The Zen Caddy!

I wish I could make up stuff like this...

Groundbreaking new service...Zencaddy.com keeps golfers focused and relaxed anytime,anywhere with tips only a phone call away

COLUMBUS, OH (November 2, 2006)--  Zencaddy.com announces it has launched a new free service for golfers--receive zen inspired golf tips on your cell phone while you play.  The recorded tips were designed to help golfers play better by simply refocusing and relaxing in real time.  Zencaddy.com conducted interviews with many PGA tour caddys to find out how they help their player relax.  We took their best advice to form our recorded messages.  The old saying is golf is 90% mental...now golfers can put the power of zen to work for them.

"We are pleased to launch this new service for golfers.  The goal of zencaddy is to make golf fun again ," says Peter Moon, founder of Zencaddy.com.  "Many of the PGA tour caddys mentioned that golfers take the game too seriously.  By listening to the recorded messages, golfers can learn how to refocus and relax and get back into the zone.  Great players like Tiger Woods and Vijah Singh rely on their caddy and their training to instantly refocus. Now this is available to every golfer."

The service is free and the signup process is simple.  Go to www.zencaddy.com  and register online.  An email will be sent to the subscriber with the toll free number to access the recordings.

The Scorecard Readers

Thanks to reader Ken for this release on Callaway reaching out to an older demographic that clearly has too much disposable income.

Callaway Golf Eyewear, a licensee of Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY), is pleased to announce the introduction of the Callaway Golf Eyewear Scorecard Readers. This patented collection of rimless reading glasses feature unique spring-hinged, stainless steel temples, black frames, and fold easily into either a fliptop case or standard clamshell case.

Today baby boomers are realizing that their vision isn't the same as it was when they were younger. As a result, the need for reading glasses is on a steady increase. There are more than 76 million baby boomers--those born between the years of 1946 and 1964. In addition to baby boomers, people getting LASIK Surgery to correct their farsighted vision - Myopia - still need to wear reading glasses for their nearsighted vision - Presbyopia, all resulting in a need for a more fashionable high-end reading glass. "People don't want to buy the drug store reading glasses that their grand parents wear". "They are looking for something more hip, more fashionable," said Marcel Schiro, VP Sales and Marketing of Callaway Golf Eyewear. No more carrying that big bulky pair of reading glasses for the past 18 holes writing in your score on your scorecard. The patented, Callaway Golf Eyewear Scorecard Reader, folds conveniently into a case—smaller than your average cell phone.

CaddyCam Is Here!

Thanks to reader Brian for this David Helwig story on the latest and greatest invention to make the blind shot a little less painful...for those who might get hit.  Somehow, I don't see one of these popping up on the 4th at Fisher's Island anytime soon.

CaddyCam, the first-ever wireless solar powered monitoring system that allows golfers to view a remote blind spot from the tee, removes the threat of striking other golfers who may be playing ahead on the same hole.

The CaddyCam monitoring system can also be used to see a detailed view of the pin placement on an elevated green.

The CaddyCam monitoring system is comprised of two units.

The camera unit is an aesthetically pleasing ten foot pole structure on which the camera and transmitter are mounted as well as the solar panel.

The location of the camera unit is typically to the side of the fairway in a location that does not interfere with play.

The monitor unit is also a ten-foot pole structure that supports a mounted receiver, solar panel, and an enclosed color LCD monitor for viewing.

The monitoring unit is conveniently positioned by the tee box or cart path.

What, it's not wireless transmitted to the cart GPS screen? Disappointed!

Now, wait. Maybe this is the key to making blind shots acceptable again? Granted, some of the mystery isn't there, but imagine a group being able to report to their playing partner where his shot came down? ;)

Restoration Clubware

This Businessweek story explains Callaway's huge stock drop yesterday.

The stock price tumbled 11.3% to $12.51 per share on the New York Stock Exchange in afternooon trading Tuesday.

Callaway, which is in the midst of a restructuring announced in September, 2005, noted challenges such as lower sales at key golf retailers during June through September, and a related decrease in wholesale re-orders. The company had introduced no major new products during the quarter; the FT-3 driver, Fusion fairway woods, X-18 driver in Japan, and HX-56 golf ball hit the market during the same period of 2005.

Sales of the Top-Flite and Hogan products have not performed to expectations. "We are in the process of restoring these brands, targeting a formal re-launch of Top-Flite in 2007," George Fellows, President and CEO of Callaway Golf, said in a press release.

Restoring the Top Flite brand?  From cheap bottom of the barrel rock hard balls to...?

Club Corp Sold

KSL is the buyer, but they don't get Pinehurst, which stays with the Dedman family.

Skinned?

Marcel Honoré writes about the city of Indian Wells pursuing the Skins Game for its newly refurbished Golf Resort at Indian Wells. Look at what they will have to pay to host the likes of Stephen Ames and Fred Funk:

Under the terms of an agreement with International Management Group, the city would pay $1.4 million, $1.47 million, and $1.54 million to host the game during the next three years.

"Thank You Troops"

David Westin follows up on Ping's rapid response to its military discount debacle, with the entire episode proving that it pays to have well-compensated executives who can quickly address the P.R. disasters created by those very same well-compensated executives.

In a ground-breaking move, active-duty and reserve members of the U.S. military now can receive rebates on Ping golf equipment.

It is the first time Karsten Manufacturing Corp., which makes Ping clubs, has offered a discount of this nature. The Phoenix, Ariz., company was established in 1962.

The company announced its "Thank You Troops" rebate program Tuesday. It is retroactive to Monday, said Bill Gates, Ping's director of distribution and associate general counsel.

According to Bonaventure Discount Golf owner L.D. Waters, who has been in the business since 1955, this is the first time a golf-equipment company has offered a mail-in rebate.

Mr. Gates said the mail-in rebate is a dollar amount based on the purchase price. For instance, he said there would be a rebate of $80 on a set of eight Ping irons.

The cost of that set at Bonaventure Discount Golf is $748, so the rebate is 10.6 percent off the retail price.

That's 10% coming out Ping's pocket now, instead of the retailers! A small price to pay for protecting the brand!

Okay, see if you can read this without laughing:

According to a statement from Ping Chairman and CEO John Solheim, the rebate is a continuation of Ping's support of the military.

"For the last year, we've been looking for additional ways to support the troops," Mr. Solheim said in the statement. "On three occasions we've sent hundreds of free clubs for the troops to enjoy during their limited leisure time, but we wanted to provide them additional benefits.

"The reaction of some individuals to the issue reminded us it was time to do more," Mr. Solheim added.

Mr. Solheim disputed some media reports that the military was targeted because of the discounts, but added that "a lot of good is coming from the issue. We have the highest admiration and respect for those fighting for our country."

But this is peculiar...

According to Mr. Gates, Ping wanted to go the mail-rebate route because "we don't know what the retailer may be charging for the product. We want instead to provide the rebate from Ping directly. So it doesn't matter what they're charging out there."

Well, it does matter. That's what prompted this little debacle. 

"we're looking at different options, different ways to determine the best way as a corporate citizen..."

It is fun how quickly things turn in the Internet age. In the old days, Ping would have had two weeks to milk this brand building campaign, but here they are on Monday already doing their research as a "corporate citizen" to "demonstrate that appreciation" for how stupid they were for military personnel.

David Westin follows up his initial story with this Augusta Chronicle piece titled, "Ping works on plan for military."

Karsten Manufacturing Corp. is formulating a plan that will show its support for active-duty military personnel who buy the company's Ping golf clubs, a company official said.

The Phoenix, Ariz.-based company came under fire last week for cutting off the accounts of two Augusta-area golf shops that discounted Ping clubs. The discounts were limited to the military.

"Right now we're looking at different options, different ways to determine the best way as a corporate citizen to demonstrate that appreciation to military personnel," said Bill Gates, Ping's director of distribution and associate general counsel.

Ping plans to respond with a plan for the military as early as this week, Mr. Gates said.

"We're going to have something we're going to roll out to fully show our appreciation (for the military)," he said. "We look forward to the opportunity to work with military leaders for the best way to communicate this appreciation."

Where does one learn to speak like that? Is there a school?

An e-mail to The Augusta Chronicle pointed out the area's military ties to the Masters Tournament, noting that "Arnie's Army," the name for Arnold Palmer's fans, came from Fort Gordon servicemen who followed him at Augusta National Golf Course.

In the golf business, a pro shop at an area country club that still has a contract with Ping dropped its prices on three styles of Ping putters by as much as $45.

Other media picked up the story.

"We certainly understand that," Mr. Gates said of residents' concerns. "We have had some calls. We understand people feel very passionate about this issue, and we do, too."

Ping has said from the outset that it cannot make changes in its pricing policy for a particular group.

Mr. Gates said the new plan will not be "an exception to the policy. Right now, we need to maintain the consistency of our policy. But there are other things we can do that ... will show our appreciation to the military."

Mr. Gates defended Ping's record with the military, saying Karsten Manufacturing Corp. holds jobs for those stationed overseas, employs veterans and has sent free Ping clubs to Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq in the past.

"We have never targeted the military in any way," he said. "We've had hundreds of closures of accounts that had nothing to do with the military."

Putting Ping's Position In Perspective

To put Ping's brand-protection position into perspective, I pulled out my copy of John Strege's USGA award winning book When War Played Through (Golf During World War II), and enjoyed this passage related to support of Augusta area troops back then:

Soldiers had undertaken the task of building a nine-hole course at Camp Gordon in Augusta, Georgia, to go along with the practice range and putting green that the Augusta Natonal continued its support of the camp by providing the expertise required to build the nine-holer, which became the Enlisted Men's Golf Course.

Reporting A Tournament Win...

Callaway, Nike, Taylor Made and Titleist report their PGA Tour wins, ball maker Volvik reports their Ladies Member-Member wins.

You'd swear this is fiction, but it's on the Golf Business Wire:

Volvik Golf Balls report's a tournament win with their industry leading Crystal golf ball. The U.S.A. exclusive distributor, FLGolf, Inc. told golf writers of the event today.

The ladies 18 hole Member-Member Golf Tournament was held at the Maryland Golf and Country Club in Bel Air, MD on August 17th and 24th. Play consisted of four nine hole rounds.

The first two rounds played on the 17th had Linda Burns of Bel Air, a golf sales rep for Golfstream Shoes, and playing partner Jan Haddy, of near by Baldwin took 16 ½ points out of an available 20 points. In the second round Linda and Jan took ten more points to win their flight.

A sudden death playoff between four flights as played from the 17th hole a 488 yard par 5 hole. Linda and Jan shut out the other teams with a net birdie to win the overall win.

"To have someone like Steinberg in the room when decisions were being made...Can you put a price on that?"

Thanks to readers Scott and Noonan for this Robert Bell story exposing the interesting relationship between IMG's Mark Steinberg and PGA Tour brass in delivering an improved 2007 date to Greensboro despite having no sponsor on board.

In May of last year, Brazil suggested to Long and other foundation board members that he contact Steinberg about lobbying on behalf of Greensboro.

Brazil knew the tournament, which had struggled in recent years under the Greensboro Jaycees' direction, was turning the corner. The Jaycees were about to relinquish control of the event to a board of directors made up of some of the Triad's most influential business leaders -- a move that would give the tournament much-needed credibility with the tour.

The problem, Brazil said, was getting the tour to recognize this. Like other tournament directors across the country, Brazil couldn't get an audience with PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, who was counseled in the restructuring by two trusted advisers.

One was Ed Moorhouse, the tour's executive vice president.

The other was Steinberg.

This is fun... 

Finchem and Moorhouse did not return phone calls, but Henry Hughes, chief of operations for the tour, said Greensboro did not receive consideration over other tournaments because of Steinberg.

"But certainly when Mark comes to us with an idea, the tour is going to listen," Hughes said. "That's what we did in this case. He's very knowledgeable on this business. It would have been foolish not to consider his expertise."

Long said Greensboro had little choice but to hire Steinberg. Since he sold his insurance company three years ago for $403 million, Long has been inundated with business and charitable requests. One of his financial advisers is charged with screening who gets an audience with Long and, more importantly, who doesn't.

"There's a big difference between sending a letter to an executive and knowing someone who can get you an audience," Long said. "A letter might sit on the executive's desk for weeks -- if it even gets to him. To have someone like Steinberg in the room when decisions were being made ... Can you put a price on that?"

Of course, now that we know this final event before the FedEx Cup finale amounts to a shootout between spots 140-150 for those final places in the playoffs, and that it's before a stretch of four straight weeks of golf, is it really that great of a date?

Why would Tiger, Phil or Vijay or any other stars play Greensboro after playing the PGA/WGC Firestone and before the four-week stretch?

City Of Detroit Looking To Sell A Ross Design For Homes

I just love how the LLC that wants to build a housing development on Donald Ross's Rackham GC calls itself Premium Golf LLC. What a world.

Club Corp Up For Sale

You can have everything but Pinehurst if you so desire. Just call Goldman Sachs. I wonder if the USGA President is helping broker the deal?

And another question. Since the manufacturers think golf is in such great shape, I wonder if they'll be making offers? 

Golf Pitches Found Takers

From E. Scott Reckard in Sunday's L.A. Times Business section:

For $25,000 or more, investors were told they could own part of a company developing luxury resorts and residences, authorities say. One supposed project was next to an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course. At another resort, Greg Norman's company had been hired to design the course.

The salespeople pitching the deal also dropped the names of other golf greats, authorities say, and urged investors to get in quick before the company went public.

Carolina Development, the Irvine company peddling the real estate partnerships, recruited many of its 50 salespeople from an addiction recovery program operated by Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, authorities say. To help endear themselves to Christian investors, they said, some sales agents distributed copies of "The Purpose-Driven Life," a best-selling inspirational tome by Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren.

But Carolina and its founder, Saddleback member Lambert Vander Tuig, had other motives, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC has accused the Rancho Santa Margarita man of fleecing about 700 investors across the country and in Canada of $50 million by exaggerating Carolina's holdings — in some cases fabricating its ownership of property and in other cases disguising the fact that it held only options on land or had taken on heavy debt to buy it.

This year, the SEC filed a civil complaint against Carolina Development, its 47-year-old founder and its vice president and sales chief, Jonathan Carman, 43, of Aliso Viejo.

And...

Authorities say that Warren and golf greats Palmer and Norman had no role in misleading investors. Warren said he was unaware of the alleged scam and did not know that his book was distributed by sales agents for Carolina, until he was contacted recently by a Times reporter.

And...

Alastair Johnston, chief operating officer of Arnold Palmer Enterprises, said his company became aware of Vander Tuig's operation last year, when a stock brokerage approached Palmer with questions about Carolina's investment pitch.

"It was quite clearly, in our opinion, a violation of North Carolina securities laws in making misleading statements," Johnston said.

An attorney for Palmer wrote cease-and-desist letters to Vander Tuig in July, August and October, warning that he was infringing Palmer's commercial rights and breaking trademark and securities laws by "falsely implying an endorsement," Johnston said.

Johnston said the company complained to the SEC and North Carolina regulators late last year when the misrepresentations continued.

Norman's golf course design company, by contrast, went into business with Carolina Development, accepting a $200,000 down payment for course architecture, according to Thomas Seaman, the court-appointed receiver.

Bart Collins, the president of Great White Shark Enterprises, declined to discuss how his company linked up with Vander Tuig. But Collins said it was not uncommon for Norman's firm to "enter contracts with people who own a piece of land and are developing private communities."

"We try to do what we can to protect ourselves from this type of thing," Collins said. "We try as best we can to complete our due diligence."

Frank Thomas: 10 Clubs and More Rough

I'm not sure what's more disappointing: that former USGA technical director is advocating more rough and 10 clubs, or that the New York Times continues to print his pieces, even putting the latest column on the main Op-Ed page. 

In an email sent out to his subscribers, the headline read "THOMAS PROPOSES TEN CLUB SOLUTION FOR TOUR," and the subheader said, "Limiting club selection and focus on course set up can help allay technology fears."

In "Golf's Power Failure," Thomas writes:

Now officers and elders of the golf association — which, along with the Royal and Ancient Golf Association of St. Andrews, Scotland, writes the game's rules — have asked manufacturers to study the feasibility of a ball that would travel on average 25 yards less than those used now.

This idea is wrongheaded in several ways. To begin with, mandating such a ball would affect all players, and the vast majority of golfers don't hit the ball too far. (Nor do we hit the ball nearly as far as we think we do; well-supported data indicates that the average golfer hits a driver 192 yards — while thinking that he hits it approximately 230.) It's safe to say that for most of us the great layouts created a century ago still provide plenty of challenge.

Which is why Thomas is advocating change, but not before questioning recent action taken by the USGA to mop up for many of the things that got by his watch:

Even before addressing the ball, the rule-making bodies took several foolish steps. They instituted limits that allowed some spring-like effect from the club faces of high-tech titanium drivers (a phenomenon that let the club itself enhance the ball speed at impact for the first time), while restricting both the length of a driver (which will affect few players) and the permissible height of a tee (which is downright silly). They have also explored limits on how much a club can resist twisting at impact; such a change, like the reduced-distance ball, would have a much greater effect on the average golfer than on those who play for prize money.

Ah, so since this debate has always been part of the game and we should relax a bit, Thomas suggests doing something about it:

The goal should be to keep professionals from mindlessly bombing away while not unnecessarily hurting the average player. I have two suggestions. First, tournament courses should be set up to punish long but wayward hitters by narrowing fairways and growing higher rough (the longer grass along the margins of the hole).

Yes, it's worked so well and cures many sleep disorders. And really, when you consider that fairways are now 20-25 yars, they have so much room to get narrower. I saw the width of a ball would be fair.

The other major change would address the imbalance that today seems to favor power so strongly over touch and finesse. To place greater emphasis on the old skills required to work the ball and to hit less-than-full shots, professional players should be restricted to 10 clubs in their bags instead of the current 14.

What do you think manufacturers would hate more, a ball rollback that doesn't impact anyone under 110 mph, or Tour pros only uh, "branding" 10 clubs instead of 14?

And they say I'm anti-technology!