Michigan’s Sweetgrass Named to 2012 Best Casino Courses National List

(HARRIS, Mich.) – Sweetgrass Golf Club (www.sweetgrassgolfclub.com) is listed among Golfweek Magazine’s 50 Best Casino Courses for the third year in a row.

Golfweek ranks casino courses annually, recognizing the best golf and gaming facilities throughout the nation. Sweetgrass is listed in the top 25, as printed in its December 7 edition. The 18-hole public layout is an amenity to the Island Resort & Casino in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, owned and operated by the Hannahville Potawatomi community.

“This award recognizes not only the efforts of our golf staff, but also the efforts of our entire resort team,” says Tom McChesney, CEO of the Island Resort & Casino, which owns Sweetgrass.  “We know golf and casinos work well together to deliver a great experience, both on and off the course.”

Since its opening in mid-2008, Sweetgrass has garnered multiple national awards, including Golf Magazine’s Best Public Courses in Michigan in 2012, capturing a top-20 spot among more than 1,000 courses in the state. It has also been awarded a top-20 spot on Golfweek’s Best-in-State listings, and was a Golf Digest’s Best New Course in 2009.

Since 2011, Sweetgrass has hosted the Island Resort Championship, a Symetra Tour – Road to the LPGA – professional golf tournament, which will return in late June of 2013.

The Island Resort & Casino has likewise been lauded recently by several gaming publications, including Gaming Central’s “Best of Gaming” 2012 rankings, listing the Island Resort & Casino as the Best overall casino, and Midwest Gaming & Travel, which awarded the resort as a statewide first-place winner in nine categories, including “Best Casino Golf Course.”

The 24/7 gaming floor includes over 1,200 slot machines and a variety of table games that include poker, Blackjack, craps, roulette and other popular games.  The Island Resort Showroom and Club 41 continue to host award-winning live entertainment. Upcoming performances include Montgomery Gentry, Foreigner, Justin More, and stand-up comedian Ron White.

The resort recently completed a series of upgrades to its campus, including the addition of the new 5 Bridges Restaurant & Pub – a popular 19th hole spot.  A new conference center, outdoor patio, and executive VIP rooms were added last year, and many of the resort’s rooms have been renovated.  The resort launched a new website earlier this year, including a new online gaming portal, found at islandresortandcasino.com.

Sweetgrass anticipates an April opening for its 2013 season; call 877-ISL-GREEN, or see sweetgrassgolfclub.com for overnight packages that include the popular Perfect Foursome, with play on Sweetgrass and two other courses, and stays at the Island Resort and Casino.

Contact: AmericanGolferBlog@gmail.com

Cobra Puma Golf Sets Stage for Big Splash at 2013 PGA Merchandise Show

(NORWALK, Conn.) - COBRA PUMA GOLF announced another stellar line up for the PGA Merchandise Show, Jan. 24-26, 2013, in Orlando, Fla. In addition to showcasing brand new products like the AMP CELL line with MyFly technology from COBRA or the new, trend-setting PUMA Golf apparel, footwear and accessories, COBRA PUMA GOLF will be celebrating COBRA's 40th Anniversary with Tom Crow, original founder of COBRA, on site.

"The PGA Merchandise Show is an instrumental platform for us to share the excitement over our game changing 2013 line of equipment, footwear, apparel and accessories with PGA Professionals, merchandisers and buyers from around the world," commented Bob Philion, President of COBRA PUMA GOLF. "We believe our 2013 products will position us as a leader in the industry and the PGA Merchandise Show is the perfect place to connect with retailers as we look to continue to grow and develop our business.

COBRA PUMA GOLF will bring back their popular COBRA PUMA GOLF Experience, along with some new twists, during the PGA Merchandise Show Outdoor Demo Day, scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, at Orange County National Golf Center & Lodge in Orlando. Here, attendees will be able to demo the innovative, new 2013 products, including the AMP CELL line with MyFly technology, the Baffler Hybrid Irons and more, on one of six launch monitor devices. In addition to discovering your Fly and testing everything COBRA has to offer, a star line up of COBRA PUMA GOLF's Professional Golfers will be in attendance, showcasing the new products, taking part in competitions and signing autographs. Of course, no COBRA PUMA GOLF Experience is complete without a social area, refreshments and some surprises along the way.

Throughout the 2013 PGA Merchandise Show, COBRA PUMA GOLF will showcase their entire line of new products in an exciting, two-story exhibit within the PGA Forum Area at Booth #1143. COBRA PUMA GOLF athletes will be making appearances at the booth, signing autographs and hanging out with fans. At the PGA Show Indoor Equipment Test Center (ETC), COBRA Golf will offer product testing opportunities, contests and fun in the hitting bays.

"COBRA Golf and PUMA Golf are two strong brands that help to build an exciting atmosphere at the PGA Merchandise Show Outdoor Demo Day and among the exhibits on the PGA Show Floor," said PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions Senior Vice President Ed Several. "More than 40,000 PGA Professionals, retailers, media and industry leaders who come to the Show will be able to experience their full range of innovative products while connecting with company leadership in a fun and productive setting."

For media appointments or to schedule interviews with Athletes, the Executive Team or Tom Crow, please contact Kristine Owens at COBRA PUMA GOLF.

For more information, visit www.pgashow.com or www.cobrapumagolf.com.

Contact: AmericanGolferBlog@gmail.com

Adams Golf Launches New SUPER S Family of Products

(PLANO, TEXAS) - Adams Golf announced the release of the SUPER S product family. The lineup includes the SUPER S Driver, Fairway Woods, Hybrids and Irons. This is the first time Adams Golf has launched an entire family of products under one name. The SUPER S lineup, from top to bottom, is designed to be easy to hit to give golfers of all levels the performance they desire.

"We felt it was important to give the whole line a common name since they all share many of the same technologies," said Tim Reed, VP of R&D for Adams Golf. "The SUPER S family of clubs at its core, is designed with the idea of making golf more enjoyable."

In the SUPER S line, golfers will find hybrids that are exceptionally long and make those long par-3's easy to hit; irons with exceptional feel and performance; fairway woods that easily get the ball in the air for longer carry distance to reach par-5's in two; and a driver that provides consistently longer and straighter drives which inspire confidence on every tee shot.

In the SUPER S Driver, golfers, for the first time ever, will have a driver featuring VST with a slot in the sole of the club for consistently longer drives. The continued development of VST has led engineers to give the SUPER S Hybrids and Fairway Woods a refined sole and crown slot to improve performance.

The SUPER S family of woods will feature a matte white crown and contrasting PVD face to make the club easier to align and look larger. The addition of these features produces clubs that inspire confidence at address.

IDEA SUPER S HYBRID
"The SUPER S Hybrid is the culmination of years of development with the best players in the world," said Reed. "With the further developments in VST, we have created a hybrid that is extremely hot and incredibly easy to hit."

The SUPER S Hybrids feature a Cut-Thru sole slot to increase ball speeds for greater distance. The refined crown slot is thinner, deeper and longer that provides a new level of performance. Getting the ball in the air is easy from any lie. The ease of hitting high and straight shots makes going for the green an easy decision on those long par-4's and par-5's, and makes those long par-3's your new favorite holes.

SPEEDLINE SUPER S FAIRWAY WOODS
"Through our continued research on the benefits of Velocity Slot Technology we have been able to provide even more benefits for golfers," said Reed. "The Cut-Thru slot in the sole of the SUPER S fairway provides the horsepower for the golfer to hit it extremely long distances."

The stainless steel constructions with a new crown slot is thinner, deeper and longer from heel to toe, which allows golfers to easily get the ball in the air without negatively impacting performance. And the Cut-Thru sole slot making the SUPER S Fairway Wood extremely hot with a CT (Characteristic Time) of 230.

IDEA SUPER S IRONS
"In the SUPER S Irons, we incorporated what we have learned in our hybrid development," said Justin Girard, Senior Design Engineer for Adams Golf. "The irons feature a half hollow construction to make it perform like a hybrid, while still having the look and feel of an iron, giving golfers the best of both worlds."

The Idea SUPER S Irons blend the best of hybrids and irons without sacrificing the look or feel with better stability at impact for less clubhead rotation during impact. Featuring a thinner face for increased ball speed, and improved shaping to give the clubs better balance and an undercut design to provide better feel and performance making it extremely easy to hit long distances and more accurately for those long approach shots into greens.

SPEEDLINE SUPER S DRIVER
The Speedline SUPER S driver features a revolutionary new design in adjustability. Consumers won't have to stress about what loft of driver to purchase anymore. All SUPER S drivers will be standard, and will be adjustable from 9.5 degrees to 11.5 degrees of loft. This two degree range allows one driver to satisfy the needs of many golfers, and adapt to the changes of their game over time making it extremely easy to fit.

"The Speedline SUPER S driver is the first Adams Golf driver to feature VST," said Scott Burnett, Director of Advanced Product Development for Adams Golf. "The slot in the sole of the club is deeper in the heel and toe to increase the size of the sweet spot making it incredibly easy to hit straighter and with more distance."

The addition of VST in the driver combined with the continued refinements in aerodynamic shaping making the SUPER S driver to be the most aerodynamic driver ever developed by Adams Golf makes it consistently longer and straighter.

Models, Pricing and Availability
The Idea SUPER S Hybrid will feature the Matrix Kujoh shaft, and will be offered with an MSRP of $199.99. The SUPER S Hybrid will be available in late January.

Available Models and lofts are as follows:
Men's Idea SUPER S Hybrid: 15°, 17°, 19°, 22°, 25° and 28° in right-handed
17°, 19°, 22° and 25° in left-handed
Women's Idea SUPER S Hybrid: 19°, 22°, 25° and 28° in right-handed
19°, 22° and 25° in left-handed

Contact: AmericanGolferBlog@gmail.com

Bear Creek Golf Club Hosting Food Drive for Tarrant Area Food Bank

(DALLAS, TX) - Bear Creek Golf Club - managed by Billy Casper Golf - is partnering with the Tarrant Area Food Bank for a golf tournament and food drive on Tuesday, December 18.

The four-person scramble will begin at 12:30 p.m. with golfer check-in beginning at 11:30 a.m. The entry fee is $35 per player and includes greens fee, cart rental, range balls, lunch, awards reception, on-course contests and prizes. Golfers who donate 15 or more non-perishable food items will receive a free round of golf, post-tournament.

Bear Creek's goal is to raise more than 1,000 pounds of food for the Tarrant Area Food Bank. Anyone in the community can donate food at the Bear Creek pro shop.

"The Tarrant Area Food Bank provides a worthy service and we're proud to help area families have a brighter holiday season," says Scott Davey, General Manager of Bear Creek. "Our golfers have been very generous in the past and hosting this program creates a wonderful sense of community."

Bear Creek Golf Club is among the Dallas / Fort Worth-area's favorite golf courses. Designed by distinguished course architect Ted Robinson and spread out over 36-holes of championship-caliber golf, Bear Creek boasts two distinct layouts - the par-72, 6,670-yard East Course and par-72, 6,690 West Course - to challenge golfers of all skill levels.

Named among the "Top 50 Resort Courses in America" by Golf Digest and one of the "10 Great Places to Golf" by The Wall Street Journal, Bear Creek's challenge, allure and shot values have led to hosting PGA TOUR Qualifiers, the Texas State Open, the American Junior Golf Association National Tournament, the PGA National Golf Series and Northern Texas PGA Sectional Tournaments.

Adjacent to DFW Airport and just minutes from Interstates 30, 35E and 635, Bear Creek is conveniently located for much of North Texas.

For more information or to reserve a tee time: www.bearcreek-golf.com, 972.456.3200.

Contact: AmericanGolferBlog@gmail.com

Second Skin Announces New American Proud Collection

(TORONTO) - With fresh designs that embrace the Stars and Stripes, Second Skin Garment Company introduced the American Proud Collection. This niche collection of patriotic apparel includes an assortment of performance polos and pullovers that will be sold exclusively to Golf Facilities and Resorts in the United States.

"Americans have embraced Second Skin apparel since our launch into the U.S. market and we're committed to supporting the U.S market with relevant products, a powerful value proposition and unmatched support," says Don Nichols, President of Second Skin. "The American Proud Collection is a tribute to our partners South of the Border. It's an opportunity for golf facilities to give their shop a patriotic flavor and add incremental sales to their portfolio for July 4th Festivities."

AMERICAN PROUD PROMOTION:
First 200 Customers to Place Order Will Receive 6 Additional American Proud Polos Free* For Staff.
*Min. Order Requirement - 24 Pieces. First 200 Customers will be contacted for Staff Sizing & Color Preference.
Limited Time Only - Orders Must Be Received by Jan. 31, 2013.
Promotion Available to New and Existing Customers: to place your order, please contact Second Skin Garment Company - Customer Care: info@secondskin.ca or (800) 309.9244.

Available to Preview in Orlando - Second Skin and the American Proud Collection can be viewed by U.S. Golf Professionals and Merchandisers at the 2013 PGA Golf Merchandise Show Jan. 24-26 in Orlando, Fla.

Contact: AmericanGolferBlog@gmail.com

PGA Merchandise Show Eyes Golf Health and Wellness with New FIT To W.I.N. Pavilion

FIT to W.I.N. Pavilion is sponsored by Titleist Performance Institute

(PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.) - The PGA Merchandise Show's new FIT to W.I.N. pavilion, sponsored by the Titleist Performance Institute, boasts a full schedule of presentations and more than 60 vendors promoting the health benefits of golf and products that aid in increasing performance, during the 60th PGA Merchandise Show, Jan. 24-26, in Orlando, Fla.

The FIT to W.I.N. (wellness-instruction-nutrition) pavilion is located on the Show Floor near the PGA Show Indoor Demo Days at the massive Equipment Test Center and features daily presentations by industry health, fitness and teaching experts, plus vendors offering products and services in the categories of instruction, fitness, teaching and training aids, health, nutrition and wellness products. The FIT to W.I.N. pavilion is one of several interactive Show Floor destinations among exciting exhibits by more than 1,000 top golf companies and brands at the PGA Merchandise Show in the Orange County Convention Center.

"Underscoring the trend of golf fitness as a growing segment within our industry, the FIT to W.I.N. pavilion has been well-received from the start by industry health and wellness experts and related vendors," said PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions Senior Vice President Ed Several. "The support from the Titleist Performance Institute offers a level of expertise in this area that is respected throughout our industry and provides PGA Merchandise Show attendees with unprecedented access to the best minds and companies in golf health, wellness and performance."

"TPI is very excited to be part of the all-new FIT to W.I.N. pavilion at the PGA Merchandise Show," said TPI Co-founder and PGA Professional Dave Phillips. "The golf fitness industry is one of the fastest growing segments in golf today as more and more golfers are realizing the benefits of having an understanding of golf-specific fitness, nutrition and wellness. We look forward to partnering with the PGA Merchandise Show to showcase some of the latest happenings in the golf fitness industry today."

FIT to W.I.N. Presentation Schedule
Jan. 24, 2013
10:00 a.m. ~ Surviving the Golf Swing
By Dave Phillips, PGA, and Dr. Greg Rose, founders of the Titleist Performance Institute, and hosts of "Golf Fitness Academy," in its 8th season on the Golf Channel and broadcast in 77 countries.

11 a.m. ~ Body Swing Connection
By Lance Gill, head athletic trainer at the Titleist Performance Institute

1 p.m. ~ Women's/Tour Fitness
By Andrea Doddato, fitness trainer during the past 12 years for more than 45 tour players including Yani Tseng, Na Yeon Choi, Brittany Lincicome and Brian Davis.

2 p.m. ~ SuperFlex® Band Golf Training System
By Dave Herman, leading authority in resistance band training; founder of SuperFlex® Bands; and developer of the SuperFlex for Golf fitness training system used by players such as Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Gary Woodland, Sandra Gal, Se Ri Pak, Suzann Pettersen and Sun Young Yoo.

Jan. 25, 2013
10 a.m. ~ How to Fuel Your Body for Life and Golf
By K.C. Craichy, founder & CEO of Living Fuel, the leader in Superfood Nutrition and best-selling author of Super Health - 7 Golden Keys to Unlock Lifelong Vitality.

11 a.m. ~ Training Junior Golfers to be Athletes
By Milo Bryant, director of the TPI Junior Performance Centers

1 p.m. ~ Fitness over 50
By Sean Cochran, author of Fitness over 50 and strength and conditioning coach to champions from all major tours.

2 p.m. ~ Maximize Your Power for Golf
By Dr. Greg Rose, co-founder of the Titleist Performance Institute; sought-after speaker for his understanding of biomechanics of the golf swing and the human body.

Jan. 26, 2013
11 a.m. ~ Dynamic Warm Up
By Jason Glass, one of Canada's top golf strength & conditioning specialist; owner/operator of Kinetica Golf Performance, specializing in golf biomechanics, physical assessments and functional strength training.

For more information, visit www.pgashow.com.

Contact: AmericanGolferBlog@gmail.com

Bionic Offers Incentive on Gloves

Another Gift Golfers Won't Use, Or One They Can't Wait To Wear?

(Louisville, KY) - Give them a stocking stuffer they'll actually use this year. Through December 31, Bionic is offering an unprecedented discount on StableGrip and PerformanceGrip gloves. The gloves, regularly priced at $24.99 and $29.99 respectively, are temporarily marked down by $5, making them easy, affordable stocking stuffers for golfers of all levels.

"This is a rare opportunity for golfers to purchase the best glove in golf for this valued price," said Cheryl Fink, marketing director of Bionic.

Based on independent research conducted with golfers testing Bionic StableGrip gloves vs. standard leather golf gloves of premium-grade quality, Bionic gloves are 2X more durable, play stronger and last longer. They are the only golf gloves with patented pad technology, and they have an advanced moisture management system, which helps keep the gloves and hands dry when playing in hot, humid conditions. Bionic gloves' proven durability and unique technology make them smart investments and great holiday gifts.

Bionic gloves are available in men's and women's left-hand and right-hand styles. They are sold at many top sporting goods stores and golf specialty stores, golf course pro shops, online at bionicgloves.com and by phone, toll free, at 877-524-6642.

Contact: AmericanGolferBlog@gmail.com