Golf for Beginners

KINONA has set out to create golf sportswear which is not only comfortable but also flattering - after slipping on their latest autumn resort wear, chic and elegant are also added to the list! Female golfers, in my opinion, want to dress for golf but, at the same time, we want to have an enjoyable time on the course without worrying about clothes which don't fit, or feel,  just right. Ladies...how many times have you adjusted the shorts under your skort, or had to tug on your waistband to keep it from sliding below the hips? After slipping on the "Start to Finish Golf Skort", I now believe this problem has been solved! The KINONA Start to Finish Golf Skort is an easy-to-wear garment which can carry you through eighteen holes and beyond...I just didn't want to remove it! The waistband on this skort is wider to help smooth out tummy bulge, the shorts are made from a perforated moisture-managing fabric which is soft and undemanding and there are pleats on either side for when you feel like spinning after sinking that birdie putt. During a round of golf, KINONA has taken care of those times when you are so busy reading your line that you forget you are bending over; the back waist is made slightly higher so that you don't have to worry about pulling down your shirt in the back...now you can focus on the golf, girl! The Resort Collection features the lovely KINONA Modern Mix Longsleeve Golf Top (see photo) which pairs perfectly with the Start to Finish Golf Skort. This top is strikingly fashionable and it's warm enough for autumn mornings that transition into late afternoon 60's temperatures. The fabric is stretchy but not snug so it offers you a slimming look, the collar will cover your neck for the early morning then simply zip down and pull up the bracelet sleeves as the sun shines on you and your game. For women who want to project a sense of style, to look flirty and feminine without sacrificing quality and fashion, take a look at what KINONA has to offer -their website says it all and I agree, this golf clothing has both "style and sass".Follow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and friend us on Facebook!

The final PGA Tour golfers are being selected for the 2018 Ryder Cup team;  Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Bryson DeChambeau have already made the cut. Do you agree with Jim Furyk's choices? On this year's Ryder Cup Team U.S.A. are a few standouts who need no explanation as to why they were selected: Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson (both with three 2018 PGA Tour wins), Brooks Koepka (2 major wins), and young guns like Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth have proven themselves to be ready for the challenge. LISTEN: Jim Furyk Interview about getting ready for Ryder Cup So, why have Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods been added to the Ryder Cup roster? Mickelson has had a pretty good year with a win at the WGC Mexico Championship and several top-10's; I think fans just require more from him in spite of his bouts with RA. So honored to be a part of Team USA! PHEELING PATRIOTIC PHEELING PHIERCE!

The Masters is one of our favorite golf tournaments! Every year this writer is practically glued to her television or laptop, watching the action from one of the most famous golf courses in the world. Are the azaleas in bloom, what changes have been made to Augusta National...what dramatic moment is being played out at Amen Corner? Another tradition is also at hand - the Official 2018 Masters Golf Gear Giveaway! The nice folks at MMO Golf have been supplying Golf for Beginners with official Masters swag for five years and we are ready to offer up something new for this year's event. This year we are giving away a PRIZE PACK of two prizes! The winner will receive a prize pack consisting of a 2018 Masters Embroidered Golf Pin Flag and a 2018 Masters Green Caddy Hat! It's easy to enter and I will be reviewing all entries personally. In my opinion, these are two of the most memorable and sought-after items at The Masters. Your foursome will envy you thinking that you learned the secret to getting swag from The Masters (how else could you have gotten this hat...either by invite or lottery!) What do you have to do in order to try and win this Officially Super Cool Masters Merchandise? The Official Giveaway Rules: This is a Twitter-based giveaway but we will also watch for the hashtag on Facebook. You must follow and tag @Golf4Beginners on Twitter (so we know it's your entry).Send us a tweet with the hashtag #MastersHat briefly telling us WHY you want to win these prized possessions. Postings must include entrants' @username and @Golf4Beginners in addition to #MastersHat to be considered an entry. Look for this post on my Facebook page. If entering via Facebook, you must tag me so I know you are entering. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/GolfforBeginners. You can also search for Stacy Solomon...that's me! One Masters prize pack consisting of a 2018 slouch hat and 2018 pin flag will be given away by Golf for Beginners blog and MMO Golf. Prizes contributed by MMOGolf.com (see below). Winner will be selected by me, Stacy Solomon, so please try to make nice yet opinionated Masters mentions as I will be reading and responding to all comments! Only one entry per person. Feel free to RETWEET this Great Giveaway and tell your friends. Winners will be announced the Tuesday after Monday after The Masters - no, Hootie and the Blowfish will not be playing at the announcement! What else can you do to increase your chances?  Follow MMOGolf on Twitter and add their handle to your tweets. Like MMO Golf on Facebook, suppliers of great Masters Merchandise and the site responsible for this giveaway. GOOD LUCK! As always, please follow Golf for Beginners on Twitter and subscribe to this golf blog.Follow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and friend us on Facebook!

The 2017 Masters did NOT disappoint the fans as we witnessed a tremendous major win by Sergio Garcia. Justin Rose walked away with his dignity and cheering from the fans in his post-round interview with Dottie Pepper. Both golfers are true champions, in my opinion, as it took a playoff to come to a conclusion worthy of the Masters! News feeds are abuzz with Sergio's win, from an awesome save on thirteen to a putter which turned hot on the 15th hole ...and let's not forget how this win happened to fall on Seve Ballesteros' birthday. Congratulations to the 2017 Masters Winner, Sergio Garcia. Could this be the start of his Grand Slam season? Now, on to the announcement of the golf gear giveaway winner from Golf for Beginners and MMO Golf... The recipient of the Official 2017 Masters Golf Hat is... RICHARD from @RuchalaGolf. Here is Richard's entry which won us over - thanks for entering the Giveaway. We thank you for your service to our great Country! #MastersCaddyHat I was a Vet stationed at Ft Gordon. The hat is the best example of the Masters other than the green Jacket. I love the hat.— Richard Ruchala (@RuchalaGolf) April 9, 2017 Thanks to all who entered! Looking forward to our next giveaway! Follow Golf4Beginners on Twitter! Comment on our golf blog below. Follow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and friend us on Facebook!

Golf for Beginners is happy to announce that, for our fourth consecutive year, we are giving away official gear from The Masters Tournament! Ready to win? Follow the easy directions below. The first of golf's majors takes center stage this week - scheduled for April 6–9 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia - and the odds say that the favorites to win are Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy. Will you be rooting for either of these three great participants or, like me, are you waiting for Phil Mickelson to come to life on the back nine and steal the show? It is sad that Tiger Woods will miss his first Masters Tournament but the details are that Woods is not "tournament-ready". Tiger appeared stiff in practice sessions and, according to Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, "He just didn't feel he was ready." We wish Tiger Woods a speedy recovery and hope that he will be ready to play in the U.S. Open. Whoever wins The Masters Tournament the event itself, as always, be a memorable one and will carry forth all of the traditional elements golf fans have come to know and love, filled with southern charm. The Masters 2017 GIVEAWAYThat being said, there is nothing more exciting than a GIVEAWAY and, at GFB, we have our own Masters tradition, which is to provide a bit of swag for readers of our golf blog courtesy of the fine folks at MMOGolf.com, One lucky golf fan will win this Official 2017 Masters Caddy Slouch Hat.  Read below for entry information. The photo shows the hat but the date will be 2017. In my opinion, this is one of the most-sought-after items at The Masters! Your foursome will envy you thinking that you learned the secret to getting swag from The Masters (how else could you have gotten this hat...through an invite?) What do you have to do in order to try and win this Officially Incredibly Cool Masters Merchandise? Here are the Official Masters Hat Giveaway Rules: This is a Twitter-based giveaway but we will also watch for the hashtag on Facebook and Google Plus: 1. Follow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter (if you haven't yet done so) and send us a tweet with the hashtag #MastersCaddyHat telling us why you want to win this prized possession. 2. Postings must include entrants' @username mention to @Golf4Beginners in addition to #MastersCaddyHat to be considered an entry. One Masters slouch hat will be given away by Golf for Beginners blog. Prize contributed by MMOGolf.com (see below). 3. One Winner of Men's Caddy Hat  - Winner will be selected by me, Stacy Solomon, so please try to make nice yet opinionated Masters mentions as I will be reading and responding to all comments! 4. Only one entry per person and feel free to RETWEET this Great Giveaway and tell your friends. 5. Winners will be announced Monday after The Masters - no, Hootie and the Blowfish will not be playing at the announcement! What else can you do to increase your chances or to show you care?  Follow MMOGolf on Twitter and add their handle to your tweets. Like MMO Golf on Facebook, suppliers of great Masters Merchandise and the site responsible for this giveaway. GOOD LUCK! As always, please follow Golf for Beginners on Twitter and subscribe to this golf blog.Follow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and friend us on Facebook!

Golfers always talk about the importance of distance; thoughts of gripping it and ripping it, bombing a shot, how far down the fairway did that shot go but, is distance overrated? The thought of hitting that little white ball (or in the case of my wife, Stacy, a yellow or pink ball) deep onto the center of the fairway is enough to make a golfer choke...literally...or to change the swing to compensate. Let's put it in perspective with scoring ability. On the professional level, golfers have so many shots in their bag that, if they spray a long drive off of the tee, they can still find a way to get onto the green from just about anywhere. We might think these are miraculous recovery shots (and they are) but these guys and gals also visualize the unthinkable to get the ball back into play...remember Dustin Johnson's incredible shot from tree to green using the roll on a cart path?  For the average player looking to score, however, thinking in terms of distance can ruin your round. Is that extra ten or fifteen yards you visualize in order to bomb your drive really worth it if your golf ball lands in deep rough?  Accuracy is key to a solid golf game. How good are you in getting out of trouble when your drive goes awry? Are you Dustin Johnson good? According to usgtf.com, "long hitters are able to get away with a lesser skill level than short hitters and still beat them, but they have their own challenges," which include lesser ability from one hundred yards and in or issues with accuracy. The approach to the green is the money shot and putting is the gravy. Where pros can play "military golf" and get away with a possible bogey, average golfers tend to have cards with snowmen. The once-a-week duffer needs to have drives that land in or around the fairway with reasonably direct approaches to the green. If your drives are shorter and land in the fairway, if you have a decent short game (130 yards and in) and can putt reasonably well, you have a better chance at a decent handicap and overall more pleasurable round. Distance is important to golfers and is not overrated as long as the shot can land safely, otherwise, thoughts of distance can lead to over-swinging, changing the swing to compensate and high scores. Think Accuracy over Distance According to the PGA Tour, one of the most important statistics is "Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green" which evaluates a tour player's non-putting performance. PGA Tour Senior VP of Information Systems says, "This enables us, for the first time, to quantify player performance and explain how a player achieves his success on the course." Strokes gained from around the green are also important as shots are measured from within thirty yards of the edge of a green. Distance is just one statistic on the PGA Tour but finding where your weaknesses are and turning them into strengths far outweighs distance. Which tees do you play? The average ten to nineteen handicapper drives the ball about two-hundred and fifteen yards. According to Barney Adams, based on that single fact, "an average golfer playing a 6,700-yard course would be the equivalent of a tour player playing an 8,100-yard course." Talk about getting a bang for your buck but, at the same time, what is your level of enjoyment? Tee It Forward guidelines state that, if the ball goes 225 with your driver, your recommended eighteen hole yardage stands at 5,800-6,000 for optimal enjoyment. Course length decreases while enjoyment increases - a win-win situation. Where there will always be a fascination with bombing a three-hundred yard drive, remember that good contact, proper tempo and optimized course management will always trump a wayward drive. Bio: Barry Solomon is the co-founder of Golf for Beginners and a regular contributor to our blogs. What are your thoughts on distance? Let us know in the comments section of this golf blog and tag us on Twitter @Golf4Beginners. Photo: WikimediaFollow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and

The White House announced that President Trump will be playing a round of golf with a group that includes Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his Mar-a-Lago course. The first thing that Mr. Trump stated is that he is going to make sure that Mr, Abe is his playing partner, not his competitor, and that they were going to have "fun". Trump uses golf for business and this event is no exception as he expects to "get to know (Abe) better on a golf course than (he would) over lunch." And, as Mr. Trump once said in a GOLF Magazine interview, "You learn a lot about people playing golf: their integrity, how they play under pressure." Editor: Wonder if he'll also pull out that awesome golf gift he received from Mr. Abe, a Honma Beres S-05 driver with 9.5 degrees of loft with a 5S Armrq Infinity stiff shaft? Will he be using his time-tested tactics to work on building bridges with our Japanese ally? Most definitely! This is a combination of The Art of the Deal and the basic rules of business golf. So, aside from the obvious "fun" factor which Mr. Trump plans to have during the round, the time spent will also be like a four-hour business meeting on some of the greenest fairways in the country. In a survey by a global hotel chain, over one-third of CEO’s at top-level companies interviewed said, “Some of my biggest business deals were made on the golf course”. Women executives weighed in as well with more than a third saying that "playing golf resulted in additional business for them”. So, how can you use time on the course to better your business relationships? Here are a few golf tips you can use to make an unforgettable golf impression on prospective clients: 1. Golf shows character traits: don't cheat - be honest about a miss, A future boss or business partner does not want to work alongside of someone who has "improved the lie". The way you play golf directly resembles the way you conduct business. Play fair! 2. Don't go out cold - make sure you are ready to impress whomever you are playing with - that doesn't mean that you are a professional player, but it does mean that you can move the ball forward and that you know the rules of the game. There is nothing worse than stepping on your playing partner's line on the putting green just after you slipped in a pitch for something important to you. 3. Learn about your playing partner early in the game. Sometimes you might want to give putts thinking that it's a good thing but it could be a double-edged sword. Donald Trump calls it an "interesting dynamic" because giving too much to a partner you are trying to impress may make him/her think (as Trump says) "you are feeling sorry for him". Not a good way to play. As Trump says, "It's a very fine line." Next read: How Much Would You Pay to Play Golf on a Donald Trump Course? What are some of your best tips playing golf for business? Let us know in the comments section of this golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners. photos: Golf Digest, scmp.comFollow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and friend us on Facebook!

During the past few rounds of golf with my husband, we both start the round hitting the ball clean and crisp and then Barry begins to chunk down behind the ball. Next thing I hear are grumblings about how much grass he took, how short the ball went, how many inches he hit behind the ball...and the list goes on. Naturally, this problem could not continue - Barry just wasn't having any fun during his rounds and his next step was to make an appointment with a qualified instructor for help and for golf tips on ways to stop hitting behind the ball. Here is what he learned about his swing: - Probably the most important thing Barry learned was that he wasn't properly transferring his weight. He was keeping the weight on his back foot throughout the swing. A video from PGA Teaching pro Eric Hogge suggests a baseball drill, stepping into the swing from behind the ball. - Another problem causing chunky shots was that Barry's golf swing was not beginning with his chest (shoulders) turning; instead, his swing was beginning with an arm movement. If this is happening when you swing the club, take a tip from Michael Breed on Golf Channel - use the Elephant Drill which also improves tempo. I also regularly place a golf club parallel to the ground up against my shoulders and turn back and through. - Finally (and isn't that enough?) Barry was using the dreaded "death grip"; he was gripping too tightly, not allowing the golf club to swing freely. Too much squeeze and everything in your swing gets affected from wrist hinge to a loss of power and control. A tip to improve your golf grip pressure comes from one of our early Golf for Beginners podcasts and from this visual at Golf Tips Magazine. Hold the golf club in front of you with just enough pressure to stop it from falling down in front of you. Also, something that I always try to do is to think about holding a bird in my hands - you don't want to crush the little one so you want just enough pressure to keep her from flying away. Do you have tips or drills to stop fat shots? If so, please share here on this golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners. photos: videojug.com, Golf Tips MagazineFollow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and friend us on Facebook!

Most golf fans hear about larger endowments such as PGA Tour Charities and First Tee programs but there are also smaller philanthropic concerns which may never get the same scope of visibility - in this case a local Myrtle Beach foundation called the Pardue Children in Need Fund. During the week in which I played in the Mystical Golf Tournament in Myrtle Beach, I had the opportunity to speak on several occasions with Claude Pardue, CEO of DG Golf Management and very passionate spokesperson for a charity which "Provides Joy to Children with No Joy in Their Lives." The game of golf gives back in many ways through charities; in the case of the Pardue Fund, Claude (in association with The Waccamaw Community Foundation) raises money through his pro-shops and has a golf tournament the Saturday before Christmas - this year on December 21 (chances are that the weather in Myrtle Beach will be great). Man O War and the Wizard golf courses close for the event and every dime that is taken in goes directly to the kids. Which kids are going to be helped? Children that suffer from emotional and behavioral issues such as depression, anger issues, suicidal tendencies and manic issues among others, mostly caused by abuse and neglect. "The state provides for the vast majority of their care such as housing, food, school, treatment, meds but nothing else," says Pardue. These kids for the most part are assigned by the court system to homes such as the Lighthouse care facilities and the Seacoast Academies. "Problem is," Claude continued, "that with what they have been through, they feel as though they were placed in prison." Every year, the Foundation has a Christmas party with tennis shoes and clothes given as gifts to the kids. Pardue's team has also started athletic teams at the Macon and Augusta, Georgia facilities and his staff gives golf lessons once a week to boys and girls in SC during the summer. Claude says there are eleven total facilities in South Carolina and Georgia. "Every year, I am very sad that we are only providing for four of them." One of the most fun things on the agenda is the annual show at the Alabama Theater. This year, superstar Grammy-award-winning country music group Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers have agreed to perform - Monday night January 27, 2014. How can you help these kids in need? You can buy tickets to the Gatlin show, contact MysticalGolf.com directly or you can email me and I will be happy to forward your notes directly to Claude Pardue. "By law and because it is right," Pardue said, "we cannot publicize anything that goes on in these facilities.  This is to protect the kids because of the sensitive nature of what they are going through.  Because of this, we do not have a brochure of any kind.  We rely on word of mouth and really good people that have gotten involved with us in our cause."  Voice your opinions on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and LIKE Golf for Beginners on Facebook  Comments and questions appreciated below on this Golf for Beginners blog.Follow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and friend us on Facebook!

Scotland will make it's US television network debut this weekend and, with a huge potential audience, will Americans revisit the bonnie home of golf? Although, according to BBC News, domestic tourism to Scotland (in 2011) rose by eight percent, an overall international decline has made it a prudent decision to advertise and join forces with US Television showing the Scottish Open (and hopefully the familiar face of Phil Mickelson... unless he MC's again). A new television advertisement has also been created with golfers in mind to showcase not only Tartan but the beauty of the Scottish terrain (see video below). First Minister Alex Salmond who launched this campaign said, "During the Scottish Open, we have a captive global audience of golf fans so this is the ideal opportunity to give Scottish golf the biggest ever push. The fact that the tournament is being broadcast on American network television, to tens of millions of US viewers, is a fantastic endorsement for Castle Stuart, and the Scottish Open." I would not necessarily agree with Mr. Salmond's "captive audience" statement. With the advent of TiVo and the ability to watch TV sans commercials, Nielsen ratings report that people aren't watching broadcasts the way they once did...the percentage of people who prefer computer viewing to TV is on the rise. How many people use the mute button or pull out their smartphone as soon as a commercial comes on the screen? Aside from TV commercials Scotland is also pushing its message online. Donald Trump is also helping to spread the word about Scotland; Robb Report voted his Aberdeenshire golf course as the best golf course in the world! With the 2014 Ryder Cup being played at the PGA Centenary Course created by Jack Nicklaus and Scotland golf courses like Turnberry, St. Andrews Old Course and Muirfield among the dreams of anyone who has ever carried a bag of golf clubs, Scotland Welcomes the World. How will the world respond? Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and LIKE us on Facebook!Follow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and friend us on Facebook!

A few weeks ago I wrote about an ATT promotion, "A Gift That Money Can't Buy", which is a website where teens can give something to their parents that they might want, and, in turn, hint at something cool for themselves...namely the new Nokia Lumia 920 smartphone running Windows 8 platform.     I am now the proud possessor of my very own Nokia Lumia 920 and have been using it for a couple of weeks. Here is why I like the new Lumia 920 and some of the cool things I can do with it...so far!   When ATT first introduced the Nokia Lumia 920 Smartphone, I must admit, I was one of the first people to run to the Windows store in the Westchester Mall in order to catch a glimpse of it. I'm a techie (the Bronx Science in me still remains) and the Lumia doesn't disappoint, from the slim fit in my pocket (just the right weight, yet not heavy) right down to the large 4.5 inch screen.   In my last post I mentioned how smooth and quick the Nokia Lumia 920 flies through the tasks I assign it but now, I can add that it loads apps and opens them lickety-split.   Since I am a golf fanatic, the first thing I did was load up a few apps. I use Mobitee, for example, as my GPS Golf Rangefinder: it loaded effortlessly. Gaming features like the X-Box Live Hub work great (if you are an X-Box fan like I am). The Nokia City Lens is a very interesting concept as well, helping to find local establishments using the phone's camera display.   Nokia City Lens on Windows 8   The Nokia Lumia 920 also gives you a few free business downloads like Skydrive storage for documents and Microsoft Office, a must for smartphones nowadays!   All-in-all, I am very satisfied with the Nokia Lumia 920. I just sent my husband his top-secret golf tip from Keegan Bradley who mentions that his golf ball is the "coolest guy in town"  What did he mean by that? Go to the A Gift Money Cant Buy website and send Bradley's golf tip to your special someone today!     Disclosure statement: M80 has contacted Golf for Beginners to write a blog post on behalf of AT&T.  Golf for Beginners is receiving free products as compensation in exchange for participation and is being compensated per FTC guidelines. http://ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedend  #SPON     Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend on Facebook.     Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous Follow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and friend us on Facebook!

As Mickey Mouse stands guard at the par-3 sixth hole of Magnolia Golf Course, some PGA Tour players this week might be lulled into a false sense of security believing that Mickey is their friend. Think again for the trap has quite a snap to it!   Magnolia Golf Course 6th Hole   The unique Mouse Trap carved of sand with the assistance of ninety-six additional bunkers helps to make Magnolia Golf Course the second most difficult within Walt Disney World. Course length (7,516 from the tips), undulating greens and water introduced into eleven of the holes had Payne Stewart claim the course record of sixty-one one day and a seventy-six the following day. Stewart's take on Mickey? "Avoid Mickey and two side sand bunkers for best result."   Five of the golf holes on Magnolia extend to over five hundred yards and even though the fifth hole, a par-4, 492-yard monster, is considered to be Magnolia's toughest hole, Lanny Wadkins claimed the 17th, a 485-yard par-4, as "the most dangerous hole on the course...give me a 4 here and I'll run to 18!"   Magnolia was a 2010 Kodak Challenge golf course; natural wetlands, alligators and eagles seemlessly combine with the ability to salvage drives off of wide fairways and plan putts through exceptionally well-maintained greens. As long as you are a solid bunker player, avoid the water and know your distances (Disney says it has the latest GPS technology on their golf carts), playing it safe should yield positive results.   Take a virtual tour of Magnolia Golf Course.   Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend us on Facebook.   Photo credit: Intercot     Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous Follow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and friend us on Facebook!