"You lose a lot more in golf than you win. So when you do win, you have to enjoy it. I'm going to go back home and enjoy it with my friends and enjoy it with my family and, yeah, I love being from Northern Ireland. I tell everyone how great it is. For me, it's the best place on earth. I'm obviously biased, but I love it back there and I love the people."
HINT: Look at the bottom of the page.
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Tuesday, 18 June 2013 16:09 | Written by TMAC GOLF | | |
John Daly is some ways resembles a cat with nine lives. He has had equipment deals with Callaway Golf, TaylorMade, Pinnacle, and Dunlop to name but a few but now "Mr. Grip It and Rip It" has entered into business relationships with Polara Golf, which dubs itself the leader in game improvement equipment for the recreational golfer. "We're extremely excited to have John on board as our first Polara Golf Ambassador," said Dave Felker, Founder, President and Chief Technology Officer for Polara Golf. "John's all about enjoying the game and having fun on the golf course which is exactly what we at Polara Golf are all about. His bold, no-nonsense approach to the game is what makes him so popular with his fans, and John's fans are the same recreational golfers that we design and manufacture golf equipment for. So this is a perfect fit."
All of the Polara golf balls and clubs are designed for use by recreational golfers who want to take advantage of technology improvements designed to help them score lower and enjoy the game more. However, the ruling bodies of the game don’t permit the products in competition, which makes the union of Daly and Polara somewhat unique. The two-time major champion and 1991 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year won’t be able to use the products other than in his spare time. "I'm really excited about being involved with Polara Golf. They've created some exciting products for recreational golfers that will allow them to Grip It and Rip It, be more consistently in the fairway, and ultimately have a lot more fun on the golf course!," said John Daly.
The two parties seem to share something in common. Both aren’t afraid to be non-conforming. Daly is an open book, while his new business partner may be able to draft off his reputation.
"Although we do not agree with the USGA's ban on anchoring, we do respect the USGA's right to make and amend their rules, which apply to USGA sanctioned tournaments and the professional tours, " said Felker recently. "But the fact is their rules and their adopted ban on anchoring only apply to about 15-20% of the golfers. That's the number of golfers that either keep a USGA handicap or play in USGA sanctioned tournaments. The vast majority of golfers don't follow the USGA's rules and simply play for fun and recreation. These recreational golfers either don't know about the ban, don't care about it or simply disagree with it. To even imply that this ban on anchoring would apply to recreational golfers is a case of the USGA overstepping their governing authority. The USGA does not rule all of golf, they only rule USGA sanctioned tournament golf and the small fraction of golfers that choose to play by the USGA rules during normal rounds, but this is a small fraction of golfers." Sounds like a match made in heaven!
Tuesday, 18 June 2013 10:31 | Written by TMAC GOLF | | |
Justin Rose made the media stops on Tuesday and while at CNBC he said controlling his breathing was one of the reasons he won the US Open. “Breathing technique, and pre-round breathing, that is a huge key for me. I think it is a huge key for me and ultimately I felt like Sunday I was in control, but I had a vision or analogy of being in a tunnel all week, and the only things that existed with me in the tunnel is three or four specific thoughts and if I got out, I knew I was not helping, and so what, get back into the tunnel, and to keep it simple is the thing to do.”
Wednesday, 12 June 2013 06:35 | Written by TMAC GOLF | | |
The United States Golf Association (USGA) has unveiled a new public education campaign around the theme of “While We’re Young,” a new positioning to raise awareness across the golf community of the challenges and solutions to the pace-of-play issues in the game. Borrowing the iconic line from the character played by Rodney Dangerfield in the classic 1980 film Caddyshack, the campaign takes a lighthearted and comedic approach to encourage golfers of all skill levels and golf course facilities to join a movement to improve pace of play and reduce the time it takes to play the game.
According to industry research, the time that it takes to play golf is a principal driver that adversely impacts enjoyment of and discourages participation. In a recent study by the National Golf Foundation (NGF), 91 percent of serious golfers are bothered by slow play and say it detracts from their golf experience; more than 70 percent believe pace of play has worsened over time; and half acknowledged that they walked off the course due to frustration over a marathon round of golf. USGA research shows that the golfer is just one component within a complex, integrated system that determines pace of play in the game. Golf course design, course setup and player management also contribute to longer playing times.
“Pace of play has become a strategic priority for the USGA, and part of a larger leadership agenda to address the issues that threaten the long-term health of the game,” said USGA President Glen D. Nager. “Our new campaign underscores a commitment to educate golfers and golf facility managers in a fun and engaging manner about all the factors that contribute to pace of play and the role they can have in implementing practical solutions to the problem.”
The USGA will debut a total of five public service announcements, featuring three-time U.S. Open champion Tiger Woods, 1960 U.S. Open champion and golf icon Arnold Palmer, Academy Award–winning actor/director Clint Eastwood, three-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Annika Sorenstam, 2010 U.S. Women’s Open champion Paula Creamer, and famed American golf instructor Butch Harmon. The series of PSAs can be viewed at www.usga.org/whilewereyoung.
“Pace of play is a big issue. Rounds of golf take too long and no one enjoys it,” said Woods. “‘While we’re young’ is part of the golfing vocabulary, and Caddyshack is iconic in our sport. This campaign is lighthearted, but it also shows that we need to pick up the pace of play.”
“I think this campaign will have a huge impact with golfers because the message is fun,” said Creamer. “But the issue of slow play is serious, and in reality we all want to say, ‘Hey, while we’re young.’”
“We’re losing a lot of players because it takes too long to play, and it’s something we have to address,” said Harmon. “This campaign is going to have a great impact on the game. We made it a lot of fun, but slow play is not funny. It’s a serious issue and I hope the golfing public gets the message.”
The campaign will debut at the 2013 U.S. Open Championship, and will air throughout the summer on broadcast network and national cable channels during coverage of the 2013 U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Amateur on NBC, ESPN and Golf Channel. The TV spots will also run during broadcasts of non-USGA golf events, thanks to promotional support from the LPGA and The PGA of America.
Friday, 07 June 2013 11:59 | Written by TMAC GOLF | | |
The United States Golf Association (USGA) has announced groupings and starting times for the first two rounds of the 2013 U.S. Open Championship on Thursday (June 13) and Friday (June 14) at the par 36-34--70, 6,996-yard Merion Golf Club (East Course) in Ardmore, Pa. The U.S. Open is a 72-hole, stroke-play competition. A field of 156 players will play 18 holes of stroke play on June 13 and 14, after which the field will be cut to the low 60 scores and ties. Those players making the cut will play 18 holes on June 15 and 16. If there is a tie upon the completion of 72 holes, an 18-hole playoff will be conducted on Monday, June 17.
Wednesday, 05 June 2013 15:14 | Written by TMAC GOLF | | |
A name you may not be familiar with just yet, has already turned more than a few heads in his young career. South African sensation Brandon Stone (pictured), who finished T2 in the 2013 NCAA Division 1 men’s championship before turning pro, has signed an agreement to play PING equipment, PING Chairman & CEO John A. Solheim announced.
Stone, 20, will play his first event as a professional at the European Tour’s BMW International Open in Germany on June 20th. He turned pro after a distinguished freshman season at the University of Texas, which raised some eyebrows. He was the 2013 Big 12 Conference Player and Newcomer of the Year, the NCAA Freshman of the Year, the Big 12 Conference individual champion, and a PING First Team All American. He was the #2 collegiate men’s golfer, as ranked by Golfweek magazine. If that doesn’t get your attention than consider in the past four years, in his native country and the U.S., he has amassed 18 victories!
“Brandon is a wonderful example of a young man coming up through PING’s amateur program, which reaches into every corner of the world to identify and develop talent,” Solheim said. “Our South African distributor, Doug Vilas, has had a connection with the Stone family for many years, so there’s a comfort level with Brandon that we feel contributes to his success. He has incredible skills, but on top of that he has a great work ethic, and his determination makes him very tough to beat. Yet with all of his early success, he has a good head on his shoulders. He’s well-grounded. We look forward to continuing our relationship and giving him what he needs to achieve his goals.”
Stone, a 5’11” native of Pretoria, South Africa said PING is the only brand of clubs he’s ever played, so to be an official staff player feels like a natural step. “Becoming a pro golfer is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a young boy, but to be honest I know the next year is going to bring a lot of change for me,” he said. “So the more stability I can have, the better off I’ll be. PING has supported me for years and I know they’ll help make the transition as smooth as possible. I’m excited to compete with the best players in the world and to be an official member of the PING family.”
As part of a multi-year agreement, Stone will wear a PING hat, carry a PING staff bag and play a minimum of 11 PING clubs, including a PING driver and PING putter. Financial terms and the length of the agreement were not disclosed.
Dunlop to name but a few but now "Mr. Grip It and Rip It" has entered into business relationships with Polara Golf, which dubs itself the leader in game improvement equipment for the recreational golfer. "We're extremely excited to have John on board as our first Polara Golf Ambassador," said Dave Felker, Founder, President and Chief Technology Officer for Polara Golf. "John's all about enjoying the game and having fun on the golf course which is exactly what we at Polara Golf are all about. His bold, no-nonsense approach to the game is what makes him so popular with his fans, and John's fans are the same recreational golfers that we design and manufacture golf equipment for. So this is a perfect fit."
in the game. Borrowing the iconic line from the character played by Rodney Dangerfield in the classic 1980 film Caddyshack, the campaign takes a lighthearted and comedic approach to encourage golfers of all skill levels and golf course facilities to join a movement to improve pace of play and reduce the time it takes to play the game.
Brandon Stone (pictured), who finished T2 in the 2013 NCAA Division 1 men’s championship before turning pro, has signed an agreement to play PING equipment, PING Chairman & CEO John A. Solheim announced.