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Black & White : Home / The Courses / Courses coming soon / Tampa - Clearwater, FL / Displaying items by tag: MLG Magazine
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Displaying items by tag: MLG Magazine

Golfing in Sarasota, FL

Friday, 23 March 2012 09:24

While Sarasota, Florida may have too many attractions to be exclusively labeled a golf getaway destination, there are over 30 golf courses in this little Gulf Coast city, encompassing private country clubs as well as public golf complexes. To note some of the most memorable, one can begin – and end – their quest for a ritzy club at The Founders Golf Club at 3800 Golf Hall Drive. The Founders Golf Club is an upscale, private club in Sarasota with a professional caddie program for its 18 holes, immaculate Bermuda grass, and small membership. The club is located in a classy residential community, and the design of the course is a link style in tour condition with dark cherry woodwork panels on the walls of the clubhouse, restaurant, pro shop and lockers. The unique layout on the back green consists of 3 three’s and 3 five’s, and the price range on both weekdays and weekends is $95.

On the other hand, the Bobby Jones Golf Complex is a golf course built all the way back in 1927 during the time when golf was enjoying its first spurt of popularity and men wore suit jackets to play a round. Frequented by Babe Ruth and designed by the legendary architect Donald Ross, Bobby Jones Golf Complex is considered to be one of the most historic golf courses in Florida. There are 45 holes in all, with the back nine of the British course remaining untouched originals designed in 1926. This proud municipal club is steeped in history. Those wishing to share in the history can journey to 1000 Circus Boulevard in Sarasota.

One of the most formidable Sarasota courses is the semi-private Stoneybrook Golf and Country Club, with water a major factor in its difficulty and involved in play on every hole save one. Several holes have water in play repeatedly. Built in 1994 and designed by Arthur Hills, this course can be found at 8801 Stoneybrook Boulevard in Sarasota and online at www.stoneybrook.net. $80 is the going rate week-round. For a bit more value, Tatum Ridge Golf Links is another semi-private noteworthy course. At 421 Tatum Road in Sarasota, you’ll find a Scottish links-style course built in 1989 and designed by Ted McAnlis. The price ranges from $34-$50 and rental carts are included in green fees, so the price is definitely right.

Simply put, if you cannot find a golf course in Sarasota, Florida to meet your needs, open your eyes and try again. Considering its petite size, this area has packed a surprising number of golf courses among its powdery beaches, eclectic mix of restaurants, nightlife, shopping and cultural activities. There is truly something for everyone – and especially the golfer – in Sarasota. Golfing on the Florida coast is an amazing experience. If you aren’t native these lands, you will be surprised on what yu are missing out on. If you are hankering for the ultimate golfing experience, don’t let Sarasota be beyond your grasp. Book your trip today and experience all they have to offer with golfing.

Golfing in St. Petersburg, FL

Friday, 23 March 2012 09:27

People that have the golfing bug in their veins can’t do without it. If you are worried that you won’t be able to practice your golf game while doing business in St Petersburg, then you have no need to fear. There are not only one but three municipal golf courses, where you can practice you gave until your heart is content. There are many great golfing grounds in and around the St. Pete area. Some of those places include Mangrove Bay, Cypress Links, and Twin Brooks. These establishments will let you enjoy 18 holes while relaxing at the end of a hard days work. Anyone should feel better knowing that they can work as hard as they play while taking a business trip. Business travel is not always easy being away from your family. Being able to know that you can still do the things you want while having to be away is golden.

Mangrove Bay was opened in 1977. This 18-hole facility has 6,779 yards of space with a course rating of 71.2 and 119 slope rating. Since Mangrove Bay is so close to Tampa Bay, it is open night and day. It even has a snack bar that is open around the clock in cause you as a customer get hungry or want a drink while playing. Now that is service! If you are just in the area on business then the following might not apply to you, but they do have instructors available for anyone wanting help in learning how to play the game. Instructors are only available during the daytime hours, and they even have a program for children to learn.

Cypress Links is the newest golf facility in the city. It is located at the entrance of Mangrove Bay. The campus is a family environment. The prices are reasonable, and you can find all of the amenities associated with the course just a short walk away near the entrance. Golf players of all levels can use the facility. It has a length that goes from 105 to 187 yards.

Another great facility in the area is Twin Brooks an 18-hole golfing range situated near the South Pinellas Beaches. Like most of the others do, this course offers several amenities for the customers convenience. Cart rentals are available if needed and PGA Instructors. A special feature is the 18-hole miniature golf course where adults and children can have fun. If you don’t know how to play golf, don’t be disappointed, all facilities have people on hand to teach you how.

Golfing locations in the St. Pete area are not in short supply. If you don’t want to use one of the ones mentioned above all you have to do is pull out the yellow pages. This area has many choices of places to play golf, so you should have no trouble in finding one that suits your needs. If you are staying at a hotel, ask for their recommendation on someplace to play. They will be only to glad to help you by recommending the best.

The Thrill of Golfing in Sarasota

Friday, 23 March 2012 09:31

If you are a die hard golfer or someone who just has a love for the game, Sarastota Florida should be considered as a destination for golfing heaven. Sarasota is home to a numerous number of golf courses. The Sarastora Golf Club is second to none in providing a stellar golfing experience. The hospitality is rich, and the golf courses are lush green with various difficulty levels.

Sarasota is located on the western coast of Florida. There are many activities for vacationers including the circus museum, the silky white sand beaches, great shopping and boating. This is the perfect area to bring the family. While they are enjoying the local attractions, you can tee up at the course and play a few holes. The area golf courses are heavily utilized not only by native residents, but also by vacationers eager to hit the greens.

When you get to the club you should feel as if you’ve always belonged. The staff is full of hospitality and will inform you of the rules and things that are available at the golfing range. The golfing club of Sarasota has a course that is built for champions. Regular tournaments are held, and people come from miles around just to get a chance to be a part of one. This club is heavily organized with event coordinators closely monitoring all activities being carried out at the course. The course also features golfing lessons given by professional instructors, a bar and grill, gift shop and recreation area. They provide the packaged experience.

To get golfing lessons through the club, you can just get their schedule online and sign yourself up. The club provides public access for most features but does have limited access for some things. If everything were public, members would have no need to join and pay a membership fee! If you have a serious interest in golfing, you should check this location out as well as the many others in the Sarasota area.

Golfing has mainly been considered a sport for men over the last several decades, but women are joining the ranks more and more all the time. In the next 20 years, there will probably be a significant number of women becoming professional golfers. Children that start taking lessons at a very early age have a much better chance at becoming professional than someone who has just taken up the game who is already mature. Make sure you have an instructor with a solid background in golf if you do intend to pay for private lessons.

You probably have an interest in golf or you would not be viewing this article. If this article hasn’t excited made you book your ticket already, then maybe the Sarasota Golf Club’s website will. They provide extremely detailed information, and if there is something you need to know that isn’t listed they will be happy to answer any questions over the phone. Pack your bags and clubs and get ready for that great golfing adventure.

Sarasota Golfing Hotspots

Friday, 23 March 2012 09:32

Sarasota has some of the most amazing golf hotspots in Florida. You have your choice of hundreds of golf courses in and around the surrounding areas. Many of these courses are top notch in professional grade and scenic beauty. The difficulty levels vary but each course has its own unique draw. Do you love to golf? When you play, does your adrenaline rush when you think you’ve got that hole in one? If so, then that truly shows your love of the game and Sarasota would be a brilliant area for you to experience. Many of the courses in the area are connected with noteworthy professional golfers or built by designed by famous people.

Perhaps most notably of all, the eight-time PGA Tour champion Bob Tway is the architect of Bobcat Trail Golf and Country Club, just south of Sarasota. This is a course that also has water present on almost every hole, and large, undulating greens add to the 6,750-yard course’s difficulty. You begin the course by going in a counter-clockwise direction, which evolves into a figure eight down the homestretch, and tee shots need to be carefully shaped in order to avoid the strategically placed fairway bunkering. The challenge and innovativeness of this golf course makes it a worthy experience and a credit to Bob Tway’s foray into golf architecture. If you’re in the Sarasota area, Bobcat Trail Golf and Country Club is not to be missed.

With so much beauty in Florida, it goes without saying that you will want to take pictures of the spectacular views, and snapshots of the trickiest features of any of the great golf courses. Many cameras will fit comfortably in a shirt pocket, so there is no excuse not to have it on hand. More importantly, they can shoot video footage almost anywhere and with an extra memory card or two, an hour or more of reasonable quality video can be taken where and when you want. You can record your whole Florida golf outing with just a few simple clicks and a steady hand!

Sarasota is definitely worth researching when planning your next golfing excursion. You will be impressed not only with their playing courses but with their great southern hospitality There is deep rooted history in the area with the sport of golf as well as the Circus which is based there. The golf courses in the area are well known for the many championship tournaments that are held there. Regional and PGS tournaments are held all across the United States including the west coast of Florida. If you are a competitive player, the feeling you get when you step on the course and know that you are playing the same course the pros do is indescribable. The feeling in itself is priceless. To get information on all Sarasota area golfing facilities or events check out the Sarasota Golf Club Online. The club will provide you with all up to date information concerning local golfing events, schedules and tournaments.

Golfing Vacation in Tampa Bay

Friday, 23 March 2012 09:35

Men who love golf don’t always have an easy time of getting out to play. The honey-do project list just seems to build, and the wife is not happy if golf is chosen over getting things accomplished. There is now a solution! While it may seem like scheming, it is sure to get you that time on the course that you deserve and keep your partner happy in the process.

Tell your wife you are taking her to Tampa Bay! Tampa Bay is home to many well established pro ready golf courses. What’s even better is that it’s in the beautiful State of Florida. Your wife will think she has hit the jackpot, and you will get the rest you deserve while chilling with your golf clubs. Not only will you be able to hit the course, you will also be able to soak up the sun and take in the sites.

Your wife will be so grateful for the vacation, she won’t care if you play a little golf. While you are enjoying your game of golf, there are plenty of activities for your family to do. Many golfing resorts having swimming, and areas for children to play along with a whole host of activities. Tampa Bay also has many area attractions such as Busch Gardens, which can keep your family entertained. They will want to have just as much fun as you do.

Before you leave your home, be sure to print out a list of all golfing establishments in the area. Some are top of the line and others mediocre. Reading reviews should help you determine which place will get you the playing experience that you want. They have a ton of different options. Some of the golfing resorts have eateries on site as well as hotels just a short distance from them. With so many options to choose from, you can make it whatever you want it to be.

Don’t be shy when entering the course. Many of the people at public courses in the area are vacationers. There should be plenty of people to strike up a conversation with and to give you a run for your money with a good game. If you can’t find anyone that seems like they don’t have a partner to play with, ask someone at the front counter. There may be someone around that they can pair you up with for a match. Another option it to play a few holes yourself. After all, you are there for the fun of it so enjoy every second.

Maybe you should consider bringing your wife to the course with you. If you teach her how to golf, maybe she will like it and want to play too. That will allow you to play more once you get back home and will gain you some quality time with your wife. Everything aside, just remember to have fun, be happy and have a golf outing that will give you treasured memories for years to come.

The Origin of Golf as a Game

Friday, 23 March 2012 09:37

Golfing has gained increasing popularity in recent years and has since spread to the rest of the world. Golfing is seen as a leisure activity and as a means to network. It is also a way to conduct business in an informal setting. Although, not as demanding physically as football or basketball, golfing demands concentration and precision from its players, where players have to hit a small ball with a club into a series of holes. The one that hits the ball into the right hole with the least number of strokes will be the winner. It is a competing sport as well as an amature sport many people just play for fun.

The current version that is being played today was first started in the 15th century in Scotland. However, golf existed on other forms prior to the 15th century, and historians cannot agree on a common origin. Some historians think that the Roman’s paganica is the origin of golf as there are similarities between paganica and golf. When the Romans played paganica, the players had to hit a stuffed ball made of leather with a bent stick. Since the Romans conquered most of Europe in the 1st century, it is thought that they brought the game with them and thus paganica spread throughout Europe.

However, other historians have traced golf to the Chinese’s chuiwan. It was played in China between the 8th and 14th centuries. The name chuiwan means striking a small ball which is remarkably similar to the description of golf. Apart from the meaning of chuiwan, there is also a drawing entitled “The Autumn Banquet” from Ming Dynasty, dated 1368, showing a member of the court playing the game. It was shown that the player has to hit a small ball into a hole with a club that look similar to the modern golf club. It was recorded in the Dōngxuān Records of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) that the players of chuiwan had to choose between 10 clubs in order to play the game. These 10 clubs included cuanbang, pubang, and shaobang, which from the record are similar to the modern golf driver, two-wood, and three-wood. The Records further suggested that chuiwan was a game for the rich since the clubs were all inlaid with jaded gold. Since there was interaction between the Chinese imperial court and Europe during the Middle Ages, it was suggested that chuiwan could have been spread into Europe during that time.

Other historians asserted that modern golf originated from a game that the English called cambuca and the French called chambot. In addition, there is a game called kolven in Netherlands which bears similarities to modern golf in which the players has to hit a leather ball with curved stick. The aim is to hit the ball into a target a few hundred yards away with as few strokes as possible. It was played annually in Loenen in 1297 in remembrance of the capture of Floris V, an assassin, a year before. No matter whose account one would choose to believe, golf has clearly been around for a long time in one form or another.

Your Best Golf Buddy

Friday, 23 March 2012 09:39

So you have already planned your dream golf vacation, and already made your reservations for some great locations like Sarasota, Tampa, or Clearwater. Maybe some friend with inside local information has tipped you off about great but less famous courses down around St. Petersburg. Whatever the case, you've laid your plans and are already counting the days.

Of course, you are getting in plenty of practice at your local golf courses in the meantime, polishing your skills and working on your posture and grip. Are you remembering to take along the best friend a golfer can have these days? I mean your digital camera, of course. Not only can this camera snap shots for your memory book, it can also record video! Recording yourself while playing golf can make you improve with your game and see what you are doing wrong.

Now before you groan at the thought of “home movies” you need to stop and consider the potential advantage that video can give you in the sport. With a small tripod, you can record your play to study yourself to figure out how to make your game better. You know how easy it is to see all the little mistakes when watching someone else take a swing. As you watch, you see their weaknesses, things you'd do differently in the routine, or notice those little things about their grip or posture that are costing them some of their performance. If you start recording your own practice games, you can study your own form in privacy later. Years ago, shooting video took bulky equipment and a team of people to handle it. These days, with practice, everything you need can be small, lightweight, and take less than a minute to set up. Professional athletes have studied video footage of themselves to improve their game for decades now, but it is really in recent years that the gear has become small and “smart” enough for the average enthusiast to make use of the potential.

Making your digital camera one of your regular golfing buddies now also lets you get in plenty of practice using it before you go on that dream golf vacation. If you are already quite adept at taking good photographs with it, there's not better time to brush up on the basics of what makes an outdoor sports picture something really worth looking at. It is not just about practice, either. With a little thought and experience, you can catch some great moments of your game to enjoy gloating over later. Imagine the camera at a low angle near the hole as you sink that perfect putt. The best moments from your dream golf vacation can be enjoyed for years, and shared with other enthusiasts. If you start working it into your regular practice now, so that it is second nature to you when vacation time finally rolls around, you can look forward to getting some great shots with your camera as well as with your clubs when you play.

Tampa Bay Golfing

Friday, 23 March 2012 09:42

There are many different golfing courses in the Tampa area. With so many to choose from, how in the world does anyone know which is the best? While the average player who is just looking for a good game may not care, the competitive players want only the best to ensure a chance at precision with their game. If you are playing on a badly kept golf course, then the likelihood of improving your game is remote.

If you have never been to the Tampa area, it may be hard to know where the best is. You might begin your search at www.tampabaygolf.com/ . This website it loaded with great information on various golfing ranges throughout the Tampa area. This site will list each golf course in the area along with images of the course itself. If you click on a particular link, it will provide you information for the individual courses. This website is a golfer’s paradise and a one stop shop to get all the golfing information you need about the Tampa area.

One of the most recognized golf courses in the Tampa Bay area is the Saddlebrook Golf and Tennis Resort. The images alone make you want to hop in your car and head out for a game of golf. Established in 1982, this resort features 18 holes, annual golfing, putting greens, driving ranges and club rentals. The course isn’t as large as some others are, but is a course that many golfers see as a great challenge. It has a lot of elevation changes and many trees making it seem like rolling hills in some places. The main reason it is so noteworthy is because the designer was Arnold Palmer. That alone causes people to come visit.

Another great place to golf in the Tampa area is Waterlefe Golf and River club. This course is remarkably scenic with many waterways throughout it. According to the information on the website, its inspiration was from the manatee river. Not only is this course a challenge, it is also gorgeous. It’s a place you would want to take your wife or husband to on a Sunday afternoon to relax and play a few holes. The waterways surrounding the course give a hint of romance to a common game.

While those are common places to play golf in the Tampa area, they are more expensive than some of the others. There are tons of other great places listed on the website. There is a place to play for every type of budget range, so money should not be an issue. All of the links on the site provide pricing information, so you will know up front before making a long trip what your costs will be. You can even book packages if you are going to be in the area for any length of time. If you are planning a vacation soon to the Florida area don’t forget your set up clubs! Enjoy tropical air while hitting that hole in one. What could be better?