Happy New Year from MediaWatch and the entire PGA Magazine team! The confetti from New Year’s Eve festivities has barely been swept up, but it’s already time to start thinking about this year’s golf calendar. That’s what GolfPass has done with its list of the 10 best weekends to watch golf in 2026. Coming in at No. 4 on the list is May 14-17, better known as the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club outside Philadelphia. The story calls it “appointment viewing” thanks to the 2018 course renovation by Gil Hanse that brought back the club’s clustered bunkers, and also for Pennsylvania’s reputation for hosting fan-friendly and highly competitive major championships. Knowing many of your customers will be watching, maybe now’s the time to plan some events around the PGA Championship at your facility.
link: https://bit.ly/3KFmyGP
Speaking of this year’s golf calendar, the PGA Show is right around the corner to kick things off in a big way. In addition to this month’s PGA Magazine cover story, you can get yourself ready for Orlando by listening to PGA of America Golf Professional Grace Hurley’s interview on The Fairway to Retail Success: An AGM Podcast. Host Justine Cook, the AGM’s Director of Membership and Education, conducts the interview with Hurley, the 2023 PGA of America Merchandiser of the Year for resort facilities and the Vice President of Brands and National Events at Catapult. In the interview, Hurley discusses her career journey along with the state of golf retailing and a number of trends to watch over the coming year. Key takeaways include the way Hurley created a thriving retail culture during her years at Florida’s Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, how to mentor younger PGA of America Golf Professionals and why brands and golf facilities need to partner with each other to grow business and loyalty
link: https://bit.ly/4q3TI1A
A great story about PGA of America Golf Pro fessionals giving back through PGA HOPE was recently published by the Las Cruces Bulletin, highlighting the work done by the seven PGA HOPE programs throughout the Albuquerque, El Paso, Farmington and Las Cruces areas in New Mexico. PGA of America Golf Professional Josh Salmon of the New Mexico State University PGA Golf Management Program is quoted in the story, which describes the work done by the PGA of America’s flagship military program for Veterans. “Knowing they put their life on the line every day for however long they served, and then to know that we have an opportunity as PGA Golf Professionals to work with them is pretty cool,” Salmon is quoted as saying. “We like to tell people we’re not brain surgeons, we’re not doing anything crazy, but PGA HOPE is, in fact, helping to save the lives of our Veterans.” Check out the full story for much more, including additional quotes from participating PGA of America Golf Professional Jason White.
link: https://bit.ly/3YqpES6
Another interesting podcast to add to your queue is The Golfer’s Journal Podcast, particularly Episode 199, titled “Jeff Warne Is Up to Something.” Warne, the PGA of America Director of Golf at The Bridge in Bridgehampton, New York, is also in the midst of building a new course near the golf hotspot of Aiken, South Carolina, home to new facilities like Old Barnwell, the Tree Farm and the 21 Club. Host Tom Coyne talks with Warne about what he’s building among the Carolina pines, which realizes his dream of building his own golf course. The journey from idea to shovels in the ground took decades, but now his plan is coming to life with New Holland Golf Club. The podcast is a great deep dive into how Warne found land, like-minded architects and builders, and then set the plan in motion with hard work and an open mind. If you’ve ever thought about building your own golf course, this could serve as either a blueprint or a fun daydream.
link: https://bit.ly/4pAyuZH
