Puerto Rico Rebounds from Hurricane Fiona

El Conquistador

Preponderance of Hotels, Resorts Also Welcoming Guests and Fully Operational    

(SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO) – Most all of Puerto Rico’s golf courses and resorts are fully operational following Hurricane Fiona’s landfall last week, welcome news for stakeholders and travelers to the Island this fall. 

Luis Muñoz Marín Airport in San Juan (SJU), Aeropuerto Internacional Mercedita (PSE) in Ponce, Antonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport (VQS) in Vieques, Rafael Hernández Marín International Airport (BQN) in Aguadilla are fully operational. Cruise ports have also reopened with select cruises/ferries operating.

Many areas, attractions, and historical parks are also available to enjoy during golf excursions, such as Old San Juan, Casa Bacardí, the Ron del Barrilito Tour, the Puerto Rico Convention Center, Carabalí Rainforest Adventure Park, Frutos del Guacabo, DISTRITO T-Mobile and Toro Verde Adventure Park. 

To keep travelers updated, Discover Puerto Rico is continuing to revise information on social platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and on the destination website travel advisory, which also includes an easy to understand product tracker infographic, indicating the status of popular places and attractions. Visitors currently in Puerto Rico or with upcoming travel plans should contact their travel providers, lodging facilities, and local businesses directly to inquire about potential changes in operations.

With peak season rapidly approaching, Puerto Rico is an optimal choice for prospective visitors seeking a golf getaway. The golf destination continues building on its status as one of the world’s best, not only via the 18 diverse, yet complementary, courses and numerous resorts on the Island, but through many of the game’s top brands and governing bodies choosing Puerto Rico to stage high-profile championships.

The PGA TOUR, United States Golf Association, R&A, and Augusta National all either currently hold an event in Puerto Rico, have recently hosted one, or have one upcoming. For example, the Latin America Amateur Championship will be held in the island for the first time in January 2023 – a joint effort by the USGA, R&A and Augusta National, with the winner earning a berth into the 2023 Masters and 2023 Open Championship.

“Puerto Rico is ideally suited for golf getaways thanks to our many courses, variety of resorts, and of course our welcoming people, eager to share the ‘Boricua’ way of life,” said Brad Dean, Chief Executive Officer, Discover Puerto Rico. 

Requiring no passport from American citizens, offering dozens of direct flights daily into San Juan (SJU airport code), and accept the U.S. dollar, the Island is recognized among travelers as a preferred hassle-free destination that offers the comforts of a domestic vacation with an international allure. 

Not only are the Island’s courses fun and scenic several are rated by Golfweek among the top 50 in the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica and the Atlantic Islands. They offer an array of options to suit each player’s tastes, with a range of price points, terrain features, and designs from some of the game’s greats. These include Greg Norman, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Chi Chi Rodriguez, Tom Fazio, Tom Kite, Rees Jones, and Gary Player.

To inquire directly about golf operations, the Island’s golf venues include:

TPC Dorado Beach (36 holes) – 787-626-1020

Costa Caribe (27) – 787-812-2650

Fort Buchanan (9) – 787-707-3980

Wyndham Grand Rio Mar (36) – 787-888-6000

Rio Bayamon (18) – 787-740-1419

Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve/Coco Beach (27) – 787-657-2000

The St. Regis Bahia Beach (18) – 787-809-8000

Caguas Real (18) – 787-653-1573

Royal Isabela (18) – 787-609-5888

Deportivo del Oeste (18) – 787-851-8880

Palmas Athletic Club (36) – 787-656-3000

Punta Borinquen (18) – 787-890-2987

El Legado (18) – 787-866-8894

El Conquistador (18) – 787-863-1000

For Puerto Rico’s travel guidelines, visit https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/info/travel-guidelines. For more information on island golf courses, resorts, and other destination attractions visit: DiscoverPuertoRico.com.

Can I Hit No. 7 at Pebble Beach with PXG's 0317 ST Blades?

We just unboxed the new milled blades (link to video at the end) from PXG, so I thought I'd give them a shot at my bugaboo - No. 7 at Pebble Beach.

Super Yooper: Golf in the Upper Peninsula

We stayed at the Island Resort & Casino and played Sage Run, Sweetgrass, Timberstone and Greywalls. Great trip with some wonderful golf.

Sam Snead at the South Seas Island Resort

Here's a quick story about the legendary Sam Snead from Ryan at the South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island. As a bonus, Ryan takes a swing while wearing a blindfold!

Patrick Reed Moves Suit Against Brandel Chamblee, Golf Channel and Others to Federal Court in Jacksonville, Fla.

(Jacksonville, Florida) — Today, Patrick Reed, among the world's most accomplished, young professional golfers at only 32 years of age, with only one of his many victories coming at the 2018 Masters tournament, sued Brandel Chamblee and others associated with or in collaboration with NBC's Golf Channel, such as Eamon Lynch, Shane Bacon, and NBC's Golf Channel itself, for conspiracy, defamation, injurious falsehood and tortious interference. See Reed vs. Chamblee, et. al, Civil Action No. — 3:22-cv-01059 (M.D. Fl.). Mr. Reed recently joined the LIV Golf Tour.

Chamblee, Damon Hack, Shane Bacon, Eamon Lynch, NBC's Golf Channel, and the PGA and DP World Tour and their Commissioners Jay Monahan and Keith Pelley, are alleged to be co-conspirators for their anticompetitive conduct and anticompetitive practices in order to destroy the upstart LIV Golf Tour, Mr. Reed, and fellow LIV Golf Players in order to annihilate any competition with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour even if it means violating antitrust laws and going to extreme and scandalous measures to conspire to defame, falsely injure and tortiously interfere with Mr. Reed, fellow LIV Tour players, and LIV Golf.

In Mr. Reed's complaint filed before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, the Defendants are alleged to have defamed, falsely injured and tortiously interfered with this world class golfer and his professional endeavors, by falsely and maliciously branding him a cheater, liar, a thief, a murderer and someone who accepts blood money from terrorists. Chamblee, who is the point person of the defamation and other alleged illegal acts has even branded the 3-Time Ryder Cup player, three-time President's Cup player, two-time Olympian and 9-Time PGA Tour Champion, and Honorary Lifetime Member of the DP World Tour as the "devil" after Mr. Reed's first and only alleged rules infraction he ever had on the PGA Tour.

Consistent with this, Chamblee also published that Mr. Reed and his fellow LIV golfers associate themselves with the likes of Putin, Mao, Hitler and Stalin, among many other published smears. What the Defendants are using as a false and malicious pretext to conspire to defame, falsely injure and tortiously interfere with Mr. Reed is the financing of the LIV Golf Tour by the Saudi Public Investment Fund also known as PIF which has purchased stakes in a variety of investments, including but not limited to Uber, Boeing, Facebook, CitiBank, Disney, Berkshire Hathaway, Electronic Arts. One of its most famed investments and ownership stakes is in the world renown Newcastle United Football Club.

Chamblee, NBC's Golf Channel, and the other defendants sued in the complaint, have a direct interest in continuing to harm Mr. Reed, one of LIV Golf's top golfers, since the PGA Tour has lucrative contracts with major broadcasting partner NBC's Golf Channel to broadcast events on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. Existing tournament sponsors and other broadcasting partners would not want to have and continue paying lucrative contracts to the PGA Tour if they have depleted fields, lost marquee players, and are actively involved in anticompetitive practices that violated the antitrust laws. Defendants are allegedly fearful that another major network, such as FOX Sports, as widely reported today, will soon broadcast LIV Golf Tour events, competing with them and drawing away viewers and revenues.

The lawsuit also alleges that the vicious attacks by Chamblee and others associated with NBC's Golf Channel and NBC's Golf Channel itself, are nothing new to Mr. Reed. NBC's Golf Channel and defendants' record will show a targeted effort to destroy a young golfer's name, Mr. Reed's career, and marketability as a top golfer in the world. This is a continuation of and compounds the past allegedly illegal conduct against Mr. Reed. Defendants are alleged in the complaint to have targeted this world-class golfer, manufactured phony controversies, and defamed, falsely injured and tortiously interfered with Mr. Reed to boost their television and broadcast ratings and revenues.

Larry Klayman, Esq., the founder of both Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch, a former U.S. Department of Justice prosecutor, both civil and criminal, and in private legal practice, had this to say in filing the complaint on behalf of Mr. Reed:

"The conspiratorial motivation of the defendants is evident. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan admitted during an interview with Brandel Chamblee, Rich Lerner and Paul McGinley of NBC's Golf Channel during a recent September 21st interview at the Presidents' Cup that the PGA Tour is a 'partner' with NBC's Golf Channel. (The video of this interview is embedded below).

"The PGA Tour's and its 'partner' the NBC's Golf Channel's mission is to destroy a top LIV Golf Tour player, his family, as well as all of the LIV Golf players, to further their agenda and alleged collaborative efforts to destroy the new LIV Golf Tour.

"As alleged in the Complaint, these calculated malicious attacks have created hate, aided and abetted a hostile workplace environment, and have caused substantial financial and emotional damage and harm to Mr. Reed and his family."

"While Defendants' never-ending defamation and other alleged illegal acts with regard to Mr. Reed, as set forth in the complaint, is nothing new, with his joining of LIV Golf, it has reached new, intolerable heights. As a result, enough is enough and it is time for Mr. Reed to protect not only himself and his family, but all LIV Golfers who have been maliciously defamed and harmed with other illegal acts to further the PGA Tour's and the DP World Tour's allegedly illegal attempts to maintain their virtual monopoly and stranglehold over professional golf," Klayman added.

"Neither Chamblee, Hack, Bacon, Lynch and NBC's Golf Channel itself, nor any of their alleged co-conspirators, such as the PGA and DP World Tour, are above the law, and they finally will have their day of legal reckoning before 'Lady Justice.'"

Duca Del Cosma to Exhibit at the Upcoming PGA of Alberta Buying Show

The newly curated 2023 Duca del Cosma Spring Collection will be on display

(NORTH PALM BEACH, FL) – Award-winning Italian lifestyle brand, and golf footwear trendsetter,
Duca del Cosma, announced today plans to exhibit at the 2022 PGA of Alberta Buying Show, October 18-20, 2022, in Alberta, Canada at the Calgary BMO Centre.

“Our brand is dedicated to the North American market, and its Green Grass Facilities. The PGA of Alberta Buying Show provides us the perfect opportunity to meet existing and potential customers,” said Evelien Lauwers, Managing Director of Duca del Cosma North America. “We’re excited to reveal our new 2023 Spring Collection to the PGA of Canada Golf Professionals as our designer, Baldovino Mattiazzo, has expanded upon some of our most popular footwear styles as well as created all new styles in every category.”

Duca del Cosma provides green grass accounts with a luxury, European, award-winning, brand that elevates and separates any Pro Shop from the competition. If you are attending 2022 PGA of Alberta Buying Show and would like to preview the new striking spring 2023 Duca del Cosma line, visit booth #506. If you prefer to schedule a meeting, reach out to Evelien Lauwers at evelien@ducadelcosma.com.

Finca Cortesin Commits to R&A's Women in Golf Charter

(Marbella, Spain) — 2023 Solheim Cup venue, Finca Cortesin, has continued to underline its commitment to the women’s game by becoming the latest signatory of the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter.

The announcement comes as the resort recently celebrated ‘One Year to Go’ until its Solheim Cup staging.

Through Finca Cortesin’s commitments to the Charter, it has pledged to provide more opportunities for women to enter the industry, by creating a number of entry-level internships across the golf operations and agronomy departments at the resort.

The resort has also promised to hold two women and girls golf clinics per year through the Finca Cortesin Nicklaus Academy, as well as supporting more female golfers by investing in their careers to compete as global professionals alongside their three current Ladies European Tour ambassadors, Nuria Iturrioz, Noemi Jimenez Martin, and Laura Gomez.

Finca Cortesin’s desire to showcase women’s golf is further enhanced by welcoming Marta Figueras-Dotti, Chair of the Ladies European Tour, as an honorary member.

As Spain’s first ever female professional golfer, Marta Figueras-Dotti is one of the country’s most influential figures in women’s golf. Having secured three wins across the LET and LPGA Tour during her playing career, she has a long-standing history with the Solheim Cup having captained the Junior team in 2002, before being named a team helper and Vice-Captain in 2017 under Annika Sorenstam.

Discussing her new honorary membership role at Finca Cortesin, Marta Figueras-Dotti, Ladies European Tour – Chair, said: “It is a privilege to be awarded an honorary membership by Finca Cortesin and be part of their journey as they build towards hosting the Solheim Cup in 2023. They share my drive to grow the women’s game in Spain, highlighted by their support for a number of promising up-and-coming professionals and I cannot wait to play my part in furthering this commitment.”

Speaking at the recent celebrations to mark ‘One Year to Go’ until the Solheim Cup commences at Finca Cortesin, Vicente Rubio, President of Finca Cortesin, added: “We are extremely proud to have joined The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter, showcasing our determination to build upon the foundations that have already been laid for women and girl’s golf in the region. Marta was instrumental in helping to bring the Solheim Cup to Spain and we are pleased to welcome her, one of the country’s most loved female sporting figures as an honorary member, for her services to global and Spanish women’s golf.”

Developed by The R&A as a single initiative to demonstrate the game’s commitment to bringing about change, Finca Cortesin joins an already illustrious signatory list to the Women in Golf Charter, which includes numerous industry organisations from around the globe.

Director of Golf Development at The R&A, Jackie Davidson, stated: “As the 2023 Solheim Cup host venue and a leading resort globally, it is fantastic to have Finca Cortesin as a signatory of the Women in Golf Charter. Their commitment to supporting women’s golf is evident and they join an ever-growing list of leading organisations within the industry that have committed to helping improve opportunities for women and girls to be part of this wonderful sport.”

Recently named the ‘Best Golf Resort in Europe’ by Leadingcourses.com, the award-winning 18-hole championship course captures the spectacular Mediterranean landscape providing the most scenic round of golf.

Designed by renowned architect Cabell Robinson, Finca Cortesin has played host to a number of professional golf tournaments including the Volvo World Matchplay Championship on three separate occasions. Coupled with its world-class hotel, Spa and dining facilities, the resort is unrivalled in creating unforgettable experiences.

In less than a year’s time, Finca Cortesin is excited to welcome the best female golfers from Europe and America to Spain and the Costa del Sol for the first ever Solheim Cup held in the country. The event will take place between 18-24 September 2023 with Europe hoping to secure the cup for an unprecedented third time in a row.

For more information on Finca Cortesin and its facilities, visit fincacortesin.com.

FootJoy Introduces ThermoSeries

(RELEASE) — FootJoy, the #1 Outerwear brand in golf, continues its commitment to Make Every Day Playable by creating the best gear to help you look, feel and play your best in all conditions. ThermoSeries, FJ’s most advanced apparel layering system ever, is a versatile collection of layering items designed specifically for golf to enable the golfer to effortlessly adapt as weather conditions evolve.

This collection of base layers, mid-layers, outer layers and pants is made with materials that move with the golfer without any restriction, are lightweight to reduce bulk and are temperature regulated to ensure maximum comfort no matter how many layers are required. The fabrics are selected for their thermal properties, but also with the golfer in mind, providing warmth without restriction in cooler conditions. These hand-selected textured fabrics feature subtle patterns that offer a distinct richness to the line.

“Coming off of the successful launch of our HydroSeries line of rain jackets, we saw a terrific opportunity to develop a thermal line of apparel that is built for cooler conditions,” said PJ Skurla, Director of Design, FJ Apparel. “The idea was to create a collection of pieces designed specifically for layering, so that the golfer can easily adapt as conditions change.” 

The foundation to the ThermoSeries system is the Base Layer, which feels great against your skin and provides insulation while allowing full range of motion. The textured hex pattern featured allows your body to breath and stay dry. 

Next is the Mid-Layer, featuring a rich, two-tone jacquard fabric available in three colors. The mid-layer is lightweight for optimal layering, packed with performance stretch materials designed for the golf swing.

The Vest and the Jacket are two available options to layer over the mid-layer for added warmth. The Vest, available in two colorways, features a simple, lightweight design with an insulated body. The Jacket offers a combination of knit and woven fabric, available in two colors. The knit fabric provides warmth and comfort, while the woven material on the front of the body and outside of the collar blocks away any wind and rain. 

Rounding out the ThermoSeries collection is the Pant, which performs like an insulated rain pant but is designed to be worn as a stand-alone golf pant with features like a button closure, zip fly and belt loops. Available in Navy and Charcoal, the pant uses a thermal fabric that is slightly heavier than a normal golf pant while offering great stretch properties. The pant uses a DWR finish to repel a light rain or mist. 

The color palette of the complete collection is neutral for a reason – it allows golfers to interchange all of the pieces from the collection to create many different outfit and layering options. 

“We wanted this collection to work in conjunction with each other and with other pieces in the FJ line,” continued Skurla. “Navy & Charcoal are the featured base colors with some added Blue / Grey and Light Stone to compliment. These colors work well with bright colors, prints and patterns and a number of other combinations.”

To learn more about ThermoSeries, visit www.footjoy.com or follow @footjoy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or TikTok.

Firestone Country Club to Host Invited Celebrity Classic Regional Qualifier on Oct. 3

Participants to Play North Course for Opportunity to Compete in PGA TOUR Champions 2023 Invited Celebrity Classic

(AKRON, Ohio) – Firestone Country Club, renowned as one of North America’s most historic venues for championship golf, will play host to an Invited Celebrity Classic regional qualifier on Oct. 3 on its famed North Course.

The qualifier, which is only open to Invited Clubs members, provides an opportunity to earn a coveted spot in the Invited Celebrity Classic on the PGA TOUR Champions, which will take place April 21-24, 2023 at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas. Comprising of gross and net divisions using the Modified Stableford scoring system, the regional qualifier is open to members with a GHIN Handicap Index of 24 or less, and costs $275 to enter. Contestants must pre-select the division – gross or net – they wish to compete in when registering at the link found here.

The top-five contestants from each division at the Firestone regional qualifier will advance to the National Qualifying Tournament, where they will compete against the top-five finishers from seven other regional qualifiers at various Invited clubs.

The National Qualifying Tournament will occur April 14-16, 2023 at Hackberry Country Club in Irving, Texas. The top-five in both the gross and net divisions at the national qualifier will advance to the Invited Celebrity Classic and enjoy all the same benefits as PGA TOUR Champions players and celebrities at the event.

“The Invited Celebrity Classic is one of the most exciting and fan-friendly events on the PGA TOUR Champions schedule, and we are thrilled to be a host venue for one of its regional qualifiers,” says Firestone Country Club General Manager Jay Walkinshaw. “The opportunity to play alongside the best on the PGA TOUR Champions and celebrities and the chance to enjoy the perks of playing in a TOUR event, we expect this qualifier to fill up fast.”

Firestone’s North Course is a venerable Robert Trent Jones design that opened for play in 1969 and has hosted notable professional tournaments. The other RTJ layout at Firestone, the South Course, is the club’s flagship layout, and has hosted three PGA Championships, numerous World Golf Championships (including eight victories by Tiger Woods) and is the current site of the Kaulig Companies SENIOR PLAYERS Championship. Formerly known as the West Course, the Fazio Course is a links-style design boasting striking views of the club and surrounding landscape. The Fazio Course recently completed a bunker enhancement project that included removing 18 bunkers and renovating the remaining 51.

Non-members of Firestone can reserve a limited number of stay-and-play packages this fall and experience the club’s celebrated offerings. In November, the Firestone golf experience will include BigShots Golf Firestone, a 22,500‐square‐foot innovative golf, dining and entertainment venue that will operate year-round and include a two-story tee-line with 44 interactive tee boxes. Situated alongside the Raymond C. Firestone Public 9 Golf Course, BigShots Golf Firestone will be open to the public.

Firestone is conveniently located less than an hour from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and 15 minutes from Akron-Canton Airport. It is also within easy driving distance of other major metropolitan areas such as Chicago, Columbus, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Detroit. Nearby off-course attractions include the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton and the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

For more information, www.firestonecountryclub.com.

The Preserve Golf Club Readies for Two Prestigious Amateur Events

(Carmel, Calif.) – The Preserve Golf Club,  a highly regarded Tom Fazio Design, rated by Golf Digest among America’s top 200 golf courses, is preparing for two prominent golf events this October.

The 30th edition of the Stocker Cup, which honors the memory of Peter Stocker, a real estate developer who was one of the partners behind the creation of Santa Lucia Preserve, will be held October 20-22. Defending champion, Michael Jensen of San Francisco, returns to defend his title. The full list of competitors, including rankings results and biographies, can be found at:  https://stockercup.com/contestants/

The 54-hole individual competition features a simultaneous best-ball event, similar to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The 48 invited Mid-Amateur players are either paired with a single-digit amateur or can propose their own partner to be introduced and invited by the Committee.

The course will be set up to approximately 7100 yards. This year’s event will feature “at the turn” scoring powered by Golf Genius, AmateurGolf.com, and the NCGA. Those results can be streamed at www.stockercup.com starting Thursday, October 20. 

A little over a week later, The Preserve Golf Club will host the Cal Poly Invitational, featuring 13 colleges including host Cal Poly, University of Southern California, Michigan State University, Southern Methodist University, and Universities of Oregon and Washington, among others.

Play will be five-man teams with the best four scores counting towards the daily total. 36 holes will be played on Monday, October 31, and 18 holes on Tuesday, November 1.

“We are thrilled to have both of these incredible events at The Preserve Golf Club,” said head golf professional Riley Ramones. “Our course is in great condition and ready to welcome these fine amateur and collegiate competitors.”

The Preserve Golf Club is located within the Santa Lucia Preserve, a private community of only 297 home sites situated on 20,000 acres. Located on the southern ridge of Carmel Valley, the course reflects the contours of the natural terrain that surrounds it:  the Santa Lucia Mountains, mature oaks, grassy meadows, and flowing streams. In typical Fazio fashion, there are plenty of strategically placed deep bunkers, fast greens, and challenging approach shots.

Then Santa Lucia Preserve is the only community in America with a perpetually endowed, 18,000-acre nature conservancy. In the heart of the Monterey Peninsula, The Santa Lucia Preserve provides its residents and members with a range of recreational opportunities second to none, while offering a unique ethos of community, culture, and conservation. 

For additional information on The Preserve Golf Club or Santa Lucia Preserve, access the website at www.santaluciapreserve.com or call (831) 620-6768.

College Golf Experience Accelerates 2022 Expansion with Fall and Winter Camps

National camp program projects 3X growth in 2023

(LOS ANGELES, CA) – College Golf Experience (CGX), a college golf education program with exclusive endorsement from the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), caps off a year of significant growth with the announcement of several new camp events across the country this fall and winter.

CGX educates junior golfers and their parents on all things college golf through transformational experiences that bring them together with college coaches. CGX fills a vital educational void for parents, and boys and girls ages 13-18 who aspire to play any level of college golf and want to learn about the path to get there.

At CGX camps, juniors and their parents experience one-on-one engagement with college coaches, education seminars on college golf and the recruiting process along with open Q & A sessions, instruction with skill assessments and challenges, plus on-course interaction with coaches during simulated college golf practice and tournament rounds. Juniors experience real-time evaluation and leave with personalized feedback from coaches, along with invaluable insights that help them on their path to finding the right collegiate program fit. Coaches bestow their knowledge and experience and build relationships with the players.

“The DIII Elite Camp changed our son’s life. Giving kids a chance to realize their dream to play college golf is monumental, and we are grateful beyond words for the opportunity and lessons in self-discovery Drew got in two days. Following the camp, he found his fit and took charge of his future,” said Traci F., mother of a camp participant.

When 2022 concludes, CGX will have worked with 104 coaches and anticipates working with 325 coaches in Division I, II, III and NAIA across 75-100 camps in 25-30 states during 2023.

“CGX camps connect junior golfers and their parents with college coaches so they can experience college golf and learn how to find a program that fits them. There’s no greater education than junior golfers and their parents meeting and learning directly from college coaches while developing relationships with them,” said Joshua Jacobs, CEO of College Golf Experience.

For coaches, players, and parents the takeaways can be profound:

“I always love getting a chance to see the future of college golf. It’s even better when we get the opportunity to educate them. CGX provides a great platform for juniors to learn about the next step in their golf journey,” said J.C. Deacon, Head Men’s Coach, University of Florida.

Through its immersive environment and comprehensive curriculum, CGX events transform dreams of playing collegiate golf into a working plan to achieve those goals above and beyond tournaments.

“Attending a CGX camp is the most effective way to get noticed by a college coach. It provides student-athletes quality face time with coaches to show us your personality and learn about ours. At this stage of the game everyone has a good golf swing, and coaches base their decisions off more than just the scores,” said Katie Rudolph, Head Men’s and Women’s Coach, NYU.

FALL AND WINTER CGX CAMPS ANNOUNCED:

Following the success of this year’s camps, CGX recently launched registration for several new camp opportunities in fall and winter. Highlighting these camps will be the first ever Top-100 Camp hosted by more than two dozen of the top men’s and women’s college golf coaches and programs, welcoming top ranked juniors in the country to The Wigwam Resort in Arizona for an eye-opening educational experience on college golf. Other upcoming CGX Camps include:

LMU Elite Camp – October 13, 2022, Somis, CA

TJGT Lonestar Boys Invitational Preview Camp – October 21, 2022, Burleson, TX

State of Oklahoma Showcase Camp – November 5-6, 2022, Oklahoma City, OK

JTNC Holiday II Preview Camp Paso Robles ­– November 6, 2022, Paso Robles, CA

SCPGA Toyota Tour Cup Q School Preview Camp– November 12 - 13, 2022, Murrieta, CA

Ivy Golf Institute Fall Girls & Boys Ivy Camp – November 19 - 20, 2022, Somis, CA

JTNC Monterey Holiday III Preview Camp – December 17 - 18, 2022, Pebble Beach & Monterey, CA

Top 100 Boys and Girls Showcase Camp – December 17 - 18, 2022, Litchfield Park, AZ

Ivy Golf Institute Winter Boys & Girls Camp – January 7 - 8, 2023, Orlando, FL

DIII Elite Camp (West Coast) Featuring NESCAC, UAA and SCIAC Coaches – January 14 - 15, 2023, Somis, CA

For more information on future dates and locations, visit: www.collegegolfx.com/camps/#upcoming.

Rancho San Lucas Golf Club Renamed Solmar Golf Links

New name and logo part of rebranding initiative

(LOS CABOS, Mexico) – Since its February 2020 debut, the Greg Norman-designed course at Rancho San Lucas Golf Club, its fairways etched across desert foothills that tumble to the sea, has been acclaimed as one of the finest tests of golf in a destination known for its superlative layouts.

According to a Solmar spokesman, “Greg Norman crafted a rollicking, lay-of-the-land journey characterized by glorious Pacific Ocean vistas and a plethora of ground game options. The superb golf course isn’t going anywhere, but change is in the air. Rancho San Lucas Golf Club is now Solmar Golf Links. The new name aptly describes the layout, while the splashy new logo (see above) is a perfect fit for the golf course.”

Known for his ‘least-disturbance’ design approach, Norman tailored the course to the site’s native terrain, creating a versatile, strategic layout with ocean views from every hole. Spanning three different ecosystems, the layout rambles through huge windswept dunes at the start, climbs through a thick cactus forest crossed by arroyos, and returns players to the beach and sea on the back nine.

Two on-course comfort stations, each accessible twice, serve complimentary Mexican fare and refreshments. A handsome ranchero-style clubhouse, newly expanded, overlooks the fairways and sea.

Solmar Golf Links is the first facility in Los Cabos to be designated a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International. The club’s environmental initiatives include preserving native acreage, enhancing wildlife habitat, reducing irrigated areas to conserve water, and other eco-friendly actions. 

Andrew Gilchrist, director of golf at Solmar Golf Links, is a native Scotsman who knows his way around seaside courses. “You’ve got the dunes here, the sandy soil and the ocean breeze,” Gilchrist said. “You’ve got fairways that blend into the natural vegetation. You’ve got flat-faced, revetted bunkers—the only ones in Mexico—and you’ve got Seadwarf paspalum turf, which encourages run-up ground game shots. We call this a links-inspired golf course, but in truth, it plays a lot like an authentic links.”

Evoking Spanish Colonial design motifs and a coastal Baja ambience, the on-site resort hotel, Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas, offers deluxe accommodations with ocean views, abundant amenities and gracious service. Resort guests enjoy exclusive access to Solmar Golf Links. 

The new logo depicts a breaching humpback whale, a common occurrence in Cabo from mid-December through April, set against the backdrop of a brilliant rising sun. “Sol,” Spanish for sun, and “Mar,” Spanish for sea, form Solmar, the company name behind the development of the golf course and resort community.

For more information, visit online at www.visitloscabos.travel.

Korn Ferry Tour Announces Magnit Championship

Inaugural Magnit Championship will take place August 17-20, 2023 at Metedeconk National Golf Club in Jackson Township, New Jersey 

(PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida & JACKSON TOWNSHIP, New Jersey) – The Korn Ferry Tour, Outlyr and Magnit announced today a four-year partnership to host a new professional golf tournament – the Magnit Championship – beginning in 2023. The inaugural Magnit Championship will be played August 17-20, 2023, at Metedeconk National Golf Club in Jackson Township, New Jersey.

Magnit, which was previously known as PRO Unlimited until last month, is a global leader and pioneer in contingent workforce management. Magnit will become the title sponsor of the new Korn Ferry Tour event through at least 2026. The Magnit Championship marks the Korn Ferry Tour’s first event in New Jersey since the 1997 Laurel Creek Classic, which was played at Laurel Creek Country Club and won by six-time Korn Ferry Tour winner Matt Gogel. 

“We are thrilled to partner with Magnit to bring Korn Ferry Tour golf to the Tri-State area,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “This market is home to incredibly passionate golf fans, and we’ve been working hard to bring a tournament back here for some time. Metedeconk National Golf Club is an outstanding facility and is reflective of the quality of golf course we strive to provide our members. We are grateful to the Magnit team for their commitment to the Korn Ferry Tour, and we look forward to making a positive impact in the community for years to come.”

The Magnit Championship is a 72-hole tournament featuring 156 players from around the world and will be the 22nd of 26 events on the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour schedule. 

"Next summer, the Magnit Championship will provide excitement and drama, as it will serve as the final opportunity for Korn Ferry Tour members to qualify for the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Finals," added Baldwin.

The 2023 Korn Ferry Tour season will begin with The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay in January and conclude in October with the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance, where 30 PGA TOUR cards will be awarded based on the points list. The final four events of the season will now be known as the Korn Ferry Tour Finals and will feature fields of 156, 144, 120 and 75 (no-cut event).

“Magnit and the Korn Ferry Tour share a guiding principle: to build community by developing talent,” said Magnit President Gregg Spratto. “Becoming a part of the PGA TOUR family is exciting enough but providing up-and-coming golfers with an opportunity to showcase their skills makes the partnership all the more meaningful. Creating opportunities for talent sits at the heart of what Magnit does, and the Magnit Championship will be an extension of that work.”

Magnit ambassador Denny McCarthy is a two-time Korn Ferry Tour graduate. McCarthy earned his first PGA TOUR card with three top-25s in the 2017 Korn Ferry Tour Finals and retained his TOUR card a year later with a four-stroke victory at the 2018 Korn Ferry Tour Championship – then held at Atlantic Beach Country Club in Atlantic Beach, Florida – to finish atop the 2018 Korn Ferry Tour Finals Points List.

“I’m thrilled to see Magnit as a title sponsor on the Korn Ferry Tour for a few reasons,” said McCarthy. “The Korn Ferry Tour is where I earned my PGA TOUR card back in 2017 and it’s been an amazing journey since then. Also, I teamed up with Magnit last season, so it’s great to see them support all the players. Partnering with companies like Magnit is important to me because I look for those organizations who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to excellence within their space. As players, we pride ourselves on that same commitment to winning and dedication to the sport. I hope we have a fantastic tournament and wish everyone the best.” 

Since retaining his card via the 2018 Korn Ferry Tour Finals, McCarthy has made four consecutive FedExCup Playoffs appearances, in addition to a career-high finish in the FedExCup Standings (No. 37) this past season.

Metedeconk National Golf Club, which originally opened in 1987, is located in the upper region of the New Jersey Pinelands and is routed through the local marsh and lowland pine forest. Metedeconk National Golf Club is a private, 27-hole facility, which was designed by world-renowned golf course architects Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and Roger Rulewich. 

Outlyr, a global sports and entertainment agency who manages multiple professional golf tournaments on the LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR Champions, will manage and operate the Magnit Championship. Outlyr Executive Vice President Ryan Cannon, who served as Championship Director for multiple PGA Championships – including 2016 at Baltusrol Golf Club, 2013 at Oak Hill Country Club, 2011 at Atlanta Athletic Club and 2008 at Oakland Hills Country Club – will serve as the tournament director for the Magnit Championship. Cannon officially joined Outlyr on September 6, 2022, and brings a wealth of event production, operations, philanthropy and leadership experience from his 21-year tenure at the PGA of America.

“I’m excited to bring my passion for golf and creating impact to the Magnit Championship,” said Cannon. “I look forward to collaborating with Metedeconk National Golf Club, Magnit, the Korn Ferry Tour and Jackson Township to deliver a world-class experience in 2023 and beyond.”

Magnit’s industry-leading Integrated Workforce Management (IWM) platform is supported by 30-plus years of innovation, modern software, proven expertise and world-class data and intelligence, and enables companies to optimize talent and diversity goals while achieving operational and financial success.

“Magnit has been an absolutely phenomenal sponsor and a great partner of mine,” said six-time LPGA winner Jessica Korda, who serves as a brand ambassador for Magnit. “I’m so excited to see that they’re giving another opportunity for the Korn Ferry Tour players to be able to play and earn their PGA TOUR cards. I know that this is a really big deal to a lot of the players, and all they need are opportunities. It’s phenomenal to see a company like Magnit stepping up and giving that to them. I’m really excited about the event and wishing everyone good luck.”

“Tri-State area fans are super rowdy and fun,” added Korda. “They’re some of my favorite crowds to play in front of. I think the Korn Ferry Tour players are going to have an absolutely fun time.”

For more information about the Magnit Championship, visit www.MagnitChampionship.com. Follow the Magnit Championship on Twitter and Instagram @MagnitChamp, and on Facebook @Magnit Championship.

Academy of Golf Art Welcomes New Member Craig Snyder

(OKATIE, South Carolina) – The Academy of Golf Art (AcademyofGolfArt.org), whose mission is to enhance appreciation for golf art, announces Craig Snyder as a new member artist.

“Craig Snyder is creating art that captures the beauty and design of the golf holes he paints, and we welcome him to the Academy,” said Linda Hartough, a founding trustee of the Academy and a renowned golf-landscape artist.

Snyder fostered his love of golf landscapes and great course design in high school while working at the Alister MacKenzie-designed Meadow Club, in Northern California. After playing for his high school team, he went on to play college golf at Loyola Marymount University. Over the years Craig has chosen many careers in the golf industry, including teaching at junior golf camps in Pebble Beach, administering and marketing Nike golf camps, golf professional, full-time instructor and now, golf artist.

In 2019, after years of sketching and drawing golf courses and original golf hole designs, Craig decided to try his hand at painting. This medium has allowed him the opportunity to explore a new way to express his passion for golf landscapes.

“I’m excited about exploring my art, learning every day and creating new works for everyone to enjoy,” said Snyder.

Samples of Snyder’s work can be viewed on his website, https://www.craigsnyderart.com.

Artists interested in joining the Academy of Golf Art or learning more about it are invited to contact Sally J. Sportsman.

In 2018, the Academy exhibited select works of member artists in a special exhibition, The Academy of Golf Art: Artists of the Game, at the Morris Museum of Art, in Augusta, Georgia. The successful three-month exhibition spanned the week of the Masters Tournament. Works displayed included sculpture; paintings in oil, pastel, watercolor and casein; and photography.

Hank Haney Reveals Tour Distance Secrets in New Golf Training Course

Amateur golfers can now access professional video-based coaching to help gain distance with Haney’s Speed Slot Sequence

(RELEASE) — Performance Golf, the industry leader in online golf instructional programs, today announces they have launched a new video course, Get Real Distance by Hank Haney. This new course is based on a never-before-released sequence that Haney spent over 40 years developing.

Haney reveals, “This secret is something I learned while coaching Tiger Woods for six straight years. I watched as he inspired an entire generation of golfers to hit the ball farther and farther. Amateurs come to me and tell me they’ve tried everything to gain distance and nothing works, so I created this course to help them hit the longest, straightest drives of their life. I’ve never met a single amateur golfer who couldn’t immediately add three to seven miles per hour of swing speed and ten to 30 yards of accurate distance to their drives. And that's exactly why I spent over four decades perfecting a practice swing sequence that makes it easy for golfers to drop the club in the slot.”

The Get Real Distance course includes a “Speed Slot Sequence” to help golfers discover the root cause of their short drives, and exactly what it takes to fix it. The simple sequence helps lower handicaps by developing longer, straighter drives off the tee. The reason amateur golfers try to swing harder and yet don’t gain distance is that their club is not dropping in the slot, which is necessary for squaring the clubface at impact and releasing maximum swing speed at the back of the ball.

Haney continues, “In the past, the only way to learn my Speed Slot Sequence was to be like Tiger, Mark O’Meara, and other pros who pay me not-so-small fortunes for in-person coaching, but that doesn’t allow me to fulfill my mission to help as many amateur golfers as possible play better golf. That’s why I decided to partner with Performance Golf, the industry leader in online golf instructional programs. They're well-known in the industry for producing high-end video training that not only looks good, but delivers results.”

Performance Golf CEO Brixton Albert shares, “Hank Haney is no stranger to a little controversy; he’s always willing to speak his mind about what is right for golfers and the game of golf. Through this Get Real Distance course, you can eliminate your over-the-top swing, start dropping in the slot, and add ten to 30 yards off the tee. Whether you’re picking up a driver for the first time or you’ve been struggling to gain distance for decades, this simple sequence will get you dropping the club in the slot and increasing your swing speeds.”

Learn more at: https://www.performancegolf.com/

Titleist and FootJoy Set to Continue Its Support of the PGA Show in 2023

(FRISCO, Texas) – The PGA of America and PGA Golf Exhibitions announced today that Titleist and FootJoy will be participating in the 70th PGA Show, Jan. 24-27, 2023, in Orlando, Fla.

The PGA Show, golf’s longest running and largest global business gathering, attracts thousands of PGA Professionals, golf leaders, industry executives and retailers from around the world at the start of the season to drive continued growth of the sport and the business of golf.

Titleist and FootJoy will showcase their complete product lines in two new anchor exhibits on the PGA Show Floor, host a series of educational workshops, and offer product testing during the event’s outdoor Demo & Fitting Day (Jan. 24 at the Orange County National Golf Center) and indoors within their new interactive Show Floor experience (Jan. 25-27 in the Orange County Convention Center).

Titleist and FootJoy have supported PGA Professionals through the PGA Golf Retirement Plus program as a Founding Partner since its inception in 1997. In addition, Titleist and FootJoy are supporting partners of the PGA Professional Championship and its corresponding 41 PGA Section Championships, as well as PGA Jr. League, the PGA High School Golf National Invitational and the PGA Works Collegiate Championship.   

"We're excited and appreciate the long-standing support of Titleist and FootJoy for the PGA Member and PGA Show,” said PGA President Jim Richerson. “As the largest gathering of PGA Professionals, the PGA Show is a special opportunity to experience the full offering from Titleist and FootJoy. PGA Professionals come away from Show Week more knowledgeable, more connected and more energized to grow the game at every level.”

“Our attending golf industry professionals look forward to interacting with Titleist and FootJoy each year at the PGA Show and we are excited to welcome their participation this year,” said PGA Golf Exhibitions Vice President Marc Simon. “Their engagement across multiple platforms enhances the industry professional experience at the PGA Show and provides a special in-person connection with their leadership. We look forward to helping showcase the Acushnet family of brands.”

"We look forward to attending the 2023 PGA Show and reconnecting with our partners and the golf community,” said Peter Broome, Senior Vice President, Titleist Brand Management and Industry Relations, Acushnet Company. “The PGA Show continues to evolve and provides our Titleist and FootJoy brands a forum to strengthen partner relationships, offer educational opportunities, and showcase our exciting new products. The timing of this important industry gathering sets the tone for the year, and we look forward to returning to Orlando once again."

Introducing the 0317 ST Milled Blades from PXG

PXG has released its latest innovation in golf equipment – it’s new milled PXG® 0317 STTM Blades. Engineered to give better golfers complete control over every shot, these pure blades feature a tour-inspired design, industry-leading manufacturing techniques, and a striking aesthetic. 

“Our team has done their homework on these blades, taking feedback from our professional staff and college players to inform all aspects of the design. From clubhead size, offset, and sole design to a flighted trajectory,” PXG Founder and CEO Bob Parsons shared. 

Each iron in the PXG 0317 ST set is triple forged from 8620 soft carbon steel to create a tight, strong grain structure that prolongs the grooves’ life and enhances the overall feel. Then, the irons are CNC milled to ensure every surface, curve, and angle are produced to exact specifications. Finally, the blades undergo a precise robotic polishing process to refine the sole and other geometries for a flawless finish and unmatched consistency club to club.

In addition to high-grade materials and precision manufacturing, PXG 0317 ST Blades are characterized by a unique, tour-inspired blended set design. Harder-to-hit 3- and 4-irons feature a cavity back that makes it easier to hit the ball up in the air and increases forgiveness on mishits. The remaining clubs in the set feature a solid-body design that delivers a penetrating trajectory with high spin, exceptional consistency, and maximum control.

PXG 0317 ST Blades also incorporate PXG’s Precision Weighting Technology to fine-tune performance further. The large tungsten weight on the back of the clubhead is used to optimize the swing weight/head weight target on the center-of-gravity location. Optimization can be experienced during an in-person golf club fitting and is dialed in as part of the custom build process. 

Named for the 0317 U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper, these blades support long-range accuracy to any target. 

“The new PXG 0317 ST Blades are the best feeling irons I’ve ever played. And, they’ve got just the right amount of offset and bounce, no grinding required,” PXG PGA TOUR Professional Henrik Norlander stated. “I really like the finish too!”

The new milled PXG 0317 ST Blades are available in a Chrome or Xtreme Dark finish. To buy online or schedule a fitting, visit http://www.pxg.com.

Can I hit the 7th Green at Pebble Beach?

It's been more than a year since I last tried to hit the seventh green at Pebble Beach. I was unsuccessful then (link in video). Will I find it this time around? 

Last time I used the Wilson D9 irons and a prototype golf ball. This time I'm hitting the PXG GEN5 irons and a Titleist Pro V1.

Wish me luck!

Original Penguin Launches Fall 2022 Racquet & Paddle Collections

Ajla Tomljanovic

Brand Ambassador Ajla Tomljanovic Reaches Quarterfinals at the 2022 U.S. Open & Wimbledon

(Miami, FL) — Original Penguin by Munsingwear, a division of Perry Ellis International, announced the launch of the men’s and women’s Fall 2022 Racquet & Paddle Collections. The Fall 2022 collections combine the perfect combination of heritage, flair, and function, fusing a traditional racquet aesthetic with advanced performance technologies that can be worn with comfort and confidence.

Original Penguin brand ambassador Ajla Tomljanovic showcased the women’s collection during her historic run to the quarterfinals at the recent U.S. Open where she eliminated Serena Williams in what was ESPN’s most watched tennis match ever. “Ajla embodies all that Original Penguin stands for and we are proud to have her represent our new collection of performance enhancing and fashion forward line of tennis apparel,” said Oscar Feldenkreis, CEO of Perry Ellis International. “As one of only two women to reach the quarterfinals at both the U.S. Open and Wimbledon in 2022, Ajla has cemented herself as a dynamic worldwide player who plays best when the stage is the biggest and the lights are the brightest.”

“We are excited to bring the Original Penguin Fall 2022 Racquet & Paddle collections to market and are thrilled with how well it has been received by our customers,” stated Lupe Benitez, Senior Vice President Product Design, Original Penguin Racquet & Paddle. “Original Penguin is a nostalgic brand with cross generational appeal whose iconic logo has been worn by golfers, celebrities and now a new generation of fans.”

The Fall 2022 collection’s inspiration represents a fusion of retro heritage style with a modern “original” twist. The collections represent an intersection of classic silhouettes and crisp racquet whites along with colorful original prints. Fabrics include lux sustainable recycled yarns with elastane blends such as Repreve and 4-way stretch and extremely lightweight blends. Other technical features include moisture- wicking UPF sun protection. Detail elements feature power mesh, piping, novelty logo details, pockets, fit and foundation for the professional and amateur tennis player alike.

The Original Penguin Fall 2022 Racquet & Paddle collections fully encompass the lifestyle of what it means to be an original. Key pieces in the collections include:

- Deconstructed Floral Print Dress

- Color Block Halter Top

- Johnny Collar Performance Polo

- Engineered Performance Color Block Polo

- Tennis & Pickleball Graphic T-Shirts

- Retro-inspired Essentials

Matt Wright

Matt Wright, seven time U.S. Open Champion, four time USA National Champion, ranked #1 in men’s doubles, and the #1 ranked PPA Tour player will be showcasing Original Penguin’s Men’s Racquet and Paddle collection highlighted by classic polos, fashion color blocks and crews providing functional performance, cutting edge designs, comfort and style on and off the court.

For over 60 years Original Penguin, and its namesake icon, Pete the Penguin, have been adorned and adored by the masters of leisure and sport to define itself as an American classic. Today, the Penguin icon still stands as a signal for those who know how to be an original and what you wear for the good times.

Original Penguin is a global brand with retail stores worldwide as well as two dedicated e-commerce websites: www.originalpenguin.com and www.originalpenguin.co.uk.

Playing Golf in the Upper Peninsula

We stayed at the Island Resort & Casino and played Timberstone (Iron Mountain), Greywalls (Marquette), and Sage Run and Sweetgrass (Harris).

The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America to Feature Strongest Field in Tournament History, Sept. 29-Oct. 2 at Golf Clubs at The Tribute

Major Champions and Fan-Favorites Lexi Thompson, Georgia Hall and Hinako Shibuno Headline Latest Commitments in Star-Studded Field, Featuring 14 the Top-25 in the World

(THE COLONY, Texas) – Entries are now closed for next week’s The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America, with the tournament boasting the strongest field in its 10-year history. The 2022 edition of the championship features 14 of the top-25 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, major champions, past champions and a number of local Texans who will tee it up at Golf Clubs at The Tribute in The Colony, Texas, Sept. 29-Oct. 2.

Headlining the latest commitments prior to entries closing on Wednesday include major champions and fan favorites Lexi Thompson, Georgia Hall and Hinako Shibuno. Texas’ annual signature LPGA Tour event, The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America will feature a field of 132 players competing for a share of the newly expanded $1.7 million purse, contested at Old American Golf Club.

“This year’s tournament field will be the strongest in history, and we are honored to attract the world’s best professional golfers back to Texas and The Colony for The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America,” said Tournament Director Emily Podzielinski. “With the additions of Lexi, Georgia, Hinako and several Dallas-area players who recently committed, the tournament will be a can’t-miss event for our great golf fans.”

Headlining the field are 14 of the top-25 players in the world, including Nelly Korda (2), Lydia Ko (4), Brooke Henderson (5), Lexi Thompson (7), Nasa Hataoka (9), Jennifer Kupcho (11), Sei Young Kim (12), Jessica Korda (13), Celine Boutier (14), Hye-Jin Choi (18), Danielle Kang (20), Ayaka Furue (21), Xiyu Lin (24) and Ashleigh Buhai (25).

A number of local Texans also are entered into the tournament, including two of the three past champions: Angela Stanford (2020) and Cheyenne Knight (2019), along with several Dallas-area residents, including Boutier, Kristen Gillman, A Lim Kim, Brittany Lang, Mi Hyang Lee, Jeongeun Lee6, Gerina Mendoza, Stanford and Lindsey Weaver-Wright.

Three standout amateur golfers will compete in The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America as sponsor exemptions: Bailey Shoemaker, Yunxuan (Michelle) Zhang and Avery Zweig. 

The final two spots will be determined on Monday via the Monday Qualifier at Old American Golf Club, along with the two top-10 finishers at this week’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G if not already eligible. 

Last month, the LPGA Tour and Outlyr announced Ascendant National Title, a Cypress Ascendant Company, is teaming up with Volunteers of America in a new multi-year partnership to serve as co-title sponsors beginning in 2022. The announcement also included an overall purse increase for the 2022 event to $1.7 million, a $200,000 increase from the previous $1.5 million.

Tickets are on sale for The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America exclusively at AscendantLPGA.com. Ticket packages include hospitality and general admissions tickets offering a wide degree of entertainment and access. New for 2022 is the Casamigos Club hospitality viewing patio near the 17th green at Old American Golf Club, where fans will be able to enjoy complimentary snacks and specialty cocktails featuring Casamigos, the Official Tequila of The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America. All tickets will be digital and will be emailed after purchase. Tickets can be viewed on either a mobile device or printed out where they will be scanned at the main gate.

2022 Ticket Options: There are three ticket options for fans interested in attending The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America:

Good-Any-One-Day Grounds:

$20. General admission daily grounds. Valid any one day, Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 29-Oct. 2.

Weekly Grounds:

$45. General admission weekly grounds. Valid all days Thursday-Sunday.

Casamigos Club:

New for 2022, Casamigos Club offers VIP access to complimentary, upgraded snacks and specialty cocktails featuring Casamigos Tequila at an exclusive hospitality viewing deck located near the 17th green.

Daily Casamigos Club: $125. Valid for one day, Thursday-Sunday.

Weekly Casamigos Club: $400. Valid all four days, Thursday-Sunday.

All military (active, reserve, retired and veterans) and first responders will receive complimentary admission by showing proper identification at Admissions in exchange for a daily grounds pass. Children 17-and-under will be admitted free with a ticketed adult. 

For more information on The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America, visit AscendantLPGA.com and follow the tournament’s social handles @AscendantLPGA on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

ahead Returns to the 2023 PGA Show

Tournament Solutions, an ahead subsidiary, also to exhibit. 

(NEW BEDFORD, Mass.) – ahead announced plans today to exhibit at the 2023 PGA Show, Jan. 24-27, in Orlando, Fla. Additionally, Tournament Solutions, an ahead subsidiary, will be situated on the main aisle of the Show floor as both companies connect with thousands of PGA Professionals, retailers and industry leaders at golf’s annual global business gathering.

Noted for exemplary customer service and innovative ornamentation techniques, ahead’s Fall 2023 headwear, apparel, and accessories lines will showcase new fabrics, styles, and expanded options for buyers.  A new booth layout has been designed to showcase the company’s refreshed branding and facilitate enhanced customer interaction in the reconfigured space.

“Returning to the PGA Show in Orlando is important to our customer first philosophy,” said Anne Broholm, CEO, ahead. “We are excited to see so many of our customers in a face-to-face setting again and we also look forward to networking with our many friends in the golf industry. 

Tournament Solutions, an industry leader in providing customized tournament gifting packages for member, charity, and professional events, offers a wide array of products at every price point and serves as a one-stop shopping source in golf.  Among the world-class brands offered by Tournament Solutions are TUMI, Kate Spade, Costa, and Bose. The company is focused on removing the burden for busy PGA professional by providing a one-stop platform to buy all gifts and awards.

“We are excited that ahead and Tournament Solutions are continuing their decades of PGA Show engagement with PGA Professionals and golf retailers in Orlando this January,” said PGA Golf Exhibitions Vice President Marc Simon. “Both companies are known for their longstanding first-class reputations, and their latest collections spanning multiple categories and new product experience plans will be exciting elements on the 2023 PGA Show Floor.”

The PGA Show, organized in partnership by the PGA of America and PGA Golf Exhibitions, will reunite the golf industry for the 70th edition of golf’s longest running and largest global business gathering. Thousands of attending PGA Professionals, golf leaders, industry executives and retailers from around the world will source new products from nearly 1,000 golf and golf lifestyle brands while attending high-level industry presentations, participating in education and career workshops, and connecting in person with peers and golf leaders to drive continued growth of the sport and the business of golf.

ahead and Tournament Solutions are longtime supporters of the PGA of America and its more than 28,000 PGA Professionals. ahead is a Supporting Partner of Golf Retirement Plus and joins Tournament Solutions as official merchandise licensees of the PGA Championship. 

About ahead: www.aheadweb.com

Circling Raven Earns ‘Best Casino Course’ Distinction from Golfweek

Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel Amenity Ranks in Top 20 Nationally

(Worley, Idaho) – Best-in-kind course raters have ranked Circling Raven No. 20 in the just-published Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top 50 Casino Golf Courses in America.

Designed by Gene Bates, Circling Raven has perennially been ranked one of the country’s top casino courses since opening in 2003. It has also earned Top 100 Resort, No. 1 Public Course in Idaho, and Pro Shop Merchandiser of the Year honors on multiple occasions.

Hundreds of members of Golfweek‘s course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each that is then used to compile the Golfweek’s Best course rankings. 

“It’s part of our mission to provide guests and visitors with first-class amenities,” said Laura Penney, CEO, Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel. “Receiving this critical acclaim is reinforcement that we’re accomplishing this goal through Circling Raven.”

Owned by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and an amenity of its award-winning casino resort in the scenic Idaho panhandle, Circling Raven’s 18 holes are astoundingly routed across 620 stunning acres of Palouse Region terrain. The course unfurls amid woodlands, wetlands, and wildlife, including eagles and moose.

Further, the course is home to the Circling Raven Championship presented by KXLY News 4, an Epson “#Road2LPGA” Tour event. This summer more than 100 top women professionals vied for their share of the $200,000 prize purse.

Located approximately 50 minutes from Spokane International Airport (GEG), Circling Raven measures 7,189 yards from the rear tees. The golf club is one of several amenities that make the casino resort one of the most popular in the Western U.S. It boasts a full-service spa, recently renovated gaming floor, two hotel wings, multiple restaurants, live entertainment shows and events, and cultural activities that highlight the Tribe’s history and essence that permeates the resort.

For more information about Circling Raven and Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, including stay-and-play packages, frequent player Advantage Cards, and instructional programs, visit www.cdacasino.com or 800-523-2464.

Introducing the Todd Snyder x FootJoy Collection

(RELEASE) — How would golf’s most iconic players from the Sixties and Seventies dress if they stepped onto the links today? The answer is this fall’s Todd Snyder x FootJoy Collection. Titled “The Links,” the collection was inspired by the old-school, “links” style coastal courses of Scotland, and the styles borrow traditional British menswear patterns and place them in modern, technical fabrics.

Building on FootJoy’s almost 100 year history as a leader in performance and comfort, Snyder designed a capsule collection of polos, hoodies, cardigans, varsity jackets, trousers and golf shoes that are inspired by vintage golf style yet reinvented for the modern gent. A vintage FootJoy logo depicting a golf ball and tee figures throughout the collection.

Snyder is no stranger to the game of golf. For the designer, golf was a way to spend quality time with family. Says Snyder, “When I was little, I caddied for my dad and my grandpa. I never had golf shoes until I was big enough to wear my dad’s, and he wore FootJoy. So I associate them with family time and comfort. I still remember how comfortable my dad’s shoes were.”

FootJoy had wanted to work with Snyder in part because of his successful track record of collaborating with American heritage brands including L.L. Bean, Champion, and Timex to name a few. After the success of their previous collaborations, it made sense for America’s leading menswear designer to join forces again with FootJoy, who have been the choice of well-shod golfers since Walter Hagen wore their spikes as captain of the American Ryder Cup team in 1927.

“We’re looking forward to the launch of The Links Collection and our continued partnership between FootJoy and Todd Snyder,” said Chris Tobias, Vice President, FJ Footwear. “This collection is a strong interpretation of what golf style, authenticity and performance means to the modern golfer.”

Blue Tees Golf Introduces Limited Edition Player Pack

The Player Pack provides the perfect ecosystem to elevate any golf round

(LOS ANGELES, CA) — Award-winning producer of golf rangefinders and accessories, Blue Tees Golf, will introduce The Player Pack, this fall.

Built for value and ideal for gifting, The Player Pack is a limited-edition box set containing four of the brand’s most popular products:

• Series 3 Max rangefinder

• Player magnetic speaker

• Magnetic hub

• 6-in-1 divot tool

“In The Player Pack, we’ve bundled our flagship distance measuring device, Series 3 Max, with our recently launched Player speaker and two of our most popular accessories, creating the perfect holiday gift and bringing unmatched value to our customers,” said Blue Tees Golf CEO Chris Markham.

The award-winning, design-focused Series 3 Max laser rangefinder features an adaptive slope switch, built-in magnet, Auto-Ambient Display, advanced flag lock and pulse vibration, 900-yard range, and a weatherproof case.

The Player magnetic speaker delivers superior sound, dual pairing, 100 ft Bluetooth range, IPX-7 waterproof durability, and a power bank — and can be used on or off the course with indoor and outdoor modes.

The MagHub, the central hub for all Blue Tees’ magnetic products, is engineered to slide onto the golf bag and connects the Series 3 Max rangefinder and Player speaker quickly and easily. The MagHub is designed with the company’s classic lined grip encasing and heavy-duty steel plate.The 6-in-1 divot repair tool is a premium divot tool that comes equipped with a ball marker, groove cleaner, club tee, and bottle opener.

The limited-edition Player Pack will be available at www.blueteesgolf.com, Dick’s Sports Goods / Golf Galaxy, PGA Tour Superstore, and over 1,000 green grass locations this fall through the holiday season.

Explore Branson Golf Properties Featured in New GolfPass ‘Guide to U.S. Golf Resorts’

(BRANSON, MISSOURI) – The editorial team at GolfPass compiled information on more than 800 golf resorts in all 50 states, and all of Branson’s golf resorts are featured prominently in the Missouri Interactive Map.

“The stunning growth of the Big Cedar Lodge the past decade has put Missouri on the map of golfers. Branson offers multiple properties with golf courses that take advantage of the beautiful outdoors,” wrote the GolfPass editorial team on the Missouri golf resorts’ home page.

Owned by NBC Universal which also owns Golf Channel and other leading industry entities, GolfPass has created the first comprehensive list of golf resorts in the country. The Missouri state map helps golfers identify and locate each resort and individual resort pages that list what type of amenities are offered.

“There's a golf resort out there for every skill of golfer and every budget, from state parks and courses with simple cottages and cabins for accommodations to lavish five-star retreats on the ocean,” wrote the GolfPass editorial team.

This holds true in Branson, the most notable golf resort of which is Big Cedar Lodge and its five courses – Payne’s Valley (by Tiger Woods), Ozarks National (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw), Buffalo Ridge (Tom Fazio), Top of the Rock (Jack Nicklaus), and Mountain Top (Gary Player).

Other 18-hole options in the destination include Branson Hills (Chuck Smith), LedgeStone (Tom Clark), Thousand Hills (Bob Cupp), The Pointe, and Holiday Hills. Branson Hills is a Top 10 ranked course in Missouri and earned a No. 32 ranking nationally from Golfpass and Golf Advisor players.

Fall is an ideal season to play golf on any of Explore Branson’s 10 courses that offer a variety of options pertaining to design style, price, terrain, after-play options, and resort amenities. Branson is within one day’s drive – 12 hours or less – for 50 percent of the U.S. population (one-third is within 8 hours), and five of the state’s top 10 courses are here (including the top four). 

All 10 Explore Branson golf courses are open to the public and range from luxury resort to daily fee options. Located close to one another, the courses are situated near iconic Silver Dollar City theme park, museums (Titanic and Ancient Ozarks Natural History), wineries, distilleries, and countless other attractions without losing their idyllic settings amid the Ozarks’ natural bounty.

Branson is annually voted a TripAdvisor community top U.S. destination, ranking No. 3 in 2021.

For more about Branson Golf, visit:

ExploreBranson.com/golf

Instagram.com/explorebransongolf or

Facebook.com/bransongolf

Casa de Campo Resort & Villas Announces Premier Fall Golf Events

Upcoming 1st Annual European Cup Highlights an Exceptional Roster of Tournaments

(LA ROMANA, Dominican Republic) – Casa de Campo Resort & Villas – home to the Caribbean’s premier, luxury golf experiences, including its iconic Teeth of the Dog ranked No. 20 in Golf Digest’s “Top 100 Courses in the World” – is showcasing an exceptional array of golf events ideal to enjoy its world-class courses, accommodations and amenities. 

The legendary seaside resort is home to a trio of acclaimed Pete Dye-designed layouts: Teeth of the Dog, Dye Fore and The Links. Since opening in 1971, Teeth of the Dog is widely recognized as the No. 1 course in the Caribbean. Golf course architecture aficionados call Dye Fore “the most underrated course in the Caribbean.” The Links showcases Dye’s genius for creating thrilling green complexes. 

The 4th Annual Couple’s Golf & Spa Retreat will be held Oct. 19 – 23. Guests will enjoy playing golf on Teeth of the Dog, Dye Fore and The Links in the mornings with an opportunity to relax and enjoy the resort’s spa and its additional world-class amenities in the afternoons. The all-inclusive four-night stay includes luxury accommodations and starts at $2,145 (per person, based on double occupancy). 

This Nov. 28 – Dec. 4, Casa de Campo invites all golfers to participate in its 17th Annual Casa de Campo Twosome Championship. Featuring six nights of superior casita, elite or villa accommodations and numerous additional fun activities, the event will be played on the property’s three outstanding golf courses with two rounds on Dye Fore, one round on The Links, and two rounds on Teeth of the Dog. Ideal to also enjoy all the unbeatable amenities, prices start at $2,724 (per person, double occupancy).

Debuting this year is the 1st Annual Casa de Campo European Cup taking place from Dec. 2 - 9. Players from all continents may participate and experience all three legendary onsite golf courses. In addition, each participant will have access to one round of skeet shooting, unlimited horseback riding, use of the fitness center, Tennis Center and non-motorized leisure at Minitas Beach. Rates begin at $2,982 (per person, double occupancy).

The 2nd Annual Casa de Campo Spanish Cup is organized exclusively for Spanish golfers and will take place Dec. 3 – 10. With elite lodging for seven nights, the event includes rounds on all three of the resort’s Pete Dye-designed layouts including Teeth of the Dog with additional unlimited play on Dye Fore and The Links during the stay. Prices start at $2,982 (per person, double occupancy).

The Casa de Campo Women’s Getaway with Suzy Whaley is a four-day / three-night event from Dec. 5 – 8. Whaley – recent President of the PGA of America, renowned PGA Professional and one of the game’s top instructors – will host the intimate Caribbean get-together. The stay-and-play is all-inclusive and starts at $2,039 (per person, double occupancy). The many highlights include unlimited green fees on all three courses and personal instruction by Whaley at the resort’s state-of-the-art Golf Learning Center.

For each of the above events, Casa de Campo additionally offers an array of fully appointed villas perfect for golf groups and families. The villa options range from three to 11 bedrooms with stylish living areas, a private pool as well as endless creature comforts. From secluded Garden Villas highlighting the area’s abundant flora to the tranquil splendor of the Caribbean coast in an Oceanfront Villa, each style offers contemporary designs. 

Daily breakfast, private maid service and full access to a wide range of on-site activities are additional highlights of villa stays. Non-golfer packages are also available for each event. 

“Our array of tournaments and events at Casa de Campo is truly unrivaled among the world’s premier golf destinations,” says Gilles Gagnon, Casa de Campo’s senior golf sales director and director of golf emeritus. “We not only provide one of the best golf experiences on the planet, but our outstanding accommodations, luxurious amenities and endless onsite activities all provide moments to savor while spending time in paradise.”

For more information on Casa de Campo Resort & Villas call 800.877.3643, e-mail golf@ccampo.com.do or visit: www.casadecampo.com.do/.