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Greg Norman Joins TaylorMade Golf Tour Staff

TaylorMade Golf Company recently announced that global golf icon Greg Norman has joined its Tour Staff. Norman, 54, will play TaylorMade clubs, a TaylorMade TP golf ball, use a TaylorMade staff bag and display the TaylorMade logo on the side of his headwear.

Norman chose on his own accord to play TaylorMade’s TP Red golf ball with Low Drag Performance (LDP) Technology during his remarkable run at last year’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, where he held a two-stroke lead going into the final round and finished tied for third. It was his 30th career top-10 finish in a major. Soon after a conversation began between Norman and TaylorMade that resulted in the formal relationship.

“It started with the TP ball, which I played at the Open Championship last year,” said Norman. “I’m pleased that the discussions have evolved to the extent that I am now a member of the TaylorMade Staff. TaylorMade’s approach to the game and equipment design is very similar to my own. In my opinion TaylorMade is at the very forefront of golf equipment and ball technology.”

In preparation for Augusta, TaylorMade’s tour technicians have already worked extensively with Norman to fit him for a full set of TaylorMade clubs, including the new R9 driver. Specifically, they dialed in his R9′s Flight Control Technology setting to Neutral (N) and his Movable Weight Technology (MWT) configuration to an 8-gram cartridge in the toe, 6-gram cartridge in the back and 8-gram in the heel to promote drives that “roll out” after landing for increased distance.

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TaylorMade Golf also announced that four-time PGA tournament winner Rory Sabbatini has joined the company’s PGA Tour Staff. Ranked in the Top 50 of Official World Golf Rankings, Sabbatini will play TaylorMade equipment and wear TaylorMade headwear.

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StratusFITTED

Former WWE Diva and current proprietor of the Stratusphere Yoga Studio, Trish Stratus was on hand to assist Callaway with the launch of their newest state of the art fitting facility located at the Diamondback Golf Club in Richmond Hill.  The facility is Callaway’s fifth in Canada and second in the GTA.  A joint venture between Clublink and Callaway,  the Performance Centre combines cutting edge computerized analysis, high speed digital photography, and the hands-on expertise of a certified club fitting professional.

Relatively new to the game, Trish was a great sport and the quintessential spokesperson for a day that was all about helping golfers of all abilities gain a better understanding of their individual golf swing, the elements that go into finding / fitting proper equipment, and even having a little fun — all of which go a long way to improve  golf’s overall experience.

“This time of year, golfers are dreaming of warmer weather and setting foot on the course. Getting equipment in order should also be top-of-mind,” said Barry Wallis, Performance Centre and Golf Education Manager at Callaway Golf Canada. “Everyone who plays – regardless of their skill level – can benefit from clubs that are built with their specifications in mind.”

For a mere $60 visitors to the Centre will receive no less than a one hour fitting consultation, specs for a custom set of clubs, a personalized swing analysis, a video and photos of your swing sent via email, and two sleeves of golf balls.  It should also be noted that a portion of the funds go directly to the Jennifer Ashleigh Charity which helps improve the quality of life for chronically ill children and their families.

Golfers who are interested in a fitting session at any of the Callaway Golf Performance Centres can arrange referrals through their home club professionals, local retailers or by calling Callaway Golf Customer Care at 1-800-387-7000.  After the fitting, golfers can place an order with their home club professional or local retailer for delivery within a matter of days.

Having gone through the process ourselves we can vouch for the fact that it is both interesting and informative.  You will learn a lot about your swing, get instant feedback, and even a tip or two (or three) from the very qualified instructors.  Well worth the time.

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This Saturday is DYMO Day in Canada

The SQ DYMO STR8-FIT driver featuring the eight-ways-to-straight technology that Trevor Immelman used to win last year’s Masters will make its debut in stores this Saturday, April 4th during a day-long special promotion at retailers across the country.

Named Golf Digest’s most innovative new driver of 2009, the STR8-FIT is easily adjustable to eight different head positions from open to closed, allowing golfers to perfect their ball flight.

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GolfNorth Acquires King’s Bay Golf Club

This upscale 9-hole golf course has won numerous accolades as a golfers’ golf course.

King’s Bay Golf Club is located on a peninsula bounded on one side by the unspoiled shoreline of Lake Scugog, on the other side by the natural beauty of the Nonquon River. It is 10 minutes north of Canterbury Golf Club which when combined makes an ideal 18-hole golf club.

“We are very pleased to welcome the players of King’s Bay to the GolfNorth family, we look forward to introducing our players and programs to this beautiful golf course” says Al Kavanagh.

King’s Bay will be a GolfNorth gold level facility and membership allows playing privileges at 11 other GolfNorth facilities for no additional fees.

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Weir & Couples to Headline 2009 Telus Skins Game

International event to raise funds for Operation Enfant Soleil and sick children throughout Quebec

Mike Weir, one of the most successful, and beloved, golfers ever to hail from Canada, and Fred Couples, the American player aptly nicknamed ‘Mr. Skins’, will be headlining the famous international ‘fivesome’ competing in the 2009 TELUS World Skins Game.

Weir will be making his seventh appearance at the TELUS World Skins. Over the years, he has won 20 skins for a total of $400,000. He is also tied with George Knudson for the most career victories on the PGA TOUR by a Canadian.

“I couldn’t be more excited about the chance to play in the TELUS World Skins Game and visiting the Québec City region this summer,” said Weir. “I’ll always remember the support that the fans in Québec showed me during the 2007 President’s Cup, and I’m looking forward to showing the other players one of our most beautiful and historic cities.”

Couples, a fifteen-time winner on the PGA Tour including the 1992 Masters, is one of the most popular players in the history of professional golf and is certainly no stranger to the Canadian Skins Game. He has won 62 Skins for $1,110,000 in eight appearances, the most of any player in the event’s history. To date, he has won more than $4 million in the U.S. Skins Game.

The two-day TELUS World Skins Game will be held on June 22 and 23, 2009 at La Tempête Golf Club in Lévis, the very first 18-hole golf course of international caliber in the region. Tickets for the event will go on sale on Monday, April 13 at 10 a.m. (ET) and will be available for purchase by phone at 1-866-60SKIN1 (1-866-607-5461) or online by visiting www.telusskins.com.

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Watters on the go at Oak Bay and Doon Valley GC

The seeds are being sewn for what is shaping up to be a busy summer for Shawn P. Watters & Associates. The Elora-based golf course architecture firm will hit the ground running this spring with two major projects on the go in nearby Kitchener and in Muskoka cottage country near Port Severn.

Watters and design associate Roger Stacey, are designing a new 18-hole layout along the eastern shores of breathtaking Georgian Bay as part of the new Oak Bay cottage community. Overlooking the historic Trent-Severn Waterway, the spectacular routing takes golfers through an eye-popping visual journey highlighted by splashes of the craggy Canadian Shield. It meanders across flat plains, rolls through forested hills and valleys with a scenic closing finish that brings Oak Bay into view and play over the last five holes.

Course construction at Oak Bay is moving along as scheduled. Watters expects to have the shaping, seeding and final touches complete this fall, so the course can take root in 2010. To keep the project affordable to build, Watters didn’t blast the rocky Canadian Shield to make way for the golf course, but instead routed the golf course to work harmoniously with the rock outcroppings and avoid the immense cost of using dynamite.

Oak Bay is located 30 minutes north of Barrie on Highway 400.

At the City of Kitchener’s 18-hole Doon Valley Golf Course, Watters is making some changes to the existing 1950’s 6,200-yard, par-72 layout and adding nine-holes in a floodplain area south of Highway 401. “We’re actually building 12 new holes, a nine-hole short course with holes from 70-100-yards and a new practice academy,” says Watters. “Being a municipal golf course, part of the club’s mandate is to foster the growth of the game, so this will be an opportunity to expose youth and new golfers to the sport without having to play a full-length course.”

Watters is reworking the first five holes of the course to include four new holes that will be Nos. 1 and 3-4-5. The current No 2 will remain, while the new Nos. 3-4 will overlook the Grand River. Holes 6-18 on the existing course will not be renovated at this point. In the grassy, meadow floodplain south of Highway 401, they’re building eight new holes that will play as 8-15. Visit www.kitchenergolf.ca for more information.

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RCGA AND CPGA REVITALIZED FUTURE LINKS PROGRAM

New website provides; interactive online experience for participants, instructors, facilities and parents

Canada’s junior golf community will become bigger and better connected as the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) and the Canadian Professional Golfers’ Association (Canadian PGA) have enhanced the CN Future Links junior golf program and launched a newly redesigned website, www.future-links.org.

This national junior golf focused initiative is based on the collective efforts of the Canadian PGA, RCGA and Sport Canada with the purpose of delivering an enjoyable and educational golf program for junior players, as well as parents and golf instructors.

The new CN Future Links program will focus on all levels of junior golfers’ abilities and will better assist CPGA professionals in developing the skills of Canadian junior golfers.

“The new CN Future Links program is the result of the strong partnership between Sport Canada, the CPGA and the RCGA as well as our proud sponsor CN”, said Jeff Thompson, RCGA’s Chief Sport Development Officer. “The program has been modernized and enhanced, not only have we updated the content of the program to align with our Long-Term Player Development guide we have also introduced tools to instructors that will allow us to track players progress over time and will know exactly how many players are participating, what their ages and gender are. All of which are key to a successful development program.”

“The Canadian PGA is proud to help introduce an enhanced CN Future Links program and the new interactive website which reflect its enhancements,” said Steve Carroll, Canadian PGA Executive Director. “The Learn to Play and Certified Junior Site Programs, as well as the redesign of pre-existing programs such as the Junior Skills Challenge and the Junior Golf League, will undoubtedly help to foster positive learning experiences for juniors engaged in the CN Future Links program.”

The CN Future Links program was designed to play a key role in supporting the development of young golfers aged 6 to 18. It gives children the chance to enjoy and learn the game of golf via affordable and accessible programs. Since its inception in 1996, more than 748,000 golfers have successfully participated in some form of Future Links programming, making it one of the leading junior sports programs in the country.

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