Archive for the ‘Sports & Recreation’ Category

Become A Better Putter By Learning To Read The Green

Friday, January 15th, 2010

Author: Tim Gorman
Source: articleage.com

If you’re an avid golfer and spend every waking moment thinking about how to improve your game and every sleeping moment dreaming about putting like a pro then you already know that the difference between a high score and a low score, winning and losing, being a hero or goat revolves around a good putting game. Obviously hours of practice putting will significantly improve your golf game but in order to really score like the pros you need to develop the ability and skill of learning to read the green.
A mediocre golfer will just walk up to their golf ball and putt without really placing any thought into what they are doing. A good golfer will take their time and address their golf ball concentrating the whole time to line up their putt. A master golfer will do all of the above along with several other actions in order to sink their putt but the biggest difference is their ability to predict their golf ball’s path and speed based on their read of the putting green. The Master golfers know that the art of precise aim and control over a golf ball doesn’t help you out if you can’t accurately predict where your golf ball will go once hit by your putter.
The best way to accurately read the green is to avoid doing what the professional golfers do when they read their greens. Remember, these guys are pros and have been doing this for quite some time so they have considerable experience when it comes to easily reading golf greens. For the novice or beginner golfer, don’t be afraid to get down on your hands and knees and carefully study the ground between your golf ball and the cup. It’s also highly recommended that you lay one of your clubs down on the ground and carefully observe the ground that runs along the shaft of your golf club.
When scanning the golf green you want to keep an eye out for any bumps, no matter how small, any curves or small hills. Try and formulate a rough estimate on what the ratio is between downhill and uphill terrain between your ball and the cup. Consider how dry or wet the grass is because a golf ball has the capability of traveling an additional 9 to 13 inches over wet grass when compared to a dry green.
Believe it or not even the way the grass is cut can have an effect on the distance your golf ball travels after being hit by your putter. A condition known as double cutting where the grass is cut in one direction then cut again in a perpendicular direction can change the distance your golf ball travels by 5 to 10 inches. The grass height can also affect your putt. The lower the grass is cut the farther your ball can travel.
As you can see there are many different factors and variables that need to be looked at in order to properly read a putting green. Correctly read the green and you could dramatically improve your golf game score by slicing a few strokes off your golfing score. Improperly read the green and most likely you’ll need to spend more time on the practice green in order to learn how to properly putt.
Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Golf-Swing-Improvement.com. He provides more golf swing tips, putting tips and more information on becoming a better putter that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

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Paris Travel Guide

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

Author: mark brading
Source: articleage.com

Paris Romance and culture:
With a stylish and multicultural population of just over 2 million Paris is said to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world and it’s easy to see why.
The left bank of the seine, the majestic river that runs through the center of the city is the perfect place for a romantic walk, especially in springtime; Paris in springtime is legendary for lovers.
Even going out for a cup of coffee is an event in Paris. You would never “slouch around” in a baggy old sweat suit in a city where style and elegance far supersede the bursting need for a shot of caffeine.
For a great cafe experience try going to the artists quarter where even now you are more likely to overhear a conversation on the views and opinions of Jean Paul Sartre, the famous philosopher, or the French impressionists than a discussion on the sport or other such, to the French, mundane subjects.
The haughtiness of French waiters is legendary, you will never be told to “have a nice day” in Paris cafes, but treat it as a part of your holiday experience and it all adds to the fun of the holiday.
A good place to go for a bit of peace and quiet if you still want to remain quite central is the Jardin de Luxembourg (Garden of Luxemburg), which allows a brief respite from the hustle and bustle of the city while not taking you to far away from the main attractions.
The list of romantic and cultural attractions seems almost endless.
The Arc de Triomphe: a huge celebratory arch built by the French emperor Napoleon to celebrate his victories, and nearly finished before he met the British at Waterloo where things didn’t go quite so well.
Musee de Louvre; said to be the biggest museum in the world with 300,000 pieces of art including the “Mona Lisa” and 15 acres of exhibit rooms.
Basilique de Sacre-Coeur or Church of the sacred Heart; a beautiful cathedral set high on a hill wit breathtaking views of Paris and with artists and performers plying their trade at the front of the church.
The Pompidou Center: a temple to the modern in both it’s architecture which is some of the most radical you will see anywhere and it’s massive collection of modern art.
Cathedral de Notre Dame: Yes it is the same one that the hunchback used to swing about in was started in 1163 took nearly 200 years to complete and is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture anywhere in the world.
The Catacombs: a maze of underground tunnels containing bones and skulls from the revolution made into patterns and designs, scary but fascinating.
The Eiffel Tower: originally built as a temporary exhibit for the International Exhibition of Paris in 1889 to celebrate the first hundred years of the French revolution, it is around a thousand feet high and an absolute must to ride to the top.
A visit to Paris is a cultural and culinary feast, and the Parisians themselves are undeserving of their reputation for unfriendliness. I have always found them very helpful and polite.
When asking for help or directions try to use a little French, even from a phrase book. Most Parisians speak English and will probably answer in English but trying the language yourself is a good icebreaker and the effort to use their language is usually appreciated.
Paris is one of the jewels of Europe and a holiday there will not disappoint.
http://www.nearlyhealthytravel.com/

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5 Reasons To Book Your Next Vegas Vacation Online

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Author: Cait Farrell
Source: articleage.com

With over 30 million visitors a year, Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world. From the gorgeous mega-luxury hotels to the exclusive Vegas shows to the unbeatable buffets to the 24 hour casinos, Las Vegas has something for everyone.

More and more travellers are booking their Las Vegas trips online. So should you book your next Las Vegas vacation online? Here are the top 5 reasons to consider booking your Vegas vacation online:

1) Save Money

You don’t have to pay travel agent commissions which can amount to significant savings of hundred of dollars. Plus there are direct-to-customer online travel services that give you special discounts just for booking online.

2) Convenience

Book your Vegas vacation from the comfort of your own home. You don’t have to go out to pick up the tickets or haggle with travel agencies. You simply shop, click, book and print – easy as that. (and if you have questions, there’s usually a toll free number you can call for 24 hour support)

3) Larger Selection of Las Vegas Packages:

Instead of just choosing from the latest travel agent specials you can choose from EVERYTHING that’s available. You know what you want in a Las Vegas vacation better than anyone else – and you can easily browse everything that’s available to you online.

Many online travel agents upload new vacation packages weekly so you can monitor the new packages being offered and find an amazing deal.

4) Easy To Search & Book

With easy search functions and large travel package databases, you simply plug in your search parameters and get a listing of possible trips, prices and descriptions. The easy search functions make it simple and fun to find the Las Vegas vacation of your dreams

5) Research Hotels and Find Out What Other Travellers Think – BEFORE You Get There

Ever travelled some place, got there and thought – ‘I wish someone had told me what this place was really like before I spent all this money!’?

Now you can know what your Vegas hotel is like before you stay there. Many online travel agents have pictures, detailed descriptions and even downloadable brochures on each Las Vegas resort.

And some online travel agents are also introducing a Travellers’ Opinions section where people can leave feedback and rate their hotel vacation experience. They rate hotels and also leave comments on their experience. This is a great tool for you to not only find out which hotels are popular with other travellers but you can usually also pick up other Vegas travel tips that can save you money.

Considering all this, it’s no wonder that more and more people are booking their Las Vegas trip online, it’s easier, cheaper and you end up making a better choice (and thus having a more enjoyable vacation).

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Preparing To Travel To Europe – Four Important To-Dos

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

Author: Pat Byrne
Source: articleage.com

You have your tickets, your hotel or vacation rental reservations, passports are up to date, and you are ready to go. Not yet! Here are four important things to add to your preparation list:
1. Prepare Your Bank
Exchanging money in Europe is usually easiest and least expensive through an automated teller machines in Europe. Be careful to withdraw using your bank ATM card rather than your credit card. If you use your credit card for withdrawing cash, you may find yourself taking out a high interest loan.
Must dos with your bank:
Check to see what charges your bank imposes for use of your bank card for currency exchange; there are a few that impose stunningly high charges, so know ahead and prepare or be shocked when you see your statement.
Change your PIN to four numbers, some automated tellers, such as those in Italy, accept only four number PINs, not letters (i.e. there are no letters printed on the keypad, so if you think of your PIN in terms of letters, there may be some mental gymnastics when you are coping with a lot of other things, too).
Advise your bank that you will be traveling in Europe so when their fraud detection software notes transactions in multiple countries in a short period of time, it doesn’t block them waiting for you to respond to a phone call to your home.
If you have a withdrawal limit on your card, ensure it is adequate for your travel needs. If you have to make a lot of small withdrawals, you can rack up lots of little per-transaction service and exchange charges.
2. Safeguard Your Documents
Photocopy your passports and airline tickets and stick them in a few places in case something gets lost and you need to recover. Ensure some of those places are in your carry-ons.
A high tech way to keep track of your passport info and other important documents in case of loss is to scan them in and email the scanned document to yourself at an email address you can access from anywhere. For example, one of our guests in an apartment in Florence found herself locked out of her apartment, so she went to a nearby internet point, retrieved the electronic copy of her apartment information from her email and made the call to be let back in.
3. Buy a Good Map
If you are visiting only major cities, your guide books and the inexpensive maps you can obtain at tourist offices will be all you need. But, if you are driving, you need a good, detailed regional map.
If you wait till you get to the region you are visiting, I guarantee that you will waste time looking for your map and the only one you will be able to find for your region will be in Swedish. A map of the whole country is not detailed enough for driving, get a regional map.
4. Buy a New Guidebook
Be sure to take recently published guidebooks with you. Sights open and close, hours change, phone numbers change, and they move things around in museums. You will experience frustration and lose time if you take an old guidebook; take my word for it.
To avoid having to carry a whole book, pull out and take just the pages for the places you will visit. You can do this for the trip and for the day.
Don’t count on finding a good guidebook when you arrive. I find the English language guides published in non-English countries are often hard to read and filled with stuffy direct translations from the original language.
Pat Byrne is the president of Excellent Europe (http://www.ExcellentEurope.com) a company that selects exceptional vacation rentals in Italy. She is also the author of the Kids Europe Italy Discovery Journal (http://www.KidsEurope.com) a resource book, journal, and guide just for kids traveling in Italy that has over 500 ideas for free and fun activities in Italy.

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Italy Vacation Travels

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

Author: Kristy Annely
Source: articleage.com

Travel costs occupy the major portion of one’s vacation budget, and it’s the travel arrangements that turn out to be the most cumbersome part of the holiday. The first step towards enjoying a problem-free vacation in Italy is to plan systematically, because the travel options are so varied.
Shop around patiently for discount offers. Air tickets are priced differently during peak and off-seasons. In either season it is possible to get a bargain offer due to last-minute cancellations.
You can take a direct flight from America to any place in Italy. If you can compromise on in-flight luxuries like complementary food and drinks, and if time is not a constraint, you can try the low-cost airlines of Europe such as easyJet and Ryanair. Intercontinental flights to London cost much less than direct flights to Italy. So take a London flight, and from there you can go to any place in Italy at a fare ranging from 30 to 60 dollars. But the hitch is that low-cost planes start from Stansted airport, whereas your intercontinental flight lands at Heathrow or Gatwick. You need plenty of time to commute, and patience to haul the luggage between ports.
On arriving at Italy, you can book a package which takes care of all your travel and accommodation arrangements, or choose to explore by yourself. Different travel packages are available to cater to different tastes. Some provide escorted bus tours accompanied by a guide. But a bus can be very confining for longer rides. Moreover, service is cancelled if a minimum number of seats are not filled.
Train packages are more comfortable than buses and offer freedom of movement, but might be slightly expensive. Some offer a combination of travel, which might be the most ideal choice. Leisurely car-drives in the countryside, gondola rides in Venice canals, and bus or train facilities let you travel from city to city. More athletic types can go for bicycle trips and tour Italy on a bicycle.
Chalk out your own itinerary if you find organized travel confining. The public transport system in Italy is both efficient and inexpensive. Using public transport within cities is the best to avoid parking problems. Choose an accommodation nearer to a bus or train terminal so that you don’t waste much time. There are special tourist buses which give you an overview of the city covering all the important places. You can go to other cities and towns either by bus or train.
If privacy and flexibility are high on your agenda, then take a vacation rental and explore the beauty of Italy in a private car. Careful homework can make your trip to Italy both economical and fun.
Italy Vacations provides detailed information on Italy Vacations, Italy Vacation Rentals, Italy Vacation Packages, Italy Vacation Travels and more. Italy Vacations is affiliated with Palm Springs Condo Rentals.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Annely

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Heathrow Airport Hotel Guide For The Leisure Traveller

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

Author: Bob Handford
Source: articleage.com

Heathrow Airport is the busiest international airport in the world. About 35% of its passengers are transit passengers, ie passengers who use London just to make the connections. Only one reason why there are 40 hotels near Heathrow airport to serve the local demand for overnight stops. For many of these business hotels with an expense account is the bread and butter. This article aims to address the leisure traveler, providing a guide to value for money to locate a bed in Heathrow. We begin by dividing the hotels into three categories. Here are the 4 major and 5-star hotel chain Hilton, Radisson and Sheraton, for businessmen, usually charging $ 200 for the week, half that on weekends. Then there are the 2 and 3 stars, mostly chains like Comfort Inn, Ibis and Premier Travel Inn, aimed at leisure travelers and businessmen on a budget. These will typically charge just over $ US100 during the week, about $ US75 on the weekends. Finally, there are local small independent hotels, mostly family-owned offering cheap bed and breakfast style rooms. These are the cheapest accommodation. Room rates may seem a good relationship, especially on weekends when the businessmen are far and deep discounts to fill beds. However, be careful what you do not get the hotel room rates that will try to get you in other ways. There are no hotels in the central passenger area where terminals 1, 2 and 3 are found, although there is a hotel attached to Terminal 4 on the south side of the airport – the Hilton expensive, not for most travelers leisure. This means a bus service, and unlike most international airports there are no free shuttle bus from the hotel. The Airport Authority provides' Hoppa buses, medium-sized buses run every 10-20 minutes on fixed routes to Heathrow hotels. At 3 GBP per person per trip, that's an extra $ US20 for a couple staying at a hotel at Heathrow. Most hotels will charge anything from U.S. $ 10-US $ 30 for breakfast, and in most hotels there is no viable competition on the door. Dinner is also expensive and entertainment is mainly confined to a bar expensive. Thus, suggestions for the leisure traveler seeking to economize. Find a hotel in Bath Road, this is the way the northern perimeter of Heathrow Airport and the main hotel strip. Public buses run more frequently than the Hoppa bus along the road to swim in the terminals of Heathrow, and are free. (Rates are Hoppa bus part used to subsidize local bus free). Bath Road is the only place to escape from his hotel. A bar that serves meals, 2 McDonalds, a bowling alley, a small supermarket and an Italian restaurant that can provide breakfast, snacks and meals in Bath Road. There are also 24 hours on public buses to the cities of Kingston and Hounslow local entertainment. Taking the above together, the reference value for the leisure traveler is the Ibis and Premier Travel Inn. The local option is to consider other local hotels Bed & Breakfast. These do not provide an airport transfer, but many are on the periphery of the airport in a bus or subway route. Their rates are similar to those hotels, but this includes a good breakfast and the transfer is still cheaper than the Hoppa bus. One other option is to forget all about Heathrow and accommodation in central London. The Heathrow Express is 15 minutes from Paddington Station and there are many options for cheap accommodation around the station. Surely we have a most enjoyable evening in a London airport hotel, and a similar overall price. For more details on the subject of this article: Heathrow Hotels Hotels near Paddington station in London, Bob Handford is an expert about his city, London and is the owner of the website of Hotels in London set of tools that have intended to provide practical information for independent visitors to London. You can contact Bob direct on the website

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