New for 2024, the ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Tour is excited to announce the ANNIKA WAPT 59 Club, an exclusive group of supporters committed to providing opportunities and advancement in women’s golf.
The mission of the 59 Club is to reduce costs for the ANNIKA WAPT athletes by supplementing entry fees and purses at ANNIKA WAPT tournaments. Additionally, the ANNIKA Foundation will use a portion of the funds to further its initiatives in all levels of the women’s game.
In an industry-first breakthrough, SQAIRZ is excited to announce the launch of the VELO, the world’s first speed-rated golf shoe, setting a new standard in performance footwear for the sport. Engineered for both power hitters and professional players, the VELO leverages cutting-edge technology to optimize energy transfer across elevated swing speeds, marking a monumental leap forward in golf footwear technology.
The VELO’s hallmark is its unparalleled speed-rated design, a pioneering innovation exclusively developed by SQAIRZ. At the core of the design is the SQAIRZ NRG-Direct film. The proprietary SQAIRZ NRG-Direct technology reduces energy loss in the high-stress lateral side of the shoe, and redirects that power upwards. This film provides weightless lateral and rotational support resulting in an average increase of 12 yards of distance and tighter dispersion. It’s not just a shoe; it’s a performance accelerator, designed to optimize energy exchange.
Callaway Apparel is pleased to announce the launch of its Spring 2024 collections for men and women- technically superior products designed for golfers. The Spring 2024 collections offer a wide range of lifestyle and performance pieces blending enhanced style, technically advanced fabrics and performance driven designs.
“These collections accentuate the importance we place on performance for today’s active golfer,” said Oscar Feldenkreis, CEO of Perry Ellis International. “Our design team has done a great job engineering technically superior products with an emphasis on function and on-trend styles. These collections are designed specifically to help golfers feel stylish, confident and comfortable so they can perform their best on and off the course.”
Here's another great guest review from a winner in my PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas a few months ago. This one comes from Mike (@mikekovatch on X) on his new Motocaddy M7 Remote Electric Caddy.
Mike's what you'd call a die-hard golf nut. He plays all the time and is always happy to talk golf on X and Instagram. Mike has been using his new M7 Remote a lot over the last month and honestly I'm not sure it gets any better than this one.
PUMA GOLF reimagines classics by introducing the new AVANT, which serves the sophisticated yet modern golfer. The shoe comes in both wingtip and saddle shoe models. Designed to offer the ultimate combination of classic styling and modern performance, the new Avant raises the level of fit and comfort while honoring the tradition of the game.
“The saddle and wingtip styles were a lot of fun to design,” said Andrew Lawson, Senior PLM, Golf Footwear at Puma Golf. “We are entering the classics space. A traditional style is a first for us and we are super thrilled to be part of the action. We want to serve the golfer; we have been listening and are excited to deliver this trend to our golf consumer.”
Titleist has released the trailer premiere of the new original docuseries "Finding Feel."
Here's a sneak peek into the world of irons development and the search to find the elusive perfect, pure iron feel.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced the six qualifying sites and the qualifying method for the 3rd U.S. Adaptive Open Championship, which will be contested at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kan., on July 8-10. This year’s championship will also feature three new exemption categories and administer a cut for the first time.
Conducted over 18 holes, the following qualifiers will be held at six sites across the United States between Apr. 15 and May 31. They will be managed by Allied Golf Associations (AGAs). In its first two years, the championship field was determined largely by Handicap Index®.
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, announces an event that brings golfers to the edge of the Pacific Ocean to indulge in a premier round of golf, spectacular food, and the luxury taste of handcrafted Cohiba Cigars.
The March 14th event includes a day of golf at the historic Sandpiper Golf Club adjacent to Bacara, a bucket list course with vast greens and breathtaking ocean views. Haskell’s Food Truck will be found at the 9th hole, including Wagyu beef hot dogs and more - all while enjoying premier Cohiba Cigars. The day will end with an exclusive event at the Cohiba Experience at Bacara - the first permanent Cohiba lounge in the US. This Cohiba Community Event will also celebrate the launch of locker rentals for personal cigar storage.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) has announced that online entry applications are now available for the 124th U.S. Open Championship, to be played from June 13-16 on Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 2, in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C.
Thousands of golfers are expected to qualify for the championship through a two-stage process, with a final field of 156 players advancing to Pinehurst’s Course No. 2, where one will be crowned U.S. Open champion. Non-exempt players will compete in one of 109 local qualifiers hosted throughout the United States (with one in Canada) between April 22 and May 20.
Heading into its 19th year of providing golfers with pinnacle performance in golf footwear, adidas completely redesigned its premium flagship footwear franchise from the inside out to introduce TOUR360 24. Wrapped in confidence, the newest chapter elevates every touchpoint for the foot with an eye on improving traction, stability and comfort to give golfers everything they need to perform their best on the course. The new footwear will come in both laced and BOA® models for men and women and will be available on adidas.com, the adidas app and at select retailers beginning Thursday, February 29.
The same way golf is a sport of constantly striving for perfection, adidas approaches each iteration of the TOUR360 with that same mindset. After pushing the TOUR360 to new heights in 2022, the brand utilized feedback from athletes and consumers around the world to target specific areas aimed at improving fit, durability and performance with this version. This in-depth and collaborative approach resulted in an elevated design with performance at the heart of every detail.
On the eve of its third season, The International Series has unveiled a new campaign – ‘This IS… Everything’; highlighting the significance of the series to players from all over the world in today’s evolving golf ecosystem.
Launched in 2022, The International Series is a set of 10 elevated events that form an Asian Tour-sanctioned pathway to the LIV Golf League.
Junior Golf University is proud to announce the new John A. Solheim Scholarship, named after the current longtime Chairman of PING Golf, to help enterprising high-school senior golfers with college expenses.
The scholarship will award $5,000 to the individual who lives by the same high character, integrity and core values as Mr. Solheim, demonstrates community involvement through extracurricular activities, impresses with a written essay, and is a proficient golfer.
Bobby Jones Links (BJL), the golf industry’s leading client-centric, boutique management company, proudly announces that it is now managing Dayton, Ohio’s Piqua Country Club, a classic Midwest property with a player-friendly 18-hole golf course. The original six holes were designed and built in 1896 – just eight years after the first golf course opened in the United States. In 1920, renowned course architect Donald Ross redesigned those holes and added three more. Later, the course had more enhancements and renovations, including the addition of nine holes designed by Jack Kidwell. Piqua is Dayton’s oldest golf course and Ohio’s second oldest.
“We courted several other management companies and what led us to BJL was the attention to detail and their team’s plan to orient their management strategy specifically toward our biggest needs,” said Piqua Board President Chris Francis. “Piqua has a tremendous history and great opportunity to welcome in more local young families who want to be a part of a historic golf course in superb conditions as well as the swimming pool and other excellent amenities here. We’re aligned with BJL to concentrate a push in our sales and marketing efforts and in elevating the food and beverage experience. We’re excited to move forward with BJL (as well as with our new, highly respected general manager) and benefit from their expertise and best practices in these areas.”
PXG, a global research and development company dedicated to creating the world’s finest golf equipment and apparel, continues down its path of strategic store expansion with its first brick-and-mortar venture in California. A premier golf destination, PXG East BayTM will support custom club fittings for PXG® equipment and a top-quality apparel and accessory shopping experience for golf and active lifestyle enthusiasts across the San Francisco Bay Area.
“Similar to PXG, the Bay Area is a hotbed for tech, innovation, and opportunity, so setting up shop seemed like a natural fit,” said PXG Founder and CEO Bob Parsons. “We’re proud to be part of this thriving community of golfers. And, we look forward to providing San Francisco-based PXG Troops with easy access to the absolute best, personalized golf experience in the business.”
Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts, Inc. announced today that the winner of The Genesis Invitational was playing a Graphite Design Tour AD DI-8 TX wood shaft in his Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS 9.5° Driver, a Graphite Design Tour AD DI-9 TX wood shaft in his TaylorMade Qi10 15° fairway metal wood and a Graphite Design Tour AD DI-10 TX wood shaft in his Cobra King RadSpeed Tour 17.5° fairway metal wood. The champion claimed his ninth PGA Tour victory after a strongSunday finish where he rallied from a six-shot deficit by shooting a 9-under 62, to win the tournament by 3 strokes.
“Congratulations to the winner of the 2024 Genesis Invitational with nine birdies during the final round to shoot a 62. The winner used Graphite Design Tour AD DI shafts to capture his 9th PGA Tour win on one of the most challenging and historic courses on the PGA Tour”, stated Erik Boysen, Vice President of Tour Promotions, Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts, Inc.
In a come from behind effort, Hideki Matsuyama chased down the field at The Genesis Invitational with a scorching final round back-nine 30, carding six birdies and no bogeys to close out the tournament at 17-under and win by three strokes. Matsuyama’s 9-under 62 on Sunday is the lowest final round tournament score recorded at Riviera Country Club. This is his ninth PGA Tour victory.
Delivering on one of the biggest stages of the year, Matsuyama found himself in cruise control on Sunday, showcasing his pristine Iron play throughout the final round. His back-nine 30 was fueled by his Srixon Z-Forged II Irons hitting back-to-back Iron shots on the 15th and 16th holes within nine and six inches respectively. He ranked second in strokes gained approach in the final round.
Here's another great guest review from a winner in my PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas a few months ago. This one comes from Nick (@BogeyCharlie on X) on his PXG Driver Fitting.
An extra fun background to it because Nick was on vacation in Scottsdale and asked me if we could set him up for his fitting at PXG Scottsdale. I was in California at the time for an event, so I called my friends at PXG and we got it done!
Stock up for the golf season with Srixon’s buy three dozen, get one dozen free golf ball promotion. From now until March 31, 2024, golfers who purchase three dozen SRIXON golf balls will receive an additional dozen for free. Personalization is required and free for all four dozen golf balls.
With a reputation for producing high-performance golf balls that offer outstanding distance, control, and feel, Srixon has become a trusted brand among golfers worldwide. From their popular Z-STAR series to their SOFT FEEL line of balls, Srixon carries a variety of options for players of all skill levels.
PUMA GOLF has announced the PHANTOMCAT NITRO golf shoe, the newest and most advanced shoe PUMA GOLF has ever produced. Featuring multiple new technologies both inside and out, the new PHANTOMCAT NITRO™ provides the ultimate comfort and performance in a wide variety of turf conditions with the added benefit of cutting edge PUMA styling that compliments any players’ on-course look.
The new PHANTOMCAT NITRO is designed with NITROGEN INFUSED FOAM in the heel to provide improved rebound and lightweight responsiveness with every step a player takes during the course of a round. To further increase comfort, a new ANATOMICALLY SHAPED LAST WITH A GENEROUS TOE BOX, which was developed through years of research, provides a better fit for a wider range of people.
Regarded as one of the most successful product franchises in golf, Pro|SL has set a high standard for performance golf shoes by delivering comfort, traction and performance for men, women and juniors at all levels of the game.
In 2024, FootJoy will release the next evolution of Pro|SL with the all-new Pro/SLX and Pro/SLX Carbon. Incorporating the most advanced materials and construction processes, Pro/SLX and Pro/SLX Carbon will advance your game with revolutionary traction, comfort and control features.
Hot on the heels of its highly-anticipated Black Ops launch, PXG is once again ready to put its money where its mouth is with the official deployment of the Black Ops Driver Challenge. The PXG Black Ops Driver Challenge invites all golf enthusiasts – both PXG Troops and critics – to bring their current driver to a free fitting for a head-to-head, knockout event. If the PXG® 0311 Black Ops Driver is longer in total distance or has a tighter dispersion, PXG wins. If not, PXG will issue a $100 Rewards Card — no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
“Our R&D department has gone above and beyond with these babies, and I’m proud to say PXG Black Ops Drivers stand tall as one of most versatile, high-performing clubs on the market. I’m confident that our new, breakthrough technology will knockout the competition, and if we don’t, I am happy to pony up,” said PXG Founder and CEO Bob Parsons.
Industry leader Club Champion announced it will be offering discounted fittings to kick off golf season. To coincide with their national commercial campaign starting during the Genesis Invitational, you can take advantage of their best offer of the year — just $100 for a 3.5 hour full bag fitting or just $50 for any of their other custom fitting types. This promotion is active through February 19.
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-level fitting that produces longer, more accurate shots with a nearly 100% satisfaction rate for golfers of any ability level. The in-depth process uses real-time data and industry-leading technology to hone in on the details needed to upgade your equipment and lower your scores.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced qualifying sites for the 79th U.S. Women’s Open Championship Presented by Ally, to be held at Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club, from May 30-June 2. The club will host its second U.S. Women’s Open.
Conducted over 36 holes, qualifying will be held at 23 sites across the United States, plus Canada, Japan and Germany between April 15 and May 20. Online entry applications open on Wednesday, Feb. 14, and will continue through Wednesday, April 3, at 5 p.m. EDT (champs.usga.org).
Tiger Woods will be playing the all new 2024 Bridgestone TOUR B X golf ball for the first time in competition this week at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles.
The new ball was designed by Bridgestone’s R&D department with significant input from Tiger himself, who has officially switched from the TOUR B XS to the TOUR B X, due to the X providing a bit more “pop,” off the tee while still providing shot stopping spin on approaches and shots around the greens. Tiger has repeatedly thanked Bridgestone’s ball fitters for helping him select a better ball for his game.
Combining short-game-changing performance with industry-leading fitting software, PING introduced the s159 wedge series today, its next generation of specialty wedges engineered to bring golfers more spin and control into and around greens.
The tour-proven s159 wedges are offered in 25 loft/grind combinations and are available for custom fitting and pre-sell beginning today at authorized PING golf shops around the world.
The Club at Olde Cypress, one of the most vibrant, active and welcoming private clubs in Southwest Fla., will undergo a transformative clubhouse renovation project beginning in spring of 2025, club owner STOCK Development announced.
When the multi-million-dollar endeavor concludes in January 2026, the 34,000-square-foot clubhouse, one of the private club’s centerpiece amenities, will boast an additional 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, redefining the dining and social scene for members.
PAYNTR GOLF, North America’s fastest growing golf footwear brand, today announces the pre-sale launch of the Payntr X Tour Proto RS, a new spiked offering, on the company’s website. Retailing for $220.00, the X Tour Proto RS is the company’s forth offering in the spiked category, further establishing the brand’s presence of best-in-class performance focused golf footwear.
“We are proud to debut another standout spiked footwear product to the market,” said PAYNTR Golf Co-founder and President, Mike Forsey. “The response from our Tour Staff, golfers, and our global distributors to a tour tested spiked golf shoe continues to drive our innovation in developing new models and we are pleased to enthusiastically launch the Tour X Proto RS this month.
Tournament Host Tiger Woods will make his 2024 PGA TOUR debut at The Genesis Invitational, held February 15-18 at The Riviera Country Club. Woods headlines the field set to compete in the 98th playing of the event.
One of eight Signature Events on the PGA TOUR schedule, 71 players will compete for a $20 million purse, with this year’s champion slated to collect a $4 million prize and 700 PGA TOUR FedExCup points. The Genesis Invitational will feature a 36-hole cut for the top 50 plus ties and any player within 10 shots of the lead.
Forty of the nation’s most accomplished collegiate golfers across all levels have been named to the watch list for the 2024 Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank. The joint announcement was made by the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, the Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
The Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank annually awards the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer based on all collegiate, amateur and professional events over the previous 12 months.
Volvik USA, Inc. (volvik.com) – the world’s most innovative manufacturer of multilayer high-performance golf balls, and The Walt Disney Company, the world’s premier entertainment company, will release an extensive collection of special golf ball sets in a new collaboration to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of The Walt Disney Company.
Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and other iconic Disney characters will be featured on a range of limited-edition packaged sets including Volvik golf balls and collectible ball markers. Furthermore, beloved Disney artwork will adorn the packaging throughout the variety of special gift packs and dozen boxes.
Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts, Inc. announced today that the winner of the PGA Tour WM Phoenix Open was playing a Graphite Design Tour AD DI-95 X-Stiff flex hybrid shaft in his Titleist TSR2 21° hybrid. The champion claimed his fourth PGA Tour victory after making a birdie on the second playoff hole.
“Congratulations to the winner of the WM Phoenix Open. What an exciting clutch performance under pressure to birdie two holes to get in a playoff and birdie to win the playoff. We’re excited he plays a Graphite Design Tour AD shaft in his bag”, stated Wayne Ageno, President, Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts, Inc.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced local and final qualifying sites for the 124th U.S. Open Championship. The U.S. Open will be contested on Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 2, in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., for the fourth time from June 13-16, 2024.
Local qualifying, conducted over 18 holes at 109 sites in 44 U.S. states and Canada, will take place between April 22-May 20. Those players who advance out of local qualifying will join a group of locally exempt players in final qualifying, which will be conducted over 36 holes. This final stage will be held in England and Japan (May 20) and Canada (June 3) as well as 10 U.S. sites, one on May 20 and nine on June 3.
My PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas a few months back was utterly insane. We had more participation than ever before, more prizes than ever before, more excitement and yup also more winners than ever. As a lot of you said, it was "straight Kringlemania!"
And another really cool thing about the 12 Days is how many of the winners want to write guest reviews. It's absolutely phenomenal to hear all of you so excited and sharing your opinions and personalities in these guest reviews. And the first guest review of the year comes from Ed Settle (@Ed_Settle) on X on his new Odyssey Ai One Milled One T putter.
SRIXON® is thrilled to announce a new, Limited-Edition Black Chrome finish available for the highly acclaimed ZX5 Mk II and ZX7 Mk II Irons. With this new finish, Srixon aims to elevate the visual appeal of these Irons and make them a must-have for golfers who value both style and performance.
“These ZX Mk II Black Chrome Irons are a great complement to the rest of the Srixon Iron family and something we’re excited about,” said Brian Schielke, General Manager at Srixon. “The visual appeal of the Black Chrome finish, combined with the exceptional performance of ZX Mk II Irons is a win-win for everyone.”
Crushers GC has announced Stitch Golf as their official on course apparel partner. This strategic partnership will deliver custom products for the team and fans, with available items on sale to the public online and in-store later this year.
Following a championship season together in 2023, the official partnership will now produce a co-designed assortment of men’s custom on-course polos, as well as driver head covers, with the opportunity to collaborate on a wider array of addi2onal items in the future. All custom products worn during play will be made available to the public in late spring of the 2024 season.
The WM Phoenix Open will have more than 50 hours of live tournament and studio coverage originating from TPC Scottsdale this week.
Coverage will be provided by NBC, GOLF Channel and Peacock.
The PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression today announced the field for the inaugural Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational, a competitive element of the Bridgestone Collegiate Development Program. The event features top-level NCAA Division I men’s golf programs and HBCU schools in addition to four high-ranking individual golfers from underrepresented communities.
The Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational will be contested March 25 and 26 at Silverado Country Club in Napa, California, in collaboration with the Golf Coaches Association of America.
In addition to his 2024 lineup of new Phantom mallets, Scotty Cameron introduces two new Long Design models for players seeking to stabilize their stroke with a balanced, more connected feel when gripping and manipulating the putter.
Scotty Cameron introduces his 2024 lineup of Phantom mallets, 10 new models completely redesigned to meet the demands of the modern game through alignment-infused head shapes with improved sound and feel.
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The new Phantom family, offering four unique shapes with multiple neck and shaft configurations, is the result of feedback from Phantom players across the worldwide professional tours, melded with the continued advancement of Scotty’s multi-material construction and face milling technologies.
Tour Edge, the pound for pound industry leader in performance and innovation, introduces their new Hot Launch 524 Series of golf clubs that will be available at retail starting March 1, 2024.
Tour Edge is cascading key innovations from their tour-preferred Exotics brand into the Hot Launch 524 Series, including Ridgeback, Diamond Face VFT, RyzerSole and VIBRCOR technologies.
PUMA Golf and Rickie Fowler have teamed up once again with superstar DJ, Kygo and Palm Tree Crew to create the latest PUMA x PTC collection. Designed to provide a resort feel with tropical vibes, the latest collection includes shirts, hoodies, caps, socks, shoes, women’s looks, and even a Limited-Edition COBRA driver.
The new PUMA Golf x PTC collection is inspired by Rickie Fowler’s SoCal roots and Kygo’s tropical lifestyle, offering something for everyone who loves golf, an active lifestyle, and fun at the beach. The lifestyle collection will come to life on the PGA Tour at The WM Phoenix Open. Rickie will compete in the collection during WMPO and host the newest hospitality lounge on tournament the site, N9NE Lounge.
Fujikura, the leader in performance golf shafts, was honored to be the #1 driver and wood shaft combination on the PGA Tour, along with another victory for a VENTUS driver shaft on the DP World Tour.
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At the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA Tour, Fujikura was the #1 driver and wood shaft during the event in California. Throughout the week, 42.5% of the field used a Fujikura driver shaft, along with another 38.6% of the field who used a Fujikura wood shaft.
Club Champion, the globe’s top custom golf club fitter and builder, is continuing its steady climb in 2024. With four new stores opening in February, the company is furthering its identity as the industry leader and making custom fitting services more accessible nationwide.
With studios opening in Albany, NY; Coral Springs, FL; Perrysburg, OH; and Chandler, AZ, Club Champion studios exist in 43 U.S. states and the brand is primed to hit over 140 domestic locations by the end of the year. That's alongside international studios in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
The USGA has announced the recipients of its Annual Awards, honoring three individuals for their significant contributions for the good of the game in the areas of volunteerism, turfgrass advancement and golf literature.
E. Lee Coble, of Richmond, Va., is the recipient of this year’s Joe Dey Award for his decades-long service to golf and for fostering a more inclusive game. Bob Farren, director of golf course management at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, is the Green Section Award honoree for serving as a leader in sustainable golf course maintenance practices. “Serving Herself: The Life and Times of Althea Gibson,” by Ashley Brown, Ph.D., has been selected as the winner of the USGA’s Herbert Warren Wind Award.
Step into the world of leisure and luxury, where the serene greens of renowned golf courses meet the comfort of exceptional accommodations. As the weather warms and the flowers bloom, golf enthusiasts seek ideal destinations to indulge in their passion for the sport.
Nikon has announced the latest models in its series of acclaimed laser rangefinders for golfers, the COOLSHOT 20i GIII and COOLSHOT 20 GIII.
These new models are small in size but big on features, giving golfers confidence on the course with a clear and bright field of view, amazing accuracy, plus the added reassurance of Nikon’s LOCKED ON QUAKE technology.
The new PXG® 0317® X Driving Iron is engineered with the elite player in mind. An ideal hybrid alternative or specialty club for extreme courses and conditions, the 0317 X presents a tour-inspired design that significantly boosts moment-of-inertia and increases forgiveness for unmatched distance and accuracy.
"A slick replacement for a wood when the course calls for it, the PXG 0317 X Driving Iron will help you keep it in play even in the most challenging environments," said PXG Founder and CEO Bob Parsons.
ECCO consistently delivers products with industry leading comfort and performance through its dedication to quality, exceptional level of craftsmanship and groundbreaking technology.
Wearing is believing, and that’s why 90 percent of golfers feel the difference and buy another pair of ECCOs.