January 4, 2009
World Golf Tour Dominates Console Rivals
Having been ill for the past month I have had the chance to test out the fantastic new online golf game from the folks at “World Golf Tour” (http://www.wgt.com)
Being a huge Golf fan (thus the blog) I have played all the console golf games in existance but so far none stand up to the experience of World Golf Tour.
Admittedly, I was overawed by the graphics, sound and dashboard to start with but it only took me a few minutes to set up my profile and play my first match. The scenery is so realistic down to the last shadow.
I felt like I was actually on the course which is something I find that the console golf games somehow don’t manage to achieve. A lot of the controls though are similar to what you may have experienced in other golf games except for the “power” button (the amount of oomph! you want to give the shot) and the “club choice” (which club you would like to play for which shot) which took a little to get used to but I now find them way more practical than the options provided by the competition.
World Golf Tour has also stepped up the excitement level in comparison to their rivals by offering real time tournaments which one can play for free or for a modest fee. It costs absolutely nothing to sign up (and play which was a relief from other companies that advertize free games only to find out after signing up that you have to purchase credits.) and you can play as often as you like.
But be careful because World Golf Tour is highly addictive due to it’s realistic feel and it will be hard to pull your self away from the screen. Another added bonus is that since you are playing real people online it will give you the chance to do some networking and make new friends in other countries. If this doesn’t lead to new business partners it will definitely offer the possibility of having a golf vacation in another land and the chance to share your passion for golf with other enthuastists around the world.
I highly recommend giving this game a shot! (excuse the pun!)
It’s free to register so you have nothing to lose and a world of new possibilitiesto gain.
November 11, 2008
Dirty Blue Widgets ?!?
I know … I know…..
Recently I have been digressing from my holy grail Golf theme but I kinda have a life outside of Golf too. Anyway, I am currently involved in a SEO (Search Engine Optimization) competition with some student friends of mine.
What the heck is that and what does it have to do with Dirty Blue Widgets ?
Well, we’re competing against each other to see who can reach the highest position in Google with this phrase by the by the middle of January using only legitimate “white hat” techniques. So is you want to help me to win then just copy and paste the “green” link below to your Page Rank 10 webpage (lol). But seriously, any link would be great, and if not, make sure you come back here at the weekend because I have something very very exciting to share with you regarding the world of virtual golf!
Here is the link: Dirty Blue Widgets
October 27, 2008
Here is just a quick post for anybody in Essen Werden next weekend.
There is a benefit concert for a sick little boy and I’ll be dusting off my guitar to play a few tunes. There will be some very talented Jazz musicians including Prof.Ilse Storb so it will be a great event.
Click here to see the full program…..
September 17, 2008
The fame of the golf game has expanded enormously over
the last 45 years, affording us adepts like
Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods, and
world-famous courses such as Pinehurst, Augusta
National and the Blue Monster at Doral.
Why has golf gotten so fashionable? It’s the chance
to be outdoors, to acquire a great complete body training,
socialize with buddies or business fellows at an
easygoing pace, and to encounter a sport that you are never able to
perfect.
Your scoresheet, progressively records your advancement,
which keeps you playing over and over again.
Here is a extremely fundemental training session in golf for the individual who
has no idea about the sport.
Golf is played on an eighteen-hole golf course; every hole
has its “par”, which is the allowed number of golf tee shots
(drives), fairway irons, chips (small hits as you
Get near the green), and putts.
The par total is established on the distance and trickiness
of the hole. Pars array from 3 to 6. If you get the
ball in the hole in 5 strikes on a par five hole, you
“made par.” If it you needed six shots, it’s known as a
Bogey, if you got in in four, it’s called a birdie.
There are normally “traps” of some kind on each the
holes. Lakes, bunkers, and forests are
strategically positioned to make the hole extra
Difficult. Novice players should try to locate
challenging courses that are simpler to navigate, with not so many
Traps.
Every player tots up their own points, ticking off the amount
of total strikes for every hole. At the finish,
Everybody calculates their scores-the smallest total is the
Champion.
It’s crucial for learner golfers to not consider
themselves too earnestly. It requires years to become
Expert at this sport; even if the masters make
it look so simple.
Take a training session or two at the beginning; it will assist you
in evolving a correct swing and help you get off to a fine
Outset.
September 8, 2008
It’s never comfortable needing for assistance, but in golf, it’s
Virtually a requirement. Alas, we frequently ask our
Chums and mates, when really we should have a
lesson or two.
We believe that a professional would criticize harshly, but they
are truthful, confident and extremely helpful.
Tuition at the local club isn’t as dear as you
May believe and they’re worth it because your game
will accelerate quickly and cause you less heartbreak,
making the game a great deal more pleasurable for you.
Of greatest importance, is being truthful about your game.
The professional will ask you what you want to begin with;
driving, chipping, putting or anything you feel you
Require assistance with.
Listen closely and follow the directions. You may
have uncertainties if the professional alters your posture, your grip
or your swing; the professional knows better.
Don’t hesitate to fire questions. Don’t be concerned if
the question or worry in stupid-they’ve heard it all
before and will not make you feel like an moron for
Inquiring. If you don’t “get it”, tell him/her that
you don’t understand. You must never walk away from
a training session with unresolved queries.
You can focus on one point during a training session, or
Numerous. You might begin with a course in driving; get
the right grip, the right posture, the right golf stroke, the
right follow-through in one session, and then exercise
it. Next time, you couldimprove your short game, or
putting.
You’ve invested in the gear, doesn’t it make
sense to train how to use them to their full potency and
Upgrade your skills?
May 11, 2008
Are you sick and tired of shanking, hooking, chopping, fluffing or downright missing the ball?
Would you like to practice your golf game but feel that putting in the office just doesn’t cut the ice?
Well, your troubles are finally over, because now you can have the best of both worlds in one very affordable product…..
Introducing…
Dancin’ Dogg Golf Simulator!
This virtual golf trainer enables you to practice and perfect your game in the confined space of your home while retaining the full realistic feel of golfing on the course or driving range.
Dancin’ Dogg Golf Simulator plug and play technology is idiot proof to install through your computers USB port and comes with simplistic instructions which even the most uncivilized caveman could follow and implement.
When you open the box of your Dancin’ Dogg Golf Simulator you will find the following items:
- Dancin’ Dogg Optical Swing Pad
- Dancin’ Dogg Shot Making Simulator Software
- EA Sports Tiger Woods PGATour™ Software
- Practice Balls
- Rubber tee
- Quick start guide
- USB Cable
- Dancin’ Dogg Practice Zone with visual ball flight and shot details
- Dancin’ Dogg Practice Session Statistics
Using special light sensors situated on a synthetic turf mat the Dancin’ Dogg Golf Simulator gives you the chance to play your shot as if you were on the golf course or on the driving range but within the confines of your home. Your body and club movements are recorded and a processed easy-to-read report appears on your computer screen showing you the changes that need to be made to improve your swing.
As if that weren’t enough, this package is also fully compatible and comes complete with EA Games – Tiger Woods PGA Tour software so you can play the worlds most famous courses with family and friends in the comfort of your own home. Can you imagine using your giant plasma screen as the computer monitor and watch the virtual ball fly 300 yards through your sitting room without any broken vases…Sweet!
The one restriction I found annoying about Dancin’ Dogg Golf Simulator was the fact that it can’t be used outside in sunlight because it counteracts the light sensor beams. But hey, if I want to play outside then I go to the links…right?!?
Anyway…this is by far the best virtual golf experience available on the market today!
Visit Dancin’ Dogg Golf Simulator by clicking here…..
February 26, 2008
The first written, laid down rules, come from the year 1744 by the Gentlemen golfers of Leith. The modern golf rules have their origin however in the 1754 established Royal & Ancient golf club of St Andrews (R&A). Today they are published jointly by R&A and USGA and have currently been revised for the end of 2007. A peculiarity in golf is the very large and extensively size of the playing field (the so-called golf course) so the rules must uncover a multitude of conceivable situations. For this reason the control device is more extensive than that of the most other sports and even seasoned players are occasionally uncertain as to which rule to use in any given situation.
Every national golf association (in Germany of the DGV) reproaches an expert commission for this purpose that answers debatable rule questions as far as it considers the circumstance to be unambiguous. If this is not the case then the R&A and/or the USGA is in the end asked for a so-called final “Decision”, therefore an official rule interpretation. These golf rules and also the Decisions are published (on meanwhile more than 800 pages) however they have a comparatively slight practical relevance because they treat mainly specials cases.
So although learning the basic rules is easy, learning the exceptions to the rules can be quite a headache.
February 3, 2008
Whoever plays golf will certainly recognize that it can be rather expensive to buy continuously new golf balls. For this reason many golfers are on the search for used golf balls for their golf bag. On the internet one can finds these so-called “Lake balls” in quite a few Shops for a few cents per pop. One often reaches into ones bag on many occasions and draws out a No-Name ball. When shopping for Lakeballs one can also choose among Lakeballs from the most diverse brand manufacturers. Of course there are also some differences with the prices for the balls here but it mainly depends on how played the golf balls is. The quality varies from store to store depending on where you shop.
In some Shops, a wild mixture of Lakeballs is offered,however one can never know exactly which balls one will get. In other Shops,used golf balls are on display right next to the new balls. With these Lake balls however, one can save over 70 percent of the costs in such Shops as opposed to purchasing new balls. The selection is almost identical to that of the new balls. For instance one finds many brands like Titleist, Pinnacle, Top-Flite, Precept, Dunlop or Callaway.
Another option for cheap balls is factory rejects. These are identifiable by the brand name being crossed out with “x”. These are much cheaper than those that passed the tests and those that I have used always work just fine.
Whichever ball you choose you must remember that a bad workman always blames his tools.
Quality Used Golf Balls
January 21, 2008
They say Golf is the easiest game to learn but the hardest game to play…but why?
Golf is actually a simple game. One has a set of clubs and a ball. One whacks the ball into a few holes that were dug into the middle of a big lawn surface. Then after the 18th hole one has the irresistable desire to go into the 19th hole and tell those he didn’t play with that day about his heoric deeds on the course. Most of us play golf for recuperation and because we enjoy nature and looking at great landscapes. But also, of course, because of the athletic Energy and the improvement of our game. Reducing ones handicap is also a part of the Golf game that one should not fail to neglect.
Players like tigers Woods, Ernie Els and Bernhard Langer do exactly the same but are paid millions for their efforts. But they belong to the best pro golfers of the world. For fairness’ sake, one must also add, that it is also necessary to overcome a few obstacles. If I may liberally quote Winston Churchill; “Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into a even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose.”
Therefore, golf is the most difficult game in the world: The ball doesn’t move alone and on average there is approximately three minutes between each shot. One therefore doesn’t react to the ball like in most sports. Normally, balls are passed on, thrown, kicked, but in Golf they are struck with a club.
A golf ball simply lies quietly there and asks you defiantly not to lose it. Only a short moment is allowed in most sports in order for one to react to the ball. The movement of the body takes place automatically and the game follows wherever where the ball flies. In Golf the player has too much time to think out what their next move will be. Golf would be much simpler if the little ball could move itself and if the players had to wear roller-skates. But then it would no longer be Golf.
So what is Golf really about?
Simply expressed, golf is about whacking the ball into one hole after the other for 18 holes with as few as possible shots usine a selection of 14 differently angled clubs. After finishing 18 holes and pocketing the ball, the player tots up their results for each individual hole and gets their final score. The score is normally much larger than allowed by the rules. The lower the Score, the better the game. That is Golf. That’s all there is to it. The intriuging thing about golf is the fact that it lasts a long time (Normally between 3-5 hours per round). While one plays one normally develops their strategy as the game progresses while at the same time trying to have as few shots as possible per hole. There are many exterior and even more numerous interior influences that make this adventure so interesting. The best advice that we can give is to develop your game slowly and learn the different angles of the game without thinking too intellectually about every shot. Golf is a game that unconditionally demands the full concentration and complete contempt of the private ego. Try to attain the inner silence of a monk, at least for the duration of the round. Golf is littered with chances for foolhardy shots. But only you alone decides over successes or failures: Does one dare to the hit over the water 220 meters away from the green? Bring all your talents with you and discover the never ceasing fascination of this game that demands so much brain power. And every round has a different result. Most shots will be made to the hole from a distance of approximately 90 meters. Whoever makes shots within this range will improve their result faster than the player whose main goal consists of beating the ball as far as possible. Practise putting, the bunker game and short shots twice as often as the Drives. Those who do this will see their hard work pay off at the end of every round.
January 6, 2008
I thought it might be interesting for my readers to see what the Germans get up to regarding Golf:
“It is not only they wild youth that play Cross Golf. Rather, it is a mixture of all ages and social classes ranging from those with great golf abilities to those who can barely swing a club. It is played anywhere there is enough room and no danger to people or objects exists. There is only one rule for this golf away from the golf course: Safety First!
It isn’t surprising either that it is not played with normal but with soft golf balls. These are lighter and don’t cause any damage if they hit people or objects. Arranging to meet for games is done in the most peculiar way. It is a toss up as to whether mobile phone or internet is the most common meeting point for players. There are also the weirdest of venues used in order to arrange a round of Cross Golf for example:
www.crossgolf-portal.de
Players network here and arrange to meet for Cross Golfer from all over the German republic, Austria and Switzerland. This portal is used in order to talk about new game possibilities, to exchange views or to agree on a common Cross Golf event. It is not important either how well one plays Cross Golf only with whom one plays. So, fun is the priority here and not who has the fanciest car is the parking lot. You can wear whatever comfortable clothing you like and pretentious etiquette exists.
Homer Simpson is welcome.
It is not played towards holes but towards goals from the surrounding environment, so it can be a tree, a post or a trash can, for example, that one must reach with the ball. The more spectacular rather the shots and rugged fairways, the more enjoyable it is for the Cross Golfer. For a normal golfer, it would be quite unthinkable to kick the ball out from under a small rock or a park bench, for a Cross Golfer; however, these situations don’t represent any obstacle but only increase the attraction from the point to be able to play a good ball. It is also not really important to finish up with as few shots as possible but more about having lots of fun and realizing your creativity with the game. Here are a few funny situations that can also occur in the life of a Cross Golfer: A 100m shot played with one hand using a putter or to play a shot barefoot from a grassless field. As well, “special points can be awarded for “the worst shot of the day”, the biggest kicked grass tuft” or “the most headstrong swing style”.
Anything goes.
Rules for the Cross Golf are decided individually before each game and don’t represent any manifesto, since fun is the games main objective.
Expensive equipment is not necessary and usually two used clubs acquired on eBay, flea markets or Internet shops are completely satisfactory to meet ones needs. Complete sets incl. Bag can also be had for under 200 € and are becoming continually popular among the growing Cross Golf culture. For approximately 30 € one can obtain a “Starter-Kit” consisting loosely of a 7 iron plus balls on eBay.
Cross Golf is played throughout the whole year, even in the snow, with red balls. It is even played at night in gravel pits with fluorescent or blinking golf balls, in parks and quite often on building sites.
Tournaments are also held for example “Hiking Cross Golf” or “Gourmet Golf” and these are only two of the regularly held competitions. “Gourmet Golf” was played through the Black Forest against a trash can and the “Green Fees” were gourmet dishes that were tasted after the round and points for the food made up part of the final scores. The reports about the tournaments can be viewed on the Cross Golf website.
Since there are not any reception dues or membership rates with Cross Golf, it is something for everyone’s budget. But there are also club golfers that play along at the tournaments or agree to meet Cross Golfers for a casual and stress free round. On the internet platform www.crossgolf-portal.de you can meet like-minded players and begin to exchange views or to agree to get together for a game. If you have any further questions please contact: presse@crossgolf-portal.de. ”
