March 14, 2011 – The MGA, along with hundreds of other industry exhibitors, will be present at the final Met Area golf show of the season, the Long Island Golf Show, to be held Friday through Sunday, March 25-27.
If we want to renew our struggling game, we have to play to its strengths
(This column first appeared in the February 21, 2011 issue of Sports Illustrated/Golf Plus. Used with permission.)
March 2, 2011 – The United States Golf Association has named Mike Davis as its new executive director. Davis has been with the USGA since 1990, most recently as the Senior Director of Rules & Competitions, and succeeds Met Area native David Fay, who retired in December after 21 years at the helm of the world’s most influential golf organization.
February 28, 2011 – Johnson Wagner, one of the most successful players in MGA history, won his second career PGA Tour event at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Wagner, who won the 2008 Shell Houston Open in his rookie season on the PGA Tour, shot a bogey-free final-round 67. Wagner’s par putt on the 18th hole forced a playoff with Spencer Levin, who was the clubhouse leader at 17-under 267. Full results
February 23, 2011 – Bronx, N.Y., native Paul Spano, a participant in The First Tee of Metropolitan New York (TFTMNY), was named the first-ever recipient of The First Tee’s Outstanding Participant Award during The First Tee Biennial Network Meeting, held last week in San Antonio, Texas. The award was presented during a gala event in front of more than 600 chapter executive directors, program directors, coaches and volunteer board members from First Tee chapters around the country.
February 22, 2011 – In a change of policy from 2010, the USGA announced that the condition of competition regarding grooves will now apply to all qualifiers for the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open. The condition, set forth by the USGA and added to the Rules of Golf in 2010, had previously applied only to sectional qualifying for all three Open championships.
February 11, 2011 - (Elmsford, N.Y.) With a little winter magic left, TaylorMade is planning to “white-out” New York City on February 15 as part of the launch of their new R11 and Burner SuperFast 2.0 drivers, which feature white clubheads. The company is building a driving range on East 54th Street between 3rd and Lexington avenues, and the street will be covered with manmade snow to enhance the white-out experience, which will run from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
February 2, 2011 - Elmsford, N.Y. For the third consecutive year, The Met Golfer was honored by the International Network of Golf (ING) with multiple awards for editorial excellence. At the ING’s 18th Media Awards, presented on January 27th at the PGA merchandise Show in Orlando, two writers won first place: Jimmy Roberts for his opinion piece “Winter of Discontent” (February/March 2010), and Scott Kramer for his equipment story entitled “The New Ball Game” (August/September 2010).