THIS WEEK'S EDITIONS OF THE FIRST CALL

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QUESTION OF THE WEEK

What are your thoughts on LIV Golf's new media rights deal with Fox Sports?

Send replies on this question or other topics and questions you would like to have asked to shall@buffalogroupe.com. For a response to be published, you must include your first and last name, along with the city and state of residence.

> Responses to the previous question: Have golf industry leaders done a good job "growing the game" of golf, and in what ways would you expand the sport? | Read

BUSINESS

ReelGolf: Enters into a marketing partnership with online sportsbook BetMGM. ReelGolf, an on-course video system that captures shots for players on signature holes and runs automated Par 3 challenges, will leverage the partnership to enhance its closest-to-the-pin and ring-of-fire games. ReelGolf is currently installing its Par 3 Challenge technology at Gold Canyon Golf Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, and Carter Plantation Golf Course in Springfield, Louisiana.

PGA Tour, Servpro: Announce a multi-year extension of their marketing partnership that designates Servpro as the official cleanup and restoration company of the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Servpro will grow its support of first responders and military personnel at select PGA Tour events. Servpro recently renewed its agreement to be the presenting sponsor of the PGA Tour Champions' Chubb Classic through 2028.

Cleeks Golf Club: Announces a brand evolution of its LIV Golf team, captained by Martin Kaymer. Akqa updated the brand positioning, identity and design to pay homage to the beauty and tradition of golf, while embracing the future of the sport. The name Cleeks originates from a traditional long iron golf club from golf’s earliest days, and Cleeks Golf Club aims to represent a bridge between golf’s storied past and its evolving future. The new brand expresses a deep respect for tradition while maintaining a contemporary feel, and symbolizes the intersection of heritage and modernity.

EVENTS

Women’s Golf Day: Location registration for Women’s Golf Day 2025, which will take place May 27 – June 3, is currently open. Registration online at WomensGolfDay.com starts at $159, and gives clubs access to a range of benefits year round. Registration is open to all organizations and individuals affiliated with the golf industry.

GEAR

Swing Control: To debut its autumn / winter 2025 apparel collection at the 2025 PGA Show. Signature themes include the polished contrast side stripes of the After Hours collection and the ethereal, underwater-inspired prints of Mystic Marine.  

Evnroll: Introduces its 2025 V-Series and Carlsbad Series putter lines. Designed by Guerin Rife, CEO and chief designer, the V-Series line features the V2 mid-blade, V5.1 mallet, V5.2 winged mallet, and the V12 high MOI players mallet. The Carlsbad line features the B1 classic heel-toe weighted blade and the M1 sleek mallet. 

Primo: Announces a partnership with HyFlyers GC, the LIV Golf team captained by Phil Mickelson. The company is designated as the official golf apparel sponsor of HyFlyers GC, which will see Mickelson and his teammates wearing Primo’s products in all competitive rounds at LIV events and major championships. Primo’s product line includes joggers, traditional pants, quarter zips, vests and traditional polos.

RangeGoats Golf Club: Announces a team partnership deal with Swannies Golf, which will become the official on-course apparel partner of the LIV Golf team. The multiyear partnership will bring a fresh new look to the RangeGoats, captained by Bubba Watson. The team will start the season with five new custom team polos that are also available for fans to purchase at Swannies.co and on-site at LIV Golf events.

Bushnell Golf: Unveils the A1-Slope distance measuring device. Designed to include Slope-compensated distances, the ultra-compact A1-Slope delivers distance readings in a sleek, modern package. Features include Bushnell Golf’s Slope Technology to ensure precise distance adjustments for elevation changes and PinSeeker, which causes the device to vibrate when a golfer has located the pin. The device retails for $299.99.

LIFESTYLE

Golf as Life: Launches as the vision of golf photographer Mike Klemme. With over 40 years of experience photographing more than 1,800 courses, Klemme will offer a curated collection of large-format wall art, available for purchase at GolfasLife.com. Also, Golf as Life will expand into a coffee table book, blending Klemme’s photography with inspiring and humorous stories from golfers of all walks of life.

MEDIA

Play Golf Myrtle Beach: Partners with Aaron Chewning, co-founder of St. Andre Golf, to launch the "Course Cases with Aaron Chewning" video series that will debut Jan. 22. The series combines Chewning’s comedy with seven premier Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, golf courses and will showcase the appeal of a Myrtle Beach golf trip. The video release dates on YouTube are Jan. 22 (Thistle Golf Club), Feb. (Glen Dornoch Waterway Golf Links), March 5 (Pine Lakes Country Club), March 26 (Man O’ War Golf Course), April 16 (True Blue Golf Club), May 7(Heritage Club), and May 28 (Arrowhead Country Club).

PEOPLE

PGA Tour: Announces the 16-member Player Advisory Council (PAC) for 2025. The PAC advises and consults with the PGA Tour Policy Board (Board of Directors) and commissioner Jay Monahan on issues affecting the Tour. The PAC includes Sam Burns, Eric Cole, Trevor Cone, Rickie Fowler, Brian Harman, Charley Hoffman, Max Homa, Kevin Kisner, Max McGreevy, Maverick McNealy, Keith Mitchell, Seamus Power, Scottie Scheffler, Brandt Snedeker, Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland. Cole, Cone, McGreevy and Woodland will serve on the PAC for the first time. The PAC chairman election and the PAC subcommittees will be announced at a later date.

Women’s Golf Day: Announces the recipients of its 2025 Inspire Action Awards. Created to recognize people and places that are driving positive change in the golf industry, the 2025 awards celebrate three individuals and three locations for their promotion of women in golf. The winners are: Sarah Bennett, former captain of the PGA of Great Britain and Ireland, tour professional and coach; Sandy Cross, a member of the PGA of America staff since 1996 who drives the PGA’s diversity and inclusion strategy; Marlon Weir, who spent his career promoting golf in developing countries; Keya Golf Club, in Fukuoka, Japan; Bonanza Golf Club, in Lusaka, Zambia; and Golf Club Ada, in Belgrade, Serbia.

LPGA: Announces the formation of its search committee to lead the process of identifying the LPGA’s next commissioner. The committee is composed of LPGA player directors and independent directors, along with the selection of Elevate Talent as the executive search firm to lead the process. The committee’s eight members are Ashleigh Buhai (board member, player director), Stephanie Meadow (board member, player director), Stacy Lewis (LET joint venture board member, player), Vicki Goetze-Ackerman (board member, LPGA Player president), Louise Ball (board member, LPGA Professionals president), Michele Meyer-Shipp (board member, chair of the Human Resources Committee), Madi Kleiner (vice chair, board of directors) and John Veihmeyer (chair, board of directors).

TECHNOLOGY

Textron Specialized Vehicles: Now offers Pace Technology Walk, a new solution to enable golf-course owners and operators to track walking golfers and caddies on their course. Using Walk, operators can trace the location of walkers in real time, using the same Pace Technology platform used to manage vehicles and equipment. Walk complements existing Pace Technology solutions for E-Z-Go and Cushman vehicles, and provides golf course operators an even more comprehensive solution for managing operations and pace of play.

SkyGolf: To showcase its SwingTraX 360, powered by SuperTags, in the Zen Golf booth at the PGA Show. The booth will showcase Zen Golf’s moving floor putting and hitting stages, and attendees will be able to hit shots and see how the data from SkyGolf SuperTags changes along with the Zen gradients – creating wide opportunities for learning and game-improvement. Golf industry content creator and social media personality Chris Trott will be on the Swing Stage in the Zen Golf booth giving lessons and demoing the SwingTraX 360 on Jan. 22-23. GameTraX 360 also uses SuperTags to automatically capture shot and swing data for every shot both on and off the course. 

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