Luke Donald is a professional golfer who has not only been named World Number One, but he is also a member of two major golf tours – the PGA and the European Tour. The golfer, from England, won both the PGA Tour money list and European Race to Dubai in 2011. It is probably one of his best years in golfing to date. He made history when he became the first player to win both money lists on the PGA and the European Tour in the same year.
To be a professional golfer, sportsmen like Luke Donald are required to train and practise a lot during tournaments. When the tours are over, this is when they can finally relax and get back to some of their hobbies which may include playing poker at partypoker. Many golfers actually harbour poker talents because certain golf skills can be transferred over.
The similarities between golf and poker go further than just the rewards. Both sports boast similar aspects such as mathematical precision and patience. In addition, both pursuits take a lifetime to master. Poker and golf are played by millions worldwide, but only a handful of people make it to a professional level.
In both poker and golf, the winner of one event may not even reach the money in the next. It is just the nature of the game which is something golfers and poker players learn to live with.
Successful poker player, Celina Lin, once said after being eliminated from a major event; “we travel the world getting knocked out of tournaments.” In the golfing world, there are always tournaments and competitions taking place. Although everyone is familiar with many American and English golfers, not that many people know much about French golfers. Pascal Edmund for example is a professional golfer who has had much success over the years.
Born in the beautiful city of Paris, Edmund has been playing golf from a young age, He has played umpteen seasons on the second tier Challenge Tour as well as winning the St Omer Open.
One of the most prestigious and well known golf academies in France is probably the Leadbetter Golf Academy situated in Terre Blanche. It is considered one of the best all-star international golf academies.The academy features two 18-hole championship courses – Le Riou and Le Château – which were ranked 18th place by Golf World TOP 100 courses in Continental Europe in 2011.
The Leadbetter Golf Academy was selected by the French Golf Federation as the winter training base for the French Elite Amateur team. Professional French golfer, Alain Alberti teaches golf here and offers both individual and group tutorials. With academy like this, it’s no wonder France are doing so well in golf tournaments.