The First Call’s Scorecard, a compilation of the golf industry’s news for February 11-17.
BUSINESS
▪️ Pepsi Little People’s: Announces Southern Airways as a new sponsor of its 2023 Golf Championships, June 18-21, in Quincy, Illinois. Southern Airways is offering Pepsi Little People’s five pairs of round-trip tickets to/from Quincy, St. Louis or Chicago. … GCSAA: Association reports that attendance at its 2023 Conference and Trade Show attendance, Feb. 8-9 in Orlando, was up by 69% over 2022. In-person attendance was 11,000 vs. 6,500 in 2022 and a total of 6,300 seminar seats were filled, which was up 70% over 2021. … Hurricane Junior Golf Tour: Partners with Foresight Sports, which will receive title and event sponsorships in return for efforts to support up-and-coming players and the communities, academies and tours that support them. … Teesnap: Integrating with top-performing software solutions. Select partnerships with providers will give Teesnap clients access to a range of tools and services that can help them grow and streamline. … LIV Golf: The CW Network will air the LIV Golf League's 14-tournament schedule to 100% of the network’s U.S. markets, which totals more than 120 million households. The league is also launching a new fan-focused "12 Teams. You Choose." campaign that asks fans to pick their favorite team ahead of the season, which begins February 24-26 in Mayakoba, Mexico. Four set-roster teams for the 2023 season will be revealed each day, Wednesday-Friday, Feb. 15-17. All 14 global LIV Golf League events will air from 1-6 p.m. ET on Saturdays and Sundays on The CW Network’s linear and digital platforms, with Friday rounds carried on The CW App. … Malcolm DeMille: Reports on its 2D designs, which range from 3 to 8 inches tall. While the designs are smaller than a full sculpture, they can still portray a detailed logo or scene. … PGA Tour: Barracuda Networks Inc. signs a multiyear extension as title sponsor of the Barracuda Championship through 2025. The Silicon Valley-based security company took over as title sponsor in 2014. This year's tournament will be held July 17-23 at Tahoe Mountain Club’s Old Greenwood Golf Course in Truckee, California.
COMPETITION
▪️ Chubb Classic: Padraig Harrington and Brad Faxon are the latest commits to the 78-player PGA Tour Champions' field that will compete for a share of the $1.8 million purse, Feb. 17-19, at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida. … United States Golf Association: Announces local and final qualifying sites for the 123rd U.S. Open Championship, to be held on The Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course for the first time, June 15-18. [View sites] Local qualifying, conducted over 18 holes at 109 sites in 44 U.S. states and Canada, will take place between April 17-May 22. Those players who advance out of local qualifying will join a group of locally exempt players in final qualifying, which will be conducted over 36 holes. The final stage will be held in England (May 16), Japan (May 22) and Canada (June 5) as well as 10 U.S. sites, one on May 22 and nine on June 5. Online player registration for the 2023 U.S. Open will begin on Feb. 22 at champs.usga.org. … United States Golf Association: Announces qualifying sites for the 78th U.S. Women’s Open, to be held at Pebble Beach Golf Links, July 6-9. Pebble Beach will host its first U.S. Women’s Open and 14th USGA championship. Conducted over 36 holes, qualifying will be held at 23 sites across the United States, plus Canada, Japan and Belgium between May 9 and June 7. Online entry applications open on Feb. 15.
COURSES
▪️ Tripp Davis and Associates: Announces renovation plans for Ridgewood Country Club in Waco, Texas. The course overlooking Lake Waco first opened for play in 1947 and was designed by native Texas golf course architect Ralph Plummer. Ridgewood has an anticipated reopening date of October 2023.
GEAR
▪️ Sun Mountain: Introduces its new Baron Stand Bag, which features a 9-inch, four-way top with integrated top handle and full-length dividers, and six pockets that include a beverage pouch, full-length apparel pocket, and two velour-lined valuables pockets. The bag is available in five colorways and retails for $319.99.
LIFESTYLE
▪️ Punta Mita: Resort and residential community announces the Wines of Golf Legends collection, a collaboration between acclaimed professional golfers and exclusive winemakers in the pro's respective country, that is available for purchase exclusively at Punta Mita in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. The collection, available for purchase by the bottle or case, includes selections from Jean Van de Velde (France), Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain), Costantino Rocca (Italy), David Frost (South Africa) and Ian Woosnam (Wales).
PEOPLE
▪️ Southworth Development: Names Eleanor Brown as its director of sustainability. … GCSAA: Kevin P. Breen has been re-elected as president, while Jeff L. White was elected as vice president and T.A. Barker as secretary/treasurer. H. Scott Griffith joins the board alongside re-elected members Paul L. Carter and Steven J. Hammon. … Payntr Golf: Names 2022 World Long Drive champion Martin Borgmeier as its newest ambassador ahead of the 2023 World Long Drive season. Borgmeier currently wears the Payntr X 002 LE, the brand’s full-grain leather offering with graphite propulsion plate. … Solheim Cup: Two-time major champion Stacy Lewis has been named captain of the 2024 U.S. Solheim Cup Team. Lewis, who lead the 2023 U.S. Team later this year in the 18th edition of the Solheim Cup matches at the Finca Cortesin in Casares, Andalusia, Spain. Lewis, a 13-time LPGA champion who played on the 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 Solheim Cup Teams, will lead the Americans next year when they play Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, Sept. 10-15, 2024. … PGA Tour: Names Adam Scott, winner of the 2013 Masters, as chairman of the PGA Tour Player Advisory Council after a vote by the Tour's membership. Scott will serve as PAC chairman for the remainder of 2023 and replace Charley Hoffman as one of the Player Directors on the PGA Tour Policy Board on Jan. 1, 2024, serving a three-year term (2024-26). … SwingU: Announces Jason Baile, director of instruction at Jupiter Hills Club in Jupiter, Florida, as a client and brand ambassador. Reynolds Lake Oconee: Taylor Crosby, lead golf instructor at The Kingdom at Reynolds Lake Oconee, has been named to Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers in America for 2023-24 list.
updated: 02.15.23 | 2:39 p.m.