Cyber Monday is today, Monday, Decemeber 2nd and there are many deals on golf apparel and equipment available online today. Here are some highlights:
Amazon is running its Cyber Monday Deals Week event.
The event includes discounts on golf balls, clubs, golf carts and more. You can find the deals here.
Golf Galaxy is offering 20% off with coupon CYBERMONDAY
Golfsmith is offering 20% off orders of $99 or more, plus free shipping, for Cyber Monday. They
are also offering savings on TaylorMade and 65% off select shoes and apparel.
Jack Nicklaus is introducing his own line of golf balls. The collection features three golf balls: Nicklaus Black, Nicklaus Blue, and Nicklaus White. The balls were designed to accommodate three skill levels of player. The golf balls are initially being sold at nicklaus.com. They will also be sold in the shops at 200 Nicklaus Design courses. A percentage from every golf ball sold in the shops will be donated to the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation.
Jack Nicklaus said in a statement, "We all know that the game of golf can be challenging enough, so we are trying to simplify the decision-making process of selecting the right golf ball and at the same time provide consumers the highest-quality golf balls and at a price that encourages charitable support. By buying these balls, players will get the added benefit of supporting these wonderful charities that help children in need as well as the families that dearly love them. The idea of creating three balls corresponds to the teeing areas golfers typically play. The Nicklaus White ball is designed for the players who might typically play the forward or white tees. Nicklaus Blue is designed for players who would typically play the middle or blue tees. And, finally, Nicklaus Black is designed for the single-digit or better golfer who generally plays from the back tees."
Tiger Woods has been named PGA Player of the Year. This is his 11th time being voted PGA Player of the Year. His wins this year include two World Golf Championships and The Players Championship, but no majors. Tiger's PGA Tour performance stats for 2013 can be found here. Tiger also continues to be one of the top earning athletes in all of sports. CBS Sports reports that he made $7,797 per hole this year.
ESPN senior golf analyst Michael Collins says Woods himself would have rather have won a major his year than his five PGA tour wins. Take a look:
ABC News reports that the first two BW1 Hovercraft golf crafts have been purchased by Windy Knoll Golf Club, a golf club in Springfield, Ohio. The BW1, created by Neoteric Hovercraft, first debuted in a viral video with Bubba Watson and Oakley. The hovercraft golf carts cost $58,000. Engadget says they are powered by 65-hp twin-cylinder Hirth engines. They leave a much smaller footprint on a course than a regular golf cart and can travel over water. The hovercraft golf cart is also being sold here on Hammacher Schlemmer for $58,000.
Here is the original viral video and the video from ABC News of the BW1 in operation at Windy Knoll Golf Club. ABC News says the course will charge $175 for one round with the hovercraft and a pilot. Take a look:
Mercedes-Benz has designed a luxury golf cart. The golf cart is called the Mercedes-Benz Vision Golf Cart. The New York Daily Newsreports that some of the features of the cart include a flexible solar panel, golf bag storage, umbrella storage, iPad/iPhone docking station, touch screen monitors and joystick controls. The vehicle was designed by Gordon Wagener, head of design for Mercedes-Benz. The auto company also reviewed suggestions submitted by golf fans to decide what features to put in the golf cart. CNET has some diagrams of the golf cart's features here.
Mutual of Omaha Installs Giant Golfer Statue at Headquarters
Mutual of Omaha installed a giant 12-foot-tall likeness of golfer Fred Funk on the grounds of its headquarters complex. The statue illustrates Funk's win in the 2009 U.S. Senior Open. Funk is depicted on a putting green with a leader board in the background. The statue was designed by VEE Corp. of Minneapolis.
The U.S. Senior Open will be played July 11-14 at the Omaha Country Club. Funk will attempt to repeat his 2009 victory in this year's championship. The statue will be on display at Mutual's Omaha headquarters through the tournament.
Rory McIlroy battles a golf playing robot is this amusing promotional video for the European Tour. The robot is described as a Golf Laboratory Computer Controlled Hitting Machine. The robot seems to be as much about trash talking as it is about hitting the ball. Take a look:
Waitt Company announced it has reached an agreement to acquire all operating assets of the Bobby Jones brand from W-Diamond Group Corporation. The Jones family and the W-Diamond Group Corporation have also agreed to provide Waitt Company a long-term license for the exclusive use of the Bobby Jones brand globally for apparel, golf equipment and related products and accessories.
Bobby Jones is recognized as one of the greatest golfers in the history of the sport. Waitt Company will operate the Bobby Jones business under a newly formed affiliate, Jones Global Sports
Dana Bradford, CEO of Waitt Company, says, "We are humbled by the trust the heirs of Bobby Jones are putting in us to protect and expand this premium brand globally in a manner consistent with the legacy of Bobby Jones. We look forward to moving the Bobby Jones brand forward in partnership with management. Andy Bell, Jesse Ortiz and the entire team have a tremendous passion for golf and pride in the Bobby Jones brand, and we are honored to be partnered with them."
Purgatory Golf Club co-owner and photographer Tenna Merchent has published a book, More Heaven than Hell, about the golf course located on 220 acres of rolling farm land outside Noblesville, Indiana. The course has been described by Golf Digest as "more heaven than hell." The 18-hole course boasts six sets of tees, that range in length from 4,562 yards to 7,754 feet.
The book is available in two versions: a free iPad version available here and a $4.99 iPad version available here. The book includes chapters dedicated to each hole at Purgatory Golf Club, with names such as Stains of the Inferno (par 4, 2nd hole), Everlasting Torment (par 5, 13th hole), and Hell's Half Acre (par 3, 17th hole). The paid version of the book includes flyover video and interactive element.
Lucas Glover currently has a 2 stroke lead at the Zurich Classic in Arizona. There was one unusual incident when an alligator decided to talk a walk on the fairway. The alligator was 12-feet long, but had only three legs so it likely could not run as fast as normal gators. The alligator came right next to a man on a golf cart and stopped for a rest. The alligator's nickname is Tripod. Take a look:
Sergio Garcia Hits Ball Off Tree Limb at Arnold Palmer Invitational
Sergio Garcia's ball ended up in a tree at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida. Garcia decided to play the ball. He climbed the tree and somehow managed to hit the ball back on to the fairway from a tree limb. Garcia ended up with a double bogey on the hole. Unfortunately, he also injured his shoulder by taking the unorthodox shot from the tree and later withdrew from the final round. Take a look:
Here is a bizarre golfing story. Mark Mihal, a golfer in Illinois and founder of golfmanna, was swallowed by a sudden sinkhole on the golf course in Waterloo, Illinois. The sinkhole was 18 feet deep and about ten feet wide. Mihal dislocated his shoulder in the accident, but survived after a friend helped pull him to safety.
Lori Mihal tells the story of her husband's fall into the hole here on golfmanna.
Mark has always been claustrophobic. He was beginning to panic and was in shock; he was also in excruciating pain. The clubhouse respondents brought a 12-foot ladder, which they put down the side of the hole and propped on a mound of mud within it. However, Mark was another six feet below that level and had dislocated his shoulder during the fall; he only had the use of one arm and couldn't pull himself up to the ladder.
Lori says the fall reminded her of a scene in Space Jam when Michael Jordan suddenly vanished into the ground while golfing. Hopefully, the course will be thoroughly inspected for any other weak spots in the ground that could catch golfers by surprise. Here is CNN's report on the incident. Take a look:
Media Backlash Over President Obama's Golf Outing With Tiger Woods
President Obama went on a golf outing with Tiger Woods last weekend. The media was shut out of the golf event and they were not happy about it. No pictures were allowed. Maybe the President just did not want the media to see Woods embarrassing him on the golf course. There is also a backlash because Obama is staying at a golf resort called The Floridian, which CNN says is an invite-only club that costs $25,000 to join and $12,000 in annual dues. Take a look:
Oakley, Inc. announced the addition of Bubba Watson to its roster of professional golfers. Watson is wearing Oakley Performance Golf Apparel in the photographs.
Watson said in a statement, "Oakley gets it. I'm proud to join their family because they love the game and they never stop pushing technology to make the game better. Whatever they can do - whatever can be done - Oakley will do it. I respect that. Oakley has the kind of attitude I connect with. It's about keeping it fun but staying locked-in on achieving the best, even when it means taking chances. Oakley doesn't get bogged down with the kind of thinking everybody else is stuck on. They respect the game as much as I do, and they take good care of their family. That's why I'm happy to join them."
Augusta National Golf Club Admits First Two Women: Darla Moore and Condoleezza Rice
The Augusta National Golf Club has admitted its first two women members. They are former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina businesswoman Darla Moore. Augusta says the women will be presented with their green jackets women the club opens this fall.
Augusta National and Masters Tournament chairman Billy Payne said in a statement, "This is a joyous occasion as we enthusiastically welcome Secretary Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore as members of Augusta National Golf Club."
The Wall Street Journal's Wendy Bounds talks to golf columnist John Paul Newport about the historical change. Newport said it is "big news" and "great news" for golf in nearly everyone's eyes. He also says it was long overdue. Take a look:
