Seeding and Validation for the New Titleist SM8 Wedges Begins this Week

This week at the PGA Tour's RSM Classic, the new Vokey Design SM8 wedges will be made available to tour players for the first time. 

 

This marks the start of Titleist's tour seeding and validation process for the next generation Vokey Design models, the most played wedges on tour since 2004 and counting.  It is the PGA Tour's longest-running golf club success story. 

Cobra Golf SPEEDZONE Drivers Preview: Cobra's Fastest, Most Technologically Advanced Driver Family

Cobra Golf has introduced its new SPEEDZONE Drivers, the company's fastest and most powerful drivers to date. 

 

Taking inspiration from design attributes of the fastest cars in the world, COBRA optimized six unique zones of performance to deliver unrivaled speed and distance in two new drivers, the KING SPEEDZONE and the KING SPEEDZONE XTREME. 

Cobra Golf F-MAX Airspeed Woods, Hybrids, and Irons Preview: Lightweight, Forgiving, and Easy to Hit

Cobra Golf has announced its newest iteration of its popular F-MAX franchise, including the company’s lightest, most forgiving, and easiest to hit drivers, woods, hybrids, and irons in their history.  

 

The new F-MAX AIRSPEED drivers and fairways deliver a new level of lightweight performance, maximizing clubhead speed, distance and forgiveness for players with moderate swing speeds.  While the F-MAX AIRSPEED irons and combo sets deliver a lighter overall club weight, added forgiveness and ease of use over their predecessors. 

Cobra Golf Signed Major Champion Jason Dufner to Multi-year Partnership

COBRA Golf announced the newest member to its tour team, five-time PGA TOUR winner and Major Champion, Jason Dufner.  

 

The brand signed Dufner to a multi-year partnership that will see the 2013 PGA Championship winner on the course with COBRA clubs and a COBRA bag. 

Bettinardi Golf Unveils Next Gen BB Series and Inovai Putters

Bettinardi Golf has announced the Next Generation 2020 BB Series and INOVAI 6.0 putters from master club maker Robert J. Bettinardi and Sam Bettinardi. 

 

Following another successful year on tour with six professional victories, Bettinardi Golf has taken direct input from the world's best golfers, expanded R&D, and introduced new milling techniques from their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility just outside of Chicago, IL, to bring amateur golfers the advanced 2020 lineup. 

Tour Edge Staff Player Scott McCarron Captures 2019 Charles Schwab Cup

Three victories.  Three runner-up finishes.  14 Top 10 finishes.  Over $2.5 million dollars in prize money earned. 

 

It was an incredible season for Tour Edge staff professional Scott McCarron.  He had been the No. 1 ranked player on the PGA Tour Champions since his first win of the season in April. 

Aerotech SteelFiber Shafts Score First and Second Place Finishes at LPGA Swinging Skirts

Aerotech SteelFiber shafts claimed first and second place finishes last week at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts on the LPGA. 

 

Nelly Korda played SteelFiber i80 shafts in her irons to defend her 2018 title, while Minjee Lee finished runner-up and also used SteelFiber i80 shafts. 

Bag Boy Unveils New Shield Bag

Bag Boy is thrilled to unveil its newest bag, the Shield cart bag.  The Shield's most compelling element is its unique hard-shell bag design. 

 

The Shield cart bag is a brand-new bag with a modern twist.  The Shield utilizes its exclusive hard ABS finish to highlight its new classic, sleek design from top to bottom.  Aside from being a captivating bag, it's also practical.  The hard ABS shell serves as a protective armor for precious valuables inside the bag. 

SIK Golf Captures Third Victory of 2019 at the Bermuda Championship

SIK Golf captured its eighth PGA TOUR victory and third this year at the Bermuda Championship this past weekend. 

 

Using a SIK Pro C-Series putter, Brendon Todd shot 62 and recorded seven straight birdies on the front-9 to capture the second PGA TOUR victory of his career.  Todd ranked 1st in Birdies (with 27), and 3rd in Putts per Greens in Regulation for the tournament. 

Tiger Woods WITB What's In The Bag: The Golf Equipment Woods Used to Win the 2019 Zozo Championship

History.  Tiger Woods incredible career reached a new milestone in Japan this week when he won the Zozo Championship and his 82nd career PGA Tour victory, tying him with Sam Snead for the all-time lead. 

 

The 43-year old Woods took less time than Snead to achieve this feat, who was 52 when he won for the final time.  Woods return to Japan also marked his return from another knee surgery, which the 15-time major champion called the most challenging surgical comeback of his career. 

Tiger Trusts Bridgestone Golf Engineering On Journey To Most Ever Career PGA Tour Wins

Tiger Woods authored another page in the annals of golf history this weekend, as he used his Bridgestone TOUR B XS ball to earn his 82nd PGA TOUR victory, tying him with Sam Snead for the most all-time, at the TOUR's first ever official event to be contested in Japan.  

 

Remarkably, Woods' win at the Zozo Championship means he's achieved his 82 wins in 66 fewer starts than it took Snead.  Woods' first win of the new season also gives Bridgestone its first of the 2019-20 wraparound schedule, as Bridgestone looks to continue the incredible success and momentum it achieved last season. 

Mitsubishi Golf Continues Winning Ways on PGA and European Tour

If you follow along with my weekly PGA Tour winner's WITB, you'll notice Mistubishi and Aldila shafts have been on a victory streak that pretty much is complete domination.  But there's even more to be impressed about this than meets the eye. 

 

First, of course is that Mitsubishi and Aldila are winning so frequently and consistently.  It's almost freakish.  Second, these players are not endorsed by Mitsubishi or Aldila, they're choosing to play these shafts without any monetary incentive.  And finally, and maybe most significant, Mitsubishi and Aldila shafts actually play a significant role in the outcome of events. 

SkyCaddie SX400 Handheld GPS Rangefinder Preview: Powerful Features in More Compact Size

SkyGolf has released the new SkyCaddie SX400, designed to give golfers the same great features found in their popular SX500 model in a more compact size.  With a full high-definition 4-inch touch screen driven by an ultra-fast multi-core processor, the SkyCaddie SX400 joins the SX500 to deliver the most powerful way to measure yardage while providing the very "best view" in golf. 

 

Last year, SkyGolf introduced the 20th anniversary limited edition SX500, with the fastest processor, best battery life and the largest and most vivid display in the industry.  And some players on the European Seniors Staysure Tour said they no longer needed their laser or even yardage books as the SX500 provides all the information they need in a faster and easier way so they can focus on playing their best golf. 

Callaway Golf Super Hybrid Preview: The Power of a Fairway Wood Now Lives in a Hybrid

Callaway Golf has set a performance milestone in the hybrid category of clubs by designing a new Super Hybrid that delivers the power of a fairway wood. 

 

To achieve this kind of power, Callaway designed the Super Hybrid with an all titanium body instead of steel used in many hybrids. 

Aerotech Golf Gener8 Graphite Iron Shafts Preview: A New Level of Consistency in Lightweight Shafts

Aerotech Golf is releasing new graphite irons shafts named Gener8, which are specifically designed for mid-to-high handicappers looking for longer, higher, and more consistent ball flights. 

 

Featuring a unique Seamless Filament Wound (SFW) Core Technology with a higher elastic composite micro-fiber outer veil, Gener8 graphite iron shafts deliver maximum distance and ultimate control. 

Adidas Golf Tour360 XT Primeknit Shoes Review: King of the Course in Lightweight Comfort and Performance

Knit golf shoes are growing in popularity, but questions naturally arise about their performance in wet weather and stability compared to traditional leather shoes. 

 

I've played multiple rounds now in the new Adidas Golf Tour 360 XT Primeknit shoes, probably walking a good 25,000 yards in them.  And these are indisputably the best in their class, even rivaling performance in a non-knit golf shoe. 

SIK Golf Captures 7th PGA Tour Victory in Last Two Years

SIK Golf captured its seventh victory on the PGA Tour this past weekend at the Houston Open when Lanto Griffin broke through for his first career Tour win. 

 

Using a SIK Flo putter, Griffin dropped a 33-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th hole to grab a one stroke lead, and then sank a clutch six-foot putt on the final hole for the win, making it seven victories on Tour for SIK in the last two years. 

Golf's Sweet Spot is Generation G: The Most Vital Age Group for the Golf Industry

Are you familiar with Generation G?  If you work in the golf business, you should be. 

 

Some in the golf industry look at the wave of retiring Baby Boomers as an economic windfall, while others expect a sharp falloff in business after they're gone.  Millennials have garnered plenty of attention too, and many of the industry's development programs are focused on juniors.  But the real sweet spot for golf businesses?  That's the Golf Generation, or Gen G. 

National Golf Foundation Reports More than 7.5 Million U.S. Golfers Bought at Least One New Club Last Year: How Old Are Your Golf Clubs?

Equipment manufacturers release their newest lines of clubs almost every year, from from drivers and putters to iron sets and wedges. 

 

And the National Golf Foundation reported that almost one-third of the approximately 24 million U.S. golfers bought at least one brand new club in the past year. 

The oldest average club(s) in a golfer's bag are their irons (5 years), followed by their putter (4.5 years), and then driver (4 years).  Did you buy a new club in the past year?  And what's the oldest club(s) in your bag?

National Golf Foundation Reports 4 Million U.S. Golfers Took Lessons Last Year: Representing Almost 17 Percent of the Overall Participation Base

The positives of an improving golfer are plentiful .  Most notably, they express increased comfort and confidence, while playing more frequently and spending more money on the game. 

 

And according to a report by the National Golf Foundation, the quest to get better led more than four million golfers to take lessons last year in the U.S., a figure that represents almost 17-percent of the overall participation base. 

Golf Datatech Reports August 2019 Rounds of Golf Played Up Compared to Last Year

The National Golf Foundation and Datatech Golf have reported that rounds of golf for August 2019 were up 3.5-percent compared to the same period last year, although the increase is attributable at least in part to more favorable weather conditions than a year ago. 

 

While the August increase brought the year-to-date rounds-played total up, it's now flat compared to the first three quarters of 2018, which overall was a down year.  The total rounds-played number dipped to 434 million last year after hovering around 460 million the previous five years, a decline caused in part by the third-wettest year for the continental U.S. dating back to 1895. 

COBRA Golf T-RAIL Iron Hybrid Preview: Baffler Rail Technology Used to Design COBRA's First All Hollow Iron-Hybrid Set

Cobra Golf is releasing their first all-hollow iron-hybrid set called T-RAIL (Transitional Rail) to take super game improvement clubs to the next level.  T-RAIL combines the forgiveness of a COBRA Baffler hybrid with the precision of an iron in a one-of-a-kind set of clubs that are designed for anyone looking for a better game. 

 

The COBRA T-RAIL irons fuse a hollow, hybrid shape with an iron face and topline, creating an iron-hybrid design that delivers the perfect blend of distance, forgiveness and accuracy.  A hollow body construction creates a lower, deeper CG than traditional cavity-back iron designs allow and makes getting the ball airborne and on the desired target line easier than ever before. 

Next Gen COBRA Golf KING Forged Tec Irons Preview: A Powerful Combination of Accuracy, Feel, Distance, and Forgiveness

COBRA Golf is releasing its next generation 2020 KING Forged TEC irons featuring a traditional muscle-back shape with a hollow design for softer feel and improved power. 

 

Available in a variable or ONE Length set make-up, the new gen KING Forged Tex irons fuse a classic look with modern, cutting-edge face, finish and feel technologies, to provide golfers with the ideal balance of precision and distance. 

Mitsubishi and Aldila Shafts Pick Up Two More Victories on the PGA and European Tours

Mitsubishi and Aldila golf shafts picked up two victories on the PGA Tour and European Tour this weekend when Lanto Griffin won the Houston Open, and Bernd Wiesberger won the Italian Open. 

Griffin's maiden victory on Tour moved him to number 1 in the FedExCup Playoffs and Wiesberger's win moved him to number 1 in the Race to Dubai. 

 

The driver was instrumental in both Griffin's and Wiesberger's victories.  Griffin used a Mitsubishi Kuro Kage TiNi 70 X shaft in his driver to average 324.5 yards off the tee on the Tournament Course at the Golf Club of Houston, and found 78.6-percent of the fairways. 

Lanto Griffin WITB What's In The Bag: The Golf Equipment Griffin Used to Win the 2019 Houston Open

Lanto Griffin has toiled on various mini-tours for most of his career, broke on to the PGA Tour in 2017 only to lose his card the following year, and overcome the life-shattering loss of his father to brain cancer. 

 

So when Griffin won his first professional Tour win Sunday at the Houston Open, emotions poured out.  Griffin's fought and clawed his entire life for this moment.  And persistence is in his DNA. 

Wynn Golf Club Returns with Championship Course Designed by Tom Fazio

The only resort golf course on the Las Vegas Strip returned to Wynn Las Vegas this weekend with the grand reopening of the Wynn Golf Club. 

 

The original 18-hole championship course established in 2005 has been reimagined by legendary golf course architect Tom Fazio to give players a new golf experience from the first drive to the last putt. 

Detroit Golf Club Named 2019 Michigan Golf Course of the Year

Founded in 1899, Detroit Golf Club has evolved for over a century into a graceful, challenging and picturesque property with history and pedigree at every turn. 

 

Accolades have been many and the latest is its selection as the 2019 Michigan Golf Course of the Year by the Michigan Golf Course Association (MGCA). 

Troon and True Spec Golf Enter Partnership

Troon, the leader in club management, development, and marketing, has entered into a strategic partnership with True Spec Golf, the worldwide leader in custom club fitting and building, with more than 20 studios located around the world. 

 

Through the partnership, Troon will collaborate with True Spec Golf to expand their Mobile Fit program and studios at Troon locations around the country.  True Spec Golf will offer Troon customers and members special rates and exclusive offers for club fitting and building services. 

Tour Edge Golf Launches New Bazooka 370 and Bazooka 470 Black Complete Sets

Tour Edge Golf has released their new Bazooka 370 and Bazooka 470 Black complete sets, designed as part of their "Get in the Game" products designed to be the highest quality complete sets in the game. 

 

Their purpose is to make it easier for new golfers and golfers coming back to the game to get new high-performance, game-improvement technology that will make the game easier to play.

PING Golf Offers Free Arccos Caddie Smart Sensors on Eligible Products

As part of its ongoing effort to encourage owners of PING clubs to take advantage of the numerous benefits of Arccos Golf technology, PING has announced a program providing a free set of Arccos Caddie Smart Sensors exclusively to golfers who have purchased an eligible PING club or buy one before the end of the year. 

 

More than 30 PING clubs (listed below) are eligible in the promotion that runs through December 31, 2019, while supplies last.  The promotion also includes a 90-day free trial of the Arccos Caddie app. 

Callaway Footwear Introduces Oceanside and Oceanside LX Oceanside Spikeless Golf Shoes Feature PLUSfoam Insoles

Callaway Footwear is expanding its spikeless offerings for 2020 with the introduction of the new Oceanside and Oceanside LX golf shoes. 

 

The Oceanside line combines a lightweight sports-fusion design with superb comfort and traction features, providing style, stability, and responsive cushioning in every step. 

TRUE Linkswear Launches 10 Year Limited Edition Golf Shoes

To commemorate 10 years of crafting footwear for the walking golfer, TRUE linkswear has announced the launch of a limited edition #/500 TRUE Original golf shoe. 

 

Paying homage to the TRUE Tour (T1), the first TRUE model prototyped in 2009, the OGX echoes the iconic black and white reverse saddle colorway.  The OGX includes several upgrades to the core Original model which include a Bulletproof Vegan Leather upper, reflective rope lacing, commemorative diamond pattern and 10-year anniversary detailing. 

Golf Datatech Unveils 2019 Summer Golf Product Attitude and Usage (GPAU) Study

Golf Datatech, LLC, the golf industry's leading independent research firm for consumer, trade and retail golf trends, has unveiled the 2019 Summer Golf Product Attitude and Usage (GPAU) Study. 

 

A bi-annual study, and the 40th edition produced by Golf Datatech, the serious golfer research report has become an in-demand resource for the golf marketing community over the past 20 years. 

THE PLAYERS Will Broadcast Every Shot by Every Player for the First Time in History

For the first time ever in golf, every shot by every player will be live-streamed from a full-field tournament when THE PLAYERS Championship returns to TPC Sawgrass, March 12th through the 15th, allowing fans to follow any player in the elite field, for all four rounds. 

 

All of this revolutionary coverage will be available to PGA Tour LIVE subscribers on either NBC Sports Gold or Amazon Prime Video Channels. 

Aerotech SteelFiber Golf Shafts Win LPGA 2019 Volunteers of America Classic

Aerotech SteelFiber composite iron shafts topped the Texas leaderboard this weekend at the Volunteers of America Classic as Cheyenne Knight won for the first time on the LPGA Tour. 

 

Knight played SteelFiber i70 shafts in her irons and i80 shafts in her wedges, and hit 12 of 18 greens in the final round en route to 5-under 66, and 18-under overall score for the tournament. 

Bryson DeChambeau and LA Golf Shafts Make Equipment History

Bryson DeChambeau became the first player on the PGA Tour to play with all graphite shafts for every club in his bag last week at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. 

 

Using shafts he co-designed with LA Golf Shafts for every club in his bag, DeChambeau finished T-4 in Las Vegas.  DeChambeau first used LA Golf graphite shafts two weeks ago in his wedges at the Safeway Open. 

Kevin Na WITB What's In The Bag: The Golf Equipment Na Used to Win the 2019 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open

It took Kevin Na 10 years to win his first professional PGA Tour Event.  But with three victories in his last 30 starts, including a dramatic playoff win at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, Na is catching up on lost time. 

 

Na has been a professional for almost 20 years, and for many of them he was fighting with himself to get comfortable over the ball, exhibiting a maddening array of idiosyncrasies that dismayed fans and fellow players alike.  But Na has found his way back, and is now confident, comfortable, and even dominating at times when he tees it up. 

Aldila Golf Captures Win at Open de Espana

Jon Rahm defended his Open de Espana title with a dominating performance at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, finishing 22-under par for the tournament in a 5-stroke romp. 

 

Rahm relied on an Aldila ATX Green shaft in both his driver and fairway wood, and shot a course record 8-under, 63 on Saturday to open up his lead heading to the final day. 

French Lick Resort Awarded Top 100 Resorts in North America Distinction

French Lick Resort, Southern Indiana's iconic golf and vacation destination and home to two of the state's most lauded golf courses, has been awarded "2019 Top 100 Resorts in North America" honors by GOLF Magazine. 

 

Restored to its historic glory, French Lick Resort is home to the expansive and captivating West Baden Springs Hotel, French Lick Springs Hotel and French Lick Casino, as well as two top-ranked public layouts, The Pete Dye Course at French Lick, and The Donald Ross Course at French Lick. 

PGA National Resort & Spa Announces "Fall Escape and Save" Packages

PGA National Resort & Spa is offering an exceptional limited time sale with 30-percent off rooms or 10-percent off select golf and spa packages from October 2nd, 2019 through January 23rd, 2020, making it the perfect time to escape to this world-class golf, spa, and vacation destination. 

 

PGA National is home to 90 holes of championship golf on five distinctly diverse courses including its famed Champion Course (a former Ryder Cup host and current venue of the PGA Tour's Honda Classic.  The Champion, also the home of the legendary "Bear Trap," recently underwent a renovation by Jack Nicklaus and his design team, and one of the greatest courses in the U.S. is now even better. 

Titleist Releases Experimental EXP•01 Golf Ball: Limited Run Straight from Titleist R&D Lab

The Titleist Golf Ball Research & Development team is comprised of more than 75 associates, from chemical engineers and mathematicians, to materials scientists and aerodynamics physicists, all driven by a commitment of continuous improvement and innovation. 

 

Year after year, countless golf ball concepts are developed with some never seeing the light of day and many left on the trial room floor.  The new Titleist EXP•01 golf ball, an experimental multilayer construction utilizing a new high performance urethane cover formulation and process, is one concept that has made its way to the top. 

Srixon Soft Feel Brite Golf Balls Preview: Distance Never Looked so Bright

SRIXON has announced the launch of the Soft Feel Brite golf ball, which will be available in Brite Orange, Brite Red, and Brite Green, and is now available in North America. 

 

Soft Feel Brite offers everything you love about Soft Feel.  It delivers distance, exceptional feel, and now, enhanced visibility from tee-to-green to form a high quality matte golf ball. 

Report Claims New PGA Tour Driver Testing Program Snags Multiple Non-Conforming Drivers at Safeway Open

Driver testing on the PGA Tour became an issue earlier this year when Xander Schauffele's driver was deemed non-conforming at The Open Championship.  And the ensuing fiasco led to a new policy of unannounced in-play pulling of drivers directly from players bags. 

 

Perhaps this was done to put the players and equipment manufacturer's on notice to ensure drivers are tested frequently and within the limited of CT conformity.  But according to a Reuters source familiar with knowledge of the testing, at least five players were deemed to be using non-conforming drivers last week at the Safeway Open. 

Miura Golf MB-101 Preview: The Latest in a History of Venerated Muscleback Irons

Miura Golf today introduced the MB-101, the newest addition to its catalog of revered forged muscleback irons.  This is the first new blade launched by the family-operated club maker since 2013. 

 

Designed and forged by the Miura family in its Himeji, Japan factory, the MB-101 provides discerning golfers with the unrivaled Miura feel developed over six decades of craftsmanship, and is the latest chapter in the Miura family's perpetual pursuit of perfection. 

Nicklaus Design Courses Make Big Splash on Golf Digest Top 100 Courses List

Eighteen golf courses designed by or associated with Nicklaus Design are included on the inaugural GOLF Magazine list of North America's Top 100 Resorts. 

 

Among those making the inaugural list (which is divided into the categories of Luxury, General Excellence, Buddies, and Families), are Big Cedar Lodge and Hammock Beach in the Families category and Pinehurst Resort in the Buddies category.  Properties represented in the General Excellence category include Baha Mar Resort, Cabo del Sol Beach & Golf Resort, Cap Cana Resort, La Quinta Resort & Club, Pronghorn, Sea Pines Resort, and The Greenbrier. 

On an Island Where Golf is King, Sea Pines Resort is True Royalty: Autumn Getaway Packages You Want to Check Out

With Hilton Head Island's fabulous fall weather and some of the most attractive offers of the year, now's a great time to book a getaway to The Sea Pines Resort.  During the autumn season, a fantastic array of outdoor events and festivals abound just as temperatures begin to cool. 

 

Here are ten reasons to plan a trip in the coming months and Fall in Love with Sea Pines. 

HONMA Golf Launches New XP-1 Product Line Worldwide

Honma Golf has officially launched its new game-improvement XP-1 product line, which includes drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons for both men and women and brings legendary Honma craftsmanship to golfers across a wide range of skill levels. 

 

Honma master craftsmen designed XP-1 club heads and shafts holistically in Sakata, Japan, and the clubs are beautifully designed and precisely engineered to improve performance. 

Volvik Introduces Marvel x Volvik The Hulk Golf Balls

Volvik has introduced The Hulk golf balls as part of its partnership with Marvel Worldwide.  Volvik has reported record-setting sales of the Marvel x Volvik collaboration of Captain America, Ironman and Spider Man Vivid 4-Ball Sets, and The Hulk is the newest addition to the collection. 

 

The matte-finish, three-piece Vivid high-performance golf balls feature Volvik's new oversized energy core.  Each four-ball set includes a magnetic hat-clip ball marker and retails at $24.99.  The Marvel balls are available for purchase at Volvik.com or at retail outlets across the country. 

IGOTCHA Golf Ball Retrievers Preview: Feature Jawz Teeth

IGOTCHA is the number one selling golf ball retriever int he industry, and has now released a new and colorful Jawz line. 

 

The Jawz line was created to be easy to see in the water with a vibrant, rubberized surface which grips and holds the golf ball in place.  These patented ball retrievers are durable, with stainless steel shafts, head designs, and easy locking devices. 

Breakthrough Golf Technology Stability Putter Shaft Wins Sanford International Senior PGA Champions

Rocco Mediate used a Breakthrough Golf Technology (BGT) putter shaft to win the Sanford International PGA Tour Champions event last week, including a birdie-birdie finish to take the title. 

 

Mediate has been using the Stability Shaft for over a year, and has seen his putting improve significantly during that time.