By John Craig

Nearly everyone associated with the golf business had one spot on their mind in late January: Orlando,  Florida, site of the 57^th Annual PGA Merchandise Show.

There were more than 1,000 vendors, over 40,000 golf business professionals, exhibits from golf manufacturers, leaders in the industry, seminars and new golf employment ideas launched as 2010 gets going. The show ran January 28-30 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

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 Editor’s note: The following is the third of three stories on the USGA Museum in Far Hills, NJ.

FAR HILLS, NJ – Have you ever wondered what the air temperature does to the golf balls and sticks in the trunk of your car? Would you ever want to swing 2,500 clubs each year?  How about testing shoes, tees, or anything else that a golfer carries?

That’s what they study at the USGA’s Testing Center, part of the tour at the USGA Museum in central New Jersey.

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Editor’s note: This is the second of three stories on the USGA Museum in Far Hills, NJ. 

FAR HILLS, NJ –  On a random day, you can find a meeting of a state golf association, an average golfer and his wife from California who made a side trip, and even members of the “Red Hat Society” walking the halls of the USGA Museum.

“Our trip started out real small and it just grew and grew and grew,” said Clara Farris, who is not a golfer. “He took me golfing one time and I did divots all over the golf course and said ‘that’s it.’”

 Clara and husband Jack of Fullerton, CA were planning their first-ever trip to New York City and it expanded – to Philadelphia, Lancaster, Gettysburg and the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. Jack was in the Air Force.  Since Jack pays his dues to the USGA each year, he suggested they make a trip to the new Museum and they spent the day.

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 Editor’s note: The following is the first of three stories on the USGA Museum in Far Hills, NJ.

FAR HILLS, NJ – We’ve all seen the footage, and if you haven’t, they have it – and now they have the visor, too. Arnold Palmer flung his red visor high into the air and never gave it a second thought after his final putt dropped on the final day to win his only U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club in 1960.

Palmer, who turned 80 September 10^th, shot a final round 65 that day in Colorado to erase a seven-stroke deficit. It was, and still is, the greatest comeback in U.S. Open history. Palmer made the three-foot put and, when he tossed his visor in the air, it wound up near a rope line.

As everyone walked away, an 11-year old boy named Skip was urged to grab it. Skip had a good spot to watch history, he was the nephew of Cherry Hills club pro Ralph “Rip” Arnold.

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The annual NKF Golf Classic, the nation’s premiere amateur golf event for charity will be held on September 14th at Saratoga National. The two top local teams from this tournament are invited to play in the National Championship, a four-day tournament conducted over the famed Pebble each Golf Links, The Links at Spanish Bay, Poppy Hills and Del Monte. Attached is more information about the tournament and a registration form.

Some interesting facts.

• More than 26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease (CKD) and millions more are at risk.
• Most Americans don’t know there’s a link between high blood pressure and kidney disease.
• If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, you should get your kidneys checked out.
  Early detection can make a big difference. Uncontrolled or poorly controlled high blood pressure is the primary diagnosis for about 28 percent of the new cases of kidney failure each year, and 25 percent of all cases of kidney failure. It is second only to diabetes as the leading cause of end stage kidney disease – which requires treatment with an artificial kidney (dialyzer) or kidney transplantation to stay alive.
• Many people who need transplants of organs and tissues cannot get them because of a shortage of donations. Every month, more than 2,000 new names are added to the national waiting list for organ transplants, and about 18 people die every day while waiting for an organ transplant in the U.S.

For more information contact:
Alicia Jacobs
Director of Special Events
National Kidney Foundation of Northeast New York
99 Troy Rd. Suite 200. East Greenbush, NY 12061
DIRECT (518) 533-7881 * alicia@nkfneny.org

There is a new term that has crept into golf over the past few years and every time I see it, it scares the heck out of me. When I see the words “high ended public golf course” to describe the facility I’m about to play. I know it means big bucks are about to leave my wallet. Read the rest of this entry »

With each of the 18 holes named for the apples that line the fairway, Orchard Creek Golf Club is a scenic and challenging layout located in Altamont, NY.  Featuring reasonable rates, a friendly and inviting atmosphere, and best of all, a wonderful golf course, Orchard Creek is well worth the short drive to Altamont. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are a want-a-be world golf traveler who has a passport but has yet to pull the trigger on a lavish golf holiday this may be the answer you have been waiting for. There has never been a better time for you and your partner to travel to Europe … you may never see air travel and golf prices at these low prices again. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s not always that I have the opportunity to play three great golf courses in a two week span but when it does, I’m all over it. Read the rest of this entry »

After playing the two Rees Jones course at Foxwoods, I was invited to play Trump National. Read the rest of this entry »