Golf In A Plague Year April 20: Holding

This week, on the PGA TOUR, we’re missing the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with its unusual — and intriguing — team format. The European Tour is absent it’s Volvo China Open, while the LPGA is missing its Hugel El Premia LA Open.

Last week, the PGA TOUR offered up a revised 2020 schedule, but more cancellations are surely in the offing.

The photo above is a set of masks I got from Seamus Golf, which has a masks project in which they donate masks to First Responders in need. As you might expect, they are top quality. Mrs. GolfBlogger, a nurse at the University of Michigan Hospital and Air Force Veteran (where she also was a nurse) says they have a M*A*S*H vibe. She saw a lot of old school equipment when Desert Storm started and the aeromedical staging flight crews had to break out decades-old supplies to treat the wounded.

Senior LPGA Championship Cancelled

The 2020 Senior LPGA Championship, which was scheduled to take place July 30-Aug. 1 at French Lick Resort in French Lick, Indiana, will be cancelled. The fourth playing of the senior major championship will be moved to 2021, with the dates to be announced at a later time.

“Cancelling ANY golf event is a difficult and painful decision. We are extremely thankful for the support and flexibility from French Lick Resort and the Legends Tour during this trying time!” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “Importantly, all of us are committed to this important senior women’s tradition, and we cannot wait to watch the women legends of the game tee it up once again in 2021.”

Primland Resort Sponsors Charity Auction

Primland, a resort in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains is sponsoring an online auction program for resort experiences and will donate 100% of the proceeds to the employee relief fund (https://go.rallyup.com/primlandcares). 

A few of the notable golf auction items include:

• A foursome of golf in a private round with PGA TOUR’s Jay Haas
• Two spots in the Jay Haas Skills Challenge on August 8 
• 12 rounds of golf at The Highland Course at Primland
• Signed TOUR golf bags and Titleist wedges used by Bill and Jay Haas

Biding for the auction, which also includes a full golf game tune-up, a five-night mountain home escape, and a Spa Getaway, ends this Wednesday, April 22 at 5 p.m. EST.

Arcis Golf Joins ClubsHelp Initiative

Arcis Golf, with its network of 61 clubs in 13 states has joined the ClubsHELP initiative. With ClubsHELP, a member of each club takes on the role of Captain for an “adopted” local hospital. Then, working cooperatively, the most pressing needs at the hospital are identified, then clubs, companies, and individual donors pitch in to gather, collect, and deliver the most necessary items and resources to be used by hospital workers. 

ClubsHELP is just one example of the ongoing charitable efforts of the golf community. Each year, golf at all levels generates some $3.5 billion for charities.

Chipping All-In Charity Tournament Raises $150,000

The “Chipping All-In” charity poker tournament saw some of the biggest names in golf, poker elites and a basketball star hit the virtual felt with John Chin, a current Korn Ferry Tour player, claiming the win. Major champion golfers including Jimmy Walker, Michelle Wie and John Daly as well as Las Vegas Aces Head Coach Bill Laimbeer competed in the Texas Hold’em online tournament on Thursday, April 16 and helped raise more than $150,000 for the MGM Resorts Foundation’s Employee Emergency Grant Fund. The Fund provides the hospitality company’s employees and their immediate families with short-term relief in making payments or to meet obligations during unexpected hardships and emergencies. The Fund is designed to assist those impacted by the coronavirus, including part-time employees, on-call employees and those facing layoff or furlough.