Many people criticize that online video games can lead to an increase in anti-social behaviors, including violence, loss of communication skills, and even health issues such as obesity. While video games may in fact cause some problems in these areas, critics seem to agree for the most part that online video games can increase hand eye coordination. Most critics, however, have yet to recognize the beneficial effects that video games may have on the mind.
Online educational games offer players brain training that can help one actually become more intelligent. These games work by testing the cognitive functions of your brain like memory, reasoning, logical decision making, and so forth. Try to visualize yourself spending time working out at your local health club to get your body in shape. Playing educational video games is like taking your brain to the same gym to get mentally in shape.
Educational games are often synonymous with words like boring, un-cool, and primitive. The truth is that educational games can be as much fun as any other type of game. Often times they can be even more fun because of the rewarding nature of the games. Think back to that game of trivia you played with friends several years ago. Do you remember how good it felt to get those answers correct? That's the type of feeling one can get from playing an education game. The more people play these games the greater their confidence becomes. With greater confidence people have a better chance of succeeding at whatever they set their mind to achieve.
The best place to play educational video games for free is on the internet. The internet has provided a platform for educational learning like none before. Educational games have become more sophisticated to cater towards users interests. One obvious interest for many users is learning skills that can be used in the workplace. One example of where this occurs is in the dental field. Many dental websites offer users online educational games that are both fun, informative, and catered towards user interests. Games can include choices like Wordsearch, Matching Pair, and Crossword Puzzle. Each game offers users a fun and interactive way to learn real vocational terms that they can use in the work place.
The internet is helping transcend the traditional boundaries of online games by offering useful, user beneficial and educational content. After you play a few games on the internet, ask yourself if you've learned anything new. You may be surprised by the answer.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Sunday, June 1, 2008
The Other Golf Games - Alternative Golf
Most people are barely aware of alternative golf games. If you're a golfer or have some interest in golf, you pay attention to the Professional Golf Association (PGA) and maybe even watch the Golf Channel.
The golf game we know is played according to the rules of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland (R&A). However, there is, shall we say, an underground of golf games played by millions.
These golf games are called alternative golf. They can be classified by:
- Change in golf courses
- Change in golf rules
- Change in equipment
- Miscellaneous
Change of Golf Courses
The typical golf course - called a championship course is roughly 7,000 yards usually peppered with hazards such as woods, narrow fairways, bunkers, and water hazards. However, we have golf courses that are less difficult to play, such as:
Executive courses which can vary in distance and difficulty, but they usually have several holes with pars of 4.
Par Three courses are much easier than executive courses, and all the holes have a par of three.
Distances that you easily reach the green with a nine iron characterize pitch and Putt courses.
There is also a category of golf course called a short championship course. These courses are usually fairly difficult, but the overall distances are much shorter such as 5,000 yards.
A primitive golf course can take on a number of forms, including pastures and parkland. The grasses may be cut short, but the greens can take on any number of forms. They could be sand or well-manicured greens.
Perhaps the most well known alternative golf game is miniature golf or putt-putt golf. Of course, miniature golf is a drastic change in the golf course.
Change in Golf Rules
Less know are golf games that have made significant changes in the rules as administered by the USGA and R&A. Most were created to make the game of golf easier for the recreational or casual golfer. Two such golf games are:
TeeGolf is a game characterized primarily by the use of tees anywhere on the golf course except the green. Players may improve their lies and take Mulligans without penalty. There are no restrictions of what type of golf clubs or golf balls that a player can use, giving the recreational golfer a better chance of hitting the ball farther.
SortaGolf is a golf game characterized by the player being able to improve their lies plus take one Mulligan per 9-hole round. As in TeeGolf, there are no restrictions on golf clubs and golf balls.
Change in Equipment
The major golf game where the equipment is changed is disc golf. The Frisbee-type discs are thrown at a basket-type apparatus. The game is scored by the number of times you throw the disc to reach the basket.
Miscellaneous
There are several miscellaneous golf games that are hard to classify.
Speed golf is played on any regular golf course where the players play by USGA rules, but they run the course. The score is obtained by combining the number of strokes and the running time.
Extreme golf is played at a ski resort where the players start out at the top of the ski lift. They then hit the ball to the start of the lift. The number of strokes it takes to run the lift 9 or 18 times tallies the score.
Snow golf is played on any regular course in the snow. Rather than hitting the ball into the hole, the players have to get the ball into a circle usually 6 feet in diameter.
While this is not a comprehensive list of alternative golf games, but these cover the primary golf games that we play other than what we commonly call "golf."
Go out and try an alternative golf game. You'll enjoy it!
The golf game we know is played according to the rules of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland (R&A). However, there is, shall we say, an underground of golf games played by millions.
These golf games are called alternative golf. They can be classified by:
- Change in golf courses
- Change in golf rules
- Change in equipment
- Miscellaneous
Change of Golf Courses
The typical golf course - called a championship course is roughly 7,000 yards usually peppered with hazards such as woods, narrow fairways, bunkers, and water hazards. However, we have golf courses that are less difficult to play, such as:
Executive courses which can vary in distance and difficulty, but they usually have several holes with pars of 4.
Par Three courses are much easier than executive courses, and all the holes have a par of three.
Distances that you easily reach the green with a nine iron characterize pitch and Putt courses.
There is also a category of golf course called a short championship course. These courses are usually fairly difficult, but the overall distances are much shorter such as 5,000 yards.
A primitive golf course can take on a number of forms, including pastures and parkland. The grasses may be cut short, but the greens can take on any number of forms. They could be sand or well-manicured greens.
Perhaps the most well known alternative golf game is miniature golf or putt-putt golf. Of course, miniature golf is a drastic change in the golf course.
Change in Golf Rules
Less know are golf games that have made significant changes in the rules as administered by the USGA and R&A. Most were created to make the game of golf easier for the recreational or casual golfer. Two such golf games are:
TeeGolf is a game characterized primarily by the use of tees anywhere on the golf course except the green. Players may improve their lies and take Mulligans without penalty. There are no restrictions of what type of golf clubs or golf balls that a player can use, giving the recreational golfer a better chance of hitting the ball farther.
SortaGolf is a golf game characterized by the player being able to improve their lies plus take one Mulligan per 9-hole round. As in TeeGolf, there are no restrictions on golf clubs and golf balls.
Change in Equipment
The major golf game where the equipment is changed is disc golf. The Frisbee-type discs are thrown at a basket-type apparatus. The game is scored by the number of times you throw the disc to reach the basket.
Miscellaneous
There are several miscellaneous golf games that are hard to classify.
Speed golf is played on any regular golf course where the players play by USGA rules, but they run the course. The score is obtained by combining the number of strokes and the running time.
Extreme golf is played at a ski resort where the players start out at the top of the ski lift. They then hit the ball to the start of the lift. The number of strokes it takes to run the lift 9 or 18 times tallies the score.
Snow golf is played on any regular course in the snow. Rather than hitting the ball into the hole, the players have to get the ball into a circle usually 6 feet in diameter.
While this is not a comprehensive list of alternative golf games, but these cover the primary golf games that we play other than what we commonly call "golf."
Go out and try an alternative golf game. You'll enjoy it!
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