Divot Mix
Courses have no doubt been getting more and more difficult for the average player. His golf has in some cases been a dismal progress from the rough to a bunker, and from a bunker to the rough, hole after hole. He has very likely chosen a pleasant spring day for a little relaxation and pleasure, and returns to his home at night in a jaded and almost hopeless frame of mind. -- H.S. Colt
LPGA acquires Duramed Futures Tour
Carolyn F. Bivens, LPGA commissioner, and Zayra Calderon, president and CEO of the Duramed Futures Tour, have announced that the LPGA has acquired the Duramed Futures Tour effective immediately.
The Duramed Futures Tour has been the official developmental tour of the LPGA since 1999 and offers rising stars in the women’s game the opportunity to prepare for a career on the LPGA.
In recent years the organizations have worked closely to assist the members of both tours with professional development, and to prepare members of the Futures Tour for the transition to the LPGA. LPGA Tour cards are awarded to the top five money leaders on the tour.
"We are absolutely delighted that we have reached an agreement for the LPGA to acquire the Duramed Futures Tour," Bivens said.
The acquisition will put women’s professional golf in the United States under one umbrella. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Calderon will remain as president and CEO of the Duramed Futures Tour and become a member of the LPGA’s senior management team. In addition, the Duramed Futures Tour staff will relocate from Lakeland, Fla., to the LPGA headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla., by the end of the year.
Nominate a Water Efficiency Leader
The U.S. EPA is accepting nominations for the 2007 Water Efficiency Leader Awards to recognize organizations and individuals that demonstrate leadership and innovation in water efficient- products and practices. Winners will be chosen by a panel of national water experts and based on three criteria: leadership, innovation and water saved.
"Ben Franklin said, 'We know the wealth of water when the well runs dry.'" said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin H. Grumbles. "EPA's WEL program taps into that wisdom and spreads the word about water efficiency leadership to protect precious resources and cut water waste."
The Water Efficiency Leader Awards help foster a nationwide ethic of water efficiency, which is critical to the growing U.S. economy and quality of life. Water and energy are closely linked. An example of this is that running a hot water faucet for five minutes consumes as much energy as using a 60-watt light bulb for 14 hours.
The importance of water efficiency also is reflected in WaterSense, a voluntary partnership begun by the EPA to educate consumers about making smart water choices that save money and maintain high environmental standards without compromising performance. Nominations are being accepted until Aug. 17, 2007. It is anticipated that the winners will be announced in late fall 2007.
For more information and to enter award nominations go to: http://epa.gov/water/wel/2007_application_process.html.
Nagel and Carr complete Hall of Fame class of 2007
Former British Open Champion Kel Nagle and three-time British Amateur champion Joe Carr have been selected to the World Golf Hall of Fame, completing the 2007 class of six inductees.
 Nagle, an Australian who had 61 victories worldwide including an Open Championship at St. Andrews, was selected in the veteran's category. Nagle, 87, is the fifth Australian headed for the Hall of Fame.
Carr, who won the British Amateur three times, got into the hall via the lifetime achievement category. He won 37 titles in Ireland and played in the Walker Cup a record 10 times. Others to be inducted this fall are Curtis Strange, Hubert Green, Se Ri Pak and Charles Blair Macdonald.
USGA releases groove proposal research reports
The United States Golf Association has published two supplemental research documents relating to its recent proposal to change groove regulations. Under the proposal, new restrictions would be placed on the clubface grooves configuration to limit the performance on shots from the rough.
These research reports cover a statistical analysis of PGA Tour data and the effect of rough height on groove performance. The reports can be found on the USGA Web site at:
Questions regarding these reports should be directed to Dick Rugge at 908-781-5490 or drugge@usga.org.
|
