Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Grips, Gadgets, Gear, and More: 2022 Father's Day Gift Guide

Father's Day is fast approaching (June 19th) and there are more choices than ever before for the golf dad in your life.  I'm here to help make sure you whatever you get dad is something he'll truly and completely enjoy.

All the ideas here are products, gadgets, and gear I've used, tested,, played, and reviewed so I know first hand these are can't miss.  Dad will look better, play better, and just have more fun with any and all of these golf must haves.

PopStroke Announces Official Opening of Orlando Location

PopStroke Entertainment Group, a national leader in golf entertainment co-owned by Greg Bartoli and Tiger Woods’ TGR Ventures, today announced the official public opening of its PopStroke Orlando location is set for Monday, June 13 at 9 a.m. The Orlando location is located at 321 N. Alafaya Trail in Waterford Lakes Town Center.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 9 at 10 a.m., hosted by PopStroke along with representatives from TGR Design, Stevens Construction, government officials, and the East Orlando Chamber. This is the first of several Orlando locations planned. Details will be released on future locations later this year.

Arcis Golf Acquires Four Bridges Country Club in Ohio

 Arcis Golf—the second largest and fastest-growing owner and operator of private, resort and daily fee clubs in the United States—has added Four Bridges Country Club in Liberty Township, Ohio, to its growing portfolio. This is the 9th club acquisition completed by Arcis in less than a year.

The Four Bridges community has 3,200 residents within Liberty Township, located in Ohio’s Butler County, and is in the center of the fast-growing I-75 corridor north of Cincinnati.

Today is Women's Golf Day

Women’s Golf Day, the global movement that engages, empowers, and supports females through golf, is an annual one-day sporting and community celebration taking place today Tuesday June 7th!

WGD was founded by Elisa Gaudet in 2016.  Now in its 7th year, WGD unites people across the globe through golf.  Starting in Australia and ending in French Polynesia, events will take place for 24 hours straight.  There are events in every continent, apart from Antarctica.

Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro White Shaft - PGAPappas Giveaway Winner Guest Review

When you're a gear junkie like Kyle, the winner of a new Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro White shaft in my 12 Days of Christmas Jingle Bam Giveaway, there's nothing quite like testing out all kinds of new equipment.

New equipment doesn't always translate to better play on the course.  But since Kyle has put the TENSEI 1K in his driver he's seen "more consistent total distance."  And that's compared to a variety of heads and shafts he's played over the last few years.

USGA Statement on the 2022 U.S. Open Field

The USGA today released a statement on the 2022 U.S. Open field.  Here it is.

"We pride ourselves in being the most open championship in the world and the players who have earned the right to compete in this year’s championship, both via exemption and qualifying, will have the opportunity to do so. Our field criteria were set prior to entries opening earlier this year and it’s not appropriate, nor fair to competitors, to change criteria once established.

Monday, June 6, 2022

Gear Up for the 2022 U.S. Open with the Limited Edition FootJoy Back to Brookline Collection

FootJoy is bringing the heat with their 2022 U.S. Open limited edition Back to Brookline collection.

With apparel celebrating the U.S. Open return to The Country Club and inspired by Frances Ouimet's historic 1913 win and The Country Club's iconic squirrel, FJ has created something really special.

12 Players Earn Exemptions into 122nd U.S. Open at The Country Club

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that 12 players have earned exemptions into the 122nd U.S. Open Championship, which will be held on the Open Course at The Country Club, in Brookline, Mass., on June 16-19, 2022. These exemptions bring the number of fully exempt players to 91.

The additional 12 players earned entry based on the current Official World Golf Ranking® (OWGR®) or the four-event U.S. Open 2022 European Qualifying Series, which ended on June 5.

42nd Curtis Cup Match - Fact Sheet

Merion Golf Club will be set up at 6,130 yards and will play to a par of 36-34–70 for the 42nd Curtis Cup.

The yardage for each session of the competition will vary due to course setup and conditions.

United States Golf Association Breaks Ground on Golf House Pinehurst

The United States Golf Association officially broke ground Monday on its newest campus, Golf House Pinehurst, which will include its equipment-testing facility, the visitor-friendly USGA Experience and an educational landscape feature, to be completed by the end of 2023.

“The USGA, along with our many partners who helped make this project a reality, share a bold vision for Golf House Pinehurst and the impact it will have on this community and the game of golf,” said Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA. “We love being a part of the Home of American Golf, and bringing this vision to life, starting today.”

Major Domination for Fujikura Golf at U.S. Women's Open

Fujikura, the leader in performance golf shafts, was proud to be the #1 driver and wood shaft at the U.S Women’s Open.

In an impressive field for the 77th U.S Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, Fujikura claimed another top spot title with a massive 35.5% of the field choosing to play a Fujikura driver shaft, with another 30.3% of players using a Fujikura wood shaft. The eventual winner was part of this wood shaft count percentage, using a VENTUS Red 6-R in her 3-wood and VENTUS Blue 6-R in her 5-wood on her way to victory.

LIV Golf Announces Broadcast Innovation, Unprecedented Access for Global Audience, and Acclaimed On-Air Talent and Production Team

Reinforcing its mission of growing the sport of golf and reaching new fans across the world via a new and innovative entertainment product, LIV Golf today announced broadcast details and the experienced, diverse team of talent and award-winning producers that is set to modernize how golf is watched.

Beginning Thursday, June 9 at 9:00 am EST / 2:00 pm BST, complete, live coverage of LIV Golf’s historic launch at Centurion Club will be globally available direct to consumers on LIVGolf.com, YouTube and Facebook. The LIV Golf event broadcasts will also be aired live on a global roster of leading premium and free-to-air broadcasters providing coverage in 138 territories around the world.

Galvin Green Star Mina Harigae Finished Second at U.S. Women's Open

Team Galvin Green star Mina Harigae finished in second place wearing the latest Quickdry outfit in temperatures reaching 89°F at the U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles on Sunday and jumped 30 places to 22nd in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

Having signed with the leading high-performance apparel brand earlier this year, Harigae chose to wear the striking VENTIL8™ PLUS MADELENE short sleeve shirt in Red/Lipgloss Red matched with the PETRAshorts and ELLA base layer in White for her final round that took her up to 24th place in the Race to CME Globe season standings.

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Aussie Rules: Minjee Lee Rolls to U.S. Women's Open Title at Pine Needles

When Minjee Lee first announced her presence at a USGA championship a decade ago by winning the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, she was asked by Golf Channel reporter Steve Burkowski if more USGA titles were in the offing.

Her two-word answer: “I’m coming.”

Saturday, June 4, 2022

Cobra LTDx Irons Review - Making You Fall in Love with Game Improvement Irons Again

Cobra Golf isn't just making a splash in the game-improvement irons category in 2022.  They're going all out cannonball with their new KING LTDx irons.  Feel, sound, distance, and forgiveness have all been re-engineered giving golfers everything Cobra can possibly give you.

I've taken my New Cobra LTDx irons out handful of time now.  Some tough courses including Pinehurst No. 2, NCR Country Club, and my hometown Manakiki.  And I can say conclusively LTDx are one of the longest, massively forgiving, straightest irons out today.  Hands down.

Minjee Lee Charges into 54-Hole Lead at 77th U.S. Women's Open

When she successfully defended her U.S. Women’s Open title in 2001 at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, Karrie Webb ran away from a stellar field to produce an eight-stroke victory.

Now a fellow Australian with close ties to the World Golf Hall of Famer is threatening to do the same thing on the same Donald Ross layout in the 77th U.S. Women’s Open Presented by ProMedica.

122nd U.S. Open Championship - Final Qualifying Storylines for Golf's Longest Day

U.S. Open Final Qualifying on Monday, June 6, will be held at nine sites (eight in the U.S., one in Canada).

Final qualifying, conducted over 36 holes, will be held at the sites listed. The 2022 U.S. Open Championship will be contested from June 16-19 on the Open Course at The Country Club, in Brookline, Mass.

Friday, June 3, 2022

Ten Stats to Know from Round Two of the 2022 U.S. Women's Open

The storylines entering this week’s 77th U.S. Women’s Open Presented by ProMedica were seemingly endless. Through two days, the championship has not disappointed.

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club has yielded lower scores than anticipated, some of the record-setting variety. One surprise performer remains on top of the leader board, with one of the game’s most acclaimed ball-strikers joining her through 36 holes. Meanwhile, the top-ranked player in the world is lurking, a mere three shots off the pace as we head to the weekend.

Minjee Lee and Mina Harigae Share 36-Hole Lead at 77th U.S. Women's Open

Mother Nature gave the field in the 77th U.S. Women’s Open Presented by ProMedica a bit of a breather for Round 2 on Friday at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club. Stifling heat was replaced by comfortable temperatures in the 80s and an overnight shower softened the course just a touch.

Give the world’s best players more benign conditions and watch the leader board turn into a sea of red numbers. A total of 26 players are under par through 36 holes, which is 12 more than the combined number of players in red figures through 36 holes of the previous three U.S. Women’s Opens at Pine Needles.

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Ten Stats to Know from Opening Round of 2022 U.S. Women's Open

An exciting Round 1 of the U.S. Women's Open on Thursday at Pine Needles saw an amateur rewrite the record book in the morning, only to be topped by a tour veteran in the afternoon wave.

Here are 10 Stats to Know from Day 1 of the U.S. Women’s Open Presented by ProMedica.