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Business
GolfGear International grants Nike Golf a non-exclusive, long-term, worldwide license to manufacture and sell golf clubs under GolfGear's patents covering its proprietary forged-face insert technology.
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Equipment
Mizuno introduces a new line of four putters designed by T.P. and David Mills. All of the putters use an exclusive forging process, are made of 1025 Carbon Steel and feature a black oxide finish.
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The TOP-FLITE TOUR, a value-priced, three-piece, multi-layer golf ball, is named the official golf ball of the DuPont Coolmax World Amateur Handicap Championship, Aug. 26-30.
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Meg Mallon records her 14th career victory at the Bank of Montreal Canadian Women's Open wearing CHAMP's 6mm Cer-Mec custom spikes. As well, CHAMP and CHAMP ScorpionSpikes won both the overall spike count and the individual spike count at the tournament.
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Rich Beem wore Black Widow cleats by Softspikes during his win at the PGA Championship last week. Seven major championships have been won by players wearing the Black Widow cleat.
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Sponsorship
LPGA touring pro Carin Koch signs an agreement to be an official spokesperson for Sausalito Golf Jewelry, makers of "tour preferred" handcrafted therapeutic jewelry.
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Synthetic putting green manufacturer Putting Greens Direct signs on as an official sponsor of the 2002 Solheim Cup, to be held Sept. 20-22 at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn.
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Courses
Stonebridge Golf Club in North Carolina celebrates its fifth anniversary today, having earned many accolades as a top semi-private layout in the Charlotte region. Special introductory memberships are offered as part of the anniversary.
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For more on new memberships...

Technology
The Club at Shepherd Hills, a semi-private club in Waverly, N.Y., chooses Crescent Systems for its club management software.
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Real Estate
Hilda W. Allen Real Estate and Rowell Realty and Auction announce the auction of Imperial Lakes Golf Club in Mulberry, Fla. The Auction is set for Sept. 19 at 11:00 a.m. in the clubhouse.
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Briefly
Seaview Marriott Resort and Spa, the Jersey Shore's only full-service golf resort, earns the Golf Key Award from Meetings and Conventions magazine. ...

GolfGear International reports that ThinkTank Holdings LLC, has entered into an agreement to invest $3 million in the Company, subject to several conditions to closing. ...

The Golightly Career and Technical Center, Academy of Travel and Tourism, announces its Sixth Annual Benefit Golf Tournament Sept. 13 at St. Johns Golf and Conference Center in Plymouth, Mich. For more information and how to sign up, call 248-855-0295.

 

Reader's Forum Now that the final putt has fallen for the year's last major, The Wire wants to hear what television broadcast you liked best of the four majors and why. Did you prefer CBS at the Masters with Ken Venturi for the final time, NBC at the U.S. Open with Johnny Miller's insights, ABC at the British Open featuring Mike Tirico and Curtis Strange in the booth or CBS' recent broadcast of the PGA? If you could make one suggestion to improve television coverage of golf's majors in 2003, what would it be? Let us know your opinions by sending your responses to info@gpagolf.com with the subject line RE: TV coverage. Also include your first initial and last name, along with your email address.

Casual Friday
In the Beem

If all the world's a stage, then some folks have quite a share of the spotlight.

Rich Beem is learning a little about that glare after winning the PGA Championship last week. Especially because he bested Tiger Woods by a shot, giving the World No. 1 his first runner-up finish in a major, Beem has been asked to do media interview after media interview. He's even scheduled to appear on David Letterman and The Today Show next week.

"It's something, obviously I never would have expected, but it's really fun, too, for me to do all these things," Beem said. "I'm pretty giving of my time in most instances but this is fun stuff. This is what guys like me dream of doing some day. Chris Smith was just -- we were playing today and he goes, 'Oh, man I really wish I could be there. I want to go to David Letterman.' He's a huge Letterman fan."

Beem's outgoing personality helps him enjoy the attention more than a quieter person, like 2001 U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen.

"The media thing is the big thing," Goosen said this week. "I know for the first sort of five days after the U.S. Open, I was doing interviews five hours a day. I'm sure if (Beem)'s having a week off next week, he's going to have the same sort of problem."

And Woods even offered his thoughts on managing the celebrity that comes with being a successful athlete.

"It's something that took a little time to get accustomed to," Woods said. "You just have to putt a better hole on your time management skills. You've got to get better at it. Sometimes you have to be a little bit selfish and say, you know what, guys, I'm sorry I have to go out and practice. That's what got me here was working hard on my game. You try to be as nice as possible all the time, but sometimes you've just got to be selfish and say, you know what guys, I just need to go practice and get my job done."

But Beem seems to enjoy the focus, even going so far as to visit former co-workers at the Seattle store where he used to sell cell phones and answering media inquiries coming into the store.

"I guess like every major television show was looking, NBC, ABC all of the people were calling up Magnolia Hi-Fi, and I just happened to be there and that was the first call they got and somebody was looking for somebody who used to work with Rich Beem," Beem said. "I just kind of as a joke walked over and says: 'Yeah, Magnolia Hi-Fi, this is Rich Beem, how can I help you?' They got a pretty good kick out of it."

Yet with all the attention, Beem says he's realistic about the spotlight.

"I feel like I'm a better player than I ever have been in my life, but at the same time, it's just golf. It's not like I cured cancer or anything like that. This is just a fun game, and I've been very good at it the last month.

"I'm pretty sure I'm going to get away with nobody knowing who I am. It's going to take a little while, but I'm not a highly visible figure."

FIRST CUT

In an ongoing effort to keep Augusta National competitive against better players and improving technology, members have made another change. This was not as dramatic as the alterations made last year to "Tiger-proof" the course, which added almost 400 yards. Instead, the fifth hole has been updated to push back the tees and move the bunkers to the landing area for the longer hitters.

The net yardage added to the hole is just 20 yards, bringing the fifth from 435 to 455 yards. The entire course yardage bumps up to 7,290.

DOUBLE CLICK
www.petersproshop.com

You'd expect that even Peter Jacobsen's pro shop site would be fun, and this one is. Browse merchandise from the recent Fred Meyer Challenge, or pick up a copy of the Jake Trout and the Flounders CD featuring such classics as "Love the One You Whiff" and "It'd Be Good (To Just Make Par)." You can also learn a little more about Jacobsen himself, the most fun guy on the PGA Tour.