120th U.S. Amateur Championship - Meet the Quarterfinalists

The bid to win the most prestigious amateur title in golf is now down to eight players. 

Meet the 2020 U.S. Amateur Quarterfinalists.

Three USGA Champions Among Quarterfinalists in 120th U.S. Amateur Championship

Only one player in the game’s history has managed to win both a U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur title, and it’s a household name: Tiger Woods. Two recent U.S. Junior Amateur champions put themselves in position to become the second player to accomplish the feat by winning a pair of matches on Thursday at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

Michael Thorbjornsen, 18, of Wellesley, Mass., the 2018 Junior Am champion, and 2015 winner Philip Barbaree, 22, of Shreveport, La., are among the eight quarterfinalists in the 120th U.S. Amateur.

Titleist Introduces T-Series T100•S and T200 Player’s Distance Irons in Limited Black Finish

 The striking long-range performance of the Titleist T-Series T100•S and T200 player’s irons – powered by breakthrough technology for explosive distance in a player-preferred shape – can now be experienced in a stealthy all-black setup.

Available Aug. 28 for a limited time, the new T-Series T100•S and T200 Black irons are finished with a sleek High Polish Black PVD coating continually requested by tour players and members of #TeamTitleist. Each model is complemented by a glare-reducing matte black shaft – DG Onyx AMT Black (T100•S) or Project X LZ Onyx (T200) – and an all-black Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip.

Vokey Design Introduces Limited Jet Black SM8 Wedges

The unrivaled craftsmanship, performance and technology of Titleist Vokey Design SM8 wedges – the overwhelmingly most played wedges on the PGA Tour – will now be available in a tour-inspired all-black configuration.

This limited release features SM8’s Jet Black raw finish enhanced with black paint fill in the logos and graphics, complemented by a Dynamic Gold S200 Black Onyx shaft and exclusive Golf Pride New Decade Multi Compound Black/Gray grip with BV Wings.

SkyGolf Launches New Skycaddie LX5 GPS Smart Watch with Ceramic Bezel

SkyGolf®, maker of SkyCaddie®, the most-trusted rangefinders in Golf, announces the new SkyCaddie LX5 with ceramic bezel Smart Watch and the industry’s largest and most-brilliant color touch screen at 1.39 inches. Now available for order, this handsome new model includes all the same next generation technology as the original LX5 Smart Watch.

“The timing of this launch is perfect as we have sold out of the original SkyCaddie LX5 Smart Watch and are now on back order,” said Jacqui Surman, SkyGolf Senior VP and COO. “We have been blown away with how busy golf has been and really excited to see the LX5 flying off the shelf, especially during these uncertain times. The new LX5  with ceramic bezel offers a very stylish and classy look, making it a very handsome watch to wear on and off the course. Both models of the  LX5 include most of the dynamic features that golfers rave about in our award-winning SX500 and SX400 handhelds, giving you the most accurate information conveniently located on your wrist.”

SIK Golf Conratulates Bryson DeChambeau on his Top-5 Finish at the 102nd PGA Championship

SIK Golf, (S)TUDY (I)N (K)INEMATICS, would like to congratulate PGA Tour Staff Professional, Bryson DeChambeau, on his Top 5 Finish at the 102nd PGA Championship held at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, CA this past weekend.

DeChambeau recorded rounds of 68, 70, 66 and 66 to finish at 10 under par and capture a T-4th Place Finish.

Firestone Country Club Unveils Non Member Stay and Play Packages

Firestone Country Club, renowned as one of North America’s most historic venues for championship golf, is now allowing an exclusive opportunity for non-members to reserve a limited number of stay-and-play packages and experience its celebrated on- and off-course offerings.

Since the 1950s, the club and its famed South Course has annually hosted the biggest names in professional golf. In addition to being site of three PGA Championships, Firestone was the long-time venue for the PGA TOUR’s World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and its predecessor, the World Series of Golf. It currently hosts the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship, being held this week and televised on Golf Channel.

Led by the PGA Champion, Golf Pride® Grips Are Trusted By 86% of the Field

 Golf Pride® a division of power management company Eaton and an industry leader in grip innovation, today announced that it was the leading swing and putter grip brand in play at the 2020 PGA Championship, with 86% of the field trusting Golf Pride grips.

Nine players who finished in the Top 10 and ties, including the champion, chose Golf Pride at the demanding TPC Harding Park. The winner trusted Golf Pride’s Z Grip Cord en route to capturing his breakthrough career major.  In addition to touring professionals, 17 out of the 20 PGA Professionals who qualified to compete in the 2020 PGA Championship trusted their games to Golf Pride. 

Cleveland Golf Introduces Two Additional Putter Lines

 Cleveland Golf® is proud to announce the new Huntington Beach SOFT Premier putters, to go along with an array of new Huntington Beach SOFT models. Discover a new, premium putting experience and the confidence to sink more putts with the new Huntington Beach SOFT Premier, officially launching on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. 

 

“The Huntington Beach SOFT Premier builds upon the success of our current putter lineup,” said Brian Schielke, Marketing Director at Cleveland Golf. “With new head shapes, sleek designs, and a fitting system for every stroke type, we have a putter that will help any golfer improve their performance on the greens.” 

Mizuno Golf Releases ES21 Wedges with Perfectly Centered Sweet Spot

Mizuno, founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1906, has long held an enviable industry and tour-wide reputation for crafting the very finest wedges in the game, offering golfers the ultimate blend of looks, feel, control and consistency around the green and on shorter approach shots. 

For 2020, Mizuno has unveiled the ES21 range of wedges, engineered to help players generate the consistent spin rates needed for a more effective short game. 

Mizuno Golf Unveils New JPX 921 Iron Series

Mizuno, founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1906, has long held an enviable industry and tour-wide reputation for crafting the very finest irons in the game, offering golfers the ultimate blend of looks, feel and workability. 

 

The JPX Series irons led a resurgence for Mizuno, starting with the JPX 900 Tour and more recently the JPX 919 Tour, residing in the bag of the back-to-back 2017/2018 US Open and 2018/2019 PGA champion. Now Mizuno has unveiled the next evolution of JPX – the JPX 921 Series, a highly engineered family of irons that has been developed alongside Mizuno's comprehensive custom-fitting program to deliver exceptional performance and help all golfers get the very most from their games. 

Titleist Introduces the New Tour Speed Golf Ball

Following years of rigorous product development, the introduction of the new Titleist Tour Speed – a high performance, multilayer golf ball with a proprietary thermoplastic urethane cover – provides golfers with the fastest, best performing golf ball in its category. Proven through extensive testing with amateur players, the breakthrough performance of Tour Speed is further enhanced by the superior quality and consistency of Titleist’s precision manufacturing process. 

 

Available in U.S. golf shops beginning Aug. 7 at a retail price of $39.99. Tour Speed offers a distinct and compelling performance option in the Titleist golf ball family through its innovative three-piece design, delivering a unique combination of exceptional distance in the long game and precise short game scoring control. 

Duca del Cosma Signs Swedish Tour Player to Wear Latest Shoes

Leading Italian golf fashion brand Duca del Cosma has added Swedish Symetra Tour rookie Michaela Finn to the growing portfolio of professional players wearing its distinctive shoes. Working hard to fulfill her ambition of playing on the LPGA Tour, Michaela is set to compete in the Symetra Tour’s return event in Michigan later this month wearing her favorite Duca del Cosma shoes. 

 

“I'm looking forward to being back out on the Symetra Tour turning heads with my footwear and my game," said Michaela. "Duca del Cosma shoes are very comfortable and I love how the design is so thought through - every detail is there for a reason and just completes the look. 

Srixon Introduces the Second-Generation Soft Feel BRITE Golf Balls

SRIXON®, a global leader in golf ball technology and innovation, has announced the launch of the second-generation Soft Feel BRITE. The Srixon Soft Feel BRITE golf balls are available in BRITE Orange™, BRITE Red™, and BRITE Green™ and are now available in North America. 

 

“Soft Feel BRITE delivers all the benefits of the Soft Feel golf ball with additional matte color offerings,” said Brian Schielke, Marketing Director at Srixon. “With the addition of the FastLayer Core, Soft Feel BRITE provides the total package of enhanced distance, feel and visibility.” 

PUMA Unveils Player Scripts for the 2020 PGA Championship

Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau and Gary Woodland will be rocking pieces from PUMA Golf’s newest collection of apparel, footwear and accessories as they tee it up at San Francisco’s TPC Harding Park, for the first major of the year thanks to the revised schedule, the PGA Championship. 

 

Fittingly, throughout the week, each of them will wear pieces from the Love/Haight Collection that PUMA recently launched. The colorful assortment celebrates the nostalgia of Tie Dye, inspired by the iconic Haight-Ashbury neighborhood in San Francisco, the heart of free-spirited bohemian culture, and the unofficial birthplace of tie dye. The Collection features unique, hand-tie-dyed polos, sweater, shoes and caps. 

Tour Edge Sets New Record for Clubs on PGA Tour with Over 40 Exotics in Play

Tour Edge set a new personal best for the number of clubs in play in a PGA Tour event last week at the Ally Challenge on the PGA Tour Champions with 41 total Exotics clubs in play. 

 

The previous mark of 29 clubs in play was set at the 2020 Hoag Classic, the last event played before the PGA Tour Champions had to pause their season. 

Peter Millar to Showcase New Fall 2020 Line-up at PGA Championship

Peter Millar is excited to kick off the 2020 major championship season and will showcase their new fall 2020 product at the PGA Championship this week. 

 

In total, eight of the competitors will wear Peter Millar on the course for the 2020 PGA Championship: Kevin Kisner, Chez Reavie, Brandt Snedeker, Branden Grace, Robert MacIntyre, Michael Thompson, Harris English and Ken Tanigawa. Below are a few highlights of new products and features that Team PM will wear next week. 

2020 Play With Pete Invitational at Inverness Club

Play with Pete Invitational has become one of my favorite things of the entire year.  Two years ago I invited strangers from social media to join me for the inaugural Play with Pete at Oakland Hills Country Club, South.  Last year I received more than 1,000 messages on twitter, Instagram, and emails to join me for Play with Pete at Kiawah Island, The Ocean Course. 

 

And next month Play with Pete is staying right here in my own state, at the historic Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.  Host of four U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships, Inverness Club is the only course to ever host the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Senior Open, and U.S. Junior Amateur. 

FootJoy Tour X Golf Shoes Review

The new FootJoy Tour X deliver astounding stability with the greatest comfort I’ve ever felt in any FJ spiked shoes. 

 

‪The Tour X outsole is wider than the Tour S, so you have more contact with a wider ground surface area (particularly in the heel).  These give you a very strong sense of your feet being stabilized, even on monster swings.‬ 

Vokey WedgeWorks Adds Tour-Proven T Grind – A Favorite of Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas

Master Craftsman Bob Vokey’s long-trusted T Grind – an original Vokey grind still in the bags of many tour players including Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas – is now available through WedgeWorks. 

 

Inspired by Vokey’s work with one of the game’s all-time best wedge players, the T Grind was designed for great hands and a vivid short-game imagination. Available in 58º and 60º lofts, it is ideal for a shallow angle of attack in firm conditions, with low bounce and a narrow crescent surface. Compared to Vokey’s L grind, it has a wider back flange which allows for lower measured bounce. 

Limited Edition Adidas CODECHAOS Unites Golfers with All Athletes Preparing for Tokyo in 2021

One year from now, thousands of the world’s best athletes – including 120 golfers – will finally be in Tokyo to get their chance at competing for a coveted spot on the podium. That means they have one more year to stay ready with the mindset to keep putting in one more workout, one more lap, one more rep, or even one more bucket of balls. 

 

Adidas is commemorating this moment by uniting athletes and fans everywhere through a special capsule –the TOKYO Collection – made up of 41 footwear silhouettes across 19 sports, all purposefully designed in a signal pink colorway meant to connect athletes without words. 

USGA Receives World’s Largest Collection of Golf-Themed Comic Books

The USGA Golf Museum has expanded its world-leading golf library and artifact collection thanks to a recent donation of more than 560 golf-themed comic books. The continued effort to preserve the stories and images of how golf has been played and portrayed through time is part of the association’s mission to champion and advance the game. 

 

The collection, which is the most significant of its kind in the world, contains comics dating to the 1930s that feature golf on the cover. A selection of the covers has been digitized and can be found on usga.org.dennis.png. 

Steph Curry and Under Armour Pre-Release Styles From Upcoming Range Unlimited Golf Collection

Stephen’s love for the sport of golf is no secret. You might have caught him chipping balls in the backyard over the past few weeks, or when he partnered with Howard University to launch their first Division I Golf Program last summer, or last fall when he released the first UA Range Unlimited Collection with Under Armour. 

 

One event that has become a tradition for Stephen is the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship in Lake Tahoe, Calif. While the tournament will be closed to spectators this year, Stephen is still bringing his signature style to the course with a pre-release of his newest pieces from the UA Range Unlimited Collection. 

NGF Update: Golf Trips Could be Down 40 Percent in 2020 Because of Covid

The latest consumer research from the National Golf Foundation indicates that overall volume of golf trips could be down 35% to 40% in 2020 due to the coronavirus. 

 

The golf travel market overall in the U.S. exceeds $20 billion annually, a robust market that ranges from playing fees and accommodations to travel costs, meals and entertainment expenses. It’s estimated that more than eight million golfers played golf while traveling for business or leisure last year. 

Jack Nicklaus and Miura Golf Introduce Commemorative Irons

The idea was simple: unite Jack Nicklaus, legendary golfer, with Katsuhiro Miura, legendary club-maker. 

 

The result? A limited series of hand-forged iron sets for serious collectors drawn to both beauty and function. 

Jim Furyk Puts His Name to Sportmanship Award at 3 Hammers Golf Complex

14 year old English amateur golfer Jensen Berridge got the surprise of his life today when he was given a letter personally written to him by one of the best golfers in the world; Jim Furyk.  And, to top it all, he was also presented with a new award created in the Ryder Cup Captain’s honor. 

 

‘The Jim Furyk Award for Sportsmanship’ will be an annual award presented to a young golfer at The 3 Hammers Golf Complex in Wolverhampton, England.  This all came about thanks to Staffordshire golfer Malcolm Read.  Malcolm was in the States when the US Team lost the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National.  He was so impressed by the way in which US Ryder Cup Captain, Jim Furyk, handled a crushing defeat that he decided to write to the Major winner to ask him a favor. 

Nicklaus Design Announced Exclusive Partnership with Full Swing Simulators

Nicklaus Design, the design company of golf icon Jack Nicklaus, today announced a multi-year relationship with Full Swing Simulators, golf’s most innovative simulator company. Nicklaus Design’s relationship with Full Swing will start with the unveiling of the PGA National Champion Course, the host site of the Honda Classic, as well as Muirfield Village Golf Club, the host site of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide. The Muirfield Village course became available to Full Swing subscribers starting just as the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide got underway in Dublin, Ohio. 

 

The partnership with Full Swing takes advantage of its recently launched proprietary golf course software, Full Swing GOLF, which brings golfers a new way to experience iconic courses with the highest quality graphics on the market. Full Swing uses patented dual-tracking technology, combining high-speed cameras and infrared light wave technology to provide real-time ball feedback with flawless detail. 

OnCore Debuts Vero X1: High Performance Four Piece Tour Ball

 OnCore Golf, the Buffalo, New York-based golf ball company, unveils their second Tour ball after three years of research and development.  OnCore’s first four-piece ball, the VERO X1 upholds OnCore’s commitment to innovation and technology while diversifying the company’s portfolio of golf balls to meet the needs of all player performance levels. 

 

Building off of their award-winning three-piece tour ball, the ELIXRTM, OnCore undertook an effort to further increase spin off the irons and distance off the tee while maintaining the highly desirable feel and control offered by the ELIXRTM. The VERO X1 features a thinner cast urethane cover, a nano-thick transition layer between cover and mantle, a high modulus, perimeter-weighted mantle, and an oversized-core. These elements are combined to release a turbocharged performance delivering enhanced speed and distance, noticeably higher stability in flight, and more control and responsiveness to irons and wedges for high skill shots. 

USGA Makes Landmark Acquisition of Howard Schickler Photography Collection

As the primary steward for preserving and celebrating the history of the game, the USGA has expanded its extensive golf photography holdings with the recent acquisition of the Howard Schickler Photography Collection, the world’s most significant private collection of original early golf photography. 

 

The collection contains more than 1,000 high-quality, historically and artistically important golf images from the 19th and early 20th century. Many photographs feature top American and British golfers, both men and women, from the mid-1800s to the 1970s. The collection was amassed over decades by collector Howard Schickler, sourced from the collections of some of the game’s most influential figures, including the personal collections of Old Tom Morris and F.G. Tait, the Auchterlonie and the Foulis families, the estate of Billy Burke and the collections of Ed Dudley and Bernard Darwin. 

PUMA Golf Introduces Excellent Golf Wear Collection: Inspired by Sport, Lifestyle, and Street Culture

PUMA Golf revealed its new Excellent Golf Wear collection (EGW), performance sportswear designed to meet the needs of the modern golfer; equally suited for a drink with friends or an afternoon nine. This versatile collection blends golf and streetwear through lifestyle silhouettes that are fabricated to perform on the course yet deliver comfort and style for everyday life. 

 

For EGW, PUMA Golf designers took inspiration from sport and street culture, designing for every aspect of a golfer’s life, re-working classic lifestyle pieces including Henley shirts, hoodies, shorts and joggers with subtle branding elements, for the perfect blend of technicality, style and comfort. 

Reynolds Lake Oconee Earns Best Courses You Can Play in Georgia

Five of the top-10 golf courses you can play in Georgia are conveniently located at one venue — Reynolds Lake Oconee, a resort community situated on 19,000-acre Lake Oconee between Atlanta and Augusta. That’s according to Golfweek, which this week released its “Top Courses You Can Play in the State” rankings. 

 

This is the first time Reynolds Lake Oconee has placed five courses in the state’s Top-10. 

Shot Scope V3 Debuts First GPS Smart Watch to Feature Artificial Intelligence

Shot Scope (www.shotscope.com), a leading international manufacturer of GPS-based golf management systems has introduced the V3 Smart Golf Watch, the first multi-function watch to feature artificial intelligence and offer golfers real-time on-course performance tracking capabilities. V3’s patented Power-Sense AI strap technology captures data on every shot, delivering golfers instant feedback to better understand their swing and reach optimal performance. 

 

Complementing the performance tracking capabilities, the V3 is the game’s most accurate lightweight, high speed golf watch, backed by proprietary dual GPS antennas (30cm GPS accuracy) that provide unmatched connectivity and syncing, compared with competitive products, for precise distance measuring and pinpoint accuracy on 35,000 pre-loaded courses worldwide. 

Galvin Green Celebrates 30 Years of Pioneering Golf Apparel

Galvin Green, the brand that revolutionized waterproofs in the 1990’s and has taken technical golf clothing to another level during this millennium, celebrates its 30th birthday this month and enjoys a global status that founder Tomas Nilsson could once only dream about. 

 

As an entrepreneur and recreational golfer in the Swedish town of Växjö back in 1990, Tomas saw an opportunity to invest in golf and create a global brand. “My goal was to produce the best quality golf clothes on the market and we’re now a decade ahead of where I believed we could be on a global scale,” said Tomas. “Functional clothing is especially important in golf, where you’re often exposed to sun, rain and wind.  It is incredibly important that you have the right clothing regardless of the weather, so you can continue to enjoy your round and play to your best. That’s why we’ve always selected the very best materials, matched with the best styling and details possible,” he added. 

Cleveland Golf Introduces RTX ZipCore

Cleveland Golf is proud to announce their latest flagship wedge, the RTX ZipCore. Cleveland Golf’s RTX ZipCore will launch in North America on Aug. 14, 2020. 

 

RTX ZipCore is both radically new and ultra-familiar. On the inside, its new core has unlocked design freedoms pushing the performance beyond any wedge in Cleveland Golf’s history. Yet on the outside, the sleek yet traditional design is familiar and inspires confidence at address. 

Galvin Green Launches Stellar Part 2 Line for 2020

Galvin Green, the leading premium golf apparel brand that looks to deliver stellar performance from every single garment, has turned to the ‘Science of Excellence’ for inspiration for its 2020 Part Two clothing range launched this month. 

 

Calling on 30 years of experience in performance-driven design and passion for the game, the brand  set out to provide technical clothing that would give golfers an extra edge, while adding new styles and color combinations to provide a feel-good factor unrivaled in the golf apparel market. 

USGA Announces New Media Rights Partnership with NBCUniversal

The United States Golf Association (USGA) announced that the United States media rights for its championships have been transferred to NBCUniversal (NBCU), effective immediately.   

 

With the COVID-19 pandemic leading to the shift in dates for the U.S. Open from June to September, finding the necessary broadcast hours presented a challenge for FOX Sports, given their commitments to the National Football League, Major League Baseball and college football. What started as an exploration of how FOX Sports and NBC/Golf Channel could work together this unique year led to a broader conversation and eventual agreement for NBCU to take over the USGA media rights. 

USGA Announces Exemption Categories for 2020 U.S. Women’s Open Championship at Champions Golf Club

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced the exemption categories for the 75th U.S. Women’s Open Championship, which will be contested Dec. 10-13 at Champions Golf Club, in Houston, Texas. As previously announced, the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open field will be comprised entirely of exempt players due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Full exemption categories can be found at uswomensopen.com. 

 

“We are extremely pleased to still provide the world’s best professional and amateur players the opportunity to compete for this historic championship, despite forgoing qualifying,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director, Championships. “After carefully examining previous years, these exemption categories allow us to closely mirror a traditional field, and we are excited to witness one of these players win what will truly be a milestone 75th U.S. Women’s Open.” 

TM Rewards from Travis Mathew: Jump on in because the Fun Never Ends

You guys already know Travis Mathew and Cuater are two of my favorite golf brands.  I've become a big fan of their shirts, pants, and shoes and when they launched their TM Rewards Program I was pretty pumped. 

 

If you're a fan of Travis Mathew, you really want to sign up.  I did and it took just a few minutes.  And was greeted to a 15-percent off code any purchase in my email.  BOOM!

Asher Golf Gloves Introduces Patriot Collection for Fourth of July

Ask any golfer and they'll tell you the right glove can make all the difference.  Superb feel, grip to keep your clubs from slipping, and comfort and protection to prevent or limit callouses and blisters.  These are all important.  But a golf glove doesn't have to be just a golf glove. 

 

Asher Golf Gloves has released their new Patriot Collection golf gloves, drawing inspiration from classic symbols like the American Flag and bald eagle.  And these high quality, patriotic gloves will raise your style game while still delivering on the performance you expect from Asher. 

USGA Announces Exemption Categories for 2020 U.S. Open Championship at Winged Foot Golf Club

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced the exemption categories for the 120th U.S. Open Championship, which will be contested Sept. 17-20 at Winged Foot Golf Club (West Course), in Mamaroneck, N.Y. As previously announced, the 2020 U.S. Open field will be comprised entirely of exempt players due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

“The decision to cancel local and final qualifying for this year’s U.S. Open was deeply disappointing, but we are pleased to still provide the world’s best professional and amateur players the opportunity to compete for this historic and coveted championship,” said John Bodenhamer, senior managing director, Championships. “The exemption categories for this year’s championship at Winged Foot Golf Club were carefully developed to mirror a representative U.S. Open field, and we are excited that players will still have an opportunity to earn a place in the field through a variety of categories.” 

PGA Tour Covid-19 Testing Summary Statement

We have been working since March to develop a comprehensive health and safety plan that would be considered a best practice among professional sports leagues. While we have been thorough in building and implementing a program that mitigates as much risk as possible, we knew it would be impossible to eliminate all risk – as evidenced by the three positive tests this week. 

 

We need to use these developments as a stark reminder for everyone involved as we continue to learn from an operational standpoint; we are making several adjustments to our health and safety plan, as noted in the memo sent to players this morning, and we will continuously reinforce to all players, caddies, staff members and support personnel on property at PGA TOUR events to adhere to social distancing and other safety protocols that further minimize risk. 

The Sea Pines Resort to Host Lighthouse Invitational in September

The Sea Pines Resort will host its annual Lighthouse Invitational–a two-person team competition for men and women amateurs—from Sept. 17-20, 2020. 

 

The “destination tournament” showcases the Hilton Head Island’s top three ranked courses, all part of The Sea Pines Resort—Heron Point by Pete Dye, Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III, and historic Harbour Town Golf Links, home of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing and rated the #1 course in South Carolina in 2019.  All three courses are Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries. 

PUMA Golf Joins the RS Revolution, Bringing Retro Running Shoe Vibes to the Links with RS-G Shoes

PUMA Golf, long revered as a trend-setter and innovator in the golf footwear space, continues to push the envelope, with its new RS-G shoe. Inspired by PUMA’s extremely popular RS series of shoes first introduced in the 80’s and recently rebooted with multiple drops in 2019 and 2020, the RS-G (Running System – Golf) delivers unconventional, lifestyle-inspired vibes with all the performance technologies needed to play 18. 

 

Incorporating the same, bold, chunky silhouette as the sportstyle version, the RS-G’s reengineered upper is seam-sealed and completely waterproof, with microfiber leather and TPU skin that delivers protection from the elements, keeping your feet dry all day long. The outsole traction pattern has exaggerated and pronounced Carbon Rubber lugs strategically placed in different zones of the outsole to provide traction while the performance Fusion Foam midsole delivers improved, bounce-back cushioning combined with a Softfoam sockliner for the ultimate step-in comfort. 

COBRA Golf Launches Limited Edition Red, White, and Blue Speedzone and Speedzone Xtreme Drivers to Celebrate Fourth of July

Cobra Golf has introduced its new Limited-Edition Pars & Stripes SPEEDZONE and SPEEDZONE Xtreme Drivers, available for a short time in a new color scheme that celebrates America and pulls inspiration from our national championship, featuring a white crown, with red and blue highlights on the sole, and an exclusive blue PVD milled infinity face. 

 

The Pars & Stripes LE Drivers incorporate an upgraded Fujikura Ventus Blue shaft, a Lamkin Crossline Connect – Red/White/Blue grip, and all the key technologies and design attributes utilized in the in-line SPEEDZONE drivers. 

New Edison Forged Wedges Challenge Conventional Wisdom

How much do you think you really know about wedges and their design?  Did you know “smash factor” is just as important to your wedges as to your driver?  Do you realize that wedges – by design – don’t really “want” to spin the ball efficiently? 

 

Terry Koehler has been designing wedges for over 30 years, and he has put all the top brands of ‘tour design’ wedges through repeated batteries of robotic testing . . . so he does know these things.  He has also analyzed over 50,000 online wedge fitting profiles and had thousands of one-on-one conversations with amateur golfers, so he has also learned that 80% of golfers have the same challenges with their wedge play– poor distance control, insufficient spin and excessively high ball flight. 

USGA Announces Exemption Categories for 2020 U.S. Women's Amateur, U.S. Amateur Championships

The USGA announced the exemption categories for the 120th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, set to take place Aug. 3-9 at Woodmont Country Club, in Rockville, Md., and the 120th U.S. Amateur, which will be held Aug. 10-16 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, in Bandon, Ore. As previously announced, the fields for both championships will be comprised entirely of exempt players due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

“Making the decision to forgo qualifying for our championships this year was extremely difficult, but we’re glad to be able to continue the legacy of these competitions and provide the best amateur players in the world the opportunity to compete for a USGA title,” said John Bodenhamer, senior managing director, Championships. “We aimed to create fields that most closely resemble those for a typical Amateur and Women’s Amateur, and are confident we will crown two worthy champions in August.” 

Classic U.S. Open Courses Awarded USGA Amateurs

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that a pair of celebrated U.S. Open venues will host future USGA amateur championships. Oak Hill Country Club, in Pittsford, N.Y., will be the site of the 127th U.S. Amateur and Southern Hills Country Club, in Tulsa, Okla., will host the 124th U.S. Women’s Amateur. 

 

Oak Hill, where in 1989 Curtis Strange became the first player in 38 years to successfully defend his U.S. Open title, will host its third U.S. Amateur and seventh USGA championship in 2027. The East and West Courses will be used for stroke play and the East Course will be used for match play. The championship is scheduled for Aug. 9-15. 

NGF Update: 20 Million Spring Rounds Lost to Covid-19

The U.S. golf industry lost as many as 20 million rounds in March and April due to course closures and coronavirus-induced anxiety, according to the most recent National Golf Foundation estimates. 

 

After double-digit growth in rounds played in January and February, rounds were up 15% for the year entering March. Due to the outbreak of the virus and associated shutdowns, year-over-year drops of 9% in March and 42% in April left the industry down 16%. More than half of golf courses closed nationwide for most of April and the drop in rounds volume alone accounts for a loss of about $1 billion in golf course revenues. (This doesn’t include related losses in F&B, retail sales, events, etc.)