USGA Announces 2021 U.S. Women’s Open Qualifying

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced qualifying dates and sites for the 76th U.S. Women’s Open Championship, which will be contested June 3-6, 2021, at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif.

Conducted over 36 holes, qualifying will be held at 22 courses between April 26 and May 13. The championship is open to female professionals and amateurs with a Handicap Index® not exceeding 2.4. Online entry applications open on Wednesday, Feb. 17 and continues through April 14 at champs.usga.org.

Golf Datatech Releases 2020 US Retail Performance Report and Rounds Played Data

Golf Datatech, LLC, the golf industry’s leading independent market research firm for retail sales, consumer and trade trends, today unveiled the 2020 National Golf Performance Report, a first-of-its kind annual report analyzing rounds played and retail equipment sales in the U.S. Golf Datatech’s data indicates rounds soared by 14% and equipment sales increased by 10% over 2019.

The year-over-year surge in rounds and retail sales are a consequence of golf being positioned as a near ideal socially distanced activity. The 14% increase in rounds is the largest total year increase since Golf Datatech began collecting and projecting rounds played in 1998.

Cobra Golf Launches Limited Edition Rickie Fowler RF Proto Irons

COBRA® Golf, a leader in golf club innovation, unveiled today its highly anticipated, limited-edition COBRA RF Proto Irons, a design collaboration with longtime COBRA ambassador and five-time PGA TOUR winner, Rickie Fowler.  The RF Proto Irons are a replica of the head design that Fowler plays to provide golfers with an opportunity to experience what it feels like to play the same tour-caliber irons trusted weekly by one of game’s most popular players.

The design is the result of multiple shape and spec revisions that evolved over the span of 12 months to get the perfect iron.  The process involved COBRA engineers and longtime Director of Tour Operations, Ben Schomin, working with Fowler every step of the way, applying his design direction, turf-interaction feedback and aesthetic preferences to the overall design, which underwent 32 iterations before arriving at the final version, hence the Rev33 stamp.

Bushnell Golf Announces New Ion Edge GPS Watch

Bushnell Golf, #1 in Electronic Measuring Devices, unveiled the new ION EDGE.   The ION EDGE has been designed to meet the ever-changing needs of golfers wanting wearable EMD’s.   The ION EDGE features a new design with a touchscreen display and the Bushnell Golf app for automatic updates to the more than 38,000 preloaded courses worldwide.  The ION EDGE is one of the industry’s easiest to use golf GPS watches with instant yardage measurements.

“Creating EMD’s that are both trusted on Tour and by the weekend golfer is extremely important to us,” said William Flood, Global Product Manager at Bushnell Golf. “The ION EDGE is user-friendly with industry-leading technology at an affordable price.”

Adidas Releases New ZG21 Golf Shoes - A New Era in Lightweight Golf Footwear

Today’s golfers demand a lot from their shoes, and Adidas kept hearing that there was something missing. Whether it was one of their tour professionals or an everyday golfer, they all wanted the same thing: a high-performance spiked shoe that was lightweight and extremely comfortable. Adidas took that as a challenge to not only fill this void that players were looking for, but also create something exciting that would stand alone at the top and launch a new category of spiked footwear.

After nearly two years, multiple prototypes, configurations, and infusing our latest technologies to get everything right, Adidas is releasing a product that ushers in a new era of performance golf footwear for their brand: ZG21. It’s their latest offering that gives golfers of all skill levels a high-performance spiked shoe that’s lightweight with zero compromises.

Bridgestone Golf Announces New e12 Contact Golf Balls with Groundbreaking New Dimple Technology

Bridgestone Golf, the #1 Ball-Fitter in Golf, announced today the release of the revolutionary new e12 CONTACT golf ball. Following the great success of the award-winning TOUR B series featuring REACTIV cover technology, the latest e12 is designed with next-generation contact science and aimed at players looking for a combination of game-changing distance and forgiveness with exceptionally soft feel and enhanced short game performance.

The true breakthrough in the e12 CONTACT design is the innovative new CONTACT Force dimple, which features a unique structure with a raised area in the center and an outer portion that slows sidespin during flight. The raised area of the new dimple allows for 38% more contact with the clubface at impact than traditional dimples, yielding a much more efficient transfer of energy and improved core activation. The result is faster ball speed and more distance with every club in the bag.

2021 FootJoy HyperFlex WRAPID BOA Golf Shoes Review

You really can’t exaggerate how insanely comfortable the new FootJoy HyperFlex golf shoes are.

There's a sensation of HyperFlex  molding around your entire foot. And your foot goes deeper into the shoe than the previous model with an even greater locked-in stability.

Bridgestone Golf 2021 e6 Golf Ball Review

Bridgestone Golf recently released their new e6 golf balls, and I've had the chance to put them in play a few rounds to get some impressions and feedback for you.

The e6 is a 2-piece ball with a larger and softer core than the previous generation e6, and also uses advanced dimple technology and aerodynamics for maximum distance off the tee and added forgiveness with the long and mid irons.

Mitsubishi Shafts Win Abu Dhabi Championship and Total Driver Shaft Count

With Rory McIlroy chasing him Tyrrell Hatton won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on the European Tour by four shots this weekend using a Mitsubishi Diamana RF 60X.

Hatton averaged 304.9 yards off the tee while holding off a premier field at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Vokey WedgeWorks Introduces M Grind Collection

Master Craftsman Bob Vokey’s “most favorite” grind – the M Grind – is now available in 50°, 52° and 54° lofts through the new Vokey WedgeWorks M Grind Collection.

Previously only available on Vokey Design SM8 sand and lob wedges (56º-62º), the M Grind is designed for players that like to rotate the club face open and closed to manufacture shots around the green:

Titleist Introduces New Pro V1 and Pro V1x Golf Balls – Longer Distance, More Greenside Spin, Softer Feel

Increasing performance through every single layer of the golf ball, the new Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x models are designed for longer distance, even more greenside spin and control and softer feel – with the unmatched ball-to-ball consistency and quality that golfers expect from Titleist.

Available beginning Jan. 27 in golf shops worldwide, 2021 Pro V1 and Pro V1x are the result of new core, casing layer, cover and aerodynamic technologies – including proprietary 388 (Pro V1) and 348 (Pro V1x) dimple designs optimized for extraordinary distance and consistent flight – that combine to make the most trusted and best performing golf balls in the game even better.

FootJoy Introduces New Premiere Series Golf Shoes: Inspired by Then, Supercharged for Now

FootJoy shoes have been trusted by more professional golfers than any other brand through an uncompromising commitment to quality, unrivaled design, and a single-minded focus on golf performance.

As part of FootJoy’s continued brand innovation, FJ is excited to introduce you to The Premiere Series, a modern representation of the classic golf shoe for men and women.

FootJoy Announces New HyperFlex Golf Shoes for 2021

FootJoy, the #1 Shoe in Golf, has been trusted by the greatest golfers in the world for a singular dedication to the game of golf and relentless commitment to innovation performance, style, comfort and quality.  In fact, FootJoy has been the #1 shoe chosen by players at every PGA Tour tournament for 75 straight years.

As part of their continued commitment to performance innovation, FootJoy introduces the all-new HyperFlex, tuned specifically for golf to deliver crazy-soft comfort and performance along with support that returns energy to the golfer.

Wilson Staff Announces New D9 Drivers, Fairway Woods, and Irons Designed for the Ultimate in Distance, Performance, and Control

Wilson Staff has unveiled its new line of D9 drivers, fairway woods, and irons using more than 120 computers to ensure the entire line delivers more distance and control than ever before.

Using these computers Wilson was able to simulate and compare different clubhead designs to produce the most effective design possible in each club category.

Vessel Player III Stand Bag New for 2021

The Vessel Player III stand bag combines the proven performance of their flagship Player Stand, with elevated details, increased functionality and unmatched craftsmanship from top to bottom.

Taking cues from the needs of tour players, the Player III features a larger top with a more intentional divider layout, magnetic water bottle pockets and a compression molded back panel for added comfort.

Callaway Announces New ERC Soft 2021 Golf Balls

Callaway Golf officially announced the new ERC Soft Golf Ball, the Company’s longest ball with soft feel, while also providing exceptional greenside control.

ERC Soft is our longest golf ball with soft feel, and it’s built for increased control around the green. To create all that distance, we’ve developed a High Energy Core that promotes maximum speed and total performance from tee-to-green.

New Callaway Epic Drivers and Fairway Woods Announced

Callaway Golf Company, an industry leader in golf equipment and innovation, announced its new family of Epic Drivers and Fairway Woods. The Epic product line is framing the future of speed, with exceptional new technologies that are designed to deliver fast ball speeds for every type of player.

Three new driver models are available – Epic Speed, Epic MAX, and Epic MAX LS. Exceptional ball speeds start with the Company’s new A.I.-designed Jailbreak Speed Frame. Previous Jailbreak architectures stiffened the body in the vertical direction. By applying Artificial Intelligence, this new structure improves stability in the horizontal and torsional direction as well. The result is exceptional ball speeds across the face.

Odyssey Golf Introduces New White Hot OG Putters

Odyssey Golf, the industry leader in putter innovation, announced its new line of White Hot OG Putters. The original White Hot is an insert that Tour players demand, and now it’s back and better than ever in a premium high performance package for all golfers.

This two-part urethane insert formulation creates the feel, sound and performance that has set the standard in the industry for over 20 years. It’s an innovation that helped propel Odyssey to its position as the #1 Putter across major worldwide Tours.

Shot Scope Announces PRO L1 Laser Rangefinder

On the heels of the V3 Smart Golf Watch debut, the first multi-function watch to feature artificial intelligence and offer golfers real-time on-course performance tracking capabilities, Shot Scope (www.shotscope.com), a leading international manufacturer of GPS-based golf management systems, today introduced the PRO L1 Laser Rangefinder to the United States market, adding a new hi-tech device for golfers improve their game.

The Company’s first high-performance laser rangefinder, the lightweight, easy-to-use PRO L1 is the perfect combination of size, accuracy and innovation. The PRO L1 is highlighted by Advanced Slope Technology, providing golfers with compensated distance whether a target is uphill or downhill from their location, and accurate up to 3.6 inches. This function can easily be toggled on and off if being used for tournament play.

Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Announces Limited Edition Player's Combo Sets in Diamond Black Metal Finish

On the heels of introducing a number of long iron alternatives, including the UiHi utility irons and VKTR+ hybrids which led to The Player’s Combo Set – one of the best-selling products in their recent history – the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company today unveiled a Limited Edition Player’s Black Combo Set.

The Company will introduce a limited run of the Player’s Black Combo set comprised of the PTx PRO Black irons (#4 iron through #7 iron) combined with ICON Black irons (#8 iron – Pitching Wedge).  As an extra bonus, buyers will have the opportunity to purchase an 18-degree VKTR+ hybrid … traditionally a club that would replace a #3 iron … for a special price.