How Eastside Golf brings purpose to 'Everyone's Game'
+ Did Stacy Lewis crack the U.S. code for winning a Solheim Cup? What will become of Tiger Woods? A quartet of solid 'Bookmarked' reads for the weekend.
THE STARTER
🏌️ The U.S. won the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017. Is this also a victory for analytics, as used by captain Stacy Lewis?
🏌️ After a couple of tense hours, Lilia Vu birdied the final two holes to halve her match against Albane Valenzuela to clinch the winning half-point in the Solheim Cup. Was it fitting for the No. 2 woman in the world to be the heroine?
🏌️ Lexi Thompson had the chance for the clinching point but lost a 3-up lead through 11 holes to lose 1-up to Celine Boutier. Was it a disappointing way for Thompson to end her likely final Solheim Cup?
🏌️ Although Leona Maguire was one of the top European women, she played only two matches, one of which was a 4-and-3 singles victory over Ally Ewing. Was this European captain Suzann Pettersen’s biggest mistake?
🏌️ Jon Rahm won two of the last three LIV events of the season — the other was a playoff loss — and captured the LIV individual title, with an $18 million bonus, pushing his season earnings to more than $34 million. It’s not Scottie Scheffler money, is it?
🏌️ The LIV Golf individual championship out-drew viewership against the PGA Tour’s Procore Championship on both Saturday and Sunday. Yes, it’s football season and, yes, it’s a second-tier fall Tour event, but isn’t this progress for LIV?
🏌️ The PGA of America’s board decided to allow LIV players who are eligible to play in both the Ryder Cup and the PGA Championship. Isn’t it because the PGA wants the best players possible for both events?
🏌️ The Presidents Cup is next week in Montreal. Does this event need a win by the Internationals? Will you watch?
🏌️ Given a choice this time of year between golf and football on television, which do you pick?
:: Mike Purkey
FEATURES
Eastside Golf's rise is fueled by a sense of purpose
Co-founders Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper are going 'as far away from golf as possible in order to grow the game,' and its resonating. The lifestyle apparel brand recently unveiled its 'Everyone's Game' fall collection.
:: Ken Klavon | Read
Does Tiger Woods have any magic left?
The 15-time major champion underwent yet another surgery — and another setback — on Sept. 13, but until Woods utters the words 'I'm done,' winning is still on the table.
:: Gary Van Sickle | Read
Who are golf's top showmen?
Golf has always had players who displayed a bit of flair, whether it be Walter Hagen, Chi Chi Rodriguez or John Daly. But which golfers carry that title these days? The First Call readers offer their choices.
:: TFC Inbox | Read
BOOKMARKED
Good reads that are mainly about golf, but not always.
A revealing new documentary could redefine our understanding of the pop icon. But you will probably never get to see it.
:: Sasha Weiss | New York Times Magazine | 09.08.2024
📖 20 million cards: A sports memorabilia gold mine uncovered in Virginia
Three years ago, a businessman bought a collection of roughly 20 million sports cards from its reclusive owner. Now he wants to show it to the world.
:: Zach Schonbrun | New York Times | 09.14.2024
National Bohemian hasn’t been made in Baltimore for decades. Not that anyone seems to care.
:: Lydia Woolever | Chicago | 09.2024
📖 Inside America’s last ninepin bowling enclave
Once a national craze, ninepin bowling is now practiced in just eighteen Texas clubs, where a vibrant cast of characters keeps the sport alive.
:: Lea Konczal | Texas Monthly | 01.31.2024
BUSINESS
THE FIRST CALL
Week in Review: The industry’s names, news and notables making headlines. | Read
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Golf Industry Press Releases | Read
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PERFECT PUTT
Rory McIlroy is quietly building an empire
A look at the four-time major winner’s Symphony Ventures.
:: Jared Doerfler | Read
Publisher Jared Doerfler analyzes the business of golf. Subscribe to Perfect Putt.
LIFESTYLE
THE STYLE LINKS
G/Fore taking it to the streets with its new RTW (Ready To Wear) capsule.
:: Janice Ferguson | IG: @janiceferguson_thestylelinks
19TH HOLE
Each episode of the “Course of Life” podcast closes with the guest sharing a favorite 19th hole experience.
Elizabeth Diane Veith, golf feature content creator: “In pregnancy, the 19th hole order has a changed a bit. These days I’m craving a ginger ale and a buffalo chicken wrap with a huge side of ranch.”
:: Alex Lauzon | Co-host of “Course of Life” podcast
TFC EVENTS
The Friars Golf Club: Club Championship
November 7-11, 2024 | Kiawah Island Resort | Kiawah Island, South Carolina
:: Event and registration information
ARCHITECTURE
DESIGN NOTES
Doug Carrick launches The Dodger at Hallo Nelson
Veteran Canadian architect Doug Carrick will be swinging for the fences in 2025 as he begins a reimagination project in British Columbia. Best known for his designs at Predator Ridge, Greywolf, Muskoka Bay and Bigwin Island — four of Canada’s top courses — Carrick has signed on to perform a complete makeover of the Granite Pointe Golf Course, transforming it into The Dodger at Hallo Nelson.
Located on a picturesque 130-acre plateau overlooking Kootenay Lake and surrounded by the Selkirk Mountains, the former Granite Pointe Golf Course will reappear as The Dodger, a par-70 mountain course combining contrast and a variety of slopes, lakes and mountain vistas, forest enclosure, and open fairway meadows.
Conveniently located just minutes from downtown Nelson, British Columbia, the old course debuted in 1920 and was remodeled and expanded by Bill Newis in 1993. Carrick’s vision for the entirely new layout will balance the superior aesthetics of the old course with a sophisticated, strategic design for modern players. Look for an exemplary photo-op at the 13th hole that will plunge more than 160 feet from four different high-elevation tee boxes, delivering exceptional views over Kootenay Lake and the surrounding mountain ranges.
"I am thrilled to be involved in the design of an exciting mountainside golf course for the new Hallo Nelson," said Carrick, principal golf course architect of Carrick Design. "The golf course will feature some of the most stunning views and dramatic elevation changes of any course I’ve seen anywhere in the world. The individual holes weave through undulating terrain, gradually climbing the mountainside exposing a tremendous variety of views and engaging golf shots. The towering evergreen trees and intricately sculpted bunkers will give the course a sense of timeless elegance and beauty. I have no doubt that it will be a golf course on many golfers’ bucket lists when visiting Western Canada.”
The Dodger at Hallo Nelson will serve as a cornerstone summer recreational asset amid a $500-million-dollar master-planned community and will be Canada’s first Troon-managed property.
"The Hallo Properties team has found a location destined to become one of the top golf destinations in Canada," said Jim McLaughlin, division president of TCS, a Troon company. "Combining a stunning Doug Carrick design with our experience and expertise in operating and marketing upscale golf properties is an exciting undertaking. Our joint intention is to make The Dodger at Hallo Nelson a flagship, Troon-managed property for Western Canada."
Overlooking the first fairway of The Dodger, Hallo Nelson’s premiere real estate offering is The First Homes, a collection of 24 fully furnished townhomes with a level of appointed curation exceeding any property offered in Canada and now available for purchase.
"The Dodger at Hallo Nelson is superbly geographically located close to the Canada-U.S. border, with direct air access from airports in Nelson, Castlegar and Trail," said Graham Kwan, development principal of Hallo Nelson. "Our location south of some of the other western Canadian golf courses allows us to open earlier and close later each season."
Course construction is slated to begin in early 2025 and be completed in 2027.
RELATED: Read this week’s complete Design Notes
RELATED: Design Notes archive
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