The brand new Arccos for Apple Watch (photo: Arccos).
Arccos – the pioneer of big data and Artificial Intelligence for golf – has today unveiled a new Arccos for Apple Watch app update highlighted by UX enhancements that provides golfers with the ability to start an Arccos Caddie round on the world’s #1 selling smart watch without ever touching their iPhone.
A completely re-developed caddie app
The preferred shot-tracking hardware for almost 20% of Arccos members, Apple Watch also allows Arccos Caddie members to view A.I. Rangefinder distances, receive personalized club recommendations, add penalty strokes, see shot history and holes scores, and make any necessary edits.
“From a product standpoint, we have completely re-developed the Arccos Caddie app for Apple Watch architecture from the ground up,” said Dave LeDonne, Arccos’ Vice President of Product. “With well over half a million rounds played by Arccos members on Apple Watch last year alone, this redesign makes the experience dramatically better,” he added.
Additional app functionality includes the ability for players to mark the hole locations on the green with a simple click of a button on the watch device when standing directly next to the pin. This provides more accurate short game and putting insights along with highlighting areas for player improvement via the powerful Strokes Gained analytics insights.
More than 650 million shots for Arccos members
To access the new experience – which is optimized for Apple Watch Series 5 and newer – members simply open the Arccos Caddie app for Apple Watch, confirm the course and tees being played and press start round. The app then syncs with the smart sensors in the grip of each club to pinpoint exactly when and where a shot has been played.
Arccos members have now recorded more than 650 million shots during 13.5 million rounds in 162 countries worldwide. The largest on-course dataset in golf has collected over 700 billion separate data points to power Arccos’ industry-leading Strokes Gained engine that allows a player to select their personal handicap goal, then provides personalized analysis for every game aspect and each club in the bag.
Golf’s first Artificial Intelligence platform, Arccos automatically tracks your shots while delivering in-round insights and personalized Strokes Gained analytics for every game facet and each club in your bag. The system is highlighted by an A.I.-powered rangefinder, smart club distances and caddie advice for every golf hole on earth. These innovations helped new Arccos members who played at least 10 rounds lower their handicap by an average of 5.71 strokes in their first year of membership.
he "signature hole" 16 (par-3) of Apes Hill Barbados, designed by Ron Kirby. (Photo: Azalea)
Golf course architect Ron Kirby in an interview about his jobs on the golf course, his style as a designer, the influence of well-known architects, sustainability and the redesign of Apes Hill in Barbados.
Ron Kirby: “Get any job you can on a golf course”
What made you decide to get into golf design?
Ron Kirby: My career began with a talent I had for sketching when I was a teenager, just north of Boston. If you had the means, you could get to the Museum of Fine Arts for free art lessons on Saturday mornings. My brother and I would ride the subway to get my art lesson, so I knew how to sketch and handle a brush. Later I won a caddie scholarship, and I went to greenkeeper school.
When it snowed in the winters, I went to Florida – where my dad had a club pro job – and I realised that the movie stars in golf were the course designers. There was a centrefold in Sports Illustrated with two architects who were the flavour of the month: Robert Trent Jones and Dick Wilson. They were superstars.
Define Ron Kirby’s style…
Ron Kirby: I’m just looking for fun, different holes to build. I look for a chance to make the short holes more exciting and I always want to make something that’s fair for the player. Because I was a greenkeeper, I want to build things that can be maintained, kept neat and manicured.
Tell us about the people you’ve worked with over the years. Who were the most influential and why?
Ron Kirby: Trent Jones was a visionary. He could take any piece of ground and he would get the best layout – he knew how to put the holes in the right position for the wind, the sun direction, and his routings were very good. Another thing I learned from working with Trent Jones is that he didn’t do it all. He did the layouts, but he had a team of people working for him. You need good staff. And I had a lot of good staff.
I’ve also worked with Jack Nicklaus, who would always get the best sites and the best budgets. Nicklaus was a finishing school in golf design because of his strategy. He knew what a golf ball could and couldn’t do.
What advice would you give other designers from what you’ve learned?
Ron Kirby: Respect the ground. Try and make your golf course fit. It’s a lot of fun being a golf course designer, but you’ve got to be patient to get the right assignments. I’m proud that I got a chance to put my two cents in. The best thing to do is get any job you can on a golf course – even pulling the carts out. I grew up on a golf course, and I’ve never worked anywhere else.
Apes Hill Barbados: Stunning views and fun holes
You have just completed work at Apes Hill in Barbados – what hole there most reflects your style?
Ron Kirby: The second, for sure. It was a par three; now we’ve got a two-way hole. We extended the green and moved the tees back. It was almost an unplayable par three: into the wind, uphill… nobody would love this hole, so you’d play two holes and already you didn’t like the course. We turned it into a really fun, friendly par four. You have a chance to get out of there smiling. I didn’t have to go too far to find a hole I would love.
The idyllic par-4 2nd hole of Apes Hill Barbados. (Credit: Azalea)
How did you bring to Apes Hill what you learnt from designing Old Head?
Ron Kirby: Old Head is basically an island connected with a little isthmus at the gate. But you have almost 360° of cliffs, so you try to get as close to the cliffs as you could to use those features. When I saw Apes Hill, you’ve got some super vistas. You can look at two oceans in some places! So, I said, “all we’ve got to do here is make sure that players can take in the vistas”.
What is your message to everyone who is about to experience Apes Hill?
Ron Kirby: Well, if I could meet every one of them, I hope they would buy me a beer and say I did a good job. I want people to enjoy their game and want to come back again.
The 14th hole of Apes Hill. From the tee you have a great view over the east coast of Barbados. (Photo: Azalea)
Over the years, what’s changed with sustainability and what have we done here at Apes Hill?
Ron Kirby: Sustainability means don’t build anything that you can’t maintain. Number one was the bunkers – we couldn’t maintain those, so we’ve eliminated two thirds of the bunkers. That’s cut back on the maintenance of the bunkers, the sand and erosion, and of course the irrigation. Zoysia grass is tolerant to drought, so we don’t have to keep pumping water on to keep it green and alive, it will maintain itself. We’ve taken away around 1,000 sprinklers, reducing irrigation by a third. Supply here is from a huge lake, which collects the mountain rainfall instead of letting it run off into the sea, millions of gallons. There will also be a par 3 for kids and families.
Tell us a bit about that…
Ron Kirby: We’ve taken inspiration from some of the world’s most famous par-three holes. It’s great for the kids and the families to go out and have fun, but a lot of golfers will say, ‘I’ve never played the Postage Stamp, I’ve never been to Royal Troon”, so they can come here and try it. We also built a 19th hole similar to the famous 17 th hole at TPC Sawgrass, where it’s so dynamic because it’s an island green. You’re either on the green or in the water.
Was it a priority to make the holes diverse enough that people of different skill levels could play?
Ron Kirby: Yes. We only needed four tees per hole, but we put them in spaces where they could cover all types, of players, from guys who can hit it pure to the average guys and then the poor players like me. We have friendly tees for the ladies, challenge tees for the better ladies’ players. It’s fun for everyone. Pick your poison and see where you want to tee it up from.
How do you feel about the finished product?
Ron Kirby: What we’ve done here is the result of a lot of hard work and it wasn’t an easy job. The weather was hitting us hard with storms, Covid delayed us… but I’m proud to be part of it. I can sit back and say this is one of mine. I can say that about maybe 150 golf courses, but this is a special one.
The Armstrong jacket is part of the new collection by Galvin Green. (Photo: Galvin Green)
Leading high-performance golf apparel brand Galvin Green offers golfers its most all-encompassing rain wear line-up yet to help overcome the increasingly unpredictable weather patterns faced during a round of golf.
The latest fully waterproof range offers a first-class jacket and pant pairing in the uncompromising GORE-TEX stretch with C-KNITTM backer fabric; ten designs crafted using the lightweight GORE-TEX Paclite® technology; and five styles with mesh lining for added warmth. A total of eight functional models incorporate stretch fabric for added flexibility during the golf swing.
Galvin Green: Garments for demanding conditions
“Utilising the best-performing waterproof membrane on the market in the most fit-for-purpose rain wear pieces is testament to our never compromise approach to product design,” said Product Manager Sofia Ask Klason. “With our extensive offering using a number of different fabric technologies, serious golfers have a stellar choice of responsibly sourced designs that meet the requirements faced when playing in increasingly unpredictable and demanding conditions out on the golf course,” she added.
A decade ago, in 2013, the first Galvin Green GORE-TEX jackets and pants using bluesign® approved eco-friendly fabric were added to the range. All waterproof garments in the latest line continue to use these sustainable materials that maximise a golfer’s performance; while, at the same time seek to minimise social and environmental impact.
New flagship jacket
Leading the range is the striking new ALISTER jacket – offering the most premium performance-enhancing and reliable waterproof features on the market. The full-zip model is crafted using GORE-TEX stretch with C-KNITTM backer fabric and features a smooth ‘slide and glide’ interior and Superstretch inserts across the back and elbows for unrivalled freedom of movement in the swing.
The new Allister jacket from Galvin Green (Photo: Galvin Green)
The addition of reinforced TechsteelTM material at the shoulders delivers greater durability without compromising movement during the swing. It also features water repellent zippers, front pockets and a chest and collar width for extra comfort and protection in adverse weather conditions.
The matching ALPHA superstretch waterproof trousers with C-KNITTM backer are available in as many as 15 different size options across waist and leg lengths. The pant includes an elasticated waist and drawstring for the perfect fit; adjustable leg width; front pockets with fleece lining; a zipper fly opening and water-repellent zippers; plus an abrasion-resistant fabric on the leg hem.
Packable options
Suited to golfers with limited space in their golf bag, the award-winning ARMSTRONG men’s jacket in GORE-TEX Paclite® fabric with enhanced stretch capabilities offers great flexibility during a round of golf. The tri-blend design weighs in at just 300 grams (in size medium) and features shaped sleeves to allow for a full range of movement in the golf swing; an adjustable chest width and front pockets for increased comfort. It is available in as many as seven striking colourways and is designed to paired with the matching ARTHUR Paclite® pants.
A new addition to the women’s GORE-TEX Paclite® range is the sleek ALLY jacket with contrast detailing on the zipper and sides. It features shaped sleeves to deliver seamless movement in the swing; welcome details like front pockets and a two-way front zipper; as well as a repositioned side seam for optimum comfort. It comes in three stylish colours and is best paired with the ALINA pants also featuring GORE-TEX Paclite® stretch fabric in a number of sizes for the perfect fit.
Lined waterproofs for added warmth
The sporty ALBERT men’s jacket is a great option for those golfers seeking a fully waterproof style that stands up to the test on cold wet days. The lightweight mesh lining delivers an added warming effect by trapping warm air between the body and clothing pieces, while the use of stretch fabric in the design ensures golfers can continue to swing comfortably regardless of the weather. New colourways include White/Navy/Orange and Navy/White/Blue combinations.
The Albert jacket for men (Photo: Galvin Green)
Another popular model is the ARLIE jacket that can be paired up with layers underneath to ensure optimal performance in rain, wind and cold. It is available in three colours and up to 5XL in size. Complimenting the two men’s lined jackets are the breathable ANDY pants with an elasticated waist and drawstring ensuring an optimal fit, plus strategically positioned abrasion resistant fabric at the leg hem.
For women golfers, the sophisticated ANYA jacket with mesh lining delivers a clean look when paired with the matching ANNA pants. The functional jacket incorporates useful features like an inner chest pocket and convenient two-way front zipper and is offered in four stylish colours including a new Blue/Reflex option.
New collection for women (Photo: Galvin Green)
Last year, the brand marked three decades of innovation using GORE-TEX fabric across its full range of waterproof garments. From the very first Galvin Green rain jacket to the full-featured ALISTER jacket of today, the brand has sold almost 1.3 million GORE-TEX garments. For details of the latest rain wear line-up, visit www.galvingreen.com.
Luke Donald will tee up at the BMW International Open 2023. (Photo: BMW)
The BMW International Open will be held for the 34th time this year. Once again a very interesting field will gather at BMW Group’s headquarters for Germany’s most prestigious and most tradition-steeped pro golfing event. The tournament loved by spectators and athletes alike, thanks to its special atmosphere, will be held at Golfclub München Eichenried from 21st to 25th June 2023. This year, the Ryder Cup, taking place in Rome (ITA) in autumn with Worldwide Partner BMW, will also play an important role.
With only a few months to go until the unique duel between the best golfers in Europe and those of the defending champions, the USA, at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, the Ryder Cup teams will slowly take shape, and the captains will become clearer on who they want as wild card picks. Europe’s captain Luke Donald will have the opportunity to take a look at a wide range of aspriants in Munich. The former world number one and two-time winner of the BMW PGA Championship will also be reaching for his clubs himself. The tournament’s huge significance for the Ryder Cup’s Team Europe is highlighted by the fact that all three vice captains – Thomas Bjørn (DEN, two-time BMW International Open champion), Edoardo Molinari (ITA) and Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) – will be teeing off.
No doubt the quartet will be keeping a close eye on the many German players who have been attracting attention with excellent results on the two major world tours in recent months. Yannik Paul in third place on the “European Points List” would even qualify for the European team immediately as it stands. Paul won his first title on the DP World Tour (DPWT) last year, as did Max Kieffer, and both golfers will be in action in Munich. Matti Schmid, who made a splash on the PGA Tour when he finished in tied sixth place at “The American Express” in January, will also be teeing off in his home state of Bavaria.
In Marcel Siem, the player of the hour is returning to the golf club in which he grew up as the child of the then club restaurateurs. The 42-year-old not only recently reached the impressive milestone of 500 DPWT tournaments, he also won the Hero Indian Open last weekend, which saw him celebrate a title win once again, more than eight years after his last victory (BMW Masters). Alex Cejka, who has been enjoying success on the Champions Tour since 2020, has won two majors there, and is currently ranked seventh in the season standings, will return to Germany and the DPTW for the BMW International Open.
A range of younger European players who have increasingly attracted attention and will also be part of the field at Golfclub München Eichenried have good reason to hope for a spot on the Ryder Cup team. These include 21-year-old Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard, who with two and three DPWT wins to their name respectively have already proved they have what it takes on several occasions. In Abu Dhabi, France’s Victor Perez won the first Rolex Series tournament of the year, and his third title on the DPWT. The interesting quartet is rounded off by Robert MacIntyre of Scotland, who so far on the DPWT has won the “Rookie of the Year 2019” award and two tournaments.
Last year’s winner Li Haotong (CHN), whose emotional reaction to winning the play-off will be remembered for many years to come, will be looking to defend his title in June. Last year’s third-placed golfer, Ryan Fox, will also be teeing off again. The New Zealanders was presented with the Seve Ballesteros Award for the best DPWT player of the year after an incredible 2022 season – beating majors winners Rory McIlroy (NIR) and Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG) to win the award. Spectators can also look forward to seeing three players who are as successful as they are likeable and popular: the two Spaniards Rafa Cabrera Bello and Pablo Larrazábal (two-time BMW International Open champion) and Andrew “Beef” Johnston (ENG), who are also eager not to miss out on the BMW International Open.
Entry to the BMW International Open Pro-Am tournament is free on Wednesday 21st June 2023. Entry is free for children and young people up to the age of 16 on all days.
Day tickets and tournament tickets, as well as VIP tickets for the Fairway Club, are available to purchase online: www.bmw-golfsport.com/tickets
See the online ticket shop for further information on all ticket categories – and on concessions for young people over the age of 16, pupils, students, and people with disabilities.
Have already recognized the global potential of LIV Golf: Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Cameron Smith and Joaquin Nieman. (Photos: Getty)
Munich in November 2022: Bavaria’s capital is in football fever. Seven-time Super Bowl winner and GOAT Tom Brady will be playing with his Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Allianz Arena against the Seattle Seahawks, who are enormously popular here in Germany. The hype is gigantic. For days, egg reigns on the streets and in the pubs. Three million tickets could have been sold; in the end, 69,811 spectators watch the first National Football League (NFL) game in Germany.
Four NFL teams share Germany
This year, the spectacle is to be repeated twice: again in Munich and in Frankfurt. The Kansas City Chiefs, led by wonder playmaker Patrick Mahomes, will be the reigning champions, along with the New England Patriots. Their opponents have not yet been determined, but these two names are already set. Because they are “designated teams”, they own Germany.
And now? The keyword is IHMA, which stands for International Home Marketing Area. The background to this is the complex franchise system under which the major U.S. team sports operate. The NFL holds the rights to the league, and issues licenses to operate and market a team. So far, all marketing has been limited to a radius of 75 miles around the location of the respective team, which guarantees a unique position on one’s own doorstep.
Kansas City, Patriots, Tampa Bay, Carolina
On January 1, 2022, the existing Home Area Marketing (HMA) rule was expanded to include an international component: The 32 NFL teams were allowed to apply to expand their activities to the United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada, China, Mexico and Germany. Kansas City, New England, Tampa Bay and the Carolina Panthers developed corresponding concepts and received exclusive permission to conduct marketing in this country.
“When we talk about international markets, Germany has always had the most passionate American football fans,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said at the time, pleased with the win. “The IHMA initiative creates many more opportunities to reach out and engage our international fan base,” said “Bucs” owner Joel Glazer in turn. “Now we can build long-term relationships with these international markets that will play a big role in the continued growth and expansion of our sport in the years to come.”
.@NFL Announces International Home Marketing Area Teams and Markets
And what does that have to do with golf? A lot. Because those responsible for the LIV Golf League have looked beyond the game and copied a lot from the successful American football model. No wonder, since CEO Greg Norman’s team included two top managers with proven NFL DNA, Atul Khosla and Matt Goodman, who have since retired.
Both are likely to have been important figures for the LIV business model and played a significant role in the development of the envisaged franchise system. The head office issues licenses and takes care of the big picture, the teams find their own owners, investors, sponsors, market themselves, even build their own venues and become self-sufficient in the medium term. Money is paid for participation in the LIV Golf product and for participation in the games organized by the league.
With that, the Saudis will eventually get their return on investment and a prospect of profit, after providing $2 billion in start-up funding and having “zero revenue” at least by 2022, according to LIV lawyers. So much for the plan to open a new, unprecedented chapter of commercialization for golf with this construct.
Market fixation instead of mother tongue coincidence
And when the twelve teams for the second season of the LIV League, which begins next week in Mayakoba, Mexico, and their protagonists are presented in tidbits, there are striking constellations that only superficially have something to do with friendships or compatriots and other ethnic similarities.
Teams such as Fireballs, Crushers, Rippers, Stingers or Torque could be arranged on the world map in a similar way to the football franchises on the NFL chart shown earlier. This is by no means a native coincidence, but a clear market fixation. In their composition, they focus quite clearly on a specific geographic mode of operation; the captains specifically tailor the personnel constellation in the team to their own continent of origin or a desired target market.
LIV Golf: DeChambeau first to recognize potential
Bryson DeChambeau, for all his quirkiness undoubtedly a bright mind, was the first to recognize this and brought the Indian Anirban Lahiri into his Crushers crew as early as 2022 to join Paul Casey and Charles Howell III. For BDC is eyeing the golf potential of the subcontinent: “You don’t just bring in players as sporting reinforcements, but also to use their notoriety for commercial purposes,” the “Mad Scentist” pontificated months ago. “Anirban is a real force in India. With him, we want to help grow golf there by building driving ranges and maybe even courses.” With DeChambeau, the token narrative of “Growing the Game” at least takes on substance.
South Africa, South America, Australia, Latin America
The personnel portfolio can be declined at will with this factor. Louis Oosthuizen has currently secured the services of compatriot Dean Burmester and, with his all-South African stinger GC, naturally has his sights set on home. Chilean Joaquín Niemann is also clearly targeting South America with Torque and LIV newcomers Mito Pereira (Chile) and Sebastián Muñoz (Colombia), while Spain’s David Puig is back in fourth place. Cam Smith and his Aussie ripper combo with Marc Leishman and Matt Jones are looking to shake things up Down Under. The Fireballs around Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz (both Mexico) as well as Garcia’s Iberian compatriot Eugenio Chacarra, appeal – even in the literal sense – to Latin America.
Where Martin Kaymer with the Cleeks and Graeme McDowell, Richard Bland as well as recently Bernd Wiesberger and the three-captain team Majesticks of Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood (with Sam Horsfield) tend, need not be mentioned explicitly. The rest mainly divides the US market among themselves, first and foremost defending champion 4Aces GC with individual dominator Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Pat Perez and Peter Uihlein, who replaces the sorted out Talor Gooch. When Phil Mickelson, Kevin Na and Bubba Watson are the last to announce their tableau for HyFlyers, Iron Heads and the renamed RangeGoats today, the pattern is likely to continue.
Rumors about LIV-weary Brooks Koepka
That leaves Smash GC, where Matthew Wolff replaces the departing Uihlein, and the rumors surrounding team boss Brooks Koepka. The four-time major winner has never made a secret of the fact that he prefers the money of the LIV League to the merits of the PGA Tour merely because of injury-related sporting uncertainty, but he is now enjoying good health again and having corresponding fun with the game.
OGIO Europe has released its exciting new range of stand and cart bags in a selection of eclectic colourways, with the All Elements Silencer Cart Bag ensuring your choice of design will be the only aspect of your bag making a noise in 2023.OGIO’s patented Silencer Club Protection System returns to the 2023 All Elements Silencer Cart Bags range due to consumer demand, the unique technology having proven hugely popular among golf fans in previous ranges.
Fully waterproof fabric on the new bags
The premium 15-way moulded top – modified to work on oversized grips – delivers a more efficient way to organise your set by easily locking each club into place, preventing noisy rattling and damage. The new cart bag also features fully waterproof fabric and seam-sealed pockets – protecting your valuables even in the harshest of weather – with lock-down trolley straps, an umbrella sleeve and cooler pocket. Adopting OGIO’s ‘mild-to-wild’ approach, the bags will be released in seven patterns, including the blue and yellow ‘Bananarama’ design and bright orange and red ‘Day of the Dead’ inspired Sugar Skulls design, both of which have proven hugely popular on the recently-released Travel Cover range.
The 2023 All Elements Stand Bag – also released in seven patterns – is being produced in a fully waterproof and geometric rip-stop fabric, with full-seam seals to insure the contents of your bag remain dry all year round. Further features include an eight-way WOODĒ organisation top to ensure your clubs are easily accessible, lockdown cart straps, double-strap fit disc system, umbrella holder, valuables pocket and a ball silo.
The new OGIO golf bags (photo: OGIO)
OGIO’s golf bags are the latest new product to be launched by the company in 2023. In January, OGIO released a new range of vibrant, pioneering golf travel cover designs to make travel easier than ever for golfers in 2023. In total, seven eye-catching colour schemes are available across the three golf travel cover sizes – standard, mid and max – with colourways ranging from the ‘Bananarama’ design, the striking pink ‘Donuts’ cover and the bold ‘Navy Flower Party’ design. OGIO has also brought its funky, stand-out, colour-option golf umbrellas to the European market, another ingeniously-designed and expertly-constructed product on the table for golf fans.
OGIO – a premium active lifestyle
Peter Finch, of the golf’s most popular YouTube and media influencers, has also recently joined OGIO as an official Global Golf Brand Ambassador, with the Manchester-based PGA professional now a central figure in the marketing and promotion of OGIO golf and travel product across the year. Owned by Callaway Golf Company, OGIO is a premium active lifestyle title alongside a portfolio of global brands, including Callaway Golf, Odyssey, TravisMathew, Jack Wolfskin and Top Golf. OGIO’s expertise extends into a vast range of expertly constructed luggage, backpacks, bags and accessories, which ensures it can cope with even the most testing of environments. Founded in 1987, OGIO has become well established with its designs and technologically advanced personal storage products – making them a vital cog in the wheel across a wide variety of sports. To shop the full range of OGIO products, please visit: www.eu.ogio.com.
Stacey Lewis will captain Team USA at the Solheim Cup two years in a row. (Photo: Getty)
Two-time major champion Stacy Lewis has been named captain of the 2024 U.S. Solheim Cup Team. Lewis is already hard at work as captain for the 2023 Team and will now also lead the top 12 American female golfers as they represent their country at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Va., on Sept. 10-15, 2024.
Stacy Lewis: back-to-back Solheim Cup Captain
“This is such an amazing honor, to be asked to again captain the U.S. Solheim Cup Team. Receiving the first call was one of the highest points of my career, and I am truly grateful to add this second opportunity,” said Lewis. “I’ve said it many times – representing the United States and wearing our colors are experiences that stand out in any player’s career. To have the chance to lead our country’s best players twice, and especially in 2024 outside our nation’s capital, is a true privilege.”
“Stacy has already proven to be an outstanding captain as she prepares for the 2023 Solheim Cup,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan. “She has embraced the role in every way and has implemented several innovative ways to help her team reach peak performance, including the use of advanced data and analytics. Her Solheim Cup experience, proven leadership and passion coupled with the many benefits of consistency in 2023 and 2024 led the selection committee to enthusiastically invite Stacy to captain the team in 2024.”
Successful career
Lewis is a 13-time LPGA Tour winner, earning major titles at the 2011 Chevron Championship and the 2013 AIG Women’s Open. She spent 264 consecutive weeks from 2011-16 ranked in the top 10 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, including 25 weeks at No. 1, and was the 2012 and 2014 Rolex LPGA Player of the Year. In 2016, Lewis was a member of Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Brazil, finishing tied for fourth.
Lewis represented the U.S. on the 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 Solheim Cup Teams. In 2019, Lewis served as an unofficial assistant captain under Juli Inkster after withdrawing from competition due to injury, and she worked in that role in an official capacity under Pat Hurst in 2021.
In February 2022, Lewis was named captain for the 2023 U.S. Solheim Cup team, which will take on Team Europe at Finca Cortesin in Andalucia, Spain. At 38 years, 7 months and 6 days old on the first day of competition in 2023 and 39 years, 5 months and 28 days old in 2024, she will be the youngest American captain in Solheim Cup history. She will also join World Golf Hall of Fame members Juli Inkster (2015, 2017, 2019), Judy Rankin (1996, 1998), Patty Sheehan (2002, 2003) and Kathy Whitworth (1990, 1992) as the fifth person to captain the U.S. Team at least twice.
Dedication to equal opportunities
Prior to joining the LPGA Tour, Lewis enjoyed a standout amateur career as a four-time All-American at the University of Arkansas, taking the NCAA Division I national title in 2007 as one of her 12 titles. She graduated in 2008 with a degree in finance and accounting, the same year she became the first player in Curtis Cup history to go 5-0 during a 13-7 USA victory over Great Britain and Ireland on the Old Course at St Andrews.
Lewis currently serves as a Player Director on the LPGA Board of Directors and is also an ambassador for LPGA-USGA Girls Golf. She is a vocal proponent for pay and sponsorship equity in sports and has advocated for improved maternity clauses in the women’s game.
Solheim Cup 2024 in the USA
Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, the 2024 host venue located just outside Washington D.C., was founded and designed by famed golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr., who considered the layout to be one of his finest designs. The course and its designer have long worked to join the game of golf with the American presidential lineage, with Jones first installing a putting green at the White House in 1954 for President Dwight Eisenhower. The club was the host venue for the 1994, 1996, 2000 and 2005 Presidents Cups, with four presidents serving as honorary chairmen, as well as the PGA Tour’s 2015 Quicken Loans National.
Ockie Strydom wins with the new Callaway Driver. (Photo: Getty)
Staffer Ockie Strydom’s brilliant victory at the Singapore Classic has made it six global Tour wins in nine starts for Callaway’s revolutionary new Paradym Driver.
Paradym Drivers were in play for the top three players in this latest Far Eastern event, and it was Ockie who powered through the pack on the final day to secure his second win in six starts on the DP World Tour.
The South African, using a full bag of Callaway and Odyssey products, including the new Odyssey Tri Hot 5K One Putter, shot a blemish-free final round 63 at Laguna National Golf Resort Club, including nine birdies, for a memorable victory.
Ockie, who also won the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December, commented after his latest victory: “It’s a mindset that’s changing at the moment. When you’ve been in that winning situation before, and you know you can go and do it again.”
The 38-year-old was using the Paradym Triple Diamond Driver.
It’s a compact, 450cc shape designed for better players who want to work the ball. It’s the lowest spinning and lowest launching of three Paradym models, with a neutral ball flight. A 14g back weight can be positioned in the front for lower spin and maximum workability.
A 360° Carbon Chassis promotes unprecedented weight redistribution for maximised distance. The Triaxial Carbon Crown and Forged Carbon sole is 45% lighter than a titanium chassis. The massive weight saving is then repositioned for higher MOI and increased forgiveness.
Neil Howie, President and Managing Director of Callaway EMEA, added: “We welcomed Ockie to #TeamCallaway this season and he is clearly loving his new equipment! To be a double-winner on the DP World Tour just three months into the new schedule is truly spectacular, and to see the top three players at the Singapore Classic also using Paradym Drivers underlines how even the best players in the world are embracing this revolutionary technology.”
What’s in the Bag – Ockie Strydom Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond Driver 10.5°, w/Ventus TR Blue 6-X shaft Fairways: Callaway Rogue ST LS 16.5°; Callaway Rogue ST TD 18° Irons: Callaway Apex TCB ’21 4-6-iron; Callaway Apex MB ’21 7-PW Wedges: Callaway JAWS Raw 52°, 56°, 60°, Project X 6.5 Shafts Putter: Odyssey Tri Hot 5K One Putter
Kick off for the Trophee Hassan II and the Lalla Meryem Cup. (Photo: Thropee Hassan II)
The 47th edition of the Hassan II Trophy and the 26th edition of the Lalla Meryem Cup started on Tuesday with the kick-off of the Pro-Am competitions.
During this first day, the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation and the Hassan II Golf Trophy Association also organized a press conference to launch the competitions, in the presence of Mr. Mustapha Zine, Vice President of the RMGF and the ATH; Mr. Miller Brady, President of the PGA Tour Champions; Mr. Joao Pinto, Director of the Hassan II Golf Trophy; and Mr. Jean-Louis Besson, President of the Lalla Meryem Cup. Joao Pinto, Director of the Lalla Meryem Cup; Mr. Hassan El Mansouri, 2nd vice-president of the FRMG and the ATH; the Spanish pro Nuria Iturrioz, winner of the Lalla Meryem Cup Minaudiere in 2019, as well as the Scotsman Colin Montgomerie, former winner of the Hassan II Trophy in 1997.
Maitre Mustapha Zine vice-president of the FRMG and the ATH said that the 2023 edition of the Hassan II Trophy is an exceptional edition. “This year, we begin a new era through the PGA Tour Champions which hosts the most recognized senior players of the golf world and is held in only three countries outside the United States, including Morocco.
For his part, Mr. Miller Brady, President of the PGA Tour Champions, emphasized that the PGA Tour Champions is proud of its partnership with the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation (FRMG) and the Hassan II Trophy Association (ATH) which organize these prestigious sporting events. “Both tournaments are returning to the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, with the participation of the best golfers in the world,” he added.
The legendary Colin Montgomerie expressed his excitement to return to the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. “I feel proud to return here after winning the tournament in 1997. I really admire this course. Morocco is world famous for its beautiful golf courses in Rabat and Marrakech, and we are looking forward to the competition.
As for Mr. Joao Pinto, director of the Lalla Meryem Cup, he stressed that the 26th edition welcomes this year 96 players of the Ladies European Tour among which the first 5 of the Ranking 2022. “The players are always delighted to participate in the tournament. Morocco has always been an important lever for female talent.
For the Spanish golfer Nuria Iturrioz, she noted that the title of the Lalla Meryem Cup that she won in 2019, is the most important of her career, expressing the wish to repeat this feat in the 2023 edition.
In this sense, Mr. Hassan El Mansouri, 2nd vice-president of the FRMG and the ATH, also stressed that the 2023 edition of the Lalla Meryem Cup is unique because of the participation of seven Moroccan players including three professionals, namely; Ines Laklalech, the rising star of the national golf who won the Lacoste Ladies Open of France within the framework of the Ladies European Tour in 2022 and who qualified for the LPGA for 2023; Maha Haddioui, member of the Ladies European Tour for 10 years and double representative of Morocco in the Olympic Games, as well as Lina Belmati, Moroccan champion in 2022.
Mr. El Mansouri also highlighted one of the novelties of this year: the organization of the “Kids Cup” under the Pro-Am format, with the participation of young golfers from the First Tee program and professional players. “Since 2019, the partnership established with the Non-Profit Organization “First Tee” in the United States has allowed 100 young people to learn life skills through the practice of golf.” He added that these mechanisms, available in accordance with the instructions of HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, President of the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation, augur a bright future for golf in the Kingdom.
Until Saturday, February 11, the two flagship competitions of the Moroccan golfing calendar will offer a full program that will make this great sporting event one of the richest editions.
The two tournaments are televised every year to more than 650 million households on five continents.
The complete program is available at: https://hassan2golftrophy.com/
The LPGA Tour launches its own documentary series. (photo: getty)
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) announced the creation of “Drive On: LPGA All Access,” a multi-episode series that will air on LPGA platforms and give fans a beyond-the-course glimpse into the lives of some of the best golfers in the world – LPGA Tour athletes.. Approximately 10 episodes are planned for the 2023 season. The first episode will debut Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. EST on YouTube and LPGA.com, and feature behind-the-scenes moments with players like Gemma Dryburgh, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Ashleigh Buhai during the 2023 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
One of the players featured in the Series is Gemma Dryburgh. She entered the 2023 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions following a career-defining year where she became a Rolex First-Time Winner at the 2022 TOTO Japan Classic. Dryburgh made the most of her experience at Lake Nona, playing alongside idol and 72-time Tour winner Annika Sorenstam and meeting celebrities like Ellie Goulding.
Jodi Ewart Shadoff is also part odf the show. After nabbing her career-first win at the 2022 LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship, Ewart Shadoff finally got to play a “home game” at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club, about 30 minutes from her residence in Orlando that she shares with her husband and local sports reporter Adam Shadoff.
Another one taking part in the series is Ashleigh Buhai. The South African, who was exempt into her first #HGVLPGA thanks to her major victory at the 2022 AIG Women’s Open, had a busy offseason, capturing the 2022 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open in December and returning home to South Africa. She’s ready for competition with husband David Buhai on the bag for one week only.
The docu-series will showcase the “stories and personalities of LPGA Tour”
The first-of-its-kind series for the LPGA Tour will follow the storylines of the 2023 season like never before, with exclusive moments between players on and off the course during the year’s biggest events like the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown at TPC Harding Park and the Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin.
“This docu-series is an excellent opportunity to continue showcasing the many stories and personalities of LPGA Tour athletes and give fans a peek into what goes into life on Tour,” said Brian Carroll, EVP of global media distribution and partnerships for the LPGA. “We’re excited to embark on this season-long production with episodes illustrating a record-breaking year for those battling for titles week in and week out on the LPGA Tour.”
The documentary series will be produced in partnership with toldright and Executive Producer Adam Hertzog.
About the LPGA
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women, with a goal to change the face of golf by making the sport more accessible and inclusive.
Created in 1950 by 13 Founders, the Association celebrates a diverse and storied history. The LPGA Tour competes across the globe, reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. The Epson Tour, the LPGA’s official qualifying tour, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. The LPGA also holds a joint-venture collaboration with the Ladies European Tour (LET), increasing playing opportunities for female golfers in Europe. Across the three Tours, the LPGA represents players in more than 60 countries.
Additionally, the LPGA Foundation has empowered and supported girls and women since 1991, most notably through LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the only national program of its kind, which annually engages with nearly 100,000 girls. The LPGA Amateur Golf Association and LPGA Women’s Network provide virtual and in-person connections to female golfers around the world, while LPGA Professionals are educators, business leaders and gamechangers dedicated to growing the game of golf for everyone.
