The First Call 04-19-24

FIRST THOUGHT

The RBC Heritage on Thursday had a Masters-like vibe as newly minted champion Scottie Scheffler (69) and top-five finishers Ludvig Aberg (66) and Collin Morikawa (65) found themselves in the mix after the first round. J.T. Poston carded an 8-under 63, while Morikawa and Aberg are positioned inside the top five.

IN THIS ISSUE

> Who is golf's next needle-mover? | Read

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

During Masters week, Sergio Garcia blamed the media for the fracture between LIV Golf and the PGA and European tours. Who do you believe is at fault?

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.
> Read responses to last week's question.

Who is golf's next needle-mover?

There are plenty of viable candidates, but, writes Gary Van Sickel, each seems to be lacking in one area or another

INDUSTRY NEWS

Black Desert Resort, Caddiemaster: Announce partnership

Caddiemaster facilitates the day-to-day operations of Black Desert’s caddie program providing forecaddie services to guests of the St. George, Utah, course

GolfForever: Launches certification program for instructors

GolfForever certified coaches learn how to quickly identify parts of a student’s body that may be hindering their swing and then use GolfForever to improve those deficiencies

SwingU: Announces College Player of the Month Awards

In partnership with the Golf Coaches Association of America, seven divisional winners were announced for March

JM Eagle LA Championship: Boasts elite field for 2024

Twenty world top-25 players, including world No. 1 Nelly Korda and No. 2 Lilia Vu, major champions Danielle Kang and Lexi Thompson, and LPGA winner Rose Zhang headline field for April 25-28 LPGA event

Upper Deck Golf: Extends collaboration with Stand Up To Cancer

Relationship is in fifth year as organizations agree to a multiyear extension

READ, WATCH, LISTEN

> Inside the latest PGA Tour PAC meeting, where 'fan-first' was the message from a special guest speaker
[Adam Schupak | Golfweek | Read]

> It’s Nelly Korda time. How far can she take the LPGA?
[Sean Zak | Golf.com | Read]

> Does anyone on tour dress better than Keith Mitchell?
[Marty Hackel | Golf Digest | Read]

#QOTD

"There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart."

— Jane Austen

TUNING IN

PGA Tour: RBC Heritage
Site: Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Television [ET]: Today, 2-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).
Leaderboard | GCSAA Fact Sheet

PGA Tour: Corales Puntacana Championship
Site: Puntacana Resort & Club (Corales), Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Television [ET]: Today, 8-10 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 3-5 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Leaderboard | GCSAA Fact Sheet

LPGA Tour: Chevron Championship
Site: The Club at Carlton Woods, The Woodlands, Texas.
Television [ET]: Today, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Golf Channel), 6-8 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 2-3 p.m. (Peacock), 3-6 p.m. (NBC).
Leaderboard | GCSAA Fact Sheet

PGA Tour Champions: Invited Celebrity Classic
Site: Las Colinas Country Club, Irving, Texas.
Television [ET]: Today, 9-11 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay); Saturday-Sunday, 5-7 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Leaderboard | GCSAA Fact Sheet

TFC PODCAST NETWORK

THE MODGOLF PODCAST
Turning a homemade golf game into a global business
Tyler Simmons, CEO and founder of BucketGolf, joins host Colin Weston to share the story of his creation
[Listen | More 'The ModGolf Podcast' episodes]

DRIVER$: INSIDE THE GOLF INDUSTRY
Golf’s new take on the customer service imperative
Golf Industry Guru co-founder and president James Cronk joins co-hosts Jon Last and David Klein to discuss how golf facilities are balancing labor challenges with evolving guest needs
[Listen | More 'Driver$: Inside the Golf Industry' episodes]

GOLF INNERVIEW WITH ANN LIGUORI
How Anthony Netto is changing adaptive golf
Paraplegic and master golf instructor joins host Ann Liguori to discuss the benefits of the VertaCat, an all-terrain mobility rider
[Listen | More 'Golf Innerview with Ann Liguori' episodes]

WHERE TO NEXT?

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> Senior Director Golf Technology Product Management and Mapping Services
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Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida | Info

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Addison, Texas | Info

> Project Manager
United States Golf Association
Liberty Corner, New Jersey | Info

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CALENDAR

MAY
8-9: National Golf Day, Washington, D.C. | Info
13-15: IAGTO European Convention, Andalucia, Spain | Info

JUNE
17-19: IAGTO North America Golf Tourism Convention,
Boyne Falls, Michigan | Info

JULY
29-31: PGA Buying Summit, Frisco, Texas | Info
30-31: Multi-Course and Resort Operators Retreat, Monterey, California | Info

SEPTEMBER
30-October 2: Golf Inc. Strategies Summit, Hilton Head Island, S.C. | Info

> View complete calendar

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