Golf Simulators Gain Popularity in Residential and Commercial Spaces

(Toledo, OH) – Playing indoor golf is one of the hottest trends in the golf industry. A recent report by Straits Research valued the golf simulator market at $1.3 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $3.3 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.1%. Golf Simulators are not just for commercial businesses or the rich and famous. The simulator space has been dramatically expanding and becoming more affordable in the last ten years. 

Indoor multi-sport and golf simulator commercial play is booming. Food and entertainment businesses like Topgolf Swing Suite, X-Golf, and 5-Iron Golf have seen remarkable growth, with Topgolf indoor suites growing from 29 stores in 2019 to 120 plus locations. The development of indoor golf is not limited to commercial businesses. Recent technology advances in launch monitors have made home golf simulators more reliable and affordable, driving growth in residential installations as well.  

One company, Ace Indoor Golf, a leading golf simulator manufacturer and retailer in the United States, grew its business by more than 50% last year due to the popularity of home golf simulators. The company designs, sells, installs, and provides maintenance of golf simulators to businesses, golf clubs, individuals, golf teams, sim manufacturers, and the prominent golf retailers like PGA Tour Superstores and 5-Iron Golf. The company offers turnkey custom-designed solutions and “Do-It-Yourself” (DIY), off-the-shelf packages that fit golfers’ needs at every price point. 

Trevor Faust, Ace Indoor Golf’s president, has some excellent advice for golfers looking to put a simulator in their home. “For the DIYer, take your time, do the necessary research, and ask a lot of questions to be sure all of your components will work together correctly. The launch monitor, computer, hitting bay, projector, and screen must work together to provide a safe and enjoyable golf experience. Last, if your skills aren’t in building and technology, I’d suggest hiring a professional installer to prevent mistakes in your simulator setup that can cost you thousands of dollars.”

The combination of consumer demand, affordability, and technological improvements has made simulator golf more popular than ever. Are you looking to install a residential or commercial golf simulator? Ace Indoor Golf offers a variety of options and brands to accommodate every need. For more information, visit aceindoorgolf.com or call (888) 517-3398.

Unboxing Psychedelic Arcade IPA from Firestone Walker

Available exclusively in their latest IPA Mixed Pack, Firestone Walker introduced Psychedelic Arcade – a new limited-release West Coast Golden Rye IPA bouncing with tropical hop flavors of grapefruit, blueberry and pine dust.

With a full tilt on flavor, Psychedelic Arcade (ABV 6.3%) was first released out of the Propagator R&D brewhouse in Venice, California in 2021. Now leveled up for this special release, a base of 2-Row and Rye malts sets the tone with expansive textures, while a blend of Galaxy, Strata and Nectaron hops delivers mind-blowing flavors of tropical fruit, blueberry, and grapefruit. It’s an IPA that you can bank on sip after sip.

Learn more at www.firestonebeer.com.

ASICS Announce New GEL-KAYANO ACE Colorways

(HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.) – ASICS a leader in golf performance footwear, is set to introduce new colorways for the GEL-KAYANO ACE in North America this spring.

Built with inspiration from widely acclaimed ASICS running shoes, ASICS golf shoes bring the same key qualities of comfort and flexibility to the golf course.

“We’ve been fortunate to have a strong partnership with ASICS for many years now,” said Ryan Polanco, General Manager at ASICS North America. “Their history of providing high quality performance footwear is well documented, and we’re excited to be able to introduce exciting new colorway options in the popular GEL-KAYANO ACE to our U.S. market. It’s a great shoe that has proven technology placed in all the key areas so golfers can enjoy their rounds even more.” 

The GEL-KAYANO ACE is a spikeless, waterproof golf shoe offering comfort with every move. The lightweight frame work and flexibility of the GEL-KAYANO ACE is aided by ASICS FlyteFoam Technology, providing lightweight shock absorption and plenty of support. An improved upper mesh and PU film coating help keep golfer’s feet dry in wet conditions, while its TPU Heel Cradle helps maintain stability while walking and throughout the swing.

A men’s wide shoe offering will be available for the GEL-KAYANO ACE in two color options: Glacier Grey/Pure Silver and White/White.

In addition to the new GEL-KAYANO ACE colorways, ASICS is set to release new color options for the GEL-COURSE GLIDE, and a brand-new shoe offering in the GEL-PRESHOT. The GEL-PRESHOT is a spikeless, waterproof golf shoe that offers players stability while walking and throughout the swing, while simultaneously ASICS Gel Technology increases shock absorption for maximum comfort under the heel.

GEL-KAYANO ACE Key Technologies:

· Lightweight Frame Work and Flexibility: ASICS FlyteFoam Technology provides lightweight shock absorption and plenty of support, while ASICS Gel technology is strategically placed for maximum comfort under the heel.

· Flexible Waterproof Upper: Flexible mesh provides a comfortable fit, while a thin waterproof PU lining keeps feet dry in wet conditions.

· Supportive Fit: Additional ankle padding helps ensure a custom fit that adapts to every move on the course, while air mesh and a TPU heel cradle help provide a flexible, yet supportive fit.

· Golf Specific Tooling: The FG traction sole pattern places spikes exactly where they need to be for stability during the golf swing and traction while walking the course. Featuring GEL cushioning for increased shock absorption, while Toe and Lateral rubber wraps help maintain balance throughout the golf swing.

Retail Information and Pricing 

GEL-KAYANO ACE

Pricing: Men’s: $169.99

Sizing: Men’s: 7-12, 13, 14 / Men’s Wide Sizes: 8-12, 13,14

Colors: Men’s: White/Neon Lime, Black/Black, Glacier Grey/Pure Silver, White/Midnight, and White/White. Wide color options include Glacier Grey/Pure Silver and White/White. 

GEL-COURSE GLIDE

Pricing: Men’s: $99.99 / Women's: $99.99

Sizing: Men’s: 7-12, 13, 14 / Women’s: 6-10

Colors: Men’s: White/Midnight, Black/Carrier Grey, Sheet Rock/Slate Grey, and Glacier Grey/Neon Lime / Women’s: Glacier Grey/Aquarium, Glacier Grey/Pure Silver, and Light Steel/Grand Shark 

GEL-PRESHOT

Pricing: $119.99

Sizing: Men’s 7-12, 13, 14

Colors: Men’s: White/White, Black/Black, Piedmont Grey/Grand Shark

U.S. Launch Date:

GEL KAYANO ACE & GEL-COURSE GLIDE: March 8, 2023

GEL-PRESHOT: Available Spring 2023

For more information go to us.dunlopsports.com/asics

Jackson Koivun, Ryleigh Knaub Cruise to Victory in Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship

(MURRELLS INLET, S.C.) – Jackson Koivun (Chapel Hill, N.C.) and Ryleigh Knaub (Debary, Fla.) earned two-stroke victories in the Eighth Annual Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship presented by LA Golf at TPC Myrtle Beach. 

America’s No. 1 ranked junior boy, Koivun entered Sunday with a three-shot lead and extended his cushion to as many as five before making bogey on the par-3 17th hole and double bogey on No. 18. Even with the late stumble, Koivun finished the tournament at 5-under par and was never seriously threatened down the stretch. 

He shot an opening round 67 and led wire-to-wire. 

Second place finisher Rowan Sullivan (Charleston, S.C.) shot 72 and was 3-under for the tournament, one stroke ahead of Maxmilian Jelinek (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) and Ethan Paschal (Fayetteville, N.C.) 

Knaub entered the final round with a three-stroke lead and shot 73, finishing the 54-hole event at 3-under par, two clear of Alice Ziyi Zhao (Irvine, Calif.). Knaub birdied two of the first four holes, pushing her margin to five, before encountering turbulence on holes five through eight, where she made three bogies to trim her lead. 

She settled down to shoot even par 36 on the back and never allowed Zhao to get closer than two strokes over the closing holes. 

Zhao, the only girl in the field that never shot a round over par, finished at 1-under and was three strokes ahead of third place finishers Chloe Kovelesky (Boca Raton, Fla.) and Madison Messimer (Myrtle Beach, S.C.). Anna Davis (Spring Valley, Calif.), the reigning Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion, finished fifth at 3-over. 

Forty of the tournament’s 54 boys were ranked among America’s top 100 juniors by either Golfweek or Junior Golf Scoreboard (JGS), while 28 of the 36 girls were top 100 players. 

The boys field was headlined by Jackson Koivun (Chapel Hill, N.C.), an Auburn signee who is the nation’s No. 1 junior, according to Junior Golf Scoreboard, and fourth-ranked Nicholas Gross (Downingtown, Pa.).

Anna Davis (Spring Valley, Calif.), who won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and is the ninth ranked junior in the world, led the girls field, along with Macy Pate (Winston-Salem, N.C.), Golfweek’s 15th ranked junior and a Wake Forest signee. 

New to this year’s tournament was a co-ed team event, designed to mirror the type of competition players will enjoy at the collegiate level. Team Prieto, captained by Nicholas Prieto and including Maxmilian Jelinek, Chloe Kovelesky, Ryleigh Knaub and Noah Kent, won the team competition with a team score of 5-over par, defeating second-place Team Williams captained by Connor Williams and including Boston Bracken, Adam Miller, Madison Messimer and Anna Howerton.

With the support of Johnson, the top-ranked golfer in the world in each of five years from 2017 to 2021, the tournament provides players a pro golf-like experience and the opportunity to test themselves against some of the game’s best juniors. 

A significant part of the event’s appeal is TPC Myrtle Beach, one of the Grand Strand’s most decorated layouts. TPC Myrtle Beach has hosted the Senior PGA Tour Championship and been ranked among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” by Golf Digest, making it an ideal venue to test golf’s rising young stars. 

The event’s past boys champions are: 2016 - Blake Taylor (East Carolina), 2017 - Trent Phillips (Georgia), 2018 - Michael Brennan (Wake Forest), 2019 - Akshay Bhatia, 2020 - Tyler Wilkes (Florida), 2021 - Nicholas Dunlap, 2022 - Ben James (Virginia). The previous girls winners are: 2016 - Delaney Shah (Louisville), 2017 - Skylar Thompson (Ohio State), 2018, 2019 - Alex Pano, 2020 - Taylor Roberts (Florida State), 2021 - Jacqueline Putrino, 2022 - Katie Cranston (Auburn).

Johnson’s involvement with the tournament reflects his longtime commitment to junior golf, particularly in South Carolina, where he grew into one of the world’s best players. Through the Dustin Johnson Foundation, which is headquartered in Myrtle Beach, Johnson has donated more than $500,000 to junior golf, sponsoring numerous events throughout the state and helping cover entry costs for kids who need financial assistance.

The Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship is being sponsored by Founders Group International, the Dustin Johnson Golf School, and Golf Tourism Solutions.

FJ by Jon Buscemi | New Limited Edition Release

(RELEASE) — FootJoy, the #1 Shoe in Golf, will be dropping two new limited edition releases during THE PLAYERS Championship, created in partnership with West Coast street-fashion icon Jon Buscemi.

Touted as “The Player’s Shoe for 2023,” the Limited Edition Premiere Series Field and Limited Edition Premiere Series Wilcox will each feature exquisite craftsmanship and luxurious touches, guided by Buscemi’s masterful sense of style.

“The Field and Wilcox offer two totally different canvases in terms of their esthetics, so I was really up for the challenge creating something unique for each one,” said Jon Buscemi. “I loved getting the opportunity to add to the energy and vibe of the current Premiere Series collection.” 

The Premiere Series Field is already one of the most popular profiles on Tour, while Wilcox is an exciting new Premiere Series model for 2023. The exclusive FJ by Jon Buscemi editions will debut on the feet of numerous FJ players competing in THE PLAYERS Championship beginning March 9, including FJ Ambassadors Justin Thomas, Max Homa and Will Zalatoris.

The FJ by Jon Buscemi collection represents a merging of the proven world class performance of the Premiere Series, the shoe chosen by more Tour players than any other, and the elevated style of one of the world’s most influential masters of luxury street style.

“Jon’s passion for both golf and exquisite design made him a natural choice for FootJoy to collaborate with,” said Chris Tobias, Vice President, FJ Footwear. “This collaboration personifies a luxurious approach to golf performance crafted for our most discerning golfer.”

The signature gold accents added to the modern classic profiles of both models serve as a nod to the iconic THE PLAYERS Championship trophy, while the internal technology is among the most innovative in golf – including the VersaTrax+ outsole and Ortholite® EcoPlush FitBed®. Inside and out, they are shoes made to deliver excellence.

The FJ by Jon Buscemi collection is available beginning March 9 on footjoy.com, while supplies last.

Learn more at footjoy.com or follow @footjoy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or TikTok.

With Myrtle Beach Helping Lead the Way, South Carolina Named Top 5 Golf Destination in the World

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) – The International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) named South Carolina one of the world’s top 5 golf destinations, and at the heart of the Palmetto State’s broad-based appeal is Myrtle Beach, the game’s most popular destination. 

The Palmetto State is home to 350 courses and the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage, but Myrtle Beach is the destination that’s attracting the most golfers from across the globe. 

There were more than 2.4 million rounds played on Golf Tourism Solutions’ 65 courses alone in 2022, as Myrtle Beach remains the driving force behind the $3.3 billion annual economic impact golf delivers in South Carolina. To further highlight golf’s impact and its importance to the state, the game was responsible in 2021 for $370 million in federal, state and local taxes and generated 44 percent of South Carolina’s total admissions tax collections. 

South Carolina was the only American destination on a list that also included Cypress, Dubai, Los Cabos and Thailand.  

A 12-month destination, Myrtle Beach is the game’s premier buddies trip, delivering an unmatched combination of quality and value. Golfers in search of the nation’s best courses have the luxury of choosing among layouts such The Dunes Golf & Beach Club, Barefoot Resort’s four courses, Tidewater, TPC Myrtle Beach, Caledonia and so many more. 

At the heart of Myrtle Beach’s appeal is the value it delivers, allowing golfers on any budget to enjoy a trip that delivers good times on and off course. 

While South Carolina’s PGA TOUR events understandably attract a lot of attention, Myrtle Beach is a Mecca for competitive recreational players, annually hosting 10 events that attract golfers from all walks of life to compete. The most prominent of the area’s amateur events is the PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com World Amateur Handicap Championship, a 72-hole net stroke play event again expected to attract 3,200 players from all 50 states and 20 countries in 2023. 

In 2022, Myrtle Beach was voted America’s favorite golf destination in a 2022 National Golf Foundation study of more than 2,200 traveling golfers from around the country.

For more information on everything the Myrtle Beach golf scene has to offer, visit PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com.

World-Class Course Architect Agustin Pizá Breaks Down 5 Iconic Golf Courses

Pizá is featured in a Random Golf Club Film Short where he shares insight into some of golf’s most iconic golf courses and holes

(SAN DIEGO, CA) – Pizá Golf, internationally recognized as a world-class architecture and golf course design firm, is proud to announce that company founder Agustin (Augie) Pizá leads a Random Golf Club Film short on his TOP five golf holes. He uses his golf course architecture acumen to dissect holes and why they are included on the discerning list.

Pizá’s five favourite golf holes span the globe starting with the home of golf – The Old Course at Saint Andrews, Scotland, and across the pond to Tobacco Road in North Carolina. Pizá uncovers what makes each golf course and golf hole special or stand out. He also includes one golf hole he personally designed and why it is so extraordinary.

 

“You will see first-hand that I am VERY passionate about golf course architecture and the golfing experience,” said Pizá. “I start this special Random Golf Club Film piece, produced by Erik Anders, with The Old Course at St. Andrews. Old Tom Morris and time created a very strategic golf course, but playing the course is an emotional experience, like the atmosphere at Notre Dame. Sacred.”

Erik Anders Lang is part personality, part entrepreneur, part retailer, and 100% storyteller. As the CEO/Founder of Random Golf Club, Erik has become one of golf’s most recognizable figures.

 

Creating top tier content in exotic locations around the world is specifically what he is known for - to the extent that he has been dubbed the Bourdain of Golf.

For more information on Pizá Golf, please visit the company website: www.pizagolf.com.