The First Call’s Scorecard, a compilation of the golf industry’s news for April 8-14, 2023.
BUSINESS
▪️ PGA Buying & Education Summit: More than 100 apparel, accessory and lifestyle brands are committed to the event, July 31 – Aug. 2, at PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas. … Edel Golf: Named the title sponsor of TheGrint Tour’s Denver chapter, which will hold 12 amateur events in Denver and the surrounding areas through September 2023. … LPGA: Confirms Castlerock Golf Club as a co-host for the ISPS Handa World Invitational, Aug. 17-20, in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The DP World Tour tournament and co-sanctioned LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour tournament will be played concurrently at Castlerock and Galgorm Castle. … Landscapes Golf Management, Barstool Golf Time: Agreement between companies gives Landscapes Golf Management-operated courses free access to golfers in the Barstool network. Courses will maintain control over tee-time pricing, data and special promos.
COMPETITION
▪️USGA: Tickets for the 123rd U.S. Amateur Championship, scheduled for Aug. 14-20 at Cherry Hills, in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, are now available for purchase. The USGA is offering individual single-day gallery tickets and five-packs of gallery tickets that can be used over multiple days or shared with family and friends. All tickets are available for purchase at USAmateur.com/2023. Also, Peyton Manning, a two-time Super Bowl champion and first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer, has been named honorary chair of the 2023 U.S. Amateur. … USGA: Accepts a record 10,187 entries, including 15 champions, for the 123rd U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course in California. The number of entries eclipses the total of 10,127 accepted for the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 2. It is the 11th consecutive time and the 14th time overall that entries have surpassed the 9,000 mark, and just the second time entries have exceeded 10,000. … HK: 44th Lake of the Ozarks event is scheduled for May 21-22 and will raise funds for Lake Regional Health Systems in Missouri. Cancer survivor Michael Castillo will also be involved. … JM Eagle LA Championship: Eight of the world’s top-10 players commit to the LPGA event at Los Angeles' Wilshire Country Club that will feature a $3 million tournament purse.
COURSES
▪️Reynolds Lake Oconee: Plans a new Tom Fazio course that will utilize the existing Bluff nine of The National course along with adjacent land distinguished by a creek, large natural boulders and an existing pond. … Cragun's Resort: Gull Lake Resort in Brainerd, Minnesota, to build a private collection of custom homes directly on the new Lehman 18 golf course. Homes currently under construction will be 2,800-plus square feet. … Troon: Troon Golf, the resort and daily-fee division of Troon, will manage the golf operations, agronomy, retail and sales and marketing of Cocotal Golf and Country Club in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. … PlayOBXGolf: North Carolina Golf Panel's 2023 Top 50 You Can Play in North Carolina list includes The Currituck Club (No. 15), Kilmarlic Golf Club (No. 27) and Nags Head Golf Links (No. 34). … Black Desert Resort Golf Club: CBS’ “The Masterful Tom Weiskopf” that aired prior to Masters coverage featured an interview with architect Phil Smith, Weiskopf's longtime design partner, and included footage of the new Ivins, Utah, course that is set to open on May 27. … Portland Golf Club: Oregon property’s clubhouse and golf course are added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service.
GEAR
▪️True Linkswear: Launches its 2023 True Apparel Collection, highlighted by performance-based pants, joggers, polos, quarter zips and t-shirts that are designed for all-season wear. … PXG: Unveils its 0317 CB Players Irons that feature a milled cavity back design that is easy to manipulate for shot shaping and trajectory control. … Fujikura: Brand reports it was the No. 1 driver and wood shaft at the Masters. Also, five top-10 finishers at the Masters used a Fujikura driver shaft. … Rain or Shine, Full Swing Golf: Companies collaborate on a giveaway that will reward one winner a golf simulator room makeover. Participants will enter online by submitting why they love golf and showing the space they want to makeover. … Srixon: Introduces the ZX Mk II Iron combination sets, which give golfers the ability to fine-tune iron setup based on performance needs and personal preference. … Smart Swing: Introduces its Swing Smart aid that attaches to a club's grip and provides right and left-hand grip pressure data from initial setup through impact. The product debuts May 15.
PEOPLE
▪️Gamble Sands: Brewster, Washington, club hires Chris Lamkin as its executive chef who will oversee menu creation, food prep and culinary operations for the Danny Boy Bar and Grill and the resort’s new restaurant, The Barn, that is set to open summer 2023. … Troon Partners Network: Names Ryan Pensy as vice president of strategic partnerships and will lead the division that connects companies/brands with Troon.
PHILANTHROPY
▪️Golftec: Partnering with SkyTrak and Drive Fore The Future on an initiative to help fund underprivileged high school golf teams across the U.S. The first activation is at Denver West High School in Colorado. … Youth on Course: Awards 20 students with college tuition support. In total, over $350,000 is granted to members. The graduation rate among YOC scholarship recipients is 94%, while the average GPA of this year’s winners is 3.98. … GCSAA: Announces the funding of $170,064 for turfgrass research in 2023. The grants support four turfgrass research projects at universities across the U.S. through 2025.