The Rules of Golf

The game of golf has been around for many centuries. Each century reshaping the game until it became golf as we know it today. The earliest form of golf was recorded in 100 BC, as the Roman game of golf, Paganica. In Paganica, participants used a slightly bent stick to strike a stuffed leather ball. Golf has evolved tremendously since its Paganica infancy and has developed into an extremely popular sport. 

The benefits of golf are immeasurable, from the beautiful landscaping noted on hundreds of prestigious golf courses to the ability to play the sport well into retirement years. True golfers adore the game. However the rules of golf have changed many times over across its history. So what are the basic rules of golf and how are they applied on the green?

The game of golf holds true to three key rules, playing the ball, playing the course and fairness. According to the USGA and R&A, the rules of golf are centered on these three basic principles. Over the years there have been specialized rulings as a result of specific circumstances in competitive play but the regulations always point back to the golden three.

  1 -  A golfer must always play the ball as it lies.  
  2 -  A golfer must play the course as they have found it. 
  3 - A golfer must always do what is fair.

     If you would like to learn more about the rules of golf and how to improve your game our expert golf instructors can help you personally. Our Florida golf community located in the heart of the Treasure Coast is known for it's superior golf instruction and clinics. 

What's in Rory's Bag?

Rory McIlroy has a few new toys in  his bag and Golf Digest has the details. Rory shared his new clubs with the magazine and how he feels they helped him in winning the Wentworth. In this detailed interview he discusses his clubs of choice and his recent win at the BMW PGA Championship. Read more about Rory and his new go to clubs.

The Toe Sweep is something I've been messing around with for a while and I felt like last week was a good time to put it in play. The one thing I really like about it is how well it goes through the rough. Some of those shots on the way in Sunday were key up and downs. The chip-in on 10 and the flop shot that I played on 14, those two were out of the rough. The way the club is designed it feels that it slides through that longer grass really easily and the ball comes out that much better for me. If there was one area of my game that I needed to improve this year it was probably scrambling, and this wedge helped a lot this week with that.

— The New Club in Rory's Bag That Helped Him Win the Wentworth

Technology is Taking Your Game to New Levels

The technology of golf is changing. Helpful tools have emerged to improve the game of golf and the golfer's skill set. This witty invention fits snugly into the back of your glove and monitors your swing. With this technology golfers can measure their speed, tempo and much more while playing a round of golf. Learn more about the new Zepp Golf Sensor.

There are several golf-swing analyzers on the market that let you download your swing to an app on your phone. What distinguishes Zepp's device is its placement on your glove. The Zepp golf sensor ($150) clips to the back of a glove, where it can track your clubhead speed, plane, path, tempo and backswing position. This data, along with a 360-degree motion capture of your swing, can sync to your iPhone, Android device or iPad via Bluetooth technology.

— Get to Know Your Swing By the Back of Your Hand

Putting Like Palmer

It's time for a little Putting 101. Putting is one of the most important skills necessary in the game of golf. This article lends a few tips to golfers for stepping up their putting game. Take some notes, grab your gear and get to the green. These tips will have you putting like Arnold Palmer in no time.

Arnold Palmer used to take putting advice from only one person, a virtuoso putter and fellow player named George Low. "He'd watch me putt for hours, and every once in a while he'd come over and say ... — Arnie leans in to reveal the great secret — "'Man, you're a great putter.' " It's our goal, in this special report on the art and science of putting, to have people saying that about you. For most golfers, putting is an afterthought. "Let me just roll a few on the practice green before we go" is the common refrain. But think about it: Putting is nearly half the game. If you want to play better, there's no getting around it: You must become a better putter.

— Why You Can't Putt

The Game of Golf for Beginners

It's easy to be intimidated by the game of golf. When observing professional golfers reading the green and analyzing swings, it can seem pretty complicated and confusing. Don't let that scare you away. The game of golf has many benefits, beautiful courses, longevity of playing time and more. This article serves as a guide to those entering the world of golf. Learn the language and the ins and outs of the green.

At Golf Digest, this may be the language we speak every day, but we also know it's a language that can scare prospective golfers off before they ever pick up a club. That's where this online beginner's guide comes in. To those who know nothing about golf, our goal is to shepherd you through this uncertainty. What kind of clubs do you need? How do you practice? When do you know that you're ready for the golf course? The way we see it, the only dumb questions about getting started in golf are the ones you're afraid to ask, or worse, the ones for which you can't find an answer. The whole point of this guide is to make sure that last part is no longer a problem.

— So You Want to Play Golf?

Don't Forget Your Sunglasses

We agree sunglasses can be intrusive when playing golf. Many golfers think that it makes the game harder and more difficult to read. There may be some truth to those opinions but the facts are that the UV rays from the sun can be harmful.This potential risk to golfers is reason enough to wear sunglasses on the green. This article shares a few more reasons for you to bring along your sunglasses.

Many golfers feel that wearing sunglasses makes it more difficult to play golf, particularly when it comes to reading greens. I can sympathize. I don’t like to wear them, either. But I do. And the reason goes beyond unnecessary exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Protection from UV rays is the biggest reason to wear sunglasses, but here are some other reasons you might not have considered.

— Why Sunglasses Matter

Harbour Ridge Golf Shop

The Golf Shop is the hub of all golf activities at Harbour Ridge.  We are always stocked with stylish golf attire and the latest golf equipment.  We also have a wide selection of all-occasion attire, gift items and  hostess items. Our friendly staff is always looking to help our members and guests find exactly what they need.  

Sea Tow Foundation Promotes Recreational Boating Safety

Thanks to the Sea Tow Foundation there are 18 more boater stations with loaner life jackets this year. In an attempt to beef up boaters safety the U.S. Coast Guard has funded the purchase of life jackets to be distributed to numerous non-profits. The life jackets are complimentary to any boater in need. To date, Sea Tow has donated over 15,000 life jackets to improve the safety of recreational boaters.

The Sea Tow Foundation has selected 18 nonprofit organizations to receive life jacket loaner stands this spring, with the jackets purchased through a U.S. Coast Guard-administered grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund. The new locations add to more than 200 loaner stands already in place across America. Boaters can borrow a life jacket free of charge to improve safety on the water. Since 2008, boaters have used more than 22,000 of the stands’ life jackets.

— 18 New Places to Borrow a PFD

Here's to A Healthier Summer

Students across the country have started their end-of-the year countdown. With the sun-filled days of summer quickly approaching many families are beginning or finalizing plans for their highly anticipated getaways. Summer vacations are usually associated with overeating and softened exercise regimens but they don't have to be. Check out this article for great tips on making your summer vacation healthier and filled with fun activities.

After putting in long work hours all winter and squeezing in those extra bench presses, it’s finally time to take a break! Whether you’re relaxing on the beach or exploring a new city, a time out from the normal routine can be wonderful thing. But it can also make it tough to stay fit—all those meals out and indulging in a few (OK, a lot of) cocktails doesn't exactly help either. All that fun means you might return home feeling less than refreshed. The good news is feeling healthy during and post-vacay is totally possible. Making just a few smart choices will keep you active and energized and help you get the most out of that vacay—and looking forward to the next one.

— 24 Tips for a Fitter, Happier Summer Vacation

Balancing a Healthy Lifestyle

Maintaining your health is certainly a hot topic these days and that means there are excessive amounts of information staying healthy. How do you know which tips to follow? This article recommends heeding the voice that lives precisely in the middle of both extremes. When programming your body for maximum results the key is to find a good balance. Eating the proper food and keeping a healthy exercise routine can significantly increase your body's well-being.

Much like the precarious line between thinking carefully about food and obsessing over it, exercise is also a highly beneficial component of a healthy lifestyle that can easily become problematic.These days, we hear almost as much about the health risks of excessive exercise as we do lack of physical activity."One end of it is avoidance of exercise, versus the other extreme extreme, which is too much exercise," says Jennifer E. Carter, Ph.D., the director of sport psychology and the Ohio State University Sports Medicine Center. "Balanced exercise finds the middle ground." Some of us need an extra push to get off the couch, or some reigning in once in a while. For others, finding the balance between too much and too little physical activity comes easily.

— A Healthy Relationship with Exercise

Award Winning Florida Golf Community - Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club

Florida golf community, Harbour Ridge Yacht and Country Club, is an award winning golfer's paradise. The two 18-hole championship golf courses have been designed with various tees. Our masterfully built golf courses are beautifully framed by mother nature's unique overlay, highlighting the natural outdoors with breath-taking views of the landscape. This article offers a detailed guide of our homes, marina and golf course.

The professional staff is available for expert instruction on a two-ended, state-of-the-art golf practice facility. With approximately 100 single-digit, male handicappers and many excellent women players, members of Harbour Ridge enjoy a caliber of golfing excellence that few communities can match. The River Ridge Golf Course is characterized by undulating fairways and greens, deep pot bunkers, island greens and waste bunkers. Five sets of tees are provided to accommodate all golfers, plus there's a combination course consisting of a mix of the various colored tees. The clubhouse features a stunning and well-stocked golf pro shop, formal and informal restaurants, men's and ladies' locker rooms, exercise rooms, meeting rooms, private dining rooms and staff offices. Designed by Pete & P.B. Dye, the River Ridge Golf Course is characterized by undulating fairways and greens, deep pot bunkers, island greens and waste bunkers. Five sets of tees, gold, blue, white, red, and green, are provided to accommodate all golfers and a combination course of "gold & blue tees," "blue & white tees," "white & red tees," and "red & green tees" offer yet another interesting challenge to all golfers.

— Harbour Ridge Community

Are Pesticides Ruining Your Healthy Diet?

Food is vital facet in attaining a healthy lifestyle but some of the foods we trust to help us do more harm than good.  This pesticide list published by the Dirt Dozen compiles the pesticide residue data from 48 well-trusted fruits and vegetables. Read this before making your next grocery list.

For decades, various toxic pesticides were claimed to be 'safe' -- until they weren't, and either banned or phased out because they posed risks to people," Sonya Lunder, EWG's senior analyst and author of the Shopper's Guide report said in a statement. "While regulators and scientists debate these and other controversies about pesticide safety, EWG will continue drawing attention to the fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide loads."

— Pesticide Report

Need a Little R & R?

 Relaxation is critical to living a healthy and balanced life. Yet it can be the hardest technique to master for most people. This article breaks down practical strategies for achieving relaxation and getting the rest you need to be more productive.

Even if you sleep like a baby most nights, you’ve probably had at least the occasional bout of insomnia. Whether it’s that late-night snack that keeps the sandman away, stress or something less sinister, here are six relaxation techniques to try when sleep eludes you: 

1. Guided visualization Lie in bed and tell your body to relax from head to toe, suggests Joshua Jacobi, MD, an interventional cardiologist in Pasadena, California. “Forehead relax, eyes relax, cheeks relax,” and so forth down until your toes. “Then, I picture lying on a beach. I bring in all the sensory awareness to the setting. So I feel the sand in my toes, the warmth of the sun, a cool breeze. I see the waves slowly coming in to the shore. I see palm trees waving in the wind. I hear the sound of the waves as they come in,” says Jacobi. Picture this scene or something else that is relaxing for you.

— Relaxation Tips

King of the Sand

Justin Rose is the "King of the Sand" as far as we're concerned. His consistency in swing structure never ceases to amaze golf fans. Check out his tips for improving your swing and owning the sand. Your game will never be the same.

Justin Rose has ranked top 20 on the PGA Tour in sand saves each of the last four years. One reason is, he practices like he plays. A lot of golfers hit from perfect lies in the practice bunker, but not Justin. He throws balls down in the sand, and whatever lie he gets, that's the lie he plays.

— Justin Rose Golf Tips

J.B. Holmes is Undoubtedly a Champion

J.B. Holmes has endured some pretty tough circumstances this season and he did an amazing job at keeping up with the curb while battling the side effects of a brain injury to say the least. He was diagnosed with Chiara malformations, described by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke as structural defects in the cerebellum. Read more of J.B.'s heroic story...

The strength to flatten dimples on a golf ball might be an advantage in arm wrestling, but not in grappling with the challenges J.B. Holmes faced in recent years. Suffice it to say that a clubhead speed in excess of 120 miles per hour is incompatible with balance issues. Something was wrong with Holmes, and it was more formidable than a devilish par 3. Or even Tiger Woods.

— J.B. Holmes Took a Beating

Fallon on the Green?

Jimmy Fallon has many talents and from the looks of it golf can't be added to that roster just yet. He does however take excellent pictures in golf attire. Check out these sneak peeks from Fallon's shoot for the June cover of Golf Digest.

On whether he considers himself a golfer, or a guy who plays golf: Jimmy Fallon is trying to be a golfer, but right now he's a guy who plays golf. I'm trying my hardest, and I love to play, but if I'm in front of a crowd, I just want to make them laugh.

— Jimmy Fallon Cover Shoot