If you want to make the most of your mew swimming pool, make sure you have all the right swimming pool accessories.

Bikini – check. Poolside flip flops – check. A chilled cocktail complete with umbrella – double check! It seems like you’ve got everything when you’ve got your own swimming pool in your back garden. Absolute paradise – and when you have paradise, colourful beverages and a pair of sunglasses are all the swimming pool accessories that you need. But if you want to maximise your poolside experience, you need to think beyond alcohol and fashion.

Swimming Pool Accessories

Okay, so let’s talk inflatable toys, balloons, rafts, floating loungers, drinks holders and anything that screams “pool party!” But when the barbeques are over, and the guests have all gone (having left wet footprints all over the house), it’s time to think about maintenance. Have you got thought about the right swimming pool accessories? Here is a list of all the things you may need to think about before getting carried away with the fun:

• Swimming pool chemicals – the most important swimming accessories you need are tablets and chemical solutions. Chemicals help to keep your water at the right PH balance and this ensures that it is a safe environment for swimmers. It also helps to maintain the life and quality of your pool, keeping everything in tip top condition. You can buy chemicals in tablet form, including chlorine and bromine.
• Cleaners and sanitizers – whether you choose tablets or granules, you need to think about sanitizing the pool before you use the pool. Make sure you create a safe place for you, your family and your guests to swim in.
• Algae controllers – this is one of the most useful swimming pool accessories you can own to keep everything in working condition throughout the year. Once your swimming pool’s installed, it’s there to stay. So even when summer’s over, you still have to take good care of it. Algae controllers can help to eliminate algae problems across the seasons.
• Winter maintenance kits – British weather means a short summer and a long winter. Using winter care products can keep your pool clean during the bitter months and give you an easy start-up when the flowers start to blossom.
• Cleaning tools – not the most glamorous of swimming pool accessories, but you really can’t go without. Make sure you have all the right swimming pool accessories including cleaning poles, cleaning pastes, scoops and leaf eaters.

http://www.swimming.org/asa/clubs-and-members/swimming-times-magazine1479/

There are lots of different styles and brands to confuse you when you go shopping to buy swimming goggles.

Choosing to buy your first pair of swimming goggles or a replacement pair, might appear to be a simple task but if you buy ill fitting or badly designed goggles and you can end up with stinging eyes or dents in your face. The technical specifications of swimming goggles are usually found on the product packaging or labels and make sure you’re buying the correct size too. There’s a myriad of styles and engineering factors to consider. Whether you are buying for yourself, or buying goggles as a present, there are a few factors to consider and help you select the best pair:

Clear vision, multi-density frames and superior technology.

Swimming goggles are worn in order to be able to see underwater while swimming. They need to be completely watertight and to achieve that they need to fit correctly. They all have adjustable straps for quick and easy fitting, and some have adjustable nose-bridges to allow for extra comfort. Straps and lens are made from durable materials that can stand up to any type of swimmer from highly competitive racing like triathlons to recreational family fun. You can choose from single or double straps and rear or side clips. Clarity of vision and the size, shape and style of the lenses themselves are also factors to think about when you buy swimming goggles. The shape of the lenses and the angle of the moulds can enhance your peripheral vision in the water. Several brands have anti-fog technology in their lenses and UV protection for swimming outdoors, and a lilac-coloured lens is recommended for swimming outdoors.

Waterproof, Self-Assembly, Custom Fit to Angled Lenses and Mirror Coatings.

The size and angle of the lenses are also to be considered when you buy swimming goggles. Some high-end goggles have integrated anti-fog and UV protection, for example the Zoggs Endura goggle have new improved ultra-low profile lenses and a split yoke head strap, they are ideal for all purpose training. Speedo Pacific Storm goggles for adults offer anti-fog lenses with UV protection too and mirror-coated lenses allow you to use them for both indoor and outdoor swimming. Other brands offer leak and scratch resistant mask-type goggles. Deciding which brand to buy depends on where and how you will wear them, from racing up and down the lanes of your local swimming pool for intensive training or just for splashing about in the sea to keep the salt out of your eyes. There is a huge selection of swimming goggles to choose from.

Buying Swimming Goggles for Children.

Children’s swimming goggles come with all sorts of different lens sizes, shapes and colours. Children’s swimming goggles are specially designed for smaller faces and still have the advanced integrated technology features of the adult goggles. UV protection is very important for children and anti-fog lenses for clear vision are also available. Children’s swimming goggles come in a variety of funky colours and have fun names like Phantom and Predator to encourage children to enjoy wearing them while they swim either for fun or for serious training. http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/

Getting the right swimming gear is essential if you want to maximise the effectiveness of your training, so here are some things to think about when you go out to buy swimming goggles.

You may think there isn’t very much to the goggle. But there’s more to your goggles than you realise, and if you want to train to your maximum potential, with the most ease and comfort, there are plenty of things to consider when you buy swimming goggles.

Swimming is an exhilarating and rewarding sport, especially if you compete. It can also be relaxing for leisure and family exercise regimes. Whatever purpose you swim for, you need to buy swimming goggles, caps and various other aids and accessories in addition to your swimwear. If you want to buy the right swimming goggles for your needs, there are four main things to think about. You can also get winter wetsuits at www.secretspot.co.uk.

Think Before You Buy

Swimming goggles come in many different styles, and are available from various top brands. The first thing you need to ask is whether you need to buy swimming goggles. For those of us who swim for leisure at the weekends, or take the kids for a little splash, they may not be necessary. Swimming goggles can help keep the water out of our eyes and make new swimmers a little more adventurous when it comes to exploring underwater.

There are four main factors to choosing the right goggle:

1. Style – even when it comes to swimming gear, style is still very important. Many people will choose to buy swimming goggles because of the way the look or the colour of the rims.
2. Lens colour – lens colour will vary in performance under certain light conditions. For instance, clear lenses work best with natural light and can provide maximum visibility in low light areas. Darker lenses can provide protection from glare and direct sunlight.
3. Features – some specialist lenses can provide other benefits, such as UV protection or anti-fog abilities. If you need to buy swimming goggles for competitive swimming, it’s important that you get the best pair for your personal requirements. If in doubt, you can always talk swimwear and equipment retailers as they will either have experienced the products themselves, or know of customers to have.
4. Brand – do have brand loyalty towards a certain sports manufacturer. Perhaps you only trust the brands you have used before. Some people choose to buy swimming goggles, swimming caps and full swimwear ranges from the same range.

Goggle vision can really improve underwater swimming, so choosing the right pair is tricky. You may also need to consider strap length and whether your chosen goggle has an adjustable strap. This is why it is always important to think before you buy.

Where do you start when it comes to buying a swimming pool or a trampoline?

As parents today, we’re often happiest when we know our children are playing safely in the garden. When they are toddlers, there’s a wide range of inexpensive garden toys available to keep them occupied but as they grow, they demand more energetic pursuits. That’s why there’s been a growth in the popularity of swimming pools and trampolines. With the relatively low-cost above-ground swimming pools, anyone can fit a pool into their garden without having to dig up the lawn or spend a fortune on building a sunken pool structure. Equally, trampolines come in a variety of sizes so that you can find one that fits into the space you have.

Choosing swimming pools and trampolines

Once you’ve decided to go ahead and buy a swimming pool or a trampoline, you need to work out which model is best for you. To do this, it’s often easiest to come up with a list of things that you’re looking for, and you can then match the products available to your needs. You need to consider things like:

• Cost – how much can you afford to spend? Swimming pools and trampolines come at a range of prices so don’t assume you can’t afford one until you’ve looked around.

• Accessories – will you need a cover and a ladder for your trampoline? If you have younger children, you should also consider getting a safety net so that they can’t fall off. You will also need to consider a cover for your swimming pool to keep it as clean as possible when it’s not in use. All these accessories should be taken into account when you think about your budget.

• Space – how much space do you have in your garden? You don’t really want to fill your garden with a swimming pool or trampoline, so choose a size that allows you to move around your garden as well.

• Construction – you may need to put your swimming pool or trampoline together yourself once it arrives. Even a small trampoline is often a two-person job, so make sure you have someone who can help you assemble the structure when it arrives.

If you have any questions about any of our products or you’re having trouble deciding which size or model is gong to be best for you, just give us a call. We’re always happy to give you help and advice, making sure that you really are making the right choice. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trampolining

Teens can be difficult to please, but buying a swimming pool or trampoline may just get them outside more often.

Parents of teenagers often despair of the amount of time their children spend in their bedrooms – and of the lack of things for them to do. When children are younger, climbing frames, swings and sandpits can keep them amused in the garden for hours, but there is far less around for older children. The recent introduction of above-ground swimming pools, and trampolines that can accommodate teenagers, however, has changed all that.

Swimming pools and trampolines for your garden

Swimming pools and trampolines offer fantastic value for money. They are appealing across the whole age range – lots of adults sneak onto the trampoline when the kids aren’t watching – and really give the whole family the opportunity to enjoy the garden. What’s more, installing a swimming pool or trampoline at your home is the perfect way to get your teenagers out of the bedroom and into the garden. Teenagers love trampolines – even if they’re just lying on them talking to their friends, or texting on their mobile phones. A swimming pool in the garden is a great place to have a birthday party or an exam celebration and, provided you lay down clear rules so that everyone uses your swimming pool or trampoline safely, you can leave your teenagers to socialise, without worrying about where they’ve gone or what they’re doing.

Easy to order and install

The great thing about buying above-ground swimming pools, or trampolines, is how easy it is to order and install this leisure equipment in your garden. By buying from Project Leisure, you can choose your pool or trampoline online, after reading all the information about what you get with your order, and what you’ll need to do once your order is delivered. You’ll be given a delivery date, and your order will arrive with complete instructions so that you can assemble your swimming pool or trampoline easily. You’ll also have plenty of information about looking after your new purchase, so that it gives you many years of fun. Take a look at our range of swimming pools and trampolines today so that you can entice your teens out of the bedroom. http://kidshealth.org/

We’re increasingly conscious of the need to keep fit and healthy. Of course, this is a combination of eating and drinking healthily as well as ensuring that we get a reasonable amount of exercise. For many of us, it’s difficult to fit exercise into the daily routine, but with an above-ground swimming pool or trampoline close by, it could be easier than you think.

Affordable fitness

Traditional sunken swimming pools are certainly expensive, but it’s now perfectly possible to get a good-sized above-ground pool for a fraction of the price. Large enough to swim in comfortably as well as just enjoying for fun and games, an above ground pool could be the perfect answer. In addition to swimming pools, trampolines have become incredibly popular, both with children and adults. Excellent sources of exercise, you can fit a good-sized trampoline into many gardens and a regular turn on the trampoline each day could make all the difference to your fitness, without breaking the bank, or paying an expensive gym membership that you rarely use.

Fitness for kids

Swimming pools and trampolines for the home are great for kids and youngsters can use swimming aids if they need. As newspapers and television programmes continue to worry about the state of kids’ health and fitness today, it is possible to provide the ideal way for them to exercise in the privacy and safety of their own garden. Properly and safely used, trampolines are quick and easy places to exercise. Most trampolines come with clear instructions on safe use, and also suggest the best way to bounce. Children who use the trampoline for 30 minutes a day are already contributing to improved health and fitness. Buying a trampoline surround also ensures that children are protected from falling off the trampoline if you can’t be around to watch them all the time.

Fitness in a few days

By ordering swimming pools and trampolines online, you could be seeing the benefits within a few days. Easy to assemble and maintain, above-ground swimming pools and trampolines of all sizes can be built and ready to use with no trouble, and are designed to be family friendly and fun.

If you are new to golf and are left handed, here are our frequently asked questions on using left hand golf clubs.

How many players use left hand golf players on the PGA tour?

There are currently six – Mike Weir, Phil Mickelson, Steve Flesch, Russ Cochran, Kevin Wentworth and Greg Chalmers.

Are golf champions who use left hand golf clubs rare?

Very, only three golfers who play with left hand golf clubs have won a major championship – Mickelson, Weir and Bob Charles. Female golfers who use left hand golf clubs are also extremely rare.

Why are golfers who swing left hand golf clubs so rare?

Left handed people make up roughly 13% of the world’s population so they are already in a minority. Also many left handed golfers learn to play right handed because up until recently it was really hard to get hold of left hand golf clubs and gear. Players, such as Len Mattiace, Greg Norman and Curtis Strange are naturally lefties but learnt to play with their right.

As right-handed golf is so established and predominant, some players switched because it was felt the right-handed way was the correct way, even if they could get hold of left hand golf clubs.

Which way then is the right way to play?

Some golf coaches believe it is more to do with your eyes than your hands. Weir for example is naturally right handed but plays with left hand golf clubs – and he won the US Masters. Other naturally right-handed players who play with left hand golf clubs are Flesch and Mickelson.

When you stand facing the ball it depends on which way you visualise it leaving you – it depends on what feels most natural.

 Are left-handed golfers at a disadvantage?

Yes, in that the shortage of left hand golf clubs has had an effect on encouraging lefties into the game or allowing them to play at their best. Although there has been an improvement, some companies can be slow off the mark bringing out left hand versions of their right hand golf clubs. Also, many golf coaches are used to teaching it as a right handed game.

Is it easy to get hold of left hand golf clubs?

Yes, buying left hand golf clubs is just a click of the mouse away. You can visit reputable sports shops such as Sports HQ to find the right left hand golf clubs to suit your swing. http://www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/

In 2006 one of the world’s most famous players laid down his golf clubs – Arnold Palmer, The King, has stepped down.

The King of Golf Clubs

Arnold Palmer is one of the most famous players in golf and while he reigned he was the king of his golf clubs, which explains why he was dubbed ‘The King’.

The final swing

In 2006, he retired his golf clubs aged 77, instantly entering the hall of fame with the other famous players of golf’s old school, such as Jack Nicklaus. He finally laid his golf clubs to rest after hitting consecutive golf balls into a water hazard during the Champions Tour in Texas.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time and, first of all, to stand out there and not be able to make something happen is very traumatic in my mind,” Palmer told a UK newspaper about the incident. “The people, they all want to see a good shot – and you know it and you can’t give them that good shot. That’s when it’s time.”

World’s most famous player

It was a tough game, but he finished it despite having to rest several times and even take pills to keep the aching pain away. It was clearly a historic moment. Palmer’s playing partner Lee Trevino confirmed the King’s status as one of the world’s most famous players – as soon as he put down his golf clubs, Trevino made him sign his golf ball and glove. “We didn’t take his shoes,” Trevino joked.

Quartet of famous players

Many believe that Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus were the holy quartet of famous players who turned golf into a global game, leaving a blaze of glory with their golf clubs. Palmer and Nicklaus became famous players at the right time in history – as the world watched them swing their golf clubs on TV for the first time. TV meant their profiles, and earnings, were higher than any previous golfers in America.

Golfing everyman

Palmer’s fame was also consolidated by his Brando swagger and the fact that thousands looked up to him as an example of following their dreams. Palmer had more appeal than other famous players thanks to his humble background – his father was a greenkeeper at a golf club in Pennsylvania. He was the golfing everyman.

Affable and fallible

Today’s new breed of players with sponsorship deals to be the face of branded golf clubs and golf balls are perhaps more famous than any of the 1950s generation. Tiger Woods for example has redefined the meaning of fame and golf. But Woods has an indestructible persona; Palmer on the other hand was more affable and fallible to golf fans.

“I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone’s golf game,” Palmer wise-cracked: “It’s called an eraser.” http://www.arnoldpalmer.com/

If you want a step by step guide on how to perform the perfect chip with your golf clubs, then read on.

Although as basic chip should be one of the most simple shots to perform on the golf course, many golfers struggle with achieving it throughout their golfing careers. However, if you remember some of the key pointers for performing a good chip, you shouldn’t have problems:

• Aim to pitch the ball a yard or two on the green with its first bounce
• Let the club lift the ball, don’t try to ‘scoop’ it up
• Accelerate into impact

The time to play a chip shot is when you’re only a few yards away from the green. A chip shot is usually played with a low-lofted golf club called a chipper. The idea of a chip is to get the golf ball rolling back onto the green as quickly as possible.

In order to become the perfect chipper with your golf clubs, following the simple steps below:

• Select a golf club with low loft (between a 4-iron to a 7-iron), which will allow for the golf ball to just carry onto the putting green.
• Pick a target on the green to aim for and estimate where you want the ball to stop.
• Grasp your golf club by the steel shaft close to the end of the grip.
• Flex your knees to get down to the golf ball.
• Keep the golf ball close to your feet.
• Shift most of your weight to your left side (your right side if you are left-handed).
• Loosen your elbows.
• Use a putting stroke to swing the golf club an equal distance back and then through the ball.

Things To Remember When Using A Chipper

• Keep your hands ahead of the golf club head on the follow-through.
• Grip the golf club firmly so that the rough doesn’t twist the club on the swing.
• Get the ball rolling on the putting green as soon as possible as this will make it easier for you to control the shot.
• In deep rough, angle the club so the toe is the only part touching the ground.
• In windy or downhill conditions, or on fast greens, always chip the ball instead of pitching it.
• Repair all divots taken.
• Be careful not to hit the ball too hard; otherwise it might roll off the other side of the green.

If you follow all of the guidelines above, you should be on your way to becoming a good chipper and be prepared for golf holidays Portugal or games in the UK.

If you look around you, you quickly realise that flags completely surround our everyday existence. One of the best places to see just how important flags are to our everyday lives is to look at the world of sport.

The history of sport, just like the history of flags, goes back thousands of years and so it doesn’t seem all that surprising that these two areas are so intrinsically linked. Just as sport fulfilled our ancestors’ need to compete, it continues to allow us to compete on many levels today. For spectator sports involving thousands of people it seems fairly logical that those watching needed a way of understanding the actions of the competitors who were often some distance away. As flags are used a means of conveying a message without using words, they are an obvious choice of communication from competitor to spectator.

Ask any sports-lover; even in the modern world of sport it is rare as a sports-spectator not to see a flag. The problems of communication within a packed stadium are not quite as difficult as they were in the times of our ancestors but flags are still the quickest and most effective method of communication from officials to spectators and competitors alike. The use of flags for signalling allows the officials to indicate any breaches in the rules of the game or to indicate different stages in the competition. However, it is not just within stadium sports that flags play a vital role; they are also invaluable in water sports or during sailing competitions. Consider how many different flags there are in the sporting world:

Football flags

Rowing flags

Olympic games flags

Rugby flags

Formula One flags

Rallying flags

Cycling racing flags

Sailing flags

All of these flags are used as a means of indicating rules or the conduct of play but the flags are not just seen on the competitor’s side they are also held high amongst the spectators themselves. On a national level, most sporting organisations and teams actually have a flag which represents them and these are often used by the fans surrounding the competitors. On an international level, spectators wave the national flags of the side they are rooting for. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/