Countless miles/kilometers walked. A vast number of handshakes made. Countless products looked at and new friends made. And now the hard work comes. Deciding the 2020 Teezy Award winners.
This was Day Three and the 2020 PGA Show.
Until The Next Tee!!
Four of Five Majors, Summer Olympics in Tokyo and UL International Crown Contribute to Most Number of Events and Hours of Women’s Golf in a Single Year Ever
Hall-of-Famer Judy Rankin Returns for 10th Season as GOLF Channel’s LPGA Tour Lead Analyst, 36th Overall
ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 15, 2020 – 2020 will feature the most number of hours and events ever dedicated to women’s golf across NBC Sports, headlined by a global schedule of 33 LPGA Tour events that includes live coverage of four of five major championships and the biennial UL International Crown team competition.
With the addition of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, NBC Sports will produce more than 500 tournament hours of women’s golf coverage in 2020, the most hours and events ever dedicated to the women’s game in a single year.
“As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the LPGA Tour, I can’t help but wonder what our 13 Founders would think to hear that women’s golf will see more than 500 hours of television coverage, distributed to over 160 countries,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “Without GOLF Channel and NBC, our long-time and trusted partners, we would not have the opportunity to share the inspiring stories of our athletes. 2020 is going to be a record-setting year from the LPGA Tour in terms of purse, TV and Members connected to our brand. I can’t wait for our fans around the world to see it all unfold.”
“With the LPGA Tour, four of five majors, Tokyo Olympics and the UL International Crown airing across NBC Sports, we are the television home for women’s golf,” said Molly Solomon, executive producer, GOLF Channel and NBC Olympics. “In 2020, we’ll deliver our most hours ever dedicated to the women’s game and elevate the LPGA Tour’s stars as they travel the globe on this international tour.”
DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS KICKS OFF 2020 SEASON
The 2020 LPGA Tour season kicks off Thursday in Orlando, Fla., with the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions presented by Insurance Office of America. The winner’s-only event features 26 LPGA Tour winners from the past two seasons, joined by 49 celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment. GOLF Channel will air live coverage Thursday and Friday (Noon-3 p.m. ET). Weekend coverage will air on GOLF Channel from 2-3 p.m. ET, continuing on NBC from 3-5 p.m. ET.
For the second consecutive year, NBC will bookend the LPGA Tour season, beginning this week with coverage from the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions and concluding in November with live coverage of the CME Group Tour Championship.
Paige Mackenzie will serve as lead analyst for live tournament coverage of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, joined by Grant Boone as play-by-play host. Tom Abbott will serve as a hole announcer with Jerry Foltz and Karen Stupples reporting from the course. Damon Hack will conduct interviews with celebrities and players during the tournament telecasts.
FOUR OF FIVE MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS, 2020 SUMMER OLYMPICS AND UL INTERNATIONAL CROWN HEADLINE SUMMER STRETCH
NBC Sports Group will air coverage from 33 LPGA Tour events in 2020, headlined by live coverage of four of the five major championships: the ANA Inspiration (March 30-April 5); the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (June 25-28); The Evian Championship (July 22-26); and the AIG Women’s British Open (Aug. 20-23).
In August, women’s golf will take center stage across NBC Sports during a four-week stretch featuring the Summer Olympics, AIG Women’s British Open and UL International Crown. Kicking off August will be the return of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. The world’s top players will convene upon Kasumigaseki Country Club, with GOLF Channel and NBC airing comprehensive coverage of the women’s golf competition, Wednesday-Saturday, Aug. 5-8. The LPGA Tour will then head to Scotland for two weeks, with the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open and the AIG Women’s British Open – the latter taking place at historic Royal Troon Golf Club – culminating with the biennial UL International Crown team competition taking place in England.
HALL-OF-FAMER JUDY RANKIN RETURNS FOR 10TH SEASON AS GOLF CHANNEL ANALYST; 36TH YEAR IN TELEVISION
Hall-of-Famer and 26-time LPGA Tour winner Judy Rankin returns for her 10th season as GOLF Channel’s lead LPGA Tour analyst, and 36th season overall in television. Rankin will join play-by-play host Grant Boone at the newly minted Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio (Jan. 23-26), taking place in Boca Raton, Fla., her first of 13 events in the broadcast booth.
Stupples and Mackenzie will rotate with Rankin as lead LPGA Tour analysts in 2020. Boone, Terry Gannon and Whit Watson will serve as play-by-play hosts, joined by Tom Abbott, Kay Cockerill, Foltz, and Jim Gallagher, Jr as hole announcers and course reporters throughout the season.
NCAA WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS AND AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN’S AMATEUR SHOWCASE FUTURE STARS OF WOMEN’S GOLF
Also in 2020, GOLF Channel and NBC will shine a spotlight on women’s golf future stars with live coverage of the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships (May 25-28) from Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.; and the second- annual Augusta National Women’s Amateur, taking place at historic Augusta National Golf Club (April 1-4).
NBC Sports Group 2020 LPGA Tour Schedule
| Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions | Jan. 16-19 | GOLF/NBC | |||
| Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio | Jan. 23-26 | GOLF | |||
| ISPS Handa Vic Open | Feb. 5-8 | GOLF | |||
| ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open | Feb. 12-15 | GOLF | |||
| Honda LPGA Thailand | Feb. 19-22 | GOLF | |||
| HSBC Women’s World Championship | Feb. 26-29 | GOLF | |||
| Blue Bay LPGA | March 4-8 | GOLF | |||
| Founders Cup | March 19-22 | GOLF | |||
| Kia Classic | March 26-29 | GOLF | |||
| ANA Inspiration | April 2-5 | GOLF | |||
| LOTTE Championship | April 15-18 | GOLF | |||
| HUGEL-AIR Premia LA Open | April 23-26 | GOLF | |||
| LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship | April 30-May 3 | GOLF | |||
| Pelican Women’s Championship | May 14-17 | GOLF | |||
| Pure Silk Championship | May 21-24 | GOLF | |||
| ShopRite LPGA Classic | May 29-31 | GOLF | |||
| Meijer LPGA Classic | June 11-14 | GOLF | |||
| Walmart NW Arkansas Championship | June 19-21 | GOLF | |||
| KPMG Women’s PGA Championship | June 25-28 | GOLF/NBC | |||
| Marathon Classic | July 9-11 | GOLF | |||
| Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational | July 15-17 | GOLF | |||
| Evian Championship | July 23-26 | GOLF/CNBC | |||
| Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open | Aug. 13-16 | GOLF | |||
| AIG Women’s British Open | Aug. 20-23 | GOLF/NBC | |||
| UL International Crown | Aug. 27-30 | GOLF | |||
| CP Women’s Open | Sept. 3-6 | GOLF | |||
| Cambia Portland Classic | Sept. 10-13 | GOLF | |||
| Volunteers of America Classic | Oct. 1-4 | GOLF | |||
| Buick LPGA Shanghai | Oct. 15-18 | GOLF | |||
| BMW Ladies Championship | Oct. 22-25 | GOLF | |||
| Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA | Oct. 29-Nov. 1 | GOLF | |||
| TOTO Japan Classic | Nov. 5-7 | GOLF | |||
| CME Group Tour Championship | Nov. 19-22 | GOLF/NBC |
ABOUT THE LPGA
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla., the association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than 2,300 members representing more than 30 countries. With a vision to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of women’s golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while the Symetra Tour, the official development and qualifying tour of the LPGA, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. Additionally, LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals directly impact the game through teaching, coaching and management.
The LPGA demonstrates its dedication to the development of the game through The LPGA Foundation. Since 1991, this charitable organization has been committed to empowering and supporting girls and women through developmental, humanitarian and golf community initiatives, including LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the LPGA Women’s Network and the LPGA Amateur Golf Association.
Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web via www.LPGA.com. Join the social conversation at www.facebook.com/lpga, www.twitter.com/lpga and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo, and on Instagram and Snapchat at @lpga_tour.
ABOUT NBC SPORTS GROUP’S GOLF DIVISION
NBC Sports Group’s GOLF division delivers multimedia golf content, technology and services. Anchored by GOLF Channel – co-founded by Arnold Palmer in 1995 – GOLF content is available to nearly 500 million viewers in nine languages across more than 70 countries around the world. GOLF features more live coverage of the sport than all other U.S. networks combined, including global tournament action from the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, European Tour, NCAA, THE PLAYERS, The Open, Olympics, Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, as well as high-quality news, instruction and original programming. Delivering unmatched coverage from the world of golf via GOLF Digital, fans can access 24/7 live streaming through the NBC Sports App, as well as complementary coverage via PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold. In addition to these all-encompassing media platforms, NBC Sports connects the world to golf through a wide array of technology and lifestyle services, including: GOLFNOW, the world’s largest online tee time booking platform; GOLF Business Solutions, solving business needs through leading technology, marketing and services; GOLFPASS, an all-in-one digital membership delivering comprehensive benefits tailored to the modern golfer’s lifestyle; Revolution GOLF, the world’s largest direct-to-consumer digital platform in golf, offering best-in-class video instruction and game improvement products; GOLF Advisor, the ultimate digital destination for the traveling golfer, featuring the largest number of user-generated golf course ratings and reviews in the industry; GOLF Academy, a North American network of instructional facilities; and GOLF Am Tour, the world’s largest amateur golf tour. GOLF’s global reach originates from its world headquarters in Orlando, Fla., and extends to its international office in Belfast, Northern Ireland; regional offices across North America, Europe and Australia; and also includes collaborations with Sky Sports and serving as the Official Media Partner of St Andrews Links.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
@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.
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.
Here are the nominees.
Top Accessories
The winner had already been decided on Friday that the show ended.
Until The Next Tee!!
#FightAndGrind #SeeUOnTheNextTee
(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.
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.”
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!
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
