Blaine561's Sports and Travel Portal

“What If You Could… Have the perfect group golf vacation, save money and have a sensational time setting it up?”

You’ve waited all year to get together with your friends for your annual golf vacation. It was supposed to be perfect, but you bought “the package” and your outing turns out to be simply adequate.

You all had such high hopes, but you had to take what you got.

Sound familiar? Have you been on the receiving side of a less than perfect golf vacation that you have been waiting for all year? In all fairness, most golf packages are good. Some are great. But they truly are packages designed for the mass market with little flexibility and no individual flair.

A standard golf vacation package provides lodging and one round of golf per day, including a cart. The lodging usually means motel or hotel accommodations with two people per bedroom. In most cases, you can choose from several different courses, and select your advance tee times. They will even throw in a continental breakfast. The prices are fair.

Again, this yields a good or great vacation, but we need to discuss the perfect vacation. Envision:

- A beautiful vacation house with a separate bed or bedroom for each person.

- Gourmet dining each evening.

- As much or as little golf as you want, where you want and when you want.

- Evening entertainment.

- Maximum camaraderie.

I have been setting up this type golf vacation for my old high school and college friends every year since 1988. Over those 18 years, we have refined Our Event to what we think is the perfect annual outing. Our first few years were terrific even though we had to keep the costs down. Despite inflation, the cost has been fairly stable for the last four years. We have settled on a full seven days, Saturday to Saturday.

In general, we plan for 36 holes per day, and modify that in situ to wind up with an average of about 27 holes per day. We buy most of the food and beverages the day of arrival to support breakfast, snacks, sandwiches between rounds, and gourmet evening meals for the week. Our smallest group was five gents one year, and the largest group was sixteen. The perfect size is anywhere from eight to twelve.

The above is our perfect golf vacation, not necessarily yours. For yours, look at the general goals below for the ideal golf outing:

- Get the ball rolling early.

- Have everyone stay in the same house that has a full kitchen.

- Get the shopping list together ahead of time.

- Have a general schedule and loose assignments.

Get the ball rolling. Pick out a window of time and get the word out to everyone you think might be interested OR not interested (next year, they may be). I send a fun, whimsical email about five months ahead of a proposed block of time. It is written such that the wives enjoy the comedy as much as the guys. If you are not a writer, there are examples in my upcoming free Ebook. It will take you through setting up and conducting the whole event from scratch.

Follow up emails get commitments and solicit recommendations and special requests. Armed with all this, you will select the ideal house, set up tee times, and arrange rental vehicles. Further emails from you will ask what food, snacks and beverages they will want during the outing. Here is a good timeline:

- 5 months: Announce.

- 3 months: Receive all commitments and solicited recommendations.

- 3 months: Let everyone know when to fly in to coordinate travel.

- 2 months: Arrange house, tee times and rental cars.

- 1 month: Receive all food, snack, and beverage requests.

- 1 month: Confirm house, tee times and rental cars.

- 1 week: Finalize food and beverage list.

Zero hour: Have the time of your life.

House with a full kitchen. This allows several things:

- Preparing your own evening meal. Every group has at least one “chef”.

- Rehashing the day as a group (yes, this includes an appropriate amount of trash talk and begging for strokes on upcoming rounds.)

- Having evening entertainment as a group. We watch a sports event on TV, watch videos, play cards, tell tales and get caught up, or all of the above.

- Getting sandwiches, snacks and beverages ready for the next day.

You will have almost as much fun setting up this event as you will have during your vacation. I set up a little eight page website with history, photos, schedule, past scores, etc. to hold everyone’s interest and attention throughout the year. I will provide that in my free Ebook.

You can think about bringing a laptop and uploading each day’s results on your website so that the unfortunate people that did not make the trip can live vicariously by following the daily action. An idea that our group has not yet acted on is to have a masseuse come in one evening later in the week to help our aging muscles.

Building your own special vacation not only allows you to really tailor your outing to your group’s taste, but also allows you all to get together as a true group for a great week of camaraderie. As a bonus, it should wind up being less expensive!

Today, blackjack seems to be one of the most popular card games. This is because playing blackjack is so easy to learn and play. Unlike poker, blackjack does not have any combinations to remember.

In blackjack, the object of the game is to get the sum of the two cards close to 21. When a person gets cards that are over 21, he or she loses the game.

Normally, a player receives two cards. After the players see their cards, they have to decide whether they would hit or stand. When a person says “stand,” this means the player thinks he or she is closer to 21 already. When a player says “hit,” this means that he or she still needs additional cards just to get close to 21.

Players can draw as many cards as they want until they feel they are close to 21 already. A player who is nearer to 21 wins.

However, there are people who have devised some tips and strategies to get an edge over the other players. There are times that these tips really can help some people win.

Here’s a list of some tips that players may choose to use them so as to win the game.

1. If a player gets 17 or higher, it is always better to stand, and if the player has any number from 13 to 16 and the dealer’s card is 6 or lower, it would be better to stand. But if the dealer has 7 or more, it would be better for a player to hit.

The theory here is that, if the dealer is showing a card of six or lower, the dealer may take a card, assuming that the dealer’s card facing down is a ten. The players, then, assume that the dealer is banking on a bust hand, so the other players have the tendency to maintain a lower card number.

The rule of thumb: players should always assume that the dealer’s down cards is 10.

2. If a player has aces or 8’s, it would be better to split them regardless of the dealer’s showing card.

3. A player should remember not to split 10’s. Chances are, they might end up getting busted.

4. If the dealer is showing 4, 5, or 6, it would be better for a player to stand on hard 12, or hit hard if the dealer is showing 2, 3, 7, or higher.

5. In order to win, players should always remember not to split fours, face cards, and fives.

Indeed, gambling is a game of chance, but with keen observation, winning is possible.

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A fishing vacation is never complete without fishing in the waters of Hong Kong, China. You may explore the fishing realms that the region has to offer. Hong Kong has once been known as an excellent port for fishing enthusiasts. Hong Kong will offer you the kind of fishing that you will never forget.

People may be after the food, shopping and the tourist spots of the region. But for people who are into fishing, Hong Kong can give more than what is expected of it as a city. To fish in Hong Kong is very exciting. You will be able to learn and experience the methods of fishing they have in Hong Kong.

Since it is surrounded by an ocean, this explains why most people fish in saltwater in Hong Kong. Targeting a fish is very simple. The ocean and the harbors are very accessible. You can fish in the harbors of Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kwun Tong or the Hong Kong Island.

In Hong Kong, saltwater fishing is done everywhere in the surrounding ocean. There has never been a scarcity of fish in this region. You will find fish everywhere in the water. Tourists who come to fish can also visit Stanley, which is near Hong Kong. Stanley will be perfect for you if you are someone who wants peace, enjoy fishing quietly and away from the city life.

The Lamma Island and Sai Kung peninsula and are also spots recommended by local Anglers. These two places still have the features offered by a traditional fishing village. They also provide people with charter boats.

The Anglers in Hong Kong use the same saltwater fishing techniques that are used in the US. You can use your own techniques even if it’s deep sea fishing or surf fishing. Many people also use bloodworms or shrimps to catch fish.

Hong Kong, also provides fresh water fishing. Carp, Big Head Tilapia, and Edible Goldfish are the types of fish that you will catch in these water reservoirs. Tourists, however, have a difficulty trying the Freshwater fishing since they still need to supply a license to fish in Hong Kong.

Going to Hong Kong to fish does not require much planning for a fishing trip. You will be able to track down easily the hot spots of Hong Kong where you can enjoy fishing. Hong Kong is surrounded by water, which means that fishing is everywhere. You will be surprised that in a matter of hours, you are able to catch a bucketful of pan-sized fish.

There are various types of golf mats that are worth purchasing to practice and even refine your golf game. Many avid golfers find that a golf practice mat is an ideal way to keep improving, even when they don’t have the time to actually get out on the green every day. Golf is truly a game that takes quite a bit of practice, and a golf mat in your home can help you get the practice you need so that you see a difference every time you are out on the course.

There are several different golfing mats out on the market. Generally you’ll see mats for indoor use, as well as golf chipping mats for the outdoors, as well as a golf driving range mat. With all of the different golf mats out there it can be difficult to know what is what and which product is right for you. Perhaps you need more than one, depending on how often you practice and where you play. A golf mat almost always comes in handy, regardless of how long you have been playing as it will help you refine your skills even more.

One of the best golf practice mat solutions on the market is the Expand-a-Green golf mat. This is a professional quality golfing mat that will allow you to practice all of your big swings, putting, and chipping in any area. The Expand-a-Green is very portable so that you can take it with you to a friend’s house, on vacation, or to the park. This golf mat will only run you about $120 and for all of the versatility that it offers that is quite a steal.

If you want something that can easily be used indoors you may want to look at a chipping and driving mat. These will usually run about $90.00 and can be used in doors and they provide a place that is big enough for your full stance so that you can get all of the practice that you need chipping and driving before you actually head out to the course. This is a great way to really up the ante on your game in the privacy of your own home.

If you aren’t looking for anything to help with your practice, you may be looking for a golf driving range mat that will help you eliminate the need for a tee. With one of these mats that measures roughly six inches by eight inches and eliminates the task of carrying around a tee and sticking it in the ground throughout the course. One of the better brands is the Upright Tee Mat and really will come in handy if you are not a big fan of golf tees. This type of golf mat will run you just over $20 and is a handy piece of golf gear to carry along with you in your golf caddy.

Whether you need a golf mat to practice in the comfort of your own home or your yard or you simply need something to eliminate the golf tee, you’ll find that the golf mat is a great tool to better your game. You’ll find that a golf mat is not necessary, no matter what type you are looking for, but golf is all about improving your personal game and every golf mat can help you do just that.

If you’ve considered buying a golf mat, now is the time to go for it. Your golfing mat may very well be one of the best golf investments that you ever make, even though it is not one of the most costly.

The term golf fitness expert has grown in popularity for the last few years thanks to Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Vijay Singh and many other tour players.

They all have a golf fitness expert who actually travels with them to every tournament to keep them in top shape throughout their season.

Most of you don’t have the luxury to have a golf fitness expert one time, let alone 3 to 5 times a week, every week. This would cost in the thousands of dollars every month.

The average, ‘qualified’ golf fitness expert will charge anywhere from a low of $40 per session to a high of over $250. The more experienced the golf fitness expert, the more they will charge.

So what are you options if the above scenario is a little too out of your economic reality?

The next best thing is to get some golf fitness videos (dvds) that take you through the entire golf fitness session from start to finish…including stretches, warm ups, cool downs and advice.

This is the next best thing to having a golf fitness expert in person. I have been fortunate enough to receive hundreds of emails and letters from golfers who have greatly benefited from this format of training.

There are not too many fitness and/or golf fitness videos (dvds) on the market that take you through an actual workout. Most of them show you the exercise and discuss the do’s and don’ts.

What you really need is a golf fitness video (dvd) that takes you step-by-step through the workout so you have an idea of proper technique, pace of the session and a huge sense of satisfaction when it is done.

Then to have the wherewithal to put that golf fitness video (dvd) back in the player in 48 hours and do it again. And again. And again. This will give you the best, most quickest results.

You really want to make sure it is a ‘complete workout’. Not just exercises and then you have to figure out how to put them together in a workout format. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve purchased workout videos only to have to figure them out on my own.

What a big waste of time and frustration!

You want “plug-and-play!”

So there is hope to finally have a golf fitness expert in your home on a weekly basis. One that will motivate you and inspire you to continue and strive to be the best you can be.

Go out and get your very own golf fitness expert!

A golf driver swing that is lacking in power has a couple of issues that need to be addressed. A golf driver swing is slightly different than your other clubs…but needs to have the same sequence of motion and body position at impact to produce more power and distance of the tee.

Most golfers swing outside their physical capabilities resulting in lost yardage and accuracy.

Has this ever happened to you?

You step up on a long par 4 or a par 5 and tell yourself you’re going to get their in two. What did you do differently on the tee to achieve it? Did you swing harder? If so, what was your result?

The first issue to cover with your golf driver swing is your range of motion, especially on your backswing. Can you make a 90 degree shoulder turn with minimal tension? Most older golfers don’t even come close.

The optimal position is a 90 degree shoulder turn, with approximately 45 degrees of hip turn. This requires a high level of core strength and flexibility. Shoulder flexibility comes into play just a bit also.

If you can’t get to this position, it doesn’t matter how hard you swing…you’re still not going to maximize your power and distance with your driver. Trying to get to that position when you body cannot physically get there will only cause muscle tension, which slows clubhead speed.

Secondly, getting behind the ball and staying behind the ball at impact is critically to maximizing power and distance. This cannot be achieved with an “out-of-shape” body. It’s a physically impossibility.

Even for a fit golfer, this is sometimes hard to accomplish on a consistent basis.

On the downswing, it is critical the first move is with the lower body rotating (not sliding). This rotation of the lower body, while the upper body stays back (for only a split second) takes a ton of core strength.

A weaker golfer would not be able to achieve this. He/she would come over the top early with the upper body, merely because they don’t have core strength to initiate the downswing with the lower body.

So how do you achieve a golf driver swing with maximum power?

Start working on your core strength and flexibility from a rotational standpoint, with a golf weight training and golf stretching routine. Every exercise and stretch you do should incorporate rotational movements. The primary movement in the golf swing is rotational, so why wouldn’t you focus on that in your golf training program?

This is the quickest way to longer drives!

Hitting more balls with the same body and the same swing won’t get you there!

You’ve got to address the physical component to achieve the mechanical efficiency with your driver.

As soon as you do, you’ll be blowing by the other players in your foursome!

This IS the approach you should take with your golf driver swing.

If you enjoy fishing, you’ve probably seen at least one fishing show on television. Have you ever thought, “I would love to have that person’s job, fishing all day”? Well, put some more thought into that idea and you could become a professional bass fisherman/woman!

First things first: if you think that all you need is lots of cash to spend on fancy boats and tackle, you’re headed in the wrong direction. Bass fishing is like any sport – it takes dedication, patience, practice, and skill. If you know someone who seems to know what it takes to catch that beautiful bass, go and visit them! Get as much information out of them that you can, and write it down. During your spare time, get out on the water in a boat, a canoe, or a rubber raft, whatever you have, and try out some of the methods or suggestions they gave you.

You can also research bass fishing information on the Internet or at a library. There are many books on the subject, and there are also magazines you can subscribe to. The most important thing is to practice what you read. If you’ve tried ten different lures and none of them work, keep asking around – eventually you will hit on something that really works to lure those fish in!

Are there any fishing competitions in your area of the country? Make sure to take part in them; nothing helps you hone your skill like a little competition. Plus, you never know who might be at a competition – there could be someone from a local television network or outdoors company looking for a person with your skill at reeling in the bass.

Whether you land a job as a professional bass angler or not, you should always like what you’re doing. If you’re trying so hard to be the best angler in the world that you don’t even enjoy fishing, you should take a step back and take the time to enjoy fishing again. With patience, practice and some tips and secrets from other anglers, you’ll be reeling beautiful bass into your boat and feeling glad that you took the time to learn this excellent sport.

Here is a quick guide to help you take it to the next level.

If You Shoot Over 100

If you currently shoot over 100 you are probably new to the game. Golf is game that takes plenty of practice and understanding. At your level, you’re probably very excited to just get out to play. You always have a big grin on your face because you’ve found a new hobby that gives you a little exercise and gets you breathing some fresh air. Unfortunately, shooting over 100 will get old very quickly especially if you’re a competitive person by nature. So your smile will start to turn into a frown and you may end up giving the game up. It is quite easy to break 100 if you know what to do.

What to Do To Break 100

If you’re new to the game you have not ingrained any bad habits yet, so before you do, take some lessons from a qualified pro. It’s usually quite easy to teach you the proper fundamentals of the golf swing because you’re eager to learn and never second guesses the teacher. If the relationship between the student and teacher is good, the speed at which you will see results is very quick. Usually within a month or two the “over 100″ shooter can easily take 10 – 20 shots off of their game. Once you break 100 on a regular basis you’ll start to see the game differently. Although shooting in the 70′s is a few years into the future it may be attainable because taking lessons initially has given you a great start on the game.

If You Shoot Over 90

If you currently shoot over 90 you’re someone who has to play more often. You’re probably playing about 20 – 30 rounds a year and most of these rounds are in corporate tournaments. Corporate tournaments are a definite game wrecker. The usual scramble format leads you to just bashing the ball as hard as you can trying to get that one drive that helps your team. Unfortunately this leads to a HUGE slice with the driver which doesn’t help your team at all. I know it’s fun to try and hit the ball as hard as you can but If wailing away at it was the way to play good golf, everyone would be a pro. You will also find the short game very difficult. Although the short shots around the green look easy they quickly become a nightmare to you because of the amount of touch that’s required.

What to Do To Break 90

For starters, you have to get out to the course more often. You can still play in corporate events but you have to do so with a new attitude. You have to quit trying to be the hero and start actually helping your team. This can be done by swinging easy and trying to get the ball in the fairway or the middle of the green. If you swing easier and try to become more accurate you will be amazed at how many of your shots the team actually uses. You would greatly benefit from weekly lessons. The lessons would not only give you a better swing but they would get you out to the range and course on a regular basis. Finally, you have to take at least one short game lesson to see how easy it can be. This will create a better understanding of the short game which will then make practicing it more enjoyable.

If You Shoot Over 80

You’re the kind of person the major club manufacturers love. You think that you can “buy your game” so every opportunity you get to try the latest and greatest clubs you take it because you don’t think that your swing is the problem. So you buy that new driver and for a while you hit it great. A few weeks later that great new club isn’t so great anymore and it’s back to your old game. This leaves you scratching your head because you thought you had it and now it’s gone. At some point in your golf career you probably have taken 1 – 3 lessons and you always try every golf tip you hear about. Because of these constant changes in both your swing and your clubs you never really have the opportunity to get used to anything so you are left in a state of limbo always thinking that the elusive 70′s are just around the corner.

What to Do To Break 80

In order to break 80, you have to admit that it’s not the clubs. It’s about developing a repeatable swing and a great short game. To create this repeatable swing and great short game, you have to work with a qualified teacher on a weekly basis. You’re going to forget trying different tips and quick fixes because you will destroy the changes the teacher is trying to make. This whole process is not going to be easy because you basically have to re-learn the swing (making changes to your swing may cause you to hit some very poor shots at first because you’re not used to it and you’re in between swings). If you stay determined, you’ll start to hit some shots that will totally amaze you. These amazing shots are telling you that your hard work is paying off and pretty soon you will be playing in the 70′s.

If You Shoot Over 72

You have a great swing. It’ll still go astray on them from time to time but you can usually get it back rather quickly. You usually make a few mistakes in a round that you just can’t seem to let go of. This creates stress and pressure that effects the rest of your game. Your short game may not be as good it could be. You know this but actually finding time to practice it is sometimes a challenge. Finally, you may be taking the game a little too seriously causing you to try to hit every shot perfectly. This may lead to second guessing your swing which is definitely trouble when you are on the course.

What to Do To Break Par

You have to find the time to do some serious work on the short game. If it’s difficult to make it out to the course you can always chip and pitch balls in your backyard and putt on an indoor carpet every night. This dedication to the short game is what will allow you to still shoot good numbers when your swing is not at it’s best. It will also reduce pressure on your approach shots because if you can get the ball up and down regularly it’s not that big of a deal if you miss the odd green. When you do work on your full swing try to work on the weaker clubs in your bag and hitting the ball from poor lies. Also, forget distance. At your level you are probably long enough. Concentrate on never swinging over 80% of your ability. If you can resist the temptation to hit the ball too hard your miss hits will not stray to far off line eliminating the need for that miraculous shot to get you back it the game. Finally, have fun out there. If you lighten up a little you will reduce your stress levels allowing you to switch into automatic mode instead of having to grind it out all of the time.

Until next time,

From the name of the game itself to a Tie bet, we are going to cover some general baccarat terms to get you started and sounding like a pro, whatever your experience.

Baccarat or Baccara – basically this means “zero” and refers to the value of face and 10 cards during play. The aim of the game is to get a hand which totals 9, or at least get closer than the dealer.

Bank Bet – this bet bets against the player, in favour of the bank.

Banker – the banker can be a player or the dealer. How refreshing! It is the name given to the person who deals the cards and monitor the table. OK, so it’s usually the dealer, but some casinos are generous!

Bankroll – this is the same as always; the amount of money to be gambled with. The bit that you want to grow.

Basic Strategy – all games have a basic strategy that suggests when to stand or take another card. The idea is that if followed strictly, it will provide the best possible return. Don’t forget the money management side though!

Croupier – the name of the person with the grand job of being in charge of the Baccarat table. There are variations; the croupier doesn’t deal in American baccarat, unlike with mini and online versions.

Dealer – obviously the person who deal the cards but in mini and online baccarat, this job falls to the croupier. In American baccarat it is the banker that deals the cards, with secondary dealers at the ends of the table handling the bets.

Face Card – important cards in any game. Jacks, Queens and Kings all have a value of zero and enable a strong hand including a natural.

Ladderman – only found in live casinos but a cool name and job! The person that oversees the baccarat game from a chair that sits above the table.

Loss Bet – a bet which bets against the bank. So a player bet would be a loss bet as it needs the bank to lose.

Mini-baccarat – A miniature version of the game with a smaller table and fewer seats. Much more up close and personal.

Natural – the best possible hand which totals 8 or 9 and is dealt immediately.

Player Bet – this bets against the banker, in the player´s favour.

Push – a different name for a tie between the player and the dealer: the player’s stake is returned. So if both got a total of 7, the player doesn’t lose out. Bets on the dealer or player lose, but a tie bet will pay out.

Tie Bet – a bet that predicts the player and the dealer will get the same result. More popular than you might first imagine.

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Does your lure match the bass’ food and conditions?

Fish The Right Plastic For The Condition

When choosing which plastic bait to use, you must factor in the conditions you’re fishing under, such as, water clarity, cover, temperature, sky conditions and the size of bass you want to catch.

You also want to know what the fish are feeding on and try to imitate it. Why fish a 10 inch worm if the fish are feeding on 3 inch shad? If the water is clear fish smaller lures with less action. The fish feed by sight more than sound in these conditions. In stained water fish creature baits where the legs and tails are moving. Also, worms with swimming tails are good too, it helps the bass find the lure.

In cold water use a more subtle lure like tubes and straight tailed worms that glide. Try a light color lure in clear skies and clear water, and a dark color lure in stained water and around dark. They make a better shadow than light colored lures.

For flippin and pitching try a crayfish, lizards or tubes.
Smaller lures will produce a lot more strikes but larger lures will usually catch more quality fish.

We all have a lure that is our favorite and it’s hard not to use it at every lake. But if you want to catch fish consistently, then you need to fish the right lure for the conditions.