Bob Vokey Launches New HandGround Program on Vokey.com

(RELEASE) - Master Craftsman Bob Vokey is now offering the tour grinding experience to all golfers through the introduction of the new HandGround program on Vokey.com.

For golfers seeking tour-level customizations such as additional heel relief, a squared up leading edge, or Bob’s popular tour grind, the HandGround program is the answer.

For the last year, Bob has personally trained two grinders on all of the performance and profile adjustments that have resulted from his more than two decades of work with the world’s best players.

Bob’s passion for building relationships with individual players is the essence of the Vokey brand. Voke takes the time to listen to a player’s wants and, more importantly, their needs, when hitting wedge shots. He then takes this information back to the tour truck and starts grinding heads. The process can be lengthy, but when it is done right, it is worth the wait.

Bob will oversee the entire HandGround process – located in a new workspace adjacent to the Titleist Tour Department, inside the Titleist Golf Club headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif. – and, from time to time, will also grind HandGround orders himself.

QUOTING BOB VOKEY: “This takes me back to my roots - one player at a time, one wedge at a time, crafting the sole to the player's exact specifications.”

HANDGROUND OPTIONS: In selecting the HandGround option – currently available on all Vokey SM7 Raw models, the preferred finish of tour players worldwide – golfers will be able to choose from a variety of performance and profile adjustments (two adjustments maximum).

• Performance adjustments: As course conditions change, tour players make adjustments to their wedges to improve turf interaction by grinding material off the sole of the wedge. These grinds allow the player to change the wedge’s playing characteristics based on their unique swingtype and course conditions resulting in finely tuned performance.

Performance adjustments include:
- Pre-Worn Leading Edge
- Smooth Grind Lines
- Heel Relief
- Trailing Edge Relief

• Profile adjustments: Having the right head shape inspires confidence. Voke works with tour players to dial-in the head shape that fits each player’s eye. Profile adjustments allow the golfer to design a confidence-inspiring head shape by grinding material off the profile.

Profile adjustments include:
- Semi-Square Leading Edge
- Thin Top Line
- Tour Grind (smooths all profile lines & slightly reduces profile size)

For detailed explanations of each performance and profile adjustment, click here: https://www.vokey.com/nav/handground.aspx

HANDGROUND SETS: With F, K and L Grind wedges, golfers also have the option to make specific grind selections:


- F Grind: Make it an S Grind. For example, golfers that prefer their 52.12 F gap wedge to have a touch more versatility greenside may enjoy this option.
- K Grind: Make it a J Grind (Heel & trailing edge relief)
- L Grind: Make it an A Grind (Smooth the grind lines)

ON THE WEB: https://www.vokey.com/nav/handground.aspx

AVAILABILITY: HandGround wedges are now available on all SM7 Raw models through Vokey.com. SM7 Raw wedges – including BV Wings grip and 10-character stamping – start at $195. There is an additional $75 charge for HandGround services.

BIG MAX Makes 'Major' Progress at Pinehurst Resort

Major Championship venue, Pinehurst Resort, joins roster of the world’s top courses to choose BIG MAX rental cart fleet 

(RELEASE) - Europe’s leading golf push cart manufacturer, BIG MAX, is delighted to report it has been chosen by U.S. Open and PGA Championship host, Pinehurst Resort, to supply the Rental Cart Fleet to the newly opened Pinehurst No.4.

The North Carolina resort, that has hosted the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, joins an illustrious list of names such as the ‘Home of Golf’ St. Andrews Old Course, to choose the BIG MAX Fleet 333C for their rental fleet. Top of the range BIG MAX rentals also feature at U.S. Open venue Chambers Bay in Washington State, Eisenhower Golf Club in Colorado Springs, across all the courses at St. Andrews’ Links Trust in Scotland, Ryder Cup venue Gleneagles, and other notable U.K. courses such as Sunningdale and Kingsbarns.

The decision to invest in BIG MAX rental carts at the new Gil Hanse designed course was relatively simple as the venue wanted a rental cart that reflected the quality on offer at the course, Rick Oldach, CEO of BIG MAX USA states, “We are proud of the fact that the most prestigious courses all over the world, such as Chambers Bay, St. Andrews and Gleneagles, choose BIG MAX rental carts, and are delighted that Pinehurst No.4 has joined the long list of top-quality courses”.

The Fleet 333C from BIG MAX is the flagship model in the rental fleet range. A soft handle with large storage compartment, 2 Quick Fix and 2 Quick Lok bases for accessories and an ultra-smooth 3 wheel ride show off the cart’s quality, while robust BIG MAX construction delivers long lasting reliability.

With more venues choosing to stock quality rentals, BIG MAX’s drive to get more people walking the course is set to gain pace. And with the list of BIG MAX rental venues beginning to look like a Top 100 course list, golfers know that wherever you find BIG MAX you’ll find quality.

More information: www.bigmaxgolf.com

Linda Hartough Golf Landscapes Offers Gift with Order for the Holidays

(HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C.) – Linda Hartough, a world-renowned golf-landscape artist (
www.hartough.com) and a 2017 inductee into the Lowcountry Golf Hall of Fame, is offering a free box of notecards with each order now through Dec. 25.

“It is our pleasure to offer this gift to accompany all orders during this holiday season,” said Hartough. “The notecards, depicting various golf courses I have painted, can be given as special gifts or kept for later use.”

The code to receive the gift of a box of notecards with each order is: Present

Orders may be placed at Hartough.com.

Billy Casper Golf Earns Unanimous Vote to Continue Managing Currie Golf Courses (Midland, MI)

(RESTON, VA) – Billy Casper Golf – the innovative manager of golf courses, country clubs and resorts – was unanimously approved to continue operating Currie Golf Courses in Midland, Mich.

The Midland City Council voted on BCG’s extension for its three distinct layouts – Currie West (18 holes), Currie East (nine holes) and a par 3 course.  BCG oversees clubhouse operations, property maintenance, marketing and sales, staffing and training, food-and-beverage, financial management and other functions.

Over the past five years, BCG has significantly reduced Currie’s operating deficit, enhanced course conditions and grown junior programming.  Next year, it is expected to become a regional First Tee host location.

Currie has also solidified its status as a venerable tournament venue. In 2015, it unveiled a new driving range that will be put to good use next summer when Currie will serve as the host practice facility for the LPGA’s Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. This past July, Currie West hosted a U.S. Amateur Qualifier.

“Billy Casper Golf has been an excellent business partner over the past five years,” says David Keenan, Assistant City Manager, City of Midland. “The vast experience and positive track record they bring to the relationship has enabled the City to achieve many of its financial and operational goals.”

“We’re proud of the way the Billy Casper Golf team has improved course conditions and service standards at Currie,” says Nick Bednar, Vice President of Operations at BCG. “This has anchored our ability to raise Currie’s profile in mid-Michigan and attract new players in droves.”

More information: www.curriegolf.com, 989.839.9600 and www.billycaspergolf.com, 703.761.1444.

Cascata Named to Golfweek's Ranking of "Best 100 Resort Courses"

(Boulder City, Nev.) – In Golfweek’s newly published “Ultimate Guide” of “Best Courses” for 2019, Cascata debuted at No. 51 in the publication’s ranking of “Best 100 Resort Courses.” The new ranking marks the first time Cascata has appeared on Golfweek’s prestigious “Best Resort Courses” list. Designed by Rees Jones and once reserved only for the highest of rollers in Las Vegas, Cascata is now a unique experience that is open to resort play, regardless of resort affiliation and residency status.

Since opening, Cascata has received numerous accolades, including being named No. 60 on Golf Digest’s 2017 list of “America’s Top 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses”; No. 60 on GOLF Magazine’s 2016 ranking of “Top 100 Courses You Can Play in the U.S.”; and it’s annually ranked as the No. 2 “Best Golf Course You Can Play in Nevada” by both Golfweek and GOLF Magazine.

Cascata's private gates open to a spectacular landscape that forms a regal backdrop for a golf experience like no other. The par-72 course features stunning vistas at every turn, including the 3,600-foot peak at Red Mountain, impeccably manicured fairways, lakes, and meandering streams. When building a golf course in the desert, most of the time an architect must create just about all the variation in the individual holes because the land is somewhat flat and featureless. The rocks and valleys at Cascata took care of that problem naturally.

"We routed the holes through the canyons and between the 'dunes,' so each one is different and there are many places on the course where you can't see any other holes," said architect Jones of Cascata. "It's the 8th wonder of the golfing world as far as I'm concerned."

For more information on Cascata, call 702.294.2005 or visit cascatagolf.com.

Gene’s Dream Foundation Donates $50,000 to First Tee of Coastal Carolinas

“Game-Changing” Donation was a Result of Mentor Cup

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) - The Gene’s Dream Foundation is already impacting the lives of children along the Grand Strand through the game of golf. Just weeks after the inaugural Mentor Cup was played, the Gene’s Dream Foundation presented a check for $50,000 to the First Tee of the Coastal Carolinas.

The money was raised via the Mentor Cup, a two-day event that included a gala dinner at the Surf Club, a tournament at Tidewater Golf Club, and an unforgettable stand-up performance by the legendary David Feherty.

The Gene’s Dream Foundation was created to honor Gene Weldon, a revered PGA professional who worked in the Myrtle Beach market for nearly 50 years before passing away in 2017. Weldon mentored countless kids during his career, including golf media star Kelly Tilghman, who founded the organization.

"It’s an honor and a privilege for our entire team to be able to see Gene’s wishes through," said Kelly Tilghman, who founded Gene's Dream and the Mentor Cup. "It’s such a bonus to be able to deliver this kind of return in our first go-round, thanks in large part to the passionate support from our community. The inaugural Mentor Cup weekend exceeded everyone’s expectations. We look forward to continuing this mission."

"As a foundation in honor of my father, we are proud to continue his dream of having a positive impact on the lives of children through the game of golf," said Wil Weldon, president of the Gene's Dream Foundation. "Our goal is to grow The Mentor Cup in order to create a sustainable resource for the children in our local communities.  We hope to continue his dream for many years to come."

“That $50,000 is a real game-changer for the First Tee of the Coastal Carolinas,” said Rich Abraham, the executive director of the First Tee of the Coastal Carolinas. “We operate very lean, and this will help us expand our programs for kids along the Grand Strand and in Brunswick County. Beyond the financial impact, events like the Mentor Cup are great for our kids, giving them a taste of competition and the opportunity to be mentored by community leaders.”

The golf tournament featured a unique format as 60 kids were paired with 60 adults and each nine featured a different format of play. The front nine was captain’s choice while players played modified alternate shot on the back at Tidewater, one of the Grand Strand’s most scenic courses.

Building on the success of the inaugural event, the Mentor Cup has been selected to serve as a qualifier for the Liberty Mutual Insurance Invitational, the No. 1 charity event in golf. The winner of the 2019 Mentor Cup will be invited to play in the Liberty Mutual Insurance Invitational National Finals at the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island.

For more information, go to GenesDream.com or MentorCup.com.

Product Review: PeakVision GX5 Sunglasses

You wear sunscreen to protect your skin and a hat to shade the top of your head. Sun safety is no joke. What are you doing to protect your eyes while playing golf?

The obvious answer should be “wear sunglasses.” Far too many people, however, are ignoring this extremely important safety measure. The most common excuse has to do with distortion. Wearing sunglasses while playing golf used to make it seem as though you were constantly playing downhill. 

That was then … This is now. Technology has advanced so far in recent years that there is zero difference in vision between wearing - or not wearing - sunglasses. And PeakVision is at the forefront of the charge.

Take the GX5, for instance. This frame boasts PeakVision’s proprietary Zero-Distortion optics and features patented Dual-Zone Hybrid Optics lens technology. These block harmful UV rays while delivering the clearest, sharpest vision in both bright and dim light.

The frame is highly flexible and incredibly lightweight, as well. And the nose pads are completely adjustable, leading to luxurious comfort and stability.

Time out. Let’s take a step back and discuss Dual-Zone HYBRID Optics. The neutral-gray upper zone manages glare, while the amber lower zone increases contrast. The sun is minimized and the turf is now high definition!

Another complaint I hear about using sunglasses on the golf course (or any sport, really) is the ease at which they’re ruined. PeakVision has an answer for that, too.

In addition to the aforementioned flexibility, the GX5 is also highly impact resistant and feature a “super-hydrophobic liquid repellent coating.” Whether you sweat a lot or get caught in a downpour, your shades are covered. As for the lens - which is the money maker of any pair of sunglasses - an oleophobic smudge-resistant coating helps keep them crisp and clear.

Sunglasses make a great gift idea and show the golfer in your life that you care. Visit peakvision.com to check out the GX5 or other options for both sport and fashion.