The First Call 10-07-2021

FIRST THOUGHT

Black Friday became more entertaining with Tuesday's announcement that version 5.0 of "The Match" is what we've been clamoring for all summer — Brooks Koepka versus Bryson DeChambeau. The 12-hole match will be duked out Nov. 26 at Las Vegas' Wynn Golf Club. But given how the boys played nice at the Ryder Cup — even hugging it out at Justin Thomas' request following the post-match presser — you cannot help but wonder at what point during their months-long "feud" did the heavyweights realize that they could parlay bitterness into big bucks.

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READ, WATCH, LISTEN

> Hickory deepens Solomon's love for golf, creates a cherished friendship
[Jim McCabe | Power Fades | Read]

> The politics of municipal golf
[Larry Hirsh | Golf Business Weekly | Read]

> Interview with Jim Nantz
[Kevin Clark | Slow News Day | Watch]

> A long, slow goodbye for an LPGA major whose time might simply have run out
[Larry Bohannan | Palm Springs Desert Sun | Read]

> Cognizant, Aon share wealth in golf sponsorship
[Doug Ferguson | Associated Press | Read]

How your personality, not your game, may affect equipment buys

A research study of introverts and extroverts determines that a golfer's typology may be the difference in preferring a particular brand of equipment

Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?

The top five architects, all members of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, in order of number of courses designed are:
1. Donald J. Ross (338 courses)
2. Arthur Hills (182 courses)
3. Thomas Fazio (180 courses)
4. Robert Trent Jones (178 courses)
5. Geoffrey S. Cornish (149 courses)

Source: Longitudes Group Green Grass database

INDUSTRY NEWS

College Golf Experience, Southern California PGA partner

Entities uniting to connect college coaches, juniors and parents; College Golf Experience to host camps in conjunction with SCPGA Junior Tour events over the next three years

Reynolds Lake Oconee promotes Zouhair Bellout to executive chef

Previously, Bellout served as executive sous chef of Platinum Operations and oversaw the development and summer 2021 launch of the new Richland Pointe restaurant

ShopRite donates more than $1.5 million to charities of ShopRite LPGA Classic

Since 1992, more than $38 million has been donated to Galloway, N.J., area hospitals, food banks, education and youth programs

King Kamehameha GC hires Wendell Inamasu as GM

Inamasu returns to the Maui, Hawaii, club he helped open in May of 2006 and will oversee all elements of the club, including facilities, programming, staff training and development, and membership sales

FlightScope retains BZA Public Relations

Performance data-tracking firm selects BZA Public Relations to develop and implement an integrated communications plan promoting the company’s products

Partnered: By Michelob Ultra, with Bad Birdie for the UltraBad golf apparel collection. The limited-edition collection seeks to change golf culture narrative and will consist of polos, hoodies, hats and various accessories. The collection will range from $35 to $100 and will be available in unisex sizes S-XL.

FEATURES

Q&A: Dan Mechem

Dan Mechem is the newly minted NextLinks CEO after a varied professional career that included being Congressman John McCain’s press secretary, serving as a White House correspondent and Emmy-winning investigative reporter, and rising to vice president at Nielsen Online. Mechem, whose father Charles was the LPGA's commissioner from 1991-1995, shares his key principles to business success and how his past and the pandemic have shaped his view of work.

#QOTD

"Quality is the best business plan."

— John Lasseter

TUNING IN

PGA Tour: Shriners Children’s Open
Site: TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas.
Television: Today-Sunday, 5-8 p.m. (Golf Channel).

LPGA: Cognizant Founders Cup
Site: Mountain Ridge Country Club, West Caldwell, N.J.
Television: Today, 2-5 p.m. (Golf Channel); Friday-Sunday, noon to 3 p.m. (Golf Channel).

PGA Tour Champions: Constellation Furyk and Friends Invitational
Site: Timuquana Country Club, Jacksonville, Fla.
Television: Friday-Sunday, 3-5 p.m. (Golf Channel).

European Tour: Spanish Open
Site: Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Television: Today-Friday, 6:30-11:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 7-11:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 6:30 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel).

CALENDAR

NOVEMBER
9-10: National Golf Course Owners Association Multi-Course and Resort Operators Retreat 2021, Monterey, Calif. | Info
21-24: World Golf Expo 2021, Hainan, China | Info

JANUARY
25-28: PGA Merchandise Show, Orlando, Fla. | Info

FEBRUARY
5-10: GCSAA Conference and Trade Show, San Diego, Calif. | Info

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

LAST CALL

“That’s going to be one of the best par 5’s we’ll ever build.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Continuing our @coorecrenshaw talk series, Ben Crenshaw explains what makes hole 14 at Cabot Point so special.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#cabot #golf pic.twitter.com/C0N8SMzlgt
— CabotSaintLucia (@CabotSaintLucia) October 6, 2021