Orlando

ARNOLD PALMER’S LEGACY TO BE BROUGHT TO LIFE AT BAY HILL BY PROVISION EVENTS

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Golf fans visiting this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Fla. will have a special opportunity to immerse themselves in the life and experiences of the tournament’s iconic namesake in the Arnold Palmer Experience, a series of interactive experiences designed to celebrate the life of Mr. Palmer.

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In the year of what would have been Mr. Palmer’s 90th birthday, sporting fan experience experts Provision Events (PVE) have been commissioned to create the Arnold Palmer Experience to give visiting fans the opportunity to learn about the life of Mr. Palmer and live through some of the greatest moments of his career.

Starting in a 360-degree theatre, fans will learn about the life of Mr. Palmer in a film, created by PVE, that highlights his path from son of a groundskeeper to one of the most well-loved and respected icons of the game.  From there, fans will move through a simulator area where they will take on some of the most iconic moments from Mr. Palmer’s career including memorable shots from the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills, the 1961 Open Championship at Birkdale and the iconic approach over the water on the 18th at host venue Bay Hill. Visitors can then upload their swing for a side-by-side comparison with the swing of the great man, and share their unique comparison via social media. Also on show will be artifacts and information from key points in Mr. Palmer’s life and career that will help visitors to immerse themselves in the life and legacy of the golfing icon.

Overview

Upon the appointment of PVE to create the Arnold Palmer Experience, Jon Podany, CEO of Arnold Palmer Enterprises said, “We are thrilled to partner with Provision Events on the Arnold Palmer Experience to honor Mr. Palmer and bring his legacy to life.  Their body of work at events worldwide was very attractive and gave us the confidence that they were the right fit for the project. We can’t wait to share the end result with our guests at this year’s API and beyond.”

Provision Events has been trusted with delivering immersive sporting fan experiences at the biggest events in the world such as The Olympics, the Ryder Cup, Wimbledon Tennis Championships and The Open Championship, but the responsibility for enhancing Mr. Palmer’s legacy is something that carries special significance for the company, as Simon Jones, Head of Sales & Business Development at PVE explains, “There are only a handful of people that have come close to the impact Mr. Palmer has had on the game of golf. So to be trusted with this experience that will celebrate his life and continue his legacy is especially important to us. We’re delighted to have been chosen to deliver the Arnold Palmer Experience and are incredibly proud of the work we’ve done on this project.”

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Plans are in place for the 360-degree theatre to remain open for Bay Hill members and Lodge guests following the tournament, and for it to then travel to Mr. Palmer’s birthplace, Latrobe, this summer leading into Mr. Palmer’s 90th birthday in September. Helping more people understand the impact that Mr. Palmer has had on golf, and the wider world is key to the success of the Arnold Palmer Experience. By partnering with Provision Events, that experience, and Mr. Palmer’s legacy is in very safe hands.

www.provisionevents.co.uk

@WeArePVE

 

About Provision Events

Provision Events was founded in 2004 by two PGA Professionals; Nick Clemens & Konrad Brochocki. Whilst teaching at European Tour events they realized that brands needed to start delivering a more engaging, richer experience for fans attending the events they sponsored. From humble beginnings, Provision Events has built a formidable reputation for delivering world-class sports sponsorship activations.  Its enviable international client list is instantly recognizable and includes sports’ governing bodies, event owners and promoters, as well as market-leading brands. The company has offices in the UK, USA, and UAE.

2019 PGA Show -“Best of The Rest” Nominations

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With the 2019 PGA Show Equipment Edition Teezy Awards in the books, it’s time to focus on the “Best of the Rest”. These are products ranging from apparel to footwear and everything else in between. Of course, for the most part, these are awards that aren’t given points for performance but what I look at are things like style, price point and even in some cases backstories. How did a company come to be, what drove them to get involved in the industry.

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Here are the nominees.

 

Top Men’s Apparel

  1. Swannies
  2. Original Penguin
  3. Columbia Sportswear
  4. Bald Head Blues
  5. AndersonOrd

 

Top Women’s Apparel

  1. Jane 1530
  2. Golftini
  3. Katherine Way
  4. StarBorn Skirts
  5. MotherPutter

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Top Accessories

  1. Beltology
  2. Zero Friction
  3. Oliver Miller
  4. C4 Belts
  5. Evolve Golf

 

Top Electronics (including Rangefinders and GPS)

  1. aboutGolf
  2. GolfBuddy
  3. ScoreBand
  4. Optishokz
  5. Guided Knowledge

 

Top Footwear

  1. TRUE Linkswear
  2. Skecher’s Performance
  3. Jack Grace USA
  4. New Balance Golf
  5. PUMA Golf

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Top Training Aids

  1. Acu-Strike
  2. Total Golf-Trainer
  3. Colour Path Golf
  4. Power Package Golf
  5. PuttOUT

 

Top Health and Wellness

  1. Bobo’s
  2. 1st Tee Nutrition Bars
  3. HempMe
  4. Iso-Sport
  5. Gelliflex

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Top New Product

The winner had already been decided on Friday that the show ended.

 

Until The Next Tee!!

#FightAndGrind #SeeUOnTheNextTee

 

 

JumboMax Grips set to exhibit at upcoming 2019 PGA Merchandise Show

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(JUPITER, FL) – JumboMax Grips announced today that they will be exhibiting in ETC #2 at the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show set for January 23-25 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

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PGA Professionals, media members, and buyers are encouraged to stop by and try these revolutionary oversized grips for themselves at the indoor Equipment Test Center area located next to the PGA Forum Stage during the show.

“The PGA Show is the perfect place to showcase our super-oversized grips,” said John Mazzanoble of JumboMax. “Our grips feature Finger-Palm™ technology, which places the grip in the strongest, most stable part of your hand for improved accuracy, more power and more consistent squaring of the club face.”

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In the past two years, JumboMax Team Members, Bryson DeChambeau and Kelly Kraft have combined earnings in excess of $15 Million Dollars.

5-Time PGA Tour winner, Bryson DeChambeau plays the new Tour Series Grips from JumboMax that he personally helped develop and Kelly Kraft plays the NEW Standard-Oversize Tour Series Grips (+1/16″) from JumboMax. The Tour Series Black/Green and Black/Silver grips are now available in 6 sizes; JumboMax Standard-Oversize, X-Small (Junior), Small, Medium, Large and X-Large!

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The Tour Series grips feature a deeply-textured, all-weather design for incredible feel and tackiness, and the performance better players require. The Tour Series takes JumboMax Grips game-improving performance to a whole new level. JumboMax Grips simply fit your hands better for increased distance, better accuracy and more solid ball striking. Their patented design and larger diameter provides a superior “Finger-Palm™ grip” that is revolutionizing the game of golf.

Independent tests by GolfTest USA and Golf Etc. showed that in nearly every category tested, from club head speed, launch angle, side spin, back spin to carry distance, JumboMax Grips outperformed standard golf grips. Once you try them you’ll never want to go back to a “skinny” grip again.

Dominant Golf, LLC is the parent company and manufacturer of JumboMax Golf Grips. The company was created with the goal of developing a better way for people to learn, play and love the game of golf. The JumboMax Grip was designed with computer and laboratory technologies and has been studied extensively on golf ranges and courses with golfers of varying skill levels including low, intermediate and high handicap players.

 

For more information about JumboMax Golf Grips, visit www.JumboMax.com.

Until The Next Tee!!

#FightAndGrind #SeeUOnTheNextTee

TaylorMade Golf NOT Attending the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show

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A day ago or so I saw a rumour floating across the internet. The rumour was that TaylorMade Golf would not be attending the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida.

Instead of opting to go by what I saw over social media I decided to go to the source. So I reached out to Nick Obritsch who is the Marketing Manager for TaylorMade-adidas Golf (Canada) to confirm or debunk the story. It has been confirmed that TaylorMade-adidas Golf will not be attending the PGA Merchandise Show in January.

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This is a bit of a “black eye” for the event that features all of the latest and greatest that the industry has to offer. An event that seems to have lost a little bit of its lustre when talking to other media outlets or attendees alike.

TaylorMade-adidas Golf is obviously one of the industry “David’s”. The brand has never shied away from having a tremendous representation at the PGA Merchandise Show. The brand used to take up a large segment of one end of the Orange County Convention Center. One year in particular they had an area that felt like you were at a lavish South Beach nightclub. In the past TaylorMade-adidas Golf has made huge announcements at the annual show. The largest of the bunch was in 2017 when the brand announced that Tiger Woods would be playing TaylorMade Golf equipment.

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Below is the official statement from TaylorMade Golf regarding their reason for not attending. Thanks go out to Mr. Obritsch for providing the official statement. One way or another I will provide coverage on the 2019 product range from TaylorMade Golf. That I guarantee.

David Abeles, CEO, TaylorMade Golf:

“In the coming years, TaylorMade plans to broaden its investment in the PGA of America, pursuing growth initiatives we believe create even greater value for the game of golf. As a result of the additional spend and following significant discussions with key stakeholders, including many of our TaylorMade PGA staff professionals, the decision was made to not attend the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show.”

Until The Next Tee!!

#fightandgrind #seeuonthenexttee

Review – Cleveland Golf Launcher CBX Irons

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Cleveland Golf. The brand that was founded in 1979 by Roger Cleveland and owned by Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd has long been known mostly for their innovations in designing game-changing wedges. The 588 was a stalwart in many golfers bags and to this day is one of the top-selling golf clubs in history. But Cleveland Golf has been about much more than just wedges. They’ve also been a leader in innovation as far as metalwoods go. Did you know that Cleveland Golf was the first golf manufacturer to introduce the industry to the world of 460 cc drivers? Or the first to be involved in the craze that was geometrically based design (The Hi-Bore in 2006)?

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The Huntington Beach, California-based company has developed it’s fair share of terrific iron designs too. Models like the CG 16 Tour, an entirely hybrid-based set the Hi-Bore irons, the Tour Action series of irons (TA5, TA7 etc), CG 1 Tour and of course the infamous (for perhaps the wrong reason) VAS 792 irons that incidentally Corey Pavin played to win a Major at Shinnecock Hills in 1995. From the prettiest of blades to the penultimate in game-improvement irons. For some time a few years ago it nearly looked like that Cleveland Golf was all but out of the equipment game except for the wedge market. Then something happened last fall. The company announced the release of new metalwoods (Launcher HB) and irons… the Cleveland Golf CBX. I was amazed to see this news and I was excited to get down to the PGA Show to see these irons in person.

When discussing the Launcher CBX irons the first thing that I need to point out is that these irons are designed to compete in the ultra-competitive game-improvement corridor of the industry. Even though these irons look so unassuming the Launcher CBX irons are loaded with innovation and technology. Highlights of the technology are…

  • Cup Face design. Between a thinner face and a periphery constructed of high strength steel golfers can achieve greater distance by virtue of a face that flexes at impact. Better Energy Transfer = More Distance.
  • Used initially in wedge design the Launcher CBX irons feature Tour Zip Grooves. The laser milling employed allows for more friction between the face and golf ball. The end result is control like you would have with your wedges. I’d be remiss in saying that the grooves also “debris away from the ball so you get consistent spin and control in the fairway, rough, or sand.”
  • The long irons feature confidence inspiring thicker top lines while the shorter irons have a thinner top line and more compact shape for golfers that don’t like a thick top line or a “clunky heavy look” on their scoring irons.
  • The “Dual V Sole” grind allows for more versatility from a variety of lies while also allowing golfers to cut through the rough easier. The reward for their efforts is better distance contact and better distance control.
  • “Feel Balancing Technology” was something that I first encountered during my testing of review of the RTX-3 wedges “microcavity in the hosel moves the center of gravity closer to the middle of the face, enhancing feel and distance control.With a sweet spot closer to your ideal hitting location you get more forgiveness in every iron”.
  • PW loft is 44*.
  • Available in steel (True Temper Dynamic Gold DST 98 gram) and graphite (Miyazaki C. Kua). 
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A Progressive look. Photo Credit; Cleveland Golf

 

One of my first stops at the PGA Show Demo Day was in fact the Cleveland Golf/Srixon/XXIO location. The weather was overcast and there was at one point a brief light rain.

Looks – Not to keep going on about the aesthetics but these are an iron that look nearly “Plain Jane” which isn’t a bad thing at all. In fact, for my personal taste I’d rather see an iron clean and bare as opposed to any unnecessary graphics. As I pulled out the 4 iron and 8 iron I compared them side by side and while there was a noticeable difference between the profiles of both the “larger” 4 iron never struck me as being obtrusive or shovel-like. If anything it would instill confidence in my “mind’s eye”. As I flipped over the clubs to examine the soles the “V Sole” grind reminded of the RTX-3 that I had the opportunity to review long-term. Ultimately, that wedge became my gamer and to this day because of the V Sole I have the confidence to play the 52* from anywhere… including flops if I open it up setting it right flat. The sole comes in handy as I explain the performance.

Performance/Feel – Okay I’m not going to mince words. The performance of these Launcher CBX irons are fantastic. Have you ever had the feeling that you were playing an iron that was confused with its genetic make-up? This was the case for the Launcher CBX irons. It’s very much a game-improvement iron but it’s like it thinks it’s a players club. From the inspiring looks at address to the feel at impact. This is a golf club that easily launches the golf ball into the air (living up to the moniker) and as you make impact you really have a strong sense of knowing where the golf club is. What’s more? The feedback is great… well struck golf shots allow you to feel those shots. The sensation is crisp yet soft. There is a true sense of “heat” off of the face and the Cup Face is something that I feel truly works. Of course, I’d love to be on a launch monitor at the show but based on my organic vibes and roots I knew the club (8 iron) was landing some 160 yards away… into the wind. Yes the lofts are bumped but much can be said of the technology that’s packed into the Launcher CBX irons. Shots were repeatable with repeatable high(ish) draws being the “norm”. However, shaping shots was easy as pie. The longer irons produced a more aggressive, penetrating ballflight. Again, elevating the ball easy.

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Specialty shots like a punch or “stinger” was a snap but the versatility of the V Sole was very much a winning technology here. Have you ever been in a situation where a 47*-58* lofted club was just too much loft to escape trouble? So instead you need to go to a 6 or 7 iron to escape with a rescue shot (stroke saver”)? The V Sole allows the shot by virtue of its versatility. Huge bonus marks here!!!

Forgiveness – Forgiveness in my opinion is more important than distance. Golf is not about that perfect shot that we pulled off. It’s about how good our misses were. I was really “on” with the CBX Launcher irons in my hands and maybe that was because of the confidence inspiring look. However, I happen to be good enough (at times bad enough) to purposely hit shots off of the toe. Any shots that were struck towards the toe were punished from a distance aspect (as they ought to be). However, misses didn’t flail weakly out to the right. Instead they were straight and never wandered off of their intended line. If you’re going to miss… miss straight.

Conclusion –  The Cleveland Golf Launcher CBX irons are a fantastic golf club that very much deserves to live up to the Cleveland Golf branding that they bare. Not flashy… and that’s alright by me. These are an unassuming that would be dangerous in the hands of a golfer that an easy single digit to something in the 20 range. High performing, forgiveness with tremendous versatility. A lot of golf club with a very reasonable price tag ($700 USD Steel)

***Coupled with the Launcher HB driver, fairway wood, hybrid and CBX wedges Cleveland Golf won the Teezy Award for ‘Most Forgiving Product Range” at the 2018 PGA Merchandise Show. A point that I made known to Communications Manager Noelle Zavaleta on the show floor Wednesday.

Until The Next Tee!!

That Time Of The Year

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I have to be totally honest. While I don’t mind the holiday season it just doesn’t feel like it used to. It’s almost like I’ve become a cynic and/or a skeptic. Perhaps I’ve become jaded or something or other. In short, I think that I’ve crossed the threshold and turned into an old curmudgeon. No longer do I get excited for the holidays but this is the time of the year that I do get excited about… For other reasons.

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Not this guy?! (Photo Credit: Forbes)

Yes, all of the college football Bowl games are going on and wasn’t that a classic between Georgia and Oklahoma? What about the perfect UCF Knights who two years ago were winless and this year were undefeated. College football excites me but that’s not what really gets my juices flowing so to speak. It’s that time of the year!

The PGA Tour season is upon us (I still haven’t accepted the wraparound season) and with that there are so many questions and answers swirling around. Swirling, like those trade winds in Maui where the season is about to kickoff at Kapalua on the Plantation Course. The field is magnificent and any of those in the field could win this tournament. It’s hard not to look at the likes of  Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas or Hideki Matsuyama to win tournament. So, looking at the field I’m going to go off of the radar a little and boldly predict that Cameron Smith will be your winner. The kid played great golf in Asia and Australia at the end of the season. But this time of the year is similar to free agent season in any other professional sports. As players reach the end of a contract to play a certain brand it’s fun to see exactly who they’ll turn towards to etch their name on their newest trophy. The next time that Sergio Garcia hoists a trophy will it be with Callaway Golf equipment as speculated?

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Cameron Smith (Photo Credit: Titleist)

But there’s more reason for me feeling a high level excitement. All of the equipment companies are going to start to unveil their new products for the 2018 season. As embargo’s end on posting and sharing content the collective imaginations of the golf consumer will run wild. With that I have a few quick questions. How does TaylorMade Golf release something better and more prolific than the M1 and M2 line? These M3 and M4 are they going to be that insane? Callaway Golf. How do they design something better than the Epic which if you read my review had the perfect moniker attached to it. The Epic was quite simply epic! The golf giant is releasing the Rogue line-up and they look mean. “They” also means their Rogue irons. With a victory already at the Hero World Challenge… Cobra Golf unleashed the F8 range of products. Honestly, Wilson Staff has their new range of products which are the newest carnation of their equipment geared towards the “Control” player. The new C300 irons have models where one set is forged and another that is cast. Their development of “Power Holes” on their metalwoods have me intrigued then again the same can be said of their entire product range. Cleveland Golf “launched it” by bringing back the Launcher in 2017. What will they bring to the party? Srixon Golf as well for that matter.

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The Rogue. (Photo Credit: Callaway Golf)

Of course, there’s the annual trip down to Orlando to take in the PGA Merchandise Show which in itself gets me excited. A chance to network and meet so many great minds in the golf industry. A chance to swing new products. Feel new and exciting fabrics like “FUSION YARN” from Puma Golf. Or be a witness to the new and fresh designs of CHASE 54. There is so much to see and do down there that it’s nearly impossible to take it all in.

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CHASE 54

As I sit here and think about everything… like The Masters (even though once again I was snubbed in the lottery) I feel an air of excitement. coming to think of it… It feels great to be a kid again.

Until The Next Tee!!

REVIEW – Loudmouth Golf (Fancy Shirt)

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Golf fashion. For the longest time they were actually two words in the English language that didn’t belong together. Eventually, that started to change when Arnold Palmer  started to be seen clad in trendy apparel. I remember his original clothing line in Sears and wearing some of it even though the apparel belonged to my father. Then for a while the fashion got ugly again.  A world of double pleats, short sleeves past the elbows and bland colours emerged. Then an epiphany happened. Raise your hands if you remember the “Tabasco” golf polos or any of the tropical prints worn by Duffy Waldorf. They were polarizing. While some hated them there was a smattering of golf fans that liked them. They were fun! Speaking of fun.

Is there a brand of apparel that has awakened golf fashion more than Loudmouth Golf? Love them or hate them the brand has brought fun to the course one garment at a time. In fact, it’s my opinion that the fun that Loudmouth Golf has brought to the game is only rivalled by “Al Czervik” at “Bushwood Country Club”. Loudmouth Golf is everything that traditional golf apparel isn’t. It’s loud, brash, flamboyant and fun. Loudmouth Golf has a vast array of prints that’s nearly endless.

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In the past, I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Brooke Windatt who takes care of Public Relations and Social Media for Loudmouth Golf. Of course, I went by the Loudmouth Golf booth during the PGA Merchandise in January and Brooke spent some time with me showing off some of the new prints in the Loudmouth stable. Crazy stuff! As time passed I received an email from Ms. Windatt where she informed me of some new creations. From the mind of Scott “Woody” Woodworth comes a new range of shirt called… “The Fancies”.

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“The Fancies” range  embodies everything that is Loudmouth Golf. Of course, you can wear them on the course (always go solid bottoms please) but The Fancies look just as good with a pair of jeans. Whether you’re  at the barbecue down the street or at a Toronto Blue Jays game on Canada Day the Fancy polo works. In fact, the polo that was sent to me was the “Oh Canada! Fancy Shirt” which was perfect for the aforementioned scenario. The point that I’m trying to make is that The Fancy wears well any time at any place. But this is a golf review. How do “The Fancies” perform on the course?

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The Fancies are more than just a “pretty face” as there is a bit of “apparel tech” involved. The fabric is great with good hand. Whether it’s come right out of your suitcase or out from doing laundry. This fabric is wrinkle-free. Also, the fabric features a 4-way stretch material constructed from 100% polyester, From a fit perspective they have a slim, athletic profile. This 6’0″, 215 pound guy wore a large and the fit was perfect. The sleeves end around mid-bicep while the shoulder seam was perfectly placed on the shoulder. If you find yourself in between sizes err on the side of caution and go a size up. Aesthetically speaking these Fancy shirts are well-appointed. They feature a three-button placket, a self-collar and on the back of the shirt between the shoulders is a yellow Loudmouth golf logo. It’s a small feature that sticks out in a good way truly revealing the Loudmouth branding. I love the material of these Fancy shirts. The material stretches throughout all phases of the golf swing and you never feel constricted. As slinky as the material it never clings to the body. On their website there is no mention of moisture-wicking qualities but the fabric does wick away any moisture from the body. I really liked the fact that I stayed “cool” in the heat of summer and never felt uncomfortable.

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When it comes to golf  polos that exemplify fashion these “Fancy” shirts do not come up short. They garner attention (I received a ton of compliments) and look very sharp. These are golf shirts that perform and never leave you having the feeling of being restricted during the golf swing. The saying in golf is “look good… play good” and these shirts certainly go a long way in living up to the quote. Head over to Loudmouth’s website  for more information and styles. Go ahead and unleash your inner Loudmouth.

Until The Next Tee!!