USGA Finalizes 2020 Championship Schedule

The USGA announced several updates to its 2020 championship schedule as the organization continues to reconfigure its season due to uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.  

 

The 120th U.S. Women’s Amateur, scheduled for Aug. 3-9 at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md., and the 120th U.S. Amateur, scheduled for Aug. 10-16 at Bandon (Ore.) Dunes Golf Resort, will be conducted as scheduled, provided that CDC recommendations and state and local government guidelines make it possible to do so. 

SkyCaddie Offers $50 off the Award Winning SX500 and SX400 Rangefinders for Fathers Day

SkyGolf®, maker of SkyCaddie®, the most-trusted rangefinders in golf, is offering a special Father’s Day promotion of $50 off the award-winning SkyCaddie SX500 and SX400 rangefinders through July 6, 2020. 

“With more golf courses opening during this pandemic, golf is a great way to have fun, get fresh air, and exercise, all while maintaining proper social distancing,” said Jacqui Surman, SkyGolf SVP, International Sales & Marketing. “We’d like to help you give your dad the gift of better golf with a SkyCaddie rangefinder this Father’s Day. Your dad will thank you for helping improve his game with accurate golf course information. Take advantage of our special promotion and receive $50 off a brand new SkyCaddie SX500 or SX400, the most powerful and visually dynamic golf course GPS products on the market today.” 

NGF COVID-19 Update: Golfer Anxiety About Return to Retail Lessens as Stores Reopen

As the percentage of golf retail stores open to foot traffic continues to increase, a growing number of golfers indicate their concern for visiting physical store locations is subsiding, according to the National Golf Foundation’s latest industry-wide surveys. 

 

Approximately 80% of off-course golf retail stores are open to customers, up from 61% two weeks ago. All but 4% of the 6.5 million square feet of total off-course golf specialty space had been closed to in-store traffic in early April, even as more than 40% of courses remained open for play. 

Tour Edge Announced Limited Edition “Straight From the Tour Van” Exotics EXS Pro Forged Irons, EXS Blade Irons/Blade Wedges

Tour Edge officially introduces the Exotics EXS Pro Forged Irons, EXS Blade Irons and EXS Blade Wedges featuring forged designs with CNC milling. 

 

The tour-inspired irons feature the very latest in golf club design innovation for the highest levels of ultra-premium performance from the company that has earned 22 victories and over 150 different players using their equipment on the PGA Tours. 

Volvik Offers ViMAX Soft Special

Volvik USA (volvik.com), a rapidly-growing, premium high-performance golf ball company, is offering a special on its ViMAX Soft golf balls. Now through July 6, a bundle of two dozen balls can be purchased for $35. High-visibility matte color options include green, red, orange and yellow. 

 

“This is a good opportunity for golfers to try the Volvik ViMAX Soft golf ball, which provides superior distance along with soft feel,” said Wes Whittingham, vice president of sales for Volvik USA. “Players will notice improved focus with the super-visibility matte colors that enhance concentration.” 

Bag Boy Unveils Patriotic Limited Edition USA Bags

Bag Boy is excited to announce they have released two new USA Limited Edition bags. The cart bag and the hybrid bag both have an allover patriotic print and feature Top-Lok technology. 

 

“USA-themed golf products always go over very well with our customers,” said Perry Hilbert, Sales Manager at Bag Boy. “These bags are perfect for the upcoming July 4th holiday.” 

USGA Welcomes Class of 2020 P.J. Boatwright Interns

The USGA continues its commitment to cultivating future leaders in the golf industry by funding more than 125 paid internships in 2020 through the P.J. Boatwright Internship Program. 

 

Since the program’s inception in 1991, the USGA has invested nearly $30 million to provide college students and other qualified applicants with hands-on experience as staff members at the USGA’s network of Allied Golf Associations (AGAs). The value of the internship funding in 2020 totals $1.7 million. 

2020 John Deere Classic Canceled Due To Area Restrictions and Related Concerns

Citing ongoing local and state-related challenges related to gathering restrictions, the John Deere Classic, title sponsor John Deere and the PGA TOUR announced today that the 2020 tournament, scheduled for July 9-12, has been canceled. It is set to return to the PGA TOUR schedule in 2021 with its 50th playing. 

 

As a result of this decision, the PGA TOUR announced that it will fill the week vacated by the John Deere Classic with a new tournament. The TOUR will provide details in the near future on the venue and location. 

PGA TOUR 2K21 Tees Off Worldwide on August 21

2K crushed a long drive this week with the announcement that PGA TOUR® 2K21, its forthcoming, officially licensed golf simulation video game, is currently scheduled for worldwide release on Friday, August 21, 2020 for the PlayStation®4 system, the Xbox One family of devices, including the Xbox One X and Windows PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch™ system*and Stadia. 

 

Featuring decorated PGA TOUR pro Justin Thomas as the cover athlete, PGA TOUR 2K21 heralds the return of the great golf video game that fans have been missing. Developed by HB Studios, the studio behind The Golf Club 2019 Featuring PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR 2K21 marks the evolution of The Golf Club franchise and will include 15 licensed PGA TOUR courses, each of which was scanned using cutting-edge technology to bring the fairways, greens, bunkers, trees, lakes and ponds to life. Players can also trick out their own greens and fairways with thousands of custom options in the Course Designer. Fans can reserve their tee time now by pre-ordering PGA TOUR 2K21 at participating retailers. 

NGF COVID-19 Update: Golf Retail Store Openings Jump to 75-Percent

The percentage of off-course golf specialty stores open to foot traffic jumped from 61% to 75% last week in the National Golf Foundation’s latest industry-wide surveys. On-course pro shops are following close behind with 63% now open, up from 52% the prior week. 

 

Even with some occupancy limitations not unlike restaurants, this reopening for business comes just in time for an important equipment buying period – mid-May to mid-June. NGF’s ongoing customer research shows personal financial outlooks are inching optimistically upward, while golf equipment-related searches on Google have begun to resemble “normal” for this time of year. 

Club Champion Reopening Nationwide In Phases With Promotion

Custom club fitter and builder Club Champion is in the midst of a phased store reopening program as retailers are being allowed to resume operations. To ensure golfers are ready for the season, the company is offering a free, Tour-level custom club fitting with an equipment purchase of $500 or more for a limited time only. 

 

Like other retailers, Club Champion experienced significant closures as state and local mandates required residents to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic. At one time in April, all but five stores were closed, including their Chicagoland operations facility. Though able to continue assembling custom clubs from remote locations, Club Champion’s fitting services were limited by stay-at-home mandates and inventory restrictions due to manufacturer closures. Now, the company is hoping as many as 55 of their 74 locations will be open by Memorial Day. Locations remaining closed will reopen per local retail guidelines; however, booking future appointments is encouraged. 

NGF COVID-19 Update: Golf Course Openings Top 90-Percent as Retail Continues Comeback

The National Golf Foundation’s seventh week of nationwide surveys found that 91% of U.S. golf courses were open last week amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with all 50 states now allowing golf to be played. 

 

Since the last week of April, a dozen states have lifted statewide bans on golf while others – most notably California and Florida – have eased significant local restrictions. There are still some local government orders keeping golf closed in metro areas like New York City, Washington D.C. and Chicago, but the latest projection from NGF researchers indicate 95% of courses will be open for at least some level of play by next week. In early April, only 44% of courses were open and as many as 19 states had noteworthy limitations on golf operations last month. 

Travis Mathew Launches New Omni Channel Customer Experience - Cuater Golf Belt Giveaway

You may have noticed the Travis Mathew website was down for a few days.  Well that's because they were working on the launch of an all-new, omni-channel shopping experience.  And the resulting multi-brand website is just loaded with new features, content, and incredible perks. 

 

And to celebrate the exciting improvements, I'm giving away two Cuater by Travis Mathew golf belts.  The VooDoo (Black) and The Central (Grey), are both stretch, rope weaves for a flexible fit.  We'll get to how you can enter to win these below, but first let's hit on some of the great benefits and more connected shopping experience you'll have at Travis Mathew, both on-line and in store. 

Ready to Roll with Club Champion Giveaway: Putter Fitting, Full Bag Fitting, and Custom Putter of Your Choice

All 50 states have re-opened golf courses this week, and that's cause to rejoice as responsible golfers around the world are again ready to roll. 

 

And to help you start your season the right way, I'm hooking up three people with free fittings at Club Champion.  Two winners will receive a Full Putter Fitting.  And one Grand Prize Winner will receive a Complete Bag Fitting (driver, woods, irons, wedges, and putter), and also choose Any Custom Putter you want. 

Bridgestone Golf Releases Limited Edition e12 Soft Patriot Pack Golf Balls to Celebrate 15 Year Relationship with Tee it Up for the Troops

Bridgestone Golf, the #1 Ball-Fitter in Golf, unveiled today its new Limited Edition e12 SOFT Patriot Pack supporting Tee It Up for the Troops.  The Patriot Pack features a dozen of the award-winning e12 SOFT white golf balls and a bonus sleeve of the popular e12 SOFT Matte Red, all housed in a red, white and blue themed package that any American patriot would be proud to display.  A portion of proceeds from sales will benefit Tee It Up for the Troops. 

 

Tee It Up for the Troops is a national non-profit organization that has donated greater than $11 million to programs that deliver critical services to help veterans from all eras heal and transition from the battlefront to the home front.  Through its REUNION Outreach Program and other partnering veteran service organizations, Tee It Up for the Troops provides support for six critical areas of need for veterans and their families: Golf and Sports Rehabilitation, Suicide Prevention, PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injuries, Employment, Housing/Homelessness, and Family/Caregiver Support. Hosting more than 50 charity events held in over 40 states annually, Tee It Up for the Troops considers it a privilege to honor, remember, respect, and support all those who serve(d) in the United States Armed Forces. 

Mamma Mia: Duca del Cosma Offering Special Mother's Day Deals

Italians adore their mothers. Which is why Italian golf fashion brand Duca del Cosma, a recent arrival in the U.S. golf market, is offering a generous 20% discount on any purchases from its SS20 line of shoes for women golfers to coincide with Mother’s Day this weekend. 

 

The attractive offer on the distinctive premium leather shoes is valid until Sunday, 10 May and  activated with a special code: MOM20. 

NGF COVID-19 Update: Golf Courses Now 79% Open and Retail Is Following

The National Golf Foundation’s sixth week of nationwide surveys found that 79% of U.S. golf courses were open for play last week amid the coronavirus pandemic, a significant jump from 58% the previous week. 

 

The biggest change was in the Mid-Atlantic U.S census region, where Pennsylvania and New Jersey – which have more than 1,000 courses between them – both permitted play to resume. In total, seven states allowed golf courses to reopen on May 1 and 2, while an increasing number of California counties continued to lift restrictions on golf and additional courses opened over the past week in states such as New York, Florida, Wisconsin and Michigan. 

Ben Hogan Golf Introduces Two New Long Iron Alternatives

Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company has introduced two long iron alternative products, the UiHi Utility Irons and the VKTR+ Hybrids, designed for serious golfers who may not be comfortable hitting lower-lofted irons.  Both products, which are offered in 18, 22 and 26 degree lofts to replace traditional 3/4/5 irons, join the new ICON blades and the Award-Winning PTx PRO irons in creating a highly anticipated Player’s Combo Set offering that has been long demanded by Ben Hogan Golf customers. 

 

The UiHi utility club was engineered to be incredibly easy-to-hit with the same kind of controlled swing golfers would take with shorter irons. The UiHi’s hollow head dimensions are larger to instill confidence and make the club appear to be more highly-lofted. UiHi’s two-piece forged construction features a deep cavity and a low-and-rearward center of gravity that helps get shots airborne quickly, while it is extremely forgiving. 

Club Champion Opens Four New Stores

Custom club fitter Club Champion announces the opening of four new fitting studios, located in Greenville, SC; Providence, RI; Westminster, CO; and Winston-Salem, NC. The Providence store is the first Club Champion studio in Rhode Island. 

 

Club Champion fits, sells and builds custom golf clubs using brands like Callaway, TaylorMade, Ping, Titleist, Cobra, Fujikura, Golf Pride and many more. The company delivers a Tour-quality fitting that produces longer, more accurate shots with a nearly 100% satisfaction rate for golfers of any ability level. 

PGAPappas Golf Stimulus Package (Wave 5): All Together Now with Golf Pride Grips

You've heard it a lot over the last few months of the pandemic.  We're all in this together.  Taking care of ourselves, giving comfort to others.  Pretty much taking care of the things we can control.  And in this fast-evolving situation with many moving parts, we're doing a pretty good job of it all. 

 

Comfort and control is equally essential with your golf grips.  And your hands working together are what synchronize the various moving parts of your golf swing.  So that's why Wave 5 of my PGAPappas Golf Stimulus Package will include two full sets of new grips from Golf Pride.