ORCA Golf creates custom bag in support of Jack and Barbara Nicklaus’ Children’s Health Care foundation $100-Million Fund-Raising Campaign
The founders of ORCA Golf have donated a one-of-a-kind tour bag to the cause of beloved philanthropic legends Jack and Barbara Nicklaus. The PGA of America commissioned the custom ORCA Golf bag to be featured in a five-year, $100-million fund-raising drive to benefit thousands of hospitalized children.
Jack Nicklaus, of course, is arguably the greatest professional golfer of all time. He and his lifelong partner Barbara created the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation in 2004 and based it in North Palm Beach, Florida.
For the next three years, the special ORCA Golf bag will bear the name of the winning team in an ambitious Play Yellow initiative to raise $100 million through grassroots fund-raising and marquee golf tournaments. The specially designed ORCA Golf bag will be on display at the Nicklaus’ storied Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Florida.
Jack Nicklaus, seeing the bag for the first time commented, “Wow, this a beautiful bag”!
ORCA Golf, based in Boca Raton, Florida, is the country’s only women-owned golf equipment company. Its principals, Deb Bennett and Erica Bennett, founded the company in 2017 and are devoted to creating high-quality, lightweight golf bags that allow golfers to convey a personalized message or brand rather than carrying the name of a golf equipment company. The boutique enterprise has been growing steadily, with sales having tripled this year alone after ORCA Golf showcased its wares at the 2022 PGA Exhibition and Trade Show.
The custom-designed bags feature modern lightweight, microfiber leather. The tour-bag designed for the Nicklaus Foundation fundraiser weighs only nine and a half pounds. ORCA Golf manufactures a variety of stand, cart and its signature Apex, a modern hybrid condensed cart bag, all the way down to a two and one-half pound par3 bag, holding less than a full set and called a “calf bag” – named for a baby orca. Among the design innovations that elite golfers have raved about are the use of magnetic closures for pockets rather than cumbersome zippers, and the way in which a felt liner on the inside of the bag cavity provides extra protection for clubs.
Geoff Lofstead, Executive Director of the South Florida Chapter of the PGA of America, extolled how the yellow golf bag embodies the ORCA Golf-Nicklaus connection.
“Thank you to ORCA Golf for creating a one-of-a-kind custom golf bag that will serve as a perpetual trophy in our efforts to help the Play Yellow campaign reach its goal of raising $100 million,” he said. “The quality and presentation will surely impress anyone that sees the golf bag.”
For ORCA Golf founders Deb Bennett and Erica Bennett, the contribution is an extension of the Boca Raton-based company’s mission.
“Giving back is at the heart of who we are,” Erica Bennett said after meeting with the Nicklauses, which is the highest-profile recognition ever for the fast-growing five-year-old women-owned company.
“We have made several golf bags for golfers and corporate clients from, the most elite, to weekend golfers, who appreciate attention to detail and expert craftsmanship” Deb Bennett said. “This golf bag transcends golf.”
And the chance to meet Barbara and Jack Nicklaus is unique validation of ORCA Golf’s quality and potential in the ultra-competitive field of golf equipment.
“Barbara was so generous with her time with us,” Erica Bennett said about their meeting with the Nicklauses. “And Jack did not just ask a team member to meet with us, he volunteered his very valuable time to listen to our story, and provide his appreciation of the bag and particularly the quality and purpose. He even gave me design suggestions about a future trophy bag for the winners. It doesn’t get better than that in my mind.”
The unique ORCA Golf bag is a striking yellow, consistent with the Play Yellow theme, and is emblazoned with the endearing heart-and-bear symbol of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation.
The ORCA Golf founders continue to be inspired by Barbara Nicklaus’ philosophy: “The legacy you leave here on Earth is measured by the hearts you touch.”
ABOUT ORCA GOLF: ORCA Golf represents more than arguably the best custom bags, in the country. We are here to pave the way for future generations and make the golfing community more inclusive, empowered, and sustainable. We know that the golf industry doesn’t need just another company to produce a product… it needs one which is here to change the game and open a gateway for a more expanded vision of what it means to be a golfer. Yes, ORCA Golf has beautiful, bespoke bags. Join us and Carry with Purpose™. https://orca-golf.com
ABOUT THE NICKLAUS CHILDREN’S HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION: Jack and Barbara Nicklaus founded the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation in 2004, in an effort to provide families access to world-class pediatric healthcare. As young parents they pledged to each other that if they were ever in a position to help others, they wanted to help children. https://nchcf.org
ABOUT PLAY YELLOW: Launched in cooperation with the PGA Tour and championed by Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, the Play Yellow campaign has a goal of raising $100 million in the next five years for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The hospitals rely on donations to pay for pediatric care for millions of children.
The Play Yellow theme is inspired by the yellow shirts that Nicklaus often wore in the final round of tournaments in honor of Craig Smith, the son of a close friend who was fighting bone cancer. Craig died in 1971 at the age of 13. In the final round of the 1986 Masters, Nicklaus wore a yellow shirt to again honor Craig, and he went on to win his sixth green jacket. https://playyellow.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org
ORCA Golf
Doris R. Muscarella, Public Relations & Media Director
Mobile: 954.240.4853
Email: doris@orca-golf.com
Golf Channel Features ORCA Golf Designer
https://golf.com/gear/female-owned-golf-bag-business-about-more-custom-gear/
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Golf Channel Features ORCA Golf
Website: www.orca-golf.com
