If you like hitting a heavily-dimpled ball and then following its merry journey as it goes across a well-kempt field in the hope it will land in a tiny hole in the ground, then the noble sport of golfing might be exactly what you were born to do!
(Unless a passing pelican swallows the ball or it otherwise lands in a pond and a crocodile gets it first. We meant the ball, not the pelican.)
Quite right and indeed! – Golf is a sport that tests your nerves, demands a certain understanding of physics, and most importantly- requires a stylish V-necked cardigan, so that everyone knows you’re a golfer. (You may also need some sticks to hit the ball and stuff like that.)
Jokes aside, as simple as it looks, golf is a tough sport to master. Therefore, in this article, we’ll do the following to help you out:
- Give you some tips on how not to suck horribly at it, and
- Name 5 venues around the world where you can have a proper game o’ golf!
Without further ado, let’s dive straight into our- Top 5 Countries with Best Golf Courses! (And tips on how to perfect your golf swing, for good measure.)
How to Perfect Your Golf Game
1) Figure out Your Stance
Taking a perfect shot requires aligning your body so that you assume the optimal posture. Do that and you’ve got half of the job done already. To do achieve this, arrange your-respectable-self thus:
- Stand straight with your feet set about a couple of inches wider than your shoulders.
- Bring the shaft of your stick so that it stands right between your hips. (No pun intended.)
- Lean forward, bend your knees slightly and let your hands droop leisurely. (Do clutch the club, though!)
- Thus aligned, take a swing whenever you feel ready!
2) How to Set up Your Driver
When it comes to taking your first shot (Or drive, as it’s officially called.), the procedure is quite similar to the situation described above. The only difference would be that you may want to set your feet a bit wider than the standard ‘shoulder width + a couple of inches’ deal. This is because you want more stability for the first shot, which is usually the strongest one in the game.
Of course, depending on what ball flight characteristics you’re looking for (Greater distance but lower height, or vice versa.), you’ll have to further adjust your body accordingly.
3) The Swing
As you move in to take a mighty swing, you’ll notice that the club will tend to rotate slightly on its path to hitting the ball. If you disregard this curious property of the golf club, you can end up hitting the ball and having it fly off into a completely different direction than you originally intended.
To counter this, make sure to stiffen your leg muscles as your swing gets closer to the ball. This will ensure your club is on the right path throughout your swing!
These are only the basics, of course, and volumes upon volumes of guides can be written (and already have been written) about perfecting your swing, stance, all the lot! So, if you’d like to learn more, do search for professional literature on the topic or, indeed, consult a pro golfer.
Alright then, let’s move on to the second part of our article- the best-golfing destinations across the globe. Plenty of interesting destinations out there, so let’s get cracking, shall we?
Top 5 Countries with Best Golf Courses
1) Cyprus
Situated between Greece and Turkey, the wee but the charming island of Cyprus is home to one of the most exotic golfing destinations in the entire world- the Eléa Estate Golf club.
Other than its top-notch golf course, you can enjoy the adjacent hotels which offer top-tier kind of accommodation for an avid golfer!
2) France
Well-known for their merry accordion songs, garlic bread, and for winning this year’s FIFA world cup, the French also have their fair share of excellent golf courses.
For example, their Golf de Mofontaine is a high-end golf club that boasts 27 holes and two separate golf courses. The surrounding woodlands make for an interesting combination of holes so should you choose to have a game on these grounds, you’re guaranteed to have a blast!
3) Morocco
The colourful desert country of Morocco offers one of the best newly-built golf courses in the world. Founded in the year 2015, their Marrakech-Ourika course consists of 18 holes.
These are strewn between exotic palm trees, olive trees and lots and lots of sand. Definitely a unique setting you’ve got to experience if you’re a golf aficionado.
4) Sweden
Featuring scenic landscapes and some grassy patches for good measure, the PGA Swedish National is a unique golf location offering three different courses with 45 holes between them.
The great thing is, if you decide to go and have a game at this course you can save up to 50% if you have the Golfhäftet personal card! (What’s more, this same card will grant you discounts in several other European countries such as Denmark, Italy, Finland, and the UK! They’re all a part of some sort of mutual agreement, so the same card works in all those locations. Neat stuff!)
5) The Netherlands
For such a small nation, turns out the Dutch are quite golf-savvy! (Well, at least when they golf courses are in question.) One of their best assets in this department would definitely be their Koninklijke Haagsche G%CC country club, founded way back in 1893.
This picturesque golfing venue consists of a single course with 18 holes complete with some hilly areas- quite untypical for the Dutch landscape. It’s also just 3.5 km from the sea, so the view will be quite enjoyable most of the time!
Note, of course, that this is not a complete list of all the best courses in the world. There’s plenty of ‘em in Germany, Austria, Australia, you name it! These courses are just the ones that caught our eye. All in all, we hope you liked this article and we wish you plenty of success in your golfing ventures!