How To Profit From NFL Line Moves.
While various civilizations and cultures around the world have been engaged in some form of betting for more than 3000 years, the point spread, or 'betting line', is a relatively new invention and has only been in use for the better part of 70 years. Its impact in this relatively short period of time is undeniable and as an un-named bookie quoted in a 1951 book by sports journalist Charles Rosen put it: The spread has easily been 'the greatest discovery since the Zipper'. Without question, it has had a huge part to play in today's popularity of one sport in particular--the game of American football. While most certainly an American invention, the true origin of the point spread is cloudy. Some...
Your golf game will improve with a set of custom golf clubs because you will have equipment that is specifically made not only to your unique physical characteristics but also to your playing abilities. Need Proof? Studies done by over 18 months have shown dramatic results for those golfers fit with custom golf clubs: "More than 90 percent of the test cases reported improved performance with their custom-fit clubs. Mid-handicappers lowered their handicap by two or more strokes on average within a few short months. Elite players aren't necessarily scoring better (it's difficult to drop it much when you hover near scratch), but they're seeing greater consistency. Many players who were fitted strike...
Five Best Golf Jobs Offers Opportunities for...
The golf industry is one of the fastest growing in all of sports. With more and more new players wanting to learn the game and join in on the fun, golf jobs seem to be popping up nearly everywhere. While some industries within sports are difficult to break into and some only offer opportunities for the highly experienced, golf is a little bit different. If you are willing to work from the bottom, then there are plenty of golf jobs out there to be had. The interesting thing about golf is that it is one industry that provides a little something for just about everyone. Here are five of the best jobs in the golf industry just waiting to be nabbed. Teaching Professional The teaching professional is the...
Golfing Vacation in Spain
Playing golf is one of the best ways of keeping fit. Golf is a sport in which individual players or teams hit a ball into a hole using various clubs, and also is one of the few ball games that do not use a fixed standard playing area. Now a day’s golf is the unofficial sport of the business world. It is often said that board meetings merely confirm decisions that are actually made on the golf course. There are large number of golf courses, clubs and other golfing facilities throughout the world. Spain with its sunny climate and stunning landscapes has long been a popular tourist destination for Europeans, especially the Costa del Sol. To cater for a sizeable ex-pat and tourist interest Spain...
Golf - Graphite Versus Steel Golf Clubs
Choosing the right golf club is an extremely important part of improving how you play the game. If you are able to get golf clubs that work extremely well for your golfing style, you will notice an immediate improvement in your game. Usually beginner golfers don't put much thought into the clubs they use. Perhaps you have just been using your grandfather's old clubs that you dug up out of the attic, or maybe you bought some cheap clubs at a yard sale. If you ever want to be a serious golfer, you will need to buy clubs for yourself and choose some that will compliment your playing style. You can accomplish this by changing the shaft length, the head size, and many other details. One of the choices...
Personal Injury Lawyers
Personal injury occurs due to the recklessness and wantonness of others. Injuries like this can happen in a road accident, at the very workplace, due to medical malpractice, due to a defective product, due to a fall or a trip on a pavement, invasion of privacy and when you are a victim of a crime. The injury can be both psychological and physical. It covers physical injuries, emotional distress and mental suffering. The personal injury law includes the physical harm the individual may have and the suffering they undergo. Suffering covers emotional degradation that a person may have felt by reason of the injury. When it occurs, the victim is entitled to punitive and general damages. Punitive damage...
Make Your Golf Practice Count
Most golfers, regardless of their ability level, are guilty of wasting their practice time. How many times have you been at a driving range and witnessed stall after stall filled with tired looking golfers endlessly beating balls. Most have selected the large bucket and think only of launching all those little pellets with the big stick. Most of these people would have been better off if they had just stayed home and mowed the lawn. Why? They are practicing without a purpose. PLAN YOUR GOLF PRACTICE The first step in improving your golf is learning more about the swing. If you do not want to take lessons, there is a wealth of information available in books, magazines and on the web. Find some...
A Golf Launch Monitor Will Increase Your Revenues
Golf Professionals have been able to create multiple streams of revenue for themselves with the use of a golf launch monitor. As these monitors play an important role in club fitting, golf professionals are able to help all skill levels including, beginners, mid-handicappers as well as low handicap golfers improve their golf game. The new technology allows the professional to study "the swing" in a way that has not been possible in the past. The good news is that there is more than one use for a golf swing launch monitor that will allow you to increase your yearly revenues. The first way that a golf swing launch monitor will help you increase your revenue is by increasing the number of club fittings...
What Is The Key To A Better Golf Swing?
Many golfers, both professionals and amateurs are always trying to figure out how to achieve a better swing. The swing is the ultimate factor that will contribute to a good game of low scoring golf. Being amateurs in golfing, it is well known that the first thing they should learn is to have a better golf swing that will lead them to be better golfers. What is the mindset of an amateur golfer? As a beginner, the mechanics of the swing should be the first thing you should learn but it should be the last thing you're thinking about while on the golf course. What is meant by that is that a golfer needs to know that the swing thoughts should be used primarily for the purpose of learning a new motion...
Golf Bags Are Great for Golfers
It does not matter if your are a beginner to golf or whether you are a seasoned pro - one that that is for sure is that a good golf bag is a necessity nowadays. Probably next to the golf club and ball the golf bag is the next most important piece of equipment you can own. Owning a golf bag will accomplish 2 things - firstly it will help you to protect and organise your clubs and other accessories, secondly it will remove one of the things to think about so that you can concentrate on your game. When looking to purchase or replace a golf bag there are some things that you need to know before rushing out and purchasing the first one you can lay your hands on. Firstly - what type of bag are you after...
Golfers need gadgets too! Do they need them? Most will say yes. Many of the little devices that add a new aspect to the game of golf without taking away from the traditional rules and etiquette of the game are welcomed by the novice as well as the professional golfer. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors with blinking light, and all the bells and whistles you can imagine. Many are made to add to the excitement or make the game seem more fun and alluring to newcomers. Do they work? Some of them do and others simple get in the way. Albeit, fantastically creative and very imaginative, the gadgets that have been introduced into the game of golf lately are a bit cumbersome and distracting to...
A Simple Guide To Choosing The Right Golf Ball
Can you name the one piece of equipment that you will play with on every shot of your round? Yes, your golf ball. Like all equipment, technology has taken over and we are now presented with an overwhelming number of choices. A common mistake is to pick your golf ball based on price (either expensive or cheap) or because your favorite PGA player endorses it. Below I will outline a basic guide for choosing the right golf ball for your game. The anatomy of a golf ball: 1. Inner construction: 2 piece, 3 piece, and multi-layer. The type of construction affects the distance, accuracy, and amount of spin. 2. The core: A harder core will produce a longer shot. This hardness gives the ball additional roll...
Get Into the Bandwagon, Grab Discount Golf...
No amount of money can equal the pleasure you get from your favorite hobby--golf. But of course, if you can save some money through buying discount golf equipment while playing the great game of golf, surely, there can be no better deal than that! Discount golf equipment makes a golfer's life a lot better. There are discount golf balls available in different designs and brands. Discount golf gifts are also offered by many companies and stores. Lots of designs are offered for all golfers who want to share a portion of their life to other people. Discount golf equipment like training aids are best offer you can avail of. Getting them will truly improve your hits to get that hole-in-one. Accessories...
How To Use Golf Training Aids To Improve Your...
Drive for show, putt for dough. Relax the nerves, trust your line. Eyes over the ball, smooth take away. Accelerate through the ball, and… Klinka tinka tinka—yes! The sweet sound of a birdie putt, or even a 6-footer for par, dropping into the cup. It's a great feeling, especially if you just finished the 18th for a personal best round. Or if you just won 5 skins to make your buddies shell out some serious coin. A hot day with the putter can make you feel like a million bucks. Actually, in the case of a PGA tour pro, it can earn you a million bucks. Too bad that for the average golfer those days seem to come so infrequently. The average Joe uses up anywhere between 32 and 40 putts per...
Golf Courses - Fun and Different Everytime
This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding golf courses. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about golf courses. Is everything making sense so far? If not, I'm sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place. One thing every golfer will agree on is no golf course is ever the same. While playing different courses is fun and challenging, playing ones home course, no matter how many times it is done, is always going to be different. Yes, it is the same course, nothing has been changed, except for the position of the cup on the green, but no golf course is ever exactly the same two days in a row, or, for...
Common Knowledge just might be hindering you from improving your swing, causing you major frustration and higher scores. There is a lot of well meaning golf instruction in the market place today that simply will not help your game; in fact a lot of what's out there will hinder you as you try to improve your golf. The focus of my new site, ( is simply to identify this mis-information and to let players know, not only what the myths are, but why these myths are not true and how they do damage to your golf game. Controversial? Probably, but I think the positives of the information I am putting out at will far outweigh any industry fall-out that I might receive from those instructors with stepped-on...
The Golf Store
With an increasing market of high-end retailers selling golf equipment, one could possibly miss a "real" golf store. Typically, golf stores have the latest, if not the best, golf equipment and accessories needed by somebody who plays golf. Things could range from golf clubs to golf balls, to even posters, shirts, and wallpaper. Most golf stores focus on ensuring the proper equipment for the interested golfer. They will provide hints on how to choose the right club and the appropriate golf ball. Golf stores do not only supply things relative to golf but some also offer services and knowledge about the sport itself. Additional services could include club repair, club fitting, and swing analysis. Most...
Golf Equipment Tips - How To Choose A Putter
Getting the right golf putter is perhaps the most important decision that you can make regarding the clubs in your bag. Although lots of inexperienced golfers spend inordinate amounts of time practicing with their driver for long-distance shots, the facts prove that you can improve your game and lower your score much quicker by putting most of your practice emphasis on putting instead. In fact, even many pros who have exceptionally consistent swings and are outstanding in every other part of their game, often have trouble with putting, sometimes even losing tournaments due to their putting woes. So if you are a newer or less experienced golfer be sure to pay attention to your putting game, and get a...
Golf Basics For Beginners
Golf is a game of inches, you might have heard that term before but there is the theory of golf that is equally as important as the mechanics of the game. I will start with some history followed by golf terms and meanings. The first game of golf for which records survive was played at Bruntsfield Links, in Edinburgh, Scotland. The word golf was first mentioned in writing in 1457 on a Scottish statute on forbidden games as gouf, possibly derived from the Scots word goulf meaning to strike or cuff. But there is an even earlier reference to the game of golf and it is believed to have happened in 1452 when King James II banned the game because it kept his subjects from their archery practice. The...
Modern Golf Drivers - Hitting Farther
A month before our big golf tournament this summer my partner made me go out and buy a modern 460cc driver. He said it would help my game and help the team. Being a team player, I bought the new driver and took it to the driving range and quickly learned a few things. I had a hard time consistently hitting the ball, but when I got a solid hit, the ball went farther and I had more control. I made a few calls, got some advise, came back to the range, practiced what I learned and then thoroughly enjoyed the club all summer. Here are the three things I learned that helped me hit the ball and increased my distance off the tee. 1) Tee the ball up higher. With the larger head modern driver you need to tee...
Practicing your golf game properly is vital to improving. Knowing how to practice increases self-confidence, reduces scores, and lowers golf handicaps. It also increases the fun of playing as you see your scores drop on each round. I consider it so important that I discuss how to practice with all my students during golf lessons. Unfortunately, some students don't always follow my advice. They either focus on the wrong things during practice or they practice without purpose. Some students do both, preferring instead to flail away with the driver on a driving range time and time again. When their scores don't drop as quickly as they'd like, they stop practicing, forfeiting any chance of improving...
How To Create Lag In Your Golf Swing
Everyone wants to hit the golf ball farther and straighter. So what is the answer? Create Lag! This is what the good players and pros of the PGA, LPGA and Champions Tours do to hit the golf ball so far and straight. OK, create lag. What in the world is lag in the golf swing? The easiest way that I can explain it to you here is that it is pulling the golf club with your body as opposed to pushing the golf club with your hands and arms. Imagine that you are holding a bucket of water. As you try to swing the bucket of water, how will you go about making this happen? You will start turning your bigger muscles to make it happen. This will allow you to keep the water in the bucket. If you try to use your...
Whether you want to improve your game or are a complete beginner, there is a range of golf lessons to choose from at Thorpeness Golf Club, a first-class Suffolk golf course. The two PGA professionals, Frank Hill and Christopher Oldrey, offer a full range of Golf Tuition packages. Whatever your standard we're certain that a golf lesson in Suffolk with either professional will leave you motivated and ready to tackle the difficult coastal course. The tutors: Frank Hill is a playing professional on the European Seniors' Tour and a very experienced teacher. His approach is not to reconstruct your wing, but to make small, effective changes that will allow you to develop and build on your natural game...
A better golf game is achievable by any golfer. It doesn't matter what your age is, how good a player you are or how long you've been playing. But the key to a better golf game may not be what you think. The 'standard' approach to a better golf game is taking lessons; buying more equipment; and hitting hundreds of golf balls at the range. Although, the above approach is not altogether incorrect...there is one crucial missing element. That element is your BODY! You swing those fancy clubs; you hit all those balls at the range; and you physically participate in the aspect of taking lessons. The common denominator is your body. Do you agree? If you don't, I'd like to hear you're explanation of why not...
Ladies Golf Clubs
Finding the Best Golf Clubs for your Golf Game It is a delightful and true fact that ladies are very different from men. However, because about 10% of golf club sales are to women, the large golf club manufacturers don't put the same effort into the ladies as their male counterparts. One of the gender differences that impacts golf club selection is the amount of proportionate weight and mass in both the hips and the chest. Women have slightly more there and it affects their golf swing. A shorter, more flexible shaft helps the ladies make a smoother swing with less physical effort. A lighter club head is also helpful and ladies clubs usually have smaller club heads. As a result of these physical...
Golf Club Purchasing 101
When shopping for a golf club, you'll find the options are as numerous and just as personal as when shopping for a pair of under-roos. Prices range from yard-sale finds of $5 for a set of clubs in a bag to a thousand dollars or more for PGA-tour quality. Golf club heads can be made from a wide variety of materials. If you are beyond the beginner stage, and chances are you are, stay away from zinc and aluminum alloy even though the price may be bargain basement. Titanium is a much harder metal, especially if it's cold-forged; that must be why it's so popular for drivers. One driver you'll see on the fairways of long drive competitions is the Alpha C830.2 driver. The face contains an insert of dense...
To people who are new to the world of golf but, nevertheless, are intending to play the sport, one factor that they should focus on is the perfect golf swing. To mention some other factors, there are a lot such as, the golf equipments, the direction of the wind, the golf ball and the player himself, but still, the precision of the swing is the causal factor on the success or flop of playing golf. I'll get a few suggests that would help you to get your goal of becoming a professional in playing golf. These are the basics, but, where did Tiger Woods begin, anyway? 1. Know what your forces are. Can you attain a certain angle that would give you the perfect golf swing? Do you have a good balance? What...
The long green side bunker shot is one of the hardest in all of golf. Having said that if you'll practice the following technique, the next time you're faced with this shot you just might find it a little bit easier. Here is the typical scenario: You find yourself with a good lie in a green side bunker but this is no ordinary shot. The pin is a good 20 - 30 yards from your location. Now, normally, you would take out your sand wedge and try to take a mighty swing that nips the ball cleanly. Sometimes this shot comes off and the ball flies out of the bunker and lands somewhere near the flag stick, making you one of the proudest golfers of all time but most times, however, the result is far less...
Tips To Give You A Great Golf Swing
All crack players feel that they swing from in-to-out when driving. I have been doing this so long that it no longer feels a "guided" or unnatural swing to me. Indeed if I feel myself making any other sort of swing I know it will result in a bad shot. Yet with the beginner this in-to-out swing does feel unnatural and gives an impression that the ball will be pushed into the rough to the right. This feeling will of course be corrected by experience. This disparity in feeling about shots as between the crack and the beginner must never be lost sight of in teaching. Here we come back again to my reason for standardizing as many shots as possible so that they can all be played with the same set of...
How To Stop Divorce
Divorce rate has risen to a phenomenal level in the past decade. This trend of rising divorce rate may very well be fueled by the divorces we see in show business everyday. However, the major contributor to a divorce is the lack of understanding between couples. As long as a couple is willing to learn how to stop a divorce, all is not lost. The newer generation thinks that getting a divorce is the only way to get out of an unhappy relationship. But the great philosopher Aristotle once said, "There is always a third option." For people who think that getting a divorce is equivalent to being happy, think again. A recent study headed by Ms. Linda Waite of the University of Chicago revealed that...
A Look at Golf Rules and Regulations
Like every other game, golf has certain rules, which are internationally standardized and are strictly controlled by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) and the United States Golf association (USGA). Established in 1754, the R&A has spread its popularity wing to far-flung areas in the world. The national golf associations of other countries follow the same rules as laid down by the R&A. R&A and USGA chalks out the basic rules and regulation that is to be followed during the game. However, every year the set of rules go through a thorough revision and updating. As per Rule 13-1, the player is obliged to play the ball from the spot where it has come to rest after a stroke. You cannot...
Golf - The Short - Short Game
Without doubt we have all hear the expression in golfing "Drive for show and putt for dough. Nothing could be truer. In golf as in life - all shots in the end count the same. A lost putt counts the same as the long drive. How many times have you made a good long drive off the tee, another second shot just short of the green , and then for some reason the pitch to the green is either too short or too long ?. In the end you may well have ended up taking three putts to put the ball unto the cup. Four shots have been made from the pitch shot to putting the ball in the cup, which are twice as many as it took to get from the tee to the near edge of the green. For a par four hole this means a double bogey...
Custom Golf Club
Every golfer's physical capability and swing is distinctive. Many of today's best golf clubs can be custom fit for lie angle, shaft type and length, grip type and size. Custom fitting golf clubs involves several easy measurements and a quick self-assessment of your game. This custom golf club has become more than a fad that even not so professional golfers test its waters. Custom fitting is the process for tailoring a golf club to suit your personal swing. Whatever your level, with a custom golf club the aim is to ensure that if you do make a good swing, the club will be square at impact and should produce a straight shot. Custom Golf Club How To's: To custom fit your golf clubs, you need to know...
Which is Better for My Golf Game? Graphite Golf...
Shafts for golf clubs are primarily made of either steel or graphite. The steel shafts are made from a carbon steel alloy and protective chrome plating is applied to prevent it from rusting. A graphite shaft can also be called a composite shaft because it made from multiple layers of carbon fiber and epoxy resin holding the layers together. There are even some shafts made of both steel and graphite. However, you are probably wondering which is best for you? Steel shafts have been used for golf clubs since the 1920's, although earlier versions can bedated back to the turn of the 20th century. Graphite shafts are a relatively new material used in golf, dating back to the late 1960's, but didn't gain...
Which is a Better Golf Shaft? Graphite or Steel?
Shafts for golf clubs are primarily made of either steel or graphite. The steel shafts are made from a carbon steel alloy and protective chrome plating is applied to prevent it from rusting. A graphite shaft can also be called a composite shaft because it made from multiple layers of carbon fiber and epoxy resin holding the layers together. There are even some shafts made of both steel and graphite. However, you are probably wondering which is best for you? Steel shafts have been used for golf clubs since the 1920's, although earlier versions can be dated back to the turn of the 20th century. Graphite shafts are a relatively new material used in golf, dating back to the late 1960's, but didn't gain...
At one time, courses were only really categorized as private or public Private courses Are for members only. Visitors may play on payment of a Green Fee. Costs of the green fee vary considerably depending on time courses often have twilight rates after a certain time of the day frequently there are Winter rates between certain months of the year. The rate will also vary depending on whether the visitor is introduced by a member or not. Many courses will not allow visitors at the weekend (unless introduced). Some courses do not allow visitors at all, unless they are introduced, but these are a small minority. If in doubt about whether you will be able to play on arrival at a course, or...
Reasons To Enter A Golf Tournament
If you are a beginning golfer and want to someday compete in golf tournaments, practicing everyday will help you realize this dream. Even though it is very easy to sign-up to play in tournaments, once you arrive, you will see who your competition is and just how tough it is to stay in the game until the end. By having limited experience in playing golf, you may be eliminated quickly. There are a few ways to prepare for a golf tournament. The first is to go to a few tournaments to get an idea of what they are like, the types of golfers they attract, and the course you will be playing on. If you have a few months to a year to prepare, play the course a few times to get used to it. Even though the...
Finding the best golf irons in the market is not that easy at all. This is because there are just so many options available in the market that the process of choosing the best ones can become very confusing and tiresome. What's more, a lot of golfers, both the novice and the pro, make the mistake of looking for the best golf clubs in the market. There is no such thing at all. This is because you should place more focus on finding the clubs that work the best for you. Yes, your preferences should be prioritized here, not the reviews of what particular brand of golf clubs professional golfers deem best in the market. So, what then should you look for in golf irons, to ensure that you do have the best...
Ladies Golf Lessons - Girls...About Your Husbands
Ladies, tell me I am lying. Do not all husbands think they are an expert in ladies golf instruction? I have given literally thousands of ladies golf lessons and I always share this discussion very early in our teacher-student relationship. I tell them that they can forget everything that their husband has ever told them about golf instruction. Amazingly, I can see the tension roll out of their shoulders right away and in turn they relax. Let me tell you the couple of "ladies golf lessons" you will hear from your husband and what to tell him to make him happy and let you practice and play golf! Your hubby will say "keep your head down." This is just ridiculous! Golf is an athletic motion which...
As the touring golf pros play their competitive rounds, they are accompanied by two very important accessories; the indispensable caddy and their staff bag. The tour staff bag is an important part of the golfer's arsenal. It easily carries the full component of fourteen clubs and has lots of pockets for golf balls, golf shoes, hats, tees and all the other little pieces of equipment that get the touring prosthrough their rounds. As the pro strolls downthe fairway, the caddy carries the staff bagthat, loaded, can easily weigh over fifty pounds. A golf club staff bag is rarely carried by the average golfer, but happily placed on the golf cart. The more adventurous walkers usually use a Carry Golf Bag...
Cobra Junior Golf Clubs
It's never to early to get a youngster started playing the world's greatest game. Maybe not as early as two years old, when Tiger Woods started playing, but by the age of six there is no reason why children can't be out on the golf links. Tiger Woods actually shot a 48 over nine holes, at the Navy Golf Club in Cypress, California, when he was three years old. Cobra Junior Golf sets ate a great way to give junior golfers a good first golfing experience. These days, junior golf clubs are not just cut down versions of the adult models, but individual and complete sets of quality golfclubs. While the shafts are naturally shorter, another major difference is swing speed. Children aren't as strong as...
Golf Slice Cure
Tee to Tree - The dreaded slice has ruined the attitudes of countless golfers for decades. Although your tee shot may seem ok at first, it starts to curve to the right and becomes hopelessly lost in a frightful collection of looming trees and crackling branches. This is the most common problem for golfers. Diagnosis - It happens because of two basic problems. First, the angle of the club's face is not right upon impact. Second, the path of the club is wrong as you swing down through the ball. There are various reasons that the angle of the clubface can be off and other reasons for a poor swing path. Diagnosing these two problems is the first step and curing them and ending the terrible slice...
Used Golf Clubs, Practice Till Perfect
For someone who has just seen the game on TV, and never played, it might get overwhelming when they want into a sports good store. There will be walls covered with golf clubs, drivers and other accessories. They will not be able to decide which they want, or what is the best pick to help them get going on the sport. For such people, it is best to pick up a set of used golf clubs to start off with. They can then move on to a good new set when they are confident in the game and sure they want to pursue it in the long run. Just because a set of golf clubs are used, doesn't mean they are run down or broken, they could have been used by the previous owner a couple of times before selling it away. For...
When it's time to warm up, some golfers think they need to hit the driving range with everything they've got. In truth, warming up to make your game as effective as it can be means that you work on a variety of swings and become familiar with the conditions. For example, you golf differently on a windy day than if the air is still. You probably play at least a bit different on days when the temperature is raging than when it's cool. Here are some tips from those who hit the courses on a regular basis. Driving is a good way to start, but start slowly. Choose a short iron for your first few drives, giving your muscles a chance to loosen up and to get the feel for the day. Work up to longer drives, but...
Ping Golf Club Clones
Do these golf club knock offsplay like the real deal? Check out Pinemeadow ZR1 Irons. These Ping clones are great golf clubs and downright cheap. Ping golf clubs are the best and Ping is one of the world's premier golfing brands. The originals are designed and engineered by Ping Golf. While they are some of the finest golf clubs on the planet, they are not cheap clubs. If you want to find Ping features in a discount golf club, one option is Ping golf club clones. These cheap golf clubs are made by several manufacturers who practically duplicate the Ping engineering features as part of their manufacturing process. While they do not carry the Ping brand, they certainly have the look and feel of Ping...