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The following is an interview with Chris Obert. Chris is PGA member and head golf professional at Millwood golf and Racquet club in Springfield, MO. He has run over 500 corporate and charity related golf tournaments. He knows his stuff when it comes to making people happy on the golf course. I hope you enjoy.

What common mistakes do you see people make when organizing their golf tournament?

They pay too little back to players or to not enough players. Committees can sometimes get caught up on the present event and how much they are raising for their charity and do not stay focused on the future of their event. If they keep future participation in mind and give back to those participating, they will continue to grow their event year after year.

Do you see the same problems with corporate events?

Corporate events rarely have this problem since the host company usually doesnt charge an entry fee and covers all expenses for a wonderful day of golf, food and beverage. At times I have seen corporate events cut corners and not host beverages on the course, this can be a disappointment to clients they are entertaining. If you plan on winning over your current or future customers, dont cut corners. Make a great impression on your clients by giving them a small gift on their cart seat (Preferably a Towel, repair Tool or Sleeve of Balls) with the course logo you are playing that day or your company logo. This always makes a great first impression.

What common threads do you see with events that do well year after year?

Tee gifts, big or small will immediately get your participants attention. But remember this, if do it once, they will expect it in the future. Keep this in mind when deciding how much you want to spend and dont try to over impress every year. Keep the gifts simple and consistently priced from year to year. Make sure to give a gift that will not be left in the cart and thrown away at the end of the event by the course staff while cleaning carts. Players will tend to hold on to course logo items, accompany the course logo with your company or charity logo. It will cost a little extra for the second logo, but your items will not be left behind.

Can you typically get what you need at most pro shops?

Yes, you can consult the PGA Professional or course tournament Director for ideas, pricing is usually better through them since they are making profit on guest fees, food, beverage and gift certificates. Most courses will make only 10-15% or less on these extra tee gifts as a service to you and to keep you returning to their facility for years to come. After the first year, the course will have your logo on file for the future gifts to make this a simple process from year to year.

What is the best time of year for groups to hold their event?

It is very important to contact your desired facility to book your event before the first of the year. Most courses that host events will book up prior to the end of January. Expect to have a Monday event day if you choose a private facility. If you are starting a new event, it is best to get into a good facility and be less demanding on the date, rather than allowing your exact date to determine the course. In the years to follow, you can advise the Professional or tournament Director that you would like to move your event to a different date if one opens. Most courses will have repeat tournaments that will have preference on their date.

Is it that tough to get a date you really want?

Once you establish that you are viable event with good participation (100+ Players) you soon will have the date you desire at a great facility. Once you have established a desirable date at a good course, try to keep it on that same date from year to year so that your participants and sponsors can anticipate it. FYI: Some charities prefer to take early dates in the year so that corporate donations they are looking to acquire will not be depleted. You must contact those companies as soon as you have an established date, time and location to best achieve your charity goals.

Dan Boever is a highly sought after golf entertainer and 11-time world Long drive finalist who has traveled the country for the past 10 years performing power trick shot shows for over 600 of America's largest companies and charities. Dan has been featured on CBS, ESPN, The golf Channel and has been in 8 national television commercials for Pinnacle golf. Dan also appeared in the New Line Cinema movie "Hoot", released last May. For more information about Dan and how you can energize your next golf event with Dan's one of a kind golf exhibition go to http://www.danboever.com or view http://www.metacafe.com/watch/477188/through_the_legs_at_200_mph/

When you start playing golf in beginning then you have to take all equipments related to it. The best thing is that you can take only the most required articles in beginning. Possession of right fittings assures you easy success in game and also makes playing game simple. For the achievement of goals it is important to have the right set.

You should always keep your golf sets separate from others because this is a game where you can not share your equipments with anyone. As a beginner you need the following sets which are required for playing.

golf Clubs

first of all you need to collect and include clubs in your kit. There are four types of clubs i.e. woods, irons, putters and hybrids.

woods golf clubs are very long with shafts measuring about 40 to 47 inches. These clubs have large heads and spherical shape. wood clubs are most suitable for working on situations which necessitate hitting off the tee. When you are supposed to take a definite carries or drive then you should always keep wood club in your golf set.

Wedges golf clubs comes with loft of more than 44 and this special feature makes it different from other clubs.

Another category of clubs is putters which are basically used on green grounds. Putters club has low loft and short shaft which combines well the features of accuracy and skillful touch.

Next is irons golf clubs which are most resourceful as well as easy to handle. Some golfers prefer to make do in this game by using only an iron. These are rather short than woods clubs and comes in shafts measurement of 36 to 40 inches. For using the irons clubs you need to possess relative expertise and sufficient amount of accuracy.

Players can take with them maximum fourteen assorted clubs in their golf sets. This kit consist of all different clubs as 2 wedges, one putter and three woods.

golf Balls

This is second most important equipment in your golf set. Standard diameter of balls are 42.67 mm. Balls are made generally from synthetic materials. Most important feature of these balls is its dimple which creates smoothness. The sleek finish of balls affects the spin and curve of ball. material of them affects the ultimate results of this game, such as ball with harder material results in longer distance and softer material ball require more spin.

Although there are some more things like bags, cleats and tees but these above mentioned tools are most required in your set when you are going to begin playing golf.

My name is Rob Gutenheim and I am playing golf since 20 years with a handicap of 5. I wrote several articles about golf, you will find more about my work at : http://www.jrgolfequipment.com/

On a camping trip in October 1987, I woke to find a snow-laden bough hanging dangerously over my tent. New York's Hudson Valley typically does not get a foot of snow during leaf season. I had the supplies I needed to get back home safely, but that adventure motivated me to learn more about survival. What if I had been caught in a winter storm and unable to get out?

Back when I was seeking knowledge on how to make tools from what I could find on the trail, there were few people teaching what wanted to learn. I was lucky to find classes with hands-on instruction and instructors who mastered the skills they taught.

In the years since I took my first wilderness survival class, the number of survival skill programs has grown. But not all programs teach the same skills, nor do they share the same philosophy.

I have blogged on programs I know and respect and am grateful for the input from Les Stroud, Ricardo Sierra, Barry Keegan and others who have not only mastered survival skills, but have mastered the art of teaching.

1. Define your goals. Do you want to learn about how to survive by making your own tools from stone, bone and wood? Do you want to learn backwoods safety and first aid techniques? Do you want to learn how to survive solo in winter? Are you interested in a specific type of terrain for available native plant and animal sources for survival? What do you want to be able to do as a result of taking this class?

2. Honestly assess your abilities. If you have not extensively practiced basic skills under less than optimum conditions, advanced-level classes will do you no good. If you need more field time, consider taking or repeating a basic level class. You will typically get better value from a smaller school offering more contact with instructors, individual guidance and opportunities for repeated practice.

3. What does the program say it offers? How do the brochures, books, websites and marketing materials of the school you are considering describe their course offerings, staff, facilities and expectations of staff and students? What is the tone of the written material? What is the staff to student ratio? What is the ratio of classroom time to time in the field?

4. Who teaches the classes? Which classes are taught by the owner of the school? Which are taught by other instructors? Are they able to guide students in learning, as well as demonstrate skills? Is the school located in an area allowing for hands-on experience or is it a lecture and media presentation? What are the qualifications of the staff? Where did instructors learn their skills? How long have they been teaching?

5. Do the instructors "walk their talk?"Are they actually applying their skills on a daily basis or were they drafted to fill a large student enrollment? How do they involve the students in the learning process? How do they handle failure - theirs and yours? Is there sufficient time for students to achieve the stated goals of the course?

6. Is the course hands-on? You need to actually make shelter, use stone tools, make a bow drill or hand drill set - and get a fire - in order to really understand what it takes to do these things when you really have to. How does the course involve students in actually walking through the process? What is the ratio of classroom time to field time for each skill taught?

7. Do course fees include food and lodging? Are you expected to bring a tent, or does the school provide cabins or shelters? Are you expected to bring your own food, or does program include meals? If the school provides meals, can the kitchen staff accommodate dietary restrictions?

8. What is the safety record of the school? Do instructors have basic first aid and CPR training? How far is the program from medical help in the event of an emergency?

9. Can you visit? Is there an open house or opportunity to visit a school located near you? If not, does the school have a list of students who have taken the program? Is there an opportunity to ask questions before enrolling? Are you satisfied with the answers to your questions?

10. How are emergencies handled? If an emergency prevents a student from completing the course - whether it's family needs or illness - how difficult is it to get back home or to medical care?

Les Stroud, Survivorman, said it best, " good hands-on instruction and meeting up with like minded people is something you can't beat. Smaller classes are better. And remember - many things will seem quite easy when you do them out on some weekend trip - fully fed, surrounded by other students - all working together on the same signal fire....try it alone or with one buddy some time - it's a whole different story. Try it after not eating for three days - another story. "

JJ Murphy, is a nature writer, blogging hiker, curriculum creator and tree-hugger currently based in Harriman, NY. Visit http://www.writerbynature.com for more information, including JJ's favorite places for gear and supplies.