Thursday Nov 03, 2022
FIRST THOUGHT

For all the talk of how much Dustin Johnson won this year playing eight LIV Golf events — just north of $35 million or roughly $4.4 million per start — $25,000 does not sound like a whole lot. On Wednesday, though, the Advocates Professional Golf Association, a nonprofit tour whose mission is to improve diversity in golf, received a financial commitment from Farmers Insurance for that very amount. The $25,000 will go toward prize and bonus money for the APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Fall Series Finale and it boosted the single-season payouts to $1 million — a first for the tour that was launched 2010.
 
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> Question of the Week: In 2023, LIV Golf is hopeful its team model will lead to franchises being sold. Regardless of your opinion about LIV Golf, do you believe the franchise model is a viable option for golf?

Send replies on this question or other topics to shall@buffalogroupe.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.

READ, WATCH, LISTEN

> Can LIV Golf be successful? Former PGA Tour boss Deane Beman can't see it
[John Hawkins | Sports Illustrated | Read]

> LIV Golf’s Greg Norman still hoping for cooperation with PGA Tour: ‘We did not create the angst’
[Bob Harig | Sports Illustrated | Read

> Attorney for LIV Golf's Patrick Reed files $250M defamation lawsuit against 'jackals' Fox Sports, AP, Shane Ryan
[Tim Schmitt | Golfweek | Read]

> The Rahm rule? Tour says players allowed to skip 1 elevated event
[Rex Hoggard | Golf Channel | Read]

> LIV Golf players have their coveted offseason, so what are they going to do?
[Rex Hoggard | Golf Channel | Read]

> Tiger Woods’ and Rory McIlroy’s new business? A bunch of sports legends are investing
[Sean Zak | Golf.com | Read]

Sun Mountain continues quest to evolve company, products
CEO Ed Kowachek is a company fixture, having been with the Montana-based firm for 37 years, and he still strives for innovation among its offering of bags, carts and outerwear
FACT OF THE DAY
DID YOU KNOW ... ?
Boutique off-course retail stores (less than 2,500 square feet of retail space), account for 5% of Longitudes Group’s 2022 off-course square footage and 11% of LG’s total off-course doors.

Source: Longitudes Group

Learn more about golf industry changes at the off-course channel
THE INDUSTRY
Stephen Curry, Lewis Hamilton, Justin Timberlake, Serena Williams and others headline strategic investor group co-led by Connect Ventures and 25madison Ventures
Read More
Founders of the online golf coaching platform to showcase new range of training aids
Read More
Swedish brand launches collection to brighten autumn and winter wardrobes featuring a water-resistant jacket, full-zip sweatshirt and four breathable, patterned shirts
Read More
Jeffrey Jacobson brings decades of high-level dining experience, personal flare to Show Low, Arizona, golf community
Read More
Burns will be based in Ireland and focused on the European club market for the provider of benchmarking and business intelligence services for private clubs
Read More
New 6,000-square-foot Shelby Township, Michigan, location is just one of a growing number of Five Iron Golf venues where Ace has provided simulator installation
Read More
Newly launched outdoor facility offers golfers a fitting experience at the Southern California resort and is the latest True Spec partnership
Read More
Tournament will return to The Colony and Old American Golf Club, in The Colony, Texas, Oct. 2-8, 2023, and offer a $1.7 million purse
Read More
Tour's final event will take place Nov. 10-13 and feature the top 36 golfers in the standings
Read More

Appointed: By Swing Control, a performance-based golf and lifestyle apparel brand, Read the Greens, Golf Media to promote its new fall apparel and 2023 spring collection. 

Announced: By the Metropolitan Golf Association, that Brad Tilley, 39, of Sleepy Hollow, New York, is the 2022 MGA Jerry Courville Senior Player of the Year, while Tyler Lee, 18, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, is the 2022 MGA Junior Player of the Year.

Selected: By the USGA, Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, in Nichols Hills, Oklahoma, as the host site of the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball. The club hosted the 1953 U.S. Amateur, won by future U.S. Open champion Gene Littler, and has held qualifiers for the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur.

Released: By Kinona, new women’s golf outerwear items to its Apres 18 Collection, including a quilted golf skort and golf jacket, a hoodie dress, a sport skirt and wide-leg pants.

Announced: By the U.S. Disabled Golf Association, that the 2023 United States Disabled Open Championship will be held at PGA Golf Club’s Ryder Course in Port St. Lucie, Florida, May 8-10, 2023. The PGA of America will serve as presenting partner of the championship.

Honored: By the PGA of America, 12 PGA members during its National Awards on Nov. 1 in Phoenix, Arizona. The recipients were Tom Wildenhaus, director of golf, Olde Florida Golf Club, Naples, Florida (PGA Golf Professional of the Year); Jamie Mulligan, Southern California PGA Section member and CEO, Virginia Country Club, Long Beach, California (PGA Teacher and Coach of the Year); Joe Assell, Colorado PGA Section member, and president and CEO, Golftec (PGA Golf Executive of the Year); Tim Beckwith (posthumously), North Florida PGA Section member and most recently the director of golf, Sarasota National Golf Club, Venice, Florida, (Bill Strausbaugh Award); Dr. Rich Ballinger, PGA member (PGA Professional Development Award); Bryan DeMarco, head professional, Pine Barrens Golf Club, Jackson, New Jersey (Deacon Palmer Award); Joe Grohman, owner and operator, Joe Grohman Golf Foundation, Hobe Sound, Florida (Patriot Award); Thomas Yost, Sun County PGA Section member (PGA Player Development Award); Andrew Miller, Philadelphia PGA Section member and PGA director of instruction, LedgeRock Golf Club, Mohnton, Pennsylvania (PGA Youth Player Development Award); Caroline Basarab, Georgia PGA Section member and director of retail, Reynolds Lake Oconee, Greensboro, Georgia (PGA Merchandiser of the Year, Resort Category); Brian Tolnar, director of golf operations and recreation, Mill Creek MetroParks Golf Course, Youngstown, Ohio (PGA Merchandiser of the Year, Public Category); and Ian Brown, Illinois PGA Section member and director of golf, Butterfield Country Club, Oak Brook, Illinois (PGA Merchandiser of the Year, Private Category).

#QOTD
"I am tired of being tired and talking about how tired I am."
— Amy Poehler
ICYMI
Q&A: Sebastian Haapahovi, CEO, Takomo Golf
Haapahovi talks with The First Call's Gary Van Sickle about the impetus for his equipment manufacturer's D2C model and why it is so appealing
TFC Podcast Network
Dottie Pepper talks playing, broadcasting and golf's hot topics
Two-time major winner and current CBS golf analyst joins 'Golf Innerview' host Ann Liguori to discuss a full spectrum of topics that cover the breadth of Pepper's career — and some of golf's current hot-button issues

TFC PODCAST NETWORK RECENT EPISODES
> Going Pro with Kelly O.: How to train for a World Long Drive championship
> Behind the Brand: How David Maxfield Golf is growing on YouTube
> The ModGolf Podcast: Growing golf is as simple as extending an invitation
TUNING IN

PGA Tour: World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba
Site: El Camaleon Golf Club, Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Television: Today-Saturday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 2-5 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Leaderboard

LPGA Tour: Toto Japan Classic
Site: Seta Golf Club, Shiga, Japan.
Television: Today, 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. (Golf Channel); Friday, 11:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Leaderboard

PGA Tour Champions: Timbertech Championship
Site: Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club, Boca Raton, Florida.
Television: Friday, noon to 3 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay); Sunday, 6-9 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay).
GCSAA Fact Sheet

CALENDAR

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
10-12: West Michigan Golf Show, Grand Rapids, Mich. | Info

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

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