Tag: PGA

Swing into Spring at These Southeastern Golf Destinations
While the blooming dogwoods and azaleas of the Southeastern U.S. and the 2021 Masters are behind us, the golf season is just getting started. And oh, what a season it is shaping up to be.

Golf participation surged in 2020 as avid golfers played even more golf, new players were introduced to (and stuck with) the game, and an influx of juniors has the future of the game looking brighter than ever. And if 2020 was the year for playing golf around town, 2021 is looking like the year to grab the clubs and hit the road.

Fortunately, this golf-rich region serves up some of the best golf destinations the country has to offer. Here’s a sampling of top shelf resorts from the land of BBQ, bourbon and college football.

Florida

Innisbrook Golf Resort –Innisbrook’s Copperhead Course is a favorite among PGA TOUR pros, and it’s also one of the most difficult on the circuit. This highly amenitized resort west of Tampa on the Gulf of Mexico houses four courses along with a variety of rooms, suites and vacation rentals.

PGA National Resort and Spa – Palm Beach County is a hotbed of golf, and it doesn’t get any hotter than PGA National Resort and Spa, home of the PGA TOUR’s Honda Classic. Five courses, including the Jack Nicklaus designed Champ, await golfers willing to test their mettle against this tournament tested venue.

PGA Golf Club – The flagship public property of the PGA of America, PGA Golf Club is a 54-hole golf panacea with a world-class practice range, short game area and short course. Catch a bite to eat in the Taplow Pub and stay a few nights in the adjacent Perfect Drive Villas or neighboring Hilton Garden Inn.

Streamsong Resort – One of Florida’s newest golf resorts got even newer with the opening of its Gil Hanse-designed Black Course in 2018. The resort’s Red and Blue courses have also quickly moved atop the national rankings, and the Streamsong Lodge is the perfect place to kick back and relax, post round.
- Streamsong Red
Georgia

Callaway Resort and Gardens – Golf may not be the first thing that comes to mind at this famous water-skiing stronghold, but the 18-hole Lake View and Mountain View Courses are a couple underrated gems. Golfers can chose from the AAA Four Diamond Lodge, cottages or villa accommodations.

Reynolds Lake Oconee – Reynolds Lake Oconee is to Georgia as Pinehurst Resort is to North Carolina. That is to say, a seemingly endless supply of golf in the form of six highly-ranked layouts designed by Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, Rees Jones, Bob Cupp and Jim Engh. Lodging ranges from cozy cottages to the luxurious Ritz-Carlton, Lake Oconee.

Sea Island Resort – While Georgia is better known as the home of The Masters, the RSM Classic at Sea Island Resort is a PGA TOUR player favorite. So much so, several pros make their home at this golf haven on Atlantic. The Seaside Course is a Tom Fazio redesign perched hard on the Atlantic, the Plantation Course was recently renovated by natives Davis and Mark Love, who also recast the Retreat Course in 2001.
North Carolina

Grandover Resort – Golfers need only veer off I-85 in Greensboro to access this 36-hole collection designed by Gary Panks. A full-service onsite hotel offers all the accoutrements, from casual and fine dining to a spa and fitness center.

Pinehurst Resort – Nine 18-hole courses, including the famed No. 2, frequent U.S. Open host course, make Pinehurst Resort the largest golf resort in the U.S. Golfers also love The Cradle, a nine-hole short course designed by Gil Hanse, and Thistle Dhu, a 75,000 square-foot putting course. Golfers can choose from three hotels, including the recently renovated Manor Inn, just a short walk to the new Pinehurst Brewing Co.

Rumbling Bald – Spring in Western North Carolina means mountain golf and Rumbling Bald along scenic Lake Lure obliges with two 18-hole tracks, Apple Valley and Bald Mountain, designed by W.B. Lewis and Dan Maples. Spacious vacation rentals are available for stay-and-plays, and the lake offers endless off-course activities.
South Carolina

Cherokee Valley Course and Club – Upstate South Carolina’s premier golf destination, Cherokee Valley is home to a P.B. Dye mountain-style layout, on-site cottages and a brand-new casual dining restaurant, Core 450. Get game ready at one of South Carolina’s most expansive practice facilities.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort – For golfers who want to play where the pros play this year, Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Ocean Course is hosting the 2021 PGA Championship in May. If Pete Dye’s diabolic oceanside layout it too tough to tackle, four other 18-hole courses adorn this majestic barrier island near Charleston. Catch a good night’s rest at the Sanctuary at Kiawah, a AAA Five Diamond hotel.

Myrtle Beach – While it’s not a resort, per se, the Grand Strand one of the world’s most iconic golf destinations. Accommodation options are limitless, and lineup cards can be filled with vaunted venues like Tidewater Golf Club, Grande Dunes Resort Course, King’s North at Myrtle Beach National, Caledonia Golf and Fish Club.

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort – Hilton Head is known as “Golf Island,” and the three brawny layouts at Palmetto Dunes are a big reason for that moniker. The Robert Trent Jones features one of the island’s only oceanfront holes, and the George Fazio and Arthur Hills courses round out the bill. Golf groups love the popular “Birdies and Beer Getaway” and the resort’s comfy vacation rentals.

Sea Pines Resort – Settled along Hilton Head Island’s south end, The Sea Pines Resort is home of the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage tournament and famed Harbor Town Golf Links. Two other championship caliber tracks reside inside the gates, Heron Point by Pete Dye and Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III. The Inn and Club at Harbor Town is just a pitching wedge from the clubhouse and the famed Yacht Basin is a short jaunt away.
- Sea Pines – Harbor Town Golf Links
May 5, 2021
2019 PGA Championship Viewing Guide
The 2019 PGA Championship starts tomorrow and it looks like the course will be playing very long and wet for the first few rounds until the weather warms up and the course dries out a bit. To keep up with all the action, here’s a quick viewing guide.

FANTASY GOLF ALERT: Kelly Kraft takes Justin Thomas’ place playing with Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott in the 7:40am tee time for the first round. Thomas withdrew because of a wrist injury.

Tee Times for Rounds 1 & 2 at Bethpage State Park – Black Course

Round One

( * indicates group will start on #10)

6:45 AM — Rob Labritz, Beau Hossler, J.J. Spaun
6:45 AM* — Ben Cook, Scott Piercy, Brian Gay
6:56 AM — Sam Burns, Jeffrey Schmid, Keith Mitchell
6:56 AM* — Thomas Pieters, Patton Kizzire, Adam Hadwin
7:07 AM — Byeong Hun An, Jason Caron, Andrew Putnam
7:07 AM* — Brandt Snedeker, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Max Homa
7:18 AM — John O’Leary, Harold Varner III, Kyle Stanley
7:18 AM* — Henrik Stenson, David Lipsky, Richard Sterne
7:29 AM — Mike Lorenzo-Vera, Justin Harding, Richy Werenski
7:29 AM* — Shane Lowry, Erik Van Rooyen, Tommy Fleetwood
7:40 AM — J.T. Poston, Jason Dufner, Jimmy Walker
7:40 AM* — Sergio Garcia, Kelly Kraft, Adam Scott
7:51 AM — Graeme McDowell, Chez Reavie, Brendan Jones
7:51 AM* — Charley Hoffman, Louis Oosthuizen, Patrick Reed
8:02 AM — Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Knox, Haotong Li
8:02 AM* — Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Justin Rose
8:13 AM — Lee Westwood, Shaun Norris, Charles Howell III
8:13 AM* — Xander Schauffele, Hideki Matsuyama, Alex Noren
8:24 AM — J.B. Holmes, Lucas Bjerregaard, Troy Merritt
8:24 AM* — Brooks Koepka, Francesco Molinari, Tiger Woods
8:35 AM — Joost Luiten, Brian Mackey, Matt Wallace
8:35 AM* — Aaron Wise, Ryan Fox, Shugo Imahira
8:46 AM — Casey Russell, Luke List, Abraham Ancer
8:46 AM* — Julian Suri, Marty Jertson, Martin Trainer
8:57 AM — Craig Bowden, Adam Long, Joaquin Niemann
8:57 AM* — Lucas Herbert, Cory Schneider, Sungjae Im
12:10 PM — Michael Thompson, Danny Lee, Justin Bertsch
12:10 PM* — Ryan Vermeer, Adrian Otaegui, Jason Kokrak
12:21 PM — Cameron Champ, Rich Berberian, Jr., Lucas Glover
12:21 PM* — Alex Björk, Rod Perry, Ross Fisher
12:32 PM — Emiliano Grillo, Daniel Berger, Paul Casey
12:32 PM* — Eddie Pepperell, Branden Grace, Ryan Palmer
12:43 PM — Tony Finau, Billy Horschel, Ian Poulter
12:43 PM* — Ryan Moore, Joel Dahmen, Thorbjørn Olesen
12:54 PM — Matt Fitzpatrick, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Gary Woodland
12:54 PM* — Y.E. Yang, Rich Beem, John Daly
1:05 PM — Padraig Harrington, Martin Kaymer, Keegan Bradley
1:05 PM* — Steve Stricker, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay
1:16 PM — Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth
1:16 PM* — Sung Kang, Shaun Micheel, Alex Beach
1:27 PM — Pat Perez, Kevin Kisner, Bryson DeChambeau
1:27 PM* — C.T. Pan, Kevin Na, Ryan Armour
1:38 PM — Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Jason Day
1:38 PM* — Danny Willett, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson
1:49 PM — Satoshi Kodaira, Matt Kuchar, Cameron Smith
1:49 PM* — Kevin Tway, Brandon Stone, Bronson Burgoon
2:00 PM — Corey Conners, Jim Furyk, Marc Leishman
2:00 PM* — Si Woo Kim, Danny Balin, Tom Lewis
2:11 PM — Jorge Campillo, Stuart Deane, Chesson Hadley
2:11 PM* — Jazz Janewattananond, Tyler Hall, Michael Kim
2:22 PM — Dylan Frittelli, Andrew Filbert, Kurt Kitayama
2:22 PM* — Mikko Korhonen, Craig Hocknull, Jhonattan Vegas

Round Two

6:45 AM — Ryan Vermeer, Adrian Otaegui, Jason Kokrak
6:45 AM* — Michael Thompson, Danny Lee, Justin Bertsch
6:56 AM — Alex Björk, Rod Perry, Ross Fisher
6:56 AM* — Cameron Champ, Rich Berberian, Jr., Lucas Glover
7:07 AM — Eddie Pepperell, Branden Grace, Ryan Palmer
7:07 AM* — Emiliano Grillo, Daniel Berger, Paul Casey
7:18 AM — Ryan Moore, Joel Dahmen, Thorbjørn Olesen
7:18 AM* — Tony Finau, Billy Horschel, Ian Poulter
7:29 AM — Y.E. Yang, Rich Beem, John Daly
7:29 AM* — Matt Fitzpatrick, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Gary Woodland
7:40 AM — Steve Stricker, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay
7:40 AM* — Padraig Harrington, Martin Kaymer, Keegan Bradley
7:51 AM — Sung Kang, Shaun Micheel, Alex Beach
7:51 AM* — Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth
8:02 AM — C.T. Pan, Kevin Na, Ryan Armour
8:02 AM* — Pat Perez, Kevin Kisner, Bryson DeChambeau
8:13 AM — Danny Willett, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson
8:13 AM* — Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Jason Day
8:24 AM — Kevin Tway, Brandon Stone, Bronson Burgoon
8:24 AM* — Satoshi Kodaira, Matt Kuchar, Cameron Smith
8:35 AM — Si Woo Kim, Danny Balin, Tom Lewis
8:35 AM* — Corey Conners, Jim Furyk, Marc Leishman
8:46 AM — Jazz Janewattananond, Tyler Hall, Michael Kim
8:46 AM* — Jorge Campillo, Stuart Deane, Chesson Hadley
8:57 AM — Mikko Korhonen, Craig Hocknull, Jhonattan Vegas
8:57 AM* — Dylan Frittelli, Andrew Filbert, Kurt Kitayama
12:10 PM — Ben Cook, Scott Piercy, Brian Gay
12:10 PM* — Rob Labritz, Beau Hossler, J.J. Spaun
12:21 PM — Thomas Pieters, Patton Kizzire, Adam Hadwin
12:21 PM* — Sam Burns, Jeffrey Schmid, Keith Mitchell
12:32 PM — Brandt Snedeker, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Max Homa
12:32 PM* — Byeong Hun An, Jason Caron, Andrew Putnam
12:43 PM — Henrik Stenson, David Lipsky, Richard Sterne
12:43 PM* — John O’Leary, Harold Varner III, Kyle Stanley
12:54 PM — Shane Lowry, Erik van Rooyen, Tommy Fleetwood
12:54 PM* — Mike Lorenzo-Vera, Justin Harding, Richy Werenski
1:05 PM — Sergio Garcia, Kelly Kraft, Adam Scott
1:05 PM* — Vijay Singh, Jason Dufner, Jimmy Walker
1:16 PM — Charley Hoffman, Louis Oosthuizen, Patrick Reed
1:16 PM* — Graeme McDowell, Chez Reavie, Brendan Jones
1:27 PM — Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Justin Rose
1:27 PM* — Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Knox, Haotong Li
1:38 PM — Xander Schauffele, Hideki Matsuyama, Alex Noren
1:38 PM* — Lee Westwood, Shaun Norris, Charles Howell III
1:49 PM — Brooks Koepka, Francesco Molinari, Tiger Woods
1:49 PM* — J.B. Holmes, Lucas Bjerregaard, Troy Merritt
2:00 PM — Aaron Wise, Ryan Fox, Shugo Imahira
2:00 PM* — Joost Luiten, Brian Mackey, Matt Wallace
2:11 PM — Julian Suri, Marty Jertson, Martin Trainer
2:11 PM* — Casey Russell, Luke List, Abraham Ancer
2:22 PM — Lucas Herbert, Cory Schneider, Sungjae Im
2:22 PM* — Craig Bowden, Adam Long, Joaquin Niemann

TV Schedule & Coverage

The networks of TNT and CBS will have live coverage of the PGA Championship all four days. TV times for TNT & CBS are as follows:

First Round, Thursday, May 16
TNT: 1:00 – 7:00 PM

Second Round, Friday, May 17
TNT 1:00 – 7:30 PM

Third Round, Saturday, May 18
TNT: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
CBS: 2:00 – 7:00 PM

Fourth Round, Sunday, May 19
TNT: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
CBS: 2:00 – 7:00 PM

Online Streaming

PGA.com will live stream featured groups all week. You can watch them on the PGA Championship live player and on the PGA Championship mobile app – available here.

Along with coverage of the featured groups, PGA Championship LIVE will provide coverage of the closing Nos. 16, 17 and 18 holes at Bethpage Black.

TNT Simulcast
- First Round – Thursday, May 16, 1:00 – 7:00 PM
- Second Round – Friday, May 17, 1:00 – 7:30 PM
- Third Round – Saturday, May 18, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Fourth Round – Sunday, May 19, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
CBS Simulcast
- Third Round – Saturday, May 18, 2:00 – 7:00 PM
- Fourth Round – Sunday, May 19, 2:00 – 7:00 PM
May 15, 2019
2017 PGA Show – 6 More Standout Products

We’ve been walking around the 2017 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando for a few days and we’re overwhelmed as usual with the sheer size of it and the volume of information that is available to attendees. Day two at the show was more of the same. With over 1000 companies exhibiting their products & services it’s impossible to see everything, but we managed to highlight 6 companies on day one and for day two we’re drawing attention to 6 more that made an impression on us.

Hole More Putts

All the way from Dublin, Ireland, Hole More Putts has designed an ingenious tablet device that analyzes your putting stroke, calculates a score based on five key metrics and even shows you specific drills to help work on your weaknesses. The technology is similar to something I’ve used before called the SAM Putt Lab but is far more affordable, portable and easy to use. This product will have a significant impact for avid golfers and golf instructors and deserves a feature length review, which we will have right here very soon!

EVNROLL

Mad scientist Guerin Rife has been designing putters for years, and his latest endeavor is going to make big waves. You may recognize the name from his former company Rife Golf. Rife was the first to put grooves on the face of a putter over 20 years ago – a design that is copied all over golf now. Having moved on from Rife Golf, he started EVNROLL in 2015 and is now making some of the best performing putters in golf. EVNROLL’s unique milled grooves use gear effect to actually steer mis-hit putts back on line with dramatic results.

Golf Buddy WTX

Golf Buddy has been one of my favorite gadget companies in recent years, and they continue to innovate and make easy and fun to use distance measuring devices for golf. The Golf Buddy PT4 is one of the best full screen handheld GPS devices on the market, with a bright color screen and lots of cool features. This year Golf Buddy gives us the WTX watch. The only GPS watch that gives you a hole layout view in color along with plenty of other info. It comes pre-loaded with 38,000 courses, syncs with your smartphone and even adjusts the green view based on the golfer’s position. I can’t wait to try this one out.

Frogger Latch-it Ecosystem

I’ve known Frogger Golf founder and CEO Jeremiah Bohannon for about 5 years. He’s one of the good guys in the golf industry, and just happens to make very high quality golf accessories. With the digital revolution that led to golfers having all manner of gadgets, people need a way to manage them all. Frogger has solved the issue with their clever Latch-It ecosystem. It enables you to quickly mount and unmount your GPS, laser rangefinder, towel, brush and smartphone to your golf cart, bag or even yourself. It uses a magnetic closure system and locks into place with a dynamic lock so it won’t fall off. I stopped by Frogger’s booth this year to thank Jeremiah personally for this product, and the very next day it was named Best New Product at the 2017 PGA Show. Clearly he’s doing something right!

Chef’s Cut jerky

Tucked away in some of the less travelled back aisles of the PGA Show was Chef’s Cut Jerky, but you couldn’t tell they were in a small booth by the size of the lines out front to sample their amazing jerky. After sampling their many flavors of jerky and meat sticks, I found myself coming back again and again like that one house on Halloween when I was a kid that used to give out full cans of coke. While Chef’s Cut jerky isn’t a “golf” product, it was born on the golf course and became a huge hit because of golf. As far as a mid-round snack it works well. Low in fat and high in protein, jerky is my favorite snack, and now Chef’s Cut if my favorite jerky.

PerryGolf

If you’ve ever wanted to spend a week playing golf in Scotland or Ireland, then PerryGolf is a good place to start looking. They are probably the number one tour company in golf, offering cruises and guided trips for guys, gals and couples to destinations all over the world. New for 2018 are guided trips to Argentina. The 11 night vacation includes six rounds of golf and plenty of activities to make your vacation a truly memorable one. A week of golf in Scotland is still at the top of my personal bucket list. Perhaps with the help of PerryGolf I’ll make it a reality very soon!

January 27, 2017
Dick’s Fires 500 PGA Professionals

Last week Dick’s Sporting Goods, the nation’s largest retailer of Callaway and Taylor Made golf equipment, fired all of the PGA Professionals they employed in the golf department at over 560 stores across the nation. Dick’s tried to differentiate themselves from other retailers by employing a PGA professional in each store to improve the customer experience and deliver a higher level of service, but due to the continued decline in golf equipment sales and participation, they were forced to put over 500 pros on the street. They were the largest employer of PGA Professionals after the PGA itself.

Back in May, Dick’s CEO Ed Stack said the company’s overall golf business missed its first quarter sales by $34 million and he expected the downward trend to continue. “We are selling drivers in our stores this spring for $99 that were approximately $299 20 months ago,” said Stack. The golf business accounts for about 15 percent of Dick’s overall revenues.

The way I see it, TaylorMade adidas Golf (TMAG) is at least partly to blame for the layoffs. While driver sales in the first quarter were only down 2 percent from 2013, the average price of drivers was down 16 percent. As TaylorMade’s largest retailer, Dick’s is hit hard every time TMAG releases a new driver model, because it forces Dick’s and other retailers to sell the older models at a clearance price which cuts into profit margins. Small retailers are sometimes forced to take a loss to stay competitive.

TaylorMade released four different driver models last year, and the glut of new products continues, flooding the market with clubs consumers don’t want to buy. Walk into your local Dick’s Sporting Goods and you’ll probably see older model clubs from TaylorMade and others for closeout prices between $99 and $199, far below the suggested retail price. This is all part of TMAG’s sales strategy to put their clubs in as many golf bags as possible, but the industry is now starting to pay the price and the hangover from this glut will have an impact for years.

The great irony of this is none other than TaylorMade’s former CEO Mark King has been the primary spokesman for Hack Golf – an initiative to grow golf by thinking outside the box for ways to infuse the game with exciting changes and attract new players. King recently left TaylorMade to become the president of adidas North America, and speaking to HBO’s Bryant Gumbel for an segment on “Real Sports”, he said “Young people entering the game after high school, 18 to 30-year olds are down 35 percent in the last 10 years. So I don’t like where the game looks like it’s going.”

He’s right. According to the National Golf Foundation, about 400,000 people left the game in the past year, and now over 500 PGA professionals are also looking for work. It appears the PGA of America, Mr. King and his Hack Golf initiative and other industry leaders have their work cut out for them.

July 28, 2014
Resort Reboot – PGA Village

There is a ton of competition out there for golf resorts in Florida. In order to separate yourself from the competition, you need to offer quality, value and a unique experience. While many resorts claim it, few can deliver. Many can offer the traveling golfer quality and a unique experience, but at a price. Many can offer great value, but the playing conditions are usually disappointing.

PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida is one of those few resorts that can deliver value without compromising on quality. Owned by the PGA of America, PGA Village is ranked as one of Golf Digest’s “75 Best Golf Resorts”. With 54 holes of golf designed by Tom Fazio and Pete Dye, superb playing conditions, a state of the art 35 acre practice facility and the PGA Museum of Golf, PGA Village fulfills the previously mentioned “unique experience” criteria.

I moved to Florida in 1997, just after Tom Fazio had completed the original North and South courses at PGA Village. A few years later, Pete Dye added the third course. In 2006 all three courses underwent a redesign, and the North and South courses were renamed Ryder and Wanamaker. The Ryder course is named after Samuel Ryder, who founded the Ryder Cup matches. Rodman Wanamaker organized the first group of golf professionals that led to the formation of the PGA in 1916.

Click to Zoom

Despite having lived in Florida for over 15 years, I had never been to PGA Village until this past October. I drove past it many times while heading south on I95, and this is a pattern that I came to learn was all too common for golfers. PGA Village was simply overlooked by many when searching for golf resorts in Florida. As a result, the facility suffered from declining morale and sub-standard playing conditions. Late in 2012 the PGA took a hard look at the property and decided to make some changes. A new management team was brought in, along with a new attitude, and they have turned the place around in a dramatic way.

My visit to PGA Village included rounds on the Ryder and Wanamaker courses, along with a practice session at the PGA Center for Learning and some time on the amazing SAM Putt Lab with PGA Golf Technology Specialist Mark Drenga. After breakfast with GM Jimmy Terry and Head Superintendant Dick Gray to get more familiar with the property, my buddy Dave and I went out on the Ryder course. Fazio designed this course to be generous off the tee, while still being challenging for all abilities. The greens are fast and smooth with just enough slope to keep you on your toes.

The Wanamaker course continues where the Ryder course leaves off by adding length, making the fairways a bit tighter and punishing stray shots in deeper and larger bunkers. This course is consistently ranked in the top 25 public courses in the state. It is a classic Florida layout with wetlands and vegetation coming into play more frequently than the Ryder course. Again, the playing conditions were ideal with fast, smooth rolling greens and dramatic white sand bunkers that test your courage on almost every shot.

Click to Zoom

I didn’t get to play the Pete Dye course, but I was able to ride around several holes and get a good feel for the layout. It is a classic Dye design with dramatic mounds, steep face bunkers and plenty of nasty surprises for errant shots. More of a link style course, the greens are in great shape and roll true like the other courses. As with most Pete Dye courses, don’t miss on the short side! While there is plenty of water and waste areas around the course, Dye always gives you a bail out area. If I was to recommend an order in which to play the three courses during your stay, I would go with the Ryder, Dye then Wanamaker.

In the afternoon we stopped by the 35 acre PGA Center for Learning. This amazing practice and teaching facility has a huge circular practice range with chipping and putting greens scattered all over the place, different types of practice bunkers, a three hole discovery course for new players and a staff of PGA Professionals. The learning center boasts one of the most technologically advanced facilities in the nation. They have a ForeGolf Sirgul 180 Simulator, TrackMan Launch Monitor, Sam Putt Lab, Dynamic Balance System, V1 Pro, LinxTracker and more to assist the pros. There is also a world class golf fitness and performance center and a fully stocked club fitting and repair center.

Click to Zoom

To round out the experience at PGA Village is the 8000 square foot PGA Professional Hall of Fame and PGA Museum of Golf that houses one of the most complete and diverse golf libraries in existence. Be sure to make some time on your trip to check it out. In fact, to get your trip started I would suggest everyone spend a half day at the museum and library, then head over to the practice facility and work off the rust or get a quick lesson and play the 6 hole PGA Short Course. The next two or three days can be spent playing the big courses. I believe this itinerary will give golfers more than just a resort golf experience, but some historical perspective as well and a way to easy into the trip in a more relaxing way.

Located two hours down the turnpike from Orlando and only 45 minutes from West Palm Beach, PGA Village is perfectly located for both north and south Florida golfers seeking a place to get away. There are plenty of amenities and restaurants in the area, and choices for accommodations are also diverse. Stay and play packages can be booked right on their website. With a central location, great playing conditions, wonderful facilities, courses from two legendary designers and unique attractions like the PGA Museum and Learning Center, PGA Village should be on everyone’s Florida golf resort short list.

October 30, 2013
Rod Perry Wins 2013 PGA Professional National Championship
Congratulations to Rod Perry for winning the PGA Professional National Championship! This story is significant for us at into the grain because Rod is a local boy and a personal friend. We are headquartered just a few minutes from Crane Lakes Golf Club in Port Orange, Florida where Rod is the head professional. There are many great teachers and many great players in the game of golf, but it is very rare to find someone that is both a great player and teacher. Mr. Perry is one of those rare talents. He’s no stranger to competing at the highest level, having played in several PGA Tour events and last year’s PGA Championship at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course. Congrats Rod!

Below is the press release from Taylor Made that summarizes his victory and gives you a look at their overall club usage at the event.

CARLSBAD, Calif. (June 27, 2013) – After placing second in last year’s event, TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Staff Professional and Rod Perry claimed a three-shot victory at the PGA Professional National Championship in Sunriver, Oregon. Perry, wearing adidas Golf apparel and footwear, played a full bag of TaylorMade equipment highlighted by the RocketBladez Tour irons. With the win, Perry receives a guaranteed entry to play in the 2013 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.

Perry, the PGA head pro at Crane Lakes Golf and Country Club in Port Orange, and seven other TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA staff professionals punched their tickets to the season’s final major by placing in the Top 20. Those players include:
- • Jeff Sorenson – Columbia Golf Learning Center
- • JC Anderson – Missouri Bluffs GC
- • Chip Sullivan – Hanging Rock GC
- • Bob Sowards – New Albany CC
- • Sonny Skinner – River Pointe GC
- • Jeffrey Martin – Norton CC
- • Caine Fitzgerald – Murphy Creek GC
For the first time in tournament history, TaylorMade was the No. 1 driver brand played at the event, played by more than 45% of the field. Also of note, the Ghost Spider S was the No. 1 putter model, with 18 in play while the Daddy Long Legs ranked No. 2 with 10 in play. This also marked the first time TaylorMade has been the No. 1 putter model at this event.

In the Bag:

Lethal golf ball

RBZ Tour 10.5

RBZ Stage 2 Tour 14.5

Adams hybrid 17.0

RocketBladez 4-PW, AW

ATV 54, 60 wedges

Ghost Spider S

adidas Golf apparel

adidas Golf footwear – adidas Tour 360 ATV
June 27, 2013
Paul Goydos Shoots 59 at John Deere Classic

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Two time winner on the PGA Tour Paul Goydos shot only the fourth 59 in the history of the PGA Tour today at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, IL. It was the first round of the John Deere Classic. Goydos, nicknamed “Sunshine” by his friends, joins Al Geiberger (1977), Chip Beck (1991) and David Duval (1999) in the 59 club. He shot 12-under on the par 71 layout, with eight birdies on the back nine, including birdies on Nos. 17 and 18, to post his 59. He missed only one fairway and two greens in regulation all day. He made a seven foot birdie putt on the final hole to accomplish the feat.

David Duval was the last PGA Tour player to shoot 59 when the former world No. 1 did it during the final round of the 1999 Bob Hope at the PGA West’s Palmer Course. While certainly a very rare occurance on the PGA Tour, it happens more often in other events and tours around the world. The last 59 carded on a major professional tour was done by Jason Gore, who did it during the second round of the Nationwide Tour’s 2005 Cox Classic. Annika Sorenstam is the only LPGA Tour player to have ever shot 59. She did it in the second round of the 2001 Standard Register PING tournament, which she went on to win.

Although 59 is the lowest score in official competition, it’s not the lowest score we’ve seen in competition. Shigeki Maruyama shot a 58 at a U.S. Open qualifier in 2000, scoring 29s on both sides of Woodmont Country Club to post a score that wasn’t even eligible for the record books. Why? Who knows. Another Japanese player, young phenom Ryo Ishikawa recently shot a 58 at The Crowns for his seventh Japan Tour title. He had 12 birdies in his bogey-free round on the 6,545-yard Nagoya Golf Club course. Harrison Frazar and David Gossett also shot 59s during PGA Tour qualifying school.

In casual and practice rounds, we’ve heard stories of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson also shooting 59s and 58s, but neither has managed to put such a score together in official tournament competition.

Want to win free stuff? Subscribe to our email updates! You’ll get the latest fresh news, reviews and stories delivered right to your inbox or RSS reader, and automatically be entered in our latest contests and giveaways! Also, don’t forget to check in with our Facebook fan page for exclusive content and get involved by leaving us comments on what you think!

July 8, 2010
Tiger Woods Speaks – Watch The Video!

There is no doubt that the statement Tiger Woods read to the world on Feb 19, 2010 will be replayed, analyzed, critisized, praised and more for the coming weeks or months. It may even go down in sports history as the turning point in a fall from grace, or a new start to a career that has become larger than life. Only time will tell. If you want to revisit the video of Tiger’s apology, here it is!

<

p style=”text-align: center;”>
On a more comedic note, former porn star Joslyn James called press conference immediatly after Tiger's to demand a direct apology. Now, this strikes me as increadibly selfish and very "hollywood". Not to mention that I think it absolutely hilarious that a porn star would fall in love with Tiger while having an affair! Hello Joslyn, wake up and smell the latex! Enjoy the video:

Want to win free stuff? Subscribe to our email updates! You'll get the latest fresh news, reviews and stories delivered right to your inbox or RSS reader, and automatically be entered in our latest contests and giveaways! Also, don't forget to check in with our Facebook fan page for exclusive content and get involved by leaving us comments on what you think!

February 19, 2010
Tiger Woods Speaks!

Tiger Woods seen running near his home at Isleworth in Windermere, Florida

Tiger Woods has come out of his self-imposed exile and will speak Friday, Feb 19 about what has transpired in the last three months and what his plans are for the future. The world will be watching, and the world will likely be disappointed. Tiger will reportedly speak from a prepared statement for about five minutes and will take no questions from the media. In fact, the media isn’t even allowed in. They will be covering the “event” from the Sawgrass Marriott convention center in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, about a mile down the road from the PGA Tour HQ, where Tiger’s statement will take place.

The timing of his statement has been questioned and criticized, taking place on in the middle of the Accenture World Match Play Championships, rather than on a Monday, which is usually a travel day on the PGA Tour. Accenture was the first of Tiger’s sponsors to drop him when the sex scandal broke. Is this a jab at his former sponsor? I doubt it, but some have questions. Ernie Els told Golfweek magazine after Woods’ announcement that his statement was “selfish.” “I feel sorry for the sponsor. Mondays are a good day to make statements, not Friday,” he told the magazine. “This takes a lot away from the golf tournament.”

<

p style=”text-align: center;”> Tiger's statement has been orchestrated in White House style, with a few select friends and media members attending, but the rest of the mob forced to cover it via video. In other words, Tiger is ready to make a statement but he doesn't want to answer the tough questions. The questions everyone seems to want an answer to. Tiger has been very consistent throughout his career in declining the media any access to his personal life, and it doesn't look like he's about to change. Tiger is know for doing things his way, and it doesn't appear that he will let the media change him. It's relieving that Tiger is finally coming out and speaking about the scandal that has dominated golf and his life since Thanksgiving of 2009, but I'm afraid this isn't over. You see, Tiger isn't about to reveal the deepest darkest secrets of his life on a public stage. His statement on Friday will no doubt leave people with more questions than answers, and Tiger will have to deal with the media circus every time he steps into the public for some time. That is, until he wins another major... Here's a great video from Stephanie Wei of Weiunderpar.com that shows you the kind of outrage some media members are feeling about the timing and details of this announcement: Alex Miceli Calls Tiger Gutless from Stephanie Wei on Vimeo.
Want to win free stuff? Subscribe to our email updates! You'll get the latest fresh news, reviews and stories delivered right to your inbox or RSS reader, and automatically be entered in our latest contests and giveaways! Also, don't forget to check in with our Facebook fan page for exclusive content and get involved by leaving us comments on what you think!

February 18, 2010
A New Model of Learning Golf

Without a doubt, golf and fitness have been inextricably connected. The benefits of working out specifically for golf have been highlighted time and again by the top professional golfers in the world. While there are many different types of golf swing philosophies, there is still a common basic level of physical ability necessary to perform the full golf swing. Amateur and recreational golfers now understand the simple fact that physical limitations such as poor flexibility and a weak core can affect their ability to perform an efficient, consistent golf swing no matter which swing model they are learning. I recently became more aware of this reality when I got a new middle aged client that had NEVER played golf before and wanted to learn. Realizing how important his body was to playing the game, he signed up for 6 weeks of golf fitness training with me at the same time as he signed up for 6 weeks of golf swing lessons from a PGA professional teacher.

In light of these connections, golfers must find a way to analyze themselves from both a physical and technical standpoint. One way to do this is to participate in a golf fitness screen. While many different medical and fitness professionals are selling their own golf specific screens, there is no doubt in my mind that the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) has created the current gold standard screen. I have used this screen hundreds of times and I know that when I am completed with the TPI physical tests I will have all the information I need to develop a corrective exercise program for the golfer. The screens will assess all the key movements and muscles used in the swing as well as looking at an individual’s posture, balance, power, and patterns of movement. After assessing these areas, the TPI fitness professional will then prescribe exercises and stretches designed to correct the physical limitations. Some of these exercises will be available through an online program that has video descriptions and pictures of the exercises that are all downloadable for printing or to an IPOD or other media device for portability. Other exercises may be provided by your TPI trainer based on their own experiences with golfers. In many cases they may be even more specific because the trainer has spent time learning from your local golf swing teaching professional and is aware of the necessary physical requirements of that teachers swing philosophy.

Once you have begun correcting your physical limitations, you will then return to your PGA professional and learn how to integrate your new abilities into the golf swing. At this point, you are now ready to move on even further with your golf fitness trainer because you will inevitably continue seeking improvements in your game, especially in the areas of increasing power and distance off the tee.

As you can see, I am describing a progressive pattern of training that is based on achieving basic levels of movement with your TPI program and then moving on to more sport specific power fitness training all the while as you are advancing your swing efficiency by working with your PGA teaching professional. In my opinion, this is the new model way of learning and improving in the game of golf. Obviously, there are other very important factors in the game including equipment analysis, mental training, and medical care specific to physical injuries that may limit ability in golf. But initially the only requirement is to have an expert that can help you understand how to swing the club correctly and an expert that can help you understand how to move and train your body to achieve those key swing positions.

Sounds easy enough, but really all we can do as teaching professionals is create the “right environment” for potential success; you the student are in control of the outcome of success or failure. So if you really want to get better at golf, I believe you should seek out these professionals and get to work on your physical and technical abilities. The game is just easier to learn when you get the right information and motivation. Good luck on your journey, and be tenacious in your pursuit of perfection! In Health, Scott Shepard, MSPT CSCS TPI Scott Shepard is based in Central Florida and has an office in Lake Mary, FL. For more information on Scott and his golf specific fitness and injury rehabilitation programs please visit www.planeperformance.com or contact him at 407-222-7489. < p style="text-align: center;">Check out Scott's other great articles! Foam - Thats How I Roll - Golf specific Mobility

Don't forget to subscribe to our updates and email to get the latest content delivered to your inbox!

November 24, 2009
PGA and LPGA Tour Q-School Preview
The PGA TOUR's q-school can make you either want to doff your cap in celebration ... or pull it down in disappointment.

This is my favorite time of year. No, it’s not because of the fall foliage or the first snowfall, but because it’s Q-School season! Every week on the PGA Tour, we watch millionaire superstars play for ridiculous sums of money. Then they fly away on their private jets and repeat. FedEx Cup? Boring. You want real drama, watch the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour Qualifying School Tournaments in December! Rather than playing for millions, the competitors at Q-School are playing for their careers. Some are former PGA and LPGA Stars, looking to return to form. Others are aspiring pros coming up the ranks from the mini tours and collegiate ranks, or driving ranges and pro shops. Many have nothing but a few bucks in their pockets, lots of desire and talent.

As fans, we love a good story, and the best ones are of the cinderella boy coming from nowhere, or the unfortunate soul who missed a 3 footer on the last hole to miss getting his tour card by a stoke. At Q-School, the emotion is real. The tension and drama are on par with the world’s biggest tournaments. The elation or despair on the players’ faces tells the story every year. You don’t need to watch the leader board, just watch the players and you’ll know where they stand.
This year at the Q-School finals for the PGA and LPGA Tours, we should have some more good stories to talk about. Here's a quick preview:
- Amateur star Rickie Fowler, who finished tied for second last week and the Fry's.com open, will have a guaranteed spot in the finals, provided he stays in the top 150 in the money. If he can have another good week and break into the top 125, he'll be able to skip Q-School altogether. In just two PGA Tour starts he's earned almost enough money to secure his tour card for 2010. Not even Tiger Woods did it that fast.
- David Duval is currently the bubble boy on the PGA Tour, sitting in the 125th spot on the money list as of this week's Viking Classic. Should he have a good week he has a good chance to regain his card for 2010. If not, we'll see him at the Q-School finals as the headliner for sure. Since David and I share the same name, I'll be pulling for him!
- Among the players who failed to advance past the first stage were Gary Nicklaus, the 40-year-old son of Jack Nicklaus, and Sam Saunders, the grandson of Arnold Palmer. Tadd Fujikawa and Danny Lee, who won a European Tour event in February, also failed to get past stage one. Your humble editor played in a group behind Gary Nicklaus at the Florida State Amateur a few years back after he had regained his amateur status, and let me tell you, he can still hit it.
- The feel good story of the first stage was Erik Compton's medalist finish to advance to stage two. Compton has been the recipient of two heart transplants. Just being able to play golf after a heart transplant is a miracle, but to be able to compete at this level after two of them is simply astounding.
- As far as the ladies, several notable players advanced to the LPGA Q-School finals in Daytona. Amateur standouts Amanda Blumenherst and Maria Jose Uribe both advanced. Blumenherst was the 3-time NCAA Player of the Year at Duke and won the 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur. Uribe, from Colombia, was the 2007 U.S. Women's Amateur champion and while still an amateur had some great showings in pro events, including a top ten finish at the US Women's Open.
- The LPGA Q-School also features several players from The Golf Channel's "Big Break" series. Caroline Larsson, Christina Lecuyer, Gerina Mendoza, Blair O'Neal, Elizabeth Stuart and Bri Vega will all try to earn playing privileges on the LPGA Tour in 2010.
- Several LPGA Tour veterans are returning to Daytona to recover from lackluster seasons, including Erica Blasberg, Diana D'Alessio, Dorothy Delasin, Julieta Granada, Lorie Kane and Kris Tschetter. For a complete listing of the field at LPGA International in Daytona, click HERE.
When the final field for the PGA Tour Q-School finals is posted, I'll update this post with the details. Until then, enjoy the best season of the year for golf, and be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed or email updates below!
October 30, 2009
Adams Idea Pro Black Hybrids – Sneak Peak

Adams golf has become a big player in the golf world in the last 5 years, largely due to the success of their hybrids. Widely adopted on the professional tours, Adams have built a solid stable of tour players from the Champions Tour to the LPGA and PGA Tours. Last years Idea Pro Gold hybrids however, didn’t do so well. Most of the pros stuck with the venerable Idea Pro hybrids or the tour only “peanut” hybrids. Adams needs to make a bit if a comeback, especially with Taylor Made and Titleist catching them fast in the weekly hybrid counts on the PGA Tour. I think Adams has responded very well with two new hybrid offerings – the Idea A7 and the Idea Pro Black.

While the A7 Hybrids take design elements from every generation of their clubs, they are geared a bit more towards the average player. The Idea Pro Black hybrids are designed for the better players and pros. Taking the design cues and name from their Idea Pro Black muscle back irons, they have a black nickel plating just like the irons to reduce glare and give the club a menacing look. I call them the Darth Vader of hybrids. They are designed to hit the ball with a more penetrating ball flight and for greater workability than the A7.

The Adams Idea Pro Black hybrids will be offered in lofts starting at 16 degrees, ranging up to 26 degrees, and the shaft options are plentiful. The standard shaft offerings are the Aldila VooDoo 85gm or Matrix Ozik 95gm, and several others are available via custom order. I counted over 20 custom shaft options.

Idea Pro Black hybrids begin shipping to golf shops October 1 (with Aldila Voodoo shafts) and November 15 (with Matrix Ozik shafts) with a suggested retail price of $249.99. I’m looking forward to hitting these new hybrids, as I’ve been playing the older Idea Pro hybrids for several years now. The black finish and custom shaft options should make them very popular, most likely solidifying their spot as the number one hybrid on the PGA, Nationwide and Champions tour for another year. Enjoy the photos and let us know what you think! As always, if I can get my hands on a few of these I’ll post a full review.

September 11, 2009