(Josh V-R/Flickr)
A bevy of golf products, services, destinations, events, news and more. Endorsement is not implied.
• GOLF CHANNEL’s Live From the U.S. Open, produced in high definition, will take viewers inside the ropes at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in New York with 25 hours of live news reports, inside analysis and compelling features in delivering comprehensive, wrap-around live news coverage of the men’s second major championship of 2009.
• Onsite during championship play at the 2009 U.S. Open on June 18-21, American Express is providing CourseCast TV and radio devices to enhance the viewing experience, bringing golf fans even closer to the game they love.
• Between now and June 22nd, golf fans can enter AT&T’s “Favorite Foursome” Sweepstakes through AT&T’s Facebook page or by texting to win. One lucky winner will receive four VIP tickets to the final two days of the 2009 AT&T National Tournament, four round-trip flights, two hotel rooms, transportation passes, access to the Grey Goose® Lounge, and more.
• The World Golf Hall of Fame will open its doors to everyone on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for its annual Community Day, presented by AT&T Yellow Pages and Last Minute Golfer. The museum will offer complimentary admission to every guest with the opportunity to see the Hall’s featured exhibit, “Bob Hope: Shanks for the Memory.” All dads also will receive a complimentary round on the Hall of Fame’s 18-hole, natural-grass putting course and half-priced admission to one film at the World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX®.
• Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa (GaiaNapaValleyHotel.com) has announced some special golf packages for golfers who want to play the links and stay at America’s greenest hotel.
• Imperial Headwear (ImperialHeadwear.com) carries a full line of sun protection headwear, including its GT01 and GT08, and the recently acquired Watership by Imperial line. The majority of these products are rated SPEC 50+, and offer technical features that perform exceptionally well in warm weather.
• Now in its 20th year, the American Century Championship, a celebrity golf tournament, will be played at Edgewood Tahoe on July 14-19. The combination of two decades of memories plus sports and entertainment superstars including Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Tony Romo, Ray Romano, Mario Lemieux, Dale Jarrett, Dan Marino, John Elway and Jerry Rice, has made it network television’s longest running celebrity golf tournament. (NBC will have the TV coverage.)
• The golf movie The Greatest Game Ever Played will be released June 16 on Blu-ray.
• The G-4 Swing Trainer (G4SwingTrainer.com) is a lightweight, portable swing trainer that uses a combination of light resistance and repetition to dramatically improve any golfer’s swing.
• John Donnelly, vice president of golf media at Golf Channel, will represent Golf Channel on The Environmental Institute for Golf Advisory Council.
• The Maverick National Amateur Championship is a 64 team match-play amateur tournament in North and South Carolina beginning on the first weekend in October. AzaleaGolf.com for more information.
• The Hamptons Golf Classic on June 29th at the Hamptons Hills Golf & Country Club will be the foundation’s fifth anniversary, spearheaded by its founder Zev Norotsky, along with New York Giants’ Justin Tuck and New York Knicks’ Chris Duhon. Each year, celebrities and Hamptonites come together for the daylong golf tournament. This year all proceeds will benefit The Stand Tall Foundation, an organization started by Chris Duhon to help rebuild basketball courts ruined by Hurricane Katrina in Duhon’s home state of Louisiana.
• Dynamic Brands recently donated hundreds of AMF junior and adult golf clubs, Bag Boy golf bags, Bag Boy travel covers and practice accessories to The First Tee® of Richmond & Chesterfield.
• Tiger Woods PGA TOUR is now available for iPhone & iPod touch (http://bit.ly/TigerWoodsiTunes).
• ProStance (Pro-Stance.com) is an inflatable balance aid that ensures weight is concentrated through the center of gravity of the golfer’s body.
• The 2009 PGA Fall Expo in Las Vegas will include exciting Show Specials and new products from some 300 golf vendors; some 20 education and professional development seminars offered on the show floor at no cost; a completely redesigned show floor focusing on buyer interaction, education and networking; plus, lower costs across all participation levels.
• Newly published by the Bodleian Library in Oxford and distributed by the University of Chicago Press, The Original Rules of Golf features the original thirteen Edinburgh rules as written in 1744, as well as the St Andrews rules of 1897. Both sets of rules are reprinted alongside images of the game throughout the centuries.
• The Cady Shaft (CadyShaft.com) is a durable lightweight tube that holds two to four golf clubs, and is designed for use when approaching the green.
−The Armchair Golfer
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Hi,
I'm a novice golfer, and I appreciate your blog, and this potpourri of information about golf. I'm curious what you think about sunglasses as an increasingly important accessory on the course: I've seen more and more players on the professional circuits wearing them, like John Daly and Brian Gay.
Since I'm familiar with the brand, I particularly like Brian Gay's shades (he rarely takes them off!). I've been a big fan of Kaenon performance sunglasses, and they're essential for other sports I dabble in.