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Augusta National Golf Club has been home to the Masters Golf Tournament since 1934.

Located in August, GA, the golf course, (formerly a Nursery) was founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts. The course was designed by Dr. Alister Mackenzie who was specifically selected by Bobby Jones.

Construction of Augusta National began in 1931. Play on the course began in 1932, with an official grand opening in January 1933. The Masters Tournament (one of four major championships) has been held here since 1934. It is rivaled only by the Old Course at St. Andrews (and possibly Pebble Beach).

Augusta National Golf Club is a private club whose membership is small and around 300 members. You cannot apply to join the club but rather must be invited to join. Women can play the course but you must be male in order to join the club.

The course itself includes an 18-hole course and a 9-hole par 3 course. For the Masters Tournament, Augusta National plays a 7,435 yard-par 72. It has never been rated by the USGA so does not have course or slope rating. There are 100 acres of fairway and 40 acres of rough. Each hole is named after a flowering tree or shrub. There are 44 bunkers, six water hazards on holes 2, 11, 13, 15 and 16. Perennial ryegrass is used on the fairways, tees and rough. Bentgrass is used on the greens which is an average of 6,435 square feet.

The best known water features are on holes 11, 12 and 13 better known as Amen Corner. There are three bridges on the course, Hogan Bridge, Nelson Bridge and Sarazen Bridge. There are ten cabins located on the course property that are available to members and their guests. Two of the most famous are, the Eisenhower Cabin built to Secret Service specs in the early 50′s for around $75,000 and often referred to as the” Little White House”. Also, the Butler Cabin, named after Thomas Butler was built in 1964 and is where CBS has hosted their broadcast of The Masters since 1965.

Tickets to see the Masters Tournament are some of the most sought after sports tickets in the world. Augusta has been said by many of the top pros to be one of the toughest courses on the PGA tour. To get tickets to see them hit the ball down the fairway can cost anywhere from $100 to $10,000 but is a once in a life time experience to view the beauty and history of the most prestigious course in the world and the best golfers in the world.

The Masters Tournament should indeed be high on your Bucket list.

Phil Mickelson won last years 2010 Masters, finishing 16 under 272. It was Mickelson’s third Masters coveted green jacket.

The dates for the 2011 Masters Tournament are April 7-10th

In this article I will give you 10 benefits of using a GPS for golf. With the rapid development of GPS technology, using a GPS for golf has become very popular throughout the world, and in particular America and Australia.

Why has using a GPS for golf become so popular?

Well quite simply the information you receive from a GPS is both accurate and extremely useful.

When using a GPS for golf you get the following benefits:

Distances from where you are to varying parts of the course and hole in play. This includes the overall length of the hole, the distance to the beginning and end of the fairway. Distances to hazards, both to reach and to carry the hazard, as well as distances to the front, centre and back of the green. All this information is extremely useful and time saving. No more measuring out or guessing of distances. Most Golf GPS models are accurate to within a couple of yards. Get to know how far you hit the ball with each club. A lot of players who have been using a GPS for golf say that this can be quite a humbling experience. Believing that they hit a driver (or any club) a certain distance and then discovering that they in fact don’t hit it that far seems to amaze them. Truth is most amateurs think they hit the ball further than they do. Gain confidence. Knowing the distance that you hit each club gives you an incredible amount of confidence when playing. No longer do you have to worry about a three quarter or “between clubs” shot. This alleviates tension and allows for a smooth swing. Ever wondered why the pros seem to know exactly which club to use and get the distances exactly right? Their caddies are paid to know exactly how far it is to the pin, what clubs they hit that distance and to advise the player accordingly – exactly the information you will get from using a GPS for golf. A Golf GPS is extremely useful when you have hit a wayward shot; say behind some trees, where you would ordinarily have no idea of how far it is to get the ball back into play or to the green. Without a line of sight you can confidently play your shot knowing that your ball will (or should – as you still have to execute the shot) land back in play or where you intended it to go. Play anywhere any time with confidence. If playing at a strange course for the first time or a course that you do not play that often – such as when you are on holiday – you have the advantage of not having to worry about distances. Most GPS models come preloaded with a number of local courses or courses can be downloaded as required. In addition you can ‘map’ or plot your own points on every hole and so customize your GPS specifically for your own use. Using a GPS for golf will speed up play. It is amazing how many players report that this happens. Even one GPS in a four ball seems to speed up play considerably. Shoot lower scores and reduce your handicap. A lot of people who use a GPS for golf say that they have shaved shots off their rounds from the very first time they use a GPS. Quite simply a GPS takes a lot of tension out of the equation and this definitely makes for better scoring. Be the envy of your mates – they’ll all want to play with you. Or more likely want you to help them with their distances. Analyze your round after the game by using the built in statistics available in most GPS models. Enjoy your game more. If you are playing well you will naturally enjoy it more.

So there you have it – 10 benefits to using a GPS for golf. If you haven’t already tried using a GPS for golf do yourself a favor and go out and get one today.

Golf can be a very healthy sport and an excellent source of exercise, especially when players use push pull golf carts, rather than ride-in golf carts. This is one of the reasons that Sun Mountain golf carts are among the most popular of the push pull type golf carts in the world.

They been building golf accessories since the mid-1990′s and has experienced success through bringing lightweight, yet sturdy products to the world of golf. Aside from golf carts, Sun Mountain produces golf bags and cart parts. A new, power assisted cart is slated to be available to the public very soon!

Sun Mountain golf carts have an unparalleled reputation because they are extremely well-built and quite revolutionary in design and use. The Speed Carts offer an excellent way to get around the golf course in light weight, comfortable style. Gone are the days of lugging not only a heavy, clumsy golf bag around, but a heavy, clumsy golf cart as well.

Of the popular Sun Mountain golf carts, the V1 Speed Cart offers an ergonomic handle that adjusts for maximum ease and comfort, easy folding configuration for putting in the trunk when you’re done with golf and ready for a burger and a drink, pneumatic or solid foam tires (your choice), and umbrella mount for unexpected showers. Adding to your comfort and ease of use are adjustable front wheel alignment, fold-away bag rests, padded valuables tray with a lid that closes magnetically, and scorecard, pencil, tee and ball holders. The V1 Speed Cart comes in seven different colors – you can find the perfect match for your bag!

Another of the Sun Mountain golf carts is the V2 Speed Cart. It takes the best features of the V1 and adds a larger handle for even more comfort, deluxe accessories panel, sweater pouch, drink holder, handle mounted hand brake, pneumatic tires with tire pump and sealed ball bearings. The V2 comes in three attractive colors.

The benefits of using a wheeled golf cart are plentiful. First, a wheeled golf cart offers you a great way to enjoy your golf outing, while getting in shape. You have to admit that walking nine or eighteen holes is a great workout! With the V1 or V2 carts, you’re not lugging your golf bag around, but are wheeling it comfortably from hole to hole. This is ideal. Also, the golf carts are built to last, are lightweight and very convenient, with their easy-fold style and ergonomic features that protect your body from undue stress.

If you’re searching for a high quality wheeled golf cart that comes from a company with a strong reputation for quality, service and parts, the best recommendation is a to get a golf cart from Sun Mountain. Made to be strong, yet comfortable and attractive, a Sun Mountain golf cart will provide you with many, many enjoyable days at the course!

We have all heard the phrase, “you get what you pay for”. With some products or services, that isn’t always the case. However, with golf clothing, it certainly is.

There are hundreds of manufacturers all claiming their line is the best. But, can they back it up? Galvin Green can. Their designers are real life golfers themselves, who know what designs and materials work best out on the links. They not only style their clothes for looks, but also function. The company claims to always have performance in mind, no matter the article of clothing involved.

For too many years, golf clothes were the fodder for stand up comedians. The loud, sometimes garish colours and prints were often referred to as “Circus attire”. Galvin Green changed that, proving you can both look good and feel comfortable while hitting the little white ball.

For example, their Multi-Layer concept line features state-of-the-art technology which allows the golfer to stay dry, yet does not trap uncomfortable heat and moisture. It’s nice to feel protected yet be able to have the skin breathe.

The men’s and women’s collections include shirts, trousers and shorts, jackets, sweaters and even underwear for the guys. There are selections for juniors and also a long list of quality accessories including hats, gloves and an even umbrella for the die hard, stuck in the bunker on a rainy day.

Is wearing the proper golf clothing an important part of the game? The average golfer spends immense amounts of time researching the best clubs, shoes and body mechanics. But if you have to take a mulligan when it comes to looks and comfort on the course, you may be compromising your performance. Your mind is already filled with hundreds of tips about stance, swing and where your nose should be pointed when you stroke the ball. When you know you look and feel your best in the Galvin Green line of clothing and accessories, that is one less thing you have to think about.

Galvin Green has a slogan…”We Never Compromise”. If you feel that way about your game, why settle for anything less?

As the ultimate technology in golf balls and equipment continues to improve at an astonishing rate faster than any electronic product on the market today. Buyers have become even more confused and frustrated on what is the best golf product that will give you that extra roll, stop on a dime on the greens or give you the back spin needed. What type of golf balls are the best for giving you the pure roll on the greens and is consistent in feel and performance.

Golf clubs are now taking advantage of space age materials and methods. Titanium with carbon graphite shafts have now replaced steel for making long-distance drivers. However, waiting in the wings for their own turn is other new space age materials yet to be developed that can improve your golf club performance.

The trend towards having aerospace technology, and is adopted by sporting goods manufacturers is alive and well today. Improving upon the performance of golfing equipment specifically golf club materials, is now the foot race to becoming first in the golf industry.

There is a growing demand for high strength steel alloy and lightweight titanium club heads, and the emergence of graphite composite shafts. Materials first used in the landing gear of the F-18 fighter jet, is now a popular material for making golf club inserts, or club faces. The idea is to take advantage of certain materials to optimize what the golfer needs.

What do golfers need? You need a good transfer between your golf swing mechanics and the golf ball. For fairway woods, hybrids, irons and wedges, this frequently means the use of a forged steel insert at the club face. The insert is needed because the club body itself is an alloy cast in order to transfer energy efficiently to the golf ball.

Tour Alloy can be found in such distance clubs as fairway woods, hybrids, irons and wedges. There is more than a dozen different alloys of various hardness and strengths for the golf industry. The call for such high performance steel alloys should grow with a move by the U.S.G.A. to limit both a club’s head size (to 460 cubic centimeters) and the speed with which a ball can leave the club head (called the coefficient of restitution).

Specifically, these constraints will likely force club designers to find new ways to deliver longer distances and a larger sweet spot. For the club heads of drivers, the trend continues to be toward titanium. There is light weight titanium which does have the strength of steel at half the weight.

It makes it best suited for the larger club heads. Joining forged steel to a titanium casting is not practical, these clubs typically use inserts of forged titanium. Adding to the appeal of titanium drivers, their prices have come down so much that they have made steel shafts obsolete in regards to the market for drivers.

As for golf club shafts, there is a definite trend toward carbon graphite. One way to get a good energy transfer between the golf swing and the golf ball is to have a good whip in the shaft. Carbon graphite works very well. It’s a very stiff material, and it can be tailored very simply to give whipishness or stiffness, depending on the flexibility and strength of the golfer.

These technical changes in golf club designs, has now become ever fast changing in the golf industry. Product development is critical, as each vendor has its own demands for pricing, shapes, materials, weights, hardness, stability, center of gravity, and other specifications for their club heads.

A short product life cycle is another hurdle to overcome. You must always stay ahead of market trends in order to help the customers,and be able to stay ahead of your competitors. You still have to meet demands, and at the same time improve upon increasing accuracy and quality.

It’s extremely important to have an information infrastructure. The internet plays a huge roll in product development. You can save time by networking a large share of the business by lowering costs, improving quality, and shortening development time.

There’s a human factor involved when looking into biomechanics,and its implications of research and development. It’s not exact science when trying to define golf swing mechanics, or trying to consider a golfers behavior and emotions logically.

Next is the different combinations of golf club shafts, and trying to determine the forces upon it. Such as the vibrations, the amount of energy involved, and how that energy is transferred. Other factors to consider would be: What’s the mass? What’s the twist of the club head at impact? What effect does changing the location of the club’s mass have on the moment of inertia? Where is the center of gravity? What is the effects of shaft flexibility on club-face positioning at the moment of impact? The determining factor is where is the weight-center, or the “sweet spot?

Golf equipment manufacturers have poured billions into the research and development of golf balls and clubs to hit longer and straighter.It hasn’t been pure research, as much as product development, and that hasn’t explained the entire process of the golf swing and all the forces involved. While a golf swing may seem like a simple movement, it’s actually quite complex, and the smallest variable can send a golf ball into a sand trap, or worse.

As a golfer swings, the club twists and gains speed during the downswing, so the face of the club is angled as it strikes the ball. That angle gives the ball its lift and, along with the ball’s aerodynamic properties, helps determine its trajectory. That’s also why it was important to measure the golf balls lift, drag, and other properties and their contribution to distance. Through different models it’s easier to describe why a golf ball flies as it does.

Math and Science have become increasingly important to the designing of golf equipment. Billions have been spent each year on research and development in order to improve upon mathematical models and biomechanics research presented by the U.S.G.A. There’s been a tremendous amount of trial and error in product development.

For within these initial findings lies the future of a 400-year-old game played by millions yetunderstood by very few. These findings may serve to alleviate at least some of the frustration of the more than 35 million duffers who spend hours on golf courses each weekend, whacking little dimpled golf balls, all in the name of fun and relaxation.

The Augusta national golf club has been the location of the well known and highly televised Masters Tournament. The course is located in Augusta Georgia and has be placed on land that used to be a tree nursery.

An Elegant designed Golf Course for those with the skill to enjoy….

The Augusta national golf club is adorned with mature trees, flowers, as well as shrubs and every hole has the name of a tree or a shrub that is located on the hole. In the early days it stood out from the rest of the golf courses due to the small number of bunkers it contained, compared to other golf courses. The widths of the fairways on the course were also different from the other professional quality courses.

Design changes to the Course

Over the years architects have made changes to the course such as placing more bunkers, decreasing the contours of the greens and placing more trees on the course. The creation of serveral rough areas made the course more challenging.

The greens at the Augusta course had a long tradition of being made from traditional Bermuda grass. In 1981, they were changed to being made from bent grass, which provides a faster surface on the green. This was the deciding factor for the decrease in the contours that were placed on the green.

Members of the Augusta national golf club are probably familiar with the large oak tree that is located on the course and is thought to be over 140 years old.

The Eisenhower tree is a solid pine tree, which is situated on the 17th hole of the course.

Historians of the course claim that the tree was hit with a golf ball numerous times, (to his disgust) by President Eisenhower, and so he recommend that they remove the tree. The chairman of the course at the time did not want to have to ignore the recommendation of the President, however he decided the best thing to do was close the meeting.

The course also has Ike’s Pond, which was named after General Eisenhower. He had taken a walk in the woods on a distance portion of the club grounds, and advised the chairman of the club that he had found a great place to include a pond. The pond was built based on his recommendation.

I believe the chairman’s job was an extremely diplomatic role,with so many top names of politics and high ranking officials. It allowed its first African-American member in 1990. It is currently an all-male membership.

The Augusta course is one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world, for both professionals and the weekend players. I highly recommend it if for only to pick out the specific icons mentioned here, and to identify how they arrived on the course.

Lets face it, even the most serious golfers can’t resist going to the miniature golf course with the family and playing a few games.

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