Marriott Golf To Host PGA Tour & LPGA Events in 2011
Marriott Golf-Managed Courses at Ritz Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain; Doral Golf Resort & Spa; and Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa to Challenge Game’s Best on the PGA & LPGA Tours.
Marriott Golf, one of the world’s premier golf operators, is proud to announce that they will be hosting three professional tour events in 2011, including two PGA TOUR World Golf Championship showcase events, along with a prestigious LPGA tournament. The two PGA TOUR events, which will be televised on NBC and The Golf Channel respectively, and the LPGA event, which be televised on The Golf Channel, mark the first time Marriott Golf has hosted three professional championships in a calendar year.
On the PGA TOUR, Marriott Golf will host the World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play Championship, taking place February 23-27 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain in Marana, Ariz. This high profile event will be followed by the World Golf Championships – Cadillac Championship, to be held March 10-13 at Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami, Fla. This event, now in its 49th year, is the longest continuously running PGA TOUR event in Florida. The third professional event in the Marriott Golf portfolio is the LPGA’s RR Donnelley Founders Cup, taking place March 16-21 at Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Ariz.
“The entire team at Marriott Golf, from the property level to corporate, is very excited to showcase our first-class golf courses and resorts to the world, while challenging the game’s best golfers in three high profile championship events,” said Claye Atcheson, Vice President, Marriott Golf. ”Doral has always been considered one of the game’s premier professional golf venues, Dove Mountain has become a popular PGA TOUR destination, and we are excited to host the new RR Donnelley Founders Cup event at Wildfire, where we expect players and fans alike to have an amazing experience.”
90% of U.S. Golfers May Be Playing With the Wrong Equipment for Their Swing
A new, wide-ranging study reveals a golfer’s natural ability and swing are not the only things holding them back; 90% of U.S. golfers may be playing with clubs that do not fit them properly. Nearly 6,000 avid golfers across the country took part in the survey. The findings show players who were custom fit using advanced technology such as launch monitors, saw scores improve, hit the ball more accurately and had more fun playing golf than golfers who were not custom fit. The findings were unveiled today at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida.
“This study is a wake-up call for every golfer who wants to get better. We spoke to thousands of golfers coast to coast and the majority had no idea of what true custom fitting is all about and how it can shave strokes off of score cards,” said Jon Last, President of Sports and Leisure Research Group, which conducted the research. “The magnitude of the differences in perceptions between those fit and not fit was among the most significant I’ve observed between two test populations in my 20+ years of researching American golfers.”
The highlights of the research findings include:
- 92% of those golfers who were custom fit for their new equipment on a launch monitor realized immediate benefits with their new equipment.
- 80% of custom fit golfers hit the ball more accurately and consistently. Read more
Tickets for 10th Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas Now on Sale
Tournament Offers Public First-Time Access to Exclusive Golf Course
Tickets for the 10th Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational (MJCI), hosted by ARIA Resort & Casino at Shadow Creek, are now on sale. The premier celebrity golf event will make its Las Vegas debut March 31 – April 3 , giving fans the opportunity to watch four days of competition with some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment. This also marks the first time that Shadow Creek – one of the country’s most celebrated golf courses – will open its doors to the public.
Founded in 2001, the MJCI is one of celebrity golf’s most popular events and has raised more than
$5 million for charity. The four-day tournament and celebration, which boasts incredible parties, A-list entertainment and competitive golf, is recognized as one of the best events of its kind, having attracted sports legends including Wayne Gretzky, Charles Barkley, Mario Lemieux and Julius “Dr. J” Erving and entertainment personalities such as Mark Wahlberg, Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell and Don Cheadle in years past. This year’s event beneficiaries include the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the James R. Jordan Foundation, Cats Care, Nevada Cancer Institute and the participating celebrities’ charities of choice.
“ARIA Resort & Casino and Shadow Creek are incredibly proud to bring the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational to Las Vegas for the first time,” said Bill McBeath, ARIA’s president and chief operating officer. ”It’s only fitting that we open Shadow Creek to the public for the first time to welcome fans of Michael Jordan and his celebrity guests for such a spectacular tournament. More importantly, we are honored to be a part of an event that will help raise money for a variety of important charitable organizations.” Read more
SiriusXM Announces Comprehensive Coverage of 2011 Golf Season
SiriusXM will broadcast more live play-by-play than any other TV or radio broadcaster, offering the Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship and PGA Championship, plus PGA TOUR events including THE PLAYERS
Sirius and XM listeners get expert analysis on PGA TOUR Network channel
Sirius XM Radio announced that it will provide comprehensive coverage of the 2011 golf season, offering more live play-by-play than any other TV or radio broadcaster and giving listeners nationwide access to the full schedule of events featuring the world’s best golfers.
SiriusXM will broadcast live play-by-play of the 2011 PGA TOUR season, featuring THE PLAYERS Championship (May 12-15 from TPC Sawgrass, FL), and all four major championship events – the Masters (April 7-10 from Augusta National Golf Club, GA), the U.S. Open Championship (June 16-19 from Congressional CC, MD), The Open Championship (July 14-17 from Royal St. George’s GC, Kent, England) and the PGA Championship (August 11-14 from Atlanta Athletic Club, GA).
SiriusXM’s coverage will also include the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup: The Barclays (August 25-28 from Plainfield CC, NJ), Deutsche Bank Championship (September 2-5 from TPC Boston, MA), BMW Championship (September 15-18 from Cog Hill GC, IL) and THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola (September 22-25 from East Lake GC, GA). Read more
Callaway Golf Dominates Golf Digest’s 2011 ‘Hot List’ Awards
Callaway and Odyssey Win Medal Count in Annual Equipment Review for Fifth Straight Year
Callaway Golf Company’sentire 2011 product line received an outstanding vote of approval from Golf Digest’s annual “Hot List” issue, arriving on newsstands January 4th.
The Hot List is a comprehensive golf equipment evaluation conducted by Golf Digest Publications’ team of equipment editors, scientists, player panelists and retailers. Leading the way were Gold Medals for Callaway’s groundbreaking Forged Composite drivers, Diablo Octane and RAZR Hawk, as well as an Editor’s Choice award for the Company’s new RAZR X Irons. Callaway and Odyssey, the #1 Putter in Golf, dominated the Gold Medal count by winning 14 top distinctions, five more than the nearest competitor. With 16 total medals, Callaway received more Hot List awards than any other golf equipment manufacturer for the fifth straight year.
Every 2011 product from Callaway and Odyssey was awarded a Hot List medal. Additionally, Callaway and Odyssey feature a Gold Medal winner in each of the nine Hot List product categories, and is the only manufacturer to accomplish this. The Company was also awarded multiple Gold Medals in the Driver, Fairway, Hybrid, Game Improvement Iron and Blade Putter classes. Read more