Wednesday Jun 15, 2022
FIRST THOUGHT

There was a time when U.S. Opens were just, well, U.S. Opens, void of any corporate sponsorships. The business landscape, though, has changed and at this week's 122nd U.S. Open at The Country Club, there will be eight official sponsors on the Brookline, Massachusetts, grounds, according to Sports Business Journal. The eight (including category and year activated) are Rolex (timekeeper, 1980), American Express (payment system, 2006), Lexus (luxury vehicle, 2006), Deloitte (strategic partner, 2014), Cisco (technology, 2018), Dewar's (scotch whisky, 2021), Sentry (insurance, 2021) and ProMedica (health/wellbeing, 2022).

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> Question of the Week: Who will win the U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, and why?
Send replies on this question or other topics to shall@morningread.com. For your response to be published, you 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

> Reaching out: Jeff Brauer provides insight into his plans for his new role as Director of Outreach for the ASGCA
[Jeff Brauer | By Design | Read]

> U.S. Open showcases golf's drive to innovate in sports betting
[Johnny Aitken | Sportico | Read]

> Spaniard Jon Rahm worried how LIV Golf could negatively impact Ryder Cup
[Brentley Romine | Golf Channel | Read]

> Thumbs-up from Phil Mickelson doesn’t bring normalcy to US Open
[Doug Ferguson | Associated Press | Read]

> What NBC will — and won’t — cover in Phil Mickelson’s U.S. Open return
[James Colgan | Golf.com | Read]

> Boston's other Green Monster
[Joe Passov | SI / Morning Read | Read]

> Oral history: The three biggest moments at The Country Club in Brookline
[Chad Finn | The Boston Globe via Boston.com | Read]

The Country Club: Old world charm, new world demands
While this U.S. Open venue drips with history, the course has a sporty new look that is built to test today's modern players
THE INDUSTRY
Ivins, Utah, course names Brenton Rice as general manager, Ken Yates as golf course superintendent and Jordan Rhodes as assistant golf course superintendent
Read More
Shafts were played in all the woods of RBC Canadian Open winner; Ventus played by respective winners on PGA Tour Champions, Korn Ferry
Read More
In honor of its 25th anniversary, the program selects its largest class to date
Read More

Announced: By The Thunderbirds, hosts of the WM Phoenix Open, a partnership with the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division to offer a new Thunderbirds Charities specialty license plate. This specialty license plate is available through the MVD for $25 per year, with $17 of each plate sold supporting The Thunderbirds Scholars program.

#QOTD
"When people say they dream of playing in the U.S. Open someday, what they're really saying is, they'd like to be good enough to play. Trust me, the U.S. Open is not fun."
— Tom Weiskopf
ICYMI
Design Notes: Nicklaus Design celebrates a return to an old favorite
Tripp Davis tweaks The International’s Oaks course in Massachusetts; Dan Hixson soon to open Bar Run in Oregon; Raymond Hearn wraps up a revitalization of New Jersey’s Metedeconk National
VOICES
Donnie Dotson is using a tech investor mindset to jumpstart golf careers
Carry founder and CEO joins 'The ModGolf Podcast' to discuss how he has taken his business development and investing experience to create a platform that connects up-and-coming golfers with investors through a sense of community
TUNING IN

United States Golf Association: U.S. Open
Site: The Country Club, Brookline, Massachusetts | GCSAA Fact Sheet
Television: Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (USA Network), 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (NBC), 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (USA Network); Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (USA Network), 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (NBC); Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, noon to 7 p.m. (NBC).

LPGA Tour: LPGA Meijer Classic
Site: Blythefield Country Club, Belmont, Michigan | GCSAA Fact Sheet
Television: Thursday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).

CALENDAR

JUNE
22-23: LPGA Leadership Academy, Saginaw, Mich. | Info

JULY
13-14: LPGA Leadership Academy, Liberty Corner, N.J. | Info
19-20: LPGA Leadership Academy, Gainesville, Va. | Info
26-27: Multi-Course and Resort Operators Retreat, Charleston, S.C. | Info

AUGUST
1-2: LPGA Leadership Academy, Newcastle, Wash. | Info

JANUARY 2023
23-25: Golf Business Conference, Orlando, Fla.
24-27: PGA Show, Orlando, Fla. | Info

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

LAST CALL