It’s hard to improve upon a morning at the golf course, but with spring training in town, adding an afternoon at the ballpark makes for an full day of good, clean fun.
And with fifteen MLB baseball teams playing in ten baseball parks scattered across the Phoenix – Scottsdale metro area, it’s easy to pair any of several Arizona golf courses you enjoy with a nearby spring training game.
First, the fifteen baseball teams: Dodgers, Cubs, Royals, Giants, Angels, Athletics, Reds, Indians, Brewers, White Sox, Reds, Rockies, Padres, Mariners and the hometown Diamondbacks all train in the Valley of the Sun.
The ten baseball stadiums are located in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Surprise and Tempe. The map of ballparks below, together with the game schedule will get you started. Pair those up with a golf course nearby and you’re ready for a full day of excellent entertainment in Arizona’s perfect springtime weather.
Some pick the game they want to see first, note the stadium location and pick their favorite golf course, nearby. Others pick the golf course first, and are happy to watch whatever teams happen to be playing that day in the stadium, nearby.
Either strategy works, and the Arizona golf course reviews at the Arizona Golf Authority makes matching the golf course to the baseball stadium easy.
You seldom hear anyone complain about playing too much golf, or spending too much time at the ballpark. We guarantee you’ll never hear someone say “I did both today, and it was too much fun.”
It’s time to get your game in shape for the 2016 City of Phoenix Stroke Play Championship. Play begins Friday, April 8 at Cave Creek, moves to Encanto Saturday, April 9 and finishes up at Grand Canyon Sunday, April 10.
Players must carry a handicap index of 13.6 or below and four flights of competition are available. Players will compete in threesomes with assigned tee times each day, beginning at 6:30 each morning.
If 54-holes of individual stroke play is not for you, have a look at the other competitive events offered later this year by the City of Phoenix. You’ll find Men’s Net-Stroke Play event, Gross and Net events for Senior Men, Gross and Net Stroke Play for Women, and a Two-Player Team Gross Score event for men.
Put SunRidge Canyon Golf Club on your near-term play list and go enjoy one of Arizona’s most demanding, yet rewarding, championship layouts. Owners Don and Cindy Misheff, who purchased the club in 2010, have implemented some serious improvements during their stewardship and the results are spectacular.
First, the golf course. Long before the term became popular, avid local players respected Keith Foster’s 1995 “minimalist design” for its maximum challenge. The uphill climb home through holes 13-18, dubbed the “Wicked Six”, is one of the most memorable finishes in town.
These six closers require precise play to score well, but whatever you post, the spectacular scenery you traverse while playing them always seems to pay off in spades when the last putt is holed, high atop the property on the 18th green.
Looking down over the climb you just completed you’ll find within yourself a warm feeling of accomplishment and the quiet, rewarding sense of “a day well spent.”
True to form, the Misheff’s used the summer season to raise the SunRidge Canyon playing experience to a higher level by converting all 18 greens to Champion Dwarf Bermuda. Be advised the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Trials concluded that Champion achieved STMP meter speeds approaching two feet faster than other ultradwarf cultivar surfaces.
Which is fine, since most players agree the “Can’t be too thin” and “Can’t be too rich” paradigm includes putting surfaces, “Can’t be too quick.”
The layout remain the terrific test it’s always been: two precise shots over two transition areas at the picturesque par-4 seventh, an elevated, white-knuckle tee shot at the water-wrapped par-3 14th and the solid, uphill 18th closer. The elegant greens only enhance the experience of playing SunRidge’s artful design.
And when the last putt drops, prepare yourself for more great fun: the new Wicked Six Bar and Grill at SunRidge Canyon.
The hacienda-style clubhouse at SunRidge has always provided one of the best “local hang” spots in town, but now it’s been amped up with a new full-service menu, an engaging staff and a comfortably-modern decor.
When you add in the elegant indoor-outdoor patio and that panoramic view of Four Peaks beyond, your card totals: great golf, good vibe, wicked fun.
Great news from Shelby Futch, Scottsdale Golf Group CEO: Orange Tree Golf Club practice facilities will receive a complete makeover this summer by Ken Kavanaugh Golf Course Design.
Shelby Futch and Ken Kavanaugh
Ken Kavanaugh is a local design hero in these parts and the master golf course architect has worked with SGG for over 15 years.
We have all enjoyed his enhancements to Red Mountain Ranch Country Club and Painted Mountain Golf Club, both courses owned by Scottsdale Golf Group.
This summer, the Orange Tree practice range will be lengthened and the tee area enlarged. When finished in the Fall of 2014, the facility will grow to more than twice its current size and be one of the largest “all-turf” practice facilities in Arizona.
Three large putting greens and a chipping green are included in the redesign to provide expanded areas for the short game work we all need.
Shelby Futch, founder & CEO of Scottsdale Golf Group owns six Phoenix metro-area golf courses and a private club in the Texas Hill Country, River Crossing Club.
As founder of the John Jacobs Golf Schools and Academies with 12 locations across the USA and two Canadian locations underway, he has earned an international reputation as an industry leader whose career incorporates every phase of the golf business. Shelby was inducted in the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame last year in an awards ceremony in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Orange Tree Golf Club has always been a convenient and comfortable all-turf practice facility. Now it’s going to be roomy as well.
Orange Tree’s traditional tree-lined golf course is a great play this time of year. Read the Arizona Golf Authority Orange Tree Golf Course Review, make a tee time and go enjoy the Johnny Bulla design.
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.
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
Brad Williams has been on the job for just a few months as the new general manager and director of golf at the TPC Scottsdale.
For the most part, the former boss at the TPC Boston has been low profile since he assumed the reins from Bill Grove, who retired following the 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open.
I finally caught up with the easygoing Williams last week, and during our conversation I asked him about his early experiences on his new job.
“Oh, it’s been great. I’m loving it,” said Williams, who once was the head pro at the TPC Scottsdale (2000-2002). “In fact, it’s been near-perfect with the exception of that story in Monday’s paper.”
“That story” Williams was referring to ran in the Arizona Republic under the headline: “Critics question Scottsdale’s spending on TPC.”
In the article, the Republic detailed how the Scottsdale City Council planned to pay for a $15 million renovation of the TPC’s Stadium Course rather than the renovation being the responsibility of the PGA Tour, which hosts the Waste Management Phoenix Open on that course annually. It also pointed out how the City of Scottsdale has paid fees totaling almost $26 million to keep the TPC Scottsdale running since it opened in 1987.
But what probably riled Williams, at least a little bit, was the part about how the $15 million deal that also involves updating the TPC’s clubhouse had been met with criticism from “a loosely organized group of Scottsdale residents concerned about municipal spending.” And it also mentioned how those critics were threatening possible legal action if the City Council didn’t reconsider and get a better deal from the Tour.
Oh, yes, and in exchange for that $15 million renovation, the newspaper reported, the Tour will increase its fees paid to the course over the next 20 years by a mere $4 million, as well as extend the contract for the Waste Management Phoenix Open by six years through 2022. There were other details about the project, which doesn’t include the TPC’s lesser known Champions Course, but those were the big ones.
Being a skeptical sort, I also questioned whether the TPC Scottsdale really needs a $15 million facelift. Seriously, for $15 mill you would think that you could blow up the Tom Weiskopf-Jay Morrish design and build an entirely new one, although you might not have quite enough dough for the course and the clubhouse, too.
But after talking with Williams and the guy who ram-rodded the deal through the Scottsdale City Council, Mayor Jim Lane, I think everybody in Scottsdale should just chill on this subject and let it happen. It’s all good for Scottsdale and the entire Valley, especially the $90 million a year economic impact punch the tournament provides, and here’s why:
Contrary to what many are assuming, Lane told me, the project is not being funded by the city’s taxpayers. Instead it’s a combination of the monies received from the city’s hotel bed tax, as well as that aforementioned $4 million from the Tour.
“We felt like we worked a very hard but fair deal with the Tour,” Lane said. “And (the renovation is) going to happen regardless (of what some might say).”
According to the Republic article, an attorney representing opponents of the deal has urged Lane and the City Council to renegotiate more favorable terms. The article also cited Mark Stuart, a financial analyst and leading opponent of the TPC deal, who claimed that the most well attended tournament in professional golf has no real direct benefits to Scottsdale, and threatened legal action if the city goes through with the project.
“That’s strictly nonsense,” said Lane of the crowds at the TPC that often swell to over 500,000 fans for the week, and the worldwide TV coverage that showcases Scottsdale’s beautiful weather during a period when most of the country is caught in winter’s woes.
“People can threaten whatever they want, but we’re very comfortable with what we’re doing in financing this project.”
So why do we need to renovate the Stadium Course at the TPC Scottsdale, the one that gets the highest green fee in Arizona (approximately $300 in peak season)? Lane and Williams have slightly different perspectives on this project, which again will be spearheaded by Weiskopf, but both are pertinent.
“First and foremost, this is a golf course that has been owned by the City of Scottsdale for almost 30 years, and so it’s our golf course we’re funding,” Lane said. “Scottsdale is all about golf. It’s how we portray ourselves to the world.
“In the bigger picture, it also represents the entire Valley. So we want it to look good for not only Scottsdale, but all of Arizona.”
Adding to that, Lane said the 7,218-yard, par-71 layout needs to be “more challenging.” But Williams said that, from the Tour’s perspective, “We don’t think our goal is to make the TPC more difficult but rather to modernize it for today’s game.”
“Golf fans still want to see birdies and see players play well, so we don’t want to change that,” he added. “This will bring it into the 21st Century.”
Williams said that among the changes that will occur from April 1 to mid-November, 2014, when the course will be shut down for the renovation, are the following:
*The greens will be completely stripped down 4 to 5 inches in depth, new materials added, and grown back in with “a few subtle changes.” A few holes, like Nos. 2, 3 and 4, might end up in new locations.
*Restructure the tee complexes, which could add or subtract length.
*Rebuild and reshape bunker complexes, while strategically removing some and adding others. All will have new sand.
*Renew cart paths and reposition desert landscape, although Williams promised the “Tiger Rock” from the 1999 Phoenix Open is to remain status quo. “Wouldn’t dream of removing that,” he said with a laugh.
*Update the irrigation system and plant.
*Remodel the clubhouse, adding new locker space and a new indoor dining room for the players and their families, as well as redoing the TPC Grille.
“It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but basically we want to enhance the players’ experience while maintaining the tournament’s image as one of the best on Tour,” Williams said.
This will be Williams’ first time handling a project of this magnitude, although he does have some experience in the area of remodeling a facility while he was at the TPC Boston.
“But this is my biggest project, and I’m really excited,” he said. “I’m confident that we can get this done on time, because one of the good things about it is we’ve been in the planning stages for some time. We’ve really thought it through.”
Evidently others are getting on board. This week the Republic endorsed the project in an editorial entitled: “Phoenix Open Funding Wise,” stating that a “renewed commitment is of vital importance for this city.” The op-ed page even took a shot at the critics, calling their claims “unfounded and utterly ludicrous.”
Although the editorial never mentioned it, I’ll give you one more reason why this $15 million renovation is more than justified: It keeps the lifeline of precious charity contributions generated by the Waste Management Phoenix Open flowing throughout the Valley.
Indeed, the Phoenix Open never has gotten the recognition it deserves for its philanthropic ways. But every year the Thunderbirds, the civic group that runs the Waste Management Phoenix Open, raises $4 million or $5 million or $6 million for charity – or over $52 million in the last 10 years alone.
That sum raised by the Waste Management Phoenix Open is more than the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Coyotes have raised combined. And just think of all the taxpayer money that has been spent on those professional sports over the years!
Certainly the completion of the renovation is something to look forward to when the TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course opens anew in 2015, Williams added.
“It’s the year we’ll unveil the golf course, and the Super Bowl returns to the Valley, “ he said. “Should be a very exciting time around here.”
Yes, Brad Williams has been on the job for just a few months, but he seems to be fitting in just fine.
(SCOTTSDALE, Arizona) – GolfLogixGolfLogix – the No. 1 App for Golf and global leader in GPS and club-tracking technology – has partnered with GolfNow to provide GolfLogix members with exclusive 24/7 access to book tee times at more than 4,000 golf courses worldwide directly within the app.
The new portal seamlessly connects to GolfNow’s extensive online tee-time reservation service at a touch of the screen. GolfLogix members can also sign up for in-app alerts for immediate notification when preferred openings become available that fit predetermined search criteria, such as location, time or cost.
“Partnering with GolfNow ensures our two million members will never again miss a great tee-time deal and saves them money on greens fees in their hometowns or at elite courses nationwide,” says GolfLogix President Pete Charleston. “This joins our patented precise GPS data, Golf Digest instruction tips and exceptional Golfsmith product discounts in golf’s most all-inclusive app – all for free.”
GolfNow.com is the Internet’s largest and most complete tee time booking resource, permitting golfers to go online, choose a course, and quickly book a tee-time deal that fits their schedule and budget. Using leading edge technology, the service offers players access to their favorite courses through the web, e-mail and a mobile feature.
“GolfNow is focused on finding new ways to help grow the game of golf,” says Will McIntosh, GolfNow Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy. “This partnership will enhance the GolfLogix user experience, by not only making it easier for them to book rounds at their favorite course any time of day, but also providing other opportunities to enjoy the game more often and within their budget.”
Easily downloaded for free from www.GolfLogix.com, the GolfLogix GPS app is compatible with more than 60 smartphone models. It delivers accurate distances to the center of the green, yardage book quality imagery of each hole, scorekeeping and in-round pro-level stat tracking for more than 32,000 courses worldwide. For less than $20, an upgraded annual Champion membership provides golfers with club tracking and distances to any location on the hole such as pin position, hazards and landing zones.
All membership levels include access to the GolfLogix Member Clubhouse, the No. 1 online golf community where millions of players interact through social forums, offer challenges to fellow golfers and maintain an indexed handicap. Personal web pages for each user also store performance statistics, so every round can be analyzed by fairways hit, greens in regulation, putting, shot trends and more.
GolfNow.com is the Internet’s largest and most comprehensive online tee time reservation service. Using leading edge technology, GolfNow.com offers golfers more ways to stay connected to their favorite courses and tee times through the web, e-mail, as well as an iPhone mobile app. Golfers can go online 24/7, choose a course, and pick a tee-time deal that fits their schedule and budget and book the tee time. Founded in 2001, GolfNow.com has expanded to more than 80 markets in North America, Ireland, Scotland, Mexico and Bermuda, providing tee-time access to more than 4,000 courses for more than 1.1 million registered users. GolfNow.com is powered by Golf Channel, which is seen in more than 120 million homes worldwide through cable, satellite and wireless companies, as well as by GolfChannel.com, a leading golf destination on the Internet. GolfNow.com is part of GolfChannel.com’s online platform of Internet sites designed to help the recreational player enjoy every aspect of the game.
The No. 1 App for Golf, GolfLogix boasts more than two million members on the world’s top-selling smartphones. Dedicated to offering consumers the most advanced GPS solutions with the best features, quality and price, GolfLogix helps improve individual performance. Strategic partnerships with industry-leading content provider Golf Digest and top retailer Golfsmith present members with exclusive benefits directly through the app.
Founded in May 1999, GolfLogix was the first to introduce handheld GPS to the golf industry and holds a U.S. patent for its unique GPS and Internet-based club tracking application. Based in Scottsdale, AZ, the company has been professionally mapping courses for more than 12 years and owns the largest, most up-to-date golf course database in the world.
In 2009, the rapid advance of smartphone technology led GolfLogix to develop and quickly capture the market with an easy-to-use application providing precise GPS distances. In addition, the software manages scorekeeping and stat tracking, then uploads them to an online clubhouse community where golfers can interact and compete with millions of other players worldwide. Now available on more than 60 different smartphone models, The No. 1 Golf App offers maps for more than 32,000 courses globally
For the third consecutive year, the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup will be played March 14-17, 2013, at Wildfire Golf Club on the grounds of the centrally located JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa.
This full-field, four-day event will be televised live on The Golf Channel all four days and features a $1.5 million purse, with $225,000 going to the champion.
Karrie Webb won the inaugural RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup tournament in 2011, while two-time Rolex Player of the Year winner Yani Tseng captured the title in 2012.
The tournament is contested on a golf course we daily fee players can’t play; it combines the back-nine of the Palmer Course with the back-nine of the Faldo Course, producing a unique 6,613-yard par-72 test.
The tournament honors the 13 original Founders of the LPGA Tour and helps provide a future for the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program, which has received more than $1 million from tournament proceeds in the last two years.
Daily tickets for the event are $25, and weekly badges are priced at $75.
To purchase tickets for the 2013 RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup, go to www.LPGAFoundersCup.com or call 1-888-LPGATIX.
