For one night, at least, Northeast Ohio turned into Hollywood as droves of people poured into the Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights to watch the unveiling of “Loopers: The Caddie’s Long Walk.” The evening was part of the 43rd Annual Cleveland International Film Festival. Directed by Jason Baffa, “Loopers” is a documentary that examines…
Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship Announced
In an unexpected move, Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, announced that the Augusta, Ga., club would help create and host a 54-hole tournament for women to be played the week before the 2019 Masters. The objective is to grow the game and to benefit women’s golf at all levels. Almost 16 years…
Augusta National GC Unveils Expanded Main Golf Shop
The Augusta, Ga., property began work on the new facility in May 2017 and opened to Masters Tournament patrons on April 1. The enhanced facility features a new layout, twice the floor space of the previous golf shop with 385 mannequins, 64 registers, and 125 different styles of hats, as well as a larger check…
E-Z-GO Co-Founder B.F. “Bev” Dolan Dies
Dolan and his brother Billy created the industry’s oldest golf car brand after witnessing Augusta National Golf Club co-founder Bobby Jones ride around in a three-wheeled cart during the 1954 Masters Tournament. Dolan was 90 years old. B.F. “Bev” Dolan, a co-founder of E-Z-GO and a pioneer of the modern golf car industry, died February…
Augusta National GC to Hold Green Jackets Pending Judgment
The Augusta, Ga., club filed suit in August 2017 to stop Green Jacket Auctions Inc. from selling the iconic green jackets, as well as silverware and a belt buckle. A judge granted the club’s request to allow it to hold the items pending the outcome of the civil case. Green jackets and other items once on the…
More Than Ready For Its Close-Up
Hosting its first major with this year’s PGA Championship came after years of careful preparation at Quail Hollow Club—and marked the next step towards bigger things to come.
Billy Payne to Step Down as Augusta National Chairman
Payne, 70, has led the home of the Masters for the past 11 years and will retire on October 16. Payne’s tenure saw the addition of the club’s first female members, upgrades to the property’s practice facility, and grow-the-game initiatives in Asia and Latin America. Fred Ridley, 65, will succeed Payne in the role. Having…
Augusta National GC Owner Files Suit Against Green Jacket Auctions
Augusta National Inc., asked a judge on August 14 to stop the golf memorabilia company from auctioning off a Masters champion’s green jacket, two member jackets, silverware and a belt buckle it says were never supposed to have left the club’s grounds. By mid-afternoon August 15, the online bidding on the jacket had reached $114,874.…
Retired Nurse Completes Mowing Grand Slam
Kaye Pierson, 63, a full-time member of the golf grounds crew at Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort and Country Club, is completing her own Grand Slam this week, by having worked at the British Open, U.S. Open, the Masters and now the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C. Kaye Pierson, 63, is a retired nurse…
Augusta National GC Buys Land from Augusta (Ga.) CC
The club is selling a parcel on its northwest boundary to the home of the Masters. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, though it has been speculated that Augusta National is looking to lengthen its iconic par 5. Officials of Augusta (Ga.) Country Club have informed members via a memo that following months of…
Darius Rucker Names His Five Favorite Golf Courses
In an interview with Billboard magazine, the country music star and former lead singer for Hootie & The Blowfish cited three courses in his native South Carolina, in addition to Augusta National and Pebble Beach. The Grammy winner is a single-digit handicap player who will now host a new monthly show, “On Par with Darius Ricker,” on SiriusXM’s PGA Tour Radio, debuting Wednesday, July 26th at 3 PM Eastern Time.
Southern Hills CC Lands Another PGA Championship
The Tulsa, Okla., club, which has hosted seven previous majors, with the last being the PGA Championship won by Tiger Woods in 2007, will get its next PGA Championship no later than 2030, the PGA of America announced. It will also host the 2021 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.
Augusta National GC Continues Ban on Cell Phones During Masters
While all other major golf tournaments allow fans to carry their mobile devices, the Augusta, Ga., property strictly prohibits cell phones, allowing their use only in the locker room and media center. The property does provide 24 land-line phones for those who need to place a call.
Augusta (Ga.) Municipal GC Keeps Prices Low for Masters Week
Though it’s a common practice for golf courses near Augusta National Golf Club to triple and even quadruple their normal rates during Masters Week, the municipal facility is charging just $50 for out-of-towners and $35 for residents, in hopes that it will increase rounds.
Augusta National GC Continues Buying Adjacent Properties
The Augusta, Ga., property continues to expand, and now owns at least 16 properties along Washington Road. Earlier this year, Billy Payne, Augusta National Golf Club and Masters Tournament Chairman, discussed plans to build a new tournament headquarters and media center on the site, which are expected to be complete by next year’s Masters Tournament.