The Shadow course of Lost Canyons Country Club offered much more than was expected during the long drive out to Simi Valley, CA. Lost Canyons is a rather stunning course nestled in the northern hills of Simi and offers 36 holes of great golf that are broken up into the Sky and Shadow courses. On this beautiful Southern Californian Sunday we made the smart move and went out at the beginning of twilight with plenty of sun left and a little extra cash for the refreshment cart girl.

The Shadow courses starts off with a straight forward, uphill hole that almost resembles a set of stairs due to the numerous plateus in the mountain side. So far so good. As you step onto the tee box of number 2, there is nothing to be seen. A slight uphill fairway that disappears between two large rocks and presumably dog-legs right, but with no indication of when and how much fairway you have to work with. This is both the fun and frustration of playing a new course, especially one that turned out to be rather narrow with OB in every direction. The fifth hole also known as “Hideout Canyon” is a very difficult par 4 that requires an extra club or two as you attempted to reach this plateua green in two. The front nine ends with a par 5 that is most certainly reachable in 2. However your drive needs to be flawless, any sign of a hook and you will find yourself in a long, large dry creek that has the red stakes of death dividing the hazard in half.

The back nine starts off with a standard fairway, but almost immediatley returns to the interesting holes with high approach pins. Shadow’s number 12 is just that. This very long par 5 has been dubbed “High Noon” and is filled with pockets of rough as you approach the large, sloping green. Be sure to stay out of the dry creek bed on the left, you do not want to find yourself there. The 16th hole also makes for an interesting hole whose green is an island surrounded by OB and the best part is the wind coming right at you, screwing with which club you are going to use. Here’s a free hint, the drop zone is down and to the right of the green.

It really is the final hole that has made this entire course well worth the play (assuming you haven’t been having a good time). This par 5 sports two rocky hillsides that you shoot your drive up and through. Once over, the pin is downhill and to your left. The problem is it is surrounded by bunkers on everyside and not hitting this green is not an option.

Overall this course was a great play and I’m looking forward to going back there now that I know the layout of the course. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fantastic course outside of Los Angeles away from the crowds and noise.

Rating: 7 out of 10

LOST CANYONS GREEN FEE’S & TEE TIMES

TWILIGHT HOURS

Lost Canyons Country Club
3301 Lost Canyons Dr
Simi Valley, CA 93063-7168
United States
P: (805) 522-4653
F: (805) 995-0036

Adam Scott continues to lead the 2008 EDS Byron Nelson Championship after Saturday’s third round, finishing 8 under par. Bart Bryant, Kevin Sutherland, Charley Hoffman, & Ryan Moore are tied for second with 5 under par. The Byron Nelson Championship started in 1944 as The Texas Victory Open, it was not until 1968 that it took on the name of its first winner and became the Byron Nelson Golf Classic. Tom Watson has won the tournament the most with 4 victories that include a three year streak between 1978 to 1980.

Adam Scott turned pro in 2000 at age 20 and has since then had a distinguished career, including winning The Singapore Open from 2005-2006 and a playoff defeat of Chad Campbell in the 2005 Nissan Open at The Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, CA.  Scott is currently a professional at The Palms Golf Course Sanctuary Cove in Queensland, Australia.

The recognition of golf has actually ascended in recent years drawing several new players to this game. In addition, those who like playing this game desire to stand out more than ever before. Several players are taking their golf fitness very seriously since they understand as to how a fitness error can affect their standard of playing. One of the foremost aspects to consider is the intention of golf fitness and what it can offer. The main goal of golf fitness management is easy task. The golf fitness develops a golfer’s presentation by optimizing his physical fitness. People undertaking this fitness program should aim to maximize their balance, muscle flexibility and strength in order to eventually play a better game of golf. These goals are attained through a combination of improved nutrition and exercises.

Particularly, some of the characteristic advantages of practicing golf fitness programs include:
 Improved head speed of a club.
 Improved movement capacity.
 Improved accuracy of a golf shot.
 Improved blood circulation.
 Improved power of a stroke.
 Improved distance of a golf shot.
 Reduced chance of muscles becoming tender.
 Reduced incident of back pain.

Any of the above mentioned advantages would be highly enviable. In combination, these benefits are virtually helpful for almost all the golfers for improving their playing ability and gaming standards. Particularly, there are two aspects which a player has to work in order to improve his flexibility and also to strengthen his muscles. As everyone knows, golf can be a physically challenging game and so the value and importance of improvising golf fitness should not be underestimated as it can actually make a person better player.

Several casual golfers have a tendency not to think twice while selecting the right kind of golf ball. But, if a player wants to play at his best, then certainly he has to think before choosing the right ball that can assist him to gain distance in his drives and also making it easier for him to pull off the tricky shots. Every type of golf ball that is available in the market has been constructed and especially designed with a variation in balance of priority between desirable qualities of control, spin and distance. Therefore, selecting an appropriate golf ball is a matter of recognizing the essential qualities and which particular golf ball has the correct balance of those preferences.

There are three major types of golf balls such as two-piece, balata and a combination of both which has to be considered by a player. The two-piece golf ball has a harder cover that creates a smaller amount of backspin when the ball is hit, which allows the ball to travel much faster. Normally, these types of balls are suitable for higher handicap players for durability as well as distance. The balata golf ball is generally soft with softer covers and is especially designed to attain great control and spin. This particular type of ball is normally used by handicap golfers and in fact, it is also widely used by most of the professional golfers. However, this golf ball is much more expensive among the golf balls. There are also balls which are especially designed for golfers who possess lower swing speeds. These golf balls are frequently marked towards seniors and women. Such balls also possess a lightweight manufacture, designed in order to assist golfers who want to attain extra distance.

Swedish golfer, Daniel Chopra apprehended his nerve when he defeated Steve Stricker of America in a play-off match for the PGA Tour opening session of Mercedes-Benz Championships. Chopra’s wild playoff triumph on Sunday in the Mercedes-Benz Championship was more about insistence and urgency. Both the players missed the opportunities of birdies from six feet at the initial hole, just before Chopra sealing the victory. He initiated with two putt birdie at the par 5 ninth, where his eagle effort came to rest on the border of the hole.

Chopra said that it was one of his best final rounds ever played to steal a victory at the tournament. The moment Chopra reached Hawaii he loved the place very much despite watching most of the tournaments on the television and also playing a video game. Chopra has missed two birdies on the 18th hole from inside twelve feet which would have won him the tournament. He initially got a jam when his shot settled into a sprinkler and he would have evaded one, when Stricker’s long eagle putt on the first hole was slowed down by Chopra’s ball marks.

Chopra fell to his knees twice when he felt that his putts would go in, however this did not happen. Both the players accomplished the seventy two regulation holes on 18 under par 274, Stricker finished birdie/birdie/par/birdie for 64 while Chopra carded 66 points. Chopra had qualified for this tournament with his first PGA Tour triumph in the second to the last event of 2007. He earned 1.0 million dollars and a Mercedes-Benz Sports Car and this triumph earned Chopra his first trip to the Masters.

Arthur Hills Golf Course is ranked as one of the topmost golf courses on Hilton Head. Started in the year 1986, this golf course presents one of the most characteristic layouts in the region. The site of hills took complete benefit of the well formed rolling layouts and natural dunes along with the remarkable altitude changes. This golf course has an exclusive seaside nature with a fairway and rough bunkers that are particularly missing. The dune lines prolong into the greenery, thereby generating a heavier surface. Ocean breezes and off-balance lies are a constant challenge and the lagoons also come into play on the tenth hole.
One of the best things about this particular golf course is the habituation. Its fairways and also the roughs are both producing lush, over seeded and green settings. Most of the holes on the course are different in design, making each one more demanding than the last. There are several water hazards and bunkers to guarantee that every shot has to be well planned and well executed by the players. Water is not only the enemy at the course; even the trees are bound to mess up a player around at some of the areas. Most likely, the main distinguished characteristic of this low country golf course design is the flourishing achievement of the trees, not only surrounding the holes on the perimeter but also within the holes itself. This is the reason why the seventeenth hole is so difficult to implement.
http://www.palmettodunes.com/golf.aspx

Lorena Ochoa born on 15th of November 1981 in Jalisco, Mexico is the best women golfer of the year 2007. She is also the second Mexican golfer to become the leading member of the women’s golf tour. And she is even the first Mexican women golfer to be ranked as the number one women golfer in the world. Lorena Ochoa was a golfing genius since her childhood in her native place Mexico. She turned out to be the greatest collegiate golfer ever and this led her way to become a professional women golfer. She started playing golf at the age of five and at the age of six she had won her first state championship. She even won the national championship at the age of seven.

Her professional golfing career began in the year 2002. On her debut year Ochoa won three of the ten events she played. Next year she was awarded with the Rookie of the year honor. In the year 204 she won her first LPGA title at the Franklin American Heritage. In the same year she was ranked third on the money list and stood fourth the concluding year. Year 2006 changed her professional career as she won several major championships. She gained the top spot for the first time after wining six tournaments during that year. On 14th October 2007 Lorena won the Samsung World Championship title and clinched her eight title of the year. By doing so she earned 1,50,000 dollars by wining the championship. Now she leads as the top women earner of the year as well as the number one women golfer of the year.

The 18-hole golf course at the Sherwood Country Club is said to be one of the most exquisite golf course in South California. This golf course is spread on 7,025 yards of land from the longest tee and comprise of around 600 year old oak trees on the course. One of the most favorite holes on the course is the 13th hole where there are a series of waterfalls. Even the 15th hole requires a tee shot in order to make the ball pass through the waterfall to the greens. Designed by Jack Nicklaus this course is an exclusive and private club in south California. This golf course was initially opened in the year 2006 and The General Manager Alexandria Cuilty manages this entire club.

Sherwood Country golf course offers an exceptional playing experience for all level of golfers. Its imaginative use of valleys, running streams, waterfalls, unique rock formations and land elevations echo the aesthetically rich natural environment of the Sherwood valley. The Target World Challenge, an off-season golf tournament is being held at this golf course every year in December. Hosted by Tiger Woods this Tournament comprises of sixteen top players in which it includes top eleven players from the World Golf rankings and four invitees chosen by Woods. In the 2007 edition of Target World Challenge which started on 12th of December this year was the ninth year of this tournament. Tiger Woods the defending champion is leading with three championship titles while Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington settle with one title each.

The Southern Hills Country Club is one of the most impressive private golf courses in the US state of Oklahoma. This golf club was initially established in the year 1936 and was donated by Waite Phillips - a well known multi-millionaire. Designed by Perry Maxwell this 18-hole golf club offers one of the best golfing experiences in the world. This golf club hosts several golf tournaments and among them includes the PGA Championship, US Open and four other major championships. Recently on August 2007, Southern Hills Country Club became the first golf club to host four PGA Championships that were conducted in 1970, 1982, 1994 and 2007.

This country club has also hosted three US Open Championships in the year 1958, 1977 and 2001. It has also hosted five major championships which include the 1946 & 1987 US Women’s Mid Amateur, 1965 US Amateur Championship, 1961 USGA senior Amateur Championship and 1953 US Junior Amateur. This golf club is recognized as the nation’s one of the most respected locations for major golf championships. Its previous three PGA Championships did generate few of the most remarkable moments in the golf history.

At the 2007 PGA Championships held at the Southern Hills Country Club Tiger Woods emerged as the title winner. It was Woods first victory on that course where he defeated Woody Austin by a three shot lead. With that victory Woods registered his 59 PGA Tour victories. It was also his fourth PGA Championship title, winning it in 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007. Southern Hills Country Club has often continued with its great long tradition of showcasing several major golf championships. Indeed, this is one of the best golf courses in US that offer great facilities and even the best experience for all the golfers.

  Mike Richard Weir, a Canadian golfer was born on 12^th of May 1970 in Sarnia, Ontario. He is one of the best left handed golfers in comparison with Phil Mickelson and Bob Charles. So far he has won eight PGA Tour titles which include the recent Fry’s Electronic Open held at Grayhawk Golf Club in Arizona. It was the inaugural event of the Fry’s Electronic Open which was won by Mike Weir. Mike Weir defeated Australian Mark Hensby by one stroke victory to secure the top spot.  This was Mike Weir’s first victory ever since the 2004 Nissan Open victory over Japans Shigeki Maruyama. On Sunday, Weir fired a 2 under par 68 in order to register a splendid victory over Hensby. It was not easy for him on the course as he had a tough clash on the final two holes. In the end he finished at 14 under 266, one stroke ahead of Hensby. On the 15^th hole Weir had opened with one shot lead with a birdie as he reached par 4. Billy Mayfair was third while Sean O’Hair and Carl Peterrson stood fourth jointly at this championship.   Mike Weir learned to play golf at a very young age at the Huron Oaks Golf Course. His first major victory came in at the age of 29 when he won the Air Canada Championships in Surrey. This victory led him to become the first Canadian to win the PGA even in Canada. Mike Weir a right hander but plays golf left handed and his peculiarity matches with his fellow PGA professional Phil Mickelson.