The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club—America's Oldest—Debuts New Historical Exhibit

Display Documents Significant Role Club Played in Early History of Golf in America

(HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.) – The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club – America’s oldest golf club and a founding member of the USGA – has unveiled a new exhibit documenting its unprecedented place in the game’s early history. The exhibit’s debut was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Saturday, April 17, attended by members, emblazoned in their traditional red jackets, as well as dignitaries including Archie Reid, great grandson of Club founder John Reid; Mrs. Karen Reid, and their son, John Reid.

The exhibit, nearly two years in the making, features key historical documents, photographs, invitations, and more charting the Club’s early milestones, beginning in 1888 when The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club was founded in Yonkers, N.Y. (Today, the Club is in the village of Hastings-on-Hudson.) The minutes from the founding meeting, held at Reid’s home, lead off the exhibit.

On October 11, 12 and 13, 1894, the Saint Andrew’s Grey Oaks Golf Course in Yonkers played host to the first-ever U.S. National Amateur Match Play Championship. The day after that event ended, the Club again made history by hosting the first U.S. Open Championship. An original Currier & Ives print depicting the Saint Andrew’s U.S. Amateur Championship is included in the display as is the invitation to participate in the competition which was sent to golf clubs across the country in the summer of 1894.

“This marks the first time, within one formal display, that we have captured the leading role The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club played in the early history of golf,” remarked Vik Atal, Club President. “It depicts one leadership accomplishment after another throughout this most formative decade in the history of American golf.” 

Bruce Clark, Chair of the Club’s Historical Committee, expounded on the role Henry O. Tallmadge, founding Secretary of the Club, played in creating a governing body for the game of golf in America. Tallmadge invited four other prominent American golf clubs—Chicago Golf Club, Newport Country Club, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, and The Country Club of Brookline—to join with Saint Andrew’s in forming such an organization, which led to a December 1894 meeting in New York City and the birth of the United States Golf Association.

“Not only are we proud to be recognized as America’s oldest golf club and founding member of the USGA, but we are also proud of the leadership role Saint Andrew’s played in so many important ways during the formative years of the game of golf in this country,” said Clark. “The pieces we have chosen to display as part of this exhibit were carefully selected to illustrate our very rich history and contribute in a meaningful way to telling the complete story.” 

That first U.S. Open Championship, conducted at match play, was won by Shinnecock Hills Professional Willie B. Dunn, who proudly wore the Saint Andrew’s U.S. Open medal throughout his lifetime, and even, it’s said, being buried with it. A photo taken of the champion wearing the medal is included in the new exhibit, courtesy of the London Scottish Club.

“We are indebted to the London Scottish Club and many other individuals and organizations who collectively helped us with the exhibit contents,” said Rick Powers, a member of the Club’s Historical Committee. “This display is the proud accomplishment of a large team of people who have worked together carefully and thoughtfully for the better part of two years.”

The exhibit pays tribute to several other notable “firsts” recorded by The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club: the first mixed foursome match in 1889; organization and funding of the first U.S. Public Links Championship in 1896; and Saint Andrew’s member Charles E. Sands’ victory in the first Men’s Golf competition at the Paris Olympic Games in 1900. Sands remains America’s only Men’s Olympic Golf Champion

Located only 20 miles from New York City, The Saint Andrew's Golf Club is one of golf's venerated historical venues. Members and their guests enjoy the game in a spectacular setting and play one of the area's best-conditioned and exciting layouts—a challenging par-71 golf course redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 1983.

For additional information about The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club, access the website at www.saintandrewsgolfclub.com, follow on Instagram @theappletreegang, or on Twitter @sagc1888.

Surging Daytona Beach Golf Community Enjoys Strong Spring Season

(DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.) — Many Americans have found refuge on the golf course over the last year, enjoying the opportunity to play a game that is socially distant by nature, and that has certainly been the case in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Home to nearly 20 courses, the World’s Most Famous Beach, and the Great American Race, Daytona Beach also holds considerable appeal to traveling golfers.

Daytona Beach’s primary strength is its course offerings, highlighted by the Jones and Hills layouts at LPGA International. Both courses have tested the world’s best women’s golfers and delighted players from across the nation with creative designs and quality conditions.

“LPGA International has never been in better shape than it is right now and we’ve never had more play,” general manager Michael Johnson said. “[Traveling players] can enjoy outstanding golf one day and the beach the next. There is something for everyone here.”

While LPGA International headlines Volusia County’s golf course offerings, it’s hardly alone. The Daytona Beach area is home to a pair of Donald Ross designs - New Smyrna Golf Club and the South Course at Daytona Beach Golf Club - and Riviera Country Club enjoys a rich history and a classic design.

Spruce Creek Country Club plays through the heart of America’s largest fly-in community and around a runway that was part of a U.S. Naval base during World War II. Not to be outdone, Crane Lakes, a delightful par 66 layout, promises a good time, great conditions, and outstanding pace of play.

Best of all, Daytona Beach allows players to pair beautiful oceanfront accommodations with golf to build a package that maximizes value and the good times groups enjoy.

Off the course, the beach, restaurants and nightlife that make Daytona Beach so popular with leisure travelers only serve to enhance a trip to one of Florida’s most underrated golf destinations. Throw-in beautiful year-round weather and it’s not difficult to see why golfers are flocking to Daytona Beach.

For more information, visit www.DaytonaBeach.Golf.

Aaron Baddeley Joins True Spec Tour Team

PGA veteran, along with three rising stars, are the latest to embrace True Spec’s brand-agnostic equipment model on Tour

(SCOTTSDALE, AZ) — True Spec Golf today introduced the latest Tour Ambassadors representing True Spec’s uniquely data-driven approach to equipment management: PGA Tour veteran Aaron Baddeley, European Tour winner Sam Horsfield, and LPGA rising stars Albane Valenzuela and Giulia Molinaro. 

True Spec’s Tour team is the result of True Spec Master Fitters having worked with a variety of PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour players over the years to build their equipment to the precise specifications derived from the fitting process. In lieu of traditional equipment endorsements, True Spec Tour Ambassadors sign with the worldwide leader in custom club fitting and building to play a brand-agnostic sequence of clubs designed to maximize performance. This bespoke approach to building out their bag is driven strictly by True Spec’s data and the player’s personal preferences. 

“Since we started, Tour pros have been trusting True Spec to help them find an edge through brand-agnostic customization, and we are delighted to be growing our visibility on Tour as a natural progression of these relationships,” True Spec CEO Hoyt McGarity said. “True Spec has been pioneering the data-driven equipment model for years, and more and more Tour players are turning to True Spec as the brand-agnostic trend continues to show its value. Playing as a True Spec Ambassador is an endorsement of the clubs we built in their bags and our ‘no bias, just results’ model that put them there.”

The ‘No Bias, Just Results’ Model

Each player goes through the same proprietary fitting process every True Spec customer enjoys, using state-of-the-art swing assessment technology and a signature club matrix featuring more than 35,000 possible club head and shaft combinations including every leading brand.

True Spec’s Vice President of Tour and Education, Kris McCormack, started each fitting by blueprinting the golfer’s preferred clubs before evaluating different components for interaction and feel. Over the course of several sessions, McCormack matched the technical results gleaned from hours of swing testing with each golfer’s preferences to build the best set of brand agnostic clubs for their respective game. 

As part of the partnership, Master Builders will assemble their equipment at the 25,000 sq. ft. True Spec build shop in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

“We’re able to deliver brand-agnostic intelligence to our players on Tour and continually evaluate how their equipment is impacting performance,” McCormack said. “True Spec Ambassadors are embracing the freedom that comes with being agile in the equipment space. They’re making equipment decisions without bias or obligation, and we’re looking forward to watching this strategic advantage play out on the leaderboard.”

Baddeley has played on the PGA Tour since 2003. He won his first PGA Tour title at the 2006 Verizon Heritage Classic. He also won the 2007 FBR Open, 2011 Northern Trust Open and the 2016 Barbasol Championship. The Australian represented the International Team in the 2011 President’s Cup.

Valenzuela is a budding star on the LPGA, having joined November 2019 after a T-6 finish in the LPGA Q-Series at Pinehurst. In her rookie season, Albane finished 116th on Tour, appearing in 10 events. As an amateur, Valenzuela ranked as high as 2nd in the world amateur rankings, finished runner-up in the 2017 and 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur. She also earned low amateur honors at the 2019 Evian Championship. Valenzuela represented Switzerland in the 2016 Olympics. 

Born in Manchester, England, Horsfield is a two-time European Tour winner, winning his first two professional tournaments within two weeks of each other in August 2020. Horsfield has been ranked as high as 80th in the Official World Golf Rankings. In 2017, Horsfield was named a PING All-American Honorable Mention and was Second Team All-SEC while at University of Florida. He was selected for Team Europe for the 2016 Arnold Palmer Cup, and for Team England in the 2015 Walker Cup.

Molinaro first qualified for the LPGA Tour after finishing in second on the Symetra Tour in 2013 and being named Rookie of the Year. In 2016, Molinaro represented Italy in the Rio Olympics as the best female Italian golfer. While a student-athlete at Arizona State University, Molinaro was named an NCGA All-American and PAC-12 Golfer of the Year in 2012.

To book an appointment at the nearest True Spec studio, visit http://www.truespecgolf.com/get-fit.

For more information, visit www.truespecgolf.com.

Two Premier Golf Centers - Interbay Golf Center and Jefferson Park Golf Course - Among Leading Toptracer Range Facilities

(Seattle, Wash.) – Two Seattle-area Premier Golf Centers are among the leading facilities in the world using the Toptracer Range technology. Interbay Golf Center and Jefferson Park Golf Course had the second and fourth most shots, respectively, traced by Toptracer technology in the United States over the last year. In addition, Interbay was recognized as the top location in the world for Toptracer Range’s 9-Hole Challenge promotion, which was conducted at 8,500 locations using the Toptracer Range technology in 31 countries.  A third Premier Golf Center, Jackson Park Golf Course, recently installed the Toptracer Range technology on its practice range.

For golfers, Toptracer Range is the ultimate practice tool, taking the guesswork out of range sessions by offering an engaging, data-driven experience that appeals to everyone. Toptracer Range delivers the same ball-tracking technology (including total distance, carry distance, ball speed and launch angle) that traces the shots of the best players in the game on television. At the three Premier Golf Center facilities golfers receive instant shot data or entertaining virtual games in the palm of their hand through the Toptracer Range mobile app.  Shots are recorded so that golfers can make swing adjustments and immediately see the impact on their golf shots. Through the truly interactive and individualized experience, golfers can play virtual games, such as the 9-hole Challenge or capture the flag, and participate in contests, such as long drive competitions, through the mobile app.

“By partnering with Toptracer, we’ve essentially created a smart range and gamified our practice facilities,” said Erin Roberts, director of marketing, Premier Golf Centers. “Beginning golfers enjoy the fun and entertaining games on the Toptracer Range app, while more serious golfers benefit from gathering invaluable data about their clubs and tendencies.”

Seattle-based Premier Golf Centers, LLC was founded in 2001 by Bill Schickler. In September 2019, OB Sports, a Troon Company, acquired the golf management company. The Premier Golf Centers portfolio currently includes 11 golf courses within six municipalities in the Puget Sound region, including the cities of Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, Lynnwood, Marysville and Bellingham.

For more information, visit premiergolfcenters.com or call (206) 254-6545.

For more information on Toptracer, visit www.toptracer.com.

For more information, visit obsports.com or call (480) 948-1300.

Five Troon Prive-Managed Clubs Recognized As Industry's Top Fitness & Wellness Centers By Club + Resort Business

Bayside Resort Golf Club

(Scottsdale, Ariz.) – Club + Resort Business magazine recently recognized the Top Ranked Private Club and Resort Fitness and Wellness Centers across the United States. Of the 50 club’s earning top-ranked status through Club + Resort Business’ inaugural search of the industry’s best fitness and wellness facilities and programs, five are Troon Privé-managed clubs, including:

No. 18 - Bayside Resort Golf Club in Selbyville, Delaware

No.  24 - Audubon Country Club in Naples, Florida

No. 28 - Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, Arizona

No. 39 - The Club at the Dunes in Naples, Florida

No. 44 - Champion Hills Club in Hendersonville, North Carolina

According to Club + Resort Business, inclusion on the Top Fitness and Wellness Centers and Programs list highlights the investments these clubs have made in their facilities and the commitment to the guest experience. All listings were selected and ranked by a panel of judges. The rankings reflect the judges’ scoring of submitted entries that included data on fitness and spa facility size, and the size of retail and/or food-and-beverage facilities related to fitness/wellness; average member usage, both on a monthly-visit basis and as a percentage of total membership; equipment value; classes and services offered; and staff size (both full- and part-time).

“It’s an honor to have five Troon Privé-managed clubs and their fitness and wellness centers recognized by Club + Resort Business,” said Troon Privé President Rob DeMore. “We continue to see clubs reinvest in their clubhouses and improve the member experience by expanding and updating amenities. Enlarged fitness centers featuring the latest equipment and programming, new kids clubs, upgraded locker rooms and improved dining facilities are all private club trends that we see continuing.”

Bayside Resort Golf Club – The 19,285 sq. ft. Health and Aquatic Club at Bayside Resort Golf Club features a heated, 75-foot, five-lane indoor pool; hot tub; saunas located in the locker rooms; multi-purpose space; aerobics room; an expansive fitness area with state-of-the-art equipment for strength training and cardio; and a fresh, unique juice bar and café called the Juice Box. The Health and Aquatic Club has programming for all ages, including dive-in movies in the pool and Tai Chi in the fitness room. The multi-purpose space features classes with the Bayside Institute – year-round life enrichment program with classes that focus on the whole self, including flower arranging, art, historical lectures and more.

Audubon Country Club – Audubon Country Club’s new two-story 19,000 sq. ft. Lifestyle Center, with an Olympic-size 25-meter heated fitness pool, Har Tru tennis courts, croquet, and bocce ball courts, also has an expansive indoor/outdoor casual-dining patio with a poolside gathering bar. The new Fitness Center provides several advantages, including increased capacity, allowing twice as many members to utilize the space at the same time. It has also freed up the 5,000-sq. ft. space occupied by the original Fitness Center in the main clubhouse so it could be repurposed for larger card rooms and multi-purpose space. The project modernized and expanded the club’s fitness offerings while also providing members with a new casual, outdoor-dining experience. Sign-ins at the new Fitness Center for September 2020 versus September 2019, increased 150 percent. 

Troon Country Club – A 2018 $7.5 million clubhouse expansion and renovation featured the creation of a 9,000-sq. ft. Wellness Center on the newly added second floor of the building. The state-of-the-art Center now includes space for more than 25 group classes; TRX suspension training; a private Pilates studio; on-staff trainers providing customized personal-fitness regimens; physical therapy; specialized stretching; a steam room; private lounges, and a range of retail products. Troon Country Club members are now able to focus on their health and well-being with state-of-the-art cardiovascular and weight-training equipment, as well as through group-exercise classes, personal training, in-studio Pilates, TRX, on-demand fitness classes, nutrition counseling and physical therapy, Facebook LIVE fitness classes, wellness lectures, and an at-home fitness kit. 

The Club at the Dunes – The Wellness Center at The Club at the Dunes is a newly remodeled facility that came online in 2019. The Club at the Dunes’ Wellness Center is wrapped around centrally located locker rooms and features panoramic views of the property’s tennis courts, resort-style pool and lake. Operated by the Wellness Director and her team of highly trained therapists and trainers, the facility has over 20 weekly classes available in-person, on demand or live on Zoom. Two separate massage spaces can be reserved by those who need additional relaxation, and the club’s locker rooms, in addition to all of the standard amenities, feature two saunas.

Champion Hills Club – Champion Hills’ fitness and wellness program is built around the belief that wellness is a journey, not a destination. The club’s 5,000 sq. ft. Wellness Center was created with this belief at its core. Located adjacent to Champion Hills’ mountain lodge-style clubhouse, the facility was expertly designed for the exact needs of the club’s membership demographic, to keep all members active and moving. The Center offers state-of-the-art cardio and strength equipment, including SciFit recovery-specific machines for elbows, shoulders and knees and hips—the most common injuries seen in an active golf community. Weekly group exercise classes are varied and include member favorites such as spin, Pilates and strength training, as well as specialty classes that include yoga for golfers and Golf Fitness. An outdoor heated pool and Hydro Spa add more ways for members to relax and rejuvenate while at the club.

For more information on Club + Resort Business magazine and the club industry’s best fitness and wellness facilities and programs, visit www.clubandresortbusiness.com.

For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com.

Honma Releases Limited-Edition T//World GS RED Driver

(CARLSBAD, CA) – Iconic golf equipment brand Honma released its T//World GS (Gain Speed) family of clubs to instant acclaim earlier this spring. Now, the brand known for beautifully crafted performance announces its new, very limited-edition GS Red driver is now available. The exquisitely designed red driver delivers the same game improvement technology as the original T//World GS model, bringing players of varying abilities increased club head and ball speed with maximum forgiveness. 

In Asian cultures, the color red represents happiness, beauty, vitality, good luck, success, and good fortune. Honma’s Chairman chose the club’s distinctive striking hue to adorn the driver’s crown, sole and shaft and inspire the bold and confident golfer. The GS Red shaft comes with an all-red Vizard shaft, made in Sakata, Japan, designed for straight flight and unmatched performance.

The exclusive opportunity to make a bold statement includes a limited inventory in North American of 9.5- and 10.5-loft GS Red drivers, $599.99, available this spring and summer through Honma’s online retail store. 

TECH BREAKDOWN – GS Red 460-cc drivers, designed for straighter ball flights and increased distance, are artfully shaped with a raised Keel Sole towards the heel to promote draw-bias and a lower, deeper CG and high MOI to maximize forgiveness. The 9-gram adjustable weight in the heel allows for individual customization for preferred ball flight. The GS driver’s titanium construction, utilizing Ti811 for the body and a Ti 6-4 face, allowed engineers to sculpt thick and thin allowances throughout the club head to create its optimal speed and stability.

Honma’s new Flip Slot technology increases face flexure and reduces spin for more speed and forgiveness. The precise location and shape of the forward Toe Slot creates shot-straightening gear effect on off-center hits. Additionally, regardless of where the ball strikes on the club face, the Radial Face dynamically flexes all parts of the club face to harness more speed. The Radial Face design has rib patterns and variable thickness for a weight efficient design. The ribs specifically add strength to the top and bottom of the face to ensure hits obtain advanced flex and speed.

Honma engineers achieved a master feat to design the GS driver properties to work ‘in phase.’ The flexure of the ultra-thin titanium crown, Radial Face and Flip Slot react at the same time, for the same amount of time, to deliver more consistent shot patterns. This produces the most speed off the club and adds distance for a wide range of players. The variable thickness crown also saves weight that is more efficiently used elsewhere in the design.

The GS driver includes an integrated heel-bias crown graphic applied to encourage golfers to return the club face to square at impact. A key feature in Honma adjustable clubs, the revolutionary non-rotating hosel, is also featured in the GS driver. The system keeps the shaft perfectly aligned through all adjustable loft-lie settings, delivering distance and directional consistency for all golfers. 

For more information about this exclusive opportunity to purchase Honma’s new GS Red driver as well as its full line of T//World GS irons, drivers, fairways and hybrids visit: https://us.honmagolf.com.

USGA to Welcome a Limited Number of Fans in June at 2021 U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Open Championships

Ticket information now available at uswomensopen.com and usopen.com

(LIBERTY CORNER, N.J.) – The USGA announced that the 2021 U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Open Championships will be played with a limited number of fans in attendance. The 76th U.S. Women's Open will be held at The Olympic Club (Lake Course), in San Francisco, Calif., from June 3-6, and the 121st U.S. Open will be held at Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course), in San Diego, Calif., from June 17-20. 

"Last year, we missed the energy that fans bring to our U.S. Open championships," said John Bodenhamer, senior managing director, Championships. "We are grateful to our local and state health and safety officials in California to be in a position to welcome some fans back this year to witness the greatest players in the world contending for these prestigious championships, while working to maintain the health and safety of all involved."

Those who have already purchased tickets to the U.S. Open will receive a direct communication from the USGA with additional details.

Information on tickets for each championship is available on uswomensopen.com and usopen.com. 

The USGA will continue to monitor developments and guidelines in California and will update local policies and procedures on the championships' respective websites as required.

For both championships, the following guidelines will be in place:

- Face coverings will be required for fans, staff and volunteers, and must be worn at all times, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status;

- All fans, staff, and volunteers will be required to abide by social distancing guidelines;

- State of California residents must show proof that vaccination against COVID-19 has occurred at least 14 days prior to the championships or that a negative test result has been received;

- It will be mandatory for all out-of-state fans to provide proof that vaccination against COVID-19 has occurred at least 14 days prior to the championship;

- Information regarding COVID-19 testing and vaccination verification will be made available on uswomensopen.com and usopen.com;

- Sanitization stations will be available throughout the grounds, and spectators will be permitted to bring hand sanitizer.

The U.S. Women's Open will be held at The Olympic Club for the first time in its 76-year history. The storied venue has hosted five U.S. Opens, as well as five other USGA championships. Torrey Pines will host the U.S. Open for the second time; in 2008, it was the site of Tiger Woods' memorable Monday playoff victory over Rocco Mediate.

The U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Open will be the 84th and 85th USGA championships to be played in California. The two Opens were previously held in the same state during the same year only twice before, in 1971 and 2014. Fifty years ago in Pennsylvania, Lee Trevino won the U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, and JoAnne Carner won the Women’s Open at The Kahkwa Club in Erie. Seven years ago, the Opens were contested on the same course in consecutive weeks at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club (Course No. 2), in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., where Martin Kaymer and Michelle Wie West were victorious.

To learn more, visit usga.org.