Tuesday, March 16, 2021

AHEAD and Nicklaus Companies Extend Partnership

AHEAD announced today it has extended its partnership with the Nicklaus Companies and golf legend Jack Nicklaus and will continue to exclusively produce their branded headwear collection worldwide, including the iconic Jack Nicklaus signature and Golden Bear trademarks.

“The Nicklaus Companies is thrilled to continue our successful partnership with AHEAD into our third decade together,” said Andy O’Brien, President of Nicklaus Brands.  “Jack is proud of his relationship with AHEAD and the collaboration’s impact on charities.  The creativity and collaboration we enjoy in working with our friends on the AHEAD team has created a difference in the market.”

True Linkswear Launches Original 1.2 Bulletproof Golf Shoes

Continuing to craft and develop more naturally comfortable, extremely durable and environmentally friendly footwear, TRUE linkswear announces the launch of the new Original 1.2 golf shoe. Staying TRUE to the heritage and style of the Original model, the OG1.2 offers the same fit, feel, and minimalist functionality – with all new sustainable materials engineered to enhance durability while adding fresh aesthetic detailing.

TRUE began by adding all new upper materials to their durable rubber tread outsole and proprietary 2-year waterproof construction. The all new “Bulletproof” Alternative Leather was engineered for peak durability (highly scratch resistant) and waterproofing. The sock fit collar and tongue are composed of high-grade neoprene, which is not only soft to the touch, but also ideal for temperature regulation and water resistance. Add in new reflective rope laces, high breathability cushioned insole, and design updates and you have all new, remastered TRUE Original 1.2.

Golf Datatech and Yano Research Institute Release 2021 World Golf Report

Golf Datatech, LLC, and Yano Research Institute Ltd., the golf industry’s two leading independent research and data firms, have introduced the World Golf Report 2021, the industry’s only global golf retail study. The 2021 report, which marks the 5th overall edition, provides an in-depth global retail market summary based upon geography, size and economic significance of the nearly $14 Billion golf equipment and apparel market.

In 2013 Golf Datatech and Yano Research collaborated to introduce the golf industry’s first-ever worldwide market report, a benchmark study designed to capture the true size and scope of the global golf retail market. Now in 2021, and on the heels of golf’s shutdown in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two companies have updated and expanded the report, featuring a broader scope of data points while capturing more complete golf retail sales from around the globe.

Shot Scope Announces Global B2B Website with V3 GPS Watch and Pro L1 Rangefinder Popularity Growth

Shot Scope (www.shotscope.com), a leading international manufacturer of GPS-based game management systems and laser rangefinders, has unveiled a new global B2B website that was developed to provide turn-key service for drop-shipping and green grass customers, as worldwide popularity for the Company’s V3 Smart Golf Watch, PRO L1 Laser Rangefinder, and suite of game management, performance tracking and distance measuring technologies surge.

The launch of the new website comes on the heels of Shot Scope being named a “Preferred Retail Partner” of Troon, the world’s largest golf management company that manages golf experiences for thousands of players at 585-plus locations around the globe.

Sunday, March 14, 2021

Pronghorn Resort Announces 2021 Stay and Play Packages

In preparation for what experts predict to be a busy travel season, Pronghorn Resort, a leading luxury hotel and residential community in Bend, Ore., has announced its 2021 Stay & Play golf packages.

Packages include luxury accommodations at Pronghorn Resort’s Huntington Lodge, the beautiful 104 guest room and suite hotel which opened on the property in 2019. Surrounded by views of the Cascade Mountains, Pronghorn’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course and Tom Fazio Championship Course are bucket-list destinations for golfers of all levels.

USGA Distributes $1.8 Million in Golf Course Sustainability Research Grants for 2021

The United States Golf Association (USGA) will invest $1.8 million into more than 70 separate research grants in 2021 through the Green Section’s Turfgrass and Environmental Research Program (TERP).

The annual investment in the program is part of the USGA’s continuous efforts to use science and innovation to support the long-term health and sustainability of golf and saves the industry an estimated $1.8 billion in operating costs annually.

Baltusrol Golf Club Lower Course Set for Reopening

After a year-long restoration led by renowned golf course architect Gil Hanse, the Lower Course at Baltusrol Golf Club will reopen to members in May of 2021.

The Lower Course has already hosted 10 major championships—4 U.S. Opens, 3 U.S. Amateurs, 2 PGA Championships, and 1 U.S. Women’s Open—and after this restoration is ready to welcome its first KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in 2023 and its third PGA Championship in 2029.

The Sea Pines Resort Offers Rooms with Front Row Views for April's RBC Heritage

Golf fans looking  to join the limited number of spectators attending the 53rd annual RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing will want to act quickly as The Sea Pines Resort announced it has a few highly desired accommodations available, including a limited number of rooms at The Inn & Club at Harbour Town, plus select homes and villas with views of the famed Harbour Town Golf Links.

Inn guests with reservations during Heritage week will have the opportunity to purchase two tickets per guest room for each of the tournament’s four rounds, Thursday to Sunday. Included with the package is a $50 resort credit per night of stay.  Offer is valid for stays at the Inn from April 15-April 19, 2021 and require a nonrefundable, full prepayment at the time of booking.

Duca del Cosma Launches New SS21 Golf Shoe Collection

Golf footwear brand Duca del Cosma‘s SS21 Collection features 22 new styles for men and women in a host of bold colors and incorporates a range of new performance-enhancing and eco-friendly features.

“The SS21 collection is the most technologically advanced and eco-friendly range that we have ever introduced,” said Leslie Hepsworth, Managing Director, UK & Ireland. “We expect the comfortable new models to be popular with golfers able to appreciate top-quality golf shoes that are distinctively different to anything else on the market.”

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Cobra Launches New T-Rail Irons Utilizing All-New Baffler Hollow Split Rails

Cobra Golf, a leader in golf club innovation, today unveiled the next generation of COBRA T-RAIL (Transition Rail) irons, a full hollow set that utilizes a unique hybrid-iron shape and advanced Baffler Rail technologies to create the optimal blend of distance and extreme forgiveness to take the super game-improvement category to the next level.

The COBRA T-RAIL combines the forgiveness of a COBRA Baffler® hybrid with the precision of an iron in a one-of-a-kind set that is designed for anyone looking for a better game. The T-RAIL hybrid-irons combine the best attributes of a hybrid and an iron into one incredibly easy-to-hit club.  A hollow, wide sole shape with an iron face and topline, creates the perfect blend of distance, forgiveness and accuracy. A hollow body construction throughout the set gives every club hybrid-like launch and distance, to get the ball airborne with ease.

PUMA Golf Introduces ROAR Collection

The new PUMA Golf ROAR Collection is inspired by the Gold Standard of tournaments and the epic roars of the crowd often heard as players take their shot at the Island Green on the iconic 17th Hole at TPC Sawgrass.

The Collection features a bold take on PUMA branding, taking the iconic cat logo and creating a strong, powerful graphic that was designed to stand out from the crowd.

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Bridgestone Golf Introduces Tour B XS Yellow in Response to Player Demand

Bridgestone Golf, the #1 Ball-Fitter in Golf, announced today the release of the new Bridgestone TOUR B XS in yellow. Featuring all the same advanced performance features and innovative technologies as the standard TOUR B XS, which was designed with help of Tiger Woods, the new yellow version is a direct result of consumer demand.

“The TOUR B XS has a very large and enthusiastic following from players with fast swing speeds who are seeking additional spin control around the green,” said Elliot Mellow, Golf Ball Marketing Manager at Bridgestone Golf. “A significant number of those players indicated a desire for a yellow option on our TOUR B XS model, and, being in tune with our consumers, we created it for them.”

Ultimate Kingdom Experience at Reynolds Lake Oconee

Perfectly timed to launch the 2021 golf season, The Kingdom at Reynolds Lake Oconee unveils “The Ultimate Kingdom Experience” package that includes professional club fitting, a custom-fit TaylorMade driver made on site, and two rounds on Reynolds Lake Oconee’s award-winning layouts.

Starting from $2,595, the package features a one-on-one consultation with a TaylorMade Tour Club Fitter and the building of a new TaylorMade SIM2 driver to the guest’s specifications. The driver will be built in time for the golfer to use it on at least one of two rounds on any of the community’s five championship resort courses, all rated among the best in the Southeast. The package also includes an on-course lesson from PGA Tour veteran and Kingdom Instructor Blake Adams.

Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Offers Two New Programs to Enhance Online Buying

The Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company had another spectacular year in 2020, realizing a year-over-year sales increase in excess of 50%.  This marks the second year in a row that the Company has achieved this level of growth, which was due in no small part to their innovative Direct-To-Consumer business model.  The Company adapted its business strategy pivoting away from the old-fashioned brick and mortar distribution model in late 2017 as a means of providing ultra-premium, forged golf equipment to serious golfers directly without retail mark-up and other unnecessary costs factored into their prices.

“We knew that selling direct was the way to go for us a few years ago.  Not only is it more efficient and effective for us, but it allows us to have a one-on-one relationship with the end-user.  As a result, golfers get hand-crafted, custom-built golf clubs for much less than they would pay at golf or sporting goods stores,” said Scott White, President and CEO of the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company.  “Ecommerce is here to stay; we see nothing but upside for our business model in the future … especially as the global pandemic drags on and golfers remain cautious about visiting retail locations.”

New PXG GEN 4 Clubs Engineered for Ultimate Performance

New PXG GEN4 Drivers, Fairways, Hybrids, and Irons deliver more distance, more accuracy, more forgiveness, and more fun across the bag. PXG’s flagship GEN4 Golf Clubs present significant advancements in materials innovations, combined with precision engineering and personalized performance. Available for presale now, GEN4 is everything golfers expect from PXG and more.

“Our GEN4 Golf Clubs are, far and away, the best sticks we’ve ever made,” PXG founder and CEO Bob Parsons stated. “Packed with new technologies, our lineup of Drivers, Fairways, Hybrids, and Irons deliver absolutely explosive performance and drop-dead sexy looks.”

Miura Golf Offering Black Matte Finish in Irons and Wedges

For those who love the simple yet stunning look of black, legendary Miura irons just got even more irresistible.

Long known for quality and craftsmanship in both look and feel, Japanese clubmaker Miura Golf today introduced a new matte black finish to its lineup of irons and wedges. Miura now offers the MB-101, TC-201, CB-301, MC-501 as well as the forged K-Grind 2.0, Milled Wedge and Tour Wedge HB in a striking, yet durable, black finish that retains every element of Miura beauty and design.

PUMA Golf X Palm Tree Crew Collection Delivers Tropical Vibes to the Golf Course

Rickie Fowler, one of PUMA’s most celebrated brand ambassadors, has joined forces with PUMA Golf and world-renowned DJ, songwriter and record producer, KYGO, to bring to life a new, exciting collection – PUMA Golf x Palm Tree Crew.

The Palm Tree Crew (PTC) is a lifestyle brand, founded by KYGO and his manager Myles Shear, that encapsulates tropical vibes and is represented by its iconic golden palm tree logo. The PUMA Golf x PTC collection stemmed from a long-standing friendship between Fowler, also a long-time Crew member, and KYGO, himself an avid golfer, partnering to deliver official Palm Tree Crew gear to the golf course.

Bryson DeChambeau Closes Out Arnold Palmer Invitational with SIK Putter

SIK Golf player and reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau captured his eighth PGA Tour victory on Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. His final round 71 and 11-under-par total required power off the tee and brilliant putting touch on the rock-hard greens at Bay Hill. Not surprisingly, his SIK Pro C Armlock putter, which he relied on heavily throughout the weekend, played a major role in the big win, particularly during the final round, which he finished off with a winning 5-foot putt on the 72nd hole.

“Bryson has improved his putting tremendously through hard work and a scientific approach,” said Steve Harrison, CEO and Founder of SIK Golf. “We’ve worked extensively with Bryson to get his putter exactly right, which includes a recent change that reduced the amount of toe hang of his gamer by about 20 degrees. He’s extremely analytical when it comes to his stroke and his putter and we’re proud he’s used a SIK in all eight of his PGA Tour wins.”

Bryson DeChambeau Boldly Overpowers Bay Hill with Bridgestone Golf Ball to win Arnold Palmer Invitational

Bridgestone Golf star player Bryson DeChambeau captured his eighth PGA Tour victory on Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. DeChambeau’s confidence in his Bridgestone TOUR B X golf ball powered him to a final round 71 and 11-under-par total that was marked by massive drives, dominating shots from the rough, and excellent play on and around the rock-hard greens.

“Innovation and technology are the hallmarks of Bridgestone Golf,” said Dan Murphy, company President and CEO. “This is why Bryson and Bridgestone go so well together. His analytical approach to both his gear and technique are equally innovative and exciting.”

Monday, March 8, 2021

Titleist TSi3 Driver Review - Club Twirls are in Its DNA

There's something sensual about absolutely mashing your drive, splitting the fairway, and having the confidence to believe it's something you can duplicate every time you grab driver from the bag.  I can tell you this because it's exactly what I've experienced with the new Titleist TSi3 driver.

Titleist TSi3 Driver Review

Titleist has implemented its most advanced technologies into the TSi3, making it a driver that delivers relentless distance and accuracy.