How to Get Out of a Golf Bunker

Is there much worse than having to get out of a golf bunker? We have all been there. You tee off perfectly, setting yourself up for a fairly easy shot at the green. You strike the ball perfectly with a short iron and follow its path as it sets a satisfying trajectory in the direction of the pin. Then if lands with a familiar flop in the middle of a deep bunker in front of the green.

Golf bunker are a fact of life and the sooner you get comfortable with getting out of them, the better your golf will become and your handicap will fall.

first of all, shake off the sinking feeling that you get after coming so close to the green and then getting into the bunker. It's just another shot to deal with and there is no reason that you can not get close to the pin from here.

Getting rid of this feeling is of paramount importance so as not to stuff up your shot and make things worse by maybe having to take your next shot from the bunker.

The club that you are using for this shot needs to be one that you are comfortable with. Just because you have a 'Sand Wedge' you do not have to use this club exclusively in the sand. Practice with a 9 iron, Pitching wedge and a sand wedge and use the one that feels best coming out of the sand after impact.

Now you need to set yourself up for the shot that will get you out of the bunker. You need to remember that your wedge has to be swung at a steep angle. also, remember that you need to strike 1 to 2 inches behind the ball. To help, you can even scribe a line in the sand to give yourself something to aim for.

In the backswing, angle the club steeply. The top of the grip will need to point at the ground. Then the downswing is easy. Just remember to hit the sand 1 to 2 inches behind the ball.

All going well, you will find yourself out of the dreaded bunker and back in the game without losing any shots.

Find out more about How To Get Out of a Bunker, and follow our tips on how to set up your bunker shots correctly.

Pilates And Yoga Long Island

Getting Hearts and Hands Ready for the Holidays

"At Christmas play and make good cheer, For Christmas comes but once a year." -Thomas Tusser

OK. Thanksgiving was wonderful, visiting with family and sharingfun stories and adventures; laughing around the dining roomtable, enjoying favorite stuffing and pies; watching parades andfootball games; and counting your many blessings.

It is now time to turn our attention to the many preparations for Christmas. Coming from a Christian perspective, I can speak for the anticipation which we all feel to celebrate the birth of the Christ-child. It brings us wonder each and every year, and the time and energy we put into its celebration never wanes. As I watch my jewish friends prepare for Hanukkah, I sense, too, the joy with which they prepare celebrations with loved ones.

The gift of sacrificial love is the true essence of Christmas.

Teaching your children to give generously and to give cheerfullymodels the life of Christ. Our God, who created each one of uswith more love than we can imagine, desires this same outpouringof love to others, and it is at Christmas that we likewise shareour love through gift-giving and through acts of generosity andhospitality. We are buoyed by the "Christmas spirit" because itis through giving--rather than receiving--that we receive themost joy. Pausing to think about others, about their needs anddesires, and extending yourselves to their benefit, brings deepinner satisfaction not found any other way.

Have you made your list of those people with whom you want toshare the Christmas spirit?

Consider giving small, inexpensive gifts to a large list, rather than more extravagant gifts to a very few loved ones.

When Ithink of the model of giving I want to pattern for my own family, I cannot exclude from the list those folks who cross my path on a daily basis--in one way or another--who may or may not have yet reached into close friendship with me. And so I am always thoughtful for small yet kind ways in which I might extend generosity.

Extend your circle of concern.

Think not only of what members of your own family would appreciate at Christmas. Think of cousins and aunts and uncles, and of closest friends. And don't stop there. Extend your circle. Think of your mail carrier, pet groomer, your pediatrician's office staff, the folks at your gym, your neighbors, friends of your children, office workers at youor your spouse's place of work, your manicurist, thelandscaper....think through the flow of your typical week andthose people who enter your life on a regular basis. If they areserving you in some capacity, isn't it kind to remember them now?

many people refrain from practicing generosity to those outsidetheir small circle of concern because of the lack of money withwhich to do so. But inexpensive gifts can be handmade for pennies if we will only stretch our imaginations and put our hands--and those of our children--to good use.

Look to nature and to materials right outside your front door

Free for the asking and the picking: a fresh bouquet of greens--evergreens, magnolia leaves, and berries, tied with a gorgeoussilk ribbon--would be cherished by any receiver.

Tiny bird nest ornaments fashioned from spanish moss, filled with speckled beans and a silk butterfly, and with a wooden clothespin glued from underneath, make delightful gifts for children and adults alike. My own tree is filled with them.

Collect pinecones and make an arrangement with them. Yourthoughtfulness will be appreciated and it will have cost nothingmore than a walk in the woods.

Homemade candies or cookies wrapped in inexpensive cellophanebags look elegant tied with ribbon and make perfect gifts forvirtually anyone on your list.

miniature baskets filled with one tiny, simple gift, are perfect for your children's friends.

Remember: children love exaggeration; anything diminutive (or enormous!) appeals to their sense of wonder.

Homemade "snow globes" make our list every single year

Simply use a baby food or other small jar and fill it with water and a small bit of glycerin (found at your local drug store) and white glitter; add a few plastic toys--Legos, Barbie doll shoes, jacks and balls, plastic bugs--and then squeeze a think line of silicone sealant around the lid before screwing it on to prevent leakage.

Homemade glycerin soaps filled with tiny plastic toys areadorable

They'll delight your children as well, for they'll have created happy memories making them with you for all of their friends.

Consider making homemade wrapping paper or handmade gift tags.

I buy inexpensive tags at office supply stores by the hundreds.They cost about a penny apiece. I also use twine instead ofexpensive ribbon. One bolt lasts several years and costs a couple of dollars.

And mail those out-of-state gifts early to avoid long lines atthe post office as well as the extra expense of priority mail.

Model a generous life...at Christmas and throughout the year.Give faithfully and give cheerfully. You will be blessedbeyond measure.

Yoga Teacher Training July August 2005

Wireless Home Security

Traditional home alarm security systems rely on sensors that, as long as someone has remembered to turn them on, can detect windows or doors opening. It is a simple cause and effect relationship: a trigger sets off an alarm to alert neighbours or passersby, or an alarm goes off at the police station or the local security company.

The paid, and often expensive, local security company maybe phones to hear if everything is OK, or maybe even drives by. The police might show up if they're not too busy, but the system is prone to many loopholes. The proclivity of false alarms and the dull routine of the job means that security forces are often slow to respond, and the Police are often too busy. However, that was then, this is now. Wireless home security has changed the way we protect our homes. Let's take a look at some of the benefits a modern domestic security system has to offer.

Wireless: Just One Feature of Many
A wireless home security system is more than simply a traditional alarm system minus the cables. There are two keys to the system:
1. The whole system is digital, so you can program it to function in the way you want.
2. The system is part of your home networks.

What does this mean for your home security? If your house is broken into, the system could ring your mobile phone, or send a text message. You could set it to send messages to more than one cell phone. It could be connected to webcams positioned around the house, all accessed from your cellphone or Blackberry. In short, if it can be programmed, it is possible.

The central Nervous System to Calm Your Nerves
Once you have a wireless home network with a powerful CPU at its heart, you can pretty well add any kind of detector. Why not cover every eventuality and hook up smoke, carbon monoxide, temperature or motion detectors? If anything abnormal takes place in and around your home, you can get a message via your mobile phone. If your mobile phone can access the Internet, the possibilities are even greater. You could call up your browser and get some live footage from your array of webcams, switch to infra-red if it's dark and maybe listen in too. The security possibilities are obvious, but it also sounds like something that would be great fun to play with... so with motivation that high, your home would be safer than ever.

Suddenly you can monitor all kinds of things going on at home without having to be there. motion detectors and webcams can let you know whether the dog has curled up on your favourite armchair again. You can monitor the temperature of your greenhouse in winter and your wine cellar in summer. And you can even send a message via the network to regulate the temperature before anything gets spoiled. I'm not sure what you'd do about the dog though. 'Train' it when you get back, I suppose.

The Home of the Panic Button
An often overlooked, but extremely useful feature of a wireless home security package is the addition of a panic button. If you have an elderly or infirm family member, a panic button is a must. If someone sounds the alarm, you can pick up your cellphone and find out what is going on by taking a look, listening in or answering the distress call. Perhaps the sound of your voice coming from the loudspeakers would be enough to sooth your confused aunt with Alzheimer's or your sick child off from school. Perhaps you could even shout at the dog to get out of your lazy-boy.

Finally, the big advantage of building up a wireless home security system is its inherent flexibility. You can add, reposition and take away different components such as motion sensors or webcams without having to rip out lengths of wiring. As the hardware becomes more readily available and commonplace, it is falling in price. Upgrading your entire home would have meant employing a team of professionals just five years ago. Now you can do it all yourself after a brief and relatively inexpensive trip to the mall. Nervous about your home security? Give your own central nervous system a break; give your home its own central nervous system.

Chris Lee Ramsden is a freelance writer and editor. He writes both short fiction and non-fiction for both online and print publications. Although he stems from the UK, he currently lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Find out more about Wireless Home Security and home improvement at Where We Live.

Aura Yoga Teacher Training