比嘉、アンとのラウンドで自信深めた！3打差3位で最終Rへ

2012年04月07日18時32分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 申　ジエ -6
2 佐伯　三貴 -4
3 吉田　弓美子 -3
4 ジョン・ミジョン -2
アン・ソンジュ -2
6 藤本　麻子 -1
7 インビー・パーク 0
イ・ナリ 0
北田　瑠衣 0
10 J・ウンビ +1


順位の続きを見る





明日は逆転優勝を目指すアマチュアの比嘉真美子（撮影：ＡＬＢＡ）







＜スタジオアリス女子オープン　2日目◇7日◇花屋敷ゴルフ倶楽部 よかわコース(6,483ヤード・パー72)＞

　「スタジオアリス女子オープン」の2日目。初日、3アンダーで首位タイに立ったアマチュアの比嘉真美子は、この日はイーブンパーでホールアウト。トータル3アンダーで首位とは3打差の3位タイに後退した。

撮れたてトーナメントLIVE写真館

　比嘉は前半をイーブンにまとめ後半へ。後半は15番までスコアカードどおりのプレーを続け、迎えた16番パー5でバーディを奪取。しかし、最難関の18番でセカンドショットをグリーン左手前に外すと、約17ヤードのアプローチは「ちょっとパンチ気味に強く入ってしまった」ため、下りラインの3メートルのパーパットを残してしまう。これを決めきれずボギーとし、「すごく残念です。16番のいい流れのまま早く上がりたいと焦ってしまった」とラウンド後は悔しさを隠さなかった。

　しかし、首位と3打差はまだ優勝圏内。「オーバーパーにしないのが今日の目標でした」と自身の最低限の目標もクリアし、狙うは優勝の2文字のみ。この日は女王アン・ソンジュ(韓国)と同組でのラウンド。萎縮してしまってもおかしくない状況だが、「私の飛距離が負けてないことは自信につながりました。ショットに関しては歯が立たないという印象ではありません」と強気のコメント。ショートゲームなどに関しては及ばない面があるのは本人も認めるところだが、女王を前にしても一歩も引かないこの姿勢はやはりタダ者ではない。

　「1番でティショットを打てば、プロもアマも関係ない。明日は自分の持ち味を出してスコアを出していきたいです」。明日は最終組で09年の米国女子ツアー賞金女王、申ジエ(韓国)と直接対決。自慢のパワーで申をねじ伏せられるか。日本のナショナルチームの代表としてこれまでも世界と戦ってきた比嘉が、世界レベルのプロに真正面からぶつかっていく。

【2日目の順位】
1位：申ジエ(-6)
2位：佐伯三貴(-4)
3位：比嘉真美子(-3)※アマチュア
4位T：アン・ソンジュ(-2)
4位T：全美貞(ジョン・ミジョン)(-2)
6位：藤本麻子(-1)
7位T：北田瑠衣(E)他2名

15位T：有村智恵(+2)他5名
32位T：横峯さくら(+4)他6名

佐伯三貴、“一石二鳥大作戦”で今季初優勝狙う！

2012年04月07日19時07分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 申　ジエ -6
2 佐伯　三貴 -4
3 吉田　弓美子 -3
4 ジョン・ミジョン -2
アン・ソンジュ -2
6 藤本　麻子 -1
7 インビー・パーク 0
イ・ナリ 0
北田　瑠衣 0
10 J・ウンビ +1


順位の続きを見る





7番でチップインバーディを奪った佐伯三貴（撮影：ＡＬＢＡ）







＜スタジオアリス女子オープン　2日目◇7日◇花屋敷ゴルフ倶楽部 よかわコース(6,483ヤード・パー72)＞

　「スタジオアリス女子オープン」は2日目の競技を終了。初日よりも強い風が吹き、気温も7.2℃と上がらない厳しいコンディションの中、スコアを4つ伸ばした申ジエ(韓国)がトータル6アンダーで単独首位に立った。2打差の2位には佐伯三貴、3打差3位にはアマチュアの比嘉真美子がつけた。

撮れたてトーナメントLIVE写真館

　この日3つスコアを伸ばし日本人最高位に浮上した佐伯。第2戦で予選落ちした後、国内男子ツアー永久シード保持者で同じ広島出身の倉本昌弘に「いろいろ相談して的確なアドバイスをいただきました」のが好調の要因。「ゴルフが楽しくラウンドできて、練習も楽しくできています。それが調子が良くなくてもスコアにつながっているんだと思います」と笑顔で話した。倉本には練習場でのレッスンや、電話で悩みを聞いてもらったりしているという。

　明日は最終組で申とラウンド。「申ジエさんのスイングが私すごく好きで、見ながら勉強させてもらうつもりで。もちろん敵ですが。勉強しながらそれを盗んでさらにスコアも出せればいいなと。一石二鳥大作戦でいきたいと思います(笑)」。今はゴルフが楽しくてしかたがない佐伯、敵の技とスコアを一挙両得で手に入れ昨年の「フンドーキンレディス」以来となる、ツアー通算4勝目を狙う。

【2日目の順位】
1位：申ジエ(-6)
2位：佐伯三貴(-4)
3位：比嘉真美子(-3)※アマチュア
4位T：アン・ソンジュ(-2)
4位T：全美貞(ジョン・ミジョン)(-2)
6位：藤本麻子(-1)
7位T：北田瑠衣(E)他2名

15位T：有村智恵(+2)他5名
32位T：横峯さくら(+4)他6名

ホストプロの石川遼は今田竜二、カート・バーンズと同組

2012年09月12日10時30分




＜ANAオープン　事前情報◇12日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」が、13日(木)から北海道にある札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コースを舞台に開催される。予選ラウンドの組み合わせが発表され、大会ホストプロの石川遼は特別推薦で出場する今田竜二、ディフェンディングチャンピオンのカート・バーンズ(オーストラリア)と同組で7時57分に10番ティスタートとなった。

　先々週、先週と2週連続単独2位の池田勇太は矢野東、中嶋常幸と同組で7時39分に10番ティスタート、昨年大会最後まで優勝を争った高校生アマチュアの伊藤誠道は7時12分に10番からスタートする。

池田勇太、新ボールに“一球入魂”でジャンボ越え目指す

2012年09月12日17時06分




＜ANAオープン　事前情報◇12日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」が、13日(木)から北海道にある札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コースを舞台に開催される。この日はプロアマ大会が行われ、今大会の2010年覇者、池田勇太ら多くの選手が最終調整を行った。

　前週、距離が縮まっていく変則プレーオフで惜しくも敗れ2位に終わった池田勇太。ここ2位試合単独2位フィニッシュと調子を上げてきているが、今大会は「一球入魂がいかにできるかだね。スタートから最後まで、それができればいいと思う」と意気込みを話した。

　今大会からボールを新たに「ツアーステージX01」に変更。尾崎将司の27歳8か月を抜く、26歳8か月でのツアー通算10勝の最年少記録更新を目指し、新兵器と共に突き進む。

ホスト遼は「いい準備ができた」 ANAオープン明日開幕！

2012年09月12日17時41分






プロアマ中もスマートフォンでスイングを撮影するなど、チェックに余念がない（撮影：米山聡明）






＜ANAオープン　事前情報◇12日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　13日(木)から北海道の札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コースを舞台に開催される、国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」。開幕を翌日に控えたこの日はプロアマ大会が行われ、ホストプロの石川遼、主催者推薦で出場する今田竜二らが最後の調整を行った。

【関連ニュース】遼は45位タイに沈む…次は20歳ラスト試合 トーシントーナメント

　北海道は雨が続き、会場の輪厚コースはフェアウェイもグリーンもソフトなコンディション。フェアウェイの芝も刈れずにいたが、石川は「コースメンテナンスを担当してくださる皆さんは思うようにできない中、ここまできっちり仕上げてくださったのは感謝です」と語り、コンディションに不服はない。プロアマ終了後には日が落ちかけるまで入念にパット練習などを行い「いい準備ができた」と話した石川。ホストプロとして大会を最後まで盛り上げる、という気迫が伝わってきた。

　米ツアーで戦う今田は2010年の「三井住友VISA太平洋マスターズ」以来の日本ツアー参戦。風が舞う輪厚コースには「今日は一定でそこまで難しくなかったけど、経験がないのでやってみて戸惑うと思います」と警戒感をみせた。石川と今田は予選を昨年覇者のカート・バーンズ(オーストラリア)と同組でラウンド。初日は7時57分に10番ティスタートとなっている。

＜中間速報＞遼、前半終えて1オーバー、勇太が2アンダー

2012年09月13日10時11分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 平塚　哲二 -7
2 W・ウェンチョン -6
3 キム・ヒョンソン -5
イ・キョンフン -5
上井　邦浩 -5
キム・ヒョンテ -5
7 伊藤　誠道 -4
細川　和彦 -4
池田　勇太 -4
片山　晋呉 -4


順位の続きを見る


＜ANAオープン　初日◇13日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」が北海道の札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コースで開幕した。大会ホストプロの石川遼はINコースからスタートすると10番、11番といきなり連続ボギー。その後3つのバーディを奪い返すも、17番パー5、18番と共に3パットのボギーを叩き1オーバーで前半を終えている。

　現時点で5アンダーの沢田尚が単独首位、今大会に主催者推薦で出場している今田竜二はイーブンパー、10年大会覇者の池田勇太は2アンダーで前半を終えている。

Football Training Techniques, Youth Football Training Videos

Football Training Techniques for Football Training Like the Pros

Whether you're a coach or parent, how much do you really know about football training techniques and helping your players or son train properly to reach the ultimate success they're looking for? With all the football training aids and programs out there, it can be quite overwhelming and/or confusing.

If you're not helping your players or son dramatically improve in the areas of conditioning, strength and speed, how in the world can you expect them to have success, especially against the best teams on the schedule?

It doesn't matter if it's Pop Warner or high school, you need to focus on football training like the pros...it's all about teaching how to develop acceleration and deceleration, as well as change of direction speed. That's what gets you more offensive yards and prevents giving them up on defense.

It's time to educate yourself, whether it be through the best youth football training dvd out there, or a total football training program. These days, it's not longer OK to neglect the best football training techniques available, allow a free-for-all in the weight room, or think "gassers" are sufficient to get football players into shape.

Even if you're overwhelmed with how to provide the correct speed, strength, and conditioning players need, or you don't honestly know enough about it, focusing on better schemes, scouting or film preparation will never overcome a team that doesn't have the size, strength and speed of the top programs in your district.

If you're a coach, it's your responsibility to give your team all the correct football training techniques. If you're a parent and frustrated by the lack of speed, strength and conditioning help your son is receiving by his coach, you must do more than having your son look at one youth football training dvd or use a couple of football training aids.

There are too many quality total football training packages available that are comprehensive and complete in the information provided to not take advantage. People like NFL head strength and conditioning coach Duane Carlisle are providing help to youth coaches, players and parents that results in understanding what football training like the pros really entails.

What needs to happen is that you take action. Get the right tools. Help your players or son. Their success and happiness depends on you taking a proactive approach to bettering their strength and conditioning.

Baseball Tips On Hitting: Being Ahead In The Count Is Critical For You!

Being ahead or behind in the count may very well determine the amount of success you have during that at bat. There is a serious link between getting the count in your favor and higher batting averages. Read some baseball tips on hitting that show the many benefits and what your exact approach should be.

The ability of a baseball hitter to get the count in his favor will very often determine how much success he has. With counts of 2-0 or 3-1, there isn't any such thing as a mediocre swing, late swing, weak swing or check swing at a pitch. The batter should have the buttons on his uniform shirt popping off because the swing should be aggressive or he should not be swinging at all and should simply take the pitch! No big deal if you take a tough strike and the count becomes 2-1 or 3-2.

You will definitely see many better pitches to hit when ahead in the count. You can be much more selective and decide if it's the type of pitch that you want to hit and it's located where you want it to be located or you don't swing at all and take the pitch. I truly wish that baseball coaches would emphasize to their players that working and getting the count in their favor is one of the most important baseball hitting tips. Being ahead or behind in the count is like night and day for a baseball hitter. Hitters should work the count and attempt to get it in their favor.

If a baseball hitter's favorite pitch to hit is a fastball that's belt high and out over the plate and the count is 2-0 or 3-1, if he doesn't get the fastball out over the plate and belt high he simply takes the pitch. If you are a "pull hitter," you can look for a certain pitch that's over the middle of the plate or a little bit inside, where you like it. If you are an opposite field hitter, you can look for a pitch that's over the middle of the plate or slightly away, where you like it. You can also position yourself in the batter's box to hit a ball in a certain part of the strike zone, because that's the only pitch you are going to swing at anyway.

Most baseball people agree that on average, you get one real good pitch to hit per at bat. There is a much better chance that you will see that one real good pitch if you are ahead in the count and not even or behind in the count. The main point here is that when you are ahead in the count you should only swing at one type of pitch that's located exactly where you want it to be located. You can afford to be very selective and you are in the driver's seat and not the pitcher!

Although 2-0 and 3-1 are both very good hitter's counts, in my opinion the better of the two counts is the 2-0 count. At 3-1, if a hitter takes strike two because it's not "his pitch," he's one pitch away from a walk but is also one pitch away from strike three. At 2-0, even if the hitter takes strike one, the count is still favorable for the hitter at 2-1 and he still has plenty of breathing room.

Remember, one of the baseball tips on hitting to always remember is that there is no such thing as a weak or a mediocre swing on these two hitter's counts of 2-0 or 3-1. The buttons on your shirt should be popping off because of your aggressiveness or you should be taking the pitch and not swinging at all. There is nothing in between here!

Golf Psychology: How to Deal with a Slump in Form

How to Deal with a Slump in Form

We've all had periods when our game just goes to pot, nothing seems to go right: You can't putt for love nor money, well hit irons seem to catch the bunker and plug, and you can't hit a fairway with a 7 iron let alone your driver. You probably couldn't hit a barn door with a tractor!

These rounds can appear from nowhere. You're going along playing well then something just derails you and rattles your confidence. When this happens during a round it's bad enough - when it continues and continues - you just know you are in a slump. Sometimes it's just one area of your game that's gone to pot - other times the whole thing just seems to go. You feel completely helpless, completely exposed. You have no clue as to what is happening.

Sound Familiar?

Well next time you are in one of these "slumps" take close notice of your own internal dialogue - your "self talk". I bet it's not positive! In fact I'm willing to bet it's anything but. And what about your physiology? Are you walking tall with a purpose to your stride, confidently patrolling the fairways and greens?...... NOT!

"Yeh! but wait a minute Brian, I'm down because I'm in a slump. My self talk is negative BECAUSE of how I'm playing - not the CAUSE of how I'm playing!"

I know that's what you honestly believe but let me put another slant on it for you...

Somewhere along the line a few bad shots or poor scores put pressure on you and your self confidence. You focussed on these and let your mental game become "lazy". Your mind returned to Outcome* focussed golf and you constantly registered what every bad shot that you played meant - you lost focus on the Process* of playing golf. YOU must take full responsibility for your slump. You caused it. It is not happening TO you. You are doing things in your mind, in your emotions and in your physiology that virtually guarantees you'll play poorly. This also applies to all of the bad breaks you get too; do you notice how they seem to happen more when you're in a "slump"?

Take a look at your good rounds versus your bad ones.

In both types of round you'll find bad breaks. The bad breaks are drawn to you when you are playing poorly. You weren't playing poorly because you were getting bad breaks. You were getting bad breaks because you were playing poorly in your mind! You still got bad breaks when you were playing well but they didn't fluster you or take you out of your game. Because you were in tune and your mental game was solid at the time.

I've often heard football commentators mention about how the teams in relegation trouble just don't get the breaks - it's the same thing. The bad breaks are attracted to the negative, outcome orientated focus the players in these teams are displaying.

You must accept responsibility for your slump. You are causing it. It's not happening to you.

Accepting this principle is key. Until you are willing to accept that everything that occurs on the course stems from you, you will never truly allow your Inner Golf Coach to function properly.

Improve My Golf Swing-One Absolute Truth

Most people have bowled once or more in their lifetimes. We have all done what we consider foolish things when learning how to release the bowling ball down the alley.

Have you ever tossed the bowling ball into the other alley or down the hallway alongside of the alley? I have done both. When the ball went down the hallway, fortunately the back door was closed otherwise the bowling ball would have gone into the parking lot.

Or you release the bowling ball and discover the bowling ball dropped behind you? The laughter was embarrassing.

You release the bowling ball and it hits one pin, toss the bowling ball again and it rolls in the ditch.

You try a fast ball, a medium fast ball, a curve and whatever else you can attempting to knock down the remaining standing pins and fail.

You decide to take a break. As you glance towards the alley next to you there is a young child who is using two hands, listening and following his parents’ instructions to look at the pins which he wants to knock down. The child bends his knees, looks forward, rolls the ball and scores a strike. He repeats the same action and scores a second strike.

As you watch this scenario take place you are thinking "it’s not fair".

Look again. It is not how hard you toss the ball down the alley, but the accuracy of lining the ball in a direct line with the head pin which will cause the pins to drop and score a strike.

To answer your question, how to improve my golf swing, one absolute secret is accuracy. And it is that accuracy which will drive the golf ball to the target flag or hole.

During practice sessions analyze the different irons as you experiment hitting the golf ball. Each iron has a purpose and you need to acquaint and know how to hold and handle each iron to benefit from its designed purpose. As you practice swinging each iron note the travel distance of the golf ball.

After understanding the distance which you hit with each iron and being consistent each time you hit the ball; you can choose the iron which will give you the distance shot needed in the given moment. Being consistent and exact with your golf swing should produce the desired distance.

The accuracy of driving straight and getting close to the hole is the end goal. Driving the golf ball to the right, left, short changed, too far, or into the wrong direction makes a poor golfer.

It would be great to hit the golf ball 250 yards and drop the golf ball into the hole with one stroke. However, that is not reality, it is a dream shot. Hit the ball as you normally would with your driver or other preferred iron with your natural swing and continue to improve from that point.

If having problems with your golf swing the best solution is to take lessons from a qualified professional golf instructor. It is unfair to yourself to self-correct your weaknesses.

A professional can observe and analyze your golf swing correcting the root cause to prevent chronic golf swing problems. The golf instructor can also immediately identify and correct flaws. It can be a club path problem, a club face problem or a combination of issues.

Or your golf swing could be your vision. Are you aiming at the target and still sending the golf ball elsewhere? Have you had your eyes checked by an optometrist?

Take time to develop a good golf swing. Design your practice plan and stick to it.

The purpose of your practice is to accomplish a goal. Your end goal is that when you swing the iron of choice, your club face should hit the point of impact squarely on its sweet spot landing the ball exactly on the desired target.

Carp And Catfish Fishing Baits Secrets - How And Why They Really Work!

Many anglers think that talking about bait is a waste of time because they would rather be catching fish and they miss the point that to achieve good catches of fish means actively overcoming the fact that fish catch up with our baits and fishing activities owing to their naturally programmed survival instinct! So if you want to catch more fish this year then further educate yourself now and read on!

Every single fish is a unique individual with the capacity to change and constantly adapt in response to changes of any kind in their environment, be it a new potential food opportunity, or a significant threat of capture! This uniqueness and eons-worth of evolution of fish sensitivities to danger reference points makes carp exceptionally resilient survivors, able to resist anglers attempts to fool them with baits and rigs of all kinds.

If it were not for this every fish in your lake would just line up to get hooked on your hook bait one after another! If you want to keep ahead of the fish and your fellow anglers competing for the fish on any water it most takes active and dynamic thinking, which is where having a superior knowledge of the workings of fish in relation to bait substances is a huge competitive advantage over-coming factors related to rigs, location and possibly lines and hooks and the fishing approach involving tactics and tackle to suit the challenges and opportunities presented on any water at ant particular time.

It does seem that much of the time there is too much focus upon the specifications and sleek space age fashions of tackle on the bank which costs hundreds to thousands of pounds which claim anglers attention. But if you do not have a bait in proximity to your hook which carp will actually get into their mouths (for whatever reason) you are largely wasting your valuable fishing time.

In fact many anglers spend much of their time fishing with hooks which although are chemically sharpened and do hook fish, are often simply not sharp enough to enable an efficient initial deep hooking of fish and enabling them to pick up bait and hook sometimes multiple times without ever getting hooked or giving the angler any indication at all. If you have ever tested the effects of using the finest sharpest pointed hooks you can produce for yourself and fished them against hooks straight from the packet, invariably the sharper hook used on identical rigs will catch more fish on average due to better hooking capability.

(Please note, even if you test your hook sharpness on your nail you can blunt your hooks relative effectiveness by just doing this.)

If you take some rig foam and see how easy or difficult it is to pull all your patterns of hook just 3 millimetres into it you will certainly notice a big difference between them. To my mind, the easier and faster a hook penetrates upon contact with a fish mouth tissue or lips the more chance that hook will stay in!

I have strayed off the main point here but could not help notice the impact of hook sharpness and patterns upon hooking ration in fishing for single figure fish recently.
Why such small fish you may ask, well for a start I’m using tackle designed for 30 pound fish plus and these fish have been regularly dealing with match fishing tackle. So I hope this puts things into perspective

Many carp and catfish anglers are well aware of the use of carbohydrate and protein based ingredients in their baits but do not think hard enough about such things thus missing out massively significant factors that can easily improve their success! Both of these groups of baits and all combinations in between catch fish, but in many cases it is not simply the bait that catches the fish, but the fact that the fishing method, practical approach or fine rig adjustments used by the angler on any particular day catches fish. However, it is obvious that some carp will be caught from almost any water simply because someone is fishing for them and by the law of averages some of the individual carp will have higher levels f physical or genetically programmed dietary needs or at the very least, la less well developed survival instinct, so making them appear to be mug fish and more easily caught.

Little things matter; for instance sweet cheap carbohydrate baits that have become damp and warm get much more effective as micro-organisms get to work pre-digesting the carbohydrates, developing attractive acids, flavours, making baits far more digestible and instantly detectable in the water as they are even more potent and soluble. Many sweet substances within cheap over-flavoured baits can act as prebiotic agents promoting activity within baits and this can be the case even in many forms of so-called shelf life baits as long as you give them the right conditions and in some cases maybe add additional corn steep liquor and liquid molasses for instance along with liquid betaine for instance!

As it happens, very often the bigger fish in any water are often the more catchable than some smaller fish. Big fish need more protein, and also in autumn and winter time they need more calories so are far more vulnerable to high fat, oily attractors and feeding triggers, as well as high protein digestible ingredients and additives etc. Individual big fish may also become so-called mug fish because they are simply less sensitive. This could for example simply be in terms of identifying potentially dangerous situations by association of fishing tackle in the locality and identifying and avoiding hook baits, plus larger fish by definition often eat more food than much smaller fish possibly giving us much more chance to catch them when they set off on a proper munch!

Of course other factors such as a fish’s individual capacity to produce digestive enzymes and to actually fully digest and synthesise protein and carbohydrate nutrition into growth, and its personal rate of metabolism can differ from one fish to another, and genetics are very important in this equation too obviously. The same goes for humans; so people deal with sugar differently to others for instance; some people have a sugar sensitivity that actually makes them more highly addicted to refined sugars – and more prone to insulin-related imbalances and diseases...

An individual fish’s significant feeding may be regular but vary from fish to fish. A fish may feed more than others in different temperatures too due to genetic variations between fish, and this is something which might explain much! I remember the Mainline bait boss Zennon Bojko talking about this effect on one of my very early trips to his Dream Lake 1 water where the commons and mirrors strains often feed better in different temperatures.

Many angling-pressured fish can form the habit of feeding on free baits straight after they sense lines have been withdrawn from the water. At waters where bait boats are used predominantly fish often feed on free baits on the drop direct from the boats (obviously following them at depth) knowing these free falling baits are 99 percent safe!

On such waters fishing a very slow sinking bait when released from a bait boat along with free baits can be brilliant and I did this to great effect on one of my infrequent visits to the Waveney Valley C Lake in Norfolk, years ago. Even a bottom bait wrapped in bread flake sinking slowly with barely any shot or light lead on the line will work, and all manner of artificial foam, plastic baits and cork baits will work... The fish simply respond in order to survive and we are the ones training them up and conditioning their behaviour, by our baiting and fishing activities; so why not exploit natural instincts or even manipulate them instead of fighting to keep ahead of them all the time?!

The secrets of baits are significantly intrinsic to these relationships. Often the key is not just what you know, but seeing small details of fish and common angler habits and thinking and avoiding these, being different and presenting fish with a far safer alternative option that will far more easily fool wary fish! Round baits are one such joke that makes me laugh! Any angler who really understood how carp reference points are developed by repetitive negative experiences with round baits would never promote the use of round baits, or even of the now all too commonly used barrel, or pellet shaped baits either.

How is it so few carp anglers exploit the massive competitive advantages of square or triangular or oblong shaped baits just showed how brainwashed the herd really has become by commercial bait companies! Having the independent thought process and depth it takes to exploit irregular bait movement and different suction pressures with angled baits to make carp make loads more mistakes with hook baits, seems beyond over 90 percent of the cult hero celebrity type anglers today. Fish with a flavour, enhancer and liquid food-soaked cube of coarse rig foam, beside and angular flat-sided bait and compare that to fishing with round boilies.

I have used rigs with 2 hairs on for years; again so few anglers get the massive advantages of such rigs it is incredible! Getting the hook into the mouth even before the second bait has gone in is an awesome edge yet how many anglers use this winning edge? It is the same old story; unless Mr famous promotes it the herd do not use it. Still there it is – like all bait secrets waiting to be used by those with a will to exploit fish modes of feeding and natural behaviours and senses and physiology against them!

It may be an individual fish feeds twice a day, or in sporadic bursts over periods of weeks. Or it may be more obviously at key times when suitable feeding conditions prevail with a lessening of angling pressure. Also natural programming factors will manifest, as in the higher consumption of food in preparation for spawning, or onset of winter for instance, or simply when natural food stocks are comparatively less abundant.

The deeper aspects of the external and internal sensory systems of carp and catfish are very significant if you want to improve you fishing in a competitive environment. With this kind of applied knowledge and its most suitable applications to homemade bait design and readymade uses and adaptations you can out-fish far better more experienced anglers again and again even if they use the most expensive most popular boilies, pellets etc. I say much more about this on CC Moore TV each month as a consultant describing how and why to use a massive diversity of various substances to trigger feeding in many potent ways and also gain incredible competitive edges over competing baits!

You may have heard of leading brands being out-fished by anglers doings and using things different to normal; and having done it myself that can very definitely be you too! Revealed in my unique readymade bait and homemade bait carp and catfish bait secrets ebooks is far more powerful information look up my unique website (Baitbigfish) and see my biography below for details of my ebooks deals right now!

Improve Your Vertical Jump - Simple Tips To Jump Several Inches Higher

Have you ever thought about how to improve your vertical leap for any kind of sport or for general health? Improving your vertical leap is one of the most recommended things you are able to do to improve not only the quality of your leg muscles but to gain an advantage in a variety of sports like basketball or volleyball. In fact, any sport that needs jumping can benefit from you taking your time to work on that vertical leap. You will see that you will excel in not only sports, but also in other areas of life, as well.

Here are some tips and tricks that you must use if you wish to increase your vertical jump.

Train Fast:

When you do your exercise routine to improve your vertical leap, you should train with as much weight as you can and still minimize the loss in speed. An example from another game is a baseball player that adds a slight weight to the bat when he's warming up. He is able to swing the bat at a relatively high rate of speed but also with added resistance. If you squat, make it quick!

Speed Is Important

The second step to Improve Vertical Leap is to increase your speed. The easiest way to do this is by plyometric workouts and explosive workouts. The thing about those exercises is that you must have a good amount of strength developed in your legs already. That is necessary since if the muscles are not strong enough, then the workouts would not do anything to increase your speed. Having the strength already developed in your legs is essential to improve your vertical leap.

Stomach Crunches

Many people will tell you that sit-ups are dangerous for your back so a variation sounds like a better idea. Abdominal strength is very important for increasing the vertical jump. To do this exercise, lie straight down with your knees bent. Slowly lift the head and shoulders up a couple of inches off of the ground and slowly return to the starting position. Do this workout for 10 minutes in the morning and the night.

Last but not least do not forget to stretch, since this will actually aid in muscle recovery time. You must also know that while you first start you may want to do these workouts every other day to provide your body time to regulate to the new workout. The worst step you can apply is over train, so please make sure that you're getting enough rest between the workouts.

Mens Presents and the Bathurst 1000

Fans of V8 supercars rank the Bathurst 1000 as the utmost of races in Australian motorsports. The Bathurst 1000 draws crowds from fields afar for this spectacular racing event. There are many more knowledgeable people on the actual cars of the Bathurst 1000 than I, but when looking at some mens presents the other day with names such as Hardie Ferodo 500 emblazoned on them, I decided it was time to explore further the history behind such names and the heros behind them.

Significance and History of the Name:
Beginning at Phillip Island as the 1960 Armstrong 500, the 500 mile race, while comparing which makes had the best combinations of speed, ability, and dependability, also held an opportunity for Armstrong to advertise its products, particularly its shock absorbers.

After only three years of use, the track at Phillip Island was worn down and not suitable for racing, so in 1963 the race was moved to the Mount Panorama track in Bathurst, NSW. (for those who may be interested, the Mount Panorama track is aptly named due to the incredible view overlooking the fields around it!) Over the years the race has changed names due to sponsorships, most recently being termed the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, but the legendary merchandise of mens presents still has names such as Hardie Ferodo 500 and Armstrong 500 emblazoned on it.

Cars of the Bathurst 1000:
In the beginnings, the 1960 Armstrong 500 was specifically for only Australian made cars, whereas now it has branched out and included cars such as Nissan, Ford, and the BMW. Holden and Ford still hold the significant titles, and the Big Bangers have gone down in history.

Famous Names of the Bathurst 1000:
While Holden ranks for the highest number of wins for the car make, there are some drivers' names that have gone down in history as legends of the Bathurst race. Names such as Peter Brock, Bob Jane, and Jim Richards have become household names amongst car racing fans. Why is this so? Peter Brock rightfully earned the title King of the Mountain due to his nine victories, and winners of the Bathurst 1000 now receive the Peter Brock Trophy in honour of this legend. Bob Jane, most commonly known to the general people for his national tyre company, won four successive races, giving him an excellent foundation for his entrepreneurial endeavours in starting his automotive businesses. And Jim Richards? Well, since his beginnings in 1978 until the present day, he still holds the record for the most starts in the race – 35. He has also won the race 7 on seven occasions. Though not as highly ranking as the first three drivers named, Allan Moffat deserves a mention. A Canadian-born man, Moffat is Ford's most successful driver in the race and in 1977 won his fourth Bathurst 1000.

While this only barely touches on the significance of the Bathurst 1000 in the world of motor sports, I have attempted to give an overview of one of the greatest races in Australian motorsports and explore the significance of some of those legendary titles I saw on various mens presents – the titles that will be remembered down through the years of motor racing.

Gas Motor Scooters

Choosing between the top gas motor scooters isn't a difficult process, but it can be a slow one for those that are not very familiar with the vehicle. You have to know the budget you are working with as well as how you plan to use the scooter. They tend to fall in different categories, such as on road and off road, and can be used for street riding or racing. They can range in price from $200 to $2000, depending on what you want in your ride.

On road gas scooters, also known as street scooters, tend to be the most popular choice. They can be used as a primary means of transportation to get around the city. Many people use these scooters to get to and from work and school on a daily basis. They can also be used for racing, though the features of scooters for this use vary from those that are geared to getting people from one place to another. For example, the tires for racing scooters tend to be slick while regular street scooters have tires to grip the road.

Scooters meant to be driven on the road as transportation can come with an electric start. This makes it easier for the conventional driver to start up their gas scooters. If you have an electric start, you will also have a battery. This can add more weight to the scooter, which is why you will not see this kind of starter on a racing scooter. They have to be lightweight for better performance.

Off road gas motor scooters tend to be more durable than other types of scooters. They have to be for the beating they take on forest trails. They have to be able to handle the various hills and jumps that you can encounter on a dirt track. The suspension is better on these vehicles so there will be no damage as the scooter is driven. Tires for these gas scooters tend to be fat and knobby in order to withstand the dirt trails they are driven on.

There are some features that you need to look for when browsing gas motor scooters. They should have side mirrors, blinkers, a headlight, and brake lights. This is especially true if you will be driving an on road scooter as your method of transportation. Some scooters come as a stand up type, which means you have to be on your feet the entire time you ride. If this is a problem, you will want to opt for a scooter that has a removable seat that you can sit on.

When looking at gas motor scooters, it is important that you know what you are looking for. Think about how you plan to use the scooter and the money you have to pay for one. There are on road and off road models, and you need to choose whichever one you will be primarily using the scooter for. The top of the line ones can cost you a couple thousand dollars, so you may have to go for something cheaper.

Ice Fishing for Beginners of All Ages

Have you ever tried fishing in the winter months? This is the time everyone gets out on the lake. Even if you don’t own a boat you can fish those places you always wanted to. This is when fish are usually hungry.

Here are a few tips on ice fishing. First of all, you don’t need a lot of fancy equipment .A set of five tipups and a hand auger are all you need to get started. An ice fishing shelter is optional to keep the wind off you.

A set of basic tipups with line will cost around seventy-five to a hundred bucks. Tipups are a simple affair where you set the cross sticks on the ice with your spool below the water line. Unless there is a lot of snow on the ice this should not be a problem as the Water will even out to the top of your hole. I know you’re saying, how do you keep the line from freezing? This is accomplished through the use of braided line, sometimes called squid line or ice fishing line. Theses lines are usually 18-25 pound test. Fill your spools to within 1/4 inch of the rim, for that big one that wants to run. After you have done this it’s time to add a leader. I normally use 8-14 pound test monofillament. If you are on a lake with a lot of Large fish go with heavier leaders. I use a swivel between my squid line and leader. This gives the bait a chance to move around without twisting the line. It also makes it easier to change hooks, just buy the pretied leaders and hook them on your swivel add a sinker and you’re ready to go fishing.

Choosing Bait Don’t know what the fish are biting on? A stop at your local bait shop will get you some pretty good tips on what is working. It’s a good idea to pickup a couple different types of baitfish. You never know what they are biting on today. Pick up a dozen of two different types to get started. When hooking the bait on the hook I like to hook them just behind the dorsal fin. Most fish will take the bait from the rear, so you want the hook where it will do the most good. Make sure to check whether you can use live minnows or dead minnows check the regulations for your region.

On The Lake Now you’re on the lake with your tipups in hand and you need to get to the fish. This is where your auger comes in. Whether you opt for a hand auger or a power auger, you need to find a place to fish. A good place to start is around points, as fish use these spots to find bait fish year round. If you know of a deep hole within walking distance, head out there without further delay. Fish will hang on the edges of the hole looking for baitfish all year. Get that auger powered up and let’s drill some holes. Drill a couple to start with and after you get a couple of tipups set up drill the other three. Be sure to check your states regulations as some places restrict the number of tipups. If you don’t get any flags after a while, don’t be afraid to move. That’s just about it for getting started. Make sure you are dressed for the weather to make your day more enjoyable. Don’t forget the kids, they make good runners when the bait bucket is out by the last tipup in line. Stay warm and good fishing. Safety is very important, so be sure to have the proper warm clothing, including a good pair of gloves. Frostbite and hypothermia can be a serious problem for ice anglers. As with everything, remember, safety first. Make sure the ice thickness is good (at least 3 to 4 inches). If possible go with a buddy, or where there is a group of anglers close by. Even experienced anglers can find themselves in some tricky situations if they let their guard down.

Another product for safety is a set of ice picks that are worn around the neck on a cord. The ones I use are called Picks of Life, which float, and have retractable point covers. Hopefully a person will never have to use this device, but if they fall through the ice it is the easiest way, other than having a rope thrown out by another person, to pull out of the hole.

Few Considerations before Going for Horse Syndicates

There are so many considerations you need to look up at while looking at the horse for sale. Newbie and unskilled riders must always look for professional, fair suggestions form a professional experienced. The status of the rider as well as their level of experience taking care of horses and ponies should be taken into consideration. Evaluating the rider's capabilities and requires is important because this ought to be used like a help guide to look for a horse or pony available that fits using the requirements and requires from the rider to locate a possibly likeminded partnership.

In fact, there are loads of considerations while you are looking at horses for sale. In case you are fresh or a novice rider you ought to in fact talk to the professional. While approaching horse syndicates, you have to make sure that you have gained enough knowledge about the horse sales and their costs. This will help you to make better choice and save your time too.

Probably, the most essential things to consider is the fact that when you're searching for a horse for sale, you will have to be ready to travel. Advice is a superb method of getting a high quality horse which will meet your needs which horses are most typically not offered.

One of the greatest solutions to locate horses that could be likely for sale can be visiting competitions. Don't be afraid to rise to a manager and request if they're considering selling their horse. Also, it's also advisable to be ready to reach horse manufacturer masters in the sort of horse that you're trying to find. Nonetheless, if you are using this method you ought to be certain that you get it apparent on what you need and usually do not want in your horse. If, however, you be responding to a classified ad about a horse than you require spending some time to uncover particular significant points to determine if they will be suitable for your wants.

Among the greatest and also the simplest way will be the Internet. This Internet enables the vendor to put no-cost text ads with information regarding your horses for sale. However, if you want to include pictures, you will find different packages that you could select from based on your preferences and also the amount that you're willing to spend.

There are also several online horse syndicates where you can get free text ad, but you have to pay extra for adding images. Websites are simple and easy to use, and this is the reason of gaining online marketing approaches.

Once you've looked at the total temperament of the horse and therefore, are pleased with the outcomes you are prepared to buy your 1st horse. Nevertheless, you ought to be positive that you won't ever think that you might be being compelled into buying a horse. In addition, you should be confident that the seller offers you an invoice or bill of sale in order that for those who have any details you will get evidence of the deal.

From your Scottsdale private golf club GM

So much to write about that I don’t know where to begin! How about a quick review of our just completed 2011 3rd quarter for our Scottsdale private golf Club and then look forward to the coming season? To answer a question we receive pretty regularly, yes, it has been a good summer for our Scottsdale private golf Club and quite a bit busier than years previous. In fact, looking at July and August, golf rounds were up by 51% as compared to last year! Food and Beverage activity was up as well with a 13% increase in the number of "covers" served. Almost every area of the Scottsdale private golf Club is realizing increased activity….as confirmed by an increase in Total Revenues of 4.7% in July and 6.1% in August for our Scottsdale private golf Club Membership sales continue to exceed expectations – (4) Golf Memberships in July, (4) in August and (6) in September – that’s seventy (70) Golf membership transactions since the implementation of Market‐Based Pricing, eleven short months ago. Add the forty‐three (43) non ‐equity memberships (Clubhouse, Sports Social and Junior Golf) and the number balloons to one hundred thirteen (113) membership transactions for our Scottsdale private golf Club

Looking back over the last few months (and beyond!), we would be remiss in not recognizing the marvelous work of our Scottsdale private golf Club Golf Course Superintendent, Mr. Bill Kostes, as well as all those in his greens & grounds department. Your comments and reviews about the Scottsdale golf Club golf course conditions have been, to put it mildly, very positive. Considering our golf course maintenance budget ($1,862,876 for FY 2011) is less than seven of the ten Clubs in our competitive set, and more than just two, it’s obvious that Bill, Dana, Mark and the entire crew know how to get it done….and done right. Add in the fact that the number of employees in that department (26) is less than six of those clubs and more than just three others, and it’s safe to say that Bill is more than deserving of our thanks and appreciation.

Looking ahead, we continue to prepare for re‐opening of the Scottsdale golf Club golf course on October 21st and the coming new season. Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 4th as the Club will be closed in its entirety that day for our annual Employee Kick‐Off for the Scottsdale golf Club – morning training and education, followed by a team building exercise in the afternoon. There are, of course, a number of new faces on the staff this year and we certainly believe that you’ll be pleased with these changes. Our objective has been, is, and will always be to take advantage of every opportunity to raise the bar, and the Employee Kick‐Off is an important part of introducing and/or reinforcing the Scottsdale golf Club’s culture to staff, so we thank you for your support.

I would also like to take advantage of this opportunity to encourage those that would like to see their golf game improve – from the very beginner to the low handicapper – to reach out and take advantage of the Club’s player development program. The Scottsdale golf Club is fortunate to have Danny Edwards, Life Member of the PGA Tour, as its Director of Instruction. For a guy to pick up his first club at 14 and, with no lessons or instructions, win the Oklahoma State High School Championship just three years later is pretty telling. Add the fact that Danny went on to become an All‐American at Oklahoma State on a full ride golf scholarship, qualify for three major championships as an amateur, was named as a member of the 1973 Walker Cup team (won all four of his matches) and was ranked the #1 amateur in the country by Golf Digest before going on to a successful professional career that included more than forty major championship (7 Masters!) and five victories on the PGA Tour. Suffice it to say that Danny’s "been there, done that" and knows how to play the game. Based on the emails and messages I receive regarding Danny, he also knows how to teach. Maybe even more impressive is the fact that Danny recognizes the positive characteristics that the game gives back….and I urge you to touch base with Danny and explore how he might help your game or those of others in your family.

Tennis Programs at the Country Club Scottsdale

Congratulations Dave and Wendy of The Country Club at DC Ranch, a Scottsdale private golf club

Dave Moyer, Director of Tennis, and his wife Wendy were recently acknowledged for their #19 Husband & Wife Mixed Doubles national ranking in the United States Tennis Association. Junior Tennis Clinics for Julyat the Club! The new tennis lights at Country Club Scottsdale have been installed and we now have night play at The Country Club at DC Ranch. The light switch is on the pole between the upper and lower courts. We ask that you turn the lights off when you are finished playing if no other members are playing at the time. The lights will automatically shut off at 10:00 p.m. Tennis Court Reservation System The new tennis court reservation system at Country Club Scottsdale will be up and running soon. You will find a link on our club website that will take you to the system. Once we have officially launched, it will be important for everyone to go there to book a court, just like you would a tee time. The system at Country Club Scottsdale is run through Foretees and will give you the ability to book courts and receive communication about the tennis program. When you book a court at Country Club Scottsdale we ask that you include all names of those playing including guest names. W hen was the last time you had your racket strung at The Country Club at DC Ranch, a Scottsdale private golf Club Tennis racket strings will go dead if they are not restrung. At minimum, you should string your rackets once a year if you play 0‐1 time a week. If you play twice a week, every six months. You will be surprised how good your racket will feel with new strings. Just drop your racket off with Dave at The Country Club at DC Ranch, a Scottsdale private golf club and he will have it done within 48 hours.

The Scottsdale private golf club The Country Club at DC Ranch is North Scottsdale’s premier country club, offering an exclusive, yet inviting, lifestyle, social and sporting opportunity for couples, families and professionals. Located at the base of the McDowell Mountains, The Scottsdale private golf club, The Country Club at DC Ranch reflects the history and charm of its beginnings as a desert camp cattle ranch in the early 1900s.

Is A Hard Bow Case Best?

Now that you have finished the effort of getting a nice bow you should make sure and protect your investment. Your bow can give years of enjoyment, so just make sure to take care of the things you own. There are a few features that you want in bow cases and these are the things that you should look for.

Features to look for include:

Level of protection
Extra room
The weight
Fits your bow
Value
Fits your needs the best

There are two different types of cases. Hard cases and soft cases. Both cases have their good sides but will not work for every situation. What you want to find is the case that covers as many of your needs as possible. If you will be carrying you bow a lot, then the soft case will be better. If the bow will get banged around a lot or stored for a long time, then a hard case would be an appropriate choice.

The hard bow case

The hard bow case is heavy and very sturdy. You will get the most protection from this type of case.

The pros: It has an increased amount of protection for your bow. The bow inside will be very well protected from being crushed. Water damage should not be an issue. Many of the hard cases also have space built-in for your arrows. This type of case is good for storage, throwing the bow in with other hunting or camping gear, and piece of mind.

The cons: The case is normally fitted and there is not much extra room. Hard cases are heavier and can be bulkier than a soft case. Another problem is that many bows have to be taken apart to fit in the bow case. Extras like the quiver, stabilizer, and sometimes even the sight have to be taken off to fit. Some people get an over sized case to deal with this problem, but might still be a challenge if you have a larger bow.

I would recommend something like the SKB hunter bow case for a hard bow case.

The soft case

The soft bow case provides a lower level of protection, but some good options. The case is normally pretty dust proof and water-resistant.

The pros: The soft case is light weight and has additional pockets for extras and arrows. In soft cases like the Primos soft bow case that I recommend. Most people can fit their bow in with the stabilizer, quiver, and other extras still attached. It is great if you need to carry your bow a long distance or if you do not want the hassle of needing to re attach things all the time.

The cons: The case is not designed to protect against getting knocked around. That is why it is called a soft case. There will be padding inside the case and there are normally straps to secure the bow just don"t put other gear on top of the case. You will probably want an arrow container to put into one of the pockets of the case. The case is not completely waterproof, but that is completely irrelevant most of the time.

The final choice comes down to what you need and want to do. Both types are good, but one will better fit your needs. Feel free to get both cases if you want. I hope this helps you in deciding what bow case you want.

The Pros And Cons Of Hydration Packs

Staying hydrated is an important part of enjoying out door activities like cycling, walking and hiking. Carrying a water bottle from which to drink while on the move has been the traditional way of achieving this. However carrying a water bottle has some obvious disadvantages such as having to stop to get the water bottle out while on the move. Hydration backpacks are designed to ensure that nothing prevents you from remaining hydrated throughout the duration of your outdoor activity.

A hydration pack consists of a "bladder" or reservoir to store liquid as well as a hose which allows the wearer to drink the liquid hands free while on the move. The water or liquid is administered via a bite valve' which opens when the wearer bites on it.

Pros and Cons of Hydration backpacks

Before you commit to buying a hydration pack, it is important that you consider the pros and cons regarding their use. As mentioned earlier, the main benefits of a hydration backpack include:

1. You avoid having to interrupt or stop your activity each time you feel thirsty. You can easily take in water or some other liquid even while engaged in your outdoor activity like cycling down a track on a mountain bike. One major benefit of being able to drink consistently and easily is that you will be properly hydrated.

2. Another benefit of hydration packs is that they let you carry more liquid. A typical hydration pack can hold about 1.5 to 3 liters of liquid, which makes them suitable mainly for outdoor activities such as cycling and hiking.

The disadvantage of hydration packs include:

Leakage and spillage can be a concern.

They can be difficult to clean, especially if you include lots of sports drink powers in your water.

You will have to spend some money to get a good hydration backpack.

Selecting the Right Hydration Backpack

1. Choose a backpack that is Appropriate for Your Outdoor Activity

The outdoor activity you engage in plays a vital part in deciding the type of hydration backpack you should be using. For example, if you are a recreational hiker, a hydration backpack with only a reservoir might be sufficient for you. If you are a mountain biker, you might need additional room within the pack to store things like spare tire tubes or some food.

2. Bite or Sip

Hydration packs are fitted with a tube that has a mouthpiece which you would have to bite in order to release the liquid, or sip straight from the mouthpiece. The tube should be sufficiently flexible to get to when you feel like drinking, particularly when you are snowboarding or cycling.

3. Consider the volume of the reservoir

Choosing the reservoir or bladder volume is vital, because you would not want to get dehydrated even though you are carrying a hydration backpack. Conversely, you also want to avoid needlessly carrying a heavy burden on your back. Take into account the outdoor activity you will be doing, and do not forget to consider the weather conditions also.

Hydration backpacks were initially designed for professional bikers; however they have now become extremely popular among sports enthusiasts throughout the world, due to their utility value.

The First Rules of Football (Soccer)

In December 1863 the founding members of The Football Association met to decide the first rules of football at a tavern in London. The handwritten text still exists. The first official rules in the history of football (soccer) are as follows:

- The maximum length of the ground shall be 200 yards, the minimum breadth shall be 100 yards, the length and breadth shall be marked off with flags; and the goals shall be defined by two upright posts, 8 yards apart, without any tape or bar across them.

- The winner of the toss shall have the choice of goals. The game shall be commenced by a place kick from the centre of the ground by the side losing the toss, the other side shall not approach within 10 yards of the ball until it is kicked off.

- After a goal is won the losing side shall kick off and goals shall be changed.

- A goal shall be won when the ball passes between the goal posts or over the space between the goal posts (at whatever height), not being thrown, knocked on, or carried.

- When the ball is in touch the first player who touches it shall throw it from the point on the boundary line where it left the ground, in a direction at right angles with the boundary line.

- When a player has kicked the ball any one of the same side who is nearer to the opponent's goal line is out of play and may not touch the ball himself nor in any way whatever prevent any other player from doing so until the ball has been played; but no player is out of play when the ball is kicked from behind the goal line.

- In case the ball goes behind the goal line, if a player on the side to whom the goal belongs first touches the ball, one of his side shall be entitled to a free kick from the goal line at the point opposite the place where the ball shall be touched. If a player of the opposite side first touches the ball, one of his side shall be entitled to a free kick (but at the goal only) from a point 15 yards from the goal line opposite the place where the ball is touched. The opposing side shall stand behind their goal line until he has had his kick.

- If a player makes a fair catch he shall be entitled to a free kick, provided he claims it by making a mark with his heel at once; and in order to take such kick he may go as far back as he pleases, and no player on the opposite side shall advance beyond his mark until he has kicked.

- No player shall carry the ball.

- Neither tripping nor hacking shall be allowed and no player shall use his hands to hold or push his adversary. - A player shall not throw the ball or pass it to another.

- No player shall take the ball from the ground with his hands while it is in play under any pretence whatever.

- No player shall wear projecting nails, iron plates, or gutta percha on the soles or heels of his boots.

This list of the first rules of football is the start of the history of modern football (soccer). Since then, some changes have been made, but this is where it all began. The current list of rules is named Laws of the Game and consists of seventeen separate laws.

Reverent Information About Brian Gionta

Brian Joseph Gionta is now 31 years old and birthday on 18th January. Being a Montreal Canadiens Captain, Canadiens used to have two American-born captains, Brian Joseph is one of them (the first being Chris Chelios). Gio is his nickname named by teammates, he is also the second shortest player in the NHL. He is known as an indomitable player.
Gionta was first picked by New Jersey Devils in 1998 NHL Entry Draft. When he joined senior middle school at the Aquinas Institute in Rochester, NY, as diminutive. Finished his college in Boston in 2001. In the 2000-2001 season, he help the team win a National Championship as Eagles captain. Current Atlanta Thrashers forward Marty Reasoner give him the “Rochester” name. He enjoyed his best statistical at that time with Reasoner as a teammate, 30 goals and 62 points in 40 games and help the Eagles to arrive Boston for National Championship.
As a sophomore of BC, He got 60 points that year, but eliminated by Hockey Ease rival, the University of Maine in the Frozen Four semifinals.
In his senior season as a captain, the total points is 54, helping Boston College win National Championship. When playing against University of Maine, he scored 5 goals.
Boston College player Stephen is his brother and help the Boston College be the best College Hockey team at that time.
Brian had played 310 games for New Jersey, including 50 playoff games. Also be a member of the 2002–03 Stanley Cup championship teamHe played for their affiliate the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League (AHL), in 2004-2005 lockout. At the same time, Brian is also one member of the 2006 U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey team.
Brian Gionta is now one of the most shortest players in the National Hockey League with height of 5’7″, until now he enjoyed great success from the second half of the 2003–2004 season He is known as the most effective and offensive player in Devils at the same time, though his short height.
Gionta at last signed a 5-year contract for $25 Million with the Montreal Canadiens On July 1, 2009. This has reunited him with former Devils’ teammate Scott Gomez.
Comprehensive assessment, Being a energetic player and shows great active in offensive side, and two way ability. Fast speed and good acceleration. Possesses perfect skills and instincts around an opposing net, almost take a pounding in front.

Interested in Buying Super Bowl Tickets?

When you have decided that you want to take the time, effort and money to go to the Super Bowl, you have some homework to do. First of all, you need to check Super bowl ticket prices. Sure, you can start looking at online auction sites, in national newspapers and on the web by browsing some ticket retailer websites but these methods may not pan out, plus they take forever to do.
Instead of spinning your wheels looking through newspapers or scouring the web trying to figure out where to buy Superbowl tickets consider using SportEvents.Com. This highly acclaimed and well-known company was founded in 1986 and it provides sports packages and hospitality services for national and international sporting events, including the acclaimed Super bowl. SportEvents is a pioneer in the sports ticket market as the founders and employees are highly experienced in the hospitality field and within event marketing.
Super bowl XLV will be held on the 6th of February at 5 pm at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. If you are not located near Arlington (and even if you are) you might be interested in one of the Super bowl packages sold by SportEvents. As you probably know, the Super bowl generates more excitement and anticipation than any other event on the sports calender. The Super bowl packages offered by SportEvents start at $3,499 and include tickets to the game, concierge assistance, transportation to the stadium, pre-game parties and hotel accommodations. In other words you will be treated like royalty all day long and a package is the ultimate way to experience all of the thrills and chills the biggest sporting event on earth has to offer!
Of course there are plenty of other companies you can look at when viewing Super bowl ticket prices as well as packages, but the SportEvents deals are simply the best by far. The hotel accommodations provided are not just a night’s stay in just any fly-by-night hotel but rather have you staying in places like the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas. The pre-game parties are much more than joining a couple hundred fans in a local pub for beer. These parties include a full bar, food and an NFL Hall of Fame guest speaker in a very comfortable setting. The tickets are upper-level end zone seats with the option of upgrading. In fact, you are able to upgrade your package in numerous ways to ensure that you get the experience you have always dreamed of.
It is very likely you are becoming convinced by now to visit SportEvents.com to read more. Remember that the Super bowl is THE sporting event of the year so do not hesitate to reserve your spot now because if you wait, you may sadly be out of luck. SportEvents in the number one source to use when you want to Buy superbowl tickets and by far the top company in existence for obtaining amazing packages to the Super bowl.
Once you have booked your tickets or package you are poised for an unrivaled sporting event experience of a lifetime. You are sure to be the envy of your family, friends and co-workers as the battle of the gridiron champions is something most Americans only dream of being a part of. Enjoy yourself, take lots of photos and be sure to take in all of the sights and sounds that make the Super bowl the king of all sporting events on earth!

Use Sport Events for Colts Tickets and Super Bowl Tickets

While there certainly are plenty of ways to acquire Colts tickets or tickets to the Super bowl, you want to be certain that you are dealing with a reputable ticket seller before you fork over your hard earned money for seats to a game. It is no secret that people are scammed regularly when purchasing Super bowl tickets and finding out at the last minute that your tickets are counterfeit could prove disastrous to say the least.
One of the very safest ways to buy Superbowl tickets is to purchase them from SportEvents.com. This company is a market leader in the sports promotion world. There are a wide range of packages and programs on offer to all major sporting events such as the Super bowl, the Masters, Olympics and much more. You can put 100% of your trust in Sport Events when buying Super bowl, Colts tickets or tickets to any NFL game you are interested in attending. As a Colts fan, there is nothing like sitting in the stands at Lucas Oil Stadium and watching the team take on its opponents. As an Indianapolis-based company, the staff at Sport Events admits that they are a bit biased as it is their home team. Sport Events has been selling tickets and ticket packages since the late 1980s to provide sport fans everywhere with access to the most sought-after tickets available.
Speaking of highly desirable tickets, holding a pair of Superbowl tickets in hand is the dream of millions of people. Having the privilege of being in the stadium when the gridiron champions battle it out is a once in a lifetime experience like no other on earth. Sport Events goes well beyond just selling standard Super bowl tickets as its packages are designed to give you an experience that puts you smack dab in the middle of all of the action starting with pre-game parties, transportation and great seats to the game.
The Super bowl packages sold by Sport Events are big time favorites among die-hard NFL fans all across America as no other company can come close to offering such amazing accommodations, pre-game festivities, transportation and game day experiences quite like this company manages to pull off. Sure, you can easily find package deals to the Super bowl online and elsewhere but most usually you will be put up in a ho-hum hotel and will have to fare for yourself when it comes time to make it to the stadium. A good package deal is one that allows you to relax and be stress free. You should not have to concern yourself with having to drive to the game (or finding a taxi) and the folks behind the scenes at Sport Events know this. This is why their Super bowl packages include not only Superbowl tickets but police escorted round-trip transportation so you can do what you are there for which is to enjoy yourself.
So the next time you are itching to go see the Colts, buy your Colts tickets from Sport Events. And, if you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to buy Super bowl tickets, this is the source you want to use. Remember that Super Bowl XLV is just a few weeks away as it is being played on February 6th at Cowboys Stadium so act quickly as the tickets are in high demand!

Jogging - Jogging - Health Benefits And How To Do It

Performing regular jogging gives better physical condition and other health benefits. Jogging also gives physical and mental pleasure.


THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF JOGGING

Jogging on a regular basis give a distinct good effect upon the general health, provided it is not over-done. The effects are:
* Jogging makes the heart stronger. It increases the capacity of the blood circulation and of the respiratory system.
* It speeds up the digestive system and helps you get rid of digestive trouble.
* It counteracts depression.
* It increases the capacity to work and lead an active life.
* Jogging makes you burn fat and thereby helps against over-weight.
* If you suffer from poor appetite, jogging will improve your appetite.
* Jogging will strengthens the muscles of your legs, hips and back. However you will not get very big muscles from jogging.

* Jogging makes you sleep better.


THE PLEASURE OF JOGGING

Jogging gives you physical and mental joy, provided you do not exhaust yourself. When jogging is done correctly, you will actually feel less tired when you have finished a tour than before you began. You get nice feelings in your muscles during the jogging and afterwards.

You will feel the wind blowing around your body. You will hear the birds singing, the music of running water in the streams, or the sound of waves dashing towards the seashore. During the jogging you will also get a euphoric mental feeling after some time.


CLOTHES AND SHOES

The type of clothes you were must be suited to the weather conditions. In warm weather, shorts and a t-shirt is enough. However, it may be useful to carry along an extra piece of clothe in a light back-pack if you run out on a long route, in case the weather aggravates. In colder weather you must add more layers of clothes. In either case, the requirements for the clothes are:

You should use light and soft clothes without any sharp sutures, hard edges or massive folds. They should sit fairly close to your body, but not so close that you feel squeezed, trapped, or so that your movements are hindered.

The clothes should give good ventilation for moisture and sweat and perspiration through the fabric. The fabric should ideally hold water totally out from the outside, but this requirement is difficult to achieve together with the requirement of good ventilation.

You should use fairly soft shoes, but with a good shape fitting the anatomical shape of your feet. The soles should easily bend during the normal movements of your feet, but support well against the ground. The underside of the sole should give friction against any type of grounds, so that you do not slide during jogging. The soles should buffer well against each impact from the ground.


JOGGING ROUTES AND SESSIONS

Jogging may be performed in a lot of ways
* Long distance jogging 6-20 km in a moderate speed on even roads or paths.
* Short distance jogging 3-6 km in a high speed.
* Jogging upwards in a steep terrain 3-4 km, in a speed adjusted to the steepness
* Jogging in a hilly terrain with paths going both up an down 4-8 km

It is advisable to vary the type of jogging from day to day. Then the jogging gets funnier and you get a variable type of training.


HOW TO PERFORM A JOGGING SESSION

You should move slowly with little efforts the first few hundred meters to warm up your muscles. Then you gradually increase your muscular work and speed. When you have done half the route, you can take a speedy spurt using most of your capacity. If the route is long enough, you can take two or three spurts using nearly full capacity.The last hundred meters you gradually slow down again.


STRETCHING YOUR BODY BEFORE AND AFTER EACH SESSION

It is advisable to stretch out both before and after each jogging session, and not only the muscles in your feet, but your whole body 2 minutes before and 3-4 minutes after the session. When stretching out do the following movements:
* Bend forward and touch your toes.
* Kneel down on one of your feet, and stretch the other out backwards.
* Bend your body to both sides.
* Stretch out an arm, grab something, and turn your body round so that your arm is bent backwards.
* Shoot your abdomen foreword, so that your spinal column is stretched into a bow.
* Place your hands behind your neck and stretch your arms backwards. Then twist your body to left and right, also bend to each side.

After the jogging it is sometimes best to wait for some minutes before you stretch out, so that the worst tiredness has gone away first.


WHEN AND HOW OFTEN

If jogging is the only sport activity done, a jogging session every second day is ideal. This is enough to give all the health benefits and increase your condition and endurance gradually, but without wearing yourself out. If you combine jogging by other types of sport activities, 2 times a week may be enough.
You should not be too hungry before jogging, but it is not advisable to take a jogging session straight after a big meal. The time of the day does not matter, but your jogging should not be the first thing you do in the morning.


HOW TO BEGIN

If you are not accustomed to physical activity before you start jogging, it is advisable to consult a doctor before you start. You may have health issues that is not compatible with jogging activities, or that you must consider when doing your jogging.

The first times, you should only jog on plain ground and only for 10 minutes. Then you can increase the time, distance and speed, and choose steeper and more difficult paths.

Fishing - Freshwater Fishing

Freshwater fishing is very popular all over the world. In fact, it is one of the most popular outdoor activities in many countries. In the United States in particular, freshwater fishing has become very popular. This is due in large part to the commercialization of the sport. Freshwater fishing tournaments are held on a national level, and some of them are even televised. This has helped the sport gain a lot of attention, and has brought in a lot of newcomers.


You can take part in freshwater fishing anywhere there is freshwater. And since this is much more abundant than saltwater, it is also the more popular of the two. Regardless of where you live, you should never have a problem finding somewhere to go freshwater fishing.

If you are looking for somewhere to go freshwater fishing, you have a few options available. They include a small stream or creek, a pond, a lake, or a river. Each one of these offers their own benefits to any fisherman.

Freshwater fishing can be a lot of fun because there are so many species that you can go after. The two most popular are bass and trout; but there are many more that you can fish for if interested. The specie of fish that you are going after is nothing more than personal preference.

Freshwater fishing is a relaxing activity that anybody can take up. You do not have to be athletic to take part in freshwater fishing, and at the same time it is very easy to get started in this sport. You do not need a lot of money, and anybody can get started on a very small budget.

Overall, freshwater fishing is here to stay. This sport is popular all over the world, and it is only going to continue growing.

Sports - Free Flight Exploits In Europe

The allure of flying has prompted man to make remarkable discoveries and developments in the fields of transportation, entertainment, and even sports. For who would not want to soar high above to experience a bird’s eye view of spectacular sceneries?


If you want to test your gut, engage in a free flight sports. Free flight has many forms but the most common of which are paragliding and hang gliding.

In Europe, free flight exploits are regular but nonetheless marvelous ways to tour and enjoy its captivating landscapes and seascapes, thanks to pleasant climate and fresh air. The proliferation of many gliding events, flying centers and gliding clubs demonstrate the fact that paragliding and hang gliding are serious sports thrills in this continent.

Gliding in the Air

Paragliding and hang gliding are cousins. A paraglider is shaped like a wing but with a billowy appearance while a hang glider takes a more rigid form of a V-shaped wing.

A paraglider is made from fabric and strings. Inflated by air through its holes, the fabric of the paraglider forms a hollow wing, thus creating a billowy appearance. Suspended from this wing are several fine strings, which connect to a harness that serves as your seating. Speed and direction are manipulated by pulling on some of the strings, which in turn warp the back of the wing. Because of its construction and materials, a paraglider is literally an aircraft in a rucksack.


A hang glider, on the other hand, is made from lightweight metal frames but also covered with a fabric. Moving the metal bar in front of you controls the speed and direction of your flight.

Both are lightweight gliders, which can reach thousand of feet above land, cover several hundreds of miles, and stay up in the air for hours. Both can be launched by yourself too, as long as you get ample training and muster enough flying spirit in you.

However, being lighter, paragliding is the more popular sport. Weight matters especially when you have to travel up a hill from where to launch. It is also slower and therefore easier to learn than hang gliding. But if you want more speed, hang gliding is your thing. Hang gliding also requires greater skill especially in landings.

Takeoff Points

Hang gliding is a fresh way to tour Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro. Fly at about 1700 feet above well-known beaches and mountains. No prior experience needed since you will be accompanied by a certified master. Most tours last about two hours, with about 15 to 20 minutes in the air.

Slovenia has also many launch sites, having hosted several world championships in gliding and paragliding. So do United Kingdom, France where paragliding is called parapenting), Ireland, Germany, Turkey, and many other nations of the region. The Derbyshire Peak District in the UK and the Chamonix Valley in France are only two of the many popular spots dedicated for gliding and similar sports.

Whichever of these sites you plan on taking that first launch, what is basic should be mastered, especially when you’re planning to go solo flying. Master how to control wind, for it will carry you throughout the flight.

These free flight activities roll transportation, entertainment, and sports into one breath-taking exploit of the unexplored beauty of nature, letting you take yourself to specific spots your heart desires.

Trampoline Trick - Jumping Your Way To Fun

For an activity that's packed with thrills and excitement, it's hard to beat trampolining. It's a lot like bouncing up and down on the old spring bed when you were very young... except that you can bounce a lot higher, and increased area gives you more room to perform stunts.


Besides being a lot of fun, trampolining is a great body conditioner, helping you develop balance, rhythm, coordination, and a keen sense of timing.

Stretched within the frame is the performing surface or bed, about twelve feet long and eight feet wide. The heavy canvas or woven webbing sheet is attached with elastic cords or metal springs.

Make sure that safety pads are on the metal sides of the frame. Safety pads are required accessories, protecting you in case you land off the bed.

For further protection, you'll also need spotters, to catch or warn you if you get too close to the edge.

When you mount the trampoline, always climb carefully onto the bed. Don't chance an injury trying to leap onto the frame


And be just as careful when you dismount . . . climbing over the frame rather than bouncing onto a hard floor. Practice mounting and dismounting a few times to get used to doing it right.

Initial Exercises

Spend a few minutes bouncing low and easily ... getting the feel of the trampoline. As you gain confidence, you can begin bouncing a little higher.

Hit the canvas with your feet about eighteen inches apart, and flex your knees. As you land, let your arms come down to your sides.

Swing them forward and up as you bounce up from the bed. As you go up...bring your feet together and stretch your arms above your head at the top of the bounce. As you drop to the bed again... swing your arms back down to your sides, and open your legs again. If you want to stop bouncing...flex your knees the instant you touch the bed, and hold them flexed. This kills your spring, preventing an uncontrolled bounce.

Work on the simple bounce until the form feels comfortable and natural. Then you can begin trying some of the bounce variations.

The half pirouette is one of the easiest to learn. All you do is bounce, half twist in the air, and come down facing in the opposite direction.

Start the half pirouette with a regular bounce. But, instead of swinging both arms above your head ...pull your outside arm across your stomach to help you spin. Your outside arm is your right arm if you're turning to your left.

You should find it easy to half-spin your body so that you come down facing in the opposite direction. By adding a little more twist or spin... you can do the full pirouette. Just pull your outside arm harder across your stomach, so your body spins all the way around...and you come down facing in the same direction as when you started the bounce. Throw your arms to the sides to stop your spin as you land.

Work on both the half pirouette and the full pirouette until you can do them gracefully, with your body straight and with the right amount of spin.

Then you can go on to the tuck bounce. Here you bounce high into a tuck or ball, and drop back to the bed in regular bounce position.

Begin the tuck bounce as you would a regular bounce. But as your feet leave the bed...bring your knees up close to your chest and grab your shins so your body is tucked into a tight ball. On the way down...let go of your shins and straighten your body so you land in regular standing position.

Once you've learned these elementary bounces...try practicing them in combinations. Your success as a trampoline performer will depend on how well you build one skill upon another, mastering each new step through repeated practice. A thorough knowledge of the fundamentals will go a long way toward helping you become a top-notch trampoline man.

New Years - Having A Great New Years Eve Parties With These Ideas

New Years Eve parties are everywhere you look once the big rush of the holiday season has wound down. You may be looking for that fancy outfit for the Midnight Ball or simply looking forward to a small gathering of friends. The choices are yours. Get ready to ring in the New Year with style and flair as you say goodbye to the old and hello to the new.


This very special occasion that New York City throws is world renowned. If you wish to attend any of the numerous parties and events there, then you are in for a great time. You can see the ball drop in Times Square that night, but attend a New York Broadway play during the day.

How about an exclusive hotel New Years Eve bash that may even bring you into close contact with celebrities and rock stars? That would definitely be worth the postcard and pictures to show your friends when you get back home.

What about a trip to the Windy City? A Chicago party on this special day may just be what you are looking for if you want to visit a city famous for its culture and history.

While you are booking your vacation, make sure and plan a little extra time to take in the museums and see the skyline from the lake view in Grant's Park. You cannot visit the city without a trip to the top of the Sear's Tower. The view is spectacular and worth the elevator ride up.

If you do not feel like paying a lot of money to travel to distant places, then there are usually great New Years Eve parties in town. Many local resorts and clubs host a party to ring in the New Year.


The entry fees are usually very reasonable and many times on New Years Eve hotels offer packages that include rooms, food, champagne toasts at midnight and live music. You need to make sure to book your room in advance, as most spots fill up early.

New Years Eve parties are a time to let go and enjoy yourself. You may be attending the party venues in London or at the local country club. The most important thing to remember is that you need to make it a safe time for everyone, including you and your family. Drinking and driving causes far too many casualties. Do your part by never driving while under the influence. Designate a driver to keep everyone safe and sound.

Cars - Cars, You, Your Girl,Your Date, And All The Romance That Comes With It

You are nervous. You have no idea what to do. You are about to go out with a great girl and you have no idea what car to take. If you have a car but it does not look presentable then you might have to rent a car. If you do not have a car then it would be wise to rent a car to impress your date. If you already have a car and it is presentable enough then go for it. What constitutes a date car anyway?


The basic rule of thumb when selecting a car for a date is dependent on the girl and dependent on you. The car will be some sort of connecting medium between you and the girl. If you want to impress the girl then bring an expensive car. If the girl is classy then make sure that you make her ride an expensive car. If the girl is simple then maybe she will get intimidated with an expensive car. If you are simple then you may not see the point in getting an expensive car for your date. If you are simple and your date is a rich brat then you probably have to cancel your date. What are the chances of you getting along anyway? You may give it a shot but it will be a very long shot.

The car is the place where you and your girl will have conversation. The car may even be a topic of conversation. If the girl knows how to distinguish cars then you can talk about it on your way to your date place. If your date does not know anything about cars then you can probably get away with a not so flashy car. You can use your personality to charm her instead. The car is important on a date because you certainly need a means to get to your destination. You may commute and take a train but the feeling of having a vehicle is certainly different.

If you are single then buying your date car will be an exciting task. You have to understand that your car is an extension of your personality. If you are driving around a Porsche then people will think of you as someone on the fast lane. You are driven and you are wealthy. You know what you are doing and you do it very well. If you are driving around in a car that looks like junk then people will think that you are not taking care of yourself. People may judge you. The world is a superficial place and these things say a lot. If you are going to buy your car then make sure that it extends your personality. You want the car to complement your personality. When you car complements your personality then you have a good chance of impressing your date and making her have a good time.

If you are married then buying a car is also going to be dependent on your wife. She may want to have a family car and you will also use it for your dates. When you are married, you'll have to be more practical when selecting a car. You have to take into consideration the children. Your date car will reflect you being a dad anyway so you shouldn't have any problems with that. You should be worried if your wife wants a car that is hot pink. You will have to convince her otherwise.

New Years - What Is New Years Eve New York All About ?

The sights and sounds of New Years Eve New York and around the Big Apple are something everyone should experience at least once in their lives. The city is a unique and diverse blend of cultures from around the world, yet everyone comes together to celebrate the New Year in style. Millions from around the world tune into the celebrations on their televisions just to see the ball drop at midnight.


The first step to finding deals for this special occasion is to do a bit of research. If you wait to book your flight or train at the last minute, then travel New Years Eve can be a big problem. There are hundreds of thousands of visitors to New York each day.

Add in the holiday traffic and you could be celebrating the New Year while sitting in an airport lobby. Book your hotel New Years Eve reservation and flight early to get the best deals. The hotels will fill up quickly, especially if the they are offering package deals. By booking early and confirming your reservations, you will be assured a spot to party.

New Years Eve New York means a visit to Times Square to see the ball drop. For many years, this was synonymous with Dick Clark and should be something everyone has the chance to see, but if you do not want to battle the huge crowds, then there are other events to attend.

During the day, while you are waiting for the New Year to usher in, you may want to consider attending a New York Broadway play. Just because you are there to party does not mean you have to miss out on a little bit of culture.

While you are hitting the hot spots on your visit, make sure you check out the memorial site of the Twin Towers. Paying homage to the victims of this catastrophe can be an affirmation of the birth of the New Year and new hope for the future.


Like most parties on this special day, you will need to get your tickets in advance if you want to rub elbows with some of the rich and famous. Don your elegant attire and celebrate a New Years Eve New York party that you will never forget.

Just as Cinderella attended the ball of her dreams, you can be surrounded by opulence and luxury. The great thing is that this is no fairy tale and you do not have to worry about your coach turning back into a pumpkin and leaving you stranded. Taxis run all night long and will see you back to your hotel.

playing pros

In 1895, 10 professional golfers and one amateur played in the first U.S. Open in Newport, R.I. Shortly thereafter, tournaments began to pop up across the country. There was the Western Open in 1899. But this was not "tour" golf. The events lacked continuity.
Interest in the game, however, continued to grow. American professionals were rapidly improving. And when John McDermott became the first American-born player to win the U.S. Open in 1911, interest in the game blossomed.
That interest became enthusiasm in 1913 when Englishmen Harry Vardon and Ted Ray came to the United States to play an exhibition tour and compete in the U.S. Open. When 20-year-old amateur Francis Ouimet defeated the pair in a playoff for the Open at Brookline, Mass., golf became front-page news and a game for everyone.

In the early 1920s, a series of tournaments was held on the West Coast, in Texas and Florida. These events were held in the winter, and the golfers played their way east and up to Pinehurst, N.C., in the spring. By the middle of the decade, the tour was doing relatively well -- offering $77,000 in total prize money.

The first "playing pros" organization was formed in 1932. Two years earlier, Bob Harlow had been named manager of the PGA Tournament Bureau. The tour became more structured following World War II and exploded in the late 1950s and early '60s. When Arnold Palmer, televised golf and President Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived on the scene in the late 1950s, the eyes of the world were on golf. This exposure inspired millions to try the game.
Most golf historians would trace the "formal" beginning of the PGA TOUR to late 1968, when the "Tournament Players Division" split from the PGA of America and hired Joseph C. Dey as its first commissioner. That organization became the modern-day PGA TOUR. Dey served from early 1969 through Feb. 28, 1974, and was succeeded by Deane R. Beman on March 1, 1974.

During Beman's administration, the value of tournament purses escalated at an unprecedented rate: PGA TOUR assets grew from $730,000 in 1974 to more than $200 million, and total revenues increased from $3.9 million to $229 million in 1993.
Timothy W. Finchem, previously the TOUR's Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer, became the TOUR's third Commissioner on June 1, 1994. In 1995, Finchem undertook a restructuring program designed to strengthen the PGA TOUR's core business, which is its competitions; expand the TOUR's international scope and prepare it to enter the 21st century. In 1996, Finchem helped spearhead formation of the International Federation of PGA Tours, as golf's five world governing bodies laid the groundwork for taking competition into the next millennium.

In 1997, the Federation announced the World Golf Championships, which made their debut in 1999 with three events-the Accenture Match Play Championship, NEC Invitational and American Express Championship. The World Cup joined this group in 2000.
Since 1938, PGA TOUR events have donated more than $800 million to charity, making a mark in the communities in which the TOUR plays through its charity campaign, "Giving Back...The Heart of the PGA TOUR."
The competitive scope of the PGA TOUR also is much broader today. The Champions Tour, formerly called the Senior PGA Tour, has been labeled the most successful senior sports venture in history. An interactive element with fans and television viewers has brought new exposure to the Tour. Since starting out with just two cosponsored events and $250,000 in prize money in 1980, the Champions Tour has grown to more than 30 events. And the Charles Schwab Cup will be competed for the fourth time in 2004.

The Nationwide Tour, under that sponsorship umbrella for the first time in 2003, has been recognized as a virtual extension of the PGA TOUR with its excellent level of play that saw 55 percent of its alumni making up the 2003 PGA TOUR. The Nationwide Tour provides outstanding golf competition in 30 communities while raising significant charity dollars. Among the former players on this TOUR who have gone on to star on the PGA TOUR are David Duval, Tom Lehman, Jeff Maggert, Stuart Appleby, Stewart Cink, David Toms, 2003 U.S. Open winner Jim Furyk and 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel.

Also continuing to grow is the Tournament Players Club Network. When the PGA TOUR opened the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass in 1980, it introduced the era of stadium golf and record-breaking attendance. Owned and/or operated by the TOUR, these courses are the only major-league sports venues owned by the players themselves.