The First Call 09-02-2022

FIRST THOUGHT

In observance of Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 5, The First Call will not publish. We will resume publishing on Tuesday, Sept. 6. We hope you have a safe, enjoyable and reflective holiday weekend.

> The First Call | Quick Reads: In an effort to meet our readers where they read, we have introduced Quick Reads, a LinkedIn newsletter that captures the golf industry's top headlines each Monday-Thursday evening. To subscribe, click here.

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> Question of the Week: From 1987 through 1997, the Tour Championship was played at seven different venues. Since 1998, 22 of the 25 Tour Championships have been played at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. Would you like to see the PGA Tour move its Tour Championship around the country? If so, which course.

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

> PGA Tour threatens to ban Japan Golf Tour players who compete in LIV Golf events
[Bob Harig | Sports Illustrated / Morning Read | Read]

> LIV Golf is drawing up a 2023 schedule to start in February and include events in Spain, Australia
[Alex Miceli | Sports Illustrated / Morning Read | Read]

> Two years after bankruptcy, The International golf club outside Boston to host LIV Golf this week
[Joe McDonald | Golfweek via Worcester Telegram Gazette | Read]

> As pro golf feuds, the recreational game continues to boom
[Erik Matuszewski | Forbes | Read]

> Envisioning a diverse future for golf
[Abby Olcese | GCM | Read]

> Georgia's Rusty Strawn wins U.S. Senior Amateur after beating third past champion in match play
[Ryan Herrington | Golf Digest | Read]

Why Odin Golf is going 'balls out' to build golf community

Co-founder Jordan Lunetta joins 'The ModGolf Podcast' to share his vision for building an engaging platform for the 'everyday golfer'

LISTEN

THE INDUSTRY

2023 PGA Show to feature expanded enhancements

Innovation and technology drive continued evolution of golf’s longest running and largest business gathering as it prepares for 70th-year celebration in January

PXG launches fall/winter 2022 apparel collection

Inspired by PXG’s American roots, the collection showcases golf performance clothing with a western flair

Colony Bay Club executive chef Stephen Bush receives regional honor

Bush, chef at the Bonita Springs, Florida, club, named the American Culinary Federation's Southeast Chef of the Year at the ACF National Convention and awarded a silver medal in the ACF’s National Chef of the Year competition

Timber Craft Whiskey becomes title sponsor of Skn in the Game charity event

Payne Stewart Kids Golf Foundation, SknVue to benefit from the Sept. 21 tournament in Grapevine, Texas

More Golf's Louis Kelly advances to Korn Ferry Tour First Stage Qualifying

Brand ambassador, who finished T-13 at pre-qualifier, plays a full set of More Golf Mod/1 irons and wedges, along with a Mod/1 Endure putter

Island Resort and Casino touts fall golf season in Michigan's UP

September, October golf packages ideal for experiencing autumn landscape on Sweetgrass and Sage Run courses

Major champs Paula Creamer, Yuka Saso latest to commit to Ascendant LPGA

Thirteen of the world's top 20 in the world currently committed to the championship; tickets currently on sale online

Announced: By Five Iron Golf, that Casa de Campo Resort and Villas in the Dominican Republic is the newest sponsor of the Five Iron Golf Leagues, which run consecutively through April 2023.
Casa de Campo will provide a grand prize of a premium stay-and-play package that includes a four-night stay, golf cart transportation within the resort, a $250 travel voucher and two rounds of golf at each of Casa de Campo’s three courses.

Merged: By GreatLife Golf and Fitness, with Brown Golf, a multi-course management operation. GreatLife will retain its name and now boast a collective portfolio of 70 golf courses across nine states. John Brown, co-founder and CEO of Brown Golf, will assume the role of GreatLife Golf's CEO, while Jason Harshbarger, co-owner and CFO of Brown Golf, will now assume the role of GreatLife Golf CFO.

#QOTD

"It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things."

— Theodore Roosevelt

ROUNDS AND WEATHER

> August finished strong with rounds played this past week finishing up 14% vs. 2021. This is primarily driven by the eastern half of the U.S. being heavily impacted when Hurricane Ida made landfall on Aug. 28, 2021. Hurricane Ida, which became the second most damaging hurricane to hit Louisiana, brought strong winds and severe flooding to the Central Valley and Mid-Atlantic regions as it worked its way up to the Northeast.

> As the demand for golf is normalizing from peak COVID levels, the number of days in advance for booked rounds has been decreasing since March.

> As Labor Day weekend approaches, rounds played are forecasted to improve over last year’s performance by more than 2%. Also, the forecast is for a slight increase heading into the fall due to seasonality.

> Florida is the highest performing region outside of hurricane impacted areas, and is on pace to finish up by over 20% vs. 2021.

TUNING IN

LIV Golf: LIV Golf Invitational Boston
Site: The International Golf Club, Bolton, Massachusetts.
Television: LIVGolf.com.

Korn Ferry Tour: Korn Ferry Tour Championship
Site: Victoria National Golf Club, Newburgh, Indiana | GCSAA Fact Sheet
Television: Today-Sunday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel).

LPGA Tour: Dana Open
Site: Highland Meadows Golf Club, Sylvania, Ohio | GCSAA Fact Sheet
Television: Today-Sunday, 1-4 p.m. (Golf Channel).

European Tour: Made In Himmerland
Site: HimmerLand, Farso, Denmark.
Television: Today, 7 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 7:30 to noon (Golf Channel).

CALENDAR

OCTOBER
11-13: Golf Inc. Strategies Summit, Kiawah Island, S.C. | Info

NOVEMBER
6-9: International Association of Golf Administrators, Point Clear, Ala. | Info

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

FEBRUARY
6-9: GCSAA Conference and Trade Show, Orlando, Fla. | Info

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

THE LAST CALL

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