Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Harbour Town Golf Links to Undergo Restoration in 2025

Harbour Town Golf Links — currently ranked No. 27 among Golf Digest’s Top 100 Public Courses in the U.S. and No. 5 on its list of Best Courses in South Carolina — is readying for an extensive restoration project. The course will close on May 5, 2025, and reopen in November 2025.

Originally designed by renowned architect Pete Dye and assisted by Jack Nicklaus, Harbour Town has been the home of the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing since it opened in 1969.

Schools Unveiled for Second Bridgestone HBCU Invitational

The PGA TOUR and Bridgestone Americas today unveiled the field for the second Bridgestone HBCU Invitational, a 54-hole team and individual stroke play event at Laurel Springs Country Club in Suwanee, Georgia.

The tournament, set for October 24 and 25, is an element of the Bridgestone Collegiate Development Program, part of the PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression, which aims to achieve greater diversity in golf through increased focus on developing talent from diverse and historically underrepresented groups.

MGI Golf Named Official Electric Golf Caddy of Troon

The Troon Partners Network, a division of Troon®the leader in providing golf and club-related hospitality services,has announced MGI Golf (www.mgigolf.com), the global leader in technology for the walking golfer and maker of America’s No. 1 electric golf caddy, as the Official Electric Golf Caddy of Troon.

Encompassing the multi-year partnership, MGI Golf products will be promoted across all Troon properties worldwide, as well as marketed to Troon’s mass consumer e-mail database that connects with serious golfers around the world. MGI will also be featured in a comprehensive media campaign that includes TROON Magazine (print and digital), and TROON Privé Magazine (print and digital), which collectively reach over a million golfers globally. Additionally, MGI will receive key sponsor entitlements during each year of the term onsite at the Troon Events Series, the Troon Cup and the Troon Challenge. Further, MGI Golf products will be prominentlypromoted to Troon Rewards Members, and through the Troon Perks associates program.

Additionally, MGI Golf will be a Presenting Sponsor of TroonFIT, a platform that raises awareness of the health benefits related to playing (more) golf; promotes non-golf fitness activities like tennis, swimming and running; and incorporates nutritional offerings at Troon-managed facilities. As a TroonFIT partner, MGI Golf products will be prominently featured across all media channels and at designated events promoting the health-focused, sustainable, and enjoyable experience of walking on the golf course and utilizing the Company’s innovative electric Caddies.

“We are thrilled to announce MGI Golf as the Official Electric Golf Caddy of Troon,” said Ryan Pensy, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, Troon Partners NetworkMGI is a world leader in electronic walking technology in golf and we believe there is no better partner for Troon to align with to continue promoting the vast benefits of walking the golf course.”

It is a true honor for MGI to be welcomed into the Troon Partners Network and to be recognized as the leader in our category by Troon, whose brand is ubiquitous in the game and synonymous with world class golf, lifestyle and hospitality experiences," said Miranda Turner, CEO of MGI Golf Inc. "This partnership, which has long been an aspiration, validates and supports our mission to improve enjoyment of the game and expose America's millions of golfers to the many benefits of walking the course. We are going to have plenty of fun working together to bring the MGI experience to all Troon members and guests." 

For decades, MGI Golf has designed, manufactured and distributed the world’s best electric golf Caddies. Those at MGI are creators, thinkers and designers who bring life to innovative golf equipment and improve enjoyment of the game. Today, instead of carrying a golf bag or pushing a cart around the course, MGI's electric Caddies provide tremendous health and enjoyment benefits through advanced technology that includes fully directional remote and manual control, automatic downhill speed control and the patented Gyroscope Straight Tracker technology, which revolutionized the electric caddy industry, among other features.

MGI Golf is part of a stable of companies and brands that partner with Troon through the Troon Partners Network (TPN). Today, Troon remains the world leader in providing first-class golf, lifestyle and hospitality marketing that centers on premier B-to-B and B-to-C experiences designed to engage customers and clients, while connecting directly with an unmatched global audience. Born off 30 years of golf and club industry excellence, the World of Troon enables strategic partners to direct market to dedicated consumer audiences and optimize exposure and reach through a selection of assets, ranging from sponsorships to special events and wide-reaching digital vehicles that are custom designed to meet partner goals and objectives. 

From a marketing standpoint, TPN’s wealth of media assets, multi-platform promotional vehicles, and a line-up of unique consumer programs, allow for the development of custom marketing solutions that meet every partner’s desired strategy. Equally impressive, through its world-renowned portfolio of golf courses, TPN provides partners with best-in-class golf playing experiences where they can entertain clients and customers, while receiving the most memorable lifestyle and hospitality experiences. Companies and brands interested in learning more about Troon global marketing programs, can visit www.troonpartnersnetwork.com.

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

NGF Short Game: Golf’s Never Ending Quest

Golf cannot be mastered. Some play purely for fun… and there are millions who play who don’t even keep score. For others, golf is a never-ending quest to get better.

Improving at golf is a personal goal that, pardon the analogy, isn’t so different from trying to lose weight. Common to both objectives is the interest in a “silver bullet” promising a fast and easy result. 

The Preserve Golf Club Poised to Host Back to Back Amateur Championships

The Preserve Golf Club, a stunning golf course designed by Tom Fazio, is gearing up to host two prominent amateur golf events this month.

From October 16 to 19, the 32nd edition of the Stocker Cup will once again pay tribute to Peter Stocker, a real estate developer and one of the partners behind the creation of The Santa Lucia Preserve.

Duca del Cosma Ambassador Jasmine Suwannapura Secures Third LPGA Title in Style

Wearing the latest high performance Duca del Cosma golf shoes, Jasmine Suwannapura held her nerve in a two-hole playoff at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on Sunday to capture her third LPGA Tour title in style.

During the championship in Arkansas, Jasmine wore the handcrafted ORLANDOspiked shoe offering the highest levels of performance by using top-quality materials and advanced technologies.

Tour Edge Announces Three New Exotics 725 Irons, including all-new Exotics X725 S.G.I. Design

Tour Edge, the pound for pound industry leader in performance and innovation, announces three new Exotics 725 Irons, including their highest ever MOI iron in the brand-new Super Game Improvement X725 design.

The performance and design goals of the Exotics 725 Irons were to perfectly represent the spectrum of different iron categories that exist.

Tour Edge Launches Exotics 725 Fairway Metals and Hybrids Marking 20 Years of Exotics

Tour Edge, the pound for pound industry leader in performance and innovation, announces their new Exotics 725 Fairway Metals and Hybrids with the new C725 fairway and hybrid (Competition Spec) and the E725 fairway and hybrid (Extreme Spec).



The new E725 metals are MOI+ designs built for maximum forgiveness, while the new C725 designs are all about harnessing power and flight tuned performance.

Tour Edge Announces Exotics 725 Drivers, including the 10K MOI E725 Driver

Tour Edge, the pound for pound industry leader in performance and innovation, announces their new Exotics 725 Drivers, the most forgiving family of drivers the company has produced with the 10K MOI E725 and C725 low-spin design.



The higher the MOI, the greater the resistance to twisting on off-center hits. When the club twists, energy is lost. Reducing twisting helps with both accuracy and ball speed retention on off-center hits.

PUMA Golf Releases PHANTOMCAT NITRO SPORT

Building on the proven PHANTOMCAT NITRO™ design, the new PHANTOMCAT NITRO™ SPORT is made with 30% sustainable materials, making the new model both extremely high performing and environmentally friendly.


“The PHANTOMCAT NITRO™ SPORT exudes PUMA’s Forever Faster mantra,” said Mike Diaz, Marketing Director, PUMA Golf. “Having the ability to provide a shoe that provides lightweight performance, energy return, and eco-friendly sustainability is exciting and we’re proud to offer this hi-tech option to golfers of all abilities.”

COBRA PUMA GOLF Athlete Angel Hidalgo Lands Maiden DP World Tour Win with LIMIT3D Irons

COBRA PUMA Golf athlete Angel Hidalgo captured his maiden DP World Tour win at The Acciona Open De Espana.

Hidalgo went wire-to-wire to capture the victory, with a birdie on the 2nd hole playoff to overcome Jon Rahm.

Channel your Inner Secret Agent with Golf Pride's New James Bond Grip Kit

Golf Pride, an industry leader in innovation and golf performance equipment, has partnered with EON Productions to create a limited edition 007-themed golf grip kit. 

Paying homage to the 60th anniversary of the 1964 film Goldfinger, this kit includes 14 custom grips and a specially crafted gold bar collector display. Golf Pride applied its vast experience with design and material innovation to build the base performance for this product, before tackling the fun challenge of bringing to life a grip that embodies the cultural phenomenon that is James Bond.

Friday, September 27, 2024

TrackMan Launches Virtual Golf 3 (VG3)

Trackman is proud to announce the release of Virtual Golf 3 (VG3), the latest evolution of our industry-leading graphics engine, available exclusively for Trackman simulators worldwide beginning yesterday, September 24.

VG3 is more than a software update; it’s a giant step forward in closing the gap between the outdoor and indoor games.

TopGolf and SEGA of America Partner Up to Bring Exclusive Sonic the Hedgehog Game

Modern golf entertainment leader Topgolf and SEGA of America announced a multiyear partnership that will bring Sonic the Hedgehog to life in Topgolf-owned-and-operated venues this November and Toptracer-enabled franchise venues around the globe by Q1 2025. The all-new game is an ultimate Sonic experience filled with classic characters and challenges sure to power up new and nostalgic fans alike.

This is the first venture into the golf entertainment space for the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and is the first Topgolf game developed with an external IP since Angry Birds at Topgolf was released in 2020.

Virginian Evan Beck Finds Redemption By Winning 43rd U.S. Mid-Amateur at Kinloch for Elusive USGA Title

The USGA redemption tour for Evan Beck is officially complete. In dominating fashion, the 34-year-old from Virginia Beach, Va., finally put his name on a USGA trophy with a 9-and-8 victory over Bobby Massa in Thursday’s 36-hole U.S. Mid-Amateur championship match at Kinloch Golf Club.

A two-time USGA runner-up, including last year’s 3-and-2 defeat to Stewart Hagestad at Sleepy Hollow Country Club, in Scarborough, N.Y., and a 2008 shellacking (10 and 8) from Cameron Peck in the U.S. Junior Amateur final at Shoal Creek, in Alabama, Beck became the first Virginian to hoist the Robert T. Jones Jr. Memorial Trophy, and the first from the Commonwealth to capture any USGA title since Lauren Greenlief’s triumph in the 2015 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur.

Gole Fulfilled: Aussie Claims U.S. Senior Women's Am

In a field full of some of the game’s most established amateur legends, Nadene Gole may not have been the obvious favorite to win the 62nd U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, held this week at Broadmoor Golf Club in Seattle, Wash.  But when you look at her resume, well, maybe she should have been. 

Currently ranked No. 116 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking®, far and away the highest-ranked female senior in the world, Gole defeated 2022 champion Shelly Stouffer, of Canada, 3 and 2 to win her first USGA title in just her second USGA championship appearance. 

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Bobby Massa and Evan Beck Advance to Championship Match at 43rd U.S. Mid-Amateur

Rain returned to Kinloch Golf Club on Wednesday for the quarterfinal and semifinal matches of the 43rd U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. But not even Hurricane Helene that is barreling its way into Florida and drenching the South could have cooled down Bobby Massa.

How about a scorching 6-under-par-29, first-nine performance in the semifinals that included five birdies, an eagle-2 and a bogey? 

Stouffer and Gole to Face Off in Finals

A field of 132 players from 492 entries began the week at the 2024 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, and after two rounds of stroke play and four rounds of match play just two remain for Tuesday’s final match at Seattle’s Broadmoor Golf Club.

Stroke-play medalist Shelly Stouffer will take on the No. 3 seed, Nadene Gole, in the 18-hole final match after the pair won both their quarterfinal and semifinal matches on Monday. Stouffer won the 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur while Gole is competing in just her second U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur after she reached the quarterfinals in 2023.

John Fought Returns to Utah to Design State-of-the-Art Practice Facility, Spearhead Partial Renovation of Acclaimed Private Golf Course

Golf course architect John Fought, an All-American collegiate player at Brigham Young University, is returning to Utah to design a state-of-the-art practice facility and renovate some of the existing holes at Alpine Country Club, a private course in the booming area of Highland, 30 miles south of Salt Lake City.

The $6.8 million project, part of a three-phase, 10-year plan at the Club, is scheduled to begin in July 2025 and be completed in Fall 2027.

NEWTON GOLF Introduces New Gravity Putter Line, Building on Momentum from Recent Rebranding

NEWTON GOLF, a technology-forward golf company with a growing portfolio of golf products, including putters, golf shafts, golf grips, and other golf-related accessories, builds on its recent rebranding with the launch of three new putter models and two redesigned classics in its newly formed Gravity Premium Series (“Gravity”) of putters. 

Formerly known as Sacks Parente Golf putters, the putter linehas been redesigned and rebranded as Gravity under the NEWTON GOLF umbrella, ushering in a new era with a fresh, modern aesthetic. Featuring striking red and black colors and a premium ceramic coating finish  previously reserved for Tour-level putters, these models embody NEWTON GOLF’s core design principles, including the brand’s signature patented Ultra’Low Balance Point (ULBP) and Center of Gravity (CG)technology.