Retail
FLGolf, the exclusive distributor of Volvik Golf Balls, adds two Del Webb Sun City golf clubs to their distribution network.
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Events
Thousands of PGA professionals, golf retailers, manufacturers and industry leaders will converge in San Diego for the industry's premier fall marketplace, the 2003 PGA Fall Expo, August 5-7, at the San Diego Convention Center. The PGA Fall Expo, a Trade Show Top 200 Show, will feature products, accessories and services of more than 300 golf-related exhibitors; 41 professional development seminars; and a new Demo & BBQ the first night of the event.
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Technology
Clubessential is now offering customers the flexibility to distribute a variety of media formats to their club members. The new product, called CE Media Services, delivers large files and streaming video over the Web by matching viewing capabilities to the user's computer hardware.
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Fairway Systems, Inc., a leading designer of software for the golf industry, recently added 28 new golf courses to its portfolio, with total contract value of $1,369,427.
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Tournaments
Loren Roberts became the latest member of the PGA Tour's 40-plus generation to commit to play in this year's John Deere Classic. Roberts, 48, will play at the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run in Silvis, Ill., September 8-14.
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Players
Tom Watson's victory in the Senior British Open last week moved him closer to Craig Stadler, who recently took over first place in the Power Performance Rankings.
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Equipment
A recent independent survey taken by the management of the FUTURES Tour revealed that spikes manufactured by CHAMP, a division of MacNeill Engineering, are the choice of more of that Tour's players. Nearly three times as many FUTURES Tour players choose CHAMP than any other brand.
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True Temper congratulates Peter Jacobsen, who won the Greater Hartford Open with the company's EI-70 shaft in his driver and Dynamic Gold with Sensicore in his irons.
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Robin Lyons, who has won two of the last three 2003 Pinnacle LDA Women's Division events using a GolfGear International Tsunami driver, tops the organization's 2003 money list at the half-way point of the long drivers' season.
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KZG engineers a new line of clubs that meet the needs of junior golfers who want to play well and enjoy the game. KZG's Junior Club Sets, available in large, medium and small sets, maintain the highest possible standards of quality materials, design and craftsmanship.
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Marketing
The First Tee, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation created to introduce young people to the game of golf, partners with MembersFirst, provider of Web-based member relationship management solutions. The MembersFirst system will help The First Tee enhance communications with all representatives at its 122 facilities nationwide.
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Public Relations
The Hamilton Group is selected by MembersFirst, Inc., provider of Web-based interactive marketing and member communications, for public relations and marketing communications services.
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Watching Tiger Woods play golf is a privilege. At his best, something memorable is likely to occur during the course of his round.

Watching golf on television in prime-time is equally as pleasurable - especially on a Monday night - given that most events are regulated to late afternoon coverage Thursday through Sunday.

So pairing Woods and prime-time golf would appear to be a no-brainer, something memorable worth setting the VCR for and then holding onto the tape to show the kids when they get older.

But something goes awry during these made-for-TV exhibitions, the fifth of which took place Monday night.

The "Battle at the Bridges" in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., was a throwdown between the teams of Woods and Ernie Els, the world's top two players who have combined for six PGA Tour victories this season, and Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia, both of whom have struggled with their games throughout 2003.

The result? A 3 and 1 victory by Mickelson and Garcia after grabbing a 2-up lead through two holes and never relinquishing the lead. Go figure.

At present, the battles of Bighorn and Bridges are no more appealing than those lame "Battle of the Network Stars" events of the 1980s.

To be fair, the quality of golf in this edition was much higher than in years past. Who can forget the year Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb were paired with Woods and a pre-slumping David Duval, respectively? Sorenstam and Webb were as lost as deers in headlights.

In 2000 Garcia defeated Woods in the last head-to-head matchup, a match in which Woods clearly appeared uninspired. Who could blame him though, as he was in the midst of his Summer Slam.

And therein lies the problem.

From a network ratings standpoint, it is almost imperative that Woods play in order to make Monday Night Golf a successful venture. Either that or bring Player, Nicklaus and Palmer together - again.

But what is in it for Woods, who could tip the valet $1.7 mil and not blink an eye? He plays to win and horde majors.

Granted Woods did not want to lose, much less to Mickelson, who was practically playing in his backyard as he lives in the posh community, but there really was nothing substantial at stake. Not winning a major means another opportunity lost to breaking Nicklaus' all-time record.

Imagine a high-powered Porsche gearing down in a school zone and that is what Woods playing in these exhibitions are like.

Also, while twilight golf is a neat concept, playing under stadium lights lessens the level of play. At one point Monday night, Woods could be heard saying a flashlight was needed in order to read the greens. The nearest Putt-Putt offers better lighting than that.

In fact, the best part of the telecast is the interplay among players, each of whom is miked for sound. This element allows viewers a glimpse into what the players are thinking.

But if these exhibitions are ever going to develop into more compelling events, maybe what they need is a dose of reality.