The First Call 01-28-2022

FIRST THOUGHT

Imagine meeting your 2022 goals before reaching February. General manager Neil Hampton of Royal Dornoch Golf Club in Dornoch, Scotland, no longer has to imagine. The esteemed club, whose Championship course was designed by Old Tom Morris and first golf professional was Donald Ross, has met its capacity for rounds booked, having already received 13,000 reservations. “This is unprecedented,” said Hampton, who attributes the easing of pandemic travel restrictions to Scotland as playing a major factor.

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> Question of the Week: When buying new golf equipment, how much do you factor 'hot lists' and online reviews into your decision-making process?
Send replies on this question or other topics to shall@morningread.com. To be considered for publication, your response must include first and last name, along with city and state of residence. Read last week's responses.

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READ, WATCH, LISTEN

> PGA Tour given high marks in Corporate Equality Index, becomes first major sports organization to be included
[Keely Levins | Golf Digest | Read]

Q&A: Golftec CEO Joe Assell named PGA Executive of the Year

Joe Assell started Golftec in the basement of the Cherry Hills Country Club clubhouse in 1995, and it has grown to become the largest instruction and club-fitting company in the world, with more than 700 coaches working at 220 facilities in six countries

An unlikely winning Vibe at PGA Show

Mark Wolf brings Vibe speaker/tumber to Orlando last minute, leaves with top award; E-Z-Go turns to lithium batteries; Gimme Tape takes guess work out of short putts

FACT OF THE DAY

DID YOU KNOW?

In a recent survey of golfers, 37% of female casual golfers who have been playing three years or less plan to play 25-plus rounds in the next year. That is compared with 54% of males who have been golfing three years or less.

Source: Longitudes Group Golf Course Walkability Database

THE INDUSTRY

The Fountaingrove Club unveils new $20 million clubhouse

Santa Rosa, Calif., club's new $20 million facility replaces the club’s former clubhouse that was destroyed by the Tubbs Fire in October 2017

Red Ledges’ Jon Paupore named Golf Digest's best teacher in Utah

Paupore, director of instruction at the Jim McLean Golf School, named to publication's Best Teachers in Every State list for 2022-2023 and second time overall

Streamsong Resort to add Coore & Crenshaw Design course

Resort's short course planned within walking distance of the Lodge at Streamsong

Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel hosts rebranded women's tour

Epson aligns with tour formerly known as Symetra Tour, Coeur d’Alene Tribe in empowering women through golf; Resort to host tour’s Circling Raven Championship in August

ICYMI

NGF releases positive trends not seen since the Tiger Woods era

Upticks in areas such as off-course participation create a huge opportunity for the sport

Club Car's Tempo Walk weds push cart, caddie concept

With golfers walking more, the robotic bag cart provides a simplistic approach to carrying clubs — minus the cost of hiring a caddie

#QOTD

"Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."

— Abraham Lincoln

ROUNDS AND WEATHER

> Despite another week of increased rainfall and colder temperatures, rounds played improved vs. prior week by +16%, but still remain behind same period 2021 by -7%.

> Increased rainfall over the weekend (+247% vs. 2021) and colder temperatures all week (-5 degrees vs. 2021) significantly impacted play in the eastern parts of the country.

> Mountain Pacific and California finished as the top performing regions vs. 2021 this past week. This was due to a week of slightly warmer temperatures and less rainfall for the first time in a few weeks.

> Positive performance is expected to continue from California and Mountain Pacific regions, with both areas on pace to finish up vs. 2021 by over 30% for rounds played over the next five days.

TUNING IN

PGA Tour: Farmers Insurance Open
Site: Torrey Pines Golf Course (South, North), San Diego.
Television: Today, 3-5 p.m. (Golf Channel), 5-8 p.m. (CBS); Saturday, 2:30-4:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 4:30-8 p.m. (CBS).

LPGA Tour: Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio
Site: Boca Rio Golf Club, Boca Raton, Fla.
Television: Today, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 3-5 p.m. (Golf Channel).

European Tour: Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic
Site: Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Television: Today, 2:30-8:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 3:30-8 a.m. (Golf Channel).

CALENDAR

JANUARY
28: PGA Merchandise Show, Orlando, Fla. | Info

FEBRUARY
5-10: GCSAA Conference and Trade Show, San Diego, Calif. | Info
11-13: West Michigan Golf Show, Grand Rapids, Mich. | Info
18-20: Toledo Golf Show, Toledo, Ohio | Info
19-23: CMAA World Conference and Club Business Expo, San Diego, Calif. | Info
20-22: Carolinas PGA Super Show, Greensboro, N.C. | Info
25-27: Colorado Golf Expo, Denver, Colo. | Info
25-27: Chicago Golf Show, Rosemont, Ill. | Info

To submit events for the calendar, please include the event name, date, location and informational link to info@firstcallgolf.com.

LAST CALL

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