Arizona Golf News

On the golf course, a few feet can be the difference between finding a hazard and landing in a safe spot with a good angle to attack the pin, and club selection is often an integral component in reducing distances to the cup if you're able to find the putting surface.

GreenFinder Golf GPS , a system that utilizes already-exisiting global positioning systems on your iPhone or Blackberry to calculate the distance from the golfer to various targets on the course, is a simple, convenient and affordable way to improve your golf game by having the right club in your hand and the information necessary to make the right play.

The 6th Annual Mesa Thunderbird Golf Tournament will take place at Club West Golf Club on Friday, May 1, 2009. The Shotgun start will begin at promptly 7:30 am.

Proceeds from this well-attended event will benefit the Thunderbirds football program, long considered one of the state’s top squads.

Cost for the event is just $120 per person, and includes golf, cart with GPS, practice range usage and a tasty lunch after the round. Many sponsorship opportunities exist as well.

PHOENIX - The Thunderbirds, FBR and the PGA Tour announced today that they would begin the transition process toward securing a new title sponsor of the FBR Open in 2011. It was agreed that all parties would benefit from beginning the search process for a new title sponsor as soon as possible. As per the terms of their sponsorship agreement, FBR will continue as the title sponsor through the 2010 tournament.

"FBR has been the finest partner a tournament could ask for," said Tim Louis, Big Chief of The Thunderbirds, hosts of the FBR Open. "Together, we have become the leader in charitable giving on the PGA Tour. While we are extremely disappointed we need to find a new sponsor, we are pleased that we were able to work out a plan that gives us a reasonable timeframe to replace FBR with as little impact or disruption as possible. When FBR told us of their decision not to continue beyond 2010, we concluded that this early transitional strategy made the most sense for everyone involved." 

Tiger Woods will make his return to competitive golf at the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship, Feb. 23 - March 1, at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, after knee surgery caused him to miss eight months of competition. Woods will be part of a field that is expected to feature the top 64 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, including Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson. The top 64 from the World Ranking released on Feb. 16 have until 5 p.m. ET tomorrow (Feb. 20) to officially commit to the tournament. Brackets will be released on Sunday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. ET, when they become official.

"Elin and our new son Charlie are doing great," Woods wrote on his Web site. "I've enjoyed my time at home with the family and appreciate everyone's support and kind wishes.
 

Tournament officials are pleased to announce that the Hagen Club ticket packages have sold out for the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, in Marana, Ariz., on Feb. 23 - March 1. However, there are a limited number of daily, weekly and Canyon Club tickets remaining as the tournament approaches.

“Fans are showing a great deal of excitement and anticipation for this year’s event,” said Tucson Conquistadores Executive Director Judy McDermott. “With the first tee time a week away, fans should get their tickets now to see the greatest players in the world at a brand new venue. Fans should also remember that in the end, proceeds from their ticket purchase and this tournament go right back to charity and help many worthwhile youth charities in Southern Arizona.” 

OB Sports Director of Sales and Marketing, Kris Strauss will be a featured speaker at 2009 Golf Inc Conference. Strauss will be speaking at the seminar titled “Cutting Edge Marketing Ideas” detailing new ideas, marketing tools and industry best practices. Kris Strauss is a featured panelist for this seminar along with Cathy Harbin of Golf 20/20, Mike Loustalot from Golf Channel Solutions and Brian Gaines of ClubGains.

As the corporate Director of Sales and Marketing for Scottsdale-based OB Sports Golf Management, Strauss is responsible for creating group sales, public relations, brand development, promotional activities, internet marketing strategies and advertising initiatives. Kris has over a decade of experience selling and marketing upscale resort, daily fee golf facilities and private clubs throughout the United States and Mexico. He is a frequent speaker at Golf Inc Conferences and was honored with Golf Inc's Marketing Excellence award for OB Sports' 2005 for multi-course marketing campaign. Recently, Kris was recognized by the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) with their national "Media Leader award" for 2007.

Scottsdale-based OB Sports Golf Management announces the selection of We Ko Pa Golf Club, Sandia Golf Club and The Legacy Golf Club to GolfWorld’s prestigious list of “The 100 Best Golf Shops in America.”

This year marks the fifth time for We-Ko-Pa (located in Fort McDowell, Ariz.) and the third time that both The Legacy (located in Henderson, Nev.) and Sandia Golf Club (located in Albuquerque, N.M.) have been selected and as one of “The 100 Best Golf Shops in America,”.

Each club submitted an application that included descriptions of sales initiatives, successful promotions and steps that were taken to overcome their largest challenge during the 2008 golf season. A detailed financial report was submitted to reflect annual revenue. The facilities also defined how they applied effective marketing practices to maximize revenue. Lastly, six photos were included to showcase the merchandise displays and overall layout within the golf shops.

Mobil Travel Guide designated The Spa at Omni Tucson National Resort as an outstanding establishment, offering guests and locals a truly exceptional level of luxury and service. This rejuvenating sanctuary has been recognized as the only spa in Tucson and one of only 95 hotel and resort spas in the United States and Canada to achieve a Mobil Four-Star award this year.

The Spa accompanies the Alvadora Spa at Royal Palms, The Centre for Well-Being at the Phoenician, The Sanctuary Spa at Camelback Mountain, The Spa at Four Seasons Troon, The Aji at Sheraton Wild Horse Pass and the Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in this achievement.

A star-studded field representing the top-ranked golfers in the world will be the first to test the newest Jack Nicklaus Signature course, the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain, when the 7,800-yard layout hosts the World Golf Championships Accenture Match Play Championship Feb. 25 - March 1.

"We have the top 64 players in the world based on the World Golf Rankings, and I believe that that would represent arguably the best field in all of the golf," said Accenture Executive Director, Wade Dunagan at the event's media day. 

In his 22^nd appearance at the FBR Open at TPC Scottsdale, an event known for its youthful, boisterous and loose galleries, 48-year-old Kenny Perry finally worked his way into the winner's circle and catapulted himself into the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings.

With a 22-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole, Perry outlasted a game Charley Hoffman to pick up his 13^th career PGA Tour victory and a check for more than $1 million dollars.