The Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. property introduced the robotic “honorary member” on September 23rd at an event for club members. The Rob-OT can be programmed with the characteristics of a player’s swing and demonstrate the physics necessary to consistently hit good shots, increase accuracy and distance. On September 23rd, Fairbanks Ranch Country Club of Rancho…
Report Says PGA Championship Will Return to Valhalla GC in 2024
A press conference is scheduled for November 16 at which it is expected to be announced that the major tournament will return to the PGA-owned Louisville, Ky. property, which last hosted the Championship in 2014. This would be the first time Valhalla would host the tournament in May, after the PGA announced earlier this year that it would be moving the Championship from its traditional August dates, starting in 2019.
Golf Leaders Cite Distance as Impediment to the Game
Mike Davis, chief executive of the United States Golf Association, said that increased hole distance has had a negative effect on the game, forcing golf courses to expand and use more resources, while making a round take more time to play. Last year, Jack Nicklaus told BBC Sport that the focus on distance is “the most ridiculous thing in the game.”
Ping Buys Nike Golf Patents
Karsten Manufacturing Corp., parent of the Ping golf brand, has purchased five of Nike’s golf equipment patents, each of which describes golf club technology. “We see this as an opportunity to add utility patents to our already significant intellectual property portfolio,” said Ping President John K. Solheim.
Paige Spiranac to Team With Golf Technology Startup
The aspiring LPGA golfer who has developed a huge social-media fan base and is described “one of golf’s most popular yet polarizing personalities” will appear in television commercials as a brand ambassador for 18Birdies, an app targeted to Millenials that lets users connect with friends, run individual and team competitions, track round histories and player statistics, and also features a GPS rangefinder with more than 30,000 courses worldwide.
R&A, USGA Overhaul, Simplify Rules of Golf
After spending more than five years working to modernize the rules, The Royal & Ancient Golf Club and the U.S. Golf Association have released a draft of the updated rules. The proposal, which could be finalized in 2018 and become effective in 2019 after six months of public feedback, reduces the number of rules from 34 to 24.
PGA Junior League Golf Reports Record Participation in 2016
With 36,000 participants across 2,900 teams nationwide last year, The PGA of America’s youth grow-the-game initiative has seen a 300% increase in participants compared to three years ago. The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation has also committed $500,000 to The PGA of America to provide underprivileged kids with the opportunity to play golf.
Just Shoe It
Nike learned a lesson in the 14 years it sold golf equipment that took me 30 years to figure out: You can’t buy a golf game with a new driver or set of irons.
Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy Are Wimps (So is Jason Day)
I doubt golf should even be an Olympic sport, but if men’s field hockey can be (courtesy of Pakistan), then I guess golf should be, too.
Nike to Exit Golf Equipment Business
The manufacturer will stop making clubs, golf balls and golf bags, instead devoting its resources to shoes and apparel. “We’re committed to being the undisputed leader in golf footwear and apparel,” said Trevor Edwards, president of Nike Brand. “We will achieve this by investing in performance innovation for athletes and delivering sustainable profitable growth for Nike Golf.”
PGA Moves Tournament from Trump National Doral
And of all places, the event’s new location, effective in 2017, will be Mexico. But the Tour said the move wasn’t political, just that it had to be made to secure sufficient sponsorship dollars. “I hope they have kidnapping insurance,” Donald Trump said in reacting to the announcement.
Grayhawk GC to Host 2016, 2017 PGA Junior League Golf Championships
This year’s championship at the Scottsdale, Ariz., property will be played November 19-21 on the Raptor course. Eight 10-player teams will compete in a two-person-scramble format, with coaches allowed to substitute players every three holes, so all team members can participate.
Staff Hired to Handle Caimans, Capybaras at Rio Olympics
The animals live in vegetation surrounding the newly built golf course, and five trained handlers have been hired to scare off capybaras, which are rodents that weigh up to 100 lbs., and carry caiman off the course to protect both players and the animals.
Valhalla GC Founder Dwight Gahm Dies at 96
In 1981, the businessman began to pursue his goal to build a world-class facility that would bring major championships to the Louisville, Ky. region. The club has hosted three PGA championships, two Senior PGAs and the 2008 Ryder Cup on its Jack Nicklaus-designed course. Valhalla GC was sold in 2000 to the PGA of America.
Friday Filmfest: PGA Tour Pros Try Vintage Golf Clubs
Rory McIlroy, Kevin Na, Charley Hoffman, and Anirban Lahiri hit a variety of golf clubs from the 1920s, ‘50s and ‘90s, as part of the 90th anniversary of the Northern Trust Open.