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.) 

Homna TR20 Irons: Players Gear Buolt to Appeal to Broad Range of Performance-focused Golfers

Honma has announced the release of their new TR20 (“Tour Release 2020”) iron line. Known globally for beautifully-crafted, versatile and playable equipment, Honma’s approach with its new TR20 V and TR20 P iron sets is to provide serious players the look, set-up, feel and performance they have come to trust and expect in a players, and players distance, iron. 

 

Both the TR20 P and V irons showcase modern player-preferred profiles with sleek lines and shaping, and are built to be fast and forgiving so that golfers can achieve desirable distance and accuracy– even on misses. 

USGA Launches U.S. Open Victory Club

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced the launch of the Victory Club, the first-ever dedicated U.S. Open fan club, where fans can celebrate the U.S. Open Championship and experience a greater connection to the championship year-round. 

 

The launch of the Victory Club follows the recent introduction of the “From Many, One” U.S. Open brand platform as part of the USGA’s ongoing commitment to elevate the U.S. Open experience for players and fans. While serving as a community of fans for the U.S. Open, the Victory Club offers more direct content, updates and access to the championship than ever before. 

Virtual Watch Parties and Network Programming Highlight 2020 US Open "Week Of" Schedule

The USGA announced today a variety of week-of activities designed for sports fans to celebrate and relive iconic U.S. Open Championship moments while building excitement for the championship’s return in September. 

 

The 2020 championship was originally scheduled for June 18-21 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y., but now will be contested Sept. 17-20. 

Give Dad a Tour Experience with Club Champion Custom Fittings

Shopping for Father’s Day gifts is tough — what do you get the man who has almost everything? The answer: a custom golf club fitting experience from Club Champion, the #1 premium club fitter, builder and retailer of the best brands in golf. They offer more than 45,000 hittable head and shaft combinations — a true, professional-level experience for golfers of any ability. 

 

Ranked by Golf Digest among the 100 best club fitters eight times in a row, Club Champion’s unique coupling system allows them to combine any head and shaft together. The equipment available for demo is far more expansive than what’s offered at other fitting venues, and the variety allows the master fitter to find exactly the right combination to optimize a golfer’s swing. Dad won’t have to wait to test the suggested clubs; he’ll get to hit the exact club that will be custom built for him. 

PUMA Golf X Arnold Palmer Collection Blends the King's Iconic Style with Modern Technology and Comfort for an Elevated Look On and Off the Course

PUMA Golf has revealed its highly anticipated collaboration with Arnold Palmer Enterprises, the PUMA Golf x Arnold Palmer Collection, delivering head-to-toe style and comfort fit for a King.  Blending his trademark cool with modern technologies and fabrics, PUMA x Arnold Palmer offers a complete range of tops, bottoms, headwear and footwear that pays homage to golf’s global icon. 

 

Drawing inspiration from the pride of Latrobe, PA’s ‘Life Well Played,’ the PUMA x Arnold Palmer collection delivers the classic styles that Mr. Palmer wore during his career on and off the course, using a blend of modern and heritage materials authentic to Mr. Palmer’s style. This exclusive partnership celebrates the life and excellence of Mr. Palmer through nostalgic color palettes, storied prints, and personal detailing on every piece. From Bay Hill to each golfer’s own favorite 19th hole, this collection will bring out the Palmer in all of us. 

PUMA Golf Unveils New IGNITE NXT CRAFTED Footwear

PUMA Golf has unveiled its new IGNITE NXT CRAFTED footwear, blending comfort and function in a stunning, premium package that fits perfectly on or off the course. The IGNITE NXT CRAFTED shoes deliver the artistry and look of handmade premium footwear blended with the technology of PUMA’s NXT golf shoes. 

 

Building off the success of the popular IGNITE NXT family, NXT CRAFTED is a premium take on the style, utilizing a natural leather saddle for a sophisticated, one-of-a-kind look.  Additionally, just like the rest of the NXT family, these shoes are built from the ground up using PUMA’s Pro-Form TPU outsole with an organically-altered traction pattern, featuring over 100 strategically placed directional hexagon lugs in proper zones, for maximum stability and traction. In addition, a full-length IGNITE Foam midsole, wrapped in SOLESHIELD for added durability, delivers unparalleled comfort and energy return to help golfers play their best all day long.  SOLESHIELD is a micro-thin TPU film that is vacuum-formed around the midsole to make cleaning off dirt and debris a breeze. The upper features a premium leather saddle wrapped around PWRFRAME reinforcement. The PWRFRAME TPU is an ultra-thin frame that is strategically placed in high stress areas of the upper for lightweight support and increased stability. 

Cobra Golf Extends the Popular King MIM Wedge Family with New MIM in Standard and ONE Length Offerings

COBRA® Golf, a leader in golf club innovation, unveiled its new KING MIM Black Wedges, a fully Metal-Injection-Molded (MIM) 304 stainless steel head construction that is now offered in a glare-reducing QPQ (Quench Polish Quench) black finish.  The MIM process represents a significant advancement in wedge manufacturing, delivering the most precise shape possible for truly exceptional feel and turf interaction in every wedge COBRA manufactures. 

 

Unlike cast wedges, MIM manufacturing reduces the amount of post-process polishing, where in the past, there was a heavy reliance on skilled machinists to grind consistent wedge shapes by hand.  Each wedge is created using a mixture of 304 stainless steel metal powder, which is then heated and injected into a mold.  Using a sintering process, the metal is heated to a higher temperature than forging (1340°C vs. 1200°C), resulting in a smoother grain flow structure versus forged and cast wedges, and the softest feel the industry’s ever seen.  The KING MIM Wedge family is the first in golf to utilize a fully robotic polishing process where the robot is pre-programmed to polish each wedge to exact specifications – a sharp contrast to the variability found in the traditional manual hand-polishing process.  This fully automated process eliminates variance in head weight and thickness and creates more precise grind shapes and more repeatable bounce in each wedge. 

Cobra Delivers Heightened Long Iron Performance with King Utility Variable and One Length Irons

COBRA Golf®, a leader in golf club innovation has introduced its new KING Utility irons, delivering improved distance with a classic look and modern technology. The KING Utility iron is designed for players who seek maximum control and precision on tee shots and longer approach shots on par 5’s. A classic, muscle-back iron shape delivers the feeling of controlled ball flights, while a wider sole and hollow body provides stability, power, and a low centered CG for trajectories that are high and penetrating.  A PWRSHELL™ face insert adds to the performance by expanding the sweet zone for improved ball speeds on off-center hits and launch efficiency for improved trajectory. 

 

Normally only found in Metalwoods, COBRA engineers integrated into the Utility design the trusted COBRA MyFly8™ technology, a series of eight adjustable loft settings that give users the ability to manage trajectory and launch for proper distance gapping. Additionally, the KING Utility irons are geared with COBRA CONNECT™ Powered by Arccos Caddie, an artificial intelligence system that utilizes Smart Grips with embedded sensors to track and record distance and accuracy data on the Arccos Caddie app.  COBRA blends a classic design with cutting-edge engineering, including a hollow-body design, forged PWRSHELL Face, and Tungsten Weighting, to deliver superior performance that users can track and analyze using the in-depth data provided by the Arccos Caddie system. 

SkyGolf Introduces New SkyCaddie LX5 Smart Watch with Touchscreen

SkyGolf®, maker of SkyCaddie®, the most-trusted rangefinders in Golf, announces the new SkyCaddie LX5 Smart Watch with the industry’s largest and most-brilliant color touch screen at 1.39 inches. Now available for order, the new LX5 features next generation technology to provide the closest thing to the award-winning SkyCaddie SX500 on your wrist. 

 

“The LX5 is packed with stroke-saving technology and delivered with the largest and most-brilliant color display in a golf watch today,” said Jacqui Surman, SkyGolf Senior VP and COO. “The LX5 includes 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. It’s also light weight and looks great, making it a versatile watch for everyday use both on and off the course.” 

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.