YOC Partnership Etched to Increase Golf’s Exposure Among Minority Youth

February 16, 2021

Youth on Course, the non-profit organization dedicated to opening doors, supporting dreams and transforming the lives of young people through opportunities on and off the golf course – has partnered with United Golfers Association (UGA) to broaden awareness of the sport among communities of color.

Committed to making the game more appealing, inclusive and accessible to nurture the next generation of lifelong players and lovers of the game, the partnership will grant all UGA junior members a Youth on Course membership that provides the opportunity to play rounds of golf for $5 or less at more than 1,400 courses nationwide along with access to GolfPass’ library of over 4,000 instructional videos and the perks of booking YOC rounds online with GolfNow. Members also benefit from career opportunities through Youth on Course’s caddie and internship programs and college scholarships.

“We recognize that providing access to play golf affordably and opening doors of opportunity are important vehicles in creating a more inclusive space for young people of color, from the first time a kid steps foot on a course, to teeing it up against the world’s best,” says Michael Lowe, vice president of programs for Youth on Course. “Had the UGA not been created in 1925, the lack of diversity we see in golf today would be even greater, so we are thankful for UGA members and supporters, past, present and future, and are honored to be working collaboratively to make meaningful change.”

“We’re working to increase the diversity throughout the sport with more Black junior golfers nationwide, and a key part of that strategy is fostering relationships with mission-driven organizations that have established platforms like Youth on Course. This is a game-changer for our youth,” says Tarek “Ty” DeLavallade, executive director of UGA, “Accessibility and affordability have always been an issue for underserved youth in most urban communities. Together with Youth on Course, which has built a community of more than 100,000 junior golfers, we will get this done at a rate much faster than expected. We will work to diversify this sport today so that we can inspire and usher in our new generation of golfers for tomorrow. This is how we change golf.”

PuttOUT have added a new Premium Pressure Putt Trainer to their lineup.The redesign adds extra functionality to a MyGolfSpy award-winning product.PuttOUT have also introduced a Compact Putting Mirror.$39.99/£29.99, Available today.

Bored of social distancing and the impact it’s having on your golf game? Try practicing at home with the new PuttOUT Premium Pressure Putt Trainer. 

We’ve all been there. We’ve had a bad round of golf, not holed a thing and blamed the putter. It couldn’t possibly be you, could it? Therefore a new putter is the solution to all your putting woes. Right?

In all likelihood, it probably isn’t. Don’t spend hundreds of dollars on a new flatstick that you probably won’t get fitted for, so there’s about zero chance it will suit your stroke and help you hole more putts. You’re trying to buy putting nirvana when it’s practice that will help you achieve Zen on the greens.

Less than $40 will get you a PuttOUT Premium Pressure Putt Trainer, helping you hone that putting stroke with all that extra time you’re spending at home these days.

Have you tried a PuttOUT?

PuttOUT released the original Pressure Putt Trainer four years ago and they’ve sold more than 400,000 units. Now known as the Classic Pressure Putt Trainer, it wasn’t broken so they haven’t had to fix it. 

Odyssey releases 10 versions of their popular Ten putter.Five different alignment schemes and slant necks available.In stores March 11 with a MSRP of $299.99.

The script definitely has been flipped with the release of the new Odyssey Ten putter line. About a month ago, Odyssey Golf announced the return of the beloved White Hot insert in the unapologetically retro White Hot OG putter line. Some voiced concerns that Odyssey was abandoning their modern putter advances. That was understandable as the updated Stroke Lab shaft was the only modern Odyssey advance featured in the White Hot OG line. And, remember, that shaft is optional for White Hot OG putters.

This new Odyssey Ten line should remove all doubts about Odyssey’s continued commitment to advancing putter technology. These putters are packed with tech. From the shaft to the insert, the face to the weighting, Odyssey has loaded these putters with all of the modern elements that they believe make for better putting. How confident are they in this line? Odyssey’s Luke Williams calls the 2-Ball Ten “the greatest 2-Ball ever.”

Ever? Think about what has been accomplished with the 2-Ball since its inception 20 years ago. Could this version of the 2-Ball really be better than all others?

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Odyssey Ten: Not a Putter, But a Line of Putters

Nobody was really clamoring for the range finders in professional golf. It's debatable whether they'll speed up play. In fact, some think they will slow things down. So why now?

Vista Pro is Fujikura’s #1 clubfitter line.It provides golfers with an affordable aftermarket option.MSRP is $125 – Woods, $55 – Hybrids, and $50- Irons

Launched in 1999, Fujikura describes the original Vista Pro shaft lineup as the “first true fitting shaft in North America.” That first Vista Pro was a flighted lineup available in weights from 50 to 90 grams.

If you’re not familiar with the term flighted, it means the launch characteristics of the shaft change with the weight. In the case of the Vista Pro, as the shafts increase in weight, the profiles transition from high-launch in the lightweight versions to mid-launch in the heavier models. Fujikura’s objective was to offer its fitters robust fitting options while maintaining a consistent feel and cosmetics throughout the lineup.

The New Fujikura Vista Pro

All of that’s still true with the current Vista Pro offering though Fuji has jettisoned the really heavy stuff in favor of lighter offerings. As technology has improved, there really isn’t much need to fit an average golfer into a 90-gram driver shaft. On the other end, slower swing speed golfers, in particular, can benefit from the 45-gram option.

In addition to driver shafts, the new Vista Pro lineup includes hybrid shafts (40-, 50, 50 and 70- HB options) and irons (40-70 grams).

Daniel Berger holed a 30-foot eagle putt to seal his win Sunday in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Jordan Spieth holed out from 160 yards for eagle on the 16th hole at Pebble Beach, the start of a stunning turnaround that took him from 2 shots behind to a 2-shot lead Saturday in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Francesco Molinari has a major championship. Still, he proved on the first tee at Pebble Beach, even the professionals are like the rest of us.

Best Golf Bag Deals

Walking or riding, we all want to have a great bag to hold our clubs. Getting one at a great price is a big plus as well. Let’s take a look at some of the best golf bag deals we currently found on strong performers in our most wanted testing.

Stand Bags

While a good stand bag might not improve your golf game, they certainly can help make walking the course a more comfortable and enjoyable experience. That said, the wrong stand bag, such as one with poor strap design, poor balance, or lacking storage, can make a round on foot frustrating. Let’s take a look at a few bags that should provide a great walking experience without breaking the bank.

Wilson Staff Exo

Ranked the Best Value Stand Bag in The Best Stand Bags of 2019, the Wilson Staff Exo provides everything you could want in a stand bag. Functional storage pockets are easily accessible while walking, and wide 5-way dividers make pulling and replacing clubs a breeze. A versatile strap system keeps the bag comfortable on your back and sturdy legs are stable on the ground. Admittedly the limited color options might not be to everyone’s taste and the water bottle location isn’t the best. Still, if one does suit your style, then it’s an excellent option for the price.

Price: $149.97

 

Jordan Spieth carded a 5-under 67 on Friday to take a 1-shot lead over Daniel Berger into weekend play at Pebble Beach

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2020 NCGA Hole-In-One Sweepstakes Winners

February 12, 2021

NCGA members Raymond Jeung and Eric Morgan were the grand prize winners of the 2020 NCGA Hole-In-One Sweepstakes.

Every year, the NCGA holds a Hole-In-One Sweepstakes where members can report their ace and be entered into a sweepstakes with the grand prize being a round of golf for four at Poppy Hills or Poppy Ridge (note: the courses rotate each year. In 2021 the two winners will receive a foursome at Poppy Ridge).

In addition, those lucky enough to get an ace receive a custom-designed coin to commemorate their shot.

Jeung, who lives in San Francisco, got his ace on the 162-yard 6th hole at Hiddenbrooke GC using a 5-wood. Morgan, a Walnut Creek resident, got his on the 130-yard 3rd hole at Oakhurst GC.

The European Tour has announced a new tournament in Kenya will be played next month. The Kenya Savannah Classic will be played March 23-26, one week after the Kenya Open.

Key Takeaways:

The Cleveland Frontline Putter series adds new models.Two wide blades and four mid-mallets offer more choices.Forward CG technology designed to help keeps putts on line.$199.99, available today.

Looking for a moderately priced putter with some interesting technology? You could do a lot worse than the Cleveland Frontline Putter series. That may sound like faint praise but it’s not intended to be.

We live in a world where you can easily drop four bills on a putter. There’s minimal tech but it’s sexy and has a collectible headcover. But we also live in a world where a forged aluminum putter with MIM tungsten and a variable milled face can be had for $199.99. And not for nothing, you get an interesting theory on where the CG should be … for free!

Cleveland’s Frontline Putter series made its debut in September of 2019 with seven models. A year-and-a-half later, reinforcements are coming in the form of six new models. Well, technically, it’s five new models plus a new neck on a sixth.

And none of them has what you’d call traditional MOI.

Cleveland’s Frontline Putter Series: CG > MOI?

We detailed the Cleveland Frontline tech story in 2019 so we’ll spare you another deep dive. The short version is that you should forget everything you may have believed about putter MOI. Typically, high MOI putters are big and the higher the MOI, the deeper the CG has to be. Even for a club moving as slowly as a putter, that rear CG can cause the putter face to move laterally on off-center hits.

Key Takeaways

TaylorMade Hi-Toe Raw wedges: full-face grooves, full raw faceTaylorMade adds more lofts to the Hi-Toe line, 50 through 62 degrees.Big Foot wedge line gets an added loft.MSRP $180, available Feb. 19

The TaylorMade Hi-Toe Raw and Hi-Toe Big Foot wedges are a mouthful. And very soon they’ll be a “raw” mouthful.

TaylorMade is updating and expanding the Hi-Toe lineup, giving you more lofts and more bounce options. And the entire line is going with a raw face and full heel-to-toe grooves.

So what is this mouthful of a wedge all about? Let’s break it down.

TaylorMade Hi-Toe Raw: Niche is the Word

Full-face wedges aren’t for everyone and Hi-Toe-style wedges aren’t for everyone. Super-wide-soled wedges aren’t for everyone, either. The math, therefore, is telling you that you have wedges that might not be for anyone. In this case, however, versatility trumps math.

High-toe wedges are officially a thing now. You can trace the idea back to the PING Eye 2 but Callaway made them mainstream with the Mack Daddy PM Grind in 2015. Callaway gave the PMs the full-face treatment and, since then Wilson, Cleveland and others have followed suit with their own high-toe, full-face groove options.

Patrick Cantlay tied a course record during first-round action at Pebble Beach on Thursday, firing a 10-under 62, good for a 2-shot lead.

PXG 0211 ST irons feature a traditional muscle-back profileTriple-forged from 8620 soft carbon steelMSRP $149 per club

The PXG 0211 ST irons follow suit as a niche offering in PXG’s more affordable 0211 series of equipment. PXG’s standard 0211 irons are designed to fit a broad range of players. However, a quick glance at the 0211 ST (Super Tour) irons tells you that’s not the case this time around.

30,000 FOOT VIEW

The 0211 ST irons are very much what you’d expect from a club that PXG asserts “pushes distance and workability for skilled golfers.” Shorter blade length, compact profile, minimal offset and a thin top line are generally requisite features of so-called blade irons.

But, again, there’s a bit of an engineering twist, according to PXG. A tapered sole and back-bottom flange add mass toward the toe side of the clubhead. Additionally, some material is removed from the upper mid-section and repositioned to the high toe.

The redistribution of weight creates a marginally more stable club face. That said, the shorter blade length generates less MOI about the shaft axis which is what allows golfers more control over the club face at impact.

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2021 Stand Bag Buyer’s Guide

Are you in the market for a new stand bag? Or just want to add another to your collection? If so, we have you covered with the Best Stand Bags of 2021!

This has been our most comprehensive stand bag test to date. It was comprised of 39 different models from 24 OEMs, ensuring you get the best advice possible based on our review of the majority of the stand bags on the market.

The stand bag category has expanded from the traditional slim design to hybrid and ultra-slim categories, making your buying decision even tougher.

That’s where we come in. We have identified which bag is best in each category to suit your personal preference.

Keep reading to find out what to look for when purchasing a new stand bag.

Key Takeaways:

Record $375 million in sales in Q4 for CallawayClub sales up 48.5 percent, ball sales up 14.3 percent, apparel sales up 8.7 percent over Q4 2019Callaway still posts net loss for Q4 but for a very good reason.Overall net loss for 2020 but not as bad as it could have been.

The Callaway Q4 and 2020 financial reports are out and they say what you’d expect. And maybe what you wouldn’t expect.

The golf industry’s comeback continued to roar in Q4. Callaway posted another record quarter with $375 million in sales, a jump of 20 percent over Q4 of 2019. That increase was fueled by a huge leap in club sales and a respectable bump in ball sales compared to 2019.

“We are very pleased with how strongly our business finished 2020,” said Callaway CEO Chip Brewer in a statement. “This increase reflects the continued unprecedented demand in our golf equipment business and a quicker than expected recovery in our soft goods business led by sales of Travis Mathew and Jack Wolfskin apparel.”

Although Callaway is reporting a record sales quarter, there is a harsh reality. The company did post a net loss for Q4 which is not uncommon even during the best of times. And there’s also a net loss for the year. Again, not unexpected, given the fact COVID shut down the golf industry for nearly two months in the spring.

There is a lot to unpack here so let’s get to it.

Whats your favorite SWEET TART color?

Thats what the new Arnold Palmer Collection by PUMA reminds me of with its bright variant colors.

Inspired in part by the iconic “Arnold Palmer,” drink, a mixture of sweet lemonade and cool iced tea, the newest iteration of the collection combines hi-tech, modern fabrics with a sophisticated take on Mr. Palmer’s signature style, both on and off the golf course.

The collection includes other hidden discoverable details including pink stitching on the top buttons of the polos, real shell buttons with Arnold Palmer’s name engraved on them, and unique hangtags inspired by the cataloging labels used in his personal archives.

So get your SWEET TART on and find those hidden easter egg discoverable’s in these pictures.