TFC Week In Review 02-28-2025

THIS WEEK'S EDITIONS OF THE FIRST CALL

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

What changes can be made to make the LPGA Tour more popular?

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: In observance of the upcoming Academy Awards, what three movies would you nominate if there was a Best All-Time Golf Movie category? | Read

BUSINESS

Bank of America, Youth on Course: Partner on expanding access for youth golfers

Companies announce a multiyear, strategic partnership to accelerate youth access for young players who are challenged to find an affordable place to play

Bobby Jones Links: Named to National Golf Foundation top-100 company list

Celebrating its 25th year, the company makes the 2025-2026 Top 100 Businesses in Golf list

Epson Tour, MGI Golf: Announce partnership

As a result of the partnership, Epson Tour players will now be allowed to use electric caddies during competitive play. Previous regulations required a player to either have a caddy, carry their own bag or use a manual pushcart

Five Iron Golf: To open 1st Nashville location in summer 2025

Golf and entertainment destination planned for Aertson Midtown, near Nashville’s hospitality district, residential scene and leading universities

GCSAA: Launches 4th phase of Golf Course Environmental Profile

Water survey is latest in a series that started in 2006 and provides critical data to golf industry for assessment and best practices

GolfNow: Supports Special Olympics with ‘Round Up’ campaign in March

Golfers booking a round online via GolfNow or TeeOff can choose to round up their green fee to help get more athletes on the playing field

CLUBS / COURSES

Dye Designs Group: Shares update on South Korea’s Woo Jeong Hills CC

Project to update all 18 greens on the Perry Dye-designed course remains on schedule

Landscapes Golf Management: Manhattan CC wins 59Club excellence award

Manhattan, Kansas, club won the 59club Most Improved Sales Performance of 2024 award for exceptional growth in membership and associated revenue centers

Sarasota National: Approves Fry/Straka course renovation master plan

The multimillion-dollar renovation project for the Venice, Florida, club will focus on enhancing the course’s playability for all skill levels, improving sustainability. Renovation work will begin in the spring of 2026

Zinkand Golf Design: Completes Old Elm Club restoration

Multiyear project at Chicago club focused on marrying Harry S. Colt’s bold bunkering style with Donald Ross’s inspired putting surfaces

COMPETITION

Arcis Golf: Florida A&M, Howard defend Arcis-HBCU Championship titles

Local Boys & Girls Clubs participate in learn-to-play clinic at the Club at Weston Hills in Weston, Florida

PGA National Club Championship: Fields feature top amateur club champs

Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia will host men’s divisions play, March 1-3; women's division play, March 8-10

DESTINATIONS

Horseshoe Bay Resort: Highlights spring break offerings

Horseshoe Bay, Texas, destination readies for the March 8-22 period that marks spring break for many families

Marriott Golf: Showcases Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, destination features golf availability at Golf at Marina Vallarta Club de Golf

Marriott Golf: Touts Westin La Quinta Golf Resort & Spa, Benahavis, Marbella

Spain destination features a spa and 27 -hole course located in what is described as the “Valley of Golf”

EVENTS

Marriott Golf: Announces 2025 Family Golf Festival dates

Nineteen events to be held globally throughout the year and starting March 1

Troon: Announces 2-day Troon Coach Northeast Summit

Event is open to all golf instructors and will feature instructors Michael Jacobs, Monique Thoresz, David Leadbetter, Chuck Cook, Tim Mahoney, Michel Breed and Robin Symes

Upper Deck Golf: Tanner Galatian wins PXG Hole-In-One Challenge

Feat occurs at season-opening event in Houston’s Daikin Park; prize includes a custom golf clubfitting and a full bag of PXG clubs

GEAR

Ecco Golf: Reimagines BIOM franchise with nature-inspired BIOM H5

Shoe features new Ecco-Tex waterproof membrane and offers a modern, sporty aesthetic, crafted from Ecco performance leather and a minimal seam-knit sock construction

PXG Apparel: Unveils spring/summer 2025 collection

Line is a modern reinterpretation of classic Americana preppy style that draws inspiration ‘Sloane Ranger’ fashion and its evolution into American prep culture

Srixon: Jacques Kruyswijk wins Kenya Open

South African earns first celebrates DP World Tour title playing Srixon ZXi7 irons, Cleveland Golf RTZ wedges and the Srixon Z-Star XV golf ball

MEDIA

PGA of America: Partners with Dentsu, producer John Cohen

The three will collaborate on an animated feature film franchise in which golf is a hero in a multisport story based in the fictional world of 'SportsCity'

USGA: Awards 'The Prairie Raynor' with Herbert Warren Wind Award

Written by John Moran and Rand Jerris, the book celebrates the significance of Seth Raynor’s course design at Chicago Golf Club

PEOPLE

Circling Raven GC: Names Don Rasmussen as director of golf

Rasmussen was recognized as a Golf Digest Best Instructor for Washington from 2021 to 2024 and was named the San Diego Chapter PGA Teacher of the Year in 2015

PGA Tour: Names Gary Woodland as PGA Tour Courage Award recipient

Woodland, 40, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, underwent surgery in September 2023 to remove a brain lesion and continues to manage symptoms as he competes full-time on the PGA Tour

PGA Tour Champions: Names Darius Rucker as 2025 Ambassador of Golf

Three-time Grammy Award-winning artist is the 2025 recipient of the award, which honors a person who has fostered the ideals of the game on an international level

Summit Golf Brands: Hires Timothy Moore as chief financial officer

Moore will oversee finance across each of the premium apparel brands — B. Draddy, Zero Restriction, Fairway & Greene and EP New York

Tagmarshal: Appoints Ben Holbrook as chief innovation officer

Creator of WindTag plans to "push the boundaries of technology" to drive innovation in golf

TGL: Tony Finau to join Los Angeles GC with one-match contract

Finau to play alongside LAGC’s Collin Morikawa & Sahith Theegala on Feb. 24; playoff berths on the line in pivotal TGL matchup

TECHNOLOGY

GolfNow, Trackman: Partner on way to access golf simulation, range technology

New partnership offers opportunity to reserve Trackman bay time through the GolfNow online marketplace

INDUSTRY NOTES

COMPETITION

United States Golf Association: Announces qualifying sites for the 45th U.S. Senior Open Championship, to be held at The Broadmoor’s East Course, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, June 26-29.

COURSES

Club at Olde Cypress: Naples, Florida, club launches a multimillion-dollar clubhouse renovation that is scheduled for completion by the end of the year. Among the enhancements will be the expansion of the bar, members’ grille room and main dining room.

PEOPLE

JBD JGA Design and Architecture: Senior vice president Peter Cafaro will join the New Jersey Club Foundation's board of directors, effective March 1. Cafaro will succeed Tim Lauch, of Gallo Wines. ... McLemore Resort: Names Brandon Arnold as the PGA Head Golf Professional for the resort’s Highlands Course, an award-winning Rees Jones design that Bill Bergin recently reimagined atop Lookout Mountain, Georgia. ... Cognizant Classic: To honor longtime golf writer Jeff Babineau, who passed away on Dec. 9, 2024, with the Tim Rosaforte Distinguished Journalist Award. Babineau will be honored today, Feb. 25.