THIS WEEK'S EDITIONS OF THE FIRST CALL

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QUESTION OF THE WEEK

What are your thoughts about the upcoming U.S. Open — Oakmont Country Club as a venue, the favorites, the dark horses, other storylines? 

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.

> Last week's question: Do you believe golf clubs should be checked for conformity either before or after all professional tournaments? | Read

BUSINESS

LIV Golf, Salesforce: Announce a strategic partnership that brings Agentforce, Salesforce’s digital labor platform, to LIV Golf. This collaboration will help LIV Golf scale its global business infrastructure and operations with AI agents to amplify fan engagement, player experience and broadcast innovation. 

Club Car: Company executives and other representatives of a coalition representing the United States’ leading manufacturers of golf and personal transportation vehicles recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Congressional leaders and seek support as the U.S. International Trade Commission prepares to make a final determination in the antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) case concerning Chinese low-speed vehicle imports. The meetings come at a time when the ITC’s final decision on tariffs is expected within a couple of weeks. The AD/CVD petition, filed by domestic manufacturers in 2024, has seen early success as the Department of Commerce investigation found that Chinese exporters flooded the U.S. market with unfairly priced and heavily subsidized vehicles — threatening American manufacturing jobs and the industry. As a result, preliminary tariffs have been applied ranging from 200%-500% on illegally imported carts. 

CLUBS / COURSES

Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, True Blue Golf Club: Pawley's Island courses are listed in Golfweek's annual Best Courses You Can Play rankings for South Carolina. Golfweek ranked Caledonia as the Palmetto State’s fourth best public course, followed by True Blue at No. 5.

Founders Group International: King’s North at Myrtle Beach National in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, closed its back nine on May 26 as architect Brandon Johnson returned to lead the final phase of the two-year renovation project. Johnson, who transformed the front nine in summer 2024, is expected to reinterpret the famous SC-shaped bunkers on the island green 12th hole and create a completely new look for the 18th hole, long known for its 40-plus bunkers and water-lined fairway.

Giants Ridge: Biwabik, Minnesota, destination announces that both its championship courses are listed in new rankings unveiled by Golf Digest and Golfweek. The Quarry finished 58th in Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses and was selected to the Best Course You Can Play in Minnesota list for the 10th straight year. The Quarry also tied for 35th in Golfweek’s ranking of the best resort courses in the U.S. The Legend finished sixth in Golfweek's Best Course You Can Play in Minnesota list and 108th among top U.S. resort courses.

Southworth: Embarks on a multimillion dollar amenity enhancement project at The Abaco Club on Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas. Already completed are the 18-hole El Diabo putting course and Wake Field, a new venue for wiffle ball and other outdoor activities. Future amenities include a new racquet facility with four new tennis courts, four padel courts and additional pickleball courts, and Winding Bay Club, a new beach club that will feature a resort-style infinity edge pool and hot tub, bar and clubhouse, cinema and game room, boutique and an adults-only “19th Hole” member lounge. The club is scheduled to open in fall 2025.

GEAR

Nippon Shaft: Maja Stark won the U.S. Women’s Open using N.S.Pro Modus3 Wedge 105 and AWT 2.0 shafts in her irons, while PGA Tour Champions' Principal Charity Classic winner Miguel Angel Jimenez played N.S.Pro Modus3 Tour105 shafts in his irons and wedges.

Aime Leon Dore, FootJoy: Announce their inaugural collaboration, a bespoke edition of the Premiere Series Field LX. The shoes reimagine FootJoy’s iconic silhouette through a modern lens as a full-grain pebbled leather upper is paired with a high-gloss black patent leather rand, a striking contrast inspired by the bold aesthetics of late 1990s performance footwear. The Aime Leon Dore / FootJoy Premiere Series Field LX is available exclusively at Aime Leon Dore flagship locations and online at AimeLeonDore.com and FootJoy.com.

Ben Hogan Golf: Launches its new PTx family of drivers, fairway woods and hybrids. The PTx Max is designed for stability and forgiveness, and features a Moment of Inertia of over 10,000; the PTx LST emphasizes maximum distance and has a carbon-fiber Speed Slot on the side of the driver to enhance aerodynamics. They are complemented by PTx Max fairway woods and PTx Max hybrids featuring variable face thickness and perimeter-weighted designs. The drivers retail for $379.99; the fairway woods for $219.99; and the hybrids for $199.99.

MEDIA

Golf as Life: Accepting pre-orders for its coffee table book, "Golf as Life: Volume 1." The 160-page, hardbound book is expected to be in bookstores in early November and can be pre-ordered for $45 at GolfasLife.com. 

PEOPLE

Stanley 1913: Announces No. 1-ranked Nelly Korda as a brand ambassador for the global lifestyle brand. Korda will highlight her favorite Stanley products including those she uses to fuel her active lifestyle, such as the All Day Slim Bottle.

Blue Tees Golf: Announces social media influencer and golf personality Paige Spiranac as its newest brand ambassador. The partnership kicks off with a new campaign, "Play with Paige," a sweepstakes promotion to give golfers a chance to earn their way into a golf foursome with Spiranac. To enter, users download the Blue Tees game app and invite two friends.

LIV Golf: Appoints Chris Heck to the newly created role of president of business operations. Reporting to CEO Scott O’Neil, Heck will be responsible for business operations execution on a global scale. Heck previously served as president of the English Premier League’s Aston Villa FC, the National Basketball Association’s Philadelphia 76ers and Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls. Heck assumes the role officially on June 16.

PHILANTHROPY

Cimarron Hills Golf and Country Club: Georgetown, Texas, club's ninth Cimarron Hills Pro-Am, which supported PGA REACH Southern Texas and the J.L. Lewis Memorial Scholarship Fund, raised more than $70,000. In 2021, proceeds from the event were dedicated to a new scholarship for PGA REACH Southern Texas named after the late J.L. Lewis, a former PGA Tour player and long-time STPGA member and teacher.

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