Vietnam Veteran Butch Harmon and Friends, Reach Out to Help Wounded Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan

Butch Harmon is renowned for his profession as a golf coach working with some of the biggest names in the sport. Past pupils include Greg Norman and Tiger Woods. Currently, he works with Phil Mickelson, Nick Watney, Dustin Johnson, Gary Woodland and Natlie Gulbis, and he has recently released an instructional DVD earlier this year titled "Butch Harmon About Golf", www.ButchHarmonDVD.com.

  

However, it is Harmon's steadfast and loyal passion in giving back to veterans of the military that is grabbing even more attention. Harmon, who is Vietnam Veteran, reaches out directly to combat-wounded soldiers through Harmon's Heroes, a foundation that encourages the well-being of these veterans and to provide financial assistance to those with a qualifying need.

Butch Harmon and friends with wounded veterans at this year's Harmon's Heroes Golf Classic that took place during Veteran's Day weekend at the Bali Hai Golf Course on the Las Vegas Strip.

 

Since the founding of Harmon's Heroes in 2009, the organization has now evolved into an annual fund-raising golf tournament, with proceeds going toward making grants for wounded veterans to obtain homes.  Eleven wounded veterans participated in  this year's Harmon's Heroes Golf Classic that took place during Veteran's Day weekend at the Bali Hai Golf Course on the Las Vegas Strip.

Also in attendence was a select group of people who donated between $10,000-$25,000 per foursome, with 100% of the funds raised going to the Harmon's Heroes Foundation.

"Many of us have no idea what these veterans face once they get home," said the 69 year-old Harmon, whose father, Claude Harmon, was a long-time golf professional at Winged Foot Golf Club in New York and also the winner of the 1948 Masters.

"Dealing with physical wounds is bad enough, but the financial hardships they face are absolutely mind-boggling - and we want to help. And assisting them in owning their own home is one of our priorities," said Harmon.

  

As of September 2012, at least two wounded veterans were able to secure a home; one in Boston and the other in Texas. Plans are well underway to help a veteran from Las Vegas get his or her own home.

In addition, a portion of DVD sales from Harmon's comprehensive golf instructional two-DVD set titled "Butch Harmon About Golf presented by Titleist" is donated to the Harmon's Heroes Foundation.

The two-DVD set contains more than 250 specific tips from the man voted #1 in Golf Digest's annual ranking of America's Best Teachers for the past 11 consecutive years.

Those who have worked with Harmon all agree that the keys to his success are his keen eye for the strengths and weaknesses of each individual player's swing; his comprehensive understanding of the game; his ability to communicate; his toughness; his enthusiasm for his players to succeed; and his relationship and rapport with his players, making their work about teamwork rather than individual accomplishment.

The "Butch Harmon About Golf presented by Titleist" DVD set is sponsored by Titleist, Winn Grips, Rolex, Golf Digest and JMA and is available for $79.95 on-line at www.ButchHarmonDVD.com.

About Butch Harmon

The son of 1948 Masters champion Claude Harmon, Butch Harmon has been involved in the golf arena for over 40 years. He was a PGA Tour player from 1969 to 1971, with one win - the 1971 Broome County Open - to his name on the Tour. He became best-known, however, through his work as a teacher and instructor, beginning with Greg Norman in the early 1990s followed by a ten year association with Tiger Woods from 1993 to 2004. Since his early experience with Norman, he has worked with more than 100 PGA, LPGA, and European Tour players, including 21 Major winners and recent former Official World Golf Rankings number one Lee Westwood. The Butch Harmon School of Golf currently has five signature locations throughout the United States, Macau, and Dubai, and is one of the top golf academies in the world. The signature locations include Rio Secco Golf Club in Henderson, Nevada, Floridian National Golf Club in Palm City, Florida, Loon Golf Club in Gaylord, Michigan and international locations in Macau and Dubai.

For more information regarding Harmon's Heroes please visit www.harmonsheroesfoundation.org or by calling Kyle Helms at 973-714-4810.

Sunice Introduces the Albany GORE-TEX® Jacket For 2013

Sunice®, Canada's No. 1 outerwear brand, is pleased to announce its 2013 Albany jacket from the Hurricane Collection.  

The Albany is new to the 2013 Sunice Hurricane Collection and is a Classic Gore-Tex jacket. Combined with other features that Sunice outerwear is known for, the Albany jacket includes full stretch the X-Static® Silver lining, ergonomically designed shoulder inserts, the Sunice patented V-collar and the 2 Way front zipper.   

The Albany jacket is 25% lighter with 25% more stretch than other jackets in it category.   The Albany comes with a Lifetime Waterproof Guarantee and is backed by the GORE-TEX® "Guaranteed to keep you dry™" promise.

"We are excited about this one-of-a-kind jacket that sets a new standard in the performance waterproof category", says Mark Fletcher, president of Sunice. "No other jacket in this price range combines the GORE-TEX® performance shell lifetime waterproof fabric with the X-Static® thermodynamic lining, ergonomically designed stretch GORE-TEX® shoulder inserts, the Pro-Trim™ cinching system and lycra cuffs in a complete package weighing just over 1 pound".

Combined with other features that Sunice outerwear is known for, the Albany jacket includes full stretch the X-Static® Silver lining, ergonomically designed shoulder inserts, the Sunice patented V-collar and the 2 Way front zipper.

About Sunice

Sunice®, founded in 1976 in Alberta, Canada as a skiwear brand, successfully transcended its technical outerwear capabilities into the golf market in the early 1990s as the golf industry gravitated towards designing sport-specific garments that truly helped enhance the game. Thus, it's no surprise Sunice® - owned and run by Montreal, Canada-based Fletcher Leisure Group Inc., a company with 42 years of golf industry experience - meets the demands of the most discerning golfer. Sunice® golf outerwear is a chosen favorite by many PGA and LPGA Tour players around the world.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SuniceGolf

Twitter: www.twitter.com/SuniceGolf 

ING Writers Brainstorm Ways to Improve Golf

By Katharine Dyson -- According to Kenneth H. Blanchard, author of “One Minute Manager” and 23 other best-selling motivational books, “None of us is as smart as all of us.” So Michael Jamison, Executive Director of ING (International Network of Golf) was right on when he charged 30 or so golf writers to come up with innovative ways to improve the golf scene.

The writers had come from all over the United States to Mesquite, Nevada for ING’s Fall Forum, where they stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, played several fine area courses and participated in social events and workshops. During a couple morning sessions participants were broken into three brainstorming groups and asked, “If you were King for a Day what five things would you implement to grow the game.”

After spirited presentations by each group, a number of innovative ideas were proposed proving once again the wisdom of Blanchard who has also said,  “Feedback is the breakfast of champions.”  Here are the winners, the result of a vigorous verbal feeding frenzy.

• Provide universal yardages between tees
Distance between all tee markers should be consistent. Too often the distance from the forward tee to the next one back is 1,000 yards or more while subsequent tees have more realistic increments of less than 500 yards. When there is a discrepancy, create combo tees to add up to the desired yardage. Thus those wishing to play 5,400 yards instead of 4,900 yards or 6,000 yards would be able to follow the Red/Green tees, sometimes playing red, sometimes moving back to green. Rate at least the two forward tees for women.

• Pay more to play back 
If your handicap according to the Tee it Forward recommendations requires you to play a tee forward of where you want to play, you’ll be charged a supplement.  Not everyone is an expert golfer capable of playing from the tips, but if that’s what you like, you just need to pay a little extra to play them.  This should speed up play. If you don’t have a current handicap, a color-coded driving range could be used to determine how far you hit the ball and thus which tee you should use.

• Assign mentors to new golfers
Assign club members to mentor new golfers. Mentors could invite non-golfers to join them at the course and introduce them to the pro. The mentor should encourage new golfers to take lessons and/or join a clinic, talk with them about good course etiquette, what to wear etc. and offer to play a few holes with them when they’re ready. Follow-up also most important.

• Pro participation
At some courses, pros are so busy in their shop, they don’t get out on the course with their members. It would be helpful if they could devote some time each week, perhaps joining some golfers for a hole or two, joining them on the range and making it a point to welcome new members.

 • Offer shorter options for play
Time constraints are huge deterrents for today’s potential golfers. To attract those who don’t have four hours to play there should be more nine-hole rates and courses could be routed so players could play nine holes and end up back at the clubhouse. Consider designing new courses in a cloverleaf to permit play of 6,12 or 18 holes returning to the clubhouse in the middle (6,6,6 or “the Devil’s Loop!”).  More “pitch n’ putt” facilities lit for night play would also build interest in the game.

• Simplify rules for amateurs
Rules, especially for beginners, can be intimidating and confusing.  Create a new set of simplified rules for beginners and those who are not participating in tournaments.

• Develop Skills Scoring Game
For new golfers, instead of using the stroke play system that can be a mind-blower when you get a double-digit score on a hole, create a new way of scoring based on skills with its own card.  Award points for skills i.e. points for hitting fairway on drive, getting out of bunker in one, one putting, two putting, etc.

• Encourage more Stableford play
Whereas stoke play can be discouraging, especially for inconsistent golfers, Stableford, popular in Europe, throws out any score higher than a double bogey but awards points for bogeys, pars, birdies and eagles. The golfer with the most points wins and a handicap system levels the playing field.

• Player’s Club
Designed for single players, clubs could set aside a block of time inviting those with a Players Card (available for a fee) to show up and play with other singles.

Chromax Golf introduces 'Distance' High-Energy Titanium Core ball

New 90 compression metallic ball provides optimal trajectory, distance and visibility

Chromax Golf (chromaxgolf.com) manufacturers of the patent-pending metallic finish golf balls, is introducing Chromax Distance to its line of High Visibility Technology golf balls. 

Distance, the company's first 90-compression ball, is designed for players of all abilities with Chromax's high-energy titanium core and patented dimple design that optimizes trajectory, distance and spin.

"We tested the Chromax Distance at a highly respected industry testing laboratory in San Diego and the results showed that at a club head speed of 90 mph, the total distance (carry & roll) equaled the major brands," said Stuart Lin, founder of the Chromax Golf Company and inventor of the Chromax golf ball. "When the Chromax Distance was tested at a field average of 108 mph, it outperformed the major brands."

The Titanium inner core provides maximum energy transfer at all swing speeds.  Golfers get that "Tour" player experience when they feel the Chromax Distance ball releasing "hot" off the clubface.

The soft cover allows the better player to shape shots with optimal spin and take dead aim at the pin.

On the green, the metallic illuminating color of the Distance gives players more confidence in "seeing the line" and making more putts. More distance, better shot-shaping and improved putting equal lower scores. Chromax Distance is approved by the USGA and the R&A.

Chromax Distance Features and Benefits:

Inner Core
The high-energy large titanium core is made of a poly-butadiene rubber compound blend and molded to create superior feel, durability and elasticity.

Outer Cover
The translucent soft Durable and stain-resistant Surlyn® cover provides soft feel in and around the green. The High Visibility Technology Metallic layer helps reflect sunlight providing excellent visibility in all lighting conditions allowing golfers to easily track the ball in flight and on the course. The illuminating color assists golfers in seeing the line and improves putting.

Dimple Design

The patented 482-dimple design optimizes trajectory, distance and spin while providing optimal control.

Compression and Spin Rate:

90 compression and Medium spin rate

Price and Availability:

The new Chromax Distance ball is available now with a suggested retail price of $42 per dozen.

Colors:

Electric Green and Galactic Gold   

For more information on Chromax Golf balls, visit ChromaxGolf.com.   

ABOUT CHROMAX GOLF 

Chromax Golf is located at 3468 Sunshine Canyon Drive in Boulder, Colo., 80302. The company was launched at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando in 2007. Chromax Golf is located at 3468 Sunshine Canyon Drive in Boulder, Colo., 80302. Chromax also manufacturers the M1x (75 compression) and M2x (85 compression) USGA approved golf balls. Both styles have a florescent reflective layer under a clear translucent layer, like the Distance. The balls are produced in seven easy-to-track colors (silver, gold, orange, yellow, pink, green and purple) and come in two different finishes that offer enhanced visibility and performance. For more information about Chromax metallic golf balls visit www.chromaxgolf.com or call (303) 219-0868. Follow Chromax on Facebook facebook.com/chromaxgolf 

Golfshots' 2013 Calendar Now Available

This new 11”x14” wall or desk calendar features 12 spectacular golf course photos taken by world renowned photographer Evan Schiller.

Over the last twenty years, former PGA professional Evan Schiller has established himself as one of the premiere golf course photographers in the world. He has photographed hundreds of championship courses including Pebble Beach Golf Links, Augusta National Golf Club, The Old Course at St. Andrews and Ballybunion Golf Club in Ireland. His work is continously published in many national magazines, books and calendars including the Masters Journal, The US Open Magazine, The Ryder Cup Journal, Links Magazine, Golf Digest, Travel & Liesure Golf, Golf Magazine and the Jack Nicklaus Golf Calendar. Evan's Photography is also exclusively featured in the acclaimed book, Golf Courses of Hawaii.
In addition, Evan is an officially licensed photographer for Pebble Beach Company and his photography is on display at the images of Pebble Beach gallery located at the Lodge at Pebble Beach.
His unusual combination of experiences as a golf professional and photographer provides a perspective that is rare among golf photographers. From 1983 to 1989, Evan competed in professional golf tournaments around the world and on the PGA tour, including the US Open.


To order calendars or request a 2013 calendar order form please contact us by:
MAIL: Golfshots Calendar 36 Old Redding Road Weston, CT 06883
VISIT OUR WEB SITE: www.golfshots.com
PHONE: 203-222-8612
FAX: 203-222-8623
EMAIL: golfshots@earthlink.net

The Antigua Spring Men's Performance Golf Collections Introduced

The Antigua Spring Men's Performance Golf Collections introduced a new color palette of bright accent colors for it's Spring '12 Golf Wear Collections, and have since brightened the color value for it's Spring 2013 offering. These trending pop colors are used as subtle details, created to appeal to a wide age demographic of both male and female golfers in both of this seasons Men's and Women's Golf Wear Collections.

"For Spring 2013, the focus of pop accent colors on less conspicuous fabrications throughout the collections shows off the styling and design features of the individuals garments," said Sean Gregg, Director of Product Development for Antigua.

"The collections are current in both color and design trend, and are additionally embellished with performance enhancing features by incorporating Antigua's proprietary Desert Dry and Desert Dry Xtra-Lite moisture management technology to produce collections that are both merchandized appropriately for the season while offering performance functionality" Gregg added.

 

PERFORMANCE-72 (PRF-72)

For Spring '13 Antigua introduces PERFORMANCE-72 into it's golf fashion collections. The launch of this trademarked Performance-72 branding represents the benchmark for quality, fit, style and performance functionality on all of it's fashion golf wear collections. Each color story is designed to be merchandised together and to be presented on the retail floor as a collection and the Performance-72 branding trim is color coordinated to match each color story, representing both the brand as well as allowing the consumer to pair up merchandise readily for coordinating confidently on and off the course.

Performance-72 (PRF-72) epitomizes the standard that golf fashion should achieve. It is performance fashion golf apparel at it's best.

 

COLOR STORIES AND STANDOUT STYLES:

The Antigua Men's Collection takes it's new color palette a step bolder and brighter for their Spring 2013 collection. The new pop color palette that Antigua introduced last season has expanded to include six invigorating colors: Lapis, Margarita, Apple, Melon, Phlox, and Zest.

"The reaction to, and acceptance of the direction we're taking with the new color palette has been extremely strong", said Sean Gregg.

 

 

Lapis is a brilliant hue of the more traditional blue, a color grouping that merchandizes well with items that are already in a golfer's wardrobe.

Margarita is a neon take on lime, and is paired with a variety of neutral shades such as Steel, Silver and White. This color offering is expected to become another best-seller for this next season, as Sean Gregg noted that "The dominant color in the market overall is currently lime green, and our Keylime color sold out in every style last season."

Margarita is also used as an accent to Black, for example, the Torrent Polo looks exceptional in Black accented in Margarita and Smoke as contrast stripes on specifically the 3-button placket, under-collar, and on the cut-and-sewn cuffs. The Torrent polo, as do all the performance polos, features Desert Dry™ moisture management technology.

Apple green is a perfect color group for those who want a little more tradition to their pop color, and is merchandized with the color Navy to create a vibrant contrast color story. The color Navy was brought back into the performance color palette this season with the intention of having a bright accent color paired with it.

Zest is a lemon-drop yellow, as another fast trending pop color in the market and included in this seasons collection. Zest is subtly used to accent the smokier color shades in this new collection, such as Black, Steel, and Silver, and as a contrast accent color on collars, cuffs and plackets.

Similarly, the Melon orange and Phlox pink color groups are merchandized with a smoky color palette, which allows the pop colors to bring life to the neutral shades and not overwhelm.

For a blast of pop color, style Surge is sure to be a standout style. A textured horizontal pique stripe is offered in the entire range of this seasons colors representing the palette in it's entirety as a tonal solid polo with white being featured as the neutral shade in the form of a contrast cover-stitch detail. Style Surge can be a featured lead piece in any of the collections color stories.

Conversely, the Pulse polo in any of the subtle neutral colored ombre patterns includes a bright contrast cover-stitch color at the top shoulder seam, underarm seam and side seam, as well as on the placket and the inside back yoke panel.

 

Style Montage, a jacquard tonal abstract geometric polo, is already a big seller in the collection, bringing together a perfect combination of performance function with fashion styling. This polo features Desert Dry Xtra-Lite D2XL moisture management technology offered in a variety of solid tonal brights.

 

The website www.antigua.com. 

Pound Ridge Golf Club Announces Popular Off-Season Rates

Pete Dye Daily Fee Course in Westchester County in Excellent Condition post-Sandy

Pound Ridge Golf Club – the Pete Dye-designed daily fee course 40 miles north of New York City – has emerged from Sandy in excellent condition and off-season rates of $150 before 2 p.m. and $100 after are available Nov. 1 through Dec. 31.

Rates are offered seven days a week and include a golf cart or pull cart, yardage book, bottled water, player’s towel and complimentary use of the driving range, chipping area and practice green.

“We are very fortunate to have only had a few tree branches on the golf course following Sandy and the course is in great shape overall,” says Pound Ridge owner Ken Wang. “Our thoughts go out to the millions impacted by the storm, including so many here in New York and New Jersey. For those with order restored or simply in need of an escape for a few hours, we welcome them to come out and experience Pound Ridge via our off-season rates.”

Located under an hour from New York City and minutes from White Plains, Stamford and Greenwich, Pound Ridge is a quintessential Dye course. All the legendary designer’s renowned touches are on display: dramatic mounding, rhythmic routing and subtle deception meld to create an imminently challenging and fair golf experience. Pound Ridge reflects the best in contemporary course design and is unique in a region filled with classic courses.

Since opening in 2008, Pound Ridge has earned world-class accolades from Golf Digest, GOLF Magazine, Golfweek, AskMen.com, Rolex and LINKS Magazine. It quickly emerged as a “destination golf course,” sought out by serious golfers collecting the world’s best golf experiences.

More information: www.poundridgegolf.com<http://www.poundridgegolf.com>, 914.764.5771.

About Pound Ridge Golf Club

Opened in 2008, Pound Ridge Golf Club is the only course in New York designed by the legendary Pete Dye. Located in Westchester County, it is less than an hour north of New York City and less than 15 minutes from Stamford and Greenwich, Connecticut. Pound Ridge Golf Club is the premier high-end, public course in the metropolitan New York area.

Crafted by Dye, his son Perry and long-time Dye construction manager/lead shaper Michael Langkau, Pound Ridge Golf Club is a full bentgrass facility, hewn from 172 acres of magnificent cliffs, streams and wooded hills. Dramatic rock formations and boulders were left onsite, creating one of the most visually stunning settings for golf in the U.S. More than 14,000-linear-feet of rock wall surrounds trees, wetlands and water hazards. These frame contoured fairways which wind through hardwood forests and fescue mounds leading to open meadows with picturesque green complexes.

Pound Ridge Golf Club plays to a par-72 and houses five sets of tees and measures 7,165 yards. It boasts a practice range, short game area and putting green. The property features some of the highest points in Westchester County, with a number of tee boxes offering expansive vistas of the surrounding countryside. Notable holes include the par-5, 13th – home to “Pete’s Rock,” a giant boulder that rests in the middle of the fairway – and the par-3 15th – dubbed “Headstone” – which is flanked on the right by a large rock outcropping that protrudes into the elongated, 9,000-square-foot green.

Recent accolades for Pound Ridge Golf Club Include:


 *   “No. 1 New York City Area Golf Course, 2010” – AskMen.com
 *   “America’s Best New Courses, 2009” – Golf Digest
 *   “New Golf Development of the Year, 2009” – ABTA Golf
 *   “Top Ten You Can Play, No. 2, 2008” – GOLF Magazine
 *   “Best New Courses, 2008” – LINKS Magazine
 *   “America’s Best New Courses, 2008” – Golfweek