PopStroke Announces Expansion Plans for 2023

PopStroke Entertainment Group, a national leader in golf entertainment owned by Greg Bartoli, Tiger Woods’ TGR Ventures, and TaylorMade Golf Company, announced their upcoming venue lineup that will bring the unique experiential putting concept to several new markets across the United States.

The company’s expansion efforts will begin construction this year in major markets, including Nashville, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Myrtle Beach, The Colony, TX, Tuscaloosa, and College Station, TX. They will also extend their footprint in Florida with three additional groundbreakings in Orlando/Winter Garden, Daytona Beach and Wellington.

Topgolf to Become Global Medaled Event in Special Olympics

Topgolf is beyond excited to share that beginning in 2024, Topgolf will be an officially sanctioned event with Special Olympics, the first time a brand has become a medaled event. That means Special Olympics athletes will be able to compete in Topgolf as an individual or with a team through Special Olympics Unified Sports, which joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team for training and competition.

Modern golf entertainment leader Topgolf is committed to making the game of golf more diverse, inclusive and fun, and with off-course golf participation at an all-time high, the partnership with Special Olympics was an easy “yes!” for Topgolf.

Arccos and TaylorMade Extend Partnership Offer to UK Golfers

Arccos, the pioneer of big data and Artificial Intelligence for golf, today announced the extension of its partnership with TaylorMade Golf, allowing players based in the UK to access the ‘Track Better. Play Better.’ program by registering to receive free Arccos smart sensors and free 45-day trial membership to the award-winning platform.

Accessible at taylormade.arccosgolf.com, this special offer also includes the option to bundle the Arccos Link wearable at a limited-time, 50% discount, further helping TaylorMade customers harness the power of their on-course data to play smarter and shoot lower scores. A nominal shipping and handling fee may apply.

2023 Arizona Summer Troon Card Now on Sale

Troon, the Scottsdale-based golf management firm, has launched its 2023 Arizona Summer Troon Card program, providing preferred rates to cardholders at more than 22 Troon-managed and brand-affiliated facilities, which include 26-plus golf courses throughout the Grand Canyon State. The 2023 Arizona Summer Troon Card is valid May 4th through September 30th and can be purchased for $139 for a TwoSome Card or $179 for a FourSome Card at www.TroonCard.com.

For the fourth consecutive year, Troon will donate funds to St. Mary’s Food Bank for each Arizona Summer Troon Card sold. Previous St. Mary’s Food Bank donations from Summer Troon Card sales have resulted in more than 850,000 meals since 2020, helping to feed the less fortunate. St. Mary’s Food Bank, one of the largest food banks in the United States, distributed more than 102,000,000 pounds of food in 2022 throughout Arizona.

Retro Golf Club Reintroduces Nostalgic Days of Golf to Country Clubs Spanning the East Coast

Golf enthusiasts across the nation yearning for the nostalgic days of yesteryear now have the opportunity to take a step back in time as today marks the launch of Retro Golf Club, a new venture by golf industry veteran Cory Crelan, giving players of all skill levels the chances to use golf clubs made famous in Augusta, Ga., Pebble Beach, Calif., Pinehurst, N.C. and St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland.

Retro Golf Club has the ability to enhance any corporate outing, country club tournament or a golf trip amongst friends with carefully refurbished clubs from the 1970’s and 1980’s when persimmon and laminated woods, and blade irons filled the bags of the top professionals in the world.

The Sea Pines Resort Gives Golfers the Tour Pro Experience

A new champion—Matt Fitzpatrick—has been crowned in the 2023 RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, played at the world-famous Harbour Town Golf Links. Fitzpatrick, who bested 2022 defending champion Jordan Spieth in a three-hole play-off, is a long-time visitor to Hilton Head Island and relished this victory.

“This one is the one that I’ve always wanted to win,” he said in his post-tournament media conference. “My family can tell you that, and my friends can tell you the same thing. This place is just a special place for me, and it means the world to have won it.”

Lee Smith Named Executive Director of The Players Championship

The PGA TOUR announced today that Lee Smith has been named Executive Director of THE PLAYERS Championship and replaces Jared Rice, who has taken a new role leading business development for the TOUR’s Championship Management portfolio of events.

Smith comes to THE PLAYERS Championship after spending the last five years as General Manager at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he was instrumental in helping the PGA TOUR contest THE NORTHERN TRUST in 2019 and 2021. While overseeing an onsite staff of nearly 150 team members at the club, he secured the LPGA Tour’s Mizuho Americas Open, which will debut at Liberty National in June. Since 2008, Smith has been a key member of the TPC Network, serving as Head Golf Professional at TPC Sugarloaf outside Atlanta; General Manager of TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas; and Regional Director of Operations for TPC Networks, a role he held concurrently with his position at Liberty National. He has been a Class A member of the PGA of America for more than 20 years.

Charlie Mechem Launches Arnie and Jack Audiobook

Charlie Mechem is proud to announce the release of the audiobook version of his popular book, Arnie and Jack: Stories of My Long Friendship with Two Remarkable Men.

In the Arnie and Jack audiobook, you’ll enjoy a front-row seat to many of golf’s cherished moments in locales rich in history, as narrated by 92-year-old Mechem with a combination of wit, humor, and emotion. Through his stories, he’ll take you on the course at pro-golf’s famous Bay Hill, Camargo Club, Muirfield Village, Tradition, and Augusta National and off the course at the Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant, the Captains Club, even the White House and Congress.

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 so far in 2023, the company is continuing to bolster its identity as the industry leader.

With studios now open in Kingwood and Midland, TX; and Farragut, TN, 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.

Edel Golf Under New Ownership

Premium golf equipment manufacturer Edel Golf has been acquired by former CoorsTek executive Doug Coors. Hailing from the Coors Brewing family, his background resides in engineering physics and manufacturing processes. What stands out about Coors is his passion for golf, knowledge of the biomechanics behind the golf swing, and keen sense of club fitting processes.

Coors’ relationship with Edel Golf first started when he was asked to be a manufacturing consultant where he became familiarized with the company, its products, and fitting processes. “I learned so much from my putter and wedge fittings that I was shocked how little the industry shared with the casual golfer,” said Coors. “There is so much to this game, and I wanted to learn everything I could. Acquiring Edel Golf has given me the platform to share what I learned.”

Uneekor Golf Simulator Brand Acquires Evnroll Putters

Uneekor is delighted to announce the acquisition of a controlling interest in US-based premium putter brand Evnroll.

The deal sees Creatz Inc., parent company to the South Korean golf technology company Uneekor, acquire a 70% share and controlling interest in Evnroll putters with immediate effect.

First Nicklaus Heritage Course Breaks Ground in the Bahamas

Nicklaus Design—the world’s leading golf course design company— announced today they have commenced work on an 18-hole championship layout at Jack’s Bay, the one-of-a-kind exclusive resort club and residential community that features four miles of magnificent white sand beaches on the Atlantic coastline on the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas.

Jack’s Bay will be the first Nicklaus Heritage® course in the world, as well as include the rare Nicklaus real estate branding rights as a Nicklaus Community—a distinction afforded to only a very select collection of developments around the world and the very first in the Caribbean.

USGA Unveils $30 Million Commitment to Advance Water Resilience Efforts in Golf

The United States Golf Association (USGA) is accelerating its work toward a more sustainable game with the deployment of a multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment toward reducing golf’s use of water.

The organization’s $30 million commitment over the next 15 years will advance underutilized strategies and technologies that golf courses can use to economically reduce their use of water, a vital and increasingly regulated natural resource with near- and long-term cost and availability concerns. The work will focus on irrigation optimization, advanced conservation innovation and water sourcing and storage.

Two USGA Senior Amateur Championships Coming to The Omni Homestead Resort

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that The Omni Homestead Resort’s Cascades Course, in Hot Springs, Va., will host the 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and the 2029 U.S. Senior Amateur. They will be the ninth and 10th USGA championships hosted at the historic resort.

The 63rd U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur is scheduled for Sept. 13-18, 2025; while the 74th U.S. Senior Amateur will be played Aug. 25-30, 2029.

Mizuno Releases Special Edition Black Ion Mizuno Pro 225 Irons

Mizuno, the Japanese manufacturer renowned for crafting the finest and most versatile forged irons, has announced that its Black ION Mizuno Pro 225 irons, showcased in January at the Orlando golf show, will be available globally from April 2023.

A Black ION plating with a striking, lights-out look will match the special edition Mizuno Pro 225 irons with its hybrid cousin, the Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi. The irons will initially be available as standard sets in either 4-GW, 4-PW and 5-GW and with Dynamic Gold 105 Black Onyx S300 shafts (US only) and 4-PW with KBS S-Taper Lite black for EMEA.  Australia will offer the special edition in 4-PW with custom options.

EA SPORTS PGA TOUR Title Update 2.0 and 3-Click Swing Now Live

Since EA SPORTS PGA TOUR’s launch on April 7, the dev team has been listening adamantly to the community and incorporating their feedback into the game.

And Title Update 2.0 is now live which brings a myriad of improvements such as new fast play presentation settings, green grid changes as well as bug fixes, UI updates, PC-related issues, in-game content and much, MUCH more. Of course, the 3-click swing is now available in the game as well. This gameplay mechanic was always part of the development timeline, so the team is stoked to have players give it a shot as an alternative control method.

PXG Opens New Retail and Fitting Studio in Cincinnati

PXG, a global research and development company dedicated to creating the world's finest golf equipment and apparel, continues down its path of strategic store expansion by opening its first brick-and-mortar location in Ohio. A premier golf destination, PXG Cincinnati supports a top-quality golf club fitting experience and presents high-performance golf apparel.

"We are always on the hunt to find more ways to serve our PXG Troops," said PXG Founder and CEO Bob Parsons. "The Cincinnati area is chock full of golfers, and PXG Cincinnati will deliver the best apparel and equipment to help them look and play their best."

PGA Tour Announces Reimagined 2023 FedExCup Fall

The PGA TOUR today announced its schedule for the 2023 FedExCup Fall, consisting of seven official PGA TOUR events that will provide greater drama and more immediate consequence than ever before.

The significant benefits to winning during the FedExCup Fall remain – including a two-year PGA TOUR exemption, 500 FedExCup points, entry to the season-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions and the PLAYERS Championship as well as eligibility into those Major Championships that have invited PGA TOUR winners in the past. Added drama comes as players utilize the seven fall events to lock up or improve their positions in the priority ranking and secure additional playing opportunities for the 2024 FedExCup Season, which returns to a calendar-year schedule (January-August).

Duca del Cosma Unveils Stunning Tour Level Pro Spike Collection

Luxury golf shoe brand Duca del Cosma is introducing a stunning PRO SPIKE COLLECTION of Tour-level waterproof shoes incorporating technical game-enhancing features that deliver unrivalled stability and comfort to help more golfers play like a pro in all playing conditions.

The innovative BERNARDO and ORLANDO men’s shoes and SABINA and AVANTI styles for women golfers use advanced technologies in every detail of the handcrafted build to offer dependable performance and a super-stable fit. Optimized outsole traction helps to achieve a solid stance, increased speed and enhanced stamina for top performance from the first tee to the closing stretch.

Grace Kim Wins Lotte Championship With Full Bag of Srixon and Cleveland Golf Equipment

In just her third start on tour, LPGA rookie Grace Kim, wins the Lotte Championship in a three-way playoff to capture her first LPGA Tour title with 13 Srixon/Cleveland Golf clubs in her bag and the Z-STAR golf ball.

Heading into the final round, Kim was T-2, and one back of the leader after opening rounds of 71-67-70. Making the turn at 1-under, Kim made four birdies on the back nine, two of them coming on the tough 17th hole, and the par-5 18th to force her way into a playoff. Playing the 18th hole again, Kim made a 5-foot birdie to win on the first playoff hole, finishing the tournament at 12-under par.