave him a winning total of 275, 5 under par.

With the Masters coming up he must be the bookies faviourite.

Restaurant San Diego

As you step out of your car at the bottom of the hill in El Rincon, where the wide TF 176 road meets the narrow crossroad which leads to Bollullo beach and where you see the two storey terracotta building on your right, you may detect the aromatic scent of eucalyptus wood smoke emanating from the grill in Restaurante San Diego.

Exterior and interior View of Restaurant San Diego

This is one of our favourite Canary-style places to dine.  It’s also well loved by friends who’ve lived here for years.  This is where we go when we want to indulge in a table filled with salad, papas arrugadas con mojo, the best pimientos de padron we’ve ever tried, garlic prawns (gambas al ajillo), local wine, wonderful bread toasted on the grill with garlic ali oli that is so good you almost forget to leave room for the second and third courses.

Some mouth watering garlic prawns and pimientos de padron

Here you can try some of their delicious morcilla – a black sausage made in the local way with honey and almonds, chicken flattened and grilled, drizzled with creamy garlic sauce, fish of the day or a plate of stewed chickpeas with pork ribs (garbanzos), a veal steak, chocos or roasted goats’ cheese with mojo sauce. There are so many good dishes on their menu.

(Russian potato salad)                            Chicken Flattened

and tuna croquette                                  And then Grilled

                                             Stewed Rabbit

                     Papas arrugadas                                        Lovely fresh Salad

One must not forget their ensaladilla rusa (Russian potato salad) and tuna croquettes, another favourite combo of mine.

The dessert cooler holds an assortment of puddings, flans, chocolate mousses and soufflés.

      Mouth watering deserts                        The Chef at his large grill

When we go there I always take a couple of lidded plastic containers because invariably we order more than we can finish, so a bit of morcilla, a couple of potatoes and crusty bread dipped in garlic ali-oli are often taken home for a late night snack.

The restaurant is up one flight of stairs and I understand the downstairs entrance has just been converted into a guachinche, or typical simple wine and food bar.

Upstairs is divided by a glass wall into smoking and non-smoking. The non-smokers have the area by the windows which overlook the banana fields and the sea.

Price we pay is usually around €15 per person, including local wine, beer and water,  without dessert.

Recommended as excellent for Canary-style food.  Service is efficient.  If going for lunch, best to get there before 2 pm to get a table near the window.

Opening hours are from 1 pm until 11 pm non-stop. Mondays closed.

Address: El Rincon 43, La Orotava. Telephone: 922 331 242

A local TITSA bus – No. 376 – every two hours from La Orotava bus station stops near the restaurant entrance.

(Canarybird) …Visit My Site here

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

I was in the process of re-gripping my clubs so I looked the Internet for the best prices for Golf grips. The Grip I decided on was the Golf Pride Multi Compound grip and the price was in the region of between £6.00 to £8.00 per grip in the UK, here in Tenerife they wanted about 7 to 10 Euros per grip, so 13 grips would cost about between 91 and 130 Euros fitted.

A bit more research and a  bit of time and I went to EBay and found this seller Gramola from the UK who sells the Sharpro Multi Compound Golf Grips, which by the way look identical to the Golf Pride ones, but cost a fraction of the price. In the end I checked some golf forums (Here is the link) for feed back on the Sharpro grips and the general consensus was that they were very much the same as the golf pride the main difference as far as I was concerned was the price I bought 13 Grips for just £23.00 delivered and I, with a bit of tape, will put them on myself, even if your unable to do it yourself the local Pro assistant I am sure would charge about £1.00 per grip to put them on, making your total cost to around £36.00 for 13 grips fitted.

I understand companies have to make profit, but for the life of me, I don’t see why the two products which seem so similar should be poles apart. I feel if the prices were more in line with the cheaper grip then more people would consider renewing their grips on a more frequent basis, giving more work and in the long run more profit to the club Pro.

Thinking of having a great round on the golf course can be a lot of mental work. The most important part of having a great round on the golf course begins with a few thoughts……..Question is where and how many? 

Preparing your mind for a great golf game can be quite time consuming and unhealthy, depending on where you start your mental game. Triggering your thoughts for a great game of golf should not be in the car on the way to the golf course. If you’re approaching a curve ahead of you going downhill on a slippery roadway, and you see a sharp curve ahead of you. Do you start thinking on how you are going to fly the bunker on the first hole? Trying to dream up a great game of golf in a coffee house can have your lips seared with hot coffee as well. Thinking of sinking that long 30-foot putt on the first hole, while having dinner out with your wife or girlfriend, could have that same coffee all over your lap. 

Trying to conjure up a great game of golf, while doing other things at the same time. Does not work!  No matter how good you are!  For some of us trying to play a golf hole in our mind is our way of preparing ourselves for the game to come. Thoughts on visualizing how you plan on conquering the fifth, or seventh golf hole that you always seem to have trouble with, could have you playing it over and over again in your mind, until you get it right. I think it gives us the self-satisfaction before we approach the notorious golf hole, that in our mind we have conquered the golf hole the night before. Have you ever lost sleep the night before trying to conjure up a great round of golf for the next day? 

The thoughts of having a great round of golf, and a good game plan, should start on the first tee box, looking down the fairway and visualizing the shot at hand. If you start thinking of anything other than where you want the ball to land on your shot at hand. You will find yourself scratching your head, and thinking of where you went wrong. 

Thoughts on a good game plan should be on your immediate task at hand. Most of us have been told to play one golf shot at a time. I think the same would apply on playing one golf hole at a time, taking one curve on the roadway ahead of you at a time, and taking one sip of coffee at a time, and leaving your golf game plan thoughts at home when you go out for dinner.

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…..

Golf is a very demanding activity, more so as one gets older. 

The average person, one that does not play golf, thinks that golf is all about walking, riding a cart and hitting a little ball into a hole. They do not realize that swinging a golf club is a highly physical activity. Because of this, it is necessary to warm-up your body properly to help prevent injuries.

Before playing your game, you will need to warm-up. Your golf warm-up should consist of some light exercise followed by stretches. You should not skip exercising and go right to stretching. Exercising increases the blood circulation in the muscles and you are less likely to injure warm muscles and tendons. The following are the most common forms of exercise that will increase the circulation in the muscles used while playing golf.

WALKING- Walking is an excellent way to warm up your muscles. If you are not using a cart, you will need to warm up your legs. Using cold muscles to walk over an 18 hole golf course can result in cramps in your quads, hamstrings or calves. Walk back and forth for at least five to ten minutes.

ARM SWINGS/CIRCLES- Obviously, you will need to warm up your arm muscles in order to enhance your swing performance. Arm swings involve putting your arms out to the sides, bringing them in front of you, crossing them while spreading your shoulder blades apart; then you slowly bring them back to the sides and squeeze the shoulder blades together. Arm circles are just taking your arm and slowly circling it up, back and then down again. This exercise is most efficient when it is done one arm at a time.

Squats are another great exercise to warm up your legs. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Using your hands on your hips for balance, bend your knees as if you were going to sit down and stand back up. Do not let your knees go past your toes! Even certain exercises meant to prevent injury can cause some.

After your body is properly warmed up, you can begin stretching. You stretch one body part at a time, moving slowly and holding the stretch for 10-30 seconds. You do not bounce during these stretches and you do not over-stretch to the point of discomfort or pain. These stretches can be performed after a game for increased flexibility and to relieve sore or tight muscles.

SIDE BENDS- Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Take your golf club with both hands, holding it over head, and slowly lean to the side until you feel a slight stretch along the opposite side of your trunk. Hold for the appropriate amount of time and then slowly raise up and over to the other side.

CHEST/SHOULDERS- While standing, hold your golf club behind your back horizontally. Your palms should be facing out. Slowly raise your arms until you feel a slight stretch in your chest and shoulders. You do not lean forward while performing this exercise, stay standing with good posture.

ARMS- Hold the head of a golf club with one hand behind your head so that the club hangs down by your back. Use your opposite hand to reach behind you to grab the club as high as you can and gently pull down until you feel a slight stretch in the top arm. Then repeat on the opposite arm. This exercise is also a good stretch for the shoulders.

HAMSTRINGS- Place one leg on a bench or chair while standing up. Slowly reach towards your toes while keeping your back straight. Hold it while feeling the slight stretch and switch legs and repeat.

LOWER BACK- Sit upright on a bench or chair. Cross your right leg over your left leg. Using your left hand on your right thigh to pull you, twist your trunk to the right until you feel a slight stretch. Hold and repeat on the other side by crossing your left leg over your right and using your right hand on your left thigh to pull.

CALVES- Keep your right foot on the ground with its leg bent and move your left leg straight behind you. Slowly press your left heel to the ground and hold it when you feel a slight stretch. Switch legs and repeat with the right heel to the ground.

You should perform these exercises about four to five times on each side. When you are finally ready to approach the tee, perform three to five practice swings to help keep your body warmed up. You can then continue to stretch after each swing while waiting for your turn. You should also concentrate on using good posture while walking and watching your stance when swinging. When swinging, your knees should be relaxed and bent and your trunk should be bent at the hips while keeping your back straight. Swing away! and enjoy your Golf.

Technorati Tags: Golf,exercises,warm up,Tenerife,canary Islands,golf lessons,fitness

 Phil Mickelson wins a World Golf Championship title, as he tames the Blue Monster course at Doral,18 hours before his tee time he broke into a cold sweat and couldn’t stop shaking weakened and dehydrated by a stomach virus that sent him to the hospital on the eve of the final round.

He finished with a 3-under par 69 to win over young Nick Watney.

1. Mickelson (-19)
2. Watney (-18)
3. Furyk (-16)
4. Singh (-14)
T-5. Villegas (-13)
T-5. Wilson (-13)

 He is no longer the best player without a World Golf Championship apart from me, well in my mind anyway !

How many of you take your golf glove off after a round of golf and stuff it into your golf bag?

Well Being a Scot I will tell you how to make them last longer

The combination of your golf glove and sweat don’t mix well when you wad up your golf glove and stuff it into your golf bag. By doing that you reduce the life of your golf glove.

The next time you reach into your golf bag to pull out your golf glove you find a wad of hard leather. Combine this with the normal build-up of dirt and your golf glove can become kind of shinny and slick, which looses its effectiveness.

You can make your golf glove last longer if you do two things:

1. After a round of golf hang your golf glove out to dry. Find a way to clip it onto your golf bag. The easiest thing to do is wrap the glove around the golf bag strap.

2. When your golf glove becomes dirty and slick through it into the washer. Through it in with your clothes with cold water and mild soap.

Don’t put the golf glove in the dryer, but rather hang it up to dry so it doesn’t shrink. You’ll probably want to flatten the golf glove so it dries ready to be used the next time your out on the golf course.

Looking to drive the golf ball just a bit further ?

Here are 3 simple steps to give you that added distance off the tee:

1. Widen your stance by moving your back foot about an inch farther back than normal.
2. Play the golf ball a little more forward in your stance than normal.
3. Tee the golf ball a fraction higher than normal.

Follow these 3 simple golf tips and it will set you up to launch the golf ball higher so you get more carry off the tee. No need to swing any harder, and its very important to maintain your balance. Just put your normal golf swing on the ball and watch it roll past your mates balls on the fairway.

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 »