Advertise • Subscribe • Contact

The Golf Wire

Covering the business of golf!

Uncategorized

Zagat Ranks Lake of Isles Among The Best In The Country

Lake of Isles North Course in North Stonington, Conn., makes Zagat America‘s “Top Golf Courses 2009/10” edition, receiving a score of 28 out of 30 in course rating – the highest score of any course in the New England region.

The United States Golf Association And The PGA Of America Form Junior Partnership In 2009 With Program Spanning Seven States

The U.S. Golf Association and the PGA of America partner for a Junior Golf Program in 2009 that focuses on expanding the number of junior golfers. The pilot program will involve PGA professionals in seven PGA Sections across the country that have demonstrated strong junior golf infrastructures – Indiana, Illinois, New Jersey, Northern Texas, South Florida, Southern California and Wisconsin.

Pinehurst Modifies Qualifying For North & South Championships

The North & South Amateur Championships, held at Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, N.C., modifies is schedule and qualification system. Among the changes are a one-day stroke play qualifier, a change to a Tuesday-Saturday schedule and the field of 96 will be determined by invitation by Pinehurst, in keeping with the championship’s historic nature as an invitational.

Final Two Celebrity Participants Named For 2009 Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge

Golf Digest, the U.S. Golf Association and NBC Sports announce that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and singer Justin Timberlake will join NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan in the 2009 Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course that will be taped and aired on NBC Sports, Sunday, June 21, 12-1:30 p.m. ET. The three celebrities will play with one amateur golfer who will be determined by online voting.

Orange County National

Zagat Survey recognizes Orange County National in Winter Garden, Fla., in its “America’s Top Golf Courses.”

BRIEFLY

The New York Golf Trail enters its second year with six new courses – Leatherstocking Golf Club in Cooperstown, Saratoga National Golf Club in Saratoga, Colgate University’s Seven Oaks Golf Club in Hamilton, Bristol Harbour Resort in Canandaigua, Mill Creek Golf Club in Rochester and The Brookwoods Country Club in Ontario. The Trail now has 13 championship-style courses. … RT Technologies introduces its new Zeus series shaft, the Zeus LT Tour Prototype, which weighs 68 grams and features the fastest recovery rate ever in an under 70 gram shaft. … CaddyDaddy Golf introduces the Monsoon golf bag, which features built-in cooling technology from company partner MistyMate. The bag includes a 16-ounce MistyMate water misting system that refreshes the golfer by cooling surrounding air as much as 30 degrees and lasts three to four hours with intermittent use. … The Reefs Club in Southampton, Bermuda, and scheduled to open in July appoints Nagma Walker as general manager. … For the second straight year, MGA Links at Mamantapett in Norton, Mass., receives the U.S. Local Business Association‘s 2009 Best of Norton Award for outstanding service to the community. … The eGolf Amateur Tour will host 27 tournaments throughout the country with more than 2,000 participants taking part in an Earth Day initiative through April 25. … GolfTEC golf instruction company offers its 30-minute Swing Diagnosis, which includes video swing capture and brief analysis, as a special promotion until May 15. The rate is reduced from $85 to $25. … Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Innisbrook, Fla., which underwent a $26 million renovation project, is accepted as a member of the Preferred Hotel Group. … Crooked Creek Golf Club in Fuquay-Varina, N.C., will host its first Seeking the Cure at the Creek Pro-Am Invitational on May 11. Proceeds will benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For information, call 919.557-7529. … Ten semifinalists have been announced for the 2009 Ben Hogan Award, presented to the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer taking into account all collegiate and amateur competitions during a 12-month period. The finalists are Indiana’s Jorge Campillo, Alabama’s Bud Cauley, Oklahoma State’s Rickie Fowler and Morgan Hoffmann, Southern California’s Matthew Giles, Florida’s Billy Horschel, Clemson’s Kyle Stanley, Washington’s Nick Taylor, Georgia Tech’s Cameron Tringale and Marquette’s Mike Van Sickle. The award will be presented May 22 in Fort Worth, Texas. … Feel Golf Co., manufacturer of innovative golf clubs and reverse taper golf grips, receives its first purchase order in 2009 as part of its recently signed seven-year licensing and distribution agreement with its Korean partner, Planquitous Co. Ltd.. … Reigning U.S. Amateur champion Danny Lee turns professional and signs with IMG. Lee makes his professional debut at the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, April 23-26. … The Greg Norman Collection will exclusively design seven different complete outfits for the International Presidents Cup team captained by Greg Norman. … To celebrate their first full season, The Golf Club at The Rise in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, opens for play and offers an opening week special of $49 through April 23. … The annual Coaches Camp Junior Golf School, Aug. 1-5 at Wintergreen Resort in Wintergreen, Va., will be led by University of Notre Dame coach Jim Kubinski. Tuition is $1,199 for five days, including all meals and accommodations for four nights. For information, call 434.325.8251 or visit www.wintergreenresort.com. … The Carol Mann LPGA Invitational, held April 13 at BlackHorse Golf Club in Houston, Texas, raised $155,000 for The Women’s Home, a 52-year-old agency for women in crisis. Charlie Epps, coach of Masters champion Angel Cabrera was the live auctioneer and donated three Masters Cabrera-autographed pin flags. … The World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Fla., includes Sonic Golf‘s System-1 as a prominent part of an exhibit commemorating Vijay Singh‘s 2008 FedEx Cup victory. … RoboCup, a new ball return robot launched at the PGA Merchandise Show, begins its first deliveries of pre-orders. Chosen “Best New Product” at the show, RoboCup returns a ball back to as many as 14 feet on a practice green. … The Nationwide Tour announces the Epilepsy Foundation of Southeast Tennessee and Via Christi Children’s Miracle Network as its Co-Charities of the Year. … Rain Bird Corp. is accepting entries from amateur and experienced filmmakers for its 2009 Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition. The competition is open to all narrative, documentary, animated or experimental short films (1-10 minutes in actual or excerpted run time) that explore methods and ideas to responsibly manage and use the earth’s resource. Filmmakers must submit entries electronically as a .mov, .wmv, .avi or .mpg file to www.iuowfilm.com. Entries must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. PT on Aug. 15. … Legends at Parris Island in Parris Island, S.C., will host its first Carolinas PGA Play Golf America Day on April 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For information, call 843.228.2240 or visit www.mccssc.com.