You enter a golf store and are overwhelmed with all the irons, woods, putters and wedges that you see along with the golf balls, clothing and other golf accessories. If you are just starting to play golf, the task of selecting the golf clubs that would work for you could be a bit challenging.

First, you would need to know what a set of clubs is made up of. There are four main types of golf clubs: the Woods, the Irons, the Wedges and the Putter. Today, you may also come across hybrid clubs. A hybrid club is a cross of a wood and an iron. People who are having a hard time hitting their long irons, like a 2 or 3 iron, prefer to use these clubs. You are allowed to have up to 14 clubs and could be in any combination. An example of a good combination for your golf clubs would be one driver, one 4 wood, 3 through 9 iron, a lob wedge, a gap wedge, a sand wedge, a pitching wedge and one putter. However, the combination would entirely be up to you or the golfer as different combinations work for different people.

You then need to know your available options as you buy your golf clubs. You can either buy used or new. Although you would definitely save more if you choose to buy used golf clubs, you may encounter some issues like cracked shafts, worn grips and other problems that a new set would surely not have. If you are buying your first set, it usually makes more sense to buy new ones.

After deciding on buying a new or old set, you now have to decide if you will be getting a complete set or will just buy individual clubs by your own to make one set. Putting together your own set would be a bit more expensive compared to just buying a set of clubs that is already complete. Purchasing a complete set also saves you the hassle and the time in making decisions.

If you are a beginner, it is recommended to buy the complete starter set, which includes one driver, a 3 wood, a 5 wood, the 3 through 9 irons, one pitching wedge and your putter. This could also include one sand wedge and a bag for your golf clubs. Although this set only has 11 or 12 clubs, as your game progresses, you could decide for yourself on which club to add to your set. You could eventually add a 2 iron, another wedge or a hybrid club.

Keep in mind that getting expensive golf clubs will not improve your game or help you play better. You should not spend $300 on just one driver if you could spend a lot less to get everything you need in one package. Getting a complete set would be the best option to save you money that would later on need for replacing lost golf balls.

The age-old traditions of the Red Dao people, a hill tribe known for its medicinal culture and expert herbalists, infuse an all natural spa in the mountains.

After a long day of hiking the steep hills and terraced rice paddies of the mountains around Sapa, an all-natural herbal steam bath was just what my aching muscles needed.

At Red Dao Spa, I was led into a small bath full of fragrant steam wafting from the large wooden tub. First, I washed down with some herb-infused water, a dark reddish color, and then sat in the warm water for a 20 minute soak.

The Red Dao people in Sapa are known as the best herbalists in the area thanks to a vibrant medicinal culture centered on herbal remedies. Living near thick forests, Red Dao communities have taken advantage of the rich source of medicine to keep them healthy and full of energy. The Red Dao use herbs to treat everything from flu to skin diseases and muscle problems.

For generations, the Red Dao people have used traditional herbal spas to treat a variety of ailments. Their baths include ten different kinds of herbs collected fresh from the forest before each soak.

The leaves, some fresh but some dried, are boiled for 3-4 hours. Then they are mixed with fresh water at 30-37oC. The bathtub, put in a small room to keep the steam and fragrance of the herbs, is usually made from fir or another aromatic wood.

Therapy

Red Dao Spa is run by Sapa local Ly Lao Lo in Ta Chai Village, Ta Phin Commune, around 12 kilometers from the center of the town.

The spa is small and sparsely furnished, but welcoming and comfortable. I visited after a Sapa woman suggested the place.

Once I arrived, I was briefed about the history of the herbal therapies I would be given and the properties of each herb.

Then I had my soak. Sitting in the warm, red water, I felt all my senses tingle and my muscles eased and relaxed. A soothing feeling crept up and down my body. After 20 minutes, I was thoroughly relaxed.

Goldmine

The only problem with Sapa’s new Red Dao-style spas is that there are a lot of them and it’s not easy to tell which ones are authentic.

“The thing that worries me is if people sell the service when they don’t really understand it and do not use the herbs properly,” said Lo.

“It also saddens me to see villagers working very hard to collect the herbs when the spas don’t pay them very well.”

With help from doctors at the Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Lo has also established a small company producing soap with traditional Red Dao herbs and leaves. To make the product, which can be found in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Lo has hired some 40 families in his village to grow the herbs themselves.

Try the true Dao’s spa at:

Red Dao Spa: Ta Chai Village, Ta Phin Commune, Sa Pa District, Lao Cai Province

Tel: (020) 871 756/098 897 5704

Tour to Sapa can be booked at:

ACTIVE TRAVEL VIETNAM

31 Alley 4, Dang Van Ngu St., Hanoi

367 Ngo Quyen St., Son Tra Dist., Da Nang

50 Bis Co Bac St., Dist. 1, HCMC

Support number (24/7 service): (04) 3 573 8569

www.activetravelvietnam.com



Source: VietNamNet/Thanh Nien

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