Embarq on the Greens Golf Tournament

Outer Banks Blue won the first annual Embarq on the Greens Golf Tournament. The event was held on October 5 and the Duck Woods Country Club. The winning score was 1 under par. The prize package included gift certificates to Prime Only Restaurant, Kelly's, Golf clubs, golf balls and various other prizes. Second place went to the team from the Tranquil House Inn and third place went to The Hess Group/Sun Realty. No one ended up winning the car for making a hole-in-one, but there is always next year.

Got Green?

Golf Digest calculated that there were about 32,000 golf courses in the world. Over half of those courses are in the United State of America. The sport of golf was heavily dominated by the British prior to WWI. However, since then the sport has become increasingly more popular in the United States and we have produced a far greater number of professional players. Another interesting note is that the first golf course in China was built in the 1980s. Since then, there have been over 200 courses built there.

The Different Faces of Golf Courses

Not all golf courses look the same. There are many different methods of building golf courses around the world. The destruction of natural land and the use of pesticides and other chemicals to keep up the courses has caused some opposition to how they are built in the United States. So what are other countries doing to change this? In Australia, there is a golf course that is built only of diesel and oil covered sand. There are holes dug in the sand and players must carry a small piece of astroturf to tee off of. In New Zealand they don't change much of the natural landscape for the golf courses. It is not uncommon to see sheep grazing the fairway in some areas. The game may look different, but it is still played the same throughout the world.

The Golden Bear

Jack Nicklaus is also known as the Golden Bear, but do you know when and where his first major title was? Wait for it........wait for it........wait for it...........It was at the U.S. Open of 1962. Jack was only 22 at the time and the tournament ended up going to an 18-hole playoff after he and Arnold Palmer tied at 1 under par. Nicklaus ended up winning by 3 strokes. The tournament was held at the Oakmont Counrty Club in PA.

Nags Head Golf Links

Since I talked about the Currituck Club yesterday, I figured it was only fair to talk about the Nags Head Golf Links today (especially since I am right across the street from it). The Nags Head Golf Links is a true Scottish links style course which takes on the natural beauty of the area. Golf Digest called the course "one of the most beautiful courses on the East Coast." The coastal winds are changing constantly and players have to adjust daily to try and compensate for that. It is a very challenging and beautiful course that should not be missed.

The Currituck Club

I am working in Corolla today, so I figured I would highlight the one golf course that is up this way. The Currituck Club was designed by Rees Jones and is a 6885 yard course. It was voted by Golf Digest as one of the top 25 courses in North Carolina. That says a lot, especially being in the same state as Pinehurst. The course is set among the natural landscape of the Outer Banks and offers a few holes that run along the Currituck Sound. Have a great day!

Top 100 Public Courses to Play

Golf Digest put out a list of the top 100 public golf courses to play. The list was published in March of this year, but I would imagine that the list would have changed little since then. Unfortunately there are no courses from our beloved Outer Banks, but there are some regional courses that made the list. Check out the full list here. Maybe you will be able to play one of these courses sometime soon. Take care.

Happy Friday

Today is Friday....it is a little overcast here on the Outer Banks today, but good weather is supposed to come for the weekend. Tiger Woods 2007 video game is due out in less than a month, so if you ever wanted to play as good as he does, now is your chance. Have a great weekend and be safe in your travels.

History of the Golf Ball

Drastic changes have been made to the golf ball over the last couple hundred years. The idea of golf has been around for centuries. People using sticks and rocks would play on sand dunes and near rabbit holes for fun. Most of the early golf balls were handcrafted, some even from goose feathers. There were many forms of the golf ball and many methods of making one. Today some of the antique balls are worth more than $500. Check out this article for more information.

Rainy days are gone

We had a lot of rain yesterday, but the sun has come out and looks like it will be a beautiful day. I would image that the greens will be a little slow, so remember to give a little extra force when you are putting for birdie. The fairways will be a lot softer today as well, so if you need to get under the ball try not to tear up half the grass. Always repair your divots and rake the traps. Have fun and send us some photos of that hole in one ball.

Keep up the pace

Here are a few tips on how to keep a good pace on crowded days at the course. No one wants to be the slow poke who keeps getting a visit from the course marshal. This article was taken from the PGA website.

"Slow play is when your group is not keeping up with the pace of play of the group in front of you. Certainly, all new golfers feel the push to maintain pace of play. Yet, there are several things you can do to help keep pace.
First, walk at a reasonable speed between shots. You don't have to race. Still, you should not treat it as a leisurely stroll through the park.
Begin planning your next shot as you approach the ball by studying the strength and direction of the wind. If you are unfamiliar with the course, ask your caddy or a playing companion if there is any hidden trouble around the green or any local knowledge that might be helpful. Finally, when you reach your ball, check the lie, select your club, visualize your swing and shot and then play your shot.
From the time you select your club until you actually hit your shot, you should take no more than 30-45 seconds. The important point is that you need to be ready to play when it is your turn.
It is the player's responsibility to know where his or her shot finishes. Keep watching the flight and roll of the ball until it has stopped. You also need to follow the shots of your fellow competitors, and help them find where their balls have landed. If for some reason, you aren't ready to play when it is your turn, encourage one of your fellow players to go ahead and play. This is known as "Ready Golf.""

The King calls it quits

In a move that suprised many, Arnold Palmer stopped mid round at the Administaff Small Business Classic on Friday and decided never to compete again. After 4 holes, he realized that his body just could not handle the game anymore. He said that he was aching all over and was unable to make shots that used to come easy for him. He did finish the round, but did not keep score. There has been a steady decline in the tournaments he has played in recent years. He wanted to make it clear that he was not done with golf completely though. He mentioned that his next passion would be helping to build golf courses. There are already quite a few on the books that he would like to pursue. Palmer did a great deal for the game of golf and he will be missed on the course by all who were lucky enough to see him.

Good Golf Weather is Finally Here

I woke up today and found that the temperature outside was a nice 59 degrees. The cold front is starting to poke its head in for the coming weekend. This would be a great time to come down and play 18 or 36 holes on one of our great courses in the area. You don't have to worry about roasting in the heat, or waiting for that slow guy in front of you to make his putt. Check us out on the web for more information about the courses.