Monday, February 12, 2024

Forty Players Highlighted on 2024 Ben Hogan Award Watch List

Forty of the nation’s most accomplished collegiate golfers across all levels have been named to the watch list for the 2024 Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank. The joint announcement was made by the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, the Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

The Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank annually awards the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer based on all collegiate, amateur and professional events over the previous 12 months.

Disney x Volvik Golf Balls Celebrating 100 Years of Magic

Volvik USA, Inc. (volvik.com) – the world’s most innovative manufacturer of multilayer high-performance golf balls, and The Walt Disney Company, the world’s premier entertainment company, will release an extensive collection of special golf ball sets in a new collaboration to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of The Walt Disney Company.

Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and other iconic Disney characters will be featured on a range of limited-edition packaged sets including Volvik golf balls and collectible ball markers. Furthermore, beloved Disney artwork will adorn the packaging throughout the variety of special gift packs and dozen boxes.

WM Phoenix Open Winner Played Graphite Design Tour AD

Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts, Inc. announced today that the winner of the PGA Tour WM Phoenix Open was playing a Graphite Design Tour AD DI-95 X-Stiff flex hybrid shaft in his Titleist TSR2 21° hybrid.  The champion claimed his fourth PGA Tour victory after making a birdie on the second playoff hole.

“Congratulations to the winner of the WM Phoenix Open.  What an exciting clutch performance under pressure to birdie two holes to get in a playoff and birdie to win the playoff.  We’re excited he plays a Graphite Design Tour AD shaft in his bag”, stated Wayne Ageno, President, Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts, Inc.

USGA Announces Qualifying Sites for 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced local and final qualifying sites for the 124th U.S. Open Championship. The U.S. Open will be contested on Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 2, in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., for the fourth time from June 13-16, 2024.

Local qualifying, conducted over 18 holes at 109 sites in 44 U.S. states and Canada, will take place between April 22-May 20. Those players who advance out of local qualifying will join a group of locally exempt players in final qualifying, which will be conducted over 36 holes. This final stage will be held in England and Japan (May 20) and Canada (June 3) as well as 10 U.S. sites, one on May 20 and nine on June 3.

Odyssey Ai One Milled ONE T Putter Review - 2023 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway Winner Guest Review

My PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas a few months back was utterly insane.  We had more participation than ever before, more prizes than ever before, more excitement and yup also more winners than ever.  As a lot of you said, it was "straight Kringlemania!"

And another really cool thing about the 12 Days is how many of the winners want to write guest reviews.  It's absolutely phenomenal to hear all of you so excited and sharing your opinions and personalities in these guest reviews.  And the first guest review of the year comes from Ed Settle (@Ed_Settle) on X on his new Odyssey Ai One Milled One T putter.

Srixon Releases Additional Finish on ZX Mk II Irons

SRIXON® is thrilled to announce a new, Limited-Edition Black Chrome finish available for the highly acclaimed ZX5 Mk II and ZX7 Mk II Irons. With this new finish, Srixon aims to elevate the visual appeal of these Irons and make them a must-have for golfers who value both style and performance.

“These ZX Mk II Black Chrome Irons are a great complement to the rest of the Srixon Iron family and something we’re excited about,” said Brian Schielke, General Manager at Srixon. “The visual appeal of the Black Chrome finish, combined with the exceptional performance of ZX Mk II Irons is a win-win for everyone.”

Stitch Becomes Official On-Course Apparel Partner of Crushers GC

Crushers GC has announced Stitch Golf as their official on course apparel partner. This strategic partnership will deliver custom products for the team and fans, with available items on sale to the public online and in-store later this year.

Following a championship season together in 2023, the official partnership will now produce a co-designed assortment of men’s custom on-course polos, as well as driver head covers, with the opportunity to collaborate on a wider array of addi2onal items in the future. All custom products worn during play will be made available to the public in late spring of the 2024 season.

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

WM Phoenix Open to have 50+ Hours of Live Coverage on NBC, Golf Channel, and Peacock

The WM Phoenix Open will have more than 50 hours of live tournament and studio coverage originating from TPC Scottsdale this week.

Coverage will be provided by NBC, GOLF Channel and Peacock.

PGA Tour Pathway to Progression Announces Field for Inaugural Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational

The PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression today announced the field for the inaugural Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational, a competitive element of the Bridgestone Collegiate Development Program. The event features top-level NCAA Division I men’s golf programs and HBCU schools in addition to four high-ranking individual golfers from underrepresented communities.

The Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational will be contested March 25 and 26 at Silverado Country Club in Napa, California, in collaboration with the Golf Coaches Association of America.

Titleist Introduces New Scotty Cameron Long Design Putters

In addition to his 2024 lineup of new Phantom mallets, Scotty Cameron introduces two new Long Design models for players seeking to stabilize their stroke with a balanced, more connected feel when gripping and manipulating the putter. 


Crafted specifically at 38 inches with stiffer, custom shafts and heavier heads using tungsten sole weights, the new Phantom 11 Long Design and Super Select Squareback 2 Long Design putters help quiet the player’s hands and engage the shoulders for enhanced stability in the putting stroke. The increase in overall length and weight, coupled with a heavier, longer grip, keeps the putter in balance, while the entire stroke is slowed down.

Titleist Introduces New Scotty Cameron Phantom Putters

Scotty Cameron introduces his 2024 lineup of Phantom mallets, 10 new models completely redesigned to meet the demands of the modern game through alignment-infused head shapes with improved sound and feel.



The new Phantom family, offering four unique shapes with multiple neck and shaft configurations, is the result of feedback from Phantom players across the worldwide professional tours, melded with the continued advancement of Scotty’s multi-material construction and face milling technologies.

Tour Edge Announces Hot Launch 524 Series with Tech from Tour Winning Exotics Line

Tour Edge, the pound for pound industry leader in performance and innovation, introduces their new Hot Launch 524 Series of golf clubs that will be available at retail starting March 1, 2024.

Tour Edge is cascading key innovations from their tour-preferred Exotics brand into the Hot Launch 524 Series, including Ridgeback, Diamond Face VFT, RyzerSole and VIBRCOR technologies.

Monday, February 5, 2024

PUMA Golf Delivers Oasis Feel with Latest Palm Tree Crew Collection

PUMA Golf and Rickie Fowler have teamed up once again with superstar DJ, Kygo and Palm Tree Crew to create the latest PUMA x PTC collection. Designed to provide a resort feel with tropical vibes, the latest collection includes shirts, hoodies, caps, socks, shoes, women’s looks, and even a Limited-Edition COBRA driver.

 

The new PUMA Golf x PTC collection is inspired by Rickie Fowler’s SoCal roots and Kygo’s tropical lifestyle, offering something for everyone who loves golf, an active lifestyle, and fun at the beach. The lifestyle collection will come to life on the PGA Tour at The WM Phoenix Open. Rickie will compete in the collection during WMPO and host the newest hospitality lounge on tournament the site, N9NE Lounge.

Fujikura the Number 1 Driver and Wood Shaft at Pebble Beach

Fujikura, the leader in performance golf shafts, was honored to be the #1 driver and wood shaft combination on the PGA Tour, along with another victory for a VENTUS driver shaft on the DP World Tour.

At the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA Tour, Fujikura was the #1 driver and wood shaft during the event in California. Throughout the week, 42.5% of the field used a Fujikura driver shaft, along with another 38.6% of the field who used a Fujikura wood shaft.

Club Champion Continues Crazy Growth with Four New Stores in February

Club Champion, the globe’s top custom golf club fitter and builder, is continuing its steady climb in 2024. With four new stores opening in February, the company is furthering its identity as the industry leader and making custom fitting services more accessible nationwide.

With studios opening in Albany, NY; Coral Springs, FL; Perrysburg, OH; and Chandler, AZ, Club Champion studios exist in 43 U.S. states and the brand is primed to hit over 140 domestic locations by the end of the year. That's alongside international studios in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

USGA Awards Outstanding Efforts in Volunteerism, Turfgrass Research and Golf Literature

The USGA has announced the recipients of its Annual Awards, honoring three individuals for their significant contributions for the good of the game in the areas of volunteerism, turfgrass advancement and golf literature.

E. Lee Coble, of Richmond, Va., is the recipient of this year’s Joe Dey Award for his decades-long service to golf and for fostering a more inclusive game. Bob Farren, director of golf course management at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, is the Green Section Award honoree for serving as a leader in sustainable golf course maintenance practices. “Serving Herself: The Life and Times of Althea Gibson,” by Ashley Brown, Ph.D., has been selected as the winner of the USGA’s Herbert Warren Wind Award.

Friday, February 2, 2024

Top Spring Golf Destinations for Travelers around the U.S.

Step into the world of leisure and luxury, where the serene greens of renowned golf courses meet the comfort of exceptional accommodations. As the weather warms and the flowers bloom, golf enthusiasts seek ideal destinations to indulge in their passion for the sport.

Here are some of the United States’ premier spring golf destinations, each paired with exquisite hotels that promise not only unparalleled hospitality but also convenient access to some of the most picturesque fairways in the country.

Nikon Introduces New COOLSHOT 20i GIII and 20 G III Compact Golf Laser Rangefinders

Nikon has announced the latest models in its series of acclaimed laser rangefinders for golfers, the COOLSHOT 20i GIII and COOLSHOT 20 GIII.

These new models are small in size but big on features, giving golfers confidence on the course with a clear and bright field of view, amazing accuracy, plus the added reassurance of Nikon’s LOCKED ON QUAKE technology.

New PXG 0317 X Driving Irons – Penetrating Performance by Design

The new PXG® 0317® X Driving Iron is engineered with the elite player in mind. An ideal hybrid alternative or specialty club for extreme courses and conditions, the 0317 X presents a tour-inspired design that significantly boosts moment-of-inertia and increases forgiveness for unmatched distance and accuracy.

"A slick replacement for a wood when the course calls for it, the PXG 0317 X Driving Iron will help you keep it in play even in the most challenging environments," said PXG Founder and CEO Bob Parsons.

ECCO Golf Announces New LT1 Golf Shoes for 2024

ECCO consistently delivers products with industry leading comfort and performance through its dedication to quality, exceptional level of craftsmanship and groundbreaking technology.

Wearing is believing, and that’s why 90 percent of golfers feel the difference and buy another pair of ECCOs.