A Look Back: Oct. 19 1969: Jack Nicklaus wins the Sahara Invitational. 1975: Don January wins the Texas Open, defeating Larry Hinson in a playoff. 1986: Raymond Floyd defeats Lon Hinkle and Mike Sullivan in a playoff to win the Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic for his second victory of the season. 1991: Mark O'Meara edges David Peoples by one shot to win the Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic. 1997: David Duval defeats Dan Forsman in a playoff for his second PGA Tour victory in a month, winning the Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic.

Business
Callaway Golf announces sales of $195.8 million for its third quarter compared to $208.1 million last year -- a 6 percent decline. Metal woods accounted for $81 million in sales, while irons made up $72 million and balls constituted $12 million. Net income for the quarter dropped 67 percent and earnings per share declined 69 percent, from 29 cents to 9 cents.
For more...

Fortune Brands reports diluted earnings per share of 60 cents per share for the third quarter of 2001, up 18 percent from 51 cents a year ago. Reported sales of $1.5 billion increased 5 percent. Golf was one of the company's three most profitable businesses, posting higher sales and profits in the quarter.
For more...

Sales, net income and earnings per share drop slightly for Coastcast in its third quarter as compared to a year ago, but show an improvement over the company's nine-month results. Coastcast, which manufactures clubheads for other firms like Callaway and PING, will not declare a cash dividend for the third quarter.
For more...

Courses
The restoration of Jeffersonville Golf Club just outside of Philadelphia is entering its final phase. A rededication of the property and placement of a commemorative plaque recognizing the Donald Ross lineage will be held Oct. 20. A grand re-opening is scheduled for the spring.
For more...

During the third quarter of 2001, 125 new golf courses opened, according to the National Golf Foundation. Construction started on another 102 courses and plans were announced for 95 additional courses.
For more...

Technology
E-commerce provider Global Sports agrees to develop and operate an e-commerce store for Pro Golf International and its Web site, ProGolf.com. Besides designing the new site, Global Sports will handle customer service, fulfillment, and merchandising. Previously ProGolf.com had operated its own online store.
For more...

Equipment
PING unveils a fivesome of new custom fit putters. The new models, crafted from aerospace quality 17-4 stainless steel in a satin finish, are the PENGYO, PENGYO Isopur 2, VSL, VSL Isopur2 and the lil' b.
For more...

People
The National Golf Foundation posthumously awards its 2001 Graffis Award to Ely Callaway. The award recognizes contributions to the game and business of golf in the tradition of Herb and Joe Graffis, two brothers who co-founded the NGF in 1936.
For more...

Palmer Course Design Company announces that company President Arnold Palmer will visit the Crescent Pointe Golf Club in Bluffton, S.C., on Tuesday, Oct. 23. This visit marks the one-year anniversary since the opening of the Palmer designed golf course.
For more...

Softspikes announces Mark Lipping as a new account manager. Lipping comes to Softspikes after being employed for five years by Golf Course Specialists, and joins five other account managers at Softspikes, which has an outside sales force of more than 40 representatives.
For more...

Instruction
Natural Golf Corporation announces a partnership with eBay and an affiliate program with Commission Junction. The new alliances will promote a new line of Natural Golf videos marketed exclusively on the Internet.
For more...

Events
Traditional Golf Properties will host The Traditions Cup Nov. 17-18 at the Stonehouse Golf Club and the Royal New Kent courses in the Williamsburg, Va., area. The 36-hole gross stroke-play event is open for two-person teams consisting of two amateurs, two PGA professionals or one amateur and one PGA pro.
For more...

Photography
Photographer L.C. Lambrecht announces the arrival of his new 2002 collection in time for the holidays. The Emerald Gems collection are the first fine art prints produced on the world famous golf venues of Ireland.
For more...

Casual Friday
Coming Up Next From Callaway

Attendees at the Northwest Golf Show saw the latest Big Bertha driver from Callaway, dubbed the C4. While its not been officially introduced, Golfweek's James Achenbach reports on the club in the magazine's newest issue.

The driver head is made not of steel, not of titanium, but of graphite, a concept pioneered by Yonex in the early '90s but later dropped. The use of graphite allows for a large, very light-weight head, one that measures 360 cubic centimeters in this case.

Achenbach reports the overall weight of the driver is 280 grams, lighter than most drivers on the market, and surmises that the lighter weight could mean more clubhead speed, translating to more distance, for golfers. The club does conform to USGA rules, unlike Callaway's controversial drivers the ERC and ERC II.

Formal introduction of the driver may come at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando next January. Retail for the club is expected to be $540.

More from Callaway: Third-quarter results released Thursday show a 6 percent decline in sales over last year. While sales for the nine-month period are still up, this dip bodes poorly for the golf industry as a whole.

President and CEO of Callaway, Ron Drapeau, put it this way: "We are pleased with our year-to-date results in light of industry and economic challenges." But then the company went on to lower its sales and earnings expectations for the remainder of the year, indicating that tougher times are yet to come.

Quick, everyone, support your country and its economy -- buy a new driver.

TAP-INS

Sleeping Bear Press introduces The Art of Golf Design, a collaboration between writer Geoff Shackelford and Mike Miller, former Director of Golf at Riviera Country Club. Miller's landscape art of Cypress Point, Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Merion, Winged Foot and many other courses is displayed beside Shackelford's commentary about some of golf's great holes. If you order the book online at www.sleepingbearpress.com you can also receive a free copy of Shackelford's book, Masters of the Links....

Security is tight at the National Car Rental Classic at Disney World Resorts. Paul Harvey detailed on his noon "News & Comment" how two golfers were stopped on the Magnolia Course early this week. The first, Mark O'Meara, produced his PGA Tour badge, but the second golfer was detained because he wasn't carrying a badge. O'Meara had to speak up for his friend -- Tiger Woods....

Speaking of Tiger, Woods made a rare publicity stop for his new book "How I Play Golf," appearing on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Among the questions posed to Woods was who would be in his dream foursome. The answer: Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus "in their prime," he said.