Archive for September 2011
World’s Most Exclusive Private Members’ Clubs – Hurlingham Club, London
September 28, 2011 | 
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Founded in 1869, the Hurlingham Club is a very popular sports club in Fulham, London, England. It sits on the banks of the River Thames in Fulham and the beautiful building is the centerpiece of a lush 42-acre plot. The look and feel of Hurlingham isn’t very different than that of a lavish golf course. However, Hurlingham offers much more than simply golf.
Members have tennis courts, croquet, cricket, bowls, squash, and even swimming – indoor or outdoor – to keep them entertained. Apart from football, the club has every essential English sport covered. There’s also a full gymnasium on the grounds, and members also participate in backgammon, bridge and chess matches.
The only way that an individual can gain membership into the club is to be recommended and then seconded by at least two currently full-time members at Hurlingham. Currently, the waiting list for membership is rather long, and the only exceptions made for additional members are children of current members, who receive preferential treatment over others. Currently, Hurlingham has over 10,000 members, and new members are expected to wait over 15 years to be accepted.
Frank Heathcote decided to promote pigeon shooting matches at Hurlingham in 1867 and decided to open up the club. To this day, the pigeon is still the club’s official crest. The Hurlingham Club has managed to avoid the pitfalls of similar establishments. Instead of losing popularity, the sheer size of Hurlingham has enabled it to increase its membership over time. The many different features offered and various celebrities who frequent the club make it a big attraction in England.
The Hurlingham House is more like a palace. Solid bright white gigantic pillars are the first thing noticed on this spacious mansion, and the large porch and Victorian style architecture give it a historic look and feel.
Inside the house, many lavish bedrooms, bathrooms and dining areas make members as comfortable as can be. There are drawing rooms and television rooms indoors, as well as other areas for dining and casual relaxing. However, since it’s a sports club, the lion’s share of the action takes place outside.
All 42 acres of Hurlingham are well-kept. Beautiful purple, yellow and white flowers from the outlying garden match the bright green of the grass and the surrounding forestry perfectly. It’s quite a serene setting for such an active atmosphere. The grass tennis courts are in abundance at Hurlingham, with over 40 to choose from. Famous tennis stars such as Rafael Nadal have stopped in to grace the courts at Hurlingham with their presence.
Various events are planned year-round in Hurlingham. The Bowls and Croquet in August, Salon Prive, 20/20 Triangular Cricket Match, Family Picnic and regular garden parties are all examples of events held on the club’s grounds. Hurlingham is essentially about high-society, and most members are extremely well-to-do and have a taste for the finer things in life.
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Golf Clubs – Which Ones to Put in Your Bag
The rules of golf let you put fourteen clubs in your bag. There are more than fourteen that you could carry, though. If you think carefully about which ones you select, you’ll play better golf. Not to mention, you don’t have to carry all fourteen.
Golf clubs come in set, and we think of putting sets of clubs in the bag: a set of irons, a pair of wedges, a driver and fairway metal, and a putter. Better to consider each club by itself and make it earn its way into your bag by looking at what shots you’ll need to hit and what clubs you need to hit them.
Forty percent of your strokes are putts. Only a putter will do. In it goes. (One)
Since you don’t hit every green, which club would let you hit the greatest amount of those short shots? Probably a wedge with loft in the 52-56 degree range. (Two)
Off the tee? What about your 2-iron or equivalent hybrid iron? You can get the ball in the fairway all day with reasonable distance, and hit it off the fairway, too. Let’s put that one in. (Three)
What about irons? The seven is the easiest iron to hit a long way, and it doubles as a chipping club. Let’s take it. (Four)
While we’re at it, let’s put some more irons in, the ones that are easiest to hit. We already have the 7-iron in the bag, so we’re adding the 6-, 8-, 9-irons and pitching wedge. (Eight)
There is a large gap between your 2-iron/hybrid and the 6-iron. Let’s split it with a 4-iron/hybrid. (Nine)
OK, the driver. Not the easiest club to hit, but a useful one nonetheless. (Ten)
That’s ten clubs. You’d be missing a fairway metal, 3-iron/hybrid, 5-iron, and a third wedge from the traditional set. You don’t hit these clubs too often, and they’re the hardest ones to hit well. Try this. Go out and play a round with the set of ten and see if you really miss the four you left at home.
Here’s a radical way to build your playing set. Play a round with four clubs: one for the tee, one for the fairway, one for around the green, and your putter. The next time after that, add one club. Keep adding one club as you play additional rounds until you find that your scoring is the same as it always was. You’ll surprise yourself at how few clubs you end up with.
Want to hear a story? The first time I ever broke 40 was on the three clubs+putter day at the golf course. Made me think about the other ten.
The Top 3 Comedy Clubs in Houston to See on Your Vacation
Houston may be the home of big oil and cowboys but there is also a very lively comedy scene going on as part of the backdrop of provided by Houston’s nightlife. Comedy clubs have sprung up in the last ten years or so as audiences have demanded better comedies and more performances than the restricted venues were able to provide but it is the older clubs which still dominate the scene in Houston.
If you are a looking for a great night out with good food and excellent food and drink, then a trip to one of the top three comedy spots in Houston is just what the doctor ordered to cure any blues and to set the seal on a great visit to Houston.
Here are the top three comedy nightclubs for you to enjoy in Houston.
The Improve
The Improve has been making them laugh for over 20 years and has a stable of top grade comedians on hand to make sure you laugh the night away. Food is served in the evening with a restricted menu available during the day – make sure you enquire with the venue prior to booking and note there is also a restricted menu available depending on where you sit. One nice touch is that the management has split the venue up into separate sections for smokers and non-smokers.
Minimum age for entry is 18 but remember you must be over 21 to drink alcohol in Texas.
Dinner reservations get priority on the seats but otherwise it is a first come-first served basis so you are recommended to get there early if you want to be sure of getting in. Like the other two comedy venues in Houston, it is commonly sold out so don’t leave it to chance.
The venue is located near downtown Houston and paid valet parking is available if you don’t feel like a short walk from the mall within which the club is located though there is also free parking at the rear of the venue too.
Laff Spot
The Laff Spot runs shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings and combines some of the best comedy acts in town with excellent jazz and fine food. Unlike the Improv which is comedy at its rough and readiest, the Laff Spot is a refined establishment and the food and service are excellent. The club is also completely non-smoking and there is a full waitress service on offer while parking is plentiful in the vicinity.
One feature offered by the Laff Spot is a defensive driving course taken by customers with the team of comedians – the joke is that the certificate you come away with is recognized state and country wide and may end up getting you a reduction in your driver’s insurance premiums!
Houston’s Laff Stop
This is perhaps the premier Houston comedy club and certainly the most expensive. Class comedy acts which are nationally recognized frequently use the Laff Stop as the venue for the Houston leg of their tour and you are well advised to check who is playing before you make a booking. The club claims to be Houston’s laughter central and probably this is not an idle boast but competition amongst the established clubs is fierce!
Food and drink are plentiful too and you can enjoy a great evening’s entertainment which also includes plenty of time for music and dancing if you are not inclined to simply have gags thrown at you while sitting around all evening. Comedy show nights are Thursday, Friday and Saturday while they have an open mic night on Wednesdays if you are brave enough to face a crowd for real from the other side of the stage lights.