U.S. Amateur Championship Hampered by Rain; Brad Reeves is Clubhouse Leader at 5 Under

The U.S. Amateur, the USGA’s oldest championship, is known as a test of fortitude, and the patience and resilience factors for the 312-player field were ramped up on Tuesday afternoon when play in the championship’s 121st edition was halted for nearly four hours by storms in the area.

The morning wave of players on both Oakmont Country Club – which is hosting the championship for a record-tying sixth time – and stroke-play co-host the Longue Vue Club, in nearby Verona, Pa., were able to complete 36 holes of stroke play. However, the 156 afternoon starters in the field will have to complete Round 2 on Wednesday, starting at 7:30 a.m. EDT, after which the 64-player bracket for match play will be decided, likely in the early afternoon. The Round of 64 will begin after a playoff, if necessary, to decide the final spots in the bracket.

Shot Scope Introduces Lay Up Points Feature for V3 GPS Smart Watches

Shot Scope (www.shotscope.com), a leading international manufacturer of GPS-based game tracking and distance measuring smart watches, as well as laser rangefinders, today introduced Lay-Up Points, a feature for the award-winning V3 watch that offers distances from the center of the fairway at 100, 150 and 200 yards to the middle of the green.

The newest enhancement from Shot Scope, which is offered at no additional cost to customers, gives golfers the knowledge to lay up with confidence on long holes or understand what to hit off the tee on shorter par 4s.

True Spec Golf Fitting Review - Columbus Studio

Last month I chose one of my followers to get fit at True Spec Golf for a new driver, and I tagged along with the winner to document and report on his day.  You saw some of it on twitter and Instagram, and now we're going to dive a little deeper into Rick's fitting.

I'm going to let Rick tell you about his day in his own words below, but first will give you some of my own impressions as I observed the process.  And then will wrap it up with some final thoughts, and also let you know how Rick's driver game stacks up now since he received and put his new driver in play.

New Callaway Golf JAWS Full Toe Wedges Announced

Callaway Golf has announced new JAWS Full Toe wedges, designed to give you control on all types of wedge shots, from chips, pitches, flops, bunker shots, and full shots into the green.

The Jaws Full Toe combines four distinct technologies that make it an absolute spin machine. It all starts with Callaway's JAWS grooves, the most aggressive groove in golf.

Jacob Bridgeman Leads After First Round While Oakmont Tests Field in 121st U.S. Amateur Championship

Oakmont Country Club has a reputation as one of golf’s sternest tests, and it kept to that unyielding standard in Round 1 of stroke play on Monday in the 121st U.S. Amateur Championship. Just one player of the 156 who played there posted an under-par score, a 1-under 69 by Cole Sherwood, of Austin, Texas.

Jacob Bridgeman of Inman, S.C., a senior at Clemson University, shot the low round of Day 1, a 7-under-par 63 on stroke play co-host course Longue Vue Club. Three players – Joe Highsmith of Lakewood, Wash.; Mark Goetz, of nearby Greensburg, Pa.; and Alex Fitzpatrick, of England – shot 6-under 64s at Longue Vue, which is about 6 miles away from Oakmont in Verona, Pa. Four other players, including 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur champion Michael Thorbjornsen of Wellesley, Mass., had 5-under 65s at Longue Vue among a parade of under-par scores on the 6,705-yard layout set high above the Allegheny River.

Miura Golf Congratulates Abraham Ancer on his Victory at the World Golf Championship - FedEx St. Jude Invitational

Miura Golf is pleased to congratulate brand ambassador Abraham Ancer on his first PGA Tour victory at the prestigious World Golf Championship – FedEx St. Jude Invitational.  On the heels of an impressive showing representing Mexico in the Tokyo Olympic Games, Ancer persevered through strong winds at TPC Southwind in Memphis for a one-stroke playoff win over Hideki Matsuyama and Sam Burns.

A pinpoint approach shot on the second playoff hole led to a birdie and the victory. Ancer has been playing Miura irons since 2017 and currently has TC-201 irons in his bag. In February 2019, he became the company’s first brand ambassador.

Cleveland Golf Announces New Launcher XL HALO Woods

Cleveland Golf is proud to announce three new Launcher XL Woods: Launcher XL HALO Fairway Woods, Launcher XL HALO Hybrid, and the Launcher XL HALO Hy-Wood. These new additions to the Launcher XL family officially launch in North America on Aug. 20, 2021.

“The new Launcher XL HALO Fairway Woods are the most forgiving and confidence inspiring fairway woods Cleveland Golf has ever made,” said Dustin Brekke, Director of Engineering at Cleveland Golf. “With an extreme high MOI design, Gliderail technology and Rebound Frame, the Launcher XL Fairway Woods provide distance and consistency never before seen for game improvement players.”

Castle Completes Improbable Run to 121st U.S. Women’s Amateur Title

Jensen Castle completed one of the most improbable runs in U.S. Women’s Amateur history by defeating Yu-Chiang (Vivian) Hou, 2 and 1, in Sunday’s 36-hole championship match at Westchester Country Club.

Castle, 20, of West Columbia, S.C., a University of Kentucky junior who opened the week with a 7-over-par 79 in Monday’s first round of stroke play and then survived a 12-for-2 playoff just to reach match play, became the first No. 63 seed to hoist the Robert Cox Trophy. Castle is the third No. 63 seed in USGA history to win a title since seeding began in the mid-1980s – Clay Ogden (2005 U.S. Amateur Public Links) and Steven Fox (2012 U.S. Amateur) are the others.

Pair of Wildcats, Hou and Castle, to Duel for U.S. Women’s Amateur Crown

Cinderella is still dancing at Westchester Country Club. University of Kentucky junior Jensen Castle, the No. 63 seed who survived a 12-for-2 playoff on Tuesday to advance to match play, eliminated world No. 2 and reigning NCAA champion Rachel Heck in a 19-hole semifinal thriller on Saturday afternoon to earn a spot in Sunday’s 36-hole championship match of the 121st U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.

Castle, 20, of West Columbia, S.C., will face another Wildcat, University of Arizona All-American Yu-Chiang (Vivian) Hou, 20, of Chinese Taipei, for the right to add her name to the list of legends on the Robert Cox Trophy.

Inside the Numbers from the 121st U.S. Amateur Championship

A field of 302 golfers will tee it up for the 121st U.S. Amateur Championship beginning Monday at Oakmont Country Club and Longue Vue Club.

Oakmont Country Club will be set up at 7,254 yards and will play to a par of 35-35–70. Longue Vue Club, which will serve as the stroke-play co-host course for the two days of stroke play, will be set up at 6,647 yards and play to a par of 36-34–70.

Firestone Country Club to Host 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur Team Championships

Firestone Country Club – renowned as one of North America’s most historic venues for championship golf – announces it will host both men’s and women’s U.S. Mid-Amateur Team Championships from Aug. 4 – 7, 2022.

The 15th annual U.S. Mid-Amateur Team Championship is comprised of men amateur golfers over the age of 25. According to Executive Director Eric Hjortness, the men’s event will grow from 20 to 40 state teams, and will add a women’s championship for amateur golfers over the age of 23, due to the success of this past year’s championship at Creekmoor Golf Club in Kansas City.

Chanachai’s 69 Leads 121st U.S. Women’s Amateur

Suthavee Chanachai didn’t know what to expect from her first-ever round in a USGA championship on Monday. The 23-year-old from Thailand, who just graduated in May from New Mexico State, hadn’t even tried to qualify before filing an application earlier this spring for the 121st U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Westchester Country Club.

Chanachai carried the momentum from shooting 69 in her qualifier to Westchester Country Club, firing a 3-under-par 69 on the West Course to grab the first-round lead. Her five-birdie, two-bogey performance left the two-time Western Athletic Conference player of the year one stroke clear of five players.

Cleveland Golf Introduces Launcher XL Drivers

Cleveland Golf is proud to announce the all-new Launcher XL Driver, Launcher XL Lite Driver, and Launcher XL Lite DRAW Driver. The Launcher XL Drivers officially launch in North America on Aug. 20, 2021.

“The Launcher XL drivers hit the ball long and straight – plain and simple,” said Jeff Brunski, Vice President of Research and Development at Cleveland Golf. “This is the most forgiving driver line we’ve ever made. More than anything, you’re going to see straighter drives more often. We’re introducing a standard model with adjustable loft and lie settings, a lite model that’s longer and faster, and a draw model that corrects for a slice. There’s something for all game improvement players with Launcher XL.”

Sorenstam Goes Wire to Wire in Dominating U.S. Senior Women's Open Championship Victory

Annika Sorenstam steadily pulled away from her closest pursuer, fellow Swede Liselotte Neumann, to capture the U.S. Senior Women’s Open in her championship debut. Sorenstam, who turned 50 last Oct. 9, closed with a 4-under-par 68 on Sunday to complete 72 holes at 12-under 276 and post an eight-stroke victory over Neumann, who finished with a 2-over 74, in the third edition of the championship at Brooklawn Country Club.

“It’s really hard to describe,” said Sorenstam of winning her fourth USGA championship, after U.S. Women’s Open victories in 1995, 1996 and 2006. “When we came here, I just loved the place from the start. Everything felt so good, and then obviously you have to go out there and finish it up, and today I really felt like I played very, very well. To come in here on Sunday knowing what I had to do and I did it, obviously I'm very happy.”

New Titleist T100, T100S, and T200 Irons (2021) - First Look Review

Here's a quick summary of results and impressions from my fitting for the new 2021 Titleist T-Series irons.

I hit the new T100, T200, and T100S irons in that order.  And there happened to be some last gen T100 and T200 irons at my fitting, so I warmed up with those first for a general baseline and feel.

Inside the Numbers from the 121st U.S. Women's Amateur

The 121st U.S. Women's Amatuer will be held at Westchester Country Club August 2nd through the 8th with a full field of 156 of the world's best female amateur golfers.

The Westchester Country Club West Course will be set up at 6,488 yards and will play to a par of 36-36–72 for the championship.

Sorenstam, Ebster Share Round 1 Lead at 2021 U.S. Senior Women's Open Championship

At the top of the leader board in the 3rd U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship in rain-delayed Round 1 on Thursday at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, Conn., were a pair of rookies: Annika Sorenstam and Dana Ebster.

Sorenstam, of Sweden, a three-time U.S. Women’s Open champion, turned 50 last October and seemed ordained to step into the lead of this championship. The World Golf Hall of Famer birdied her first and last holes of the day in delivering a six-birdie, one-bogey effort that fell one stroke short of the 18-hole record for the fledgling championship, 66s by Laura Davies in 2018 at Chicago Golf Club and by Trish Johnson in 2019 at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club.

Titleist Introduces New U-505 Utility and T200 Long Irons

Titleist introduces seven new opportunities for golfers who are looking to increase launch and spin from their utility and long irons, including four options in the new U•505 model and three irons from the new T200 family.

Titleist has been the overwhelming most played utility iron on the PGA Tour for several years running and the addition of the new U•505 and T200 long irons will contribute to its most played position.

Titleist Introduces Next Generation T-Series Irons

Revolutionary changes in the evolution of the Titleist T-Series advances the company’s mission of producing the world’s best irons. Titleist has been the most played iron on the PGA Tour for 16 of the last 17 years, including each of the last seven seasons. Not only is Titleist on pace to extend its favored status on the PGA Tour, the T100 continues to be most played iron model by the world’s best since its tour introduction at the 2019 U.S. Open.

The new T-Series iron family features new materials, processes and refinements that power exacting precision, performance and unmatched feel. The new T-Series irons includes four models – T100, T100•S, T200 and T300 – which will be available for fittings starting today and available in golf shops globally beginning August 26.

Golf Datatech Releases 2021 Mid-Year Report on Retail Sales and Rounds Played

Golf Datatech, LLC, the golf industry’s leading independent market research firm for retail sales, consumer and trade trends, has unveiled the 2021 Mid-Year U.S. Golf Retail Performance & Rounds Played Report, analyzing retail sales of golf equipment, golf apparel, and rounds played over the first six-months of 2021.

Due to the impacts of the pandemic on normal economic activity, making comparisons to 2020 doesn’t tell the whole story, so Golf Datatech’s analysis also compares the performance of the first six-months of 2021 with the same period in 2019, which was the last “normal” year prior to the worldwide impacts of COVID-19.