It never ceases to amaze me how frequently I forget to use the internet to find things. As many years as I’ve been using the net and as many things as I have found to be lifesavers there, I still don’t always think to look there first. Needless to say I have found some great sites that give free golf lessons, videos and the whole nine. Here are just a few of the ones that looked helpful to me. You may be able to find even more on your own.

Save A Million Shots - A nifty site where many of the world’s best golf coaches have come together to give free tips and input to improve your game.

Learn About Golf - offers golf drills, video lessons and free golf tips.

Tom’s Golf Tips - has free coaching, feature length lessons and tips for specific problems.

Paul Wilson Golf - the inventor of the swing machine golf technique offers free lessons for beginners, woman/ladies, average players and experts.

To me this water sport looks a bit like canoeing from a surf board. According to a Florida news clip it’s getting a lot of attention these days. Some even say it’s one of the fastest growing water sports in the world, and Smith Mountain Lake is catching the SUP bug too.

SUP is an ancient form of surfing. It started with surfing beginners using a one-bladed paddle to remain upright while learning to surf. Standing up on the board gave them a higher viewpoint, enabling them to better see big waves and such coming at them. It gradually evolved into a shorter board and a permanent paddle blade.

SUP board prices range from $500 to $1500, and most use glass-reinforced plastic construction. The boards are generally 9 to 12 feet in length, with features such as padded decks, concave hulls and surfboard-style fins for stability.

Apparently out on the West Coast, Maui, Hawaii and other ocean-side places, stand-up paddleboards are all the rage. If you love water sports you will no doubt be curious about this sport and how you can have fun SUPing at Smith Mountain Lake, so I found a You-Tube video where you can see how it’s done: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vLHihGleJU

Listed as one of the “Best Places To Play” in the 2008/2009 Golf Digest, this 18 hole championship golf course is a must for those who appreciate the sport. Mariners Landing offers several possibilities as far as membership options and is open to the public as well. Also their membership rates and other fees seem reasonable compared to other top of the line courses in the region.

There are a number of special golfing activities at Mariners Landing throughout the year. Two of the most popular events each year are tje Four-Ball Open, where local professionals and low handicap amateurs can show their stuff, and the Andrew Haley / SML Lions Memorial Junior Tournament. Other fun events are the Monday Night 9 hole captain’s choice and covered dish dinner, Wednesday evening captain’s choice, known as Boy’s Night Out, and Senior Men’s Golf Association (Greybeards) play each Tuesday and Thursday morning.

Any way you play it, if you love golf, you will love the Mariner’s Landing Golf Course!

The Craigcat sounds and looks extremely interesting, and if you visit the website he mentions, you may just fall in love with this little darling. I know the Craigcat will be on my Christmas wish list.

Here is how Alex McDaniel got into the Craigcat business and how you can find out more info. about the boat for yourself: “My mother came across this unique product and ask if my brother and I would be interested in selling these boats. We took a trip to the manufacturer’s location and factory in Orlando, FL and here we are today in business to sell Craigcats.

The craigcat is a very unique product designed/built by a 30 year catamaran builder. The product itself has been around since 1990 and it started out much like what you see at www.craigcat.com, which is called a classic. It has morphed into a multi-use “power cat” that can become a fishing boat or hunting boat painted in Camo. There is even a green friendly version in electric or gas electric, or solar. The price ranges vary from $2,691.00 – $6,129.00 in the electric models and start at $6,999.00 and go to $11,476.00 in the 4 stroke versions. Our goal for bringing this product to the lake was to help out in the low water situations you find in some areas plus they are a lot of fun. I hope to do rentals in the future but I am just starting out and I want to grow in that direction. If you have any questions that are more directly dealing with a topic about them I will be happy to answer them.”

The event is scheduled for Monday May 18th, with lunch at 11:30am. and Tee Off at 1pm.

The 18-hole event is a modified four-person best-ball with prizes awarded in gross and net divisions. Prior to the Awards Ceremony, players will receive green and cart fees, not to mention tasty hors d’oeuvres. Come on out for a fun day of networking on the golf course! 

In 1997 the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce began hosting the Corporate Cup Golf Tournament as one of their fund raisers.  It’s location alternates every year between two different private country clubs encouraging optimal challenge. Proceeds go to SMLCC for the operation of the official state recognized visitor center serving three counties and the lake community, regional tourism and capital improvements.

This year the 12th Annual SML Corporate Cup will be held on May 5, 2008 and hosted by The Water’s Edge Country Club.  Lunch will be at 11:30am and the Tee Off at 1:00pm. This prestigious event provides Chamber members with an opportunity to say “thank you” to their special customers, clients and staff with an afternoon on this exceptional private course.  Networking like this delivers lasting business relationships!  Click here for registration/sponsorship form.   Call 540.721.1203 for more information.

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