News Archive for 2003
Wednesday, December 31st, 2003
Orlando bound?
Special travel packages from London are being offered to exhibitors and visitors to the PGA Merchandise Show from 29th January to 1st February where there will be more than 1,200 exhibitors and an estimated 10 miles of show aisles
Monday, December 29th, 2003
PGA of Europe Congress attended by 33 countries
Officials from 33 countries were joined by representatives of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects to exchange views in debate on “Tradition versus Technology”
TaylorMade introduces new composite driver
TaylorMade Golf is introducing the XR-05 CTi (composite titanium) driver with RRP of £449 for the graphite shaft. The driver will be available in retail from January 2004
Wednesday, December 24th, 2003
China’s new rich go for golf
China will soon boast the world’s biggest golf club. Mission Hills, perched on the Hong Kong border, is transforming itself into a 10-course, 180 hole mega club. Golf is taking off in China, the world’s most populous country, where its appeal rests on its image as a sport for corporate achievers
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2003
Prelims from Clubhaus
Paul Sellars, the new chairman of Clubhaus PLC, says that having successfully disposed of its non-core assets in 2002, the true value of the company’s strategy and business model is starting to be revealed
Monday, December 22nd, 2003
O‘Grady to succeed Schofield
George O‘Grady is to succeed Ken Schofield CBE as Executive Director of the European Tour with effect from the end of 2004. In 2003 total prize money of the European Tour, European Seniors Tour and European Challenge Tour amounted to £85,339,009 (€122,400,129)
TaylorMade-adidas Golf is Orlando absentee
The TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company has announced that it will ‘refrain from participating‘ in the 2004 PGA Merchandise Show
Friday, December 19th, 2003
Now it’s Big Bertha balls
Callaway Golf has introduced new Big Bertha Blue and Red golf balls. The Company has also announced that, for the full year 2004, consolidated net sales will be approximately $1.03 billion (plus/minus 3%), a 27% increase compared to 2003 estimates. “We are cautiously optimistic about 2004,” said Ron Drapeau, Chairman and CEO. “We plan to capture some of the benefits of the Top-Flite acquisition next year by eliminating the losses in the Callaway Golf golf ball business”
Thursday, December 18th, 2003
R&A funding for golf development
The R&A has announced awards totalling a value of nearly half a million pounds. The largest recipient is the China-Scotland Partnership, which will receive £200,000 over two years to continue greenkeeper training in China, led by Elmwood College. The funding is derived from the annual surplus generated by The Open
Butch Harmon endorses Explanar
Butch Harmon has taken delivery of the British designe Explanar Golf Training System at his Las Vegas School of Golf
MBO at Ransomes Jacobsen’s Selby branch
A management buyout at Ransomes Jacobsen’s Selby branch has been successfully concluded by former manager Dick Palmer
Wednesday, December 17th, 2003
PGA of Europe Annual Awards
David Huish (Scotland), Leonard Owens (Ireland) and Leif Nyholm (Denmark) are this year’s PGA of Europe 5-Star Professionals and Jean-Etienne Lafitte has been presented with the Lindberg Bowl for his outstanding services to golf
Tuesday, December 16th, 2003
Development projects wanted
GreenScape, the Irish based golf, leisure and tourism consultancy, has formed a partnership with a number of other businesses which is now looking to participate in golf resort developments on a part fee part equity basis or a purely equity basis
Monday, December 15th, 2003
Callaway conference call
Callaway Golf will hold a conference call with financial analysts and investors on 18th December. The company has just announced new Big Bertha stainless steel irons with notch weighting and contemporary styling
Cobra introduces new Aussie series putters
Cobra has added an eight-model putter line to its equipment range for 2004
Friday, December 12th, 2003
Talking the talk at the PGA Show
Industry chief executives are to focus on key issues in the second annual PGA ‘Business of Golf‘ conference. Sixteen industry associations will be holding meetings and seminars at next month’s PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando
Thursday, December 11th, 2003
First In Fife Golfpass
New on the market for 2004 – and the perfect Christmas (or New Year) present for keen golfers – is the First in Fife Golfpass
Tuesday, December 9th, 2003
LGU moves nearer a unified handicapping system
Over 98% of clubs who voted in Wales were in favour of the CONGU UHS while over 93% of clubs in England and over 90% of clubs in Scotland also backed the system. The Irish Ladies‘ Golf Union will vote on Unified Handicapping at their AGM on 17th January before the final vote is taken at the LGU AGM on 21st January
Monday, December 8th, 2003
Seve’s new course in Tenerife
The official opening of the Buenavista Golf Course designed by Severiano Ballesteros will take place this week. The project is a public development that will be a revitalizing economic motor for the region. of Isla Baja in the northwest of Tenerife next to the Atlantic ocean
FEGGA’s Munich stopover
The “FEGGA Roadshow,” a workshop organized by the Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Association, is making a stopover in Munich immediately before the start of Fairway 2004
Friday, December 5th, 2003
A new start at Mill Ride
The new owners of Mill Ride Golf Club have appointed Wayne Sheffield, formerly group sales and marketing manager with Crowngolf, as director of golf operations
Callaway relocates Hogan manufacturing
Callaway Golf is to relocate Hogan club manufacturing operations from their current location in Fort Worth, Texas, to Callaway Golf headquarters in Carlsbad, California. The move will be completed early in 2004. The contents of Mr. Hogan’s office in Fort Worth, which have been preserved intact since his death in 1997, will be donated to the World Golf Hall of Fame
Thursday, December 4th, 2003
PGA Golf Management gains Middle East contract
PGAGM has secured a 5-year appointment for Riffa Golf Club, owned by Bahrain International Golf Course Company. This represents a long-term commitment by PGA Golf Management to developing its presence in the region and as part of this expansion a new Middle East office will be established
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2003
Award for The Grove
The Peugeot Golf Guide has ranked the new golf resort as one of Europe’s finest venues, only three months after opening
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2003
R&A introduce new test for ‘spring-like‘ effect
This new test, which replaces the current Coefficient of Restitution Test, is designed to measure the clubhead flexibility (or ‘spring-like‘ effect) of a driving club. The original proposal, issued in February 2003, prompted many comments from manufacturers and some changes have been made
