Golf News Roundup: Aug 13, 2020

In the golf news roundup this week are new putters from Cleveland, new golf bags from Big Max, a new partnership for Sqairz, golf courses become butterfly sanctuaries, more.

Cleveland Introduces Two Additional Putter Lines

Cleveland Golf has added a new line of Huntington Beach SOFT Premier putters, to go along with an array of new Huntington Beach SOFT models.

The foundation of the Huntington Beach SOFT Premier is Cleveland Golf’s proprietary Speed Optimized Face Technology (SOFT). SOFT solves the crucial putting issue of distance control. SOFT normalizes the speed of putts across the entire putter face.

The center of the face features more condensed milling lines, while milling mark frequency decreases going outward from the center. Unlike similar technologies featured elsewhere, SOFT takes the next step by delivering model specific milling for each model so we can deliver optimized distance control regardless of the putter shape.

What separates the Huntington Beach SOFT Premier is a new Gray Satin finish that provides a sleek, premium look and limits glare.

Huntington Beach SOFT Premier features two specific putter grips to achieve optimal putting performance for each stroke type. For slight or strong arcing strokes, the Lamkin SINKFIT Skinny Pistol grip, combined with a toe-down weighting, will help facilitate clubhead rotation. Meanwhile, the larger Lamkin SINKFIT Pistol grip and face-balanced design is ideal for straight back stroke types.

Big Max Introduces Two New Golf Bags

BIG MAX ADDS TO AWARD WINNING BAG LINE UP FOR 2020

Europe’s #1 golf bag and #1 push cart brand BIG MAX is introducing two new golf bag designs to its 2020 line – the Dri Lite Hybrid and Dri Lite Sport. 4

The Dri Lite Hybrid is a faultless water-resistant stand bag with unique innovations that allow it to sit perfectly on a cart. Featuring a trolley compatible footless flat base and leg lock system the Hybrid sits perfectly square and secure on a cart or push cart while a neat cut out section in the base adds further stability when combined with a BIG MAX push cart. At the top of the bag the leg mechanism is located lower down the bag, meaning that the reinforced bag connection area makes contact with the cart rather than the legs. This eliminates twisting and provides a perfectly snug fit on the upper bag brackets.  

With 7 spacious waterproof pockets, 14 way full length dividers and a host of neat features, the Hybrid has all the function of the best cart bags. But take the hybrid out on its own and it transforms to a stylish lightweight stand bag. The footless stand mechanism works exactly like any other stand bag while the air channel straps allow for breathability and comfort. At just 4.4 lbs the Hybrid is a breeze to carry and keeps all your gear completely dry, however you choose to get it round the course.

The Dri Lite Sport is a stylish, colorful, ultra-light Cart bag that combines a host of practical features with the protection of BIG MAX’s water resistant Dri Lite technology. A 14 way 9.5” organizer top with oversize putter well combines with 9 waterproof pockets, including an oversize cooler pocket, to provide all the space and storage that even the best equipped golfer could need. Neat features such as easy access Velcro glove holder, towel holder, umbrella holder and robust carry handles add to the practical benefits while the ultra light weight of just 4.85 lbs make the Dri Lite Sport simple to transfer from car to cart.

Dri Lite Hybrid MSRP: $229.99 Available in Black, Charcoal/Black/Red, Silver/Black/Red, White/Black/Orange, White/Navy/Red

Dri Lite Sport MSRP: $249.99     Available in Black, Grey/Black, Navy/Silver/Red

SQAIRZ Announces Partnership Agreement with Golf Instructor Nick Bradley

SQAIRZ, the performance golf shoe that’s proven to help golfers increase distance, today announced a partnership agreement with highly-acclaimed golf instructor and best-selling author Nick Bradley. Bradley will develop and share weekly tips on SQAIRZ.com that focus on helping golfers improve their fundamentals.

That performance has been validated during independent testing, which revealed that golfers wearing SQAIRZ were shown to increase clubhead speed by an average of 2.2 mph and driver distance by an average of 8.8 yards.

Read The GolfBlogger’s Sqairz golf shoes review.

MindTRAK Golf Launches Personal Mental-Fitness Platform Powered by Innovative Mobile App

MindTRAK Golf Inc., a comprehensive mental-game training system for golfers, has launched an iOS version of its MindTRAK Golf mobile app which is designed to help users’ access and remain “in the moment” on every shot. Developed and tested in competition by former PGA TOUR winner Richard “Dick” Zokol, MindTRAK’s founder and CEO, and a team of business, IT and golf experts, MindTRAK Golf ingrains techniques that strengthen attentional focus to optimize performance on the golf course

The Kingdom At Reynolds Lake Oconee Adds Second TaylorMade Fitting Trailer

Reynolds Lake Oconee, the six-course, destination-resort and private club located between Atlanta and Augusta, Ga.— has added a second clubfitting trailer, making it the only venue outside of PGA Tour tournament sites to have multiple trailers on property. 

Rolling in another trailer is just one of the latest news items from this state-of-the-art facility, which recently also underwent a name change and signed a three-year extension with TaylorMade. Now called The Kingdom at Reynolds Lake Oconee, it becomes one of only two elite TaylorMade club-fitting facilities in the U.S. (the other is at TaylorMade’s headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif.). 

“We’re excited to extend our partnership with The Kingdom at Reynolds Lake Oconee and to offer these custom TaylorMade club-fitting services to all golfers,” said David Abeles, CEO and President of TaylorMade. “Outside of the PGA Tour, there’s no other place where our golfers can be custom fit and be playing with their new personalized clubs the same day.”  

Golf courses create over 1,000 acres of butterfly habitat through Monarchs in the Rough

Audubon International leads unique partnership to demonstrate golf’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainable management

 Audubon International is leading golf courses across North America in doing their part to save the monarch butterfly and other pollinators. Through Audubon International’s popular Monarchs in the Rough initiative, over 700 golf properties have committed 1,020 acres to planting milkweed that monarchs need to survive.

By developing a unique partnership of golf course superintendents, golf management companies, Environmental Defense Fund, Monarch Joint Venture and the United States Golf Association (USGA), Audubon International moved the golf industry to a leadership position in the efforts to save pollinators and, specifically, the monarch butterfly and its legendary annual migration across North America. 

Milkweed is the only plant that monarch caterpillars eat, which make it critical to the butterfly’s life cycle. Monarch butterflies, as well as many other pollinators, also feed on the nectar of milkweed flowers. 

Many golf superintendents are already receiving positive feedback on their efforts from golfers, Boards of Directors and course owners.

Leveraging a $150,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Audubon International offers regionally appropriate seed mixes in key areas, along with technical assistance to superintendents and others in golf operations in creating, protecting, and maintaining milkweed and other native plantings. The organization is also tracking the success of the plantings from site preparation through full establishment.

“Audubon International is proud to be leading this exciting and unique Monarchs in the Rough partnership. We’re already seeing positive results from the plantings and interest in the program continues to grow,” says Marcus Gray, Conservation Initiatives Director at Audubon International. “Our thanks go out to all Monarchs in the Rough sponsors, supporters and friends who have helped it grow so quickly, but, most particularly, to the golf course superintendents, without whose efforts this success could not have happened.”

The goal-topping acre came with the registration of Lockhart State Park Golf Course in Texas. When asked about the reasons for joining Monarchs in the Rough, Austin Vieh, Park Superintendent, said, “Part of the mission of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is to conserve the natural resources of Texas. Lockhart State Park is lucky enough to have areas that could serve as valuable monarch habitat, so we wanted to do our part in conserving this iconic species.”

Funding is now being sought to continue assisting superintendents interested in transitioning areas to native milkweed and wildflowers as well as those wishing to scale up now that they have observed how the project fits into their routine.

As more operations see the ecological and financial benefits enjoyed by their peers, the concepts are expected to spread, growing the habitat network butterflies use on their migration and for reproduction.

Daniel Kaiser, Western Strategies Director for the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), said, “As a founding partner of Monarchs in the Rough, EDF is proud of these accomplishments, but we’re even more excited for the next stage of the program where we can demonstrate economic advantages for golf courses that actively preserve diverse native habitat.”

Cole Thompson, Environmental Research Director at the USGA, added, “Golf courses can serve as wildlife sanctuaries when they are managed properly. Monarchs in the Rough has made it easier for golf courses to get involved by establishing and enhancing pollinator habitat that directly benefits their communities. The USGA has been proud to champion this project as part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability and is excited by the program’s progress and future goals.”

The next phase of the work is to use Monarchs in the Rough plots as study sites to measure planting results, butterfly use and management practice adaptation in response to the need for lower inputs required for restored sites.

For a full list of program funders and other partners, visit www.monarchsintherough.org.

The post, Golf News Roundup first appeared August 13, 2020 on GolfBlogger.Com.