Golf Life Navigators Releases Forecastable Data to the Private Club Industry

(NAPLES, Fla.) – Golf Life Navigators (GLN) – the world’s only virtual marketplace for consumer-to-club connections – foresees continued growth following a banner year in 2018 doubling the number of private clubs taking advantage of GLN’s proprietary algorithm.

With recent expansion into Virginia and Georgia GLN is now active in six states with 36 total markets and more than 700 private clubs benefiting from its unique system of matching them with ideal prospective members. By the end of the first quarter of 2019, the GLN team plans to launch operations in the golf rich markets of California and Texas along with anticipated expansion in Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama scheduled for the second half of 2019.

“We’re proud of the work our team has put into growing GLN into a scalable model and excited for the next chapter of growth,” says Jason Becker, GLN CEO. “2018 was a great year for us and the expansion plans we have in motion are encouraging for those clubs who have been awaiting GLN to enter their region of the country.”

With over 138,300 data points on private clubs across the Sunbelt and 1.2 million data points from prospective buyers, GLN is the No. 1 source for consumers and clubs looking to find a perfect membership match.

"We are extremely excited and proud that a group of PGA Professionals have launched this incredible company,” says Seth Waugh, CEO of the PGA of America. “This will increase employment opportunities for PGA Members, as well as provide proprietary consumer data to educate our professionals to be better connected to their membership and player base.”

Based in South Florida with an active presence across the U.S, GLN also showcases the unique algorithm of its automated online ProGuide³ questionnaire to create a stress-free targeted marketplace for “best-matched” potential members with golf and country club options in Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, California, Texas and Georgia. GLN’s real estate experts, Golf Life Properties, identify primary and secondary residences in golf and non-golf communities.

GLN’s unique ProGuide³ has been referred to as “eHarmony meets Zillow for golf” and focuses on three crucial criteria when identifying “matching” clubs:  golf, amenities and lifestyle.  To date, more than 10,000 golfers completed the free, 10-minute questionnaire. From the results, up to six “best-matched clubs” are presented for consideration.

More information: www.GolfLifeNavigators.com, 800.447.8707.

TGA Infrastructure Investment Streamlines Golf Participation Growth

(Los Angeles, CA) - TGA Premier Golf (TGA), the leading delivery system for introductory and recreational youth golf programs in communities nationwide, completed a $750,000 infrastructure investment to streamline operations.

TGA Premier Golf has 58 franchises in 43 markets across 22 states delivering after school programs, camps, family events, leagues and physical education programs. The investment helps facilitate growth for current franchises and lays the foundation for future expansion strategies including 44-60 new franchises and increasing the number of programs from 3,800 to 6,500 by 2022.

Curriculum buildout included aligning TGA’s curriculum to the American Development Model (ADM) framework created by the U.S. Olympic Committee, incorporation of STEAM (science technology engineering art mathematics) and segmenting each class into three elements, Teach Grow and Achieve. Marketing initiatives rolled out included email automation, syndicated newsletter campaigns and database segmentation to deliver golf content to students and families, a media manager system for marketing templates, SEO optimization, and launching of a TGA blog tool and a seamless customer feedback system. Coaches training was automated online using the same class structure, and additional training was added to increase skill development of participants faster.

“This buildout was critical to our future growth of new franchises and helping our existing franchises grow golf participation more efficiently,” said company founder and CEO Joshua Jacobs. “Working closely with our franchise owners, we listened to their goals of impacting more families and communities, thus increasing the value of their businesses. We are now on a pathway to register our 700,000th student by 2021.”

TGA Premier Golf is making a mark in the golf industry. 68% of TGA participants and their families are new to the sport and TGA funnels 42% of its total participants to golf facilities spurring growth at the grassroots and golf course levels.

On the business side, Entrepreneur Media recognized the company among its Franchise 500®, Top Low-Cost Franchises, Top New Franchise, Top 10 Franchise Value, and one of the Hottest Franchises of 2018. Franchise Business Review also voted TGA a Top Franchise and Franchise Rankings named TGA on their Best Franchise Opportunities list.

TGA has created a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs and golf professionals passionate about sports, youth and their community to own a sports franchise and become vested in the success of families and students by changing lives through golf. TGA programs provide a fun, healthy and safe environment through multi-level, station-based learning curriculums that promote progressive skill development in golf along with incorporating academic subjects.

For more information on TGA Premier Sports, visit www.playtga.com and follow @TGA_Sports on Twitter.

Amateur Golf Is Coming to the Westin Mission Hills

The Westin Mission Hills Hosts First Amateur Golf Tournament in the City

(RANCHO MIRAGE, CA) – The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa is hosting The Rancho Mirage City Amateur Championship Golf Tournament. Sponsored by the City of Rancho Mirage, this is the first of its kind in this city and will become an annual event. The two-day tournament, for amateur golfers with an established GHIN handicap index, will be held on March 26-27th.

The tournament will utilize both of the resort’s championship golf courses, the Pete Dye Course and the Gary Player Course. Whether playing the Pete Dye Resort Courses' challenging yet forgiving design, or the Gary Player Signature Courses' great and friendly layout, each will deliver the finest golf experience in the Palm Springs area. At a medium to advanced level, each course offers some of the best greens in the desert and features stunning desert scape and mountain skyline views.

The tournament format will be an individual aggregate stroke play event over 36 holes of competition. There will be five flights – Championship, Sinatra, Davis Jr, Martin & Bishop. The top three places for each flight will receive a trophy.  Practice rounds are available at the resident card rate after 11am the week prior to the event.

The entry deadline to participate in this tournament is March 19th. Residents of Rancho Mirage can register for $225 per player, non-residents are $250 per player. Each registry includes green fees, catered breakfast and catered awards celebration.

To register: www.playmissionhills.com/rancho_mirage_city_amateur/

For more information on Westin Mission Hills, visit www.westinmissionhills.com.

Wager on Super Bowl vs. Golf Props

BetDSI is offering a handful of cross-sport Super Bowl props aligned with the PGA's Waste Management Phoenix Open this weekend.

Bettors can wager on Bubba Watson's longest drive against Tom Brady's passing yards, Jon Rahm's total birdies versus Jared Goff's rushing yards, event attendance and more.

Cross-Sport Super Bowl Props

Golf

Which will be higher on 2/3/19?
- Super Bowl LIII attendance (as reported by Wikipedia page) -250
- Waste Management Phoenix Open attendance (as reported by tournament) +190

Which will be higher on 2/3/19? (No action if player misses cut)
- Phil Mickelson total birdies -115
- Julian Edelman receptions -115

Which will be higher on 2/3/19? (No action if player misses cut)
- Jon Rahm total birdies -110
- Jared Goff rushing yards -120

Which will be higher on 2/3/19? (No action if player misses cut)
- Rickie Fowler score -130
- C.J. Anderson rushing yards +100

Which will be higher on 2/3/19? (No action if player misses cut)
- Bubba Watson long drive -160
- Tom Brady passing yards +125

More information: www.betdsi.eu/sportsbook-betting/nfl-odds/super-bowl-props/

Back-to-Back Aces for Desert Mountain Club Members - Again!

For the Second Time in Less than Three Years, with Odds of More Than 17 Million to 1

(Scottsdale, Ariz.) - Imagine the roar if two players made back -to-back aces on the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale during the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Well, the cheers were not that loud, but it was just as thrilling Tuesday, January 29, for Desert Mountain Club members Kathy Henderson and Claudia Pilot, who sank back-to-back holes-in-one at the par-3 third hole on the private club’s Apache Course.

Amazingly, this is the second time members have recorded back-to-back aces at Desert Mountain Club in less than three years.

According to the National Hole-In-One Registry, the odds are 17 million to one of two players in the same foursome making aces, with the odds of back-to-back aces even higher.

Playing the slightly downhill third hole on Apache from tees placed at 78 yards, Pilot started the fireworks, making her sixth career ace, using a 54-degree wedge. Henderson followed that with her third career ace, using a gap wedge.

This was not the first time two golfers pulled off the unique feat at Desert Mountain, which on June 8, 2016 saw club members Diane Thomas and Shaye Chandler both making aces in the same group on the 90-yard, par-3 eighth hole of the Chiricahua Course – a slightly uphill shot to a blind green.

And there seems to have been a “lucky charm” in the two groups: Member Anita Wallace has witnessed both events.

Who knows what will happen when these “aces’ start playing Desert Mountain’s new seventh golf course, No. 7 at Desert Mountain, which debuts in March? The 18-hole, par-54 course is the focal point for the exclusive Seven Desert Mountain community, will feature 18, par 3 holes – offering plenty of opportunities for more back-to-back aces.

Visit www.desertmountain.com for more information and membership details.

TaylorMade Golf Company and Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) Reach Agreement

(CARLSBAD, Calif.)  – TaylorMade Golf Company and Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) jointly announced that they have reached a settlement of the pending patent litigation and related patent disputes between the parties.

Under the terms of the agreement, each company will have specified rights to make club products under patent cross-licenses.

"I’m pleased that we were able to reach an acceptable and amicable resolution to put this case behind us so we can continue focusing on bringing industry leading equipment innovations to the golfer." -David Abeles, TaylorMade Golf, CEO

"As a golf equipment innovator, PXG will continue to pursue research and development and obtain patents for our novel club designs in the iron technology space. We will not hesitate to assert those patents in the future." -Bob Parsons, PXG, CEO

Details of the settlement are confidential.

A Traveling Golfer Return to Frederick, Md. Uncovers another Group of Golf Treasures

(PHILADELPHIA, Pa.) – It has been a few years since the first trip to the emerging golf destination of Frederick, Maryland. What was then a surprise discovery has evolved into a polished golf destination that brings with it the charm of a historic small town.

Chris Moore, known as “The Frederick Golf Guy,” serves as co-host on this look at one of the most affordable and charming golf destinations in America. He also plays the role of tour guide, leading the way through the history-steeped trails, to the Chesapeake Bay-influenced restaurants, and around outstanding golf courses – such as Richland, The Club at P.B. Dye and Clustered Spires.

“The reception to the first Traveling Golfer show that we shot a few years ago was so tremendous that we decided to bring the crew back and shoot another show,” said Moore. “We visited different courses and different attractions – but all have the same appeal. There is a lot to see and do in the Frederick area and golfers never seem to tire of what they have to offer.”

For those reasons, alone, a new look at the Frederick area will be in the spotlight of the February episode of the award-winning Traveling Golfer television show.

“My first visit to the Frederick area was a real eye-opener,” admits Tony Leodora, host of the Traveling Golfer television show. “The quality of the golf is way above the value of the pricing and the atmosphere of the area makes it a delightful place to visit. Aside from the two shows that we shot in Frederick, I have made a few other visits to the area over the years and never tire of the golf and hospitality.”

All of the golf, accommodations and attractions can be arranged in one spot by going to www.golffrederickmd.com.

The February episode runs throughout the month on the Traveling Golfer network of websites ... including The Golf Director Network (see full list of sites on travelinggolfervideo.com). It also will air a number of times in the Month of January on “Rivertalk” on HTC-4 in Myrtle Beach. The Traveling Golfer also airs as a scheduled weekly feature show on NBC Sports and NBC Sports + throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. NBC Sports airings are 10:30 a.m. Sundays, 11 p.m. on Tuesdays and 11 a.m. Thursdays. NBC Sports + airs the show at 6 p.m. Mondays and Fridays.

As part of every Traveling Golfer show there is the additional feature, "Tech Talk", hosted by Tour Edge Golf experts, such as President Dave Glod. With years of experience as a club maker, Glod presents an inside look at the research and development of high-quality golf equipment.

Responding to golfers' never-ending demands to learn more about interesting golf courses and golf resorts across the country and around the world, well-traveled host Tony Leodora created the Traveling Golfer so he could take viewers on video trips to some of the most exciting golf locations. The show won an Outstanding Achievement Award in the prestigious International Network of Golf Awards, presented at the PGA Merchandise Show in January of 2019. The latest award came on the heels of an unprecedented three straight years as the No. 1 Golf Television Show in America.

The Traveling Golfer is a series of monthly shows hosted by Leodora, who has 18 years of experience in televised golf. The featured destination stays on the website for one month, before being replaced by a new show. Alternate shows also air in a two-month rotation. All old shows are archived for continued viewing on the YouTube Network and on the home website, www.travelinggolfervideo.com.