Of course, at some point even the most solid wheels will give in to wear and tear. If you’re a moderate to active golfer, you should always keep spares on hand—one for each wheel—so you’re not left hand-carrying your gear if one gives in. Golf trolley wheels can be expensive, but a good-quality one can last you years of regular use and will be well worth your money.

Golf trolleys come in two-wheel and three-wheel models, the latter being more recent and more costly. Each wheel is uniquely placed, so they’re not always interchangeable. On a three-wheel model, for example, the front wheel is smaller and mostly provides extra speed and balance. Some two-wheel models have identical left and right wheels, while others make them slightly differently.

Plastic and metal wheels offer the best value for money, although they vary in terms of durability. Most lightweight two-wheel trolleys will accept both types. Use plastic wheels if you expect mostly soft surfaces, or if you won’t be using the trolley more than a few times a week. If you will be pulling it over long stretches of concrete or pavement, invest in a sturdier metal piece. These are usually treated to resist most scratches and moderate impact.

Some manufacturers go all the way and offer a range of added features, from anti-wear to flame-retardant treatments. At this point it’s really about how much you want to invest in golf trolley wheels. Low gravity means better balance, a plus if you’re carrying heavy gear. Scratch and impact resistance are always good to have; in fact, they’re practically standard and a wheel that doesn’t have them is probably not worth your money.

Larger trolleys, especially electric ones, often use pneumatic wheels, which are basically miniature tires. This makes for a lighter yet stronger build, and better protection against rough surfaces. The downside is that it’s more expensive—one wheel can cost over $60, and some models require specific brands that aren’t readily available. You can save a few dollars by buying in pairs, and have a local distributor find one online for you.

Most golf buggies are made to carry two golfers and their equipment, and are suited to different kinds of terrain. In the 1950s, small electric motor-powered models could be had for as little as $300. Prices went up to the $1,000-$1,500 range when the gas-powered cart was introduced in the 1970s. Electric golf carts still exists, although gas motors are far more popular. Today, golf carts range in price from $3,000 to $15,000, depending on the size, features, and appearance. Some manufacturers also offer custom-made carts, although these can cost twice as much.

Many new golf carts are made to resemble regular cars and can be used for short-distance transport in small neighborhoods, even to and from schools. If your neighbourhood allows it, this double duty may make it more worth your money. This will eat up more of your mileage, of course, so take everyday use into account. A well-made brand should have no trouble putting up with the wear and tear.

Club Car buggies are among the most trusted in the market. The company, based in Augusta, Georgia, also makes utility and all-terrain vehicles, so their golf carts more than do the job. The Club Car Precedent, its most popular model, is ranked the best golf cart by several magazines and websites.

If you’re just starting out in golf, you may not need to buy a golf cart just yet—you can simply ride with more experienced players or rent one from a club. In fact, most players just rent for most of their lives; some will invest in a golf cart when it starts to become a career (i.e. the cart will pay for itself). When it comes time to buy your first, you can save money by buying a used cart—one should still be in good condition after a couple of years of occasional use, and will go for around 30% less the market price.

When buying a used cart, make sure to look at the mileage and usage. If you’re not careful, the repairs may cost you just as much as a brand-new cart. Appearances count as well; at the very least, they tell you something about the previous owner. Bumps and scratches on the exterior can mean they didn’t take as much care of the cart as they should have.

The favorites to win at the U.S. Open tennis championship, which opened this week in Bethesda, Maryland, and at Wimbledon on next week, are mostly Europeans. Last month, the U.S. placed off the top ten in tennis rankings for the first time in almost 40 years.

American golfers aren’t doing much better, especially after Tiger Woods, without doubt the country’s strongest contender, conceded the top spot. Luke Donald and Lee Westwood of the U.K., and Martin Kaymer from Germany, have since surged to the front. They’ve also steered clear of men’s tour titles: the reigning U.S. Open champion is Irish golfer Graeme McDowell, and South Africans Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen hold the 2011 Masters and 2010 British Open titles respectively.

On the second day of this year’s Masters tournament, only one American, Fred Couples of Palm Springs, California, made it to the top 10. Women golfers aren’t doing as badly—Cristie Kerr is the current LPGA champion and currently ranks second in the world, and Paula Creamer won the U.S. open last year. Both women are from Florida.

Experts say it’s more about Europeans rising up to the sport rather than Americans slipping off. Tiger Woods became a worldwide icon and sparked interest in golf outside of the U.S. According to PGA Tour veteran Charles Howell III, most of the prominent players from Europe trained in the U.S.—McDowell went to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Donald was on a golf scholarship at Northwestern University.

In the ladies’ tour, Swedish-American Annika Sorenstam, who lives in Florida, also had a sort of “Tiger Woods effect” across the continents. Last year’s LPGA tournament winner, Germany’s Sandra Gal, said many successful women golfers looked up to Sorenstam, including some fellow golfers from as far as Korea.

Asian golfers also appear to be on the rise, particularly in the ladies’ tour. Six of the top ten players in the Women’s World Golf Rankings, informally known as the Rolex Rankings, are from Japan, Taiwan, or South Korea. Besides Kerr, who ranks second, there is only one other American on the list: part-Korean Michelle Wie from Hawaii. Yani Tseng of Taiwan is the current top ranker.

Golf shoes are designed to give you more stability as you swing. Metal or plastic spikes on the soles help you “grip” the ground so your feet don’t slide off, especially in wet conditions. Some courses have banned metal spikes, though, as they make tend to make deep marks on the green.

Some players claim a good pair of shoes can change your swing, improve your accuracy, and increase your distance. It’s probably a bit far-fetched, especially if you’re a casual player. But for the added comfort and traction, they might be worth your money if you spend entire days playing regularly. If anything, it keeps those blisters away on toasty summer days.

Golf shoes can cost you as little as $35 (on sale) or as much as $300. As with any other footwear, your main concern should be comfort. You want them to be light and breathable but not too flimsy, sturdy and waterproof but not cramped. Set your budget according to how passionate you are about the game. You get what you pay for, but it’s no use buying more than what you need.

You may also want to get additional spikes, in case you lose some during play. Ask your dealer if your shoe takes metal and plastic/rubber spikes. It’s not an essential feature, but it’s always good to have options.

Walk into a pro golf store or browse a golf shoe website, and you’ll get a good idea of your options. While some only ask for your size, others will take into account the width of your feet and your terrain, among other things. Obviously, the more meticulous you are, the more complicated the shopping gets.

The best test, however, is to try them on, ideally on a simulated green. Unless they have a good return policy, buying golf shoes—or any footwear for that matter—on the internet is always a bit tricky. When you slip into the shoes, expect a tighter fit around the middle. It gives you extra balance as most of your weight goes in the middle when you swing. Remember to wear the same socks you use on the green to make sure you get the perfect fit.

The first few minutes leading up to a game tends to be hurried—running to the check-in counter, dashing over to the tee, lugging equipment around. New players tend to be out of breath by the time they start, and this can lead to very unsteady play.

So what kind of warm-up works well for golf, and how much should you get in? A common trick is to practice your putting stroke on the green itself. This will not only get you used to the move, which is one of the most important in golf, but also help you match your pace to the greens. After all, not all greens are made the same. Hard greens make the ball roll faster than soft ones, and you want to get used to it before the actual game starts.

Do your warm-up putting from various distances and angles, ranging from 20 to 40 feet. Pay attention to your particular weaknesses—if you have trouble with speed control, for example, keep an eye on the ball and see if it’s rolling at the speed you intended. Spend a few minutes more on rolling putts at short distances (about three to ten feet), using a tee or coin as the goal. Don’t putt into the cup, as missing it will lower your confidence level and greatly affect your game.

If you have a few minutes more to spare, spend them on quick putts that run directly uphill. Hit about 25 in a row—this will give you the image of the ball falling into the hole for the rest of the game. It’s a nice motivational picture, and as is often the case with sports, motivation gets you halfway there.

Mental warm-up is also important in golf. You’ve probably heard players say that practice greens are different from the actual greens. They’re not—both are prepared and cut to the same standards and using the same tools. What makes the difference is that during a real game, there’s more pressure to do well. Build up your confidence on both fields, and you can get into the game knowing you’ve got what it takes to win.

Luckily, some tips are universal. When it comes to clubs, for example, most experts agree that quality is a must. Bad clubs can bog down your game enough to discourage you. If cost is an issue, rent a set for the first few games, or buy a used set if you’re more serious. When you’ve gained some experience, you’re in a better position to know which clubs are most worth your money.

The same rule applies to golf aids, such as golf trainers, training mats, and instructional videos. Don’t splurge on high-end stuff just yet; rather, get into the game slowly and get to know your own strengths. You’ll be able to decide what you need later on.

It’s also important to realize, early in your career, that golf is a serious sport. Images of well-off retirees playing golf and private greens in high-end resorts make it seem leisurely next to more high-impact sports, but if you want to excel, you’ll have to put in a proportionate number of hours, just like any athlete.

That being said, the pros agree that you need to take time to relax. You don’t want to take the game so seriously that you see it as work instead of play. Don’t get riled up over a bad shot or when your opponent makes a nice move. It’s good to be competitive, but it shouldn’t get in the way of a good time. Golf should be a test of skill, not of patience.

If you’re in it for the exercise, skip the golf cart and get around on foot. Use golf carts only when the weather’s bad, or if the distances are too demanding. Most courses are very scenic—the perfect spot for a stroll!

Finally, practice good sportsmanship. All the technical prowess money can buy are worth little if you don’t get along with other players. The most successful golfers know that the competition isn’t always obvious, and that it never pays to underestimate others. That other guy may have a funny swing, but he just might give you a run for your money!

The best way to evaluate a country in terms of golf is to consider how the international community views their courses. In this regard, Canada has had amazing success recently. Golfers from all over the world are coming to Canadian golf courses in record numbers. A big factor in this achievement is Canada’s public courses, which are some of the highest profile and most well respected public golf courses in the world.

Let’s examine the top five.

1. Loch March

Loch March is “exclusively public,” and not only does it pride itself on being one of Canada’s premiere courses, it exhibits the most superb Ottawa golf club in the entire a rea. What makes Loch March so famous is how un-man-made it feels. It’s uncanny the way they were able to use the natural topography of the stunning March Highlands. Another impressive feat is its golf club, which boasts a quality normally reserved for private clubs.

2. The Links at Crowbush Cove

Established in 1993, the Links at Crowbush Cove are on Prince Edward Island overlooking the remarkable north shore dunes. The beauty of this place is majestic, and its 18 holes provide an impressive amount of diversity. It has challenging greens, undulating fairways, pot bunkers, water holes and a number of other exciting features. Part of what makes the Links at Crowbush Cover so popular is that you can plan entire family vacation around it.

3. Lake Joseph

Golf Digest voted Lake Joseph the best new Canadian golf course of 1998, and that was no small honor because there were a number of high profile openings that year. Since then, Lake Joseph has continued to live up to the distinction. The primary course at Lake Joseph is 18 championship holes that provide an excellent blend of strategy and scenery. It also boasts a fantastic 27-par secondary course called the Villa Course.

4. Highland Links

Designed by the legendary Stanley Thompson and opened in 1939, the Cape Breton Highland Links golf course is a unique masterpiece that distinguishes itself among the great golf courses in the world. What makes this 18-hole course so magical is that it boasts spectacular ocean views all while being nestled in the Nova Scotia wilderness. But what keeps golfers coming back for more is the exhilarating challenge that never becomes stale.

5. Jasper

Designed by Thompson in 1925, (years before he devised Highland Links), Jasper is a jewel buried deep in the Canadian Rockies. What makes Jasper special is that it accentuates challenge and diversity, and the 18-hole layout boasts an array of impressive features, including mountain vistas, layered and dramatically stylized bunkers and even elevated tee boxes. The course has changed over the years, but since 1994, has readopted it original 1925 design.

Current rules do not explicitly ban women, but they provide limited membership information, referring to full memberships for men, junior memberships for youths, and juvenile memberships for boys.

New equality laws have forced the club’s management to recommend a change in these rules. Although the Equality Act, which obtained Royal Assent in 2010, allows single-gender golf clubs to keep their stance, St. Andrews believes it is in the best interest of the club and its members to make the rules “clearer and more robust.”

In a letter addressed to members, the club said it had three ways to comply with the new legislation. One was to operate as it always has, with male members given access to the members’ lounge, which would keep all women from entering the clubhouse altogether. Currently, they are allowed in certain parts for public events.

The club thinks this would be a step too far, however, and would limit the options for mixed social events in the club. The dining areas would suffer greatly, too, as the patronage would be cut squarely in half.

The second option is to make the members’ lounge exclusive to members, but keep public areas open to guests. However, the management thinks this would damage the lounge’s “special atmosphere” and limit access to the club’s memorabilia collection. Ultimately, they said, the first two options would negatively affect turnover.

The third option, and the one favored by the club committee, involves changing the rules to allow both genders to access all public areas. The management is recommending, after a meeting with former captains and trustees, that the rules be adapted to current regulations to protect the golf club’s well-being.

The club is also asking members to give their opinions on the matter. A meeting will be held on May 26^th at the Old Course club house, which also houses the famous Links House mansion.

St. Andrews Golf Club is was established by local fishermen in 1843 and is part of the much older Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, which was founded in 1734. It has been all-male since its beginnings, which caused controversy when First Minister Alex Salmond requested them to start admitting female members.

As smart phones such as the Apple iPhone become more and more a part of everything that we do it was only a matter of time that people would start to use their smart phones for statistics and scoring while playing golf.  The App store provides numerous options when it comes to golf applications and golf scorecards for iPhone with TeeShot the best golfing application currently available.

The TeeShot application is available for iPhone and iPad and is a single player application which you can use quite easily while moving around the golf course during a game.  The application requires very little set up as there is a live search feature included in TeeShot which searches for and loads the course data for you.  As well as the courses available for download you can also enter data about the hole you are about to play if the course you are on is not listed.  The application also includes a built in course editor and you can construct your own courses using CourseBuilder on your computer and then up load this data to your iPhone or iPad before teeing off.  The list of courses available through this application is continually growing as the application becomes more popular and users enter more courses onto the data base.

Using the TeeShot application is easy as you just need to load the course and start entering your scores for the round.  The TeeShot application is great for those players who love to have statistics at their fingertips as the application tracks all of your strokes and putts as well as all of your fairway hits and misses, any penalty strokes, the club used, distance of ball travel and the result of the hit such as on the fairway or in the hole.

One of the only disappointments with the TeeShot application is that it doesn’t include a traditional score card view that shows your pars, birdies and bogies.  Some of his data can be viewed in the summary screen once a round has been completed but it would have been a good addition to have a scorecard to view.  The other mark against TeeShot is the price for the application.  At $20 it is at the high end of the scale for application prices which are usually priced between free and $5 but apart from these two considerations TeeShot is currently the best of the golf applications for iPhone and iPad.

Researchers from the University of Maine have found a new use for the shells, which usually just go into a landfill upon leaving the processing plants. Professor David Neivandt and his students spent nine months trying different mixes and finally came up with a product that looks, feels, bounces, and hits like a normal urethane golf ball.

The lobster shell is used for the ball’s hard, compact core. For the outside, which sports the same dimpled finish as synthetic balls, Neivandt and his team used a mix of other biodegradable materials, which all went into a mold that they found on eBay.

Regular golf balls can be more complex—some have hybrid cores covered with softer mantles, while performance balls have three-piece or four-piece cores that allow for better distance and precision. The simple two-piece design used in the lobster balls is usually reserved for practice and improvement.

Being 100% biodegradable, these balls aren’t made to last forever. They will disintegrate in water within a few weeks, although the process takes longer on land. So they won’t be replacing today’s golf balls anytime soon, although they’re useful for other purposes. For example, the “disposable” balls lend themselves well to practice and training, where a ball can sometimes disappear into the woods and never be seen again. They may also allow golf to be introduced in cruise ships, as the balls won’t do any harm when driven into the ocean. Even if they’re never recovered, they’ll eventually decay into the soil.

The lobster balls can take multiple hits from a regular golf club, although just one hit from a driver. They may not reach the same distances as regular golf balls, although fine-tuning the manufacturing process can solve that. Neivandt and his students are now trying to market the product to manufacturers who can mass-produce them.

The team has also come up with several other uses for their newfound material, such as biodegradable flower pots. Their hope is that their finding will create increased demand for lobster, which will help local fishermen, while offering a more sustainable alternative to synthetic materials.

Robert Bayer of the Maine Lobster Institute agrees, saying Neivandt has offered a good use for something that we’ve been throwing away for decades. The development adds “value to something that goes into a landfill,” he added.