Welcome to the Notebook, which is a collection of this week’s golf and lifestyle notes.
Equipment Drops
▪️In 2009, True Linkswear created the Original Collection (OG) golf shoe that was innovative in that it feature a zero-drop and a wide-toe box that was good for natural movement, improved balance, traction and long-term foot health. Now, the company has released the OG3 Pro that has improved the innovation for the brand’s original.
The key feature is the Zero-Drop WanderLux closed-cell midsole that is for the golfer who needs additional underfoot cushion while maintaining a level foot posture. The zero-drop midsole and aggressive TPU outsole help promote grip and power to increase ground force reaction during the swing. The OG3 Pro is available in Glacier White, Pro Black, PNW and Nine Iron Grey, and retails for $199. It’s available in men’s 7-12.5 (half sizes) and 13-15 (full sizes).
▪️Golf just got greener as Swag Golf has launched its “4/20”-inspired golf headcover collection. The drop comes in time for the counterculture cannabis-oriented festivities that occur annually on April 20 and pays homage to those elevated days on the green, leaning into the company’s “Don’t Give A Putt” attitude. … Uneekor introduces three new products — the Eye XR launch monitor, AI Trainer. and GameDay Software. The Eye XR features dual high-speed cameras that track balls with visual clarity and precision and Club AI detection and a rear-mounted design; the AI Trainer provides real-time coaching insights powered by artificial intelligence and requires the use of Uneekor’s Swing Optix cameras; and GameDay Software, a cutting-edge simulation platform that offers 4K course play, online play and dynamic practice modes. … Fans of Nick Faldo may want to check out Sqairz‘s NF1990MO, a collector’s edition golf shoe personally designed by Faldo that pays homage to his 1990 season in which he won both the Masters and Open Championship.
Course News and Notes
▪️Kawonu Golf Club, an invitation-only private club in Simpsonville, South Carolina, near Greenville has broken ground on acclaimed architect Andrew Green’s new championship course. The course marks the Greenville area’s first new private club in over three decades. “We are creating something timeless,” said Green of the course that is set to open in 2027. “A course that’s at once familiar yet entirely new. The goal is to create a layout that surprises, challenges and inspires players every time they step onto the first tee while remaining true to the land’s natural character and unique sense of place.”
▪️No longer can a club settle for just having an 18-hole course, there has to be more. The Foothills Golf Club in Ahwatukee, Arizona, is the latest club to up its amenity game. On May 1, the club will unveil The Bunker, a 2,100-square-foot golf lounge with multiple state-of-the-art golf simulators, food and beverage service and comfortable lounge seating. The Bunker will be open daily for the public and club members. Simulators can be reserved for $50 per 60-minute session with Bunker Membership options available ranging from $129-$199 per month.
▪️For golfers living in the Chicagoland, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, regions, KemperSports has launched the Frequent Fairways, a loyalty program app that allows a golfer to earn rewards when playing KemperSports-managed courses in their region. Each qualifying round of golf earns a golf a “stamp” on the app, and each stamp reveals new rewards, including Titleist ProV1 golf balls, a Titleist KemperSports Frequent Fairways logoed hat, and a pair of FootJoy golf shoes. Click the region to locate the participating courses: Chicagoland | Mid-Atlantic | Tour of the Turnpike (Northeast). … In Charlottesville, Virginia, Meadowcreek Golf Course announces the Cavalier Pass, which allows golfers to choose when they pay and when they play. Under the new program, local golfers can purchase a Cavalier Pass for a $60 per month membership fee and then pay a discounted Player’s Fee every time they play — $30 per round on weekdays, $35 on weekend/holiday mornings and $30 on weekend/holiday afternoons.