USGA Launches U.S. National Development Program to Strengthen American Golf Pipeline and Foster Top Junior Talent

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today launched the U.S. National Development Program, creating the country’s first unified pathway to nurture the potential of America’s top players, starting in competitive junior golf and progressing to the pinnacles of the sport.

The U.S. National Development Program will identify, train, develop, fund and support the nation’s most promising junior players – regardless of cultural, geographical or financial background – to ensure that American golf is the global leader in the game. The program’s elite juniors, amateurs and young professionals will be invited to join one of three national teams with dedicated staff and resources and compete internationally under the U.S. flag.

Austin Country Club Unveils Newly Renovated Clubhouse

Austin Country Club in Austin, Minn., recently hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of its clubhouse renovation project. Ceremony attendees included Austin Chamber of Commerce leadership and ambassadors, as well as Austin Country Club members, associates, and its board of directors. The H. Chambers Company of Baltimore, Maryland oversaw the three-phase project, while the Joseph Company of Austin completed the renovations.

The $5 million clubhouse renovation project began in September 2020 and addressed many areas of the facility, including dining, retail, event space and deferred maintenance. The newly renovated facilities feature modern colors and décor where members can come relax and enjoy their home away from home. The club’s new restaurant and bar named “Bunkers” has a casual/modern feel and includes a state-of-the-art golf simulator and lounge area adjacent to the space. The HD Golf Simulator hosts leagues, challenges as well as provides for practice or lessons on a year-round basis.

PING Announces Power Fitter Award Winners

To recognize custom fitters who distinguish themselves by elevating the custom-fitting experience and demonstrating how properly fit clubs translate to better and measurable results on the course, PING has announced its PING Power Fitter Award winners for 2022.

Formerly known as the Top 100 Fitters of the Year, PING evolved the honor in 2022 to bring even more recognition to its growing list of fitting experts who consistently deliver the best fitting experience in the industry.

ANNIKA Foundation Begins 2023 Share My Passion Clinic During The Players Week

The ANNIKA Foundation – golf Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam’s charitable organization – will begin its 2023 “Share My Passion” clinic series on March 8, the Wednesday of THE PLAYERS week, at Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

With the help of The First Tee of Northern Florida and The North Florida Junior Golf Foundation, the Foundation will invite 50 girls between the ages of six and 14 to participate in a special afternoon with Annika. It will begin with a clinic with Annika, followed by a photo and autograph session. Then, the groups will rotate through stations taught by local instructors covering the fundamentals of driving, putting and the importance of fitness with Annika participating in each. Throughout the afternoon, Annika will engage with the girls sharing tips and stories from her career and share her love for the game.

Billy Foster Extends Partnership with Motocaddy

Major winning Tour caddie Billy Foster has extended his role with industry leading golf trolley brand Motocaddy as a global brand ambassador, to promote its extensive range of electric caddys, bags and rangefinder products in 2023.

After first signing with the brand in 2021, Billy enjoyed a historic year in 2022 that saw him claim his first Major Championship, carrying the bag for Matthew Fitzpatrick during the U.S. Open at The Country Club at Brookline. Wearing the distinctive Motocaddy branding on his chest and sleeves, Billy helped lift the trophy during his 40th year on Tour, in a season that also saw Fitzpatrick break into the top-10 in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time. The standout year put Foster and Fitzpatrick in a prime position to play in the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy, which would see Billy carrying the bag for Team Europe in his 16th Ryder Cup.

NBC, Peacock, and Golf Channel Will Air More than 500 Hours of Live PGA Tour Coverage for Six Straight Weeks Beginning with The Honda Classic

NBC, Peacock and GOLF Channel will present more than 500 hours of live PGA TOUR tournament and studio coverage exclusively over the next six weeks – averaging more than 12 hours of coverage per day – as the TOUR makes its annual spring swing through Florida and Texas.

Peacock will stream all tournament coverage that airs on NBC and GOLF Channel and all Golf Central pre- and post-round coverage that airs on GOLF Channel.

Aon Risk Reward Challenge at The Honda Classic at PGA National

After clawing through ‘The Bear Trap,’ the world’s best players are greeted by a 556- yard closing par 5 at PGA National. While bunkers protect the left side of the fairway, the numbers say taking on that line is worth the risk.

A drive into the left fairway or intermediate rough has led to players going for this green in two nearly 70 percent of the time over the past decade.

Plan Your Perfect Winter Golf Getaway at JW Marriott Resorts in Arizona

When it is time to get away, reward yourself with a winter getaway at one of our JW Marriott Resorts in Arizona.

For a family–friendly escape, weekend with friends, or much–awaited romantic rendezvous, guests are immersed in luxury with exceptional services and amenities to reset from the stressors of everyday life – and it is all in Arizona.

Garsen Putter Grips Picks Up 63rd Tour Win With Lydia Ko's Victory at the LET Aramco Saudi Ladies International

Garsen Golf congratulates Lydia Ko on her 1 shot victory on the Ladies European Tour while using her custom Garsen Quad Tour putter grip.

In addition to winning her first tournament of the 2023 season, Lydia also claimed 3 LPGA Tour wins in 2022 while using a Garsen grip as well as won The Race to CME Globe, The Rolex Player of the Year, and led the LPGA in scoring average and strokes gained putting. This now totals 63 tour wins for Garsen.

Notah Begay III to Play Wilson Staff Model Golf Ball in PGA Tour Champions 2023 Debut

Wilson Sporting Goods Co. today announced an expanded partnership with Notah Begay III and his youth foundation golf initiative. The multiyear deal includes a golf ball product endorsement and Wilson’s recommitment as the official equipment sponsor of the Notah Begay III Junior Golf Championship.

Begay III made his 2023 PGA TOUR Champions season debut at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, FL last week at the Chubb Classic, where he played the Wilson Staff Model golf ball and wear the Staff Model golf glove.

Club Champion Arrives in Three New Markets

Club Champion, the globe’s top custom golf club fitter and builder, continued its steady climb into the new year. With three new stores opening in the first quarter of 2023, the company is continuing to bolster its identity as the industry leader.

With studios now open in Destin and Fort Myers, FL; and Westlake, OH, Club Champion is primed to hit over 125 domestic and international locations by the end of the year. There are now fitting studios in 42 U.S. states and partnered locations in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

World Golf Hall of Fame Announces Finalists for 2024 Induction Class

The World Golf Hall of Fame released the names of 12 finalists who will be considered for induction in 2024. Final selections for the 2024 World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Class will be announced the week of March 6, 2023.

Before gaining consideration, each finalist met the necessary qualifications in his or her respective category by way of on-course accomplishments or significant contributions to the game of golf. The finalists include Padraig Harrington, Tom Weiskopf, Johnny Farrell, Jim Furyk, Dottie Pepper, Sandra Palmer, Beverly Hanson, Cristie Kerr, Peter Dawson, Butch Harmon, Jay Sigel and the seven remaining co-founders of the LPGA: Alice Bauer, Bettye Danoff, Helen Detweiler, Helen Hicks, Opal Hill, Shirley Spork and Sally Sessions.

Sports Illustrated Debuts SI World Golf Rankings

Sports Illustrated (SI) today announced the creation of the SI World Golf Rankings, a new ranking system that includes all major men’s professional tours and data-driven player results. The rankings will be continuously updated at SI.com/golf alongside in-depth stories, breaking news, championship coverage, and analysis from SI Golf.

The SI World Golf Rankings seek to address concerns about the widely utilized world rankings system and offer an alternative that reflects the importance of measuring results from the most immediate 12 months, whereas current world rankings include tournament results as far back as two years ago.

The Path to The Los Angeles Country Club Begins

The United States Golf Association (USGA) has announced that online entry applications will be available beginning on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 9 a.m. EST, for the 123rd U.S. Open Championship, to be played from June 15-18 on The Los Angeles (Calif.) Country Club’s North Course.

Thousands of golfers will attempt to qualify for the championship through a two-stage process, with a field of 156 players advancing to The Los Angeles Country Club, where one will be crowned U.S. Open champion. Non-exempt players will compete in one of 109 local qualifiers hosted throughout the United States (with one in Canada) between April 17 and May 22.

EA SPORTS PGA TOUR Releases Course Dynamics Deep Dive Trailer

EA SPORTS PGA TOUR has released a visually stunning Courses Reveal trailer providing players a peek into the game’s meticulously crafted courses along with core gameplay features centered around Pure Strike. 

You can find the all-new trailer HERE. The trailer showcases the game’s stunning, realistic visuals along with the state-of-the-art course mapping technology the team employed like photogrammetry scanning, drone technology, and survey-grade GPS.

LA Golf Launches GEN 2 Bel-Air and Malibu Putters with Largest Sweet Spot on the Market

LA GOLF is going to turn heads again this year with new putter models they claim are the most technologically advanced putters ever made.  I gave you a sneak peek of their new GEN 2 putters at the PGA Show.  What I didn't tell you however is these putters are going to be available at a price that's extremely competitive with other premium putters on the market.

Only one year after entering the putter category, LA GOLF doubled down with improvements in their next generation of carbon putters, the “Bel-Air” and “Malibu” series.

PGA National Resort Welcomes PGA Tour's Honda Classic

PGA National Resort – South Florida’s luxurious, world-class golf, vacation, culinary, events and spa destination – will showcase the stunning results of its fully realized $100 million transformation as it hosts the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic played on its acclaimed Champion Course, Feb. 23 – 26.

As the first stop of the PGA Tour’s “Florida Swing” and host venue since 2007, the dramatic “new” resort property features 99 holes of exceptional golf ranging from four “traditional” 18s (including the mighty Champion Course with its famous Bear Trap) to a duo of bold and innovative new Andy Staples-designed layouts, The Match and The Staple courses.

Bernhard Langer Wins Chubb Classic and Ties All-Time PGA Tour Champions Victory Record

It was an epic weekend for Bernhard Langer and his golf equipment sponsor Tour Edge, who has been experiencing a meteoric rise on the PGA TOUR Champions over the past few seasons.

Their ageless staff player Langer won the PGA TOUR Champion’s Chubb Classic in Naples, Fla. Sunday. Langer’s 17-under par performance led him to win for the 17th straight year on the PGA TOUR Champions, setting a new mark for consecutive years with a victory.

Mizuno Golf Announces Top Fitters for 2022

Mizuno’s Swing DNA system is a firm favorite of professional club-fitters all around the world and in the hands of expert fitters, the technology has helped countless golfers to meet and fine-tune their equipment requirements and improve their golf.

Mizuno’s award-winning Shaft Optimizer 3D uses strain gauges and a built-in Gyro to measure over 40 data points in a player’s swing, gathering data that’s transmitted via Bluetooth to Swing DNA software to digitally recommend the correct equipment for a golfer’s requirements. Mizuno recognizes the importance of teaming this technology with the best fitters.

Fujikura Unveils AXIOM Iron Shafts with VeloCore for 2023: First Impressions

Fujikura, the industry leader in performance golf shafts, is proud to introduce an incredibly innovative and game changing addition to its line of iron shafts: AXIOM.

Designed for ultimate consistency and feel, AXIOM iron shafts will be available through Fujikura’s Charter Dealer network beginning March of 2023.