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.) 

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.