“Golf America,” a nationally syndicated television show, will begin a five-week swing through Arizona on Jan. 13. Courses to be featured will include SunRidge Canyon Golf Club, Terravita. Legend Trail Golf Club, the Saguaro Course at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club and Talking Stick Golf Club. … Englishmen Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and David Howell, along with reigning champion Retief Goosen, Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia commit to play in the Commercialbank Qatar Masters, Jan. 24-27 in Doha, Qatar. … Hireko Golf introduces its System Q2 fairway woods, which feature a square profile that raises the moment of inertia, resulting in less twisting on off-center shots. … The National Golf Coaches Association announces that Auburn University coach Kim Evans and Amy Fruhwirth, a former Arizona State standout, will be inducted into the NGCA Hall of Fame on Jan. 13. Evans becomes the 41st member of the Coaches Hall of Fame and Fruhwirth becomes the 51st member of the Players Hall of Fame. Also, Paula Smith, the former women’s coach at the University of Illinois, has been named the NCGA’s Gladys Palmer Meritorious Service Award recipient.
Jack Nicklaus Golf Apparel hires four new sales reps — Dean Baker (northeast and southeast Florida), John Lano (mid-Atlantic region), Rob Nicholson (northern California and Nevada), and Pam Vincent (Palm Springs, Calif., and Hawaii). … Ashdon Golf will debut its Round-a-Bout G-360 putter at the PGA Merchandise Show, Jan. 17-19 in Orlando, Fla. The putter was recently named the No. 1 putter on the market by Rankmark. … Fifth Third Bank extends its partnership with The ACE Group Classic, returning as the official sponsor of the Champions Tour event, set for Feb. 15-17 in Naples, Fla. … Grubb & Ellis Co. announces that ClubCorp purchases Seville Golf and County Club, an 18-hole championship golf club located in Gilbert, Ariz. The purchase price was not disclosed. … Adidas Golf selects NYCA for planning and executing the brand’s global creative and communication strategies for all shirts, pants, shoes, outerwear and eyewear. … Trigelle, a contemporary women’s golf brand, announces its sales force for 2008 — Nicole Dibble, west coast regional sales manager; Kara Faust, sales rep for Florida; Rhonda Howard, sales rep for southern California; and Kimberly McAvoy, sales rep for Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. … Sterling Sports Management signs exclusive representation agreements with two PGA Tour players — rookie Travis Perkins and veteran Neal Lancaster. … HP and Administaff will sponsor the American Junior Golf Association‘s Houston Boys Invitational at Redstone, Feb. 15-18 in Humble, Texas.
Stanford Financial Group expands its sponsorship of golf to the LPGA with title sponsorship of a new LPGA pro-am and an endorsement agreement with Morgan Pressel. Stanford, along with the LPGA and IMG, forms the Stanford International Pro-Am, a new 72-hole LPGA-sanctioned event, April 24-27 in Aventura, Fla. … The Golf Course Builders Association of America more than doubles the number of line items for the 2008 construction and renovation costs guide. The new guide will feature average prices for more than 50 line items. Some of the new items featured in the guide include tee boxes, greens, bunkers, irrigation, grading, grassing, cart paths and drainage. Also, the GCBAA announces the addition of MacCurrach Golf Construction to its Charter Member program. … Franklin Golf, a golf management and marketing company, names Frank Guastella as director of operations/marketing. … Tournament Golf Foundation and the Safeway Foundation announce that Portland, Ore.-area children’s charities would receive $1.1 million from proceeds from the Safeway Classic. … The Massachusetts Golf Association hires Ryan Magee as director of rules and competition.
The American Junior Golf Association announces that BullFrog Sunscreen will become a tournament partner for the 2008 season. … RDC Golf Group Inc. announces that Brian Matt has been appointed general manager of Tuscawilla Country Club in northeast Orlando, Fla. … Signature Golf Group, working in conjunction with 90 Degree Design, creates a new logo and brand for Belvedere Country Club in Surfside Beach, S.C. … The Itty Bitty Open, featuring free golf for golfers ages 3-5, will be held on January 19 at 14 locations the Phoenix, Ariz., area. To register, go to www.jgaa.org. Registration deadline is Jan. 11. … Broome County Community Charities Inc. announces that 2007 charitable donations contributions from the Champions Tour’s 2007 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open totaled $226,869 and will be distributed among 35 organizations. … Jim Moore, after 40 years of educational leadership with the Western Golf Association/Evans Scholars Foundation, left his position as educational director on Jan. 1 to accept a new role as senior vice president of Foundation Advancement.
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