ARIZONA GOLF AUTHORITY

Category: TOOL CHEST

  • Cartoons + Golf Pro = Kids Learning Golf

    Cartoons + Golf Pro = Kids Learning Golf

    From the Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf News Desk

    This idea falls into the “why didn’t we think of that” category, but PGA and LPGA Golf Professional Racquel Huslig beat us to the punch and created an animated cartoon family to help children discover the game of golf at an early age.

    The first installment of the “ClubHeads” golf instruction video line was released in late September and it’s quite fun to watch.

    Using multi-dimensional, high-definition animation, Huslig brings golf instruction to children using a family of animated, golf-themed characters called the ClubHeads.

    The ClubHead family includes:

    • Ace – born April 1, 2010 in Fairhaven MA. He’s a ball, gets smacked around a lot and he can’t swim.

    • Ben – born April 10, 2010 in Pebble Beach CA. He’s a driver, he likes to go big or go home.

    • Whiff – born April 2, 2008 in Phoenix AZ. He’s a pitching wedge and has a mind of his own, sometimes landing a ball near the cup and other times, buried in the sand.

    • Frankie – born March 10, 1985 in St. Andrews Scotland. He’s seen and done it all and offers wisdom and guidance for everyone.

    • Poanna – born June 7, 2007 in Greenville NC. She’s a putter, often the star of the show and requires you to use your very best manners.

    The first episode of the video series is called “ClubHeads – Let’s Learn the Golf Swing.” It features an introduction to the rules of the game, course manners, etiquette, proper grip and stance, ball position, pre-shot routine and the swing. In addition to the complete accuracy of the lessons, the lively animation and friendly banter between Huslig and the ClubHeads Gang foster continued engagement throughout the 25-minute video.

    Rachel Huslig definitely has the credentials when it comes to teaching golf. She is a 20-year Class “A” PGA and LPGA Golf Professional. In 2009, she received the President’s Plaque for Growth of the Game Achievements with PGA of America. She has been a 4-year member of the PGA Section Board of Directors and has also been honored with such awards as Teacher of the Year, Junior Golf Leader and Golf Professional of the Year. Rachel also serves on a national committee for the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional’s Association.

    We don’t know about you, but we think the AZGA team has just checked the “done” list for all our little nieces and nephews this holiday. You can make it easy on yourself by doing the same.

    For more information about the ClubHeads golf instruction video series, visit: www.clubheadsgolf.com.

    Visit the Arizona Golf Authority, it’s “All Things Arizona Golf.”

    Their all Arizona Golf Course Directory features a Player’s Arizona Golf Course review for every golf course in the State of Arizona, click on www.arizonagolfauthority.com/coursedirectory/.

  • PURE Grips Now Available in Your Choice of Color

    PURE Grips Now Available in Your Choice of Color

    From the Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf News Desk

    Tempe, AZ – PURE Grips, the innovative team who brought pure rubber grips and tapeless installation to the party is now doing their best to brighten up the golf course with their new line of color grips.

    Made from the same proprietary rubber as the black models, every color grip from PURE provides the identical combination of tackiness, durability, weather performance and feel, they simply are brighter and more colorful.

    “We all have our own preferences and individual tastes,” commented PURE Grips CEO Wes Brasher. “We’re just giving customers the choice to pick the color they prefer, rather than forcing them to go with basic black.”

    The new color line of grips use the same tapeless installation process so changing them out is a snap. It takes about 1/4th the time, won’t slip or turn once in place and means you can take your new bright, colorful clubs straight to the first tee.

    The AZGA reviewed this process earlier in the year, so if you want to know more about the process and watch their video, click here.

    For more information about the color line of PURE Grips, visit their website at: www.puregrips.com

    Visit the Arizona Golf Authority, it’s “All Things Arizona Golf.”

    Their all Arizona Golf Course Directory features a Player’s Arizona Golf Course review for every golf course in the State of Arizona, click on www.arizonagolfauthority.com/coursedirectory/ .

  • Trevino’s Wisdom Resonates Today – AZGA Arizona Golf Staff

    Trevino’s Wisdom Resonates Today – AZGA Arizona Golf Staff

    AZGA Arizona Golf Tool Chest – AZGA Breaking the Code:

    Lee Trevino is credited with a statement uttered almost 20 years ago that’s as true today as it was then: I can beat you today with any bag of clubs on this range because I can manipulate the club face, precisely, every single swing, and make the club perform the way I want it to. You tell the everyday golfer they can’t do that, and that’s why it’s more important their clubs fit them, than it is my clubs fit me.

    Gary Blaisdell of Blaisdell Performance Systems in Scottsdale, Arizona
    Gary Blaisdell

    Throughout my 20+ years as master equipment fitter and instructor for Henry-Griffitts®, Slazenger® and since 2000, my own Blaisdell Performance Systems®, I still find it to be the simplest expression of why the avid club player and recreational golfer must have equipment custom tailored to fit them.

    The Arizona Golf Authority has invited me to share my thoughts on the current state of the custom-fitted golf equipment industry with you. Throughout this series of articles I will explain the substantial difference between “fitted golf equipment” and “golf equipment custom-fitted to you”. Don’t think you have been properly fitted just because a store clerk has watched you hit balls ten feet into a net, or used a swing simulator. There’s a lot more to it than that, as we will discuss in later articles.

    We will also visit the common elements that constitute an enjoyable golf experience for the player.  Our research has demonstrated that regardless of the level of play, professional competition, club or recreational golf, each golfer expresses almost the exact same answers to questions about “enjoyable golf”.

    The warm-up is complete, now we’re off to the first tee to get started by debunking a few myths.

    “Gary, my golf swing is so inconsistent, I’ll score well for a while and then poof, it’s gone.”

    Not true, my friend, you are as consistent as the day is long and I’ll prove it to you. We go stand off to the side of the first green, turn back and watch the first tee. We can’t see anyone’s face from over 400 yards away but invariably, simply watching whomever it may be strike their tee shot immediately reveals the name of the player. “Yea, that’s Wally, that’s his move.”

    Ladies and gentlemen, don’t fret over your perception of inconsistency, rather, let’s capitalize upon the highly predictable consistency you own right now, and most likely will own far into the future.

    “Gary, I don’t play as well as Mr. B who’s in our group because he’s a former all-conference athlete blessed with supreme hand-eye coordination.”

    No sir that cannot be true. Hand-eye coordination has no significance in the game of golf because the ball is at rest, it’s not moving. If hand-eye coordination had any role to play in the act of striking a golf ball well, the blind players I have fitted and who are currently enjoying the game would not be able to do so. Yet they are, right now, even though they can’t see anything.

    I assure you, a proper golf swing for you is a simple exercise in choreographed balance. Focus on that last word, balance, as we will return to it often.

    The topic of balance requires a column in itself and I’ll address that next month. Between now and then, here’s what you can do to prep. Absent a golf club, assume an address position that feels balanced to you. To do so, image a shortstop or a point guard preparing to move athletically in any direction, or perhaps someone about to propel a 460cc lump on the end of a stick at 80, 90 or 100 mph through space. Once you have found your position of balance, don’t move. Have someone hand your golf club to you and make note of where it contacts the ground in relation to you. You may be surprised to see your club doesn’t touch the ground at all and could inhibit your ability to address the golf ball in balance.

    Check in for the next edition and we’ll help you understand what you have just discovered. In the meantime, if you have questions, Gary would be happy to respond. You can use the form below to send them his way.

    Gary Blaisdell is the Founder and CEO of the custom golf equipment fitting and instruction company Blaisdell Performance Systems, Inc. headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Gary can be reached at:

    17212 North Scottsdale Road/Scottsdale, AZ 85255

    602.617.2594

    Send an E-Mail to Gary Blaisdell:gbps@cox.net

  • 2011 U.S. Open – Ralph Lauren Style

    2011 U.S. Open – Ralph Lauren Style

    The golf spotlight will soon turn to historic Congressional Country Club for the playing of the 111th US Open. To commemorate the tournament’s return to Congressional for the third time, Polo Ralph Lauren has introduced three very special US Open polo shirts. These 100% cotton polos, are designed for comfort in a relaxed, classic fit, and might just be the perfect Father’s Day gift.

    Congressional first hosted the U.S. Open in 1964, when Ken Venturi battled heat exhaustion on the final day and posted a 2-under par winning total for the tournament, marking the end of the traditional 36-hole final round for the event. Some suggest the emergence of the game’s popularity on television by this time, and the lucrative opportunity to televise an 18-hole finish on Sunday had as much to do with the change as the USGA’s concern about the field’s ability to deal with a 36-hole day in the June heat.

    Ernie Els, recently enshrined in the World Golf Hall of Fame, posted a 4-under par total in 1997 to win the second U.S. Open held at Congressional. This was Els’ second U.S. Open victory as well, his first came at Oakmont in 1994.

    Polo Ralph Lauren is the official apparel outfitter of the USGA and the U.S. Open Championship. As part of their unique partnership Polo Ralph Lauren will outfit all USGA committee members and staff, as well as more than 5,000 volunteers at the U.S. Open. The company will also help outfit USA team members in the biennial Walker Cup and Curtis Cup Matches.

    Click on 2011 U.S. Open Apparel for more information and to purchase the perfect US Open commemorative gift for Dad, and while you’re there, treat yourself to one too.

  • LPGA and Antigua Extend License Agreement Through 2013

    PEORIA, ARIZ. —The Antigua Group, Inc. and the LPGA Tour have reached an agreement to extend their license agreement through 2013. The Antigua Group, an Arizona-based company, designs and markets lifestyle apparel under the Antigua and Slazenger brands.

    “Antigua is thrilled to extend our great relationship with the LPGA. This license extension, coupled with our U.S. Solheim Cup Team work, is a great milestone for our company and brand,” said Ron McPherson, president and CEO of the Antigua Group.

    As a licensee of the LPGA, Antigua produces apparel with the LPGA logo for sale. Additionally, Antigua will design the 2011 U.S. Solheim Cup Team uniforms including shirts, pants and skirts.

    “Antigua is a global leader in golf apparel, so it’s only fitting that they continue to work so closely with the LPGA, Golf’s Global Tour,” said Jon Podany, chief marketing officer of the LPGA.

    Members of the Antigua 2011 Tour Team include Brittany Lang, Stacy Prammanasudh, Alison Walshe and Wendy Ward.

    The Spring Collection

    The Spring 2011 season — as with all of Antigua’s collections since the Peoria, Ariz.-based Antigua Group, Inc. was founded 31 years ago — combines outstanding quality, style and value.

    The new collection focuses on a sophisticated color palette, easy-to-merchandise color stories, classic styling with subtle feminine details, an expanded selection of lightweight and silky fabrics, excellent drape regardless of body type and a modern approach to traditional golfwear.

    The Spring 2011 Antigua Women’s collection is merchandised as three innovative, opulent product groups — Dashing, Mischief and Dynamic.

    DESERT DRY™ XTRA-LITE will be featured in the Dashing collection’s style illusion (nylon-mélange Polo) and Dazzle (Spandex yarn dyed Stripe Polo) style.

    DESERT DRY™ XTRA-LITE fabric will also be part of the essential product offering such as the Women’s Exceed group, which consists of a Short Sleeve Polo, and Sleeveless and Long-Sleeve Polo styles.

    Click on the AZGA link for more information about Antigua products online at shop.antigua.com

  • Antigua Fall Outerwear Line-up

    "Hero" Long-sleeve Mock Base Layer

    In the fashion business, you’re always a season ahead. So while it may seem odd to talk about cool weather wear just when it is about to reach 100+ in the Arizona desert, we wanted to move past the dog days of summer with this update from our favorite AZ-based golf clothing manufacturer.

    Antigua’s fall line-up of outerwear is focuses on the “layering” trend – the idea it is more desirable to take off-and-add on layers to adjust for comfort and function. The Antigua layering line-up starts with base layers that can be combined with wind resistant or water resistant wind shirts and jackets as well as worn with fuller weight outerwear pieces to function against more inclement weather.

    The base layer long sleeve mock called “Hero” uses Antigua’s proprietary Desert Dry moisture management technology and is constructed with a hyper-micro poly fleeced backing against a super soft interlock face which has enough weight to be worn alone and is light enough that it layers remarkably well. Add to that the next tier in style – ’Succeed’, consisting of a contemporary color block stretch jersey half zip shell with a micro fleece brushed back which can be worn on its own, under a jacket, over a base layer – or both depending on climate and preference.

    To round out Antigua’s outerwear collection offering, the company has a great wind shirt and wind jacket in styles ’Rendition’ and ’Highland’. Antigua’s Desert Breeze wind block fabric serves as a guard against wind while offering warmth. Made with a four-way stretch laminated jersey bonded to a water resistant membrane, Rendition and Highland both offer water resistance as well as comfort against the wind and rain. Rendition, styled with contemporary color blocking details, is available as a traditional pullover wind shirt while Highland is designed as a full zip front wind jacket. The stretch aspect of these pieces allows them to be multi functional – on the course and off.

    Explorer Golf Jacket by Antigua

    Antigua also has a variety of great golf jackets. ’Style Motion’ is a full zip jacket constructed with a stretch jersey face bonded against a high-low fleeced ’wave’ pattern engineered for warmth while allowing breathability for comfort.

    ’Style Explorer’ is built for warmth while, yet is light-weight, making it ideal for layering. With its water resistant woven shell bonded against a micro-fleece inner core Explorer wears and travels well and is well suited for both cold and precipitation alike.

    Antigua equally offers thin-layer micro fleece shells in both pullover as well as full zip styling as exceptional layering options in styles ’Frost’ and ’Sleet’ as well as traditional fleece hooded styles in both a pullover as well as full front zip styling. So, no need to let weather concerns factor into your round as Antigua has the right outerwear to get you into the clubhouse warm, comfortable and dry.

    To learn more about the company and its product line-up, visit www.antigua.com. Or, if you’re in the mood to buy, you can place your order at shop.antiqua.com

  • World’s Best Golf Sock by KENTWOOL

    World’s Best Golf Sock by KENTWOOL

    In 1843, about the time Allan Robertson defeated Willie Dunn in the 20-round “Great Match” at St. Andrews (2 rounds/day for 10 days), Englishman Thomas Kent was busy, on this side of the Atlantic, establishing the wool-textile company KENTWOOL in Philadelphia.

    Allan, the third-generation of the “feathery” ball-making Robertson family, secured the family’s place in golf history when he posted the first-ever sub-80 round at St. Andrews 15 years later, in 1858. Now, a new veteran player looks to make their mark in the game.

    In 2010, after 167-years of family stewardship, the Kent family’s fifth-generation CEO (Mark) has led KENTWOOL into the golf business. “We love golf, and as the world’s leading textile innovator, we decided KENTWOOL should develop the premier golf sock for the avid player,” commented Golf Development Director Gil Patrick.

    KENTWOOL calls their product the “World’s Best Golf Sock”. Crafted with “WINDspun” air-infused technology and proprietary blends of fine merino wool and high-tech fibers, KENTWOOL has created a new micro-climate system for moisture management and reduced abrasion and muscle fatigue. The socks feature enhanced cushioning at strategic micro-stress points along the foot to maximize comfort, increase energy levels and reduce the risk of injury.

    "World's Best Golf Sock" by KentWool

    All this – for a golf sock? “You bet,” says CEO Mark Kent. “Understand our company is family-owned, family-operated and founded upon 2 core principles; quality and our people. We manufacture products to be ‘best in class’, not to be faster and cheaper, and we choose to do it right here in the U.S. at our Pickens, South Carolina plant.”

    KENTWOOL’s dedication to quality has hit its mark. Tour stars like Bubba Watson, Kristy McPherson, Jonathan Byrd and Peter Jacobson are all converts, as are Brendon de Jonge, Jane Park, Tom Gillis and Charles Barkley. But it’s not only professionals who love KENTWOOL. “I’m encouraged and excited by the passionate responses and glowing testimonials that our KENTOOL Tour golf socks are receiving from folks all across the world,” said CEO Mark. “Most humbling have been some of the letters and online testimonials received, in many cases from non-golfers, who are astonished by the therapeutic benefits they have experienced while wearing the socks.” This group of fans includes hospital doctors, critical care RN’s and mountain bikers.

    KENTWOOL socks are available for men and women in a variety of styles, including the Tour Standard, Tour Profile, Low Profile, and Low Profile ‘Skinny’. Color options include black, navy, khaki, charcoal and natural. Ladies, who prefer a little more pizzazz, may choose lime green, pink, light blue or purple.

    We’ve played several rounds in the Tour Standard, Tour Profile and the Tour Profile Skinny and are pleased to report that KENTWOOL’s tagline the “World’s Best Golf Sock” is no exaggeration. Or, as Bubba Watson posted, “Either I’m wearing KENTWOOL socks, or I’m not wearing socks at all. Rock the Socks!”

    For more information and to order KENTWOOL Tour Golf Socks, visit www.kentwool.com/shop

  • The Cure To Play Better Golf

    The Cure To Play Better Golf

    Followers of the game know John Jacobs as a PGA TOUR player, Champions Tour Player, Founding Father of the European Golf Tour and Hall of Fame member. But for amateurs, the most important thing we should know is his nickname, The Golf Doctor.

    In 1976, Jacobs teamed with Top 100 Teaching Professional Shelby Futch to create

    Instructor at John Jacobs Golf School
    John Jacobs Golf School

    John Jacobs Golf Schools and provide the medicine needed for amateurs’ ailing mechanics. Since that time, more than 500,000 players have gotten the prescription for lower scores and more enjoyment on the course.

    “When the Jacobs Golf Schools was created, it was with the idea to create a vacation package that included a nice place to stay and play at an affordable price,” said Futch. “Since that time, we’ve expanded our programs to offer a variety of options for players of all skill levels. We’ve done it right for a long time.”

    To ensure the schools continue to do it right, each instructor must complete a certification program designed by Jacobs and Futch to master the philosophy and turn it into clear, practical instruction for their students.

    Whether you’re just starting out or simply want a check-up, the John Jacobs Golf Schools has an option to fit your schedule. In addition to their golf school vacation packages, the company also offers private instruction, short game clinics, junior programs and one on one golf makeovers.

    To get your prescription for a lower score, call 800.472.5007 or visit www.jacobsgolf.com

  • OB Sports Golf Academy Helps Junior Golfers Succeed

    OB Sports Golf Academy Helps Junior Golfers Succeed

    In less than one full year, a number of junior golf success stories emerged from the OB Sports Golf Academy at Longbow Golf Club. Five students received Division-I college scholarships and one was offered an early commitment for 2011. Two students, Mina Harigae and Sun Gyoung Park, competed in the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open at Oakmont Country Club. Park, competing as an amateur, made a hole in one on the 175-yard, par-3 sixth hole.

    Other highlights from OB Sports Golf Academy students:

    • Seven OB Sports Golf Academy students have spent time in the top 100 AJGA Polo rankings, thus far in 2010
    • Trey Kaahanui won the PING Phoenix Junior
    • Chan Kim won the 2010 Arizona States Stroke Play Championship
    • Eight OB Sports Golf Academy students competed in the Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic Hosted by Longbow Golf Club in April of 2010
    • Peter Koo was the winner of the Junior World Qualifier – Boys 13-14
    • Winner PGA National Junior Qualifier (Dana Finkelstein – Girls 15-18; Peter Koo – Boys 13-14)
    • Alex Belleville was the winner of the JGAA Thunderbird Classic – Boys 15-18
    • Two of the three Arizona qualifiers for the US Junior Girls Championship came from OB Sports Golf Academy – Dana Finkelstein and Mikayla Harmon
    • OB Sports Golf Academy student, Konstantin von Beringe was honored as the Dixon Golf Desert Junior Golf Tour, Player of the Year
    Jeff Fisher with a student using latest equipment

    “We are extremely proud of our student’s accomplishments during the past year,” stated Jeff Fisher, Director of Instruction for the OB Sports Golf Academy. “It’s equally rewarding for us to see their hard work on the golf course turn into scholarships to universities like Yale, Washington, Purdue, Kansas and Arizona.

    Success in the competitive-golf arena is certainly a central focus of the OB Sports Golf Academy, but it’s not the only one. Jeff and his team encourage students to define their own goals. Then they customize a plan to help each reach those goals through the game of golf. Some students want to earn exemptions to AJGA events; some want to secure college scholarships; some want to play professional golf; and some simply want to play better golf on a recreational level. Whatever it may be, the OB Sports teaching team wants to make it happen.

    LEARN. PRACTICE. PLAY!

    The OB Sports Golf Academy motto is: Learn. Practice. Play! and that’s just what their students do at their facility, located at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa Arizona. Led by Director of Instruction, Jeff Fisher, and Director of Player Development, Stacie Bryan, students of the academy benefit from personalized instruction through every step of their development as a golfer. While the academy offers instructional programs for adults, the junior program at OB Sports Golf Academy is uniquely designed to recognize each golfer’s personal goals within the game, and implement a customized lesson plan to reach that goal. Then, junior golfers are matched to the appropriate starting point based on their initial skills – Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced or Elite. Each level of the program prepares the students for the next level, and periodic skills tests are used to determine when a golfer is ready to jump to the next level.

    The OB Sports Golf Academy motto is: Learn. Practice. Play! Students receive lessons, unlimited practice time and the ability to play for one very reasonable monthly fee. The group instruction fees start at just $150 per month and include: weekly instruction with OB Sports Golf Academy teaching professionals, a monthly practice card for complimentary practice balls and complimentary golf after 3 pm at Longbow Golf Club.

    For more information about OB Sports Golf Academy, visit www.obsportsgolfacademy.com, call (480) 414-9330 or send an e-mail to jfisher@obsportsgolfacademy.com or sbryan@obsportsgolfacademy.com.