Industry News

Industry Notes: Tuesday, August 22, 2023

USGA to shuffle off to Buffalo; LPGA, Fenway Sports Management partner; Finn Scooters partner with EAGL

Nippon Shaft: Chan Kim won the Korn Ferry Tour’s Magnit Championship playing the brand's N.S.Pro Modus³ 125 TX flex shafts in his irons.

Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts: Viktor Hovland played a Graphite Design Tour AD DI 85-X Stiff flex hybrid shaft in his Titleist U505 #3 Utility Iron to win the BMW Championship. Hovland shot a course-record 61 in the final round to win by two strokes.

USGA: Selects the Country Club of Buffalo to host the 2027 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and the 2032 U.S. Senior Amateur Championships. The Buffalo, New York, club has previously hosted four USGA championships, including the 1912 U.S. Open. 

Bridgestone Golf: Introduces the e9 Long Drive golf ball, which is available in gloss colors, including pink, yellow, and orange. Designed to produce extreme ball speeds, the e9 Long Drive was created with input from World Long Drive (WLD) contestants and is the official ball of WLD. The balls retail for $29.99 per dozen.

SkyGolf: Offering a Labor Day promotion of $50 off its award-winning rangefinders, including the SX400 and SX550 handheld models and the LX5 and LX5 with ceramic bezel smart watches. The LX2 smart watch is $20 off the reduced price of $149.95. The promotion runs Aug. 28-Sept. 11.

Finn Scooters: Partners with EAGL to simplify the rental process of Finn cycles. EAGL technology will make the cycles keyless, offer a seamless in-app payment solution and allow for live booking and fleet monitoring. The software will be equipped on all new Finn Cycles, while existing cycles in rental fleets at over 160 golf courses across the country are transitioning to the new app.

Shot Scope: Introduces the improved Pro LX+ laser rangefinder, which features the dynamic combination of GPS-powered distances and Artificial Intelligence for personalized performance tracking. The Pro LX+'s new features include a smaller and more compact design with enhanced stabilization, faster target-lock, a built-in extra strong cart magnet to quickly attach to cart, and an anti-slip comfort stability grip. 

Todd Eckenrode – Origins Golf Design: Reports that its renovation of Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club in Menlo Park, California, will be completed by later this fall, with an opening in spring 2024. The $20 million renovation includes reforestation and tree management; renovated tees, cart paths, greens, and bunkers; and improved turf and drainage.

FootJoy: Showcases the HydroSeries line of rain jackets by the DryJoys Selecta and HydroLite Xa. The DryJoys Selecta is the brand's lightest, most waterproof and breathable rain jacket. The Tour-proven rain jacket uses a specially engineered 2.5-layer fabric that reduces weight while providing full mobility and maximum waterproof protection. The HydroLite Xa is designed for warmer playing conditions with specifically placed knit panels in the arms and back for increased movement and flexibility in the golf swing.

Southern California Section of the PGA of America: Announces it will host the seventh California Teaching & Coaching Summit at Virginia Country Club, Oct. 15-16 in Long Beach, California. TravisMathew will serve as the presenting partner of the event that will feature Michael Block, who earned low PGA Professional honors at the PGA Championship, as the keynote speaker. Other speakers will include Todd Anderson, Boyd Summerhays, Jim McLean, Derek Uyeda, Craig Welty, Leo Rooney, Randy Chang and Jamie Mulligan. 

LPGA, Fenway Sports Management: Announce a unique sales alliance that will allow the LPGA to expand its reach in identifying and engaging with new partners, paving the way for increased revenue generation and enhanced exposure on a global scale. Strengthening and enhancing the LPGA’s Sales and Partnerships team, FSM’s Partnerships team will now assist in developing and selling LPGA partnership assets worldwide alongside FSM’s wide portfolio of sports properties, which include the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club, Pittsburgh Penguins, NASCAR’s RFK Racing, and TGL Boston.


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