New innovative technology drives this expansive range of clothing, in addition to three new print stories that encompass timeless elegance: with comfort, playability and style at the core. The breadth of choice within the collection allows golfers to express their individuality by layering up in coordinated printed patterns or simply keep their style sleek in the new sporty silhouettes, all available in this season’s colours and textures.

Terrazo, the first of three print stories, is a textured print that incorporates a natural, warm autumnal palette for a selection of on-trend outfits. The Monogram print exudes classic luxury, with a unique and symbolic combination of the women’s PING logo for a repeated premium print. Finally, the Diffused Florals print includes an abstract design for a floral camo effect; a bolder option for those seeking a sophisticated, sporty look.

Milli, a new high-end waterproof, features a monogram embossed pattern on the front panels, back vent and lower sleeves and is constructed in a two-layer breathable fabric, designed in a flattering silhouette, to keep you dry and stylish out on the course. The jacket also has a useful adjustable hood which packs into the collar, for ultimate protection during wet weather and the cosy brushed tricot lined areas provide warmth and cosiness on colder days.

An exciting new stand out style is the Gem, a lightweight hybrid hooded jacket with wind and water resistance. The insulation in the front and back panels utilises PING’s SensorWarm® technology for core warmth, while the stretch fabric throughout creates a complimentary fit. This incredibly versatile jacket is a must for golfers, as it is the perfect solution for an on-course thermal, or an off-course winter warmer.

Layering garments in this season’s range couldn’t be simpler, making it easier than ever to create fresh and modern outfits. The insulated Flo vest, with its chic collarless design, makes layering a seamless process by slipping it under outerwear or over mid-layers; with the added benefits of the lightweight and breathable Sorona® Aura insulation and windproof stretch side panels, the Flo will give you a thermal boost and great look.

The Lolette, a printed long sleeve top engineered for moisture-moving comfort in all conditions, comes in three stylish colourways with a peached fabric for enhanced softness – an ideal garment to wear underneath an outerwear option, like the Bryony insulated reversible vest, for full freedom of movement.

The Autumn Winter season means sweater weather is in full swing. Step onto the course in one of PING’s new knitwear styles; the Jeanie roll neck has been designed to effortlessly complement the new insulated vests in the collection and with highlight colour details, it makes it super easy to style for the season. Crafted from a merino blend, this style provides next to the skin warmth and comfort, perfect for layering.

A lined sweater never goes out of style and this season PING has two to choose from; the Elspeth is a hybrid knit, which combines merino blend knitted details with an insulted quilted front body, making it a versatile must have, offering maximum comfort and style on the course. The Kaylah is a timeless fully lined sweater featuring a seamless deep neckline with direction ribs giving this a modern update for the season.

PING also continues its support for the Solheim Cup in 2024, as the official apparel supplier for the European team. Details of the replica kit will be available nearer the time.

Find Out More at PINGEurope.COM

The Taran 3L Jacket leads the range as the ultimate in waterproof protection and is engineered for optimal playability in wet weather. Constructed in a three-layer stretch woven fabric, to provide superior waterproof (20,000mm) and breathability (20,000 g/m2), it embodies what a waterproof jacket should be: protective, breathable and built with the golfer in mind. Crafted from a single panel, the new innovative seam-free construction to the under arm allows greater overarm lift for enhanced playability, allowing golfers optimum freedom of movement during the swing. The inner layer features an exclusive PING print that creates a feeling of comfort next to the skin, whilst this waterproof also comes with a limited five-year warranty.

Joining the range and representing an expansion of the Graphene technology already explored in PING’s previous AW ranges, is the Levan Graphene Jacket. The Graphene technology provides heat retention properties for enhanced thermoregulation in cold weather, with long-lasting comfort regardless of changing conditions. It’s designed with timeless appeal and packed with technical features for peak performance on the golf course. Constructed using a Graphene yarn, knitted into a honeycomb pattern, to provide a soft lining for enhanced comfort, this high-performance fabric provides superior water and wind resistance, offering golfers the perfect non-padded alternative to their choice of outerwear.

PING continues to redefine the future of insulated outerwear through their renowned Norse Series – a new line up of impressive garments all engineered with market leading PrimaLoft® insulation that are perfectly suited to excel in winter conditions. Designed for the coldest days, the Norse S6 Jacket sees a notable reduction in the sleeve bulk to ensure golfers can swing freely and confidently on the course, whilst the stitch-free quilted ThermoPlume® technology to the front body helps eliminate the exposure to wind, adding next-level warmth to this performance golf jacket.

The Norse S6 Hooded Jacket is engineered for core warmth and wind resistance, thanks to stitch-free quilted PrimaLoft® ThermoPlume® to the front and back body. Its contemporary design also features an improved hood, for a modern fit and silhouette. With its multi-purpose protection and core insulation, this is the perfect trans-seasonal jacket to protect golfers throughout the seasons and varying on-course conditions.

The new collection from PING embraces the need for more options and layers of warmth, showcased by the extensive breadth of outerwear and mid-layers available to golfers. Ranging from traditional blue and navy tones to fresh on-season colours like Mushroom and Russet, the options for a sleek, engineered to play outfit are endless.

New for this year, the Firth joins the choice of outerwear, designed with a sporty and contemporary aesthetic for superior playability on the course. The Astle, featuring a mini textured pattern to the fleece sleeves and sleek rubber trims designed with clean, seamless detailing, provides a contemporary look for those looking to add a modern touch to their outfit. With the addition of a water-resistant finish to this cosy brushed back stretch fleece, it’s the perfect mid-layer for winter golf.

Finally, the range of knitwear continues to broaden with the addition of the Cranford hybrid knit sweater and Murphy, a fully lined zip sweater. Both sweaters are crafted from Merino Wool, engineered for complete warmth and comfort. The Cranford features smart contrast woven panelling, whilst the Murphy provides directional rib detailing to elevate their style, seamlessly transitioning from on to off-course appeal.

Find Out More at PINGEurope.COM

With an unrivalled set of features, innovative technology, and outstanding support, Golf Genius helps organisers offer outstanding branded tournaments, while delivering the back-end functionality to dramatically reduce set-up time and laborious tasks.

Golfing Days and NGL Golf, two of the leading specialist event providers in the market, have utilised Golf Genius’ software to organise and manage their corporate events, pro-am’s and society golf events for their portfolio of clients.

Mark Hatton, Founder & CEO of Golfing Days, commented: “We offer all types of events to avid golfers, from holidays, to pro-am’s, open events, corporate golf and more. We’ve built our reputation on delivering exceptional, tailor-made golf events, here in the UK and overseas, and for us, the Golf Genius system is a game-changer.”

“In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, we were cautious about how events would work, but with the support and innovation of Golf Genius, we were able to keep our roundage high and deliver some of our most notable events like The National Golf Club Team Championship.”

Director of NGL Golf, Rob Cooper added: “As one of the earliest adopters of technology within corporate golf events, Golf Genius has been the perfect fit for us. We were amongst the first to bring in Golf Genius and have developed a very strong relationship in the years since.

“We are passionate about creating industry-leading events for our corporate golf clients and Golf Genius supports us with our event management, registration portals, branding, scoring and our unique Electronic Scoreboard Tournament Office, which also integrates seamlessly with the software.

“There is still some hesitation in the market about returning to corporate golf, but with Golf Genius we have the offering to make it easy and deliver great experiences that keep our clients coming back.

Craig Higgs, Managing Director of Golf Genius International commented: “Running great golf events is all about delivering over and above on client expectations.

“With continual product development, we’ve been able to bring in new technology on our roadmap to digitisation and offer a product offering that can support event providers in running any type of event.”

If you are interested in finding out more about Golf Genius, contact the international team at intlsales@golfgenius.com.

PING Apparel continue to expand their Spring/Summer range, showcasing their commitment to supporting the women’s game. Building off success from previous years, the new range becomes their largest to date and gives women the opportunity to choose from a variety of garments – with outfit choice and versatility at the forefront.

With four brand new print stories and head-to-toe products across a variety of colours and patterns, the new range offers increased choice to women golfers and supplements the performance driven engineering of all the garments within the range.

The first print collection is the Split Ball Polka Dot – drawing inspiration from the iconic PING two-tone split golf balls. This fun, polka dot print design is kept simple and stylish with a palette of black, white and the on-trend, calming tone, Cool Lilac.

The Laguna Beach collection is made up of a textured print, which is inspired by the underwater world. With a punchy, fresh print that uses impactful colours, the collection combines aqua tones and contrasting hot Flamingo pink. This palette can also be offset with navy and white as a classic base.

The Mono Flower print collection incorporates a timeless floral print, updated with a stencil effect design, using mono tones and a highlight of Cool Lilac for a striking effect. Embodying both a crisp coolness and a soft femininity, the Cool Lilac evokes a sense of serenity and balance – the perfect combination for a flattering look both on and off-course.

Finally, the Op-Art print collection completes the four print stories and is designed to create a statement for those looking for a bolder look, with graphic lines and shapes to bring some psychedelic sophistication to this abstract print collection. The placement of the print detail elegantly emerges from the bottom, allowing the entire print to be appreciated even when tucked into complimentary garments.

This season see’s the introduction of the Carla dress, engineered for comfort and freedom of movement out on the course. With SensorCool® technology, female golfers can be confident they can play their best in this flattering, yet technically impressive garment. With an open ribbed V-neck and mandarin style collar for a feminine feel, as well as detachable undershorts, this dress provides an incredibly modest and graceful look.

Furthermore, the collection has an impressive variety of trousers – with a fit and style to suit all golfers. The Vic is a new addition to the trouser offering, cut in a sophisticated 7/8 length. This style features an elastic waistband detail at the back and is finished with pressed creased fronts to provide a smart, tailored silhouette – the perfect modern golf trouser for the summer season.

This new addition joins an already successful collection of trousers, including the contemporary slim leg Verity trouser, which has a four-way stretch fabric for superior comfort and freedom of movement. The Margo trouser is another popular choice, offering a classic silhouette using SensorCool® cotton for refined performance and stretch.

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

The Split Ball capsule draws inspiration from the classic two-tone golf ball design that PING founder, Karsten Solheim, first introduced in 1983. The capsule consists of a range of performance garments that feature colours, patterns and prints that pay tribute to the iconic two-tone golf ball.

The second capsule pays homage to the iconic Mr. PING logo, a widely recognised symbolic figure within the golf industry that was originally crafted in clay by a young John A. Solheim in 1967. The SS23 men’s collection encompasses this quintessential symbol within a curated capsule of technical polos, shorts and coordinating accessories, all featuring this whimsical caricature of a golfer.

In conjunction with these key heritage themes, the collection introduces three new colour stories for the season, all of which offer a refreshed look, with the opportunity for outfit building.

The first colour story is Fusion; the inclusion of fresh spring blues help to create classic head-to-toe looks, which are inspired by the iconic PING split ball colour combinations. A collection of classic blue shades, Danube and Infinity Blue, in addition to a vibrant Poppy, adds energy to this print story.

The second colour story see’s the return to greens; Evergreen. This sophisticated palette includes the new shades, Everglade and Aquarius, that work together, or as individual solid colours. This modern green colour story provides a strong on-course look with a technical edge.

The final colour story is Revival; with pastel colours remaining relevant for the spring season and feature at the core of this fresh palette. Trending shades, Cool Lilac and Violet, create a calming, neutral feel with polos and easy-to-wear shorts offering high summer options for warmer climates.

The choice and depth within the range is expansive, with the trouser offering in particular expanding to suit the needs and taste of every golfer. Three trouser styles now make up the collection, offering more silhouettes and fabrics. New for SS23 is the PING Tour Trouser; a tapered leg performance trouser that is cut to fit loosely around the hips and thighs and tapered to a slim fit from the knee down to the hem, to create a sophisticated and modern look. This new style utilises an innovative four-way stretch knitted fabric, offering golfers ultimate freedom of movement in an on-trend modern silhouette.

New accessories further compliment the range to help build colour coordinating outfits, thanks to a wider range of caps, a new PING Stamp Reversible Belt, which has a sleek gunmetal finish, and additional socks that are engineered from SensorCool® fabric technology and are ergonomically fit.

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

PING have announced the introduction of the ChipR, a fully-engineered short-game solution that combines elements of a putter and wedge to help golfer’s improve performance around the greens.

The PING ChipR is available for custom fitting and pre-sell beginning today at authorised PING golf shops around the world.

The investment-cast, 431 stainless steel club is inspired by the PING Chipo, introduced by PING Founder Karsten Solheim in the late 1970s for golfers who lacked confidence with a traditional wedge and frequently struggled around the green.

“Golfers who fear chunking or blading their chip shots are really going to benefit from the new PING ChipR,” said John K. Solheim, PING CEO & President. “We’ve learned a lot since my grandfather, Karsten Solheim, invented the Chipo, but his insights were spot on as always. Our research indicates 1/3 of golfers who tested the ChipR saw better results compared to a traditional wedge. We’ve engineered a lot of technology into the ChipR to help golfers avoid the poor chip shot and save strokes around the green. It represents another score-lowering option from our engineers for golfers in search of game improvement and more enjoyment on the golf course.”

With the length of a putter (35”) and a loft closer to a 9-iron (38.5°), the ChipR is designed to be used on shots of 40 yards or less around the green with a putting-like stroke, resulting in bump-and-run style shots that ensure the distance control and consistency that leads to shorter putts.

“Applying a putting-style stroke takes a lot of the margin for error out of chip shots and is more comfortable for a lot of golfers,” Solheim said. “Knowing that, we’re building the ChipR at our standard putter length and lie angle to make setting up to the ball easier while providing the right amount of loft to get the ball in the air and eventually rolling closer to the hole. We recommend applying the same amount of force for a putt of the same distance. A lot of golfers will be amazed at how easy it is to use and more importantly, the number of strokes they’ll be saving.”

The ChipR’s compact size and shallow face combine with the cambered sole to optimize performance and provide versatility from the rough and fringe. The precision milled MicroMax grooves deliver consistent and predictable trajectories for improved control.

“We designed the ChipR to fit seamlessly into a golfer’s set,” Solheim said. “Whether they replace an existing wedge or another club in their bag, it’s a tremendous option to save strokes around the green. Just like all our clubs, it’s forgiving and can be custom fit and custom built to match the needs of the player. We’re excited to get it into golfer’s hands so they can share their results with us and their playing partners can ask them how their short game got so good.”

PING ChipR Specifications

Material/Manufacturing Process: Investment-cast 431 stainless steel head; composite cavity badge; tungsten toe/shaft weights; precision-milled MicroMax face and grooves; hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish

STD. LOFT/BOUNCE: 38.50°/8°

STD. LENGTH: 35” (available in custom lengths)

STD. LIE: 70° (avialable in 10 PING Color Codes)

STOCK SHAFTS: Steel: PING Z-Z115 wedge; Graphite: PING Alta CB Slate (R)

STOCK GRIP: 360 Dyla-wedge Lite Grip (3/4” longer than traditional grip)

RRP : £160 (steel), £170 (graphite)

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

“Viktor is a great fit for the PING brand. He’s an elite player and one of the most likeable and engaging personalities on tour. He’s fun to watch, and golf fans have really connected with him,” Solheim said. “When we signed him right out of college, we knew he was a special player. The connection to Norway and our relationship with Oklahoma State over the years made it a no-brainer for us to add him to the PING team. He’s quickly proven himself to be one of the best players in the world in less than three years as a professional. We’re very excited to extend our relationship with Viktor.”

Hovland, 24, has three PGA Tour titles (plus one unofficial win, the Hero World Challenge), and two victories on the DP World Tour. He won in back-to-back appearances last autumn, then won in Dubai in January to give him three victories in five starts. He’s currently 8th in the Official World Golf Ranking. He’s the first Norwegian to win on the PGA and DP World tours, the first to compete in the Ryder Cup, to win the U.S. Amateur, and to play at the Masters.

A native of Oslo, Hovland shares a special connection to PING Founder Karsten Solheim, who was born in Bergen, Norway. The country’s national flag has a place on Hovland’s PING Tour Staff bag

Talking about his new agreement, Hovland expressed his excitement and appreciation for his relationship with the family-owned company.

“Since turning professional and joining PING, I’ve felt very much a part of their golf family,” Hovland said. “The Norwegian connection is really cool and one of the many things that makes our relationship so special. Their team is out there every week on tour, working with me, fine-tuning my clubs but also just listening to me, watching me hit shots and helping determine what I need to elevate my game. I like that it’s a collaboration. We talk through everything, whether that’s at tour events or at the PING Proving Grounds. I’ve always learned a lot from our discussions, which makes me a smarter golfer. The equipment is fantastic and everyone who supports me is really experienced and passionate about what they do, so I look forward to continuing what has been a very rewarding arrangement for me personally and professionally.”

As part of the multi-year agreement, Hovland will play PING clubs, carry a PING staff bag and wear PING-branded headwear (front of hat).

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

We are delighted to share the latest issue of The Insider by CPG with you, a travel edition of our biannual publication celebrating golf as the true sport of business.

The PGA Professional is the beating heart of the golf travel business; being true influencers within the industry, whether playing in Pro Ams, taking coaching trips or just adding that little bit of personal expertise to help maximise golfers’ travel experiences around the globe. This travel edition highlights the importance of the golf travel business to our National PGAs, PGA Professionals, and the huge impact that they have on this significant part of the travel industry. By collaborating with Sports Travel Group and Visit Scotland, we can provide you with exclusive insight into the opportunities that the international business of golf can offer through travel.

KEY FEATURES AND INSIGHTS

THE VERY BEST OF SCOTTISH GOLF

Scotland, the home of golf, has a summer ahead like no other and this issue highlights just some of the fantastic array of golfing experiences that Scotland has to offer both on and off the course…

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN

As the great Ben Hogan once said: “I have found the game, in all factualness, a universal language wherever I travelled at home or abroad”. We delve deeper into why PGAs and Golf Travel truly are a match made in heaven…

SPHERES OF INFLUENCE

Got a question about golf? Want to know about the latest gear, find out how to cure your hook, or where the best place is to go on a golf holiday? Well, more often than not, your answer will lie in the hands of the PGA Professional…

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

CPG Chief Executive, Ian Randell, managed to catch up with Catriona Matthew OBE to talk about her life in golf as a player, a leader and a passionate Scot…

You can read the digital version of The Insider 2 – Travel Special by CPG, through the link below

Faergemann, a Danish native, brings a wealth of golfing experience to his new role with Golf Genius including 17 years at GolfBox. With his background in golf management software, he will bring expert knowledge and new ideas to the company.

“We are thrilled to welcome Christian on board our international team. Christian will bring his proven experience of the industry to Golf Genius, specifically as we look to expand our operations in EMEA and internationally,” said Craig Higgs, Managing Director for Golf Genius International.

“Our opportunity is to expand our customer base in the core products of Tournament Management System and World Handicap, as well as open new product markets internationally. We will be looking to Christian to help us do this in all of our growing international markets,” continued Higgs.

Golf Genius currently operates across 62 countries, serving private clubs, public courses, national associations, and tours worldwide. With recent product launches, such as integrated event marketing tool, Golf Hub, Golf Genius continues to push digital boundaries and leads the way in providing the most efficient solution to help run golf events.

Commenting on his new Senior Advisor role, Christian Faergemann said: “I am looking forward to joining the Golf Genius team. I have always seen software and data as one of the critical factors for growing this great game and Golf Genius has this as its core. I am excited to be a part of their continued growth.”

If you are interested in finding out more about Golf Genius, contact the international team at intlsales@golfgenius.com.

During the pandemic the huge influx of golfers playing and returning to golf resulted in an unfortunate side-effect of a deluge of unpaired ballmarks, damaging greens and playing conditions.

Pitchfix, the world’s leading brand of ballmark repair tools, has been working tirelessly with clubs and retailers to build awareness of the need for any golfer to ‘own and know how to use’ a professional repair tool before teeing off! Demand for Pitchfix products gas soared, all over the world.

Attracted to the colourful casings, attractive design, addictive switchblade mechanism and branded ballmarkers, Pitchfix range has become the go-to range for retailers, venues and tournament sponsors looking for a big quality golf product, that’s great to receive, easy to use and helps to preserve playing conditions – so great for greenkeeping teams too!

Whether given as a gift for event attendees, as part of a membership renewal incentive or as a great retail option to earn additional revenue from, Pitchfix products provide great revenue for clubs as well as helping to raise awareness of the need to help protect course conditions.

Anyone looking for a great golf gift or retail range should get in touch with Bart Fokke at bart.fokke@pitchfix.com and the team who can provide advice on how Pitchfix can help promote your club and protect your playing conditions.

CPG and Pitchfix are delighted to provide PGA Professionals, PGAs and golfers with a range of free-to-use #CaringForCourses resources to use at golf clubs:

DOWNLOAD #CARINGFORCOURSES INFO BOOKLET

DOWNLOAD #CARINGFORCOURSES POSTER

DOWNLOAD PITCHFIX COURSE GUIDANCE

VISIT PITCHFIX

Staying true to PING’s clean and timeless design ethos, the SS22 men’s collection features a key focus on ‘Elevated Geos’. The refined geometrics that feature throughout the range reinvigorate pattern and texture, which feature clean, angular, sharp and precise details. The new, innovative designs are complemented by the state-of-the-art Sensor fabric technology platform from PING, to ensure every item is specifically engineered to respond to the body’s requirements and demands whilst on the golf course. As a brand who strive for continuous improvement, PING have also introduced recycled content into a number of styles this season.

For SS22, PING have developed three brand-new energising colour palettes, with each of these boasting a technical edge that showcases PING’s forward-thinking design ethos. The ‘Daybreak’ colour story offers a refined pastel colour palette, while the ‘New Wave’ colour story embodies a more classic range, with Blue Surf and Firebrick red combining for strong looks with heritage appeal. The ‘Supercharged’ palette is a striking new colour story that sees Dragonfly green mix with softer tone, Blue Nile, whilst black and a punch of lime creates a crisp, technical edge.

One of the stand-out pieces in the collection is the 1A Putter polo, inspired by the original PING 1A putter. An innovative design that features the clean, angular shapes of the iconic putter design in a modern and timeless look.

Another signature piece in the SS22 range is the PING Geo polo, a garment that incorporates the ‘Elevated Geos’ theme through the use of a repeat hexagonal pattern and features the PING Eye Mark logo throughout, to offer an eye-catching look for all golfers.

The expanded SS22 collection also features a host of new designs, such as the Focus, Sinclair, Cubic Jacquard, Rae, Halcyon, Portman, Malvern and Alexander polo shirts, which are all engineered with SensorCool® technology to provide moisture-moving comfort in all conditions.

The 1A Putter polo is one of this season’s statement garments. Available in two colours, with a contrast tipped collar, the design takes inspiration from Karsten Solheim’s original idea for the now iconic 1A Putter and features a premium graphic print of this unique sketch. Produced from recycled polyester and constructed in SensorCool® performance fabric, with the added benefit of an antibacterial finish, this polo provides golfers with the perfect all-round garment for the golf course.

The PING Geo polo embodies the company’s brand heritage and logo and features a hexagon design throughout, which has become a recognisable shape that PING has utilised throughout its existence. The geometric repeat print creates a modern look and incorporates the Eye Mark logo within the design. The fabric utilises SensorCool® technology and is made from recycled polyester, to keep the wearer in their comfort zone for the duration of their round.

The brand-new Cubic Jacquard polo is a performance garment that features an eye-catching cubic jacquard fabric throughout and comes in three contrasting colourways: Navy Multi, Black Multi and Blue Surf Multi. Engineered from SensorCool® fabric, it provides comfort in play, with moisture-movement, quick-drying and stretch properties.

Created in a unique scattered camo pattern, the Rae polo provides an on-trend jacquard, executed in a subtle and refined manner. The PING Eye Mark logo on the shoulder contrasts to the camo design and outstanding technical performance comes from the SensorCool® fabric with moisture-movement, quick-drying and stretch properties and is also made from recycled polyester.

Head to www.pingeurope.com, the recently launched e-commerce site, to browse the new season apparel range from the SS22 collection.

The Sensor Platform

The Sensor platform from PING is an innovative, technological system, designed to ensure that every garment worn is specifically engineered to respond to the body’s requirements and the demands of the game, whatever the conditions.

SensorCool® – Engineered to be worn next to the skin, SensorCool® technology, featuring moisture-moving properties, draws excess perspiration from the skin. This will keep the golfer dry for the duration of a round and beyond, guaranteeing exceptional comfort levels in all conditions. Each SensorCool® garment is crease resistant and formed from stretch fabrics that are designed to complement the athletic movements made during a golf swing.

SensorWarm® – SensorWarm® technology embodies a thermal layer, designed to trap warm air and maintain a preferable body temperature. This layer also works as a barrier to resist wind chill and the subsequent effect it can have on a swing. SensorWarm® garments are designed to minimise weight and distraction, through the use of breathable and stretch fabrics. Such qualities also enable the garments to work with the golfer’s body for optimum playability.

SensorDry® – This technology provides the ultimate, long-lasting waterproof and windproof protection against all the elements. The garments incorporating SensorDry® are air permeable and, therefore, truly breathable. The outerwear is specifically cut in lightweight and noiseless fabrics, to eradicate distractions often associated with weather protective garments, while the fabrics used hold stretch qualities intended to move with your body throughout the golf swing.

PING, Mr. PING logo, ENGINEERED TO PLAY, SENSORCOOL, SENSORWARM and SENSORDRY are registered trademarks of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

PING has unveiled details of its Spring/Summer 2022 collection. The new range creates an uplifting summer mood, using colour and performance fabrics in a mix of heritage-inspired patterns that have been modernised to soften and update traditional formal looks. The garments showcase a variety of elegant designs in what is their most diverse women’s offering to-date, highlighting PING’s dedication to the women’s game.

For SS22, PING have introduced recycled content into a number of styles and have broadened their women’s offering through three contemporary colour stories. ‘Digital Check’ is steeped in golf heritage and has been engineered with a distorted, optical twist and technical edge to give a sleek looking style for the season. It is a print collection that offers a certain familiarity that will appeal to both traditional and modern tastes.

The second colour story, ‘Distressed Houndstooth’, is a graphic overhaul of a traditional look. The houndstooth patterns have been reworked with exaggerated scales and distorted effects, whilst classic monochrome colours continue, providing a striking timeless look.

The third colour story, ‘Modern Deco’, is inspired by art deco design with patterns that incorporate clean lines, geometric shapes and decorative effects. Within the blue palette in the colour story, PING has created a clean geo print that takes influence from art deco principles to construct a brilliantly chic look.

The collection is highlighted by the Etta and Evie polos, which can be paired perfectly with the Saffi skort and matching Birdie visor for a contemporary head-to-toe look. All are available in any of the three colour stories and feature SensorCool® technology for moisture-moving comfort in all conditions, providing golfers unrivalled comfort and style.

As part of an expanded range, PING have also increased their trouser offering with the addition of the new Verity Printed Crop, Short and Skort to complement the Verity trouser range and offer greater outfit combinations.

The Etta polo has been crafted from SensorCool® stretch and moisture-moving fabric, to ensure comfort on and off the golf course. Available in three colourways, each one utilises the printed fabric in different executions to provide greater variety within the range. All colourways feature a contemporary stripe detail at the back of the garment and are crafted from recycled polyester.

Engineered for warmer weather, the Evie polo features cut-and-sew panels at the armhole. The neckline can be worn open to reveal the printed under placket, or closed over with the feature top button. Its light, minimalistic design, coupled with SensorCool® technology offers golfers a brilliant solution for a hot summer’s day and is produced from recycled polyester.

An all-new polo shirt that encompasses PING’s Distressed Houndstooth pattern in a subtle and refined jacquard fabric. The pattern is further highlighted by the high shine yarn used within the fabric, giving this style added feminine detailing. Available in three strong colour options, this design offers the wearer a modern update on a traditional pattern. Featuring SensorCool® fabric technology, the Faye polo is engineered for moisture-moving comfort in all conditions and is made from recycled polyester.

Available in all three colour stories, the new Saffi Skort provides a coordinated full outfit look when paired with the Etta or Evie Polo. The printed performance skort is engineered with SensorCool® fabric technology, for comfort and freedom of movement and is also made from recycled polyester.

Head to www.pingeurope.com, the recently launched e-commerce site, to browse the new season apparel range from the SS22 collection.

The Sensor Platform

The Sensor platform from PING is an innovative, technological system, designed to ensure that every garment worn is specifically engineered to respond to the body’s requirements and the demands of the game, whatever the conditions.

SensorCool® – Engineered to be worn next to the skin, SensorCool® technology, featuring moisture-moving properties, draws excess perspiration from the skin. This will keep the golfer dry for the duration of a round and beyond, guaranteeing exceptional comfort levels in all conditions. Each SensorCool® garment is crease resistant and formed from stretch fabrics that are designed to complement the athletic movements made during a golf swing.

SensorWarm® – SensorWarm® technology embodies a thermal layer, designed to trap warm air and maintain a preferable body temperature. This layer also works as a barrier to resist wind chill and the subsequent effect it can have on a swing. SensorWarm® garments are designed to minimise weight and distraction, through the use of breathable and stretch fabrics. Such qualities also enable the garments to work with the golfer’s body for optimum playability.

SensorDry® – This technology provides the ultimate, long-lasting waterproof and windproof protection against all the elements. The garments incorporating SensorDry® are air permeable and, therefore, truly breathable. The outerwear is specifically cut in lightweight and noiseless fabrics, to eradicate distractions often associated with weather protective garments, while the fabrics used hold stretch qualities intended to move with your body throughout the golf swing.

PING, Mr. PING logo, ENGINEERED TO PLAY, SENSORCOOL, SENSORWARM and SENSORDRY are registered trademarks of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

A luxury gin brand with ties to the golfing industry has pledged its support to international charity, Oxfam, with plans to raise a 6-figure donation for its Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

Officially launched in spring 2021 by Italian entrepreneur, Giorgio Cozzolino, Old Tom Gin 1821 is distilled using the finest Sicilian ingredients and symbolises a harmonious marriage between Giorgio’s Italian homeland and his love for Scotland, where he has resided for the last five years.

Having worked closely with multiple Ukrainian businesses in the development and launch of the Old Tom Gin brand – both in the design of the original bottle and in the design, print and delivery of the bottle labels – Giorgio is now donating £20 from the sale of each bottle to Oxfam’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, which could result in a £100,000 fund for the cause if all 5,000 stocked bottles are sold.

Giorgio Cozzolino confirmed: “The humanitarian situation in Ukraine is becoming more and more concerning by the day, with millions of people who have either fled or are still within the country desperate for food, water and clothing.

Having worked closely with several Ukrainian businesses in the development of Old Tom Gin, I wanted to find a way in which we could raise funds to support them and their communities who now find themselves in an increasingly desperate situation. It, therefore, seems fitting that we can raise funds through the very product they helped us create, and through such a well-known and credible organisation as Oxfam.”

Oxfam is part of the Disasters Emergency Committee [DEC], which comprises of 15 member charities who are all experts in humanitarian aid – including The Red Cross and Save the Children.

The money raised will support Oxfam and its partner organisations to respond, and could provide individuals with essential items, like food, water, and clothing – whilst helping vulnerable families keep themselves safe and clean from disease with the provision of hygiene equipment.

Discussing Old Tom Gin’s 6-figure pledge to the Oxfam Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, Danny Sriskandarajah, Chief Executive of Oxfam GB said:

“We’re very grateful to Old Tom’s Gin for its support for people fleeing devastating conflict in Ukraine. As humanitarian needs continue to grow, the money raised will help Oxfam and partner organisations in Eastern Europe to provide vital support to people who have already lost so much to stay warm, fed and healthy.”

Bottled at 43% ABV, Old Tom Gin 1821 is priced at £49 bottle and is available to purchase from the brand’s dedicated eCommerce store. For each bottle sold, £20 will be donated to Oxfam’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

For more information, visit:

https://oldtomgin1821.com

https://www.oxfam.org.uk

The tour-proven Glide 4.0 wedges are available for custom fitting and pre-sell beginning today at authorised PING golf shops around the world.

“The Glide 4.0 series is an exciting continuation of our specialty wedge family that brings golfers the short-game performance they need to lower their scores through several advancements in wedge technology,” said John K. Solheim, PING President. “We packed a lot of performance into the series to ensure it appeals to golfers of all abilities. The wedges have a great look at address and are extremely versatile in all conditions, relying on precision-milled grooves and a new face blast to increase friction and deliver high spin and consistency. The feel is greatly improved as we’re using 8620 carbon steel together with our activated elastomer insert behind the face. Every detail in the Glide 4.0 is designed to save shots, including a longer grip for choking down when necessary to play touch shots around the green. We’ve seen tremendous tour adoption around the world with the new wedges and look forward to getting them in golfer’s hands as we begin another golf season.”

In developing the Glide 4.0 wedges, PING’s engineers focused on expanding the grind and loft options to make custom fitting easier and more precise.

“The four distinctly different sole grinds, including an Eye2 sand-wedge-inspired version in four lofts, ensure that trained PING club fitters can properly match a Glide 4.0 to a golfer’s angle of attack and playing conditions,” Solheim said. “Whether fitting our tour pros or players who just prefer the look, feel and all-around performance of a specialty wedge, we have a sole grind and loft combination to match every golfer.”

8620 Carbon Steel & Activated Elastomer

The multi-material construction combines 8620 carbon steel with a larger and softer activated elastomer insert to provide a soft, responsive feel. The additional volume of the insert allows for 36% more face contact, resulting in the softer feel golfers prefer in their wedges.

“This is the first time we’re using 8620 in the investment casting of a Glide series wedge,” said Solheim. “It makes a big difference. When we combine it with the activated elastomer, it delivers an amazing feel.”

Precisely Sized and Shaped

The Glide 4.0 features a slightly rounded, compact design that benefits from advancements to the lead edge and hosel transition to provide a captured look at address. In designing the series, the engineers made the head sizes of the “S” and “T” grind versions smaller than the “W” and “E” options.

“The first impression a golfer gets when they look at a wedge is vitally important,” said Solheim. “It must appeal to their eye and instill confidence that they can execute the shot they’re facing. When designing the series, we decided to vary the head size of the S and T grinds to give players choosing those options a smaller head for added confidence and versatility. Conversely, the W and E grinds are a little more forgiving, with slightly larger heads.”

Friction Face with Emery Blast

In combination with the precision-milled face and grooves, the new Emery face blast adds more texture to the hitting surface, creating higher friction and more interaction between the club and ball for more spin and lower launch. The 46º, 50º and 52º lofts feature wheel-cut grooves with a 20º sidewall to optimise performance on full shots. The 54º to 60º options are milled with a 28º sidewall and tighter radius for more spin and precision on finesse shots around the green and from the sand. The hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish adds to the higher spin and lower launch, especially from wet and rough conditions.

“The new Emery blast makes a huge difference in performance and is the result of our on-going research into the role friction plays in adding spin during ball interaction,” said Solheim. “We’re able to provide added spin with a lower launch that gives golfers the consistency they need to play at the pin on full shots or take on the tough shots around the green.”

Four Grinds, More Loft Options

Four differentiated sole grinds (S, W, T, E) are designed to match a golfer’s angle of attack and typical turf conditions for improving performance and versatility on full and partial shots. In all, there are 17 grind/loft combinations.

S Grind (46º/12º, 50º/12º, 52º/12º, 54º/12º, 56º/12º, 58º/10º, 60º/10º)

-Trail edge/heel relief
-Ample bounce
-Rounded lead edge
-Fits most golfers

W Grind (54º/14º, 56º/14º, 58º/14º, 60º/14º)

-Traditional full-sole design
-Most forgiving through the turf
-Rounded lead edge
-Optimised for square-face and bunker shots

T GRIND (58º/6º, 60º/6º)

-High lead-edge bounce
-Half-moon sole shaping
-Increased center bounce width

E GRIND (54º/10º, 56º/10º, 58º/8º, 60º/8º)

-High toe
-Improved lead-edge shaping
-Dished sole and tapered hosel for bunker performance

Eye2-inspired E-Grind

The PING Eye2 wedge face profile inspired the “E” grind, which is distinguished by the high-toe design made popular by Karsten Solheim’s iconic sand wedge developed in the early 1980s. It features a blended hosel and dished sole design similar to the original Eye2.

Glide 4.0 Specifications

Material/Manufacturing Process: Investment-cast 8620 carbon steel head; elastomer insert; precision-milled face and grooves; Emery face blast; hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish

Glide 4.0 Specifications

STOCK SHAFTS: PING Z-Z115 wedge; PING AWT 2.0 (R, S, X), PING Alta CB Slate (SR, R, S), Alta Distanza Black 40

OPTIONAL STOCK SHAFTS: Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300), Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100), KBS Tour (R, S, X), NS Pro Modus 105 (R, S, X), Elevate 95 (R, S)

STOCK GRIP: Lamkin Crossline 1150 (11.5 inches)
RRP: Steel £160, Graphite £170

Available to order now from authorized fitters.

FIND OUT MORE AT PING.COM

Private clubs, public courses, and resorts are now able to seamlessly create a promotional Golf Hub landing page for any competition, open event, league, or clinic, with optional online registration and payment as required.

Golf professionals and administrators can then embed these professional-looking pages into their club website, email campaigns, and social media posts to amplify promotional efforts and drive increased participation.

Golf Hub pages are customisable, allowing clubs and resorts to showcase their sponsors by embedding their logo and linking directly to their website. After an event is complete, the Golf Hub Page automatically shifts to display the tournament results and leaderboard.

“We are excited to launch Golf Hub, which can be used as a tool to support and promote any type of event,” commented Craig Higgs, Managing Director for Golf Genius International.

“While sophisticated player registration and online payments have been important features of our offering for several years, Golf Hub combines this concept with automated marketing to provide powerful promotion to our customers.”

Another feature of Golf Hub is the ability to automatically aggregate your event pages into your Club Hub, a single page that showcases the playing and learning opportunities at your facility.

Easily embedding into an existing website, Club Hub allows golfers to see all upcoming events. They can click on any individual event to visit the Golf Hub Page to see more information, register, and view tournament results.

If you are interested in finding out more about Golf Genius, contact the international team at intlsales@golfgenius.com.

The PLD Milled line offers a collection of four tour-validated models, each with a history of winning championships. These designs are fully machined from forged, 303 stainless steel and represent a combination of standard-setting favourites like the Anser and newer, tour-inspired models like the DS72, the choice of multiple-time winner Viktor Hovland. Each model requires more than four hours of milling time, precisely shaping every surface and radius to achieve the high quality and premium look expected in a precision-milled putter.

“The PLD Milled is an exciting addition to our putter line,” said John K. Solheim. “We’ve identified a couple of our most popular models from the past and some newer designs that have attracted a lot of attention in the last couple of years. We’ve given the new putters a very clean, premium look to emphasise the precision process they undergo before they are ready for play. As we collaborate on new designs with our engineers and tour staff through the PLD programme, we’ll add new models to bring golfers the latest in tour-proven performance on the putting green.

“We established the PLD name several years ago as an extension of the PING Putting Lab, where we’ve have been fitting some of the top players in the world for more than 20 years.

“Several of our highest ranked players in the world rely on a PLD custom putter that was designed in collaboration with our engineering team. We chose this week to introduce the PLD programme at one of the game’s most important events and shine a spotlight on our success. Viktor Hovland, Tony Finau and Bubba Watson are just a few players who put their trust in a PLD model, each custom designed and built to their specific needs, but all engineered to win championships,” added Solheim.

As part of the PLD introduction, PING staff players at this week’s Players Championship will carry a PLD-branded staff bag and wear headwear featuring the PLD logo. The staff bags will be autographed by the player and later donated or auctioned off.

PLD Milled Model Specifications

Anser

• Precision-milled from forged, 303 stainless steel
• Slight Arc
• 350g
• Matte Black finish
• PING black graphite shaft
• Lie Angle: 20° +/- 4.0°
• Loft: 3° +3°/- 2.0°

Anser 2

• Precision-milled from forged, 303 stainless steel
• Slight Arc
• 350g
• Satin finish
• Chrome stepless steel shaft
• Lie Angle: 20° +/- 4.0°
• Loft: 3° +3°/- 2.0°

DS72

• Precision-milled from forged, 303 stainless steel
• Straight Stroke
• 365g
• Satin finish
• Chrome stepless steel shaft
• Lie Angle: 20° +/- 2.0°
• Loft: 3° +3°/- 2.0°

Prime Tyne 4

• Precision-milled from forged, 303 stainless steel head
• Aerospace grade, machined aluminum hosel
• Strong Arc
• 360g
• Matte Black finish
• Matte-black stepless steel shaft
• Lie Angle: 20° +/- 4.0°
• Loft: 3° +3°/- 2.0°

The four models: RRP £399 are available for pre-order beginning today at PING authorised retailers committed to selling premium, custom fit putters.

FIND OUT MORE AT PING.COM

Within their familiar Golf Genius TM experience, golf professionals at private clubs, public courses, and resorts will be able to instantly create a promotional landing page (a “Golf Hub Page”) for any event, league, or clinic, optionally enable online registration and payments as needed on each Golf Hub Page, and automatically create aggregated pages (“Hubs”) to showcase the playing and learning opportunities at their facility. Golf professionals can then embed these Hubs into their club website, email campaigns, and social media posts to amplify promotional efforts and drive increased participation.

“Last year, over 750,000 events such as golf leagues, outings, and tournaments were managed by the Golf Genius TM user community,” stated Chris Kallmeyer, Co-CEO of Golf Genius. “We realized that in the vast majority of cases Golf Genius TM users were spending additional time to create promotional marketing materials and collect registrations by paper or phone. We’re always looking for ways to save time for golf professionals while helping them deliver a superior golfer experience. Golf Hub achieves this by automating the creation of highly professional digital marketing materials and streamlining the promotion, registration, and payment process.”

While sophisticated player registration and online payments have been important features of Golf Genius TM Club Premium and Golf Genius TM Association for several years, Golf Hub combines the concept of registration and payments with automated marketing pages and hubs to provide powerful marketing services to the entire Golf Genius TM community, which includes over 10,500 private clubs, public courses, and resorts in more than 60 countries. Golf Hub will be especially useful in promoting leagues, clinics, and outings.

“We are particularly excited about helping public golf facilities market leagues and clinics to their current and potential customers. Leagues are a key source of revenue for public facilities, and clinics are a perfect way to introduce new golfers to the game and convert them to golfers for life,” added Golf Genius Co-CEO Mike Zisman. “Today, Golf Genius services over 12,000 golf leagues around the globe, and Golf Hub will be a tool of great value to every one of these league managers by saving time and automatically generating high quality digital marketing materials.”

“What’s most satisfying in the i525 iron from an engineering standpoint is how our team has been able to maximise the flexing of the metal-wood-style face structure while creating a pleasing sound and feel,” said Solheim. “As golfers know who’ve played this type of iron design, they often sacrificed some of the feel for more distance. That’s not the case in the i525 as we’re able to provide golfers a solid-feeling iron with the increased ball speed they need to hit longer, higher shots that hit and hold the green. We’re seeing some incredible results as a lot of golfers are a club stronger or more, including Tour pros who are attracted to the compact look and increased ball speed of the longer irons.”

Forged, Maraging-Steel Face

The strength of the variable-thickness, maraging steel allows for a thinner, more dynamic face structure with an internal sole undercut in the 17-4 stainless steel body to increase flexing for more ball speed and shots that launch faster and higher with distance control.

“As we advance all of our iron technologies through our continuous research and knowledge development, it’s important for golfers to understand the different attributes engineered into each model,” said Solheim. “The i525 is clearly for the golfer in search of more distance. But it offers so much more performance, including exceptional forgiveness concealed in a players- style head. Its size and shape are beautifully crafted, and it’s packed with tremendous technology on the inside, which makes it very appealing to a wide range of golfers.”

Sound Engineering

A polymer is precisely injected onto the inside of the face to improve feel and sound without interfering with face deflection, the source of its increased ball speed.

“One of the biggest challenges we face in designing all clubs is tuning the feel and sound,” said Solheim. “Because of the i525’s metal-wood-style face design, we knew sound would require additional attention to ensure the gains in distance didn’t come at the expense of the feel. We couldn’t sacrifice one attribute just to improve another. The solution was to inject the polymer in precise amounts to the same area behind the face. The result is a significant improvement in distance, sound and feel.”

Extreme Weighting

Tungsten toe and shaft tip weights combine with a tiered, dynamic face structure and cavity to expand the perimeter weighting while preserving ball speed through greater face deflection for added distance and improved accuracy. The moment of inertia has increased in the vertical and horizontal axes to provide tighter dispersion and increased forgiveness.

“The structure of the face and cavity is a significant mechanical-engineering accomplishment,” Solheim said. “They function as one to ensure golfers benefit from the forgiveness PING irons are famous for while maintaining consistent bending across the face to deliver the added ball speed and higher launch that golfers expect in a distance-focused iron.”

Friction Face with MicroMax™ Milled Grooves

Introduced last year in the i59 iron, the i525’s precision-machined face has MicroMax grooves for tighter spacing and a geometry that results in an average of four extra grooves on each club to reduce fliers in the short irons and preserve spin in the long irons for greater control and consistency.

i525 Specifications

Multi-material construction: 17-4 stainless steel body; forged, maraging-steel face; tungsten toe/shaft tip weights; hydropearl 2.0 finish

Available 3-9, PW, UW in 10 color codes (lie angle), RH & LH. Black colour code is standard.

Loft options: Standard, Power Spec and Retro Spec

STOCK SHAFTS: Project X IO (5.5, 6.0, 6.5), PING AWT 2.0 (R, S, X), PING Alta CB Slate (SR, R, S), Alta Distanza Black 40, UST Recoil 760 ES SMAC (A), 780 (R, S)

OPTIONAL STOCK SHAFTS: Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300), Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100), KBS Tour (R, S, X), Nippon Pro Modus Tour 105 (R, S, X), Elevate 95 (R, S)

STOCK GRIP: Golf Pride 360 Tour Velvet (six sizes)

RRP: RRP €219 per club with stock steel shaft; RRP €231 per club with stock graphite shaft

FIND OUT MORE AT PING.COM

Two-time winning Solheim Cup Captain and Major Champion, Catriona Matthew, is the worthy recipient of the Confederation of Professional Golf’s [CPG] 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising her outstanding career as a player and as a captain.

READ ALSO: Adventure Continues for Bernard de Bruyckere

The Lifetime Achievement Award was introduced in 2011 and in the same year was posthumously awarded to Seve Ballesteros. Since then, winners have included Alison Nicholas, Bernhard Langer and José María Olazábal, with each being recognised for their success and influence in the sport within their own countries and around the world.

“It is very prestigious to be following on from these fantastic names” commented Matthew, as she received the award at her home club, The North Berwick Golf Club. “I am delighted and honoured to be given this award. It is fantastic recognition for how I have played and performed over the years.

“I have to thank my husband, Graham, who caddied for me for 20 years; to my first Professional and teacher, Jim Hume; and John Chillas, who helped me whilst competing at university. I would also like to thank all the PGAs and Professionals out there – it is you that do the hard work in moulding the future of our sport and the fact that there were 8 different nationalities in this year’s European Solheim Cup team illustrates what a fantastic job you are all doing.”

‘Beany’, as she is affectionately known, boasts a tremendous career in which she has tasted success on both the playing side and the leadership side of the game. Her success started during her amateur career, where she won many international championships and appeared in three Curtis Cup matches. This success translated quickly into the Professional ranks when she earned her LPGA card in 1994 and Ladies European Tour card in 1995 and went on to win various titles that included her standout major victory in the 2009 Women’s British Open.

Individual success has been complemented by representation and victory within team environments for Catriona too, which includes three Women’s World Cup of Golf appearances for Scotland and nine appearances for the European Solheim Cup team, where she amassed the third highest points total for a player in the event’s history, coupled with home and away success as captain in 2019 at Gleneagles and in 2021 at the Inverness Club.

“We are delighted to be able to recognise Catriona with this award for the significant achievements she has had as a player and more recently as a captain” commented CPG Chief Executive, Ian Randell. “This year’s Solheim Cup success for Europe was one of, if not the, highlight of the golfing year and Catriona’s leadership of a team that contained 8 different nationalities from across Europe was truly outstanding. The fondness and respect that Catriona commands across the game is there for all to see and I could not think of a more deserving recipient of this year’s award.”

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PGA of Belgium Member and Chief Executive, Bernard De Bruyckere, has been awarded the CPG 5-Star Professional Award in recognition of his 30+ years in the sport and his hugely significant role in the development of the PGA of Belgium and its Members.

READ ALSO: CPG Special Recognition Award Goes to Golf Pride

The 5-Star Professional Award looks to recognise the best in the business – individuals who exhibit the key characteristics of what being a PGA Professional represents and have shown excellence across the many areas of expertise and activity that PGA Members are involved in.

De Bruyckere, who celebrated 30 years of service to the PGA of Belgium in early December, has demonstrated this perfectly throughout his career in areas such as coaching, administration, refereeing, education and development, to name but a few.

“It is a huge moment,” said De Bruyckere who received the award at the CPG Annual Awards Supported by Rolex, held at Penina Hotel & Golf Resort. “To be nominated by your own PGA and Board and get recognition from the CPG, who now represent 43 countries worldwide, is amazing – I am very proud.

“It has been an adventure. When I started there were no computers, smartphones…not even the Euro! So to see the evolution of the game and the technology that surrounds it has been an incredible experience. Being a PGA Professional is a true challenge as you are dealing with so many different people and you have to find many solutions to a range of complex problems.”

De Bruyckere began working as a golf instructor during his military service and comes from a long line of golfers, with his Grandfather a greenkeeper at Royal Zoute Golf Club and his Father an Assistant Professional in their own rights.  At the age of just 24, he became the youngest golf manager in Belgium at that time.

His move to the administrative side of the sport occurred when he became treasurer for the PGA of Belgium, going on to assume the General Secretary position in 1994, where he has been ever since. As the first PGA of Belgium Professional to pass The R&A rules school, he has also officiated many national tournaments and CPG [formerly PGAs of Europe] events, such as the PGA Professional Championship of Europe, Fourball Championship and Beko Classic Pro-Am.

Bernard continues to have a significant impact on the education of PGA of Belgium Professionals and those further afield through his vision for, and development of, the association’s training and education programme.

CPG Chairman, Frank Kirsten, commented: “It is a great pleasure to have been able to award this honour to my great friend, Bernard.  We have known each other for many years and I cannot think of anyone more fitting to receive this recognition, considering the role he has played in developing PGA of Belgium members and PGA Professionals further afield too.”

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The Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG] celebrate Golf Pride’s commitment to supporting the Association, PGAs and PGA Professionals with the 2021 CPG Special Recognition Award.

READ ALSO: Stéphane Damiano Receives 2021 John Jacobs Award for Teaching & Coaching

Represented by Key Accounts Manager EMEA, Craig Watson, Golf Pride was presented with the award at the 2021 CPG Annual Awards Supported By Rolex at Penina Hotel & Golf Resort. The US-based golf grip company joins an exclusive list of previous winners including Duncan Weir, Theodore Vassilakis, Mustafa Koç, Samuel Ryder, and Renton Laidlaw.

On receipt of the award, Watson said: “As a proud partner of the CPG, we are very pleased to have received this recognition for the work that Golf Pride have done with the organisation’s collective membership to support their PGA Professionals over the past 23 years.

“PGA Professionals fulfil hugely significant roles within golf clubs and facilities, that can often have anything from five to six hundred members at each, so we strongly view club regripping as an integral part of any successful golf retail business. We will continue to help educate and support the workforce of the game in the best way that we can.”

“Golf Pride have been a fantastic supporter of the CPG, our Member Countries and their collective PGA Professionals over the many years that we have been partners in golf together” commented CPG Chief Executive, Ian Randell

“Golf Pride recognise the importance of the PGA Professional and in providing the appropriate education and support to enable them to flourish. Our partnership with Golf Pride has, and continues to be, one that we are hugely proud of and we are delighted to be recognising their impact through this award.”

For over seven decades, Golf Pride have been the global leader in golf grip innovation and technology, and has laid claim to more major wins than any other grip company on Tour. It has been a partner of the Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG] for over two decades and continues to play an important role in supporting the industry, PGAs and PGA Professionals internationally.

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The Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG] are delighted to recognise PGA of France Member Professional, Stéphane Damiano, with the 2021 John Jacobs Award for Teaching & Coaching for his extensive role in nurturing the next generation of golfing talent in France.

READ ALSO: Stefan Quirmbach Honoured with Christer Lindberg Bowl

Created in 2011 to honour one of the most pre-eminent coaches of all time – John Jacobs, OBE, the award recognises individuals for their significant contributions and achievements as golf coaches, and boasts a glittering list of teaching pioneers to have previously received the award including the first Frenchman to do so in 2012 in Dominique Larretche, as well as Phil Kenyon, Neil Manchip and last year’s recipient, Ulrich Eckhardt.

Credited as being the coach that supported the early development of one of France’s most successful and vibrant players in Victor Dubuisson, and as the nephew of the 1993 5-Star Professional Award recipient, Michel Damiano, Stéphane Damiano holds a strong and established reputation throughout French golf. Stéphane now runs the highly-acclaimed Prime Golf Academy, situated at Royal Mougins Golf Resort in the South of France, which provides young people with world class golf coaching and academic teaching to support their progress and development towards excellence in golf and wider academic life.

Damiano received the award at the CPG Annual Awards Supported by Rolex, held at Penina Hotel & Golf Resort, earlier this month: “I am very honoured in becoming the second French recipient of this award and to have been nominated by the PGA of France, as I am so passionate about teaching golf and working with young people to support their golf and academic development.”

“It is an honour to be awarding this year’s John Jacobs Award for Teaching & Coaching to Stéphane Damiano for his incredible work and for the far-reaching impact that he has created for French golf” commented CPG Chief Executive, Ian Randell.

“As the sport’s leading influencer, PGA Professionals form the very heart of golf coaching and are at the fore when it comes to developing the next generation of golfers across all skill levels and walks of life. In this regard, Stéphane is an exemplary individual and golf coach whom is responsible for enhancing the lives of many young people through the vehicle of golf and is a credit to the PGA of France.”

Located 20 minutes from Cannes and set up in 1990 by Damiano himself, Prime Golf Academy is a highly-acclaimed golf school and academy that offers aspiring and talented individuals the opportunity to pursue their dreams of becoming a professional golfer or gaining a scholarship in the US, whilst also obtaining a range of full time and post graduate academic qualifications as well. At the core of Prime Golf Academy’s mission is providing each of its students with the necessary tools to help them grow as individuals and pursue their golfing dreams.

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Former President of the PGA of Germany, Stefan Quirmbach, has been awarded the 2021 Christer Lindberg Bowl for his vision and contributions towards the development of professional golf and the PGA of Germany.

LISTEN: The Spin Podcast with Stefan Quirmbach

READ ALSO: 2021 President’s Award for Golf Development

Quirmbach held the position of PGA of Germany President for over two decades, during which time he led the organisation towards becoming one of the largest and most established PGAs internationally, that now holds an influential voice in golf and sport in the country.

A PGA of Germany Member Professional himself, Quirmbach’s astute leadership and continued drive has ensured that the PGA of Germany could sustain and grow its business to deliver the highest possible standards of education and support services to its Members. Now retired in this role as President, Stefan focuses his time and efforts on managing his successful golf school in Hardenberg.

On receiving the Christer Lindberg Bowl during the Confederation of Professional Golf’s [CPG] Annual Awards Supported by Rolex – adding to the 5-Star Professional Award that he won in 1996 – Quirmbach commented: “It is a privilege and an honour to be receiving the Christer Lindberg Bowl. I am most proud of the fact that this award represents the work that I and the team at the PGA of Germany have done over the years to position our PGA of Germany Members as key influencers in the sport.

“Through our development of the education programme in Germany, we are creating highly educated golf Professionals that golf clubs and facilities now rely on and look to for guidance on a daily basis. If I was to point towards one thing that this award recognises, then this would be it.”

Chief Executive of the CPG, Ian Randell, said: “It is a great pleasure to be honouring Stefan in this way. Over the course of his presidency, Stefan has worked closely with Rainer Goldrian and his team to significantly enhance the PGA of Germany’s structure, education and other activities for the betterment of their PGA Members. As a staunch and passionate advocate for the game, he has created a legacy that will continue to positively impact golf in Germany for decades to come.”

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With the two best 18-hole scores to count towards the team total each day, the exclusion of Perrino’s three-under-par 70 demonstrated how strong of a showing this was for the Italians, who have come very close before in this event and were certainly looking to make an early statement this time around.

Maestroni capped off Molteni’s four-under par 69 (four-under-par) with a scintillating 65 (eight-under-par) that was built around a carefully planned strategy and some quite mesmerising putting: “It is a great layout and with a good strategy, you can get a score going. Fortunately, I have two very strong teammates who are very straight off the tee and it ensured we could shoot the lowest round possible today.”

The players were quick to attribute their performances to a strong team ethic: “We are very good friends and I think that is really important. It means a lot to be representing the PGA of Italy and we are grateful for the opportunity to compete in the International Team Championship here at Penina”, commented Perrino. This was echoed by Molteni: “We are Italian, so we love to play as a team rather than just as individuals. Two years ago, we finished second but this year we have a very consistent team and I like our chances.”

In the Team Shield, Team Slovakia (Juraj Svarik, Adam Puchmelter and Jan Keher) also shared similar success after the first round, as they collectively shot 144 (71 from Svarik and 73 from Puchmelter) to lead Team Poland by 11 strokes heading into the second round.

For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page https://cp.golf/2021ITC. For more information on the CPG visit cpg.golf, or find the CPG on Twitter (@cpg_golf), Facebook (@cpg.golf), LinkedIn, Instagram (@cpg_golf) and Anchor.fm.

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TrackMan is a CPG Lead Partner and member of the Business Club by CPG – Find out more here

Developed in collaboration with a team of TrackMan experts, Titleist engineers have created a range of new Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls that incorporate Radar Capture Technology (RCT), enhancing the data capture of launch conditions in an indoor environment. Through this pioneering industry collaboration with another major manufacturing brand, TrackMan is delivering the most accurate information possible for golf.

READ ALSO: TrackMan become a Lead Partner of the CPG

The golf balls improve the TrackMan experience for dedicated indoor fitting specialists committed to a premium, precision fitting; coaches and instructors aiming to give their players even better tools to work with; and Tour professionals and golfers seeking precision data capture from their indoor practice sessions.

“We’re delighted to partner with Acushnet on the launch of the Pro V1 and Pro V1x RCT golf balls,” said TrackMan CEO and co-founder, Klaus Eldrup-Jorgensen. “Titleist is a brand that goes to extraordinary heights to ensure the premium quality and performance of its products and that mirrors TrackMan’s approach to technology, innovation and development.”

“Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x RCT golf balls combine the game’s greatest combination of speed, spin, and feel with new technology that more consistently captures precision performance and golf ball data from TrackMan units used in an indoor setting,” said Jeremy Stone, Vice President, Titleist Golf Ball Marketing. “We have worked closely with TrackMan for more than two years to optimise this embedded radar reflective, patent pending technology. The result is a reliably strong ‘signal’ that enables spin capture on all shots.”

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This article is available in The Insider by CPG magazine, click here to download your digital copy.

The CPG is committed to ensuring golf is a sport for all, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, ability, age and background.

LISTEN: The Diversity and Inclusion Panel

The CPG are currently working with EDGA (formerly the European Disabled Golf Association) in an effort to improve the sport for people from disabled backgrounds. EDGA are a not-for-profit, volunteer-run organisation that aims to increase opportunities for disabled people to sample, participate and compete in golf, and provides advice surrounding disabled golf to a variety of golf’s governing bodies.

The organisation was founded in 2000, growing substantially to incorporate 20 national federations, with members located across the globe. Focusing on growing the game, the organisation has designed and implemented coach education programmes for rehabilitation centres, hospitals and golf clubs. All of these initiatives are available to its members, as are protocols for tournament administration, definitions of impairment, and other resources to help grow the numbers of golfers with disability around the world.

At the 2020 CPG Annual Congress, listeners were fortunate to have EDGA President, Tony Bennett, attend for the panel session on Diversity and Inclusion. Tony’s invaluable insights were eye-opening and informative such as the issue of unconscious bias, and how through the handicap system, golf has the potential to be the most inclusive of all sports.

The CPG are also committed to improving increased participation and membership opportunities for women’s golf. In 2018, the organisation marked this commitment by signing The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter, a global initiative that has gained significant support and momentum from across the golfing world, with over 50 federations, 30 organisations and PGAs, and numerous other golf facilities, making their own pledge to further the women’s game.

This work was recognised at the 2020 Annual Congress when it was awarded with the CPG’s President’s Award, accepted by The R&A’s Assistant Director of Golf Development Jackie Davidson, on behalf of The R&A.

CPG Chief Executive, Ian Randell, reiterated the importance of change, saying “The R&A’s leadership is so important in driving change in our sport to ensure that it becomes more accessible, appealing and inclusive and we congratulate them on this initiative. It is a great example of how golf’s national and international organisations are increasing collaboration by collectively getting behind significant initiatives and programmes around the globe.

“Having made our own Women in Golf pledge at the time of launch and encouraged our Member PGAs to do likewise, we recognise the importance of the Charter, and support its goal of encouraging women across all levels and backgrounds to enjoy golf and thrive within the sport.”

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This article is available in The Insider by CPG magazine, click here to download your digital copy.

As he reflected on a momentous victory for Team Europe at the 2018 Ryder Cup, captain Thomas Björn’s emotion was clear to see: “We will always have Paris”. It was a spectacle that stretched far beyond people’s imaginations and captured the hearts and minds of a continent. But for Pascal Grizot, the man behind that special week in 2018, the 2018 Ryder Cup was something far greater than three days of competition. It was, and continues to be, an opportunity to create a long-lasting legacy for golf in France.

READ ALSO: Pascal Grizot’s Honorary Presidency Extended into 2021

Grizot’s background has always involved his two passions in life – business and golf. For 20 years he worked in the retail market, setting up and buying major companies, before continuing this across various different industries, both in and out of sport.

His strong golfing background comes from a successful playing career as an amateur with many individual titles to his name. In addition to being captain of France’s men’s teams for a number of years, he presided over the country’s maiden Eisenhower Trophy win in 2010 and their 2011 European Amateur Team Championship victory.

Such passions for business and golf have stood Grizot well in his many endeavours in the sport – contributions that have unquestionably raised the profile of golf in France enormously and brought about significant economic value to wider French society. In 2018, the Ryder Cup alone benefited the French economy with sums in the region of €235 million, achieved through ticket sales, international consumer spending, business investment and other commercial activity.

Changing perceptions

As President of the French Ryder Cup Committee, Grizot was at the forefront from the very start of the bidding process through to the successful conclusion of the matches in 2018. It was a bid that stemmed from his understanding of the perceptions of golf in France and the need to change them. Grizot adopted a bold strategy to do so, utilising the unique nature of the Ryder Cup to expose golf to a wider audience. Securing funding from the public and private sectors, as well as from the Federation’s own members, he was able to beat stiff competition from five other countries: “At the time, nobody imagined France could host the Ryder Cup – there had only been two previous French Ryder Cup players, the country had just one major golf course that was capable of hosting the event (Le Golf National), and there were other exceptional nations competing for the rights at the time.”

Yet to raise the sport’s profile and participation levels in France, both Grizot and the Fédération français de golf (ffgolf), which he is President of, recognised the significant impact that hosting a seismic event like the Ryder Cup would have. When Grizot and his team started the bidding process, France was also in the midst of its successful bid to host the 2016 European football championships and as Jean van de Velde, the first Frenchman to play in the Ryder Cup, concluded: “Football is king in France.” Despite competition within golf and other sports to host the matches which inevitably brought many challenges and pressures, Grizot looks back on that 10-year journey fondly.

In fact, it was during a certain week in April 2011 that the Frenchman acknowledges as being the instrumental moment. Surprisingly however, it was an occasion that didn’t demand Pascal’s acute negotiation skills, nor the astute business acumen that he had built up over his career. It was actually the advice of a close friend. “I am friends with Dermot Desmond (the Irish businessman and financier), who gave me lots of amazing advice regarding the Ryder Cup. I remember on one occasion during The Masters, which was at a pivotal point in the (Ryder Cup) bidding process, he said to me ‘Pascal, you must not speak to George O’Grady at any point during the week’.

“Lobbying for the French bid was such a huge responsibility for me and yet here I was, being told to avoid one of the key decision makers during a momentous week in the golfing calendar. Dermot is a close friend and I trusted him, so I did as he asked. When I was having dinner with Dermot and George walked in, Dermot would say ‘Pascal, you must leave’ and I proceeded to leave. George couldn’t understand each time why I didn’t want to speak to him: ‘Dermot, why is Pascal leaving?’ he would ask.” But behind the scenes Dermot was offering his own support on Grizot’s behalf. “When George O’Grady announced the decision on 17^th May 2011 that France would host the 2018 Ryder Cup, it was very special.”

The 2018 Ryder Cup would go down in history as a huge triumph for French golf, a notion echoed by CPG Chief Executive, Ian Randell: “Pascal’s passion, determination and commitment were at the very core of the success of the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris. The event exceeded the very high expectations and it will go down in history as the most successful Ryder Cup on many counts.” Team Europe, led by Captain Thomas Bjorn, would beat Team USA by 17.5-10.5 points in 2018, all the while being cheered on by over 270,000 spectators across the week.

A lasting legacy

Alongside the hosting of the Matches themselves, the bid that Pascal helped to create contained developmental and legacy-focused activities such as building 100 ‘petites structures’ or ‘urban courses’ closer to the population and the ‘Mon Carnet de Golf’ schools programme that introduced golf and the Ryder Cup to French schoolchildren. “The 100 short courses were the culmination of an ambitious plan for the development of golf carried by the ffgolf and are an illustration of the greatness of the legacy left by the Ryder Cup”. After 10 years of work, that short course project has had a significant impact on French golf, developing 17,000 new players, creating over 250 jobs and generating economic benefits such as increased investment into golf and contribution to the national GDP through an average of €220,000 of revenue and 3000 green fees per course. “These small structures are key to creating new golfers. They are the indication of the growth we are currently experiencing.”

There are limits to how far the sport can rise in France’s pecking order. It experienced rapid growth in the 1990s and early 2000s, but has often struggled to maintain that momentum leading into those 2018 matches. Relentless in his ambitions for French golf however, Grizot acknowledges the work must not stop. In his roles as President for ffgolf and Honorary President for the CPG, of which the latter organisation includes the PGA of France as a Member Country, Grizot holds local and international influence in the golfing world to be able to continue to enact change for French golf: “It’s now or never, because after all we’re doing, if there are not more golfers in France, sadly we will have a problem.” Certainly, golf in France can be comforted by having a man at the helm with a proven track record and a fiery enthusiasm to make the game better.

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Does every device in your business really need to be connected to the internet? And could your smart appliance be turned against you?

If you try to purchase a new appliance these days, there is a good chance you will be guided toward the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art, smart appliances first. Whether you are in the market for a new dishwasher, fridge or even toaster, the chances are there is an internet-enabled device waiting to target you, but why the increase in IoT (internet of things)? Do we really crave every item in our houses and places of work to be smart, or do these companies have something a little more sinister up their sleeves where they actually just make things smart in order to learn more about us?

READ ALSO: On course for a good hacking 

From the toothbrush that sends you a notification in the form of a graph of how well you brushed your teeth in the morning to the smart fork that senses if it thinks you’re eating too fast (I really am not making this up), we might just be walking into a future of IP-connected mayhem. IoT has boomed in the last decade and while I love a good gadget with a truly smart capability, where should we draw the line?

Some devices are arguably being produced with internet capability just for the sake of it. With more and more smart products coming to market as standard, what if I really don’t want an internet-connected washing machine? Does it make my life easier? And what about the security implications of having all these extra IP addresses in the home? Let’s not forget the saying that the ‘S’ in ‘IoT’ stands for security!

Data collectors

I was recently in the market for a new dishwasher and after lots of research, I found one that came highly reviewed and recommended. It happened to come with smart functionality by default and an app to download for all your smart home needs – apparently. I found a statement in marketing material about IoT dishwashers suggesting that you can take advantage of knowing ‘how long until the wash is done’, though I don’t see that as much of an issue when I’m out and about. I’m not sure about you, but this usually isn’t on my mind when I go out for a walk; then again, I guess they are catering for all people.

Such smart appliances are often around the same price as their equivalent non-smart model now too. Now I know I didn’t really need my dishwasher to be smart, but it was the same price and the techie inside me actually wanted to know its capabilities or to see if it could improve my life somewhat, so I carried on with the purchase and installed the app.

While setting up the app on my iPhone, I noticed a lot of data was being collected and linked to me, including my location, user content and contact info plus other identifiers. I went through all the settings and discovered a lack of two-factor authentication too, but this is typical with a lot of IoT.

Once I’d connected the app to the dishwasher, I wanted to see what type of connectivity I could take advantage of. I played around with the app for a bit and learned what was on offer. I opened the door to load the dishwasher, but I was soon interrupted as I had been sent a notification. I checked my phone and realized that I had been notified that the door had been opened…. I know! I opened it!

I quickly turned this notification off, but I soon found the app was not all that intuitive and in fact quite cumbersome. Later that evening and although I could have turned it on remotely, I was standing right next to it as I had just placed the last plate in; although I had my tablet with me, it was far quicker to turn it on physically, and like the reviews said, the dishwasher was refreshingly quiet when it started.

However, two hours later, it all changed in the house. I was standing next to my new appliance when the door began to open on its own accord as if it was possessed and was coming after me! Had my dishwasher been hacked and was now riddled with malware being remotely operated in order to kill me?! As the steam rose from the glistening plates, I soon realized that it was in fact the automatic door-opening feature that had sprung into action to improve the “drying performance”.

Ok, I overreacted a little, but this strange new spaceship-like feature caught me off guard and made me jump in the process. However, what this ordeal made me question was whether appliances and other gadgets really need to be smart? In this case, I am certain that the app was not, in fact, making my life more streamlined, so I deleted the app and made a conscious effort to stand clear of the door near the end of a cycle.

My hypothesis is that companies are in desperate need of our data. Cars have been sending a wealth of information back to their manufacturers for many years now and they are often the first to tell you that you have gone over the 10,000 miles threshold and now require service. This is now the norm for other gadgets around the home and we are seemingly willingly accepting this.

However, this information could be used against us if it were to get into the wrong hands. Malicious actors are constantly attacking websites looking for data and unfortunately some personal data inevitably still gets compromised and ends up on the dark web. Theoretically, threat actors could gain access to this live data in the cloud and even learn our daily habits, which could include when we have vacated the premises.

Although I am not aware of any data leaks involving smart household appliances, it is worth noting that these devices suck up a lot of personal data and store it in the cloud for multiple purposes – with, in my personal opinion, very little of this trade-off actually helping the products. This data trove can be seen as currency to some stakeholders and could be targeted so we must limit the amount of data we release in the first place.

If your device has to be internet enabled to function, consider reducing the amount of data you hand over to the developers of smart products. Furthermore, use unique passwords or passphrases, enable two-factor authentication where possible, and keep your devices updated to steer clear of as many vulnerabilities as possible.

Just consider this: If a malicious actor were to hold my dishwasher to ransom, there is a good chance they would get my money as I really hate washing up that much. So, until smart dishwasher apps come with being able to load the dishwasher, put the dishes in and unload it after a wash as standard, I think I’ll stick to traditional appliance usage in the kitchen for now.

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Golf in Ukraine is still within its infancy. For over ten years however, that phase has become less and less significant, as new blood and fresh thinking has ushered in drastic and impressive progress for the sport in the Eastern-European country.

READ ALSO: An International First for Coaching in Ukraine

Working in close and tight unison, the Ukrainian Golf Federation and the PGA of Ukraine (a CPG Member Country), have created a partnership and way of working that is quite remarkable and could act as a strong case study of Collaboration that many other countries could, and should, aim to model. This sense of Togetherness has meant the number of golfers in Ukraine is on the rise (significantly) and the number of trained and qualified coaches and PGA Professionals are increasing too, illustrating that these two actors go hand-in-hand for golf development.

Marina Lavrenchuk is one of these fresh faces responsible for such success. As General Secretary of the PGA of Ukraine, she has been instrumental this year in a number of key initiatives, particularly around the education and assessment of coaches and members of the association. Having only joined in February 2021, she may be new to the role but she inherits an-almost blank canvas to paint and direct a bright and successful future for golf in the country. And in just 10 months, that progress is well underway…

CPG: You started in February this year, but how have you found the role so far and what are you starting to become involved in?

ML: When I joined, the PGA were at a very early phase of development. Most structures and initiatives were in their formation or early development phase, so it is still a very interesting stage for the organisation. Before this I was also involved in such work with the Ukrainian Golf Federation on some of their amateur golf projects so I do feel I can bring the experience and fresh thinking needed to drive progress here at the PGA of Ukraine, and it really helps that it is an ambitious organisation with an exciting direction in place.

In essence, my role is to create a strong and reputable administrative body for golf in the country. We are here to promote and develop high-quality training programmes and settings for our members to thrive. By doing so, we create high-quality members and coaches who carry the flag for golf in the country and drive participation collectively. A lot of this work has been underpinned by my academic research during my PhD too, so there is some strong thinking and data behind what we are trying to achieve.

CPG: What is it that the organisation is trying to achieve? Can you tell us more about the association?

ML: The PGA of Ukraine’s mission is to promote golf by implementing the highest standards in education, by raising the level of competitive golf and by representing ethical values arising from the traditions and history of the sport. This is underpinned by lots of activity including the organisation of educational sessions and courses, delivery of national and international tournaments, protecting the legal rights of our members and promoting the game in close collaboration with the Ukrainian Golf Federation.

Founded in 2017 by Denys Riabtsev, Ihor Zatravkin and Vitalii Tereschcenko, the PGA of Ukraine is now lead by myself and the current standing President – Ruslan Garkavenko. In the same year of its conception, we introduced our first Professional tournaments, including our own PGA Championship. Now in its fourth year, this has developed into a 2-stage event that culminates in a final and brings some of the best PGA Professionals in the country into one place to compete. This year, we were also delighted to become a full member of the Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG]. To have that international recognition has been a key milestone and we are very much looking forward to working with their team in various ways to help grow the game nationally and internationally.

Moving forwards, we will continue to develop these current plans and initiatives but a big goal is to ensure we build a strong commercial programme with engaging and collaborative partners who share the ethos of the PGA of Ukraine. This will ensure we can invest back into the game properly and help drive professional development and participation across the country as well. Aside from that, then the obvious one is to grow our member numbers and increase the quality of education for each. This really underpins everything we do.

CPG: You mentioned joining CPG earlier. Why is that important to you?

ML: CPG are a hugely reputable voice and organisation in golf and continue to drive standards across the game. By becoming a member, it recognises our organisation as being on the same level of standards as those more established PGAs such as Germany, Spain and Italy, of which are all members of the CPG too. It is a huge moment for us.

We hope through the CPG, we can drive our progress forwards even more and achieve the strategic goals we have set out. It will benefit us through support in education, knowledge sharing with other members, tournament opportunities and commercial partnerships and the Business Club, as well as other ad-hoc business support and advice that is so valued.

CPG: What does a current PGA of Ukraine member look like?

ML: The PGA of Ukraine has 35 members today (October 2021). At the beginning of 2021, there were 30 members. It is small gains but relative to the size of the sport right now in Ukraine this is huge.

The typical PGA of Ukraine Professional is first and foremost a golf coach. They spend so much time teaching the game and sharing their knowledge with others to ensure all ages enjoy and continue to participate in the sport. This is across various means: individually training club members, golf-clinics in groups at events, coaching in schools, coaching with the National Golf Team etc. Roughly 28 of our Professionals are doing this on a full-time basis but we do have a small number who are also pursuing careers in business and management, working at clubs and facilities to drive commercial success at those venues too.

Through their coaching, the PGA Professional is certainly influencing amateur golfers and the game but there is a lot of work to do to build our reputation and that of our members in the coming years. We believe all of our members will strive to become the leading influence in Ukraine for golf.

CPG: Let’s turn our focus to women’s golf in the country now. How is that progressing?

ML: The introduction of the sport over ten years ago has given enough time to build a strong foundation for women and girls to try and learn golf. Dozens of initiatives have been implemented and a whole movement of golfers has been created.

It is fantastic to see. In 2021 alone, we had 827 women registered on Datagolf, 191 of which are under 18 and 564 are between the ages of 19-50. We also have seven female members of the PGA of Ukraine too. Those demographics are crucial to longevity of the sport and so it is great to see a large proportion of each playing golf.

CPG: Do you consider yourself as a female influence?

ML: It is hard to say, as I have been in the position of General Secretary for less than a year. However, I have more than fifteen scientific articles written and produced during my PhD research. My PhD was in physical education and sport in specialty – Olympic and Professional Sport, where I studied at the National University of Physical Education and Sport of Ukraine. This research has been so far the only work of its kind for golf in Ukraine so I certainly could call myself a trailblazer of some sort! In all seriousness, my role certainly brings expectations but I think I have a responsibility to influence women and young girls – my story demonstrates that women are taking a leading role in Golf development.

CPG: Despite you only assuming the role this year, you must feel right in the thick of things as a leader of an organisation. What has that been like? What challenges and opportunities have you faced?

ML: There are challenges on a daily basis but I am starting to learn that that is a fact of the job. Being a young organisation too, there are also a lot of learnings in the way we operate and the way we do things but that is really a natural consequence and one we accept and try to make better next time. The growth we have seen makes it all worth it though. Being able to see more PGA Professionals join the organisation and more golfers learning to play the game is a fantastic feeling and only backs up the work that we do.

The pandemic obviously threw a curveball into the mix, as it did for everyone. We instantly went into a remote working environment and had to operate virtually, which was hard for all involved as we wanted to be out and about driving change and creating opportunity. However, this has emphasised to me and the team the importance of staying connected no matter what form that comes in and this has really become a more important team ethic we have adopted.

CPG: What inspires you?

ML: Working side-by-side in projects with other highly qualified specialists is a big one for me. The former General Secretary of UGF, Sergey Kozyrenko, and my scientific advisor Oksana Shinkaruk, give me a lot of experience and knowledge and I always strive to be like them. For example, I often ask myself what decisions did they make? How do they go about dealing with challenges? How do they conduct themselves? Things like that.

CPG: What advice would you give to those other PGAs who want to create a more inclusive and successful operation within their own organisation?

ML: Make a decision and stick by it but back it up with hard work and then even more hard work. That is the way to get things done. I also advocate building a team of professionals around you to support the mission. You cannot do everything yourself and it is the people around you that you lean on for things that make success happen. This can come from external sources of too and don’t be afraid to collaborate with other leaders. The UGF has been instrumental in the success we have had, and we could not do it without them. Embrace that notion.

CPG: Finally, what is next for you?

ML: I would really like to continue to improve my own golf game of course! Professionally, then I would lie to continue the research I did during my PhD and help grow the academic research and knowledge available for golf in Ukraine. If I continue to learn and develop myself as a person and as a professional, it will help me to better understand golf and the role of coaches. This knowledge will be useful for preparing education programs and teaching at the university in the future, and ultimately help continue the success that Ukraine is seeing long in to the future.

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The members of the PGA of Germany have elected a new board. For the next three years, the PGA of Germany will be headed by Kariem Baraka as chairman and president.

LISTEN ALSO: Leaving a Lasting Legacy for Professional Golf in Germany

The members of the PGA of Germany have elected a new board. For the next three years, the PGA of Germany will be headed by Kariem Baraka as chairman and president; the 43-year-old has been a member of the PGA of Germany since 2000 and is currently managing director of the GC München-Ried-hof. Baraka’s deputy on the PGA board is Oliver Neumann, and together with Ralf Pütter both form the executive board of the PGA of Germany. Anthony Lloyd, Marco Kaussler, Paul Dyer and Florian Fritsch serve as assessors.

“I am very happy to accept the election!”

The PGA of Germany has had a new board since September 19, 2021. During the general assembly, which was carried out online for the first time in the history of the association, the PGA of Germany members voted for Kariem Baraka as the new chairman and president. “I am very happy to accept the election and thank you for the trust you have placed in me and my colleagues,” said Baraka.

Until the 2008 season he played on the Challenge Tour and the European Tour, and in November 2007 he competed for Germany at the WGC World Cup in Spain and finished 7th together with Marcel Siem. Until 2013, Baraka worked for Langer Sport Marketing GmbH in action as tournament director of the Pro Golf Tour, since then the certified R&A Referee has been managing director of the Munich-Riedhof golf club. He has been a member of the PGA Board of Directors since 2018.

The new PGA Vice President ,Oliver Neumann, was born in 1974 and has been a member of the PGA Board of Directors since 2003, and is also a member of the PGA teaching team and the examination board of the PGA of Germany. He is the managing director of Tourbrassie GmbH and is based at GC Starnberg. Treasurer Ralf Pütter, 53, heads the golf school at Bochum GC and has been an assessor on the board of the PGA of Germany since 2008. Englishman Anthony Lloyd (GC Domain Niederreutin) has been a member of the PGA Board of Directors since 2018. Marco Kaussler (Munich), Paul Dyer (Eutin) and Florian Fritsch (Neckarge-münd) complete the management board of the PGA of Germany as newcomers.

“Thank you, dear members of the PGA of Germany, for the great trust you have placed in me as the first chairman of our professional association. I am happy to take on this position and the associated task of leading and developing the PGA of Germany together with my colleagues on the board and to represent our profession on the national and international golf stage in a dignified and effective manner ”, said Baraka.“As a member of the board of the PGA of Germany, I have been able to help shape the future of our association since 2018, which I have always found to be a beautiful and exciting task. At the same time, I am aware of the responsibility that is now associated with this new office of Chairman – not least because the footsteps I am following with my team are great: Stefan Quirmbach, together with Guido Tillmanns and Achim Lehnstaedt has developed the PGA of Germany into a professional association that is highly recognised worldwide. The PGA of Germany gathers golf professionals under its roof and is firmly anchored in the structures of the golf market. I look forward to continuing this legacy and creating a professional association on your behalf that is equipped for the challenges that the golf market will undoubtedly hold in store in the years to come! “

With President Stefan Quirmbach, his Vice Guido Tillmanns and Treasurer Achim Lehnstaedt, the incumbent executive board of the PGA of Germany resigned from the Presidium on September 19, 2021 and no longer stood for re-election. “Every time we stood for election in the past 21 years, we carried forward new projects that were close to our hearts,” says Stefan Quirmbach. He sees the hiring of Rainer Goldrian as full-time managing director in 1994, the founding of the Aus und Fortbildungs ​​GmbH in 1996 under the management of Ines Halmburger and the founding of Professional Golf in 2004 as milestones in his presidency, which has lasted for more than two decades AG, which brought economic security and freedom of action for day-to-day business. “With the purchase of the EPD Tour at that time, today’s Pro Golf Tour, we committed ourselves to promoting professional tournament golf in 2005, and in 2012 we finally changed and modernized the structure of the training decisively,” said Quirmbach.

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