Colin Montgomerie
BRIAN WALTERS PHOTGRAPHY
Colin Montgomerie engineered a rare feat last Monday, making consecutive holes-in-one during the official grand opening of a short course he designed at Harbor Shores Resort in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
The 63-year-old World Golf Hall of Famer scored aces on the 43-yard third hole and 60-yard fifth hole using an Odyssey chipper he borrowed from Jeff Fettig, a former Whirlpool Co. chairman and the visionary behind the resort’s expansion. They were consecutive swings, since Montgomerie skipped the fourth hole while walking and talking about the course with the media.
“It was rather strange,” Montgomerie said. “We walked the first couple of holes and decided to hit a few shots. I grabbed one of Mr. Fettig’s clubs – a chipper – and figured I’d give it a try … Somehow it found the hole. Then, incredibly, I did it again on the very next hole we played. Two holes-in-one in the same day – it’s just unbelievable. When I arrived, 51 aces had been recorded on this course. Now there are 53.” READ MORE
Bob Buck received the USGA’s newest honor – the McGraw Family Award – at the players’ dinner ahead of last week’s U.S. Adaptive Open.
The USGA created the award to recognize an individual who has demonstrated exemplary commitment to expanding opportunities in golf for those with disabilities.
Buck, a below-knee amputee from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, established the Eastern Amputee Golf Association in 1986 to raise awareness for golfers with disabilities through competitions and clinics. In the years since, the EAGA has grown into one of the largest organizations in the country dedicated to grassroots adaptive golf programming.
From supporting wounded veterans and others through instructional classes to chairing the accessibility efforts at the 2000 U.S. Senior Open – the first USGA championship to offer scooter and wheelchair viewing in the stands – Buck’s contributions have created opportunities for countless individuals. A talented player, he won more than 20 EAGA events while also claiming multiple regional titles and competing both nationally and internationally in adaptive golf events. READ MORE
Tap-Ins
Versant Media Group, Golf Channel’s parent company, has agreed to buy golf simulator company Full Swing from private equity firm Bruin Capital for $530 million in cash, it announced last Monday. Full Swing provides the technology used by the TGL indoor simulator league and is the official licensed simulator of the PGA Tour. READ MORE
Troon Golf’s private-equity owners, TPG Inc. and Leonard Green & Partners, are exploring a potential sale of the Scottsdale, Arizona-based course management company, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. Troon could be valued at more than $2 billion in a sale, the sources said. READ MORE
Compiled by Mike Cullity
