Dumbarnie Links To Host 2021 Women's Scottish Open

(FIFE, Scotland) – Dumbarnie Links, Scotland’s newest true links golf course, will host the Women’s Scottish Open August 9 – 15, 2021. The co-sanctioned Women’s Scottish Open is an integral part of the golf calendar, sitting on both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA schedules, and is held a week prior to the AIG Women’s Open. Trust Golf, part of the TCT Corporation, will title sponsor the Women’s Scottish Open this year, giving the prestigious event a major boost alongside a new long-term commitment from the Scottish Government. 

Dumbarnie Links opened for play on May 29, 2020 and has since received the highest of accolades and praise throughout the golf world. The stunning Clive Clark design, located eleven miles from St Andrews, measures 6,905-yards and plays to a par of 72. Dumbarnie Links is built upon land that is part of the historic 5,000-acre Balcarres Estate.  Its 345 acres of genuine sandy links land offers unobstructed views over Largo Bay and the Firth of Forth, a 10-mile wide stretch of water, with views across to Muirfield, North Berwick and Edinburgh. The routing is a departure from the usual. Instead of the traditional out-and-back layout, Clark incorporated a mix of two big loops with elevated tees facing into the Firth of Forth.

First staged in 1986, the Women’s Scottish Open is played with a full 156-strong player field and has a $1.5 million (U.S.) purse. The event underlines Scotland’s commitment to growing women’s golf. Previous winners include Stacy Lewis in 2020, Mi Jung Hur, Ariya Jutanugarn, Mi Hyang Lee, Isabelle Boineau, Rebecca Artis, Trish Johnson as well as Scotland’s Carly Booth and Catriona Matthew who is a double winner.

“We are honoured to have been selected to host the 2021 Women’s Scottish Open and look forward to welcoming the players to our genuine links course,” said Dumbarnie Links Founder and Architect Clive Clark.

With travel restrictions in place since the Club opened, the Scottish golf community embraced the Links as their own and enjoyed many, many rounds at Dumbarnie, with golf journalist and Fife local Malcolm Campbell prophetically proclaiming on opening day: “You could play The Open Championship on this course right now! It is first-class as this piece of land was just made for a true links course.”

“August the 12th and day 1 of the Championship can’t come soon enough,” said David Scott, PGA, general manager, Dumbarnie Links. “The Team and I are so looking forward to welcoming the best women players in the world and showcasing Dumbarnie Links across the globe.”

For more information on Dumbarnie Links, visit www.dumbarnielinks.com or call 833-691-0403 in the U.S. and Canada, or 0-800-085-1280 in the United Kingdom.

PerfectMotion Welcomes Chicago-Based Catalyst Golf Performance to Its AI-Powered Coaching Platform

(BOSTON, MASS.) – Chicago’s Catalyst Golf Performance, led by owner and director of golf instruction Marty Evans, is the latest elite level team to join PerfectMotion and its AI-powered mobile app platform. Catalyst offers an end-to-end coaching solution inclusive of total golf training, fitness, strength and conditioning, the mental game and even nutrition, making it a favorite of golfers from all over the globe.

Helping golfers take control of their games with personalized practice programs is Catalyst’s mission. Evans and Catalyst’s fitness expert Tyler Langosch have created personalized instructional videos for the PerfectMotion platform and will present the innovative app to their current and prospective clients as a must-have tool for grooving repeatable, efficient body motion with every club.

“The energy and expertise of Catalyst Golf Performance and their total-game approach has impressed us immensely, so we’re excited to have the opportunity to work with them,” said PerfectMotion CEO Rich Kosowsky. “Catalyst’s approach of addressing the golfer’s fitness, total golf game and their physical and mental make-up has helped them grow their client base and presence, particularly on social media – where their charismatic personalities and overall expertise shine.”

Golfers anywhere can download the PerfectMotion game improvement app and choose Catalyst Golf (for Evans) and Catalyst Fitness (for Langosch) as their personal coaches, for FREE. Then, as they take swings, the app’s artificial intelligence pinpoints motion faults and automatically provides their custom instructional videos to correct the issue. Users can also choose to opt-in to personalized remote coaching with Evans or Langosch to speed the improvement of their game.

“We bring a no-stone-unturned mentality to training golfers and work closely with our students to build a plan to make them better and put them in a position so they’re comfortable in any situation they’re faced with on the golf course,” said Evans. “The data and feedback PerfectMotion provides makes us better at our jobs and it makes it easier to tailor a lesson plan to that golfer.”

Evans has Golf Instructor III, Junior Coach III, Golf Biomechanics II and Power Coach II TPI Certifications and is also a certified professional user of Trackman, Boditrak, Quintic Ball Roll and K Motion 3D Motion Capture. Evans and his team frequently post entertaining content on their various social media channels including this recent video showing golfers how easy PerfectMotion is to use indoors, outdoors or during at-home practice sessions, with any club in the bag.

Watch the video here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMSNEKFnY8U/

For those who aren’t in the Chicago area, Catalyst’s PerfectMotion affiliation creates an excellent way to learn directly from one of the top teams in the game. They can be reached through the PerfectMotion app when users choose either Catalyst Golf (for Evans) or Catalyst Fitness (for Langosch) as their coach. The option for remote coaching through the app is a great perk at a very attractive price. 

For more information, visit PerfectMotion.io and https://www.catalystgolfperformance.com.

Kapolei Golf Club To Host 2021 LOTTE Championship

(KAPOLEI, Oahu, Hawaii) – The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and LOTTE announced today that Kapolei Golf Club in Kapolei, Hawaii will now host the ninth edition of the LOTTE Championship in 2021. The tournament will be held April 14-17 and will feature a field of 144 players competing for a $2 million purse, with $300,000 awarded to the winner.

“We are excited to return to Hawaii and play the 2021 LOTTE Championship at the beautiful Kapolei Golf Club,” said Sean Pyun, the LPGA’s Chief Business Officer in Asia. “This event has been circled on the calendar for many after cancelling in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. We want to thank our partner LOTTE and Kapolei Golf Club for hosting us, as we look forward to showcasing the very best of the LPGA Tour on their beautiful golf course.”

The LPGA Tour returns to Kapolei Golf Club for the first time since it hosted the Ladies Hawaiian Open from 1996-2001. Designed by architect Ted Robinson, best known as the “King of Waterscapes” for his use of water features, Kapolei Golf Club will present fresh opportunities and challenges to a field that includes past champions Brooke Henderson, Cristie Kerr, Minjee Lee, Sei Young Kim and Hawaii’s own, Michelle Wie West. The golf club also hosted the PGA TOUR Champions’ event, the Pacific Links Championship, from 2012-2014.

“It is a great honor to host the 2021 LOTTE Championship at Kapolei Golf Club.  We are happy to work with LOTTE and the LPGA together and look forward to witnessing the LPGA players’ great performance at Kapolei Golf Club,” said Akira Kihara, COO, Kapolei Golf Club.

The LOTTE Championship was previously played at the Ko Olina Golf Club since its debut in 2012. In 2019, Brooke Henderson successfully defended her 2018 championship title and became the first consecutive winner in the tournament’s history. The 2020 LOTTE Championship was cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 LOTTE Championship will follow the COVID-sensitive no-spectator protocol, with broadcast coverage on Golf Channel during all four rounds from 7-11 p.m. EST.

For more information on Kapolei Golf Club visit www.kapoleigolf.com or call 808-674-2227.

Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web via www.LPGA.com. Join the social conversation at www.facebook.com/lpga, www.twitter.com/lpga and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo, and on Instagram at @lpga_tour.

Cameron Champ Joins Virtual Check Presentation Benefitting Mack Champ Scholarship, PVAMU Golf Program

(PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas) – Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) Athletics held a virtual check presentation to the PVAMU Golf Program. PGA Golfer Cameron Champ joined the virtual meeting and presentation to the scholarship program established in his grandfather’s name.

Wendell J. Haskins and Friends donated a little over sixty-three thousand dollars to the Mack Champ Golf Current-Use Scholarship. 

After the presentation, Athletic Director Dr. Donald Reed, PVAMU Golf Coach Kevin Jennings, Cameron Champ, and his father Jeff Champ, Co-Founder of the Cameron Champ Foundation, responded to questions about the impact of the gift on the program. To date, the scholarship fund has received $203 thousand from various donors.

List of speakers on video:

- Cameron Champ, PGA Golfer

- Jeff Champ, father, Co-Founder

- Donald Reed, Ph.D., PVAMU Athletic Director

- Carme Williams, Vice President for Development

- Wendell Haskins, donor, Wendell Haskins & Friends ($63K+ donation)

- Kevin Jennings, PVAMU Golf Coach

- Glenn Weckerlin, Chevron, Executive Board, Cameron Champ Foundation

Link to virtual presentation: https://bit.ly/3fcuMEc

Link to Donate to the scholarship giving.pvamu.edu

For more information, contact Candace Johnson, Executive Director of Marketing & Communications, cajohnson@pvamu.edu or (936) 261-1566, or LaTonia Thirston, Assistant Director of Sports Information, ldthirston@pvamu.edu or (936) 261-9106.

Forbes Ranks Branson (Missouri) No. 4 in its ‘Top 10 Best Places to Travel Now During the Pandemic’

LedgeStone

Destination’s 10 Golf Courses and Other Activities Enable Safe Recreation and Social Distancing 

(RELEASE) – Both the golf industry and Explore Branson – the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for the town and surrounding area in the southwest Missouri Ozarks – reported better than expected numbers in 2020, a trend that has continued into 2021. Now Forbes is doing the same.

It recently published its “Top Ten Best Places In America To Travel Right Now And Avoid The Pandemic,” and Branson is ranked No. 4 in the country. To compile this list, Forbes overlaid more than half a dozen maps and criteria like the CDC COVID Data Tracker, the Harvard-Brown COVID Risk Level Map, and TripAdvisor reviews, including current case counts, population density, average weather, public health guidance, proximity to outdoor activities, and drive times from at least two major American metropolises. It also looked at new cases per 100,000 people, 7-day rolling averages, total cases, and total deaths to assess the current coronavirus infection risk relative to historical trends dating back to the beginning of the pandemic.

That Branson fared so well in the Forbes’ compilation was an inspiring reinforcement, given that the study results mirrored state and regional trends and case numbers. The destination is known for its lakes, live entertainment theaters, family friendly atmosphere, and increasingly its rising-star golf destination. Golf plays a key role in Branson’s safe Forbes’ rating, given there are 10 courses, all of which provide inherently safe havens simultaneously enjoying recreation with friends whilst practicing social distancing.

“This list of best places to safely travel couldn’t come at a better time for Branson,” said Lynn Berry, Director of Communications, Branson Convention & Visitors Bureau. “With the weather becoming more pleasant by the week, our world-class golf destination, incredible hotels, resorts, restaurants and many other attractions are well-suited to provide guests with fun, safe, and memorable experiences.”

Branson has a variety of exceptional golf courses that are close to one another, hold critical acclaim, and offer great restaurants, lodging, and after-golf diversions. The newest – Payne’s Valley by Tiger Woods – is brand new and just recently opened for its first full season. Four other Branson courses are rated among the top 10 in Missouri – Ozarks National (No. 1), Buffalo Ridge (No. 2), Branson Hills (No. 3), and LedgeStone (No. 7). Additionally, Ozarks National and Buffalo Ridge were honored as “Top 100 Courses You Can Play in America,” ranking nos. 64 and 83, respectively (out of roughly 13,500 U.S. playing venues). 

Thousand Hills (Bob Cupp design), The Pointe, and Holiday Hills complete Branson Golf’s roster of 10 courses, and each has earned appreciation for their playability and value.

For more information about Branson Golf, visit www.explorebranson.com/golf or www.facebook.com/bransongolf.

Mystical Golf Showcases Stunning Course Conditions for Spring Getaways

Man-O-War

Play Three Celebrated ‘Completely Green’ Myrtle Beach Courses, Deluxe Villa Accommodations

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) – Mystical Golf – showcasing "Myrtle Beach’s finest 54 holes of golf” on its acclaimed Witch, Man-O-War and Wizard designs – is currently featuring its trio of “completely green” courses ideal for exceptional spring “golf buddy” trips.

Spring is the ideal season to enjoy Mystical Golf’s outstanding course conditions which are unrivaled in Myrtle Beach and the region. The wonderful result of its longtime considerable yearly investments in overseeding with Ryegrass emulating the agronomic practices of top echelon courses like Augusta National, “wall to wall” emerald green fairways, rough and putting surfaces allow Mystical Golf visitors to savor the impeccable course maintenance few public facilities can match.

Mystical Golf also highlights the striking results of a comprehensive $750,000 renovation. The 142 bunkers on all three layouts were completely rebuilt and now display vibrant, eye-catching white sand creating an incredible contrast with the brilliant green fairways and greens.

Starting at $133 (per person, per day, taxes included), Mystical Golf’s three-day Gold Package features three rounds with cart on each of the acclaimed Mystical Golf layouts (plus one additional complimentary afternoon round), three nights’ lodging in well-appointed three-bedroom villa (four beds), free IHOP breakfast daily (available 24 hours per day), and a gratis steak dinner at Logan’s Roadhouse (includes non-alcoholic beverages, taxes).

Added package highlights include two free beers and lunch at the course each day, complimentary daily range balls, instant replay round for cart fee only, and $15 gift card toward a golf shirt in any of the three well-stocked pro shops. Extra night stays are available at a moderate cost per person.

The Silver Package begins at $123 (per person, per day, taxes included) and features all the components of the Gold Package above except the complimentary round, daily breakfast and steak dinner. Both stay-and-plays offer one complimentary golfer for booked groups of 20 or more players.

“Our guests constantly rave about the ‘incredibly green’ course conditions we feature here in spring,” says Claude Pardue, President and CEO. “We provide everything needed for a stress-free and wonderful golf getaway, so start the golf season off right here at Mystical Golf.”

Its three layouts are highlighted by wonderfully fun elements including the only back-to-back island greens in the game (Man-O-War), a front nine of dramatic holes weaving through secluded swampland teeming with wildlife (The Witch), and a splendid layout reminiscent of Scotland and Ireland’s classic courses complete with authentic sod-faced bunkering and castle-style clubhouse (The Wizard). 

Man-O-War’s 15th hole ranks among GOLF Magazine’s “Five Most Memorable Island Greens” alongside No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass, the “Alcatraz” hole at PGA West’s Stadium Course and Coeur d’Alene Resort’s movable, floating putting surface. The Witch is praised by PGA.com for presenting one of America’s “great 9th holes” and The Wizard has earned 4-1/2 stars from Golf Digest.

For Mystical Golf information: www.mysticalgolf.com, 843.282.2977.

AHEAD Partners with Golf Fights Cancer

(New Bedford, Mass.) – AHEAD USA, the multi-dimensional brand with a successful and proven track record of creating headwear, apparel, and accessories for the green grass, resort, collegiate, and corporate markets, has forged an alliance with Golf Fights Cancer. The company will provide a selection of headwear available to supporters of the organization or venues where Golf Fights Cancer fund raising events are being held.

Part of AHEAD’s extensive cause marketing efforts, this particular relationship actually goes back to the founding of Golf Fights Cancer when AHEAD’s Chief Creative Officer Chuck Lord designed the charity’s original and distinctive logo, still being used to this day.

“When I first learned about Golf Fights Cancer in 2003, I was happy to lend our expertise and create the organization’s first logo,” said Chuck Lord.  “It has had staying power over the years and I’m excited to be able to apply it to an array of products and make it available to golfers everywhere in support of this worthy cause.”

Golf Fights Cancer is a non-profit organization that leverages the collective power of the golf community to make immediate positive impact on the cancer care experience for both patients and families.  Since 2003, GFC has granted over $7 million to 70 different cancer-related charities including financial relief programs, community hospitals, summer camps, wellness initiatives, survivorship programs, research, and more.

“Golf Fights Cancer is thrilled to be working with AHEAD and we are excited that golf fans everywhere can join our efforts to help make a difference in the fight against cancer,” said Golf Fights Cancer Executive Director Cheryl McGuire.   “We have a long history with AHEAD and are grateful for their efforts to broaden our impact.  It is exciting to give golfers around the country the opportunity to be a part of the GFC community.” 

For additional information about AHEAD, visit www.aheadweb.com.