Tag Archives: golf

Tom Lehman, PGA TOUR Champions Player, Cragun’s Resort Course Architect

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The multi-year golf course renovation at Cragun’s Resort, Golf and Conference is finished. PGA TOUR Champions player and course architect Tom Lehman led today’s ceremonial unveiling of the final nine holes, now known as Dutch Red. Once again, all 45 holes are open to resort guest and public play.

Rick talks to Tom Lehman from Cragun’s Resort in Brainard, Minn.

The renovation of Dutch Red—thoughtfully designed to improve playability and enjoyment for golfers of all skill levels—includes striking new bunkering, four redesigned greens, and fresh green surrounds. The routing remains the same, but significant reshaping and clearing have enhanced scenic views across the course.

Among the most noticeable changes is the improvement in playability on holes #3 and #4. Hole #3 now boasts a dramatic change in the landing area off the tee, nearly doubling the size of the fairway. The new green was moved 50 yards back with a soft chipping area surrounding the entire green, making the hole much more enjoyable for all skill levels.

Hole #4 is now a drivable par 4, previously guarded by a series of bunkers and a cart path along the left side. The renovation relocated the bunkers to new strategic areas, moved the cart path to the right side, and it is now more playable and enjoyable. The new green on #4 is much more subtle but still allows for some terrific pin placements.

Today’s grand opening was attended by representatives of Cragun’s Resort owners, Leisure Hotels & Resorts, PGA TOUR Americas, regional and national media, marking the start of an exciting new chapter for golf in the Upper Midwest.

Looking ahead, Cragun’s Resort, Golf & Conference will host the prestigious CRMC Championship, presented by the Northern Pacific Center, for the fourth year, August 28 to 31, offering fans and players an exciting glimpse of the renovated Red and White layouts.

Past champions include two-time PGA TOUR winner Jake Knapp (2022), Yi Cao (2023), and Frederik Kjettrup (2024).

For more information, visit the website at www.craguns.com.

Jeff Diamond, On Tour Golf, Repurposed Golf and Tennis Products

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Rick talks to the very unique, Jeff Diamond this week. Jeff owns On Tour Golf.

Diamond has been making unique items for the past twenty-plus years, as well as furniture and other functional items from recycled golf clubs with no end in sight. His creations, are the only ones like it in the world and all made in America. Jack Nicklaus, one of the most famous golfers ever, has Jeff’s Big Turtle sculpture in his collection.

Jeff has successfully exhibited at major trade shows across the country including Atlanta and Las Vegas. Jeff also exhibits every year in Augusta, Georgia during the Masters golf tournament and a few years ago sold an 8 foot diameter sphere, sculptured completely from recycled golf club heads, for $30,000.00. Of course most of his unique products are priced for the general public to enjoy. So let’s “play through” and view a sampling of his great works!

Jeff is now venturing into the tennis world, recycling vintage wooden rackets into tables and table lamps.

Steve Mays, Founders Group International President

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FGI president Steve Mays joins Rick this week.

FGI is Myrtle Beach’s largest ownership group with 21 golf courses and Mays has led the company’s push to renovate its courses to ensure a great vacation experience.

Pine Lakes, Grande Dunes, Pawleys Plantation and King’s North at Myrtle Beach National are among the 11 FGI courses that have enjoyed significant capital improvement

Steve has made reinvesting in golf courses a major FGI priority. King’s North follows Pawleys Plantation, Grande Dunes, Pine Lakes and River Hills in being the beneficiary of renovations in the last three years, and there will be more to come. In all, 11 of FGI’s 21 courses have undergone significant capital improvement projects in the last five years, ensuring they will be able to continue delivering unforgettable golf vacation experiences long into the future.

Rick talks to Steve about all of that and more and golf courses and resort stay relevant.

 

 

Greg Wires, Golf Minnesota

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As the 2023 golf season wraps up, Rick is joined this week, by Greg Wires, the owner and publisher of Golf Minnesota.

Golf Minnesota 2023 Digital lists all public golf courses in Minnesota, the Twin Cities and featured courses in western Wisconsin. It provides a wealth of golf resources. The handy directory contains maps and phone numbers to find your golf retreat and reserve your tee time.

This is our 28th Edition as they celebrate our partners through the years. Enjoy the reading.

Topics:

Minnesota golf

Going digital

Weather

Golf community

Rivalry with Wisconsin

What’s to come?

See more at www.golfminnesota.com.

 

 

Greg Sabella, Uneekor, Vice President of Marketing

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The leader in golf simulation technologies has just unveiled an exclusive limited-time promotion aimed at making golf more accessible and enjoyable for enthusiasts of all levels with their MORE GOLF campaign. Uneekor is offering discounts on their full lineup of launch monitors with savings up to $3000!

“EVN More Golf!” along with the release of the groundbreaking Balance Optix® hitting mat and some incredible promotional offers.

As part of this campaign, from today until November 8, 2023, customers can elevate their golf experience with the EYE XO2 + NEW Performance Optix Bundle. With the purchase of an EYE XO2 or EYE XO2 SimKit, receive the Performance Optix bundle worth $2,700. This package includes two Swing Optix cameras and the revolutionary Balance Optix mat, which measures weight distribution and shift throughout your swing. Also part of this campaign, take advantage of an exclusive $500 promotional code for use at Evnroll Putters with the purchase of select launch monitors.

Greg Sabella started on May 22, 2023 as the new Vice President of Marketing. Greg started his career with Callaway Golf where he spent 17 years in sales and marketing, including roles as Director of Marketing for Metal Woods and Odyssey Putters. Before joining Uneekor, he led Sales & Marketing for Blast Motion (Golf) in Carlsbad, California. Greg will lead Uneekor’s strategic efforts in Marketing, continue to build out the marketing team and work closely with the Sales team and other departments. Greg lives in Carlsbad, CA with his family.

Jeehae Lee, Founder & CEO of Sportsbox.ai

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Jeehae Lee joins Rick this week.

Jeehae Lee is a former professional golfer on the LPGA Tour and an executive in the sports media entertainment industry. As the Founder & CEO of Sportsbox.ai, Jeehae is building products using 3D motion analysis technology that will transform the way people learn and improve skills in sports, starting with golf.

Prior to founding Sportsbox, she led strategy and new business development for various divisions at Topgolf, including Toptracer. Jeehae has a BA in Economics from Yale and an MBA from The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania.

She won two Ivy League championships at Yale, earned her LPGA Tour card on her first try, served as Michelle Wie West’s business manager, earned an MBA from Wharton and led business development and growth for Topgolf’s Toptracer brand.

In late 2020, Lee left Topgolf to become CEO and co-founder of Sportsbox AI, a company that uses a single smartphone video to provide golfers with 3D motion capture data. The startup recently raised a $5.5 million seed round and attracted a host of world-renowned coaches as advisers and investors, including David Leadbetter, Sean Foley, Mike Adams and Terry Rowles. “Jeehae is incredibly impressive,” said Foley, an instructor who coaches Justin Rose.

Sports and technology are fields historically dominated by men. Though Lee acknowledged that she has benefited from the credibility of having been a pro athlete, she still recalled attending “so many meetings” at which she was the only woman and the only person under the age of 50. At Sportsbox, however, women make up half of the cap table, including Wie West, fellow LPGA Tour players Marina Alex and Mel Reid, and media entrepreneur Randi Zuckerberg.

Great insight on Sportsbox.ai and more!