Daily Pulse for August 9, 2012

         

ANY IDEA WHO SAID THIS?“I feel like I'm playing pretty well, if I had to give my season a grade to this point, I'd probably give it a B.”

BRAIN TEASER: Dating back to the 2009 U.S. Open won by Lucas Glover, 12 of the last 14 major championships have been captured by first-time major winners. Who are the two players in the last 14 championships that have already won a major before?

WHO KNEW? While the economy continues to chug along or sputter depending on your viewpoint, it appears golf is seeing some better days. Golf Datatech, LLC (www.golfdatatech.com), announced that golf equipment sales at On Course shops nationwide are trending at an all-time high, with every key equipment category enjoying positive growth over 2011 levels.

The findings are backed by consistent favorable weather conditions throughout the country, which has led to increased rounds played and resulted in the record setting equipment sales.  Golf Datatech began tracking retail golf equipment sales in January of 1997, and the 2012 findings mark the first time that the dollar amount of equipment sales at On Course golf shops has been higher than in the first six months of the previous year. According to the company, through the end of June, total On Course equipment sales totaled $493.3 million, a 15.7% increase over the June 2011 total.

“The first six months of weather has been extremely favorable throughout most of the country for golf participation and the effects of this are evident in rounds played and equipment sales,” said Golf Datatech’s Tom Stine.  “Nothing helps golf sales like good weather, and this study represents very good news for the entire golf industry.”

On Course golf equipment categories in dollars all increased for the first six months with golf balls up 10.3%, woods up 12.4%, irons up 7.7%, wedges up 14.8%, putters up 14.4%, shoes up 13.2%, gloves up 5.0% and bags up 8.8%. Golf Datatech also reported the first half total golf equipment sales for both the On and Off Course retail channels increased to $1.4 billion, a 9.9% hike over the same period in 2011.    

THANKS MOTHER NATURE: Further evidence that golf as an industry is improving came from Joe Steranka, the CEO of the PGA of America on the even of the PGA Championship. He said, “Our PerformanceTrak system that we use to measure the relevance of the game as a business around the country, (indicates) rounds played are up 14 percent year over year. It shows that even in this post-recession world, that golf is an important part of the fun and recreation of folks' lives.”

MADE IN AMERICA: The dynamic growth of golf in Asia has prompted suggestions that the continent merits a major championship of its own but if that does ever happen it will not be as a result of the PGA Championship relocating. READ MORE>>>

WEB GEMS:

ITS THE ARROW NOT THE OPERATOR? Rory McIlroy has risked courting controversy on the eve of the US PGA Championship by claiming improved technology has played a key part in allowing what he described as "lesser players" to win major titles. READ MORE>>>

PREPARING FOR A POSSIBLE CHANGE: If golf decides to ban long putters, U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson will be ready. Simpson said Wednesday he ordered two Scotty Cameron putters that are conventional length and has been practicing with them at home in case the Royal & Ancient Golf Club and U.S. Golf Association decide later this year that anchoring a club to the body will not be allowed. READ MORE>>>

ANOTHER BELIEVES CHANGE IS COMING: Graeme McDowell believes the ruling bodies will act on the hot topic of the putter issue based on his conversations with the R&A and USGA. "They feel like their research has shown that putting under pressure down the stretch on the back nine on Sunday, when you can anchor the putter to a part of your body that just takes one extraneous movement out of the putting stroke," he said. "It's just kind of a physical fact that if you can just take one element of movement and motion out of the stroke that holing putts will become easier.” READ MORE>>>

WHO WILL IT BE? Ahead of the final Major of the season being held this week at Kiawah Island, europeantour.com spoke to some of the assembled international media to get their views on who could be set for US PGA Championship glory this week in South Carolina. READ MORE>>>

ANSWERS: “I feel like I'm playing pretty well, if I had to give my season a grade to this point, I'd probably give it a B.”--Rory McIlroy.

The only multiple-major winners since the 2009 U.S. Open are Phil Mickelson  (2010 Masters Tournament) and Ernie Els (2012 British Open).

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IS BELIEVED TO BE RELIABLE, BUT IT IS NOT GUARANTEED. THE OPINION EXPRESSED IS THAT OF TERRY MCANDREW AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A SOLICITATION TO BUY OR SELL SECURITIES IN ANY OF THE COMPANIES DISCUSSED WITHIN THIS NEWSLETTER. CONTENTS OF THIS NEWSLETTER MAY NOT BE REPRINTED OR REBROADCAST WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED WRITTEN CONSENT OF TMAC GOLF