Like any other corporate enterprise, casinos are the entertainment business that aims at generating money and increase their bottom line. Casinos unlike a supermarket or any retail outlet, cannot announce a season for sale or cut down the prices to garner potential customer to generate more business instead they work on the principle of playing more and earning more which means that the more you play the more money the casino will make in the long run. They completely depend on promotions and special events that will attract you and once they can get you into the casino their aim is to entice you to play longer to grab the several alluring offers. The whole theme of casinos to make their money is based on the mouth watering concept to make maximum inflow of revenues.
Offering entertaining games, incentives or rewards for your play allows the casinos to keep the player involve for longer. The casino executives attend the gaming show in Las Vegas and try to find the next new hot slot machine or table game that will capture the interest from the players each year. The incentives or rewards given by casino are in the form of comps or freebies to the players. It is sad to know that some players make a mistake to mix up their personal worth with their comp level but the casinos do nothing to dispel such wrong notions because such wrong ideas help the casino to achieve their goal of getting the people to play longer.
Among the players there are some who does not know the purpose of comp and mistakenly compare their self worth with the level of comps they are receiving from the casino. They believe that comps symbolize their status. The fact is that the casinos issue comps to those players who are the biggest losers over all. Surely anyone would be surprise at the amenities they are provided with after being a loser but they are paying for them in the long run. The issuing of comps is one of the greatest marketing tools that the casinos have devised that directly touches one's emotion and feelings of being recognized and appreciated. As stated earlier that casinos are here for business and issuing comp is a profitable business decision with alluring features that the casinos have of rewarding some of their biggest customers to keep their business going.
Casino comps are just a discount based on the money you spend. Therefore it is suggested that have fun and take whatever comps come your way except that stop erring your comp level as your personal status.
Are You Getting Shafted?
Copyright (c) 2007 Jack Moorehouse
Players taking golf lessons sometimes ask me about shafts. They wonder if using different shafts really matters. It's a good question. My answer: it probably matters more for professional golfers, like Phil Mickelson or Ernie Els, than it does for recreational golfers, like you and me. Matters, but it does matter for recreational golfers, which is why I cover them in my golf tips.
Most major manufacturers think so, too. That's why they work with top companies to produce shafts designed specifically for their clubs, especially when it comes to metal drivers. Manufacturers want to make sure golfers get the most out of their clubs, so they invest the time, effort, and money to find a good shaft. Rest assured, you're getting something decent with the club, something that can help lower your golf handicap.
Unfortunately, stock shafts are designed to accommodate groups of players, not the individual. The question is whether the shaft's flex profile sufficiently matches your swing. Two players with identical swing speeds might need different shafts that still measure at the same overall stiffness. A golfer with a short swing requires a stiffer tip, while a player with a long swing needs a softer tip with a stiffer butt section. The first thing you need to do, then, is determine if the shaft you're using is right for you.
Five Telltale Signs
How can you tell if the shafts on you clubs are right for you? Here are five telltale signs that you're using the wrong shaft:
1. Center hits don't feel solid
2. Ball starts out low; takes off midway in flight
3. You swing easier or harder to make the club feel right
4. Bad shots curve differently compared to other shots
5. Trajectory is either too low or too high
If you're experiencing these signs, chances are you have the wrong shafts. However, don't go running to your local sports store to buy new clubs just yet. First, make sure your problems are shaft-related, not swing-related, which you can do by working with a professional teacher. If the shafts are not right for your swing and your serious about golf, then you'll need new shafts. What are the key considerations when choosing new shafts?
Considerations
Material of construction is one. Shafts come in either steel or graphite. Steel is a more durable and reliable than graphite. It's also less expensive and heavier, and has a lower torque rating than graphite. Graphite offers improved club head speed, better shock absorption, and increased flex. Since it has a better torque rating than steel, graphite increases the range of choices for golfers.
Flex is another key consideration with shafts. Flex is a shaft's ability to bend during the golf swing, as I've explained in my golf tips. It may be the most important consideration of all. Of course, you can't actually see the bend in the shaft with the naked eye. Its bend is subtle and brought about by the force and weight of the club head as it swings. But it's there. Flex ratings are generally categorized as follows: Ladies (L), Regular (R), Senior (S), and Extra Stiff (XS).
Shaft Frequency
Unfortunately, flex ratings aren't always consistent. One company's regular is another company's stiff. So many people use shaft frequency to measure flex. Shaft frequency is a more precise measurement of flex. Taken by a machine, shaft frequency is the number of times a shaft oscillates, either vertically or horizontally, known as cycles per minute, or CPM. A shaft with a higher frequency (more CPMs) is stiffer than one with a lower frequency (fewer CPMs).
By using frequency, you can tell which shaft is stiffer and by how much. Typically, there are 10 cycles between shaft flexes. Thus, if one shaft registers 250 on a frequency machine and another 270, there's a two-flex shaft difference between the two clubs, regardless of what the manufacturer says. By assigning a specific frequency number to a shaft, you can get a better gauge on the flexibility between different shafts.
Usually a player with a fast swing requires a shaft with less flex. Those with a slower swing needs a shaft with greater flex. Its important to determine the correct flex for your swing. Shaft flex can affect the accuracy and distance of your shots. So if you have a flex that doesn't match your swing characteristic, your shots may not hit their desired target.
Cost and Consistencies
Cost is a third consideration when it comes to shafts. By experimenting with expensive composites, layering, and fiber direction shaft makers can tailor things like flex while minimizing deformation. The slightest undesirable can magnify inconsistencies in a swing. However, the cost of chasing these consistencies, which often exceed the players swing consistencies, is often extremely expensive. Other key considerations with shafts are torsional resistance and weight.
Ultimately, the choice of a new shaft will come down to feel. One way to find the right feel is to take your favorite club, one that you hit well and feels right, and copy that shaft for your other clubs. Remember, having the right equipment in golf is important. It can go a long way toward cutting your golf handicap down to a respectable level.
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Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros." He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.
Roger Federer Wins Wimbledon
Roger Federer wowed crowds at this year's Wimbledon to win his fifth men's finals, casting a ray of sunshine into a stadium nestled beneath gray and cloudy skies. The 2007 Championship matches saw invigorating and exciting plays made by names who have become household words across the globe, among them Rafael Nadal, his rival for the win. Nadal, originally from Majorca, gave Federer quite a handful in the final as their volleys matched power and technique that kept fans riveted.
Federer, the 26-year-old from Switzerland, turned professional in 1998 and is currently ranked number one in singles play. He holds the second position for the ATP Championship year. Federer seems to play better alone, for in doubles competition he holds the 24th position. As a singles player, Federer shines with 48 titles. Since he began his gifted career he has won over 500 matches and has earned over 30 million in U.S. dollars.
The man who's given him a run for his money this year, rival Rafael Nadal, was born in Manacor, Mallorca, in 1986, and is five years younger than Federer. Nadal, a left handed palyer, currently ranks number two in singles play. He holds the number one spot for the ATP Championship position and has over 200 match wins under his belt since he turned professional in 2001. After Wimbledon Rafael was heading home to his native Majorca for a break on the Spanish holiday island.
The breathtaking final between the two took almost four hours, with Federer finally winning 7-6; 4-6; 7-6; 2-6; 6-2. The match pitting two such gifted players against each other proved one of the best matches crowds at Wimbledon have seen in a while. The match drew a standing ovation upon its completion, and both Federer and Nadal can be congratulated on outstanding play as crowd favorites for 2007.
Federer with this win earned his fifth title championship, and the opportunity to compete with tennis great Bjorn Borg, who also won five straight tennis championships. This was a lifetime achievement for Federer, who all but collapsed due to the physical and emotional conclusion to his awe-inspiring play at the end of the match. Borg, watching from the Royal Box, was among those who stood to congratulate the exhausted player after completion of the final.
Once it was over, Federer honored his rival with the words, "It was such a close match. I told him at the net that he deserved it as well. I'm the lucky one today."
Luck may have a little something to do with his win, but skill and determination takes precedence over Federer's excellent play. It was a very tough match for him, but his refusal to crumple and his determination to excel kept the crowd on the edge of their seats for the duration of the match.
The competitive rivalry between Federer and Nadal will more than likely continue to draw crowds, as this Wimbledon match has gone down in history. Two extremely gifted and dedicated players; both Federer and Nadal honor their home countries with their skills, competitive spirit and sheer joy of the sport of tennis.
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The island is a popular holiday destination, and includes hotels and holidays with Thomson holidays plus a good choice of flights, holidays and hotels with Thomas Cook holidays who have been offering package holiday trips longer than any other company in the world.