This Minnesota destination is no myth
+ Is Scottie Scheffler the next Tiger Woods?; Mike Purkey has questions in need of answering; Zac Radford's rise as a golf content creator.
THE STARTER
🏌️ Is it OK to mention Tiger Woods and Scottie Scheffler in the same sentence? What about if Scheffler dominates the game for the next 10 years?
🏌️ Chris Gotterup went head-to-head with Rory McIlroy and won the Genesis Scottish Open, then finished third at the British Open. A star is born or two-week wonder?
🏌️ Collin Morikawa missed the cut at both the Genesis Scottish Open and the British Open with Billy Foster, one of the world’s best caddies, on the bag. It was a two-week trial for Foster. Are you guessing Foster didn’t make the cut, either?
🏌️ If links courses are the only “proper” golf, which some in the UK insist, why don’t the Tours play links golf more than once or twice a year?
🏌️ Although Joaquin Niemann has won four times in LIV Golf this year, he has reportedly fired his longtime caddie and coach. Guess who he’s blaming for his poor major performance, including missed cuts at the U.S. and British Opens?
🏌️ Grace Kim won the Evian for her first professional victory and Lottie Woad tied for the first-round lead at the ISPA Handa Women’s Scottish Open in her pro debut. Are these women’s golf’s future stars?
🏌️ Jack Nicklaus was asked for his Mount Rushmore of golf and he chose Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Tiger Woods – and himself. Is he right?
🏌️ Ian Baker-Finch, who almost never uttered a critical word, announced his retirement from CBS after 19 years with the network. Will you miss him?
🏌️ Happy Gilmore 2 has dropped on Netflix. Are you going to watch? Or are you a Caddyshack purist?
:: Mike Purkey
FEATURES
Giants Ridge: From tall tale to recreational haven
The northern Minnesota resort destination is well known for its skiing, but its six-month window of golf and 36 holes make it an ideal respite for the three non-winter seasons.
:: Ward Clayton | Read
BOOKMARKED
Good reads — and listens — that are sometimes about golf, but not always.
📖 A definitive ranking of every golfer cameo in 'Happy Gilmore 2'
The sequel debuted Friday, July 25, on Netflix.
:: Shane Ryan | Golf Digest | 07.26.25 | Read
📖 Cloning came to polo. Then things got truly uncivilized
A polo legend and a businessman joined forces to copy the player’s greatest horse. But with a single clone worth $800,000, some technologies are a breeding ground for betrayal.
:: Matt Reynolds | Wired | 07.18.25 | Read
📖 Inside Texas Tech's bold all-in bet on NIL and the billionaire landman responsible
The Red Raiders spent big to pull in a stacked transfer class; can it transform Lubbock?
:: Shehan Jeyarajah | CBS Sports | 06.26.25 | Read
📖 Finding Robert Bogucki, the man who disappeared on purpose
In 1999, an American trekked into the Australian desert alone, sparking an international rescue mission. Decades later, he returns to meet the people who tried to save him from himself.
:: Ronda Kaysen | Australian Broadcasting Corporation | 07.17.25 | Read
THE LIBRARY
Recent drops to The First Call’s video and podcast section.
🎧 / ▶️ Zac Radford: From backyard tricks to globetrotting adventures
A golf content creator for nearly 10 years, the Nashville-based Radford offers a first-hand perspective on where the industry has been, where it's at and where it's going.
:: Content Clubhouse | 07.24.25 | Listen / Watch
ARCHIVES: 🎧 Podcasts | ▶️ Videos
BUSINESS
THE FIRST CALL
Week in Review: The industry’s names, news and notables making headlines. | Read
This week’s editions: Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday
Industry press releases | Industry press release videos | TFC / PR Newswire feed
Golf Industry Job / Internship Board
LIFESTYLE
THE STYLE LINKS
The versatile Sun Day Red Osprey shoe — Tiger Woods’ preferred footwear for off-course activities.
:: Janice Ferguson | IG: @janiceferguson_thestylelinks
19TH HOLE
“Course of Life” podcast co-host Alex Lauzon closes each episode with the guest sharing a favorite 19th hole food and beverage experience.
Mark Rummings, general manager, Soleta Golf Club in Myakka City, Florida: “We're excited for the full clubhouse to be built out, but the kitchen now has a roast beef sandwich that gets ordered by the members very often."
:: Alex Lauzon | Co-host of “Course of Life” podcast
ARCHITECTURE
DESIGN NOTES
Rees Jones conjures up short course for BallenIsles
BallenIsles Country Club, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, will construct a new 10-hole short course and putting course, both designed by Rees Jones. The short course complex will be located in the southwest portion of the BallenIsles community and is expected to open for member play in fall 2026.
“We are so proud of the work that Rees [Jones] and Bryce [Swanson] did with us in 2019 that we could not wait for the opportunity to work with them again,” said Jeff Fitzherbert, BallenIsles Country Club’s director of golf. “The short course land abuts the South course that is so popular with our members, so the fit was natural. We are eager to get to work and see what the Rees Jones design team will come up with this time.”
In December 2024, BallenIsles’ members voted on and approved the $6 million project, which includes the short course with holes ranging in distance from 80 to 160 yards and a nine-hole putting course and skill green. The short course will enable members to enjoy a fun golf format from multiple tee locations, distances and angles, each providing varied levels of difficulty and targets.
“The new short course and putting course will be great additions to BallenIsles for our members and their families to enjoy,” Fitzherbert said. “With the informal nature of the two courses, we expect they will appeal to a wider audience of potential users, while further beautifying and enhancing the BallenIsles community.”
The project adds to BallenIsles’ remarkable array of golf amenities that includes three championship golf courses — the East Course, site of the 1971 PGA Championship and renovated by Nicklaus Design in 2022; the South Course, redesigned by Rees Jones in 2020; and the North Course, designed by Kipp Schulties when redone in 2013. The club’s innovative ’71 Golf Learning Center provides members with a 3,000-square-foot central location for custom fittings, club repairs and golf instruction. The state-of-the-art practice grounds has a 65-bay, two-sided, 12.5-acre long game area, complete with Toptracer technology and Flagd Golf digital yardage boards, an abundance of aiming targets for all types of long shots, a practice putting green, rough, uneven lie and fairway bunker practice areas, along with a wedge range with targets from 30 to 105 yards. In addition, BallesIsles’ four-acre short game area features the 25,000-square-feet Snead Green putting course, five pitching and chipping greens, warm-up green and, reportedly, the world’s flattest putting green.
Design Notes Archive | Read
https://www.si.com/golf/news/grace-kim-rookie-lpga-tour-winner-lotte-championship-hawaii