Fore! Golf Destinations

 

Fore! Golf Destinations

Word Count:
686

Summary:
Golf is a popular recreation activity for retirees and with many other age groups. Regardless of ability, it is one of those activities where pals can get together to play a round, get some exercise, have lunch and kibitz about their counting accuracy, chips, divots, slices and how many balls have been lost.

Keywords:
Group Travel Tours ,Singles Group Travel, Travel Tour Groups, Corporate Travel Planning, Tourism Destination Marketing, Travel Planning Business, Small Group Adventure Travel, Tourism Marketing Plan,

Article Body:
Golf is a popular recreation activity for retirees and with many other age groups. Regardless of ability, it is one of those activities where pals can get together to play a round, get some exercise, have lunch and kibitz about their counting accuracy, chips, divots, slices and how many balls have been lost.

Historically, golf was a sport for the privileged that could afford private club memberships, travel the world to play the legendary golf resorts and schmooze with the sports legendary players. However, in the past 50-plus years, the popularity of the game has spread and resulted in the development of numerous new community, executive and championship courses across North America. The once weekend golfer is now an aficionado who hones skills at driving ranges and putting greens, has exchanged the weekly poker game for a round of golf and found the course the ideal place to do business, to pal around with friends and to rub elbows with the communitys movers and shakers. And, they follow the sport and dream of the day they too will tee off where champions play.

Golf is now being enjoyed by a large and diverse population, young and old, men and women, spanning all economic levels. And, the sport is energized with a new breed of celebrity golfer who is young and amiable. Tiger Woods leads the pack and is joined by other greats like O Meara, Mickelson, Singh and Weir, and in womens golf by Sorenstam, Park, Ochoa, Mallon, Kerr, and Hee-Won-Hav. These and other professionals have set new benchmarks for the sport. They have become popular advertising icons, spokespersons for charitable causes, sport fashion trendsetters and they are in touch with the amateur golf enthusiast.

Golf continues to be a growing industry with 16,057 golf courses located in the United States and 160 new facilities scheduled to open this year, most being public courses. Many Western retirement residential communities feature one or more golf courses as part of their amenities packages and, at the other end of the golf age spectrum, high-schools offer golf in their sports program.

Golf is no longer an at-home sport for the amateur as players are eager to find the opportunity to include this recreation activity in their vacation plans. Golf may be the main focus for some trips while at other times it will be a bonus activity added to an itinerary plan. Trip planners eager to tap into this market need to look only as far as the local golf course to find eager golfers who want to play the sport on vacation.

Where are the Golf Destinations?

With the popularity of golf and the abundance of courses, most destinations offer an opportunity to accommodate visiting golfers. When planning golf trips you will find distinctive differences in golf destinations and there are considerations to be taken with regard to climate conditions, budget and players desired experience. A key element found at most golf destinations is the availability of a selection of courses which compliment varied ability levels. Another factor is to differentiate between public, public-private and private courses that may or may not have reciprocal club privileges. Most all locations will offer professional services for lessons, have equipment for rent (when not traveling with ones own), offer special packages for groups and may or may not require carts. Here are some basic guidelines in identifying various golf destinations:

The best known golf destinations have built reputations as golf meccas and include places like Palm Springs (115 courses), Monterey (22 courses), Phoenix-Scottsdale (200 courses) and Tucson (27 courses). You find these destinations are the principal sites for major tournaments tours (PGA, LPGA, Skins, and Senior) and while many courses are connected with country clubs and resorts, most all are available for play to area visitors. There are also many other popular destinations that offer outstanding golf options but are often better known for their other tourism attractions. These include places like Las Vegas (57 courses), San Diego (90 courses) and Hawaii (80 courses), and they also are frequently included on the professional tour circuit.

This article is sponsored by: www.grouptravelblog.comhttp://www.grouptravelblog.com">www.grouptravelblog.com>

Why aren't you using a treadmill?

 

Why aren't you using a treadmill?

Word Count:
921

Summary:
Treadmills have become extremely popular over the years. They are specifically designed to enhance the most popular form of exercising - running and walking. Find out why you should be using one.

Keywords:
treadmill, treadmills, exercise treadmill

Article Body:
Treadmills have become extremely popular over the years. They are specifically designed to enhance the most popular form of exercising - running and walking. Treadmills are built on the idea that the more effort you put in, the more you get out. As other fitness equipment fads come and go, treadmills gain popularity and get results.

The two most popular forms of exercising are running and walking. Whether you are a casual walker or a serious runner, a treadmill can accommodate your exercise needs. Set the speed and incline to suite your desired cardiovascular goals. You can do a power walk up an incline or a heart pumping run at high speed.

The treadmill is unsurpassed for a cardiovascular workout. It works the large muscles in your body. According to a recent study calories burned on the treadmill for 60 minutes averaged 865 - 705. Contrast that with; The stair machine (746-637), rowing machine (739-606), stationary cycle with levers (709-509), cross-country ski machine (678-595) and the stationary cycle (604-498). As you can see from the figures the treadmill is unmatched for burning calories.

Ecercise treadmills wil give a good workout whatever the weather. In warm or wet regions, you don't need to be concerned about heat exhaustion in hot and humid weather.

Injuries that plague runners and walkers due to the constant pounding of joints on asphalt and concrete are eliminated or drastically reduced by users of treadmills. Injuries are less common and stress is reduced on those critical joints. Achilles tendons, knee joints, back muscles, ankles, thighs take less of a beating, which guarantee that you'll continue to walk or run into your old age.

As treadmills become more sophisticated so does the versatility of the workout. Speed and incline have always been a feature on motorized treadmills, but now your workout is enhanced by a variety of preprogrammed computerized exercises. Simulate running up and down hills, focus on cardio exercise, concentrate on burning calories, or work on speed training. Often treadmills have preset programs with various levels of intensity. In addition you can program your own workout, combining speed with incline.

A good treadmill is a balance of power, stability and fun. Your ability to find the right machine will depend upon why you want one and how much you can pay. Buy the best machine you can afford paying attention to the following features:

Frame: High alloy steel is usually more durable than aluminum, however they are heavier and must be coated to protect the treadmill from rust. Get on the treadmill, if it feels wobbly and flimsy, then it is. Selected a welded frame over a bolted one and avoid all plastic frames.

Hand Rails: The location of the hand rails is a matter of preference. Whether you desire a handlebar in front or two side rails, be sure they are sturdy and don't get in the way of your arm swings.

AC or DC Motor: Most home units are DC, but commercial treadmills may have either AC or DC. AC motors tend to be noisier and generally require a dedicated power line.

Horsepower: Check for the continuous-duty rating for the motor's true horsepower. Anything less than 1.5 continuous-duty horsepower can quickly be worn out.

Speed: Most treadmills run from 0 to 10 mph. A good machine will match the pace you feel comfortable walking or running. A safe starting speed of 0.5 mph or less is also very important for safety reasons.

Belt: Be sure the length of the walking/running surface is long enough for your longest stride. The width of the belt should be no less than 16" from a wear and tear standpoint as well as comfortable striding. Be sure you can comfortably reach the treadmill controls without stepping on the motor housing as well.

Deck: This is one of the critical quality elements of the treadmill. Quality decks shouldn't need much maintenance and they operate at a low temperature.

Impact Resilience: This is the treadmill's ability to absorb the force from the impact of your feet. The lower the impact on your body, the better.

Incline Adjustment: There's a variety of ways to adjust the incline of a treadmill, from the automatic incline which changes depending upon your heart rate, to pushing a bottom on the console, to the less sophisticated methods of a manual hand crank or manually setting pins. Quality electronic incline adjustment shouldn't be noisy or cause the machine to shake at any grade.

Control Panel: Generally computerized panels are standard thesedays. They range from basic and simple to the complex and fully programmable. It all depends on what features you require. Various control panel options can push up the price so purchase only what you will regularly use.

Heart Rate Monitors: This is generally an optional feature. Accuracy varies widely with the ear and finger clips being less accurate than the chest strap monitors.

Price: As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. You're going to invest $1,000 and up in a good quality motorized machine. Spending this kind of money ought to motivate you to do your homework and purchase wisely.

It is important to get yourself on a regular routine. The more time you spend on it, the more calories you burn and the more weight you lose. Find a fitness program that works for you. Depending on your preference, you could combine your workout with music, television or videos.

If you would like to learn more about exercise treadmills, visit www.treadmilladviser.com'>http://www.treadmilladviser.com">www.treadmilladviser.com where you can obtain more detailed information.