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The Business of Golf

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BRIEFLY

» Etcetera

The Duramed Futures Tour announces Impact Ventures as title sponsor of its Richmond, Va., tournament, Aug. 14-16 at the Richmond Country Club. … Winning Edge Designs creates a new program, developing golf headcovers for college and school golf programs. The program, which is detailed in the “Coach’s Corner” section on the company’s Web site, can aid in fundraising, attract alumni support and promote golf outings. … Rain Bird launches an online rebate and incentive resource guide that provides state-by-state listings for water-efficient irrigation products at www.rainbird.com/iuow.
… Club Glove reports that New Mexico State successfully defended its title at the 2009 Club Glove WAC Championships, while San Jose State captured the women’s tournament. … Naperville Country Club in Naperville, Ill., is named 2009 Renovation of the Year by Golf Inc. in the private club category. … Power Links launches a virtual country club for professional women to access online golf resources, network and build business relationships at www.powerlinksgolf.com. … The Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C., celebrates its 10th anniversary of being a member-owned club with events scheduled throughout the summer. … Profile Products introduces a new cost-saving landfill alternative to soil or tarps -BioCover Alternative Daily Cover, a hydraulically applied product that provides a uniform layer between landfill waste and the surrounding environment. … The PGA of America and Cat Island Partners Ltd. break ground for the first-ever PGA Village to be developed outside of the United States – on Cat Island in the Bahamas. … Golf Channel‘s will debut its newest original series, “Golf in America,” on June 23 at 10 p.m. ET. Hosted by film and television actor Anthony Anderson, the 10-episode series will uncover compelling real-life stories coast-to-coast as told through the game of golf. … Both Tahoe Mountain Club courses – Old Greenwood and Coyote Moon – in Truckee, Calif., are set to open May 15 and 22, respectively. New for 2009 is the Tahoe Foursome Card that provides the cardholder and three guests with green fees that are up to 40 percent off the regular rate at both courses. … Ladies Links Fore Golf and Nancy Lopez Golf form an affiliation to offer amateur women golfers one of the finest combinations in golf instruction and equipment. The partnership will allow LL4G teaching experts to introduce members and other women players to club fitting opportunities by Nancy Lopez Golf.

» Tournaments

TPC Sawgrass, headquarter for the PGA Tour and home of The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., hosts the Florida State Golf Association‘s 92nd Amateur Championship, June 25-28. Registration closes online at www.fsga.org on May 13. Also registration for the FSGA’s 55th Boys Junior Championship, set for July 7-9, closes online May 20.

AGCP Master of Golf Club Technology

The Association of Golf Clubfitting Professionals announces the first AGCP Masters of Golf Club Technology. This distinction goes to AGCP members who meet specific criteria for education and experience.

Hall Of Fame Golfer Annika Sorenstam Releases Her Namesake Syrah, Annika

Annika Sorenstam launches her wine brand in partnership with Wente Vineyards in Livermore, Calif., on May 1 with the release of her namesake Syrah, “Annika.” The wine is comprised of 75 percent Livermore Valley Syrah and 15 percent Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, and fittingly, 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon from the Livermore Valley Golf Vineyard.

More Players Switching To Play A Better Ball

Srixon reports that, according to the March Golf Datatech results, the total On/Off-Course market share for Srixon balls has climbed to a company record 4.1 percent, with the Off-Course market share also rising to a record high of 5.6 percent within the U.S. market.

Bob Hope Classic on Solid Ground

The PGA Tour and Desert Classic Charities Inc. reaffirm in a joint statement Friday that the Bob Hope Classic would be played in 2010 and beyond.

AHEAD Offers New Accessory Collection Gift Set

AHEAD introduces a new Accessory Collection Gift Set that includes seven of the company’s most popular leather and metal accessories presented in a low profile gift box.

Briefly

LoudMouth Golf reports that John Daly wore its pants during the pro-am segment of the Spanish Open in Girona, Spain. … Slotline unveils its new Web site, www.slotlinegolf.com, and celebrates the launch with a putter giveaway. … The PGA Tour selects Perform Sales, a subsidiary of digital sport and entertainment specialists Perform, to represent digital advertising for United Kingdom traffic to the www.pgatour.com Web site. Perform Sales will help the PGA Tour leverage its online inventory by selling both video and display space to advertisers wishing to target UK golf fans. … Page & Tuttle becomes the official volunteer uniform supplier for the Champions Tour 3M Championship, July 10-12 in Blaine, Minn. Along with outfitting more than 2000 volunteers, Page & Tuttle will be used for special on-site committee and corporate sponsor apparel needs. … Betsy Bro of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Ann Zahn of Minnetonka Beach, Minn., shot a final-round 65 to win the Women’s Trans National Golf Association’s Women’s Senior Four-Ball. … Larry Giebelhausen, a police lieutenant in the Phoenix, Ariz., police department, wins the online voting to determine which average American golfer will join Michael Jordan, Justin Timberlake and Ben Roethlisberger in the 2009 Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge at Bethpage Black. … The eGolf Amateur Tour collects more than 30,000 used golf balls from 27 events nationwide, April 18-25, as part of an Earth Day initiative. … The 22nd Mark Luczak Memorial Tournament, which benefits the American Diabetes Association, is set for May 11 at Ford’s Colony Country Club in Williamsburg, Va. For information, call 757.424.6662 (ext. 3281) or e-mail deldridge@diabetes.org. … The Raven Golf Club at Snowshoe Mountain in Snowshoe, W. Va., will open its Gary Player-designed course for 2009 on Monday, May 11. … Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster Township, N.J., becomes the home course for Seton Hall University’s men’s team. … The World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Fla., creates a display that celebrates this week’s The Players Championship and included are special moments made by Hall of Fame members. Recently announced 2009 Inductee Lanny Wadkins will have his first artifact on display – the driver he used to win the 1979 Players Championship. Other artifacts on display include Tom Kite‘s collection of Players Championship money clips from nearly 30 years and the commemorative Ping gold putter Greg Norman was given following his record-setting 1994 victory.

PerformanceTrak News – March 2009

PerformanceTrak, a publication from the PGA of America and the National Golf Course Owner’s Association, reports that March 2009 rounds were nearly flat at -0.2 percent and days open were up 6.7 percent to March 2008. Year To Date rounds played stand at 0.3 percent with YTD days open up 1.9 percent.