Toronto, Ont. – Last month, participants of the Audi Night Golf Experience descended upon Lambton Golf and Country Club for a chance to test their golf skills under the lights. The event also featured food, music, special guest appearances, and premium prizing from Golf Canada partners Titleist and Audi Canada.

The competition featured four distinct challenges involving a longest drive challenge, chipping and putting challenges, and a closest-to-the-hole challenge. Attendees were also presented with an opportunity to meet PGA Tour star Corey Conners who was on hand to greet guests, take photos, and give a demonstration.

Scenes from the Audi Night Golf Experience ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/2riyLup1hO

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) October 18, 2021

Audi has been successfully involved with golf on a global scale for over two decades in its hosting of the Audi quattro Cup. In 2019, Golf Canada and Audi Canada announced a multi-year integrated partnership with a collective focus to drive excellence in the Canadian golf landscape. The luxury automotive brand also serves as the exclusive Premier Automotive Partner for Canada’s National Open Championships—the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open—as well as the Official Automotive Partner of Golf Canada’s National Team Program.

An additional two Canadian stops were held earlier in the month at Point Grey Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, B.C, and Club de Golf le Mirage in Montreal, Que. Over the course of the three events, 100 contest winners were treated to the Audi Night Golf Experience along with their guests.

CALEDON, ONT. – The Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) have announced Garry McKay as recipient of its Dick Grimm Award for 2021. 
 
The announcement was made Monday, October 4^th as part of GJAC’s Annual General Meeting and Golf Day, which was held at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont. 
 
A committee of past GJAC presidents selected McKay, a Hamilton native, in recognition of his contributions to the Canadian golf-media landscape during a remarkable career spanning four decades. 
 
“Garry personifies the Dick Grimm Award with the contribution he’s made to Canadian golf for more than 40 years,” said GJAC president, Rick Young. “His career as a journalist, one that still continues today, is steeped in professionalism and his dedication to volunteering is a model for leaving the game better than you found it. Dick would be thrilled knowing Garry has joined the GJAC’s elite list of Dick Grimm Award recipients.” 

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Honoured Member, Dick Grimm, also known as ‘Mr. Canadian Open’, serves as namesake for the association’s highest honour.  
 
“I was quite surprised and deeply honoured to be named this year’s Dick Grimm Award winner by the Golf Journalists Association of Canada,” said McKay. “I have always said that you meet the nicest people in golf, either playing it, covering it or volunteering in it. Any success I’ve had is because of the people I’ve met along the journey.”

Decorated for his journalistic efforts, Mckay began his career in radio before transitioning to write for SCOREGolf, Golf Canada, Pro Shop Magazine, Ontario Golf, the Hamilton Spectator and various publications in the United States and Germany. 

A multi-sport journalist, he would also receive the James H. Ellery Memorial Award from the American Hockey League, three media awards for provincial gymnastics, a SCOREGolf award in 1981 and was honoured by the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame with the Lorne Rubenstien Award in 2015. 

McKay’s contributions to the game go far beyond his many awards and accolades and speak to a generous commitment to growing and honouring the sport. He has previously served on selection committees for the World Golf Hall of Fame, PGA of Canada Hall of Fame, Ontario Golf Hall of Fame, and currently sits on the selection committee for the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. 

Additionally, he has also contributed to Golf Canada’s Heritage Committee, acted as director of the Stanley Thompson Society and became one of the founding directors of the Hamilton Halton Junior Golf Tour, where he’s continued his involvement since 1984 and has elected to make the donation the award comes with out to. 

Honoured to introduce @GJ_AC 2021 Dick Grimm Award recipient @GarryMcKay5 pic.twitter.com/97RYhd2Cav

— Rick Young (@YoungerGolf) October 5, 2021

Garry Mckay continues to be a pillar of the Golf Journalists association where he is one of the seven founding directors. He has served the organization in previous capacities as president, secretary/treasurer and long-time board member. He currently holds office as advisor to the board while continuing his 43-year career as a sports journalist. 

Past Dick Grimm award winners 

• Kim Locke (2020)
• Doug Carrick & Tom McBroom (2019)
• Lorie Kane (2018)
• John Gordan (2017)
• Marlene Stewart Streit (2016)
• Lorne Rubenstein (2015)
• Jocelyne Bourassa (2014)
• Bob Weeks (2013)
• Sandra Post (2012)
• Jim Barclay (2011)
• Dick Grimm (2010)

About the Golf Journalists Association of Canada:
Established in 2006, the purpose of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) is to encourage and promote golf journalism in Canada, recognize excellence in Canadian golf and golf journalism through annual awards, bring together golf journalists from across the country to share ideas and common interests, and develop better media relations between the Association’s membership and various golf associations, sponsors and golf companies across Canada.

The company’s latest Launch Monitor provides uncompromising accuracy and performance both indoors and outdoors, at a price that puts a Foresight Sports Launch Monitor in reach of every golfer now more than ever.

More than a decade after the debut of its GC2 – the launch monitor now known as the market’s all-time best-selling performance technology – Industry leader Foresight Sports has just released this legendary product’s successor; the GC3.

This newest addition to the Game Changer (GC) family of technology will allow more golfers to access the unparalleled data accuracy and true-to-life simulation that only Foresight Sports is recognized for.

Built on the same advanced photometric technology found in the company’s Tour-Dominating flagship launch monitor, the GCQuad, the new GC3 features a three-camera system that delivers ball and club performance data, both indoors and outdoors, with industry-leading precision.

According to Foresight Sports Canada’s Director Aaron Hardy, the GC3 answers a long-awaited need in the golf industry – making the highest-level performance, gaming and entertainment within reach of all golfers. “The GC3 was designed from the start to fill the space between our original ball data-only GC2and the unmatched data insight of our GCQuad. It delivers the essential ball and club data players need to reliably improve their game and empower a true-to-life virtual golf experience. No other product on the market comes close to delivering this range of options – nor the level of indoor and outdoor accuracy – at this price.”

The purchase of a GC3 includes FSX 2020 & FSX Pro Software, 20 Standard Courses, the FSX performance app and exclusive first-time access to the Beta version of the yet-to-be-released FSX Play Software (expected early 2022).

The GC3 will also be available with all styles of Foresight Sports Canada’s SIM-IN-A-BOX collection and the BackYard series; you can extend the Canadian golf season from 4 months to the whole year.

We are expecting a high demand for the GC3; Foresight Sports Canada suggests that anyone interested in purchasing a unit in 2021 should contact them as soon as possible to be added to the waitlist.

To learn more about the GC3 or to sign up for the waitlist, CLICK HERE.

For further information, please get in touch with Jim Hill at jim@foresightsports.ca

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. – Inspired by the putters he has made for major winners and champions on the worldwide professional golf tours, Scotty Cameron has re-imagined one of his most iconic designs to create three new models called Champions Choice. Crafted in a limited run to be released this summer, the new putters bring the sleek, tour-proven shapes of the Special Select family of putters together with an integrated Teryllium insert and Scotty Cameron’s revered “Button Back” setup, as well as unique graphics and accessories celebrating the history of winning with Scotty Cameron putters.

In select Titleist golf shops worldwide beginning Friday, August 6, the new Champions Choice putters will be offered in three models: Newport Button Back, Newport 2 Button Back (also available in left-handed) and Flowback 5.5 Button Back. Each putter features a solid milled 303 stainless steel body with a soft Teryllium inlay fused together with the iconic button head machine screws and modern vibration dampening technology.

The ticket ballot for The 150th Open has opened today, giving golf fans around the world the opportunity to secure a ticket for the historic Championship.

The 150th Open, taking place from 10-17 July 2022 in St Andrews, is set to be a true celebration of golf and the long history of golf’s original championship, as well as the many great champions who have lifted the iconic Claret Jug.

With record-breaking levels of demand anticipated for the milestone Championship at the Home of Golf, the ballot was introduced to provide the fairest way for golf fans of all generations to obtain tickets.

The ticket ballot will run until Monday, 4 October and give fans plenty of time to register their interest in tickets. A balance of allocations will ensure fans from near and far will be able to attend the celebrations in St Andrews next summer. Fans will find out the results of the ticket ballot by the end of November 2021.

The ticket ballot is available exclusively to members of The One Club, the free-to-join membership programme. Members who have already registered their interest for the ballot can now apply for tickets. Fans can still sign up at any time via www.TheOpen.com and apply for tickets.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are looking forward to a very special occasion in golf next year with The 150th Open being played at the birthplace of the game in St Andrews. We will be celebrating one of the most prestigious and renowned events in the sporting calendar and will be welcoming some of its greatest champions past and present.

“The ticket ballot gives as many fans as possible the chance to be part of this fantastic Championship and make it an occasion to remember.”

Ticket prices for The 150th Open will be £95 for an adult on Championship Days and will range from £20 to £50 on practice days. The R&A is fully committed to encouraging more children and young people to attend The Open and free tickets will be available to children through the successful and long-running Kids go Free programme, while half-price youth tickets are available for 16-24 year-olds. In order to give as many people as possible the chance to attend the Championship, weekly tickets are being discontinued.

Hospitality for the Championship has been on sale since last year, with 90% of packages already sold. The remaining Origins Hospitality, incorporating a range of fully inclusive experiences, is available to purchase now and is the only way fans can guarantee their place at the Championship. Visit www.TheOpen.com/hospitality2022 for further information.

Last month, The R&A launched the new 150th commemorative brand which will be displayed across a campaign of content and activations that will run throughout the next year until the conclusion of next year’s Championship at St Andrews.

The focus of the campaign is the remarkable journey of The Open and its enduring impact on players, fans and the sport of golf itself since it was first staged back in 1860, emphasising the campaign’s central message that ‘everything has led to this’ as we count down to what promises to be a truly unforgettable occasion.

For more information on The 150th Open or to sign up to The One Club and enter the ticket ballot, visit www.TheOpen.com.

Titleist has been an iconic brand in golf for decades now but with its 2021 line-up it’s showing no signs of slowing down.  

The brand – whose national fitting headquarters is located at Eagles Nest Golf Club, just north of Toronto – is the official equipment sponsor of not only the national team program, but also of the National Amateur Championships and the NextGen programs. 

“Trust is earned over time and really, at the heart of it, is performance. Our mission is to help golfers perform better,” says Brett Porath, the director of Club Fitting for Titleist. “That’s all through the design process, the fitting process… just trying to see how we can help a golfer hit it longer, hit it straighter, and score lower. 

“We’re coming up on 100 years in golf, and that’s just the singular focus: how can we help you get better?” 

Titleist’s line-up of gear – from drivers through to golf balls – have all been engineered and tested to get the best out of the people who decide to put them in play. New for 2021 is a rock-solid line of gear that, from tee to green, gives golfers an opportunity to feel better with their games. 

Not only that, but there are some special additions to Titleist’s off-course luggage line that, when we’re able to travel again, will make a welcome inclusion to anyone’s closet. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Titleist’s gear for 2021 ?

THE NO.1 BALL IN GOLF

You really can’t start talking about Titleist without mentioning it’s golf-ball line first – it’s been the top ball in golf for a number of years for a reason, specifically the Pro V1 and Pro V1x. 

The changes made to the 2021 Pro V1 and Pro V1x, per Frederick Waddell, the senior manager of golf ball management for Titleist, are worth being excited about. There is a new dimple pattern, softer cover technology, new casing-layer material, and a re-formulated core. 

“All of these things are working in concert to deliver longer distance, more short-game spin and control and softer feel for every golfer,” says Waddell. “Long distance off the tee, everyone wants that. And (the balls) deliver that. But with control into and around the green, too.”

While Titleist as a handful of other balls in their line suited for players of all levels – and conscious of all budgets – and even in some fun colours there is a “specific reason” for each to exist, Waddell says. 

“We know for some golfers… we know they’re not going to spend a certain amount of money or they are looking for something very specific for an attributes standpoint, so we have other models,” says Waddell.

“But anyone that’s looking to play their best regardless of swing speed or skill level should play one of those golf balls.” 

No matter the ball a golfer selects, getting fit for the right one is something that’s not often thought about – but definitely worth taking the time to do according to Michael Rich, the senior manager of golf ball fitting.  

Rich suggests that no matter where a golfer lands with their fitting, once they’ve found a golf ball that works for them then playing it consistently is key. A golf ball is the only thing that every single golfer is going to use for every single shot of every single shot and having that dialed in is going to help you play better. 

“By eliminating that variable from your game it’s going to help you be more confident and shoot lower scores,” says Rich. “No one wants to put a good swing on the ball and not get the result they think they deserve.

TAKE IT LONG WITH TSI

Although golfers mostly associate Titleist with golf balls, its line of clubs has not-so-quietly become some of the most played on major Tours around the world – and trusted by more weekend golfers, too. 

Josh Talge, the vice president of marketing for Titleist golf clubs, admits that his team as a lot to live up to when it comes to reputation thanks to the golf-ball team, but it’s a great challenge for him. 

The team has been built over the last decade and now boasts over 70 people – many of them with PhD’s or advanced degrees in mathematics. Titleist leans into that next-level knowledge to make the best clubs it can. 

For 2021, the big story for Titleist is with its line of woods, the TSi. TS, the previous line, was a huge step forward for the brand a few years ago and the team was even more inspired than ever to drop something even better. 

“It’s faster through the air, longer off the tee, and straighter down the fairway,” says Talge. “It’s kind of those three things that any golfer would be looking for.” 

From weekend warriors to Tour players, the first thing they’ve all done is take the drive and put it down on the ground. Their first thought, Talge says, is, ‘man, this looks good’ and then they start hitting it, Talge says, and all they can say is, ‘wow.’ 

The new TSi line of drivers boasts ATI 425 Aerospace Titanium – a material the team found coming off the de-classified list in the U.S. It was coming out of projects that NASA and the U.S. military were working on, including on the Mars Rover. That special material allows for the new driver (which no other company is using) to be more stable and has allowed Titleist to max out speed and distance. 

As far as options go, there are four in the TSi line – all appropriately numbered as such. There’s a different shape for each and a little bit different performance benefits, Talge says, but the key is to get fit and see which driver is right for you.  

“We believe so deeply in fitting,” says Talge, “and that’s how you’re going to maximize your performance.” 

GET FIT, GET BETTER

Whether it’s getting fit for one of those new TSi drivers or a golf ball, Titleist believes that golfers can get even better when they’ve got the right equipment dialed into their needs. 

The brand is coming up on 100 years, nearly, in the golf space and even though they are using some space-age materials in their clubs, they do go back to the basics when it comes to kicking off a fitting session. 

“It’s that initial conversation and understanding the criteria you need to see what works and what doesn’t. We start with a roadmap and see what we’re trying to do,” says Porath. 

Porath, who has been one of the leads in the club-fitting department at Titleist for a number of years, says it’s a common misconception that golfers aren’t good enough to have a fitting. 

He says that is “absolutely not true.” 

“If you’re starting out the fitting is not going to be as detailed – we won’t try to dial in spin to 100 RPMs – but that’s not the point,” says Porath. “It’s about getting clubs that increase the likelihood of hitting great shots more often and ingraining good habits in your game.” 

There are a good number of options for golfers when they start to lean into Titleist’s line of clubs (and golf balls) but there is a reason for that, Porath explains. The focus is laser-like on performance, and sometimes that means giving golfers a wide selection of tools to maximize success. 

“If we were trying to come out with the simplest, easiest-to-sell line it probably wouldn’t be as broad as it is. But take wedges, if you want to help people score better then you’re going to have different bounces, different grinds, and different options,” says Porath. “There’s an example of our focus on performance. It manifests itself in the products we come out with.”    

GEAR UP 

With your new golf clubs and balls, you’ve got to carry them somewhere, right? 

Luckily Titleist also has a fresh line of golf bags for this year – the new model is called the Players 4 Plus – with four key enhancements.

And don’t think they’re skimping on the details. 

Sean Slater, the senior product manager for Titleist golf gear says they’ve spent a good chunk of time making sure the zippers (yes, the zippers) and pockets are performing their best. 

“You think about a pocket in its simplest form: it’s a zipper and a pouch that closes. But we get into the weeds on the length of the zipper, the curve of the zipper, the location of the zipper, and where it starts and stops,” says Slater. “There is a ton that goes into it.” 

Just like golfers trusting Titleist for the performance of its clubs and balls, the same can be true for its bags. Slater says durability is not something they’ve ever been willing to compromise – even when Titleist entered the ultra-lightweight space in 2020 with the Titleist Ultra Light stand bag. 

And when travel is OK again, don’t ignore Titleist’s new line of professional travel gear – it’s a high-end luggage assort geared to the dedicated golfer is keen to show they are a Titleist brand loyalist off the course. 

With everything Titleist has on offer from clubs, balls, and gear, it’s easy to see why so many Canadians are trusting Titleist to help them look and play their best. 

They are two of the biggest names in golf equipment helping golfers save strokes around the greens for decades – and they both happen to work for Titleist. 

Scotty Cameron and Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Bob Vokey have once again reimagined what it means to design and produce scoring clubs that are chalk full of modern technology and look darn good, too. 

As Canadian golf season continues in the western part of the country and inches ever-closer in parts of the east, it’s worth a reminder that nearly 65 percent of all golf shots are struck from 100 yards and in. 

The question remains, then – when was the last time you got fit for a putter? Or wedges? Or contacted your PGA of Canada pro to have a lesson that was just focused on your short game? 

These are just some questions that both Vokey and Cameron can help answer with their new line of gear for 2021. 

Whether you’re looking for a putter that is Tour-proven and trusted by the best players in the world or a set of wedges that are both aesthetically pleasing and built to help you get the ball closer to the hole, Titleist is there to help you around the greens. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Scotty Cameron and Vokey Wedges for 2021. 

Roll The Rock

Building on the momentum from the Scotty Cameron Phantom X line in 2020 comes four new models of Phantom X putters for 2021. The four Phantom X putters for this year are all mallet-style and boast a precision-milled 303 stainless steel face and a body that is fused with aircraft grade aluminum. That helps with the perimeter weighting – which helps give golfers more forgiveness and stability (and hopefully help make more putts). 

“Scotty, to a lot of people, is known for these beautiful blade putters that he’s refined and dialed-in – in a classic Newport 2 shape – to perfection. That’s what a lot of people think of Scotty Cameron putters, but the ‘X’ stands for ‘experimental,’ says Mike Bradley, the director of marketing for Scotty Cameron Putters. 

“These lines are really fun for him for materials (and) shapes, in ways he can’t do on a Select line which needs to adhere to certain norms and traditions.”

The four putters in the Phantom X line for 2021 include the 5, the 5.5, the 11, and the 11.5. Based on the feedback from some of the best players in the world, the models have light grey and muted black alignment aids and have three options for shafts – either low-bend, mid-bend, or small-slant necks. The Phantom X mallets in 2021 give golfers a choice: either a blade-like feel or face-balanced (straight back, straight through) performance. 

Across the Scotty Cameron line any putter that has a ‘.5’ at the end of the number sequence means Cameron has introduced something in the shaft to encourage toe flip. 

“If players want a blade-like feel, an arching kind of feel then the lower bends/neck are the way to go for. What’s made them popular is PGA Tour guys coming in in recent years saying, ‘hey I like the benefits of a mallet’ but they maybe want to maintain a blade feel,” says Bradley. “So it’s really the best of both worlds.”

By now you are likely aware of Scotty Cameron putters (seeing as a certain 15-time major champion has trusted Scotty Cameron and his magical craftmanship for nearly his entire game-changing career) but what is it that really makes them so good? 

According to Bradley, it’s the details that Cameron himself has such a keen eye for. 

“All these little refinements that add up to performance and just the craftsmanship. He’s taken decades working with the best players in the world and not cutting any corners on the manufacturing of the products,” says Bradley. 

“Putters are extremely personal, and I think there’s a reason why Scotty’s putters stay in people’s bags for as long as they do. It’s not only the craftsmanship but also the attention he puts into those minute details.”

Wedge It Close

There’s a reason why Bob Vokey is one of the most well-respected club builders in the game – and a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. 

“We have an awesome team,” says Vokey Wedges Marketing Director Corey Gerrard, “but it starts with Bob.” 

Indeed, for golfers looking to knock it closer and improve their touch around the greens, Vokey has become a synonymous name with green-side success. 

New for 2020 and expanded for 2021 is the Vokey SM8. It’s been Tour-tested and trusted and is now available in another finish in 2021, Slate Blue (good for a player who is looking for something a little darker, finish-wise, but find the Jet Black finish too dark). 

There are six grinds in the SM8 line-up with grooves that are more durable and maximized for spin and shot control and a centre of gravity that has produced an improved club feel. 

“As you get closer to the green we have more options than ever,” says Gerrard. “(The team) is listening to what Tour players need – not just what they want, but what they need. 

“It’s all about providing (golfers) with the right tools in their toolbox to help them with creativity around the green.” 

With the increased variety in wedge offerings from Vokey, Gerrard says there is no substitute in getting absolutely dialed, just like you would with any other clubs in your set. 

Gerrard calls getting fit for wedges “a no-brainer” and not only that, he says, but you’ll have fun doing it. 

There’s just nothing that feels like a Vokey wedge around the green, and when you get a club that looks and feels great, it inspires confidence on those tricky scoring shots. “They perform. They perform for everyone,” says Gerrard about the main reason why golfers are trusting Vokey wedges. “There is trust around the brand, but when the product performs… that’s the main reason why players keep playing these wedges.” 

(more…)

Team Canada along with activating on site at Golf Canada’s National and Amateur Championships. For this year, here’s a breakdown of some of the key products that FootJoy has to offer. With more Canadians playing more golf than ever in 2020, FootJoy is providing gear to help make every day playable. Be sure to contact your local PGA of Canada professional for fitting and availability, or head to FootJoy’s website to learn more.

SHOES

The first thing golfers will notice about the FootJoy Premiere Series is that it’s an old-school cool vibe about it. But once you look under the hood and understand all the modern technology that goes into the newest shoe line from FootJoy, you can’t help but be wowed.

“It was a really fun project to work on,” says Keith Duffy, a senior product manager at FootJoy. “I’m confident we have the best design and development team in footwear but everyone upped their game a bit. When we started to look back at old catalogues and the footwear we used to release… it’s such a competitive advantage for us, that we have that history. We first started making golf shoes in 1910, and there’s just so much to lean back on.”

Designed and developed in collaboration with many PGA Tour players, the Premiere Series boasts three new upper designs. The Tarlow Collection has a cap toe design, The Packard Collection has a calfskin croc print accent in the saddle area, and The Flint Collection features embossed detailing on the saddle area but is clean otherwise. The shoes are 12 percent lighter than the ones they are replacing in the FootJoy line and boast the new Versatrax+ outsole to help deliver maximum traction. They are available, for both men and women, on March 1st.

“In talking to consumers, and that includes PGA Tour players, members at clubs, or daily-fee players, when they think back on the FootJoy brand, especially those who have been playing golf for a while, everyone always brings up the Classics!” says Duffy.

“People get an emotional response, and everyone just smiles when they talk about the FootJoy classics. We want to make sure that when someone sees (the Premiere Series) for the first time, we get the same kind of emotional reaction.”

From modern traditional to modern-modern, the other new golf shoe option for 2021 from FootJoy is the Hyperflex. Featuring a new BOA fit system called WRAPID, it ensures a dialed-in, precision fit with a reduction in pressure on the top of the foot. It boasts a new foam blend in the cushioning and multiple flex grooves in the outsole to move naturally with your foot. It’s not just a good walking shoe, but it helps to maximize the ground force interaction through every swing.

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“There’s a better connection to the show (with the WRAPID system) and it holds your foot down and closer to the outsole than any other in the footwear category,” says Duffy. “And since the shoe is connected to the ground, it gives you a better connection to the ground as well.”

The only piece of equipment golfers use for every shot, other than the ball, is their footwear. That’s why you see such strong effort put forth by FootJoy every year.

“So many players think of footwear as an extension of their equipment, or as equipment period, and so do we,” says Duffy. “We take it very seriously.”

APPAREL AND OUTERWEAR

Golfers in Canada took the course in record numbers in 2020 partially because many didn’t know if they might have had the game taken away from them, due to COVID-19 restrictions. Golf was played in all kinds of weather a year ago, and FootJoy has produced a solid line of apparel built for all conditions in 2021. There are four key performance outerwear jackets for 2021, all under the Hydroseries line.

“Everything we’re designing and developing at FootJoy is done so with the golfer in mind,” says Chad Crocker, the product manager of FootJoy apparel. “A lot of apparel companies can adapt from their other main focus, whether that’s running or outdoors or basketball or football. They make great products, but they adapt them to golf. Whereas FootJoy, we start with golf and that’s it. It’s focused on that.”

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The HydroTour is designed to withstand the most extreme weather conditions and boasts a new technology called DrySeal – a double collar system that keeps rain out.

“We challenged our designer. ‘That’s just the way it is’ was not acceptable to us,” says Crocker of the ongoing issue with water dripping down the back of a golfer’s neck. “We had to figure out a way to stop that from happening.”

The two-layered collar features a cinch cord on the inside that seals off the elements. It’s also a soft multi-directional stretch fabric (so it’s not too loud or noisy) that has fewer seams. The other pieces FootJoy is releasing include the DryJoys Select LS (the lightest, most waterproof garment FootJoy as ever produced), the HydroKnit (feels like a mid-layer, protects like a rain jacket), and the HydroLite (a 100 percent waterproof piece that also comes in a short-sleeve version).

“The resistance to wearing rain jackets for a long time while playing golf came from the resistance the jacket presented throughout the swing,” says Crocker. “But as we design these garments, it’s imperative there is a full range of motion without any sacrifices.”

GLOVES

For 2021, FootJoy has developed one new glove called the Hyperflx. That new addition compliments two others, making FootJoy the most-worn glove in the game. The Hyperflx boasts superior feel, ultimate breathability, and soft comfort. It was built, according to Zabkar, with athlete construction in mind.

“We wanted to use best-in-class materials to help a golfer with their game. We’re utilizing premium cabretta leather for ultimate breathability, Tour-proven, soft and supple leather, and unmatched softness,” says Zabkar. “It’s the perfect glove for everybody.”

Zabkar says FootJoy quantifies success by showing how many PGA Tour golfers are deciding to wear the product. They’re the ones, he says, week after week trying to make money and are trusting FootJoy gloves to help them notch great results.

The other gloves in FootJoy’s line include the StaSof (which has been the No.1 leather glove in golf since 1983. The current version was released in 2018 and FootJoy leaned on decades of product innovation and testing), and the Pure Touch (“A gift to yourself,” Zabkar says. As it’s the ultimate in soft feel). No matter the product, however, the most important thing to do with gloves – like with shoes or clubs – is to get fit. Zabkar says over 60 percent of all golfers are wearing a glove that is too big for their hand. If you’re wearing a glove that is too big, he says, it’s going to cause early wear and tear.

“Gloves, says Zabkar, “are a key and essential piece of equipment for all golfers.”

FORESIGHT AND GOLF CANADA Hardy says Foresight’s partnership with Golf Canada is a perfect fit. The company’s goal, first and foremost, is to reflect the fact that it’s a performance solution. The country’s top coaches and its top amateur players are using the Foresight product to get better.

“They’ve been great partners in moving our business forward and we enjoy the fact our product moves their coaching and their programs forward as well,” says Hardy.

Look no further than Women’s National Team Coach Tristan Mullally’s own garage for an example of where Foresight can help work meet play. Mullally, a long-time leader with Golf Canada, is also pretty handy. He built most of the system where a Foresight unit is installed himself, turning part of his garage into a little room where he could do online coaching with the team, have fun with his family, and post videos to social media.

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“It’s just allowing him to do a lot of great stuff,” says Hardy. “It was a fun set up. It was great to work with him and we always are able to have fun and work at the same time.”

FORESIGHT AT HOME

Even if you’re not one of the top golfers in the country you’re still able to take advantage of everything that Foresight has to offer for in-home or at-course solutions. Last year Foresight launched its GC Hawk product, which is a ceiling-mounted device. That’s been a huge success in Canada, Hardy says, thanks in part because it allows golfers who are both left and right-handed to switch off easily. Previous models of the product forced golfers who were of opposite hands to pivot the device before hitting a shot. But that is no longer. Foresight’s product is superior because it helps measure the launch window before a shot is struck – of both the ball and the club independently of one another.  The data provided by Foresight allows golfers to analyze their true club delivery and helps to see their true ball-flight measurements without the effects of wind or weather.

“It’s a perfect snapshot into the launch window,” says Hardy.

But while you may sometimes get overwhelmed by numbers, Hardy says that the company’s big objective is still for people to have fun.

With the GC Hawk, Foresight has added the ability to provide data on a ton of different sports including baseball and soccer. It will also be adding hockey soon, meaning there will be a lot more in the multi-sport realm for the GC Hawk. It has also released a new software model called the FSX Pro, which is a coaching platform.

The cool thing about the FSX Pro software suite is that a lot of it has been developed with input from Canadians including coaches Liam Mucklow and Ralph Bauer, short-game guru Gareth Raflewski, and club expert Ian Fraser.

“We have a really strong, Canadian component for anything that Foresight is developing which is pretty awesome,” says Hardy. “I can’t think of a lot of other companies that include Canadian talent. We’ve got some smart guys and it’s great that Foresight gives them a microphone.”

SIMULATOR SEASON

Part of the FSX software suite also allows golfers to play simulator golf on some of the world’s top courses. Glen Abbey, the iconic RBC Canadian Open venue, was the most recent Canadian track added to the system. Fellow ClubLink course Rattlesnake Point will be added soon along with Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. There will be upwards of 14 Canadian golf courses says Hardy including (“hopefully,” he says) a few mountain courses in Alberta and B.C., plus the potential for Cabot, too.

“There’s definitely some exciting stuff on the course-play side of things,” says Hardy.

Not only that, but the new E6 software from Foresight links up launch monitors to allow people with a Foresight product to play against someone with a totally different launch monitor. It’s been popular during COVID-19, Hardy says, and has opened the company’s eyes to the kind of demand there could be while there is so much uncertainty in the world right now.

“It was a feature in the old world of course, but now you’ve got 1000’s of people around the world who want to participate in a simulator,” says Hardy. “So we’re looking forward to a new and improved version of that to open up tournaments, leagues, local events and things that would allow people to participate in in groups.”

Big shout out to #quadsquad team member, @mweirsy on recording a 59! Congrats Mike! ?? ?️ ? pic.twitter.com/Ad5YatHGdd

— Foresight Sports?? (@ForesightCanada) January 25, 2021

While the Foresight technology is trusted by Golf Canada’s coaches and its national team players, it remains the top choice for those keen Canadians who are hopeful to take swings (and track their data) 12 months per year.

“It’s probably never been more important to make something like this happen,” says Hardy of in-home installations. “In some ways its harder because most simulator companies are sold out for months in advance, but we’ve grown a bunch. Our bandwidth is probably 10x was it was two years ago.

“And our product is great because there is not a lot of space restrictions – that’s one of the reasons why we do great in the residential space because not everyone has the right space for a traditional simulator so being able to make solutions in single garage bays, small rooms in a basement where you don’t have 11-foot ceilings… it’s a great advantage of our product and sets us apart from the competitors. It can be a net, a laptop computer, a lot of different ways to create that experience in your house.”

No matter where you are, Foresight is there for you and your game