In the News

Marriot Golf, one of the world's premier golf operators, recently announced The Rookery at Marco, located in Naples, Florida, as the Marriott Golf Property of the Year. This award is based on performance excellence for current and previous years in various categories such as golf sales, round improvements, program development, personnel development and leadership, and more.

The Rookery's recently renovated clubhouse expansion has been recognized as one of the top clubhouse remodeling projects in the country, serving as a finalist in Golf Inc.'s 2007 clubhouse renovations and remodeling awards. The renovation of the clubhouse included a member-only restaurant and lounge, member's locker rooms, private boardroom and much more. 

WASHINGTON - Members of the 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup Team and Captain Paul Azinger received a warm White House welcome Monday afternoon by President George W. Bush, who declared that he was an avid follower of "every minute" of the march to victory by the first American team since 1999 to capture golf's pre-eminent event.

Seven of the 12-member U.S. Team were joined by Azinger and assistant captain Raymond Floyd in meeting Bush, who was joined in the Oval Office by Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. 

As Pete Dye stood at the podium accepting his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame, the legendary designer looked back thoroughly and fondly on all of the places his "digging" had taken him, and all of the people he had met along the way.

While Dye told tales of his love-hate relationship with the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass, his frenetic finish at Harbour Town and his humble beginnings at Fort Bragg, it was clear that his true love, aside from his wife Alice who was seated in the front row for the ceremony, resided an ocean away in the Dominican Republic.

NEW YORK - Golf Digest, the United States Golf Association and NBC Sports are again asking average American golfers "What Would You Shoot?" on a U.S. Open course. The second Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge will test one winner at the site of the 2009 U.S. Open Championship - the Black Course at Bethpage State Park - next June.

The 2009 contest presents a challenging twist right from the start as hopeful participants have only six words to explain why they think they can break a score of 100. Interested golf fans can go to www.gdopencontest.com to submit their six-word essay. The submission period runs through Jan. 31, 2009. 

ORLANDO - When many of golf's greatest legends team up with their sons for the annual Del Webb Father/Son Challenge at ChampionsGate in Orlando this December, two first-year players in the field will be renewing a rivalry that took on a greater dimension this past summer.

Nick Faldo, teamed with his son Matthew, and Paul Azinger, paired with the late Payne Stewart's son Aaron, will join a field that features many of the greatest living legends in golf just three short months after the two opposed each other as captains of their respective Ryder Cup teams. In that competition, the United States team was able to reclaim the cup after an eight year drought. 

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - The World Golf Hall of Fame is now 126 members strong after the inductions of 1963 Open Champion Sir Bob Charles, three-time Major Champion Denny Shute, distinguished amateur golfer Carol Semple Thompson, fabled writer Herbert Warren Wind, the first person to capture the first two Major Championships in one year, Craig Wood, and legendary golf course designer Pete Dye.

"This class really does exemplify the special qualities which set golf apart from other sports and makes it very special indeed," PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem told the large crowd assembled on the lawn outside the World Golf Hall of Fame." 

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - GOLF 20/20, the World Golf Foundation's initiative focused on the development and support of programs to grow interest and participation in the game of golf, announced on Tuesday the creation of a new adult player development program, Get Golf Ready. Approximately 250 golf industry leaders were on hand at the 2008 GOLF 20/20 Forum at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla., to learn the details of the new industry initiative.

Get Golf Ready is targeted to the millions of U.S. adults who have never played golf, or who have minimal previous connection to the game. Participants will be provided with skills training as well as background on the game's rules, etiquette and values. The initiative is designed to bring adults into the game in a comfortable, enjoyable manner through a series of five introductory lessons in a small-group environment. Each of the five sessions features significant on-course learning opportunities. The program will be offered in many locations at $99, although pricing may vary by facility. 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - Play Golf America was launched in 2004 as an industry-wide marketing campaign designed to introduce people to golf, plus improve their ability to play and enjoy the game. As a result, millions of players nationwide have taken advantage of free and low-cost Play Golf America programs delivered by PGA and LPGA Professionals.

More than 3.4 million people have participated in group instruction at the grass-root level, for an average of 678,000 students per year over Play Golf America's five-year history. Branded Play Golf America programs have reached 1.28 million consumers since 2004 through participation in Play Golf America Days, special events and National Promotions such as PGA Free Fitting and Trade-Up Month, PGA Free Lesson Month, American Express® Women's Golf Month and Family Golf Month with Take Your Daughter to the Course as its cornerstone. In addition, an average of 5.5 million golfers participated in leagues and outings per year during that same time frame. 

When relatively unknown Iowan Zach Johnson captured his first Green Jacket at the 2007 Masters golf tournament, he did so with an unspectacular 1-over-par 289. That Masters week was one of the worst weather wise in recent memory, at least during the four days of tournament play.

After three days of heat, humidity and almost constant sunshine, temperatures dropped and winds whipped at Augusta National, creating hard and fast greens and borderline brutal conditions. 

Jim Holtgrieve, whose stellar amateur career includes a winning record as a player on three victorious USA Walker Cup teams and an individual triumph at the inaugural 1981 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, has been chosen by the United States Golf Association to be the captain of the 2011 USA Walker Cup squad.

"I'm elated to be given this honor by the USGA and to have the chance to captain 10 young men from the United States of America," said Holtgrieve, 60, who was inspired by his father to play the game of golf. "The USGA has always been very special to me and this is something that my father always hoped I would be able to do. This would have made him very proud."