Sponsored by the Phoenix Regional Sports Commission, each $100 raffle ticket is a chance to win the “2013 Golden Ticket.” This year, the drawing is scheduled for August 7, 2013.
This year’s “Ticket” specifically includes:
Two 2013 Season Tickets to the Arizona Cardinals
Two 2013-2014 Season Tickets to the Phoenix Coyotes
Two 2013-2014 Season Tickets to the Phoenix Suns
Two 2014 Season Tickets to the Arizona Diamondbacks
Two 2014 Season Tickets to the Arizona Rattlers
Two 2014 Season Tickets to the Phoenix Mercury
Two Tickets to the 2014 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Two Tickets to the 2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open
Two Tickets to the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
Two Tickets to two (2) Phoenix International Raceway Races
Two 2013 Season Tickets to ASU Football
Two 2013-2014 Season Tickets to the ASU Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Two 2013-2014 Season Tickets to the Grand Canyon State University Men’s and Women’s Basketball
The Golden Ticket Raffle is one of the Phoenix Regional Sports Commission’s primary fundraising events. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of Golden Tickets will benefit the Youth Sports programs of the PRSC, including the annual Youth Sports Awards and Youth Sports Summit.
In the recent past, PRSC has sold approximately 300 tickets per year.
For more information, contact Justin Balich at Justin@phoenixsports.org or 602.258.6272.
SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – Boccieri Golf has launched it’s new Extended Length EL Series Putters – the first, true alternative to anchoring.
By combining a slightly longer putter shaft with the company’s patented, Tour-proven high-mass head, and a balanced counterweight in the 17″ long grip, Boccieri’s EL Series Putters provide the reliable stability of anchoring in a free-swinging putting stroke.
Part of the award-winning Heavy Putter line, the EL Series delivers unmatched stability and consistency, making it equally suited to players using regular length putters and those relying on belly and long models.
Each of the new styles showcases a shaft that extends beyond the hands, but does not attach to the body. This unique design allows golfers to use the same stroke they would with a traditional length putter while benefiting from a 175-gram counterweight that produces a dramatically raised balance point and the industry’s highest MOI.
“One reason belly putters became so popular was because the additional grip and shaft materials created a natural back-weight,” says Stephen Boccieri, President and CEO of Boccieri Golf. “Other OEM’s are just now adopting counterweighting while we’ve been touting it for nearly a decade and have now taken it to the next level.”
Available in 36, 38 and 40-inch lengths, the EL Series includes 28 styles in three finishes and three distinct weight categories LITE (840 grams), MID (865 grams) and HEAVY (930 grams). This stands in stark contrast to competing brands that offer only one or two models with longer shafts. In all Heavy Putter models, the extra weight engages the body’s larger, more stable muscles to promote greater control with each stroke.
Founded in 2005 by Stephen Boccieri, the company’s popular Heavy Putter collection and Control Series line of full-swing products were the first to integrate counterweight principals. This unique approach to club design is proven to benefit golfers of all abilities, as strategically placed weight in the butt-end of the shaft produces a higher balance point for smoother, more repeatable swings from driver through putter. Boccieri Golf’s Secret Grip, endorsed by Jack Nicklaus, was introduced in 2013.
The company recently opened a state-of-the-art Research and Performance Center at 15816 N. Greenway-Hayden Loop in Scottsdale. The 9,000-square-foot facility offers golfers a variety of services, including custom club fitting, high-tech swing analysis and practice time on life-like simulators.
Boccieri Golf equipment has played a key role in victories on the PGA, European, Champions, Nationwide, Asian, Canadian and European Challenge Tours, and has received critical acclaim from golf and lifestyle media worldwide.
After five years of relatively sluggish-to-no growth, or in some cases financial disaster, the private golf scene in northern Arizona seems to be on a bit of a resurgence. Amazing, when you consider that pretty much every club north of Payson but Forest Highlands in Flagstaff has been through the wringer.
Pine Canyon Golf Club, Flagstaff, Arizona
Especially coming out of this economic funk in good shape are the Pine Canyon Club in Flagstaff and Torreon Golf Club near Show Low. One of the reasons I can say this is because both private clubs recently hired Scottsdale-based Troon Privé to manage their operations and agronomy. Troon Privé is the private arm of Troon, and includes about 40 elite clubs around the globe, including the Ocean Club in the Bahamas, Cordillera in Colorado, Pronghorn in Oregon, and Silverado in Napa, Calif., to name just a few.
Both Pine Canyon and Torreon fit into that spectacular mold, perhaps Pine Canyon a tad more than Torreon. I say that because, if you’ve ever been to Pine Canyon, the clubhouse complex is off the charts. Located east of I-17 and south of I-40 on the outskirts of Flag, Pine Canyon would dominate any other small-city market if not for the presence of Forest Highlands, the pioneer of all that’s private about summer golf in Arizona.
Still, Pine Canyon, which opened in 2004, has made its niche by being a little bit more family-oriented than its Flagstaff rival, and I’ll take Pine Canyon’s clubhouse any day over either of the two retreats at Forest Highlands. Some of my golf buds that are lucky enough to tee it up at Pine Canyon tell me it’s got a membership that is “really friendly,” and I think that’s a big deal if you’re in the market these days. Flagstaff, with its Northern Arizona University campus and lots of great eateries and breweries, also is nothing but fun for a mountain town.
Rather than quote you a bunch of prices about how much property is going to cost at Pine Canyon, let’s just say plenty. I can be a little more specific about golf memberships, which range from $60,000 (refundable) to $30,000 (non-refundable) to $10,000 (sport membership with limited golf). There’s even a $40,000 (non-refundable) membership available to non-residents.
Besides a new management company, Pine Canyon also has new owners. That would be Taber Anderson’s True Life Companies. If that last name looks familiar, it’s because Taber is the son of Lyle Anderson, who developed many of Arizona’s most influential private clubs, including Desert Highlands, Desert Mountain and Superstition Mountain.
Kevin Betts, the new general manager at Pine Canyon, says that all of the newness has translated into lots of interest in his club. And while he’s just getting used to Flagstaff, “everything so far has just been awesome.”
“Pine Canyon is a wonderful club, whether you’re talking about the golf course, the clubhouse, the pool, the membership, or just walking through the pines,” said Betts, who was the GM at The Phoenician for the past nine years.
“I guess most perceive us as a summer club, but we’re year-round (with skiing in the winter). And with our new owner and their visions, the future could not look brighter.”
As for the Jay Morrish-inspired Pine Canyon golf course, it boasts some picturesque holes although I’ve always thought it was more on par with the Meadows Course at Forest Highlands and not the Canyon, which is the highly-decorated, Morrish-Tom Weiskopf design that set the standard for mountain golf in Arizona way back in the mid-1980s. It’s a standard that no one has ever equaled.
Sure, there are holes at Pine Canyon like Nos. 16 and 18 that give a little bit of that Augusta National-like feel. But the ones I always remember are Pine Canyon’s pair of “19s” – the 85-yard tee shot over water to an island green that ends your round (No. 19, the betting hole), and the traditional bar in the clubhouse. I can’t imagine a better way to end your round.
Like I said, if you’re thinking about a place to play for the entire family that’s just a two-hour drive from the Valley, Pine Canyon looks pretty good these days. It’s basically established, and its financial problems seem to be in the rear-view mirror. You can check out other details at www.pinecanyon.net.
Torreon, too, is all about the dad, mom and the kids, maybe even more than Pine Canyon when you consider they’ve dedicated 10 acres to family-friendly facilities that range from a trout pond to an equestrian stable, as well as Torreon’s 36 holes of golf.
Yes, it’s about a three-hour drive from the Valley, or three-and-a-half hours from Tucson, but that will get you up to about 6,300 feet above sea level, which is the altitude you need to be at to receive noticeable relief from the heat.
According to Joe Long, the general manager at Torreon, his club is no longer Arizona’s best-kept secret.
“After four years of recession, we’re finally starting to bounce back, and a big part of that has been the arrival of Troon Privé,” said Long, who happens to be a tennis pro who somehow found his way into private golf.
According to Long, Torreon always has been a stable club financially thanks to its long-time owners, Desert Troon. But the club had relied more on word-of-mouth than a major marketing campaign, which is why when the economic downturn came it dropped Torreon from 485 members down to around 400 members.
“Troon Privé has got us back in the big picture, which is very important when you consider how many clubs we’re competing with for summer golf,” he pointed out.
Long is right down the middle of the fairway with that assessment. And the difference between Torreon and Pine Canyon, besides 36 vs. 18 holes of golf, is that Torreon is more affordable. You’re talking about million-dollar-and-up homes at Pine Canyon versus homes at Torreon that boast more of a range, from $199,000 to $1.4 million.
Memberships at Torreon are a deal, too, and the formula is simple: $20,000 initiation fee if you own property, and just $350 a month. Seriously, it’s hard to find those kinds of numbers for such quality golf.
About the only drawback, Long added, is the nearby town of Show Low.
“It’s our weakness,” he said, sheepishly. “The place is just a little too sleepy compared to Flagstaff, probably because we don’t have any college students.”
That may be a plus or minus, depending on your view of college kids. And forget about Show Low, as Pinetop is just up the highway along with Sunrise Ski Park.
Laurie McCain, who has been selling homes at Torreon since it opened in 1999, said there are numerous reasons why people love the club, which is located in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, where the pines don’t grow quite as tall as they do in Flagstaff’s Coconino Forest.
“We’re affordable, casual, friendly and family-oriented, and it’s a mix of avid golfers from both Phoenix and Tucson, as we draw from both metropolitan areas,” McCain explained. “People really enjoy the atmosphere, and it’s easy to meet friends.
“Plus, people really love to play our golf courses, both the husbands and the wives. I mean, we had a ladies day member-guest recently, and we had 144 players.”
That’s impressive, when you can get 144 women to turn out to play golf at a destination golf course. But we’re not surprised, either, as Robert von Hagge’s two gems, the Tower (original) and Cabin, are dramatic and distinctive. The club itself designates four holes as signature – No. 8 and No. 15 on the Tower, and No. 9 and No. 12 on Cabin – but we would bet there are at least a dozen or more that could easily merit such status.
I’ve always said that von Hagge, who died in 2010, was the van Gogh of golf course architects, and there were certainly moments of sheer brilliance at Torreon. In fact, you can check it out at www.torreon.com.
So what’s it going to be: Pine Canyon or Torreon? The feeling here is, the time is right (again) and you can’t go wrong with either of them, especially with Troon Privé in charge.
Have Clubs, Will Travel is an entertaining “insider’s look” at the LPGA from the tour’s founding member and “ultimate insider,” Marilynn Smith.
A native of Topeka, Marilynn called herself “Just an ordinary gal from the Kansas prairie who has lived an extraordinary life.
“We were a mixture of war heroes, young kids, mothers and world-class athletes. We did things for ourselves, without management companies, a headquarters staff or swing gurus.”
With equal parts humor and sage commentary Marilynn notes, “Amazingly, we survived without corporate logos on our clothing.”
Marilynn and twelve co-founders started the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 1950:
Alice Bauer
Patty Berg
Bettye Danoff
Helen Detweiler
Marlene Bauer Hagge
Helen Hicks
Opal Hill
Betty Jameson
Sally Sessions
Shirley Spork
Louise Suggs
Babe Zaharias
Remember what the U.S. looked like at that time? Here’s a tip, Harry S. Truman was in the White House, Texaco Star Theater led the television popularity rankings and Ben Hogan would author his “Miracle at Merion” in June of that year.
With an assist from Bob Cayne, Marilynn blends personal stories from her World Golf Hall of Fame career with the hardscrabble realities of starting and nurturing the LPGA Tour right up to present day.
Courtesy cars and manicured golf courses may be considered customary today – after all, it is the LPGA Tour.
But if you’d like to know what it’s like to hit golf balls off home plate before the baseball game at the local MLB park to grow a gallery for tomorrow’s tournament round, Marilynn will tell you all about it.
Over sixty years later, Marilynn’s enthusiasm for the game is just as high, as it was on day one.
Four amateurs will be paired with an LPGA professional for a day of charity golf, good works and great fun. Click lpgafoundation.org/msmith for all the details.
You’ll find several ways to order hardcover copies of Have Clubs, Will Travel at MarilynnSmith.com, including a PayPal link for credit card transactions. Other options include paperback versions from Amazon, and eBook versions offered by Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other book vendors.
If you like golf, and the rich rewards it grants those who summon the grit and perseverance it sometimes demands of those who play, you’re gonna love this book.
$495 Q-Card Offers 10 Rounds – No Restrictions – June 1 – August 31
PEORIA, Arizona. – Quintero Golf Club General Manager Tom Wilcox announced today that Quintero’s popular Q-Card is back for 2013 and on sale now.
The Q-Card, good from June 1 – August 31, is a summer golf package that offers 10 rounds of golf with no restrictions (including cart) for only $495 (+tax). Q-Card rounds are fully transferable and can be used individually or divided up within a group.
“With Father’s Day coming up, this makes a perfect gift for those golfing dad’s out there, or just a great gift for yourself to get a fantastic deal for summer play at Quintero,” Wilcox said.
Q-Cards can be purchased at the Quintero Golf Shop or by calling (928) 501-1500.
Quintero Golf Club, formerly Quintero Golf and Country Club, is a semi-private club that recently opened for daily-fee play in November of 2011. This accessible, yet secluded club is located 45 minutes northwest of downtown Phoenix in the high Sonoran Desert, and sits at elevations between 1,986 and 2,670 feet in the stunning Hieroglyphic Mountains.
Quintero is ranked among the “Top 100 Residential Courses” and “American’s Greatest Modern Courses” by Golfweek, and was recently ranked second in the state of Arizona by both Golfweek and Golf Digest. For more information about Quintero Golf Club or to make a tee time reservation, go to www.quinterogolf.com or call (928) 501-1500.
Tim Mickelson looks back and laughs, while insisting that there never was a real defining moment of panic in his debut season as the Arizona State men’s golf coach. Indeed, if there were any doubts about the 2011-2012 campaign, a year of that saw the Sun Devils plunge to No. 83 in the country and miss the NCAA tournament, it didn’t come from the little brother of ASU icon Phil Mickelson.
“I always felt like we were on the right track,” said the younger Mickelson, who shook up his team last summer after his initial season by paring the roster almost in half and bringing in three freshmen and a transfer from East Tennessee State.
“I know that a few of our fans disagreed with that – us being on track. In fact, I even got an email from one of them in October, saying that I should be fired. It was like, ‘Whoa, dude, after just one year (on the job)?’ I just don’t think they really understood the state of the program.”
Imagine how that disgruntled fan(s) feels now after Mickelson pulled off what has to be the biggest resurgence in college golf for 2012-13. Ranked most of the season between No. 63 and 82, the Sun Devils made a late-season charge, entered the West NCAA Regional at No. 50 in the polls, and promptly qualified with a gutsy performance as one of 30 teams that will play this week (May 28-June 1) in the NCAA Championship in Atlanta.
That’s right, nobody came from farther down in the rankings to earn a spot in the six-day shootout that is set for the Crabapple Course at the Capital City Club.
“I’m proud to say that (this week) we’ll be representing ASU in the NCAA tournament for a 50th time, which is a really cool milestone,” said Mickelson, pointing out that only Oklahoma State (69), Texas (59) and USC (54) have been to the big dance more.
“It’s something we’re going to talk a little bit about when we get to Atlanta. I want the guys to know just how special this really is. Sure, the goal is to finish in the top eight and gain the match play (portion of the tournament). But they’re also going to get some wonderful experience out of it – they’ll know what it feels like — and that’s invaluable for such a young team going into next season.”
After dominating men’s college golf for most of this season, No. 1 California is the heavy favorite this week along with No. 2 Alabama, which has the experience factor. It’s certainly no easy feat that after three days of medal play (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), in which the individual champ will be crowned after 54 holes, and then the final eight schools will battle it out in a team vs. team format until one survives the match-play gauntlet to win the NCAA title.
Shoot, ASU came from similar depths at the regional, which was hosted at the ASU Karsten Course in Tempe, rallying on the final day to get the fifth and final spot over No. 9 Duke. That its top three players were all freshmen certainly bodes well, as Trey Ka’ahanui (tie for ninth), Max Rottluff (T20) and Jon Rahm (T23) led the way. And as Mickelson pointed out, Spencer Lawson (T25), his junior transfer, and Scottsdale sophomore Austin Quick (T41), also contributed.
Mickelson said he had expected strong performances from Rahm, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and Rottluff, a highly recruited standout from Germany. But Ka’ahanui, a 19-year-old from Tempe McClintock, well, that was “my biggest surprise.”
“Trey had struggled off the tee in the fall, but when he got his chance this spring, he seized it,” Mickelson said. “I could see it coming after he realized he didn’t have to hit his driver off every tee. Hey, he hits his 3-wood farther than most guys hit their driver, and when he scaled it back, he actually became a better driver of the ball when he did use that club.
“That part of his game certainly showed in the final round of the regional, when he helped us pull away from (No. 9) Duke with a (career best) 65. And all the guys came through at one time or another, which is why we’re going to Atlanta.”
Mickelson called Ka’ahanui “a stud athlete who plays any sport well.” He wasn’t necessarily a standout his senior year at McClintock, but Mickelson knew that Ka’ahanui had won the AJGA Heather Farr Classic as an eighth-grader, and state 4-A high school titles his sophomore and junior years before he sort of bottomed out as a senior and failed to finish in the top 20 at state. Oh, yes, and there was one other factor that came into play — Ka’ahanui’s older brother, Trent, had played for Mickelson when Tim was the coach at the University of San Diego.
“I’ve always had a great relationship with Tim,” said Ka’ahunui, who moved here from Hawaii when he was just a small child and grew up playing Shalimar Golf Club, just a few miles south of ASU.
“Tim’s not really a disciplinarian, but we all know exactly what he expects. He’s a really, really good teacher, but he still lets us play our game. He kind of lets us figure it out on our own, and I think that’s probably the reason we kept getting better as the season went on.”
The name Mickelson always brings great expectations, that’s true. Phil Mickelson is probably the most well-known, former ASU athlete in history along with the late Pat Tillman. But Tim Mickelson just might be onto something, the way he’s bringing his Sun Devils along slowly but surely. Plus the good players are starting to multiply, which also is a good sign.
For instance, Mickelson already has another great freshman on the team in Alberto Sanchez from Nogales, who played most of the season before struggling this spring. And Mickelson’s got three solid incoming freshmen in Nicola Galletti, a Phoenix kid who moved here from California a year ago; Ki Taek Lee, a standout from Palm Springs, Calif.; and Scottsdale’s Blake Cannon.
“Two of those three (incoming freshman) will play next year, as will Alberto,” Mickelson predicted. “So I love the direction we’re heading, and getting to the (NCAA) tournament this year, well, that’s just a really big bonus.”
Let’s see, the current five plus three more equals eight players vying for a five-man team, a situation that ever coach wants to be in, especially those who arrived at one point to find the cupboard bare. No doubt Mickelson is savoring his future.
“What does this season mean to me, personally?” Mickelson asked rhetorically. “Well, I think we’re a little bit ahead of where I thought we might be, and that’s nice.
Then he added with a wink: ““And I think there’s a good chance I’ll have a job next year.”
The EL Series putters from Boccieri Golf will knock three shots off your handicap. Now. Right Now.
This is real simple, lads. As in “Why didn’t I think of that?” simple.
Years ago, we all added gap wedges to our golf bag because we agreed with what Tom Kite proved,
“The easiest and most reliable way to play accurate wedge shots is to use one golf swing and let the tool, the loft on the wedge selected for the shot, control the distance the golf ball travels.” It’s true. We all do it now. We hone one move, pick an appropriate tool and let physics do the rest.
The EL Series putters from Boccieri Golf apply the same fundamental truth to putting: Use one putting stroke and let the putter control the distance.
How? Well, that’s the simple part.
All things being equal for a given “size” putting stroke, the longer the putter shaft is, the farther the putt will travel. It’s more simple physics, pure truth, proven centuries ago.
With the EL (Extended Length) Series putters’ 17” long grip, the “accuracy-size” putting stroke you built for holing short putts now works for medium and long putts as well.
Just move your hands up the grip, apply the same stroke, and the longer tool guarantees the putt travels farther.
Click Boccieri Golf – YouTube Videos for a full demonstration by designer, Stephen Boccieri. It’s a quick study in how to hole more putts inside that “I should make this range” and why the EL Series putter is the best tool for the job.
Holing eight and 10 footers with the very same stroke that makes all the short ones is exhilarating. Those additional holed putts appear in the GHIN Index update in short order – that’s fun, too.
Drawbacks? There are none. The EL Series putters are available in 36, 38 and 40-inch lengths, 21 head styles and three different finishes. There’s one to fit every players’ eye.
One highly skilled golf associate initially resisted, “My setup will be destroyed by the additional length.”
He owns four wedges and wields each with surgical precision. We laid them on the practice green, side by side. Four wedges, four different club lengths.
“Oh,” was the response we received as he picked up the putter and began holing six footers at will.
Anyone who’s been anchoring their putter needs to take a look at the EL Series putters as well.
The Tour and PGA ruling bodies are both supporting the January 2016 Anchors Aweigh ban and these putters will serve those relying on belly and long models quite nicely. Each of the new styles features a shaft that extends beyond the hands, but does not anchor to the body.
“One reason belly putters became so popular was because the additional grip and shaft materials created a natural back-weight,” says Stephen Boccieri, President and CEO of Boccieri Golf. “Other OEM’s are just now adopting counterweighting while we’ve been refining it for nearly a decade.”
Players who want to make more putts should report to the state-of-the-art Boccieri Golf Research and Performance Center at 15816 North Greenway-Hayden Loop in Scottsdale, just south of the TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course.
The professional staff will put the EL Series putter in your hands to try out. Don’t worry about running out of putting green, it’s a 9,000 square-foot building, full of all the latest swing-analysis technology. You may learn more about how you move a golf club than you ever thought you could absorb.
While you’re there, check out Boccieri Golf’s Secret Grip, endorsed by Jack Nicklaus. Introduced in 2013, the Secret Grip puts the same back-weight secret Nicklaus says he used throughout his career to win 18 professional majors and 73 PGA Tour titles at your disposal.
Simply changing the grips on your full shot clubs will deliver a consistent tempo and shot-dispersion accuracy you probably haven’t experienced before. The 10, 12, 15 yards of additional distance per club is fun too!
Boccieri Golf equipment has played a key role in victories on the PGA, European, Champions, Nationwide, Asian, Canadian and European Challenge Tours. They are happy to help you as well.
PHOENIX, Arizona – The Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA) is set to host the annual Willie Low Invitational, honoring the late Willie Low, one of the Valley’s top golf professionals for nearly half a century. Started in 1969, the event has showcased the talents of junior golfers from across the state. Past winners have included two-time champion and current PGA TOUR golfer Billy Mayfair along with Ted Purdy.
Willie Low influenced many of the Valley’s top juniors, including Howard Twitty and a young George Boutell who would later go on to win the 1962 Arizona Amateur Championship and then post a stellar career at Arizona State University, earning All American status.
Low began his golf career at Lakeside Golf Club in Los Angeles during the 1920’s where he became lifelong friends with the likes of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and other celebrities.
“I am not certain how it came together, but I would bet that he introduced these great celebrities to Bob Goldwater Sr. and after 70 plus years of Phoenix Opens, the Valley of the
Sun has been the beneficiary of these friendships,” said ASU Hall of Fame golfer, George Boutell.
Low came to the Valley in 1931 as the Head Golf Professional at Phoenix Country Club and stayed there until his retirement in 1972. He was awarded the Anser Award by the Southwest Section PGA in 2004, honoring individuals whose positive efforts have influenced the history of Arizona golf. Mr. Low was also a member of the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame.
“The Willie Low Junior Invitational is a tribute to Low’s passion for the game that was demonstrated through his interest in young people”. said Scott Frisch, current Head Golf Professional at Phoenix Country Club. “This tournament is a chance for all of us to reflect on the work of this great man in helping build the foundation for generations of golfers to come”.
Some of this year’s top participants will include Alec Bone, Brenden Bone, Sam Triplett, Hayden Webb and Prescott Mann, a top finished in last year’s event. In the girl’s field top finishers Megan Knadler and Miranda Reyes will be competing once again. Other top competitors participating this year will be Kaylee Knadler, Ariana Macioce, and Alisa Snyder.
The 2013 Willie Low Invitational will get underway on June 11 at Phoenix Country Club.
About the Junior Golf Association of Arizona
Founded in 1983, the Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA) is a non-profit organization that introduces Arizona’s youth to the game of golf and helps junior golfers develop golf and life skills through competitive programs and tournaments. In addition to developing programs at schools and assisting Arizona golf courses with their junior programs, the JGAA conducts more than 100 programs and activities, including etiquette clinics, tournaments, and college prep seminars throughout Arizona each year. The JGAA awards two scholarship funds annually to high school senior members of the JGAA for their college education – the Tres Arnold and the John Wolfinger Memorial College Scholarships. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2013, JGAA’s strong belief in teamwork and cooperation continues to guide the organization and is instilled in all of its members. Visit www.jgaa.org
(Scottsdale, AZ) – Boccieri Golf has tapped Jack Nicklaus to help launch the Secret Grip, a patented technological breakthrough that allows players to easily back-weight their clubs, similar to the way Nicklaus did during his career, winning a record 18 professional majors and 73 PGA Tour titles.
The Secret Grip represents the first time in nearly two decades that Nicklaus has given his personal endorsement to equipment not under the Nicklaus Golf banner. Mr. Nicklaus will appear in promotional materials for the product and use it on his own clubs.
“Throughout my career, all my golf clubs were back-weighted,” Nicklaus said. “The main benefit was that it helped slow down my hands and reduce dispersion. There are a lot of people who could benefit from the philosophy that I used and that is why we have been working with Boccieri Golf. If we can make the game easier and thus more enjoyable for people, that’s not only a good thing for them, it’s good for the game of golf.”
The Secret Grip is designed to be installed quickly and affordably on every manufacturer’s clubs. Its heavier weight raises the club’s balance point, promoting consistent crisp contact for greater control and distance. The grip is manufactured with a tungsten weight in the butt-end and uses a grip material compound that’s 40-percent heavier than materials used in today’s other grip products.
“Extensive research and testing has proven that counter-weighting helps everyone from the high-handicapper to all-time greats like Jack,” says Stephen Boccieri, President and CEO of Boccieri Golf. “With the Secret Grip, players benefit from our unique weighting system without changing the brand or style of golf club they prefer.”
Prototypes of the Secret Grip were unveiled last year and garnered praise from dozens of leading media outlets. This included receiving “Top Products from the 2012 PGA Show” honors from Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine. Recent consumer launch-monitor testing of more than 500 players showed 95 percent reported a strong preference for the Secret Grip versus traditional grips.
Additional advantages offered by the Secret Grip ($16.99 each) include:
• An additional inch of grip length, allowing players to grip-down for improved play around the green or on uneven lies
• The built-up lower section — often preferred by PGA Tour players — eliminates additional layers of grip tape
The Secret Grip is the newest product in a line of pioneering equipment from Boccieri Golf that includes the popular Heavy Putter collection, along with the critically acclaimed “Control Series” of full swing clubs.
The Secret Grip can be purchased at www.boccierigolf.com right now. Beginning in March, the Secret Grip will be available at Dicks and Golf Galaxy retailers nationwide.
If you’re traveling to Arizona, visit the Boccieri Golf Research and Performance Center at 15816 North Greenway-Hayden Loop in Scottsdale, just down the street from the TPC Stadium golf course. In order to keep pace with demand for the entire Boccieri Golf portfolio of revolutionary products, the 9,000-square-foot facility offers a variety of services, including Secret Grip installation, custom club fitting, high-tech swing analysis and practice time in state-of-the-art golf simulators.
This year’s “Ticket” specifically includes:
