Spring 2024 Team USA Amateur Golf Championships Discover Ireland and Scotland Golfin' Around The Caribbean
RAM GOLF FX77 IRONS REVIEW RAM was famous in the 1970’s with names like Tom Watson signing on as ambassadors. RAM has rededicated itself to the great game of golf. One of their newest offerings is the AFFORDABLE FX 77’s Irons. Forgiveness is Ram Golf FX77 iron’s greatest attribute. The hot muscle-back design delivering fast ball speeds and more forgiveness. FX 77’s feature a 431 stainless steel body with a 17-4 super hot face. Touch and Feel is Let’s face it golf ain’t cheap, cupcake. And for beginners or golfers who get our for a few scrambles every year an affordable, reliable, sleek and playable club is what they want and need. Look no further than the FX 77’s! By Randy Tantlinger Golfin’ Around 2
essential in any club. Your find them here. Lower Center of Gravity: TA lower center of gravity comes from the hollow head design and allows for more stability and forgiveness on off-center strikes. Which most am golfers are inclined to do. Hot Muscleback Design: The special heat-treatment process delivers a forgedlike effect, resulting in fast ball speeds and increased forgiveness. The Ram Golf FX77 Irons offer consistent distance throughout the set. This allows the am golfer to dial in each club to their swing and distance. And reliability equals lower scores. For the affordable price and quality the RAM FX 77’s can’t be beat! FX-77 Irons (ramgolf.com)
Cleveland Frontline Putter By Randy Tantlinger Golfin’ Around 4
A classic plumber’s neck blade design, the Frontline 4.0 putter features Tungsten Forward Weighting and Speed Optimized Face Technology for more consistent putting and distance performance. The Frontline 4.0 putter brings the center of gravity closer to the face. Cleveland’s Frontline 4.0 normalizes ball speed across the face thanks to Cleveland’s Speed Optimized Face Technology a loving Grandma, you can do no wrong in her eyes. Off Center Strokes seem to self correct and re-guide your ball to the cup! Touch, Feel and Forgiveness! What more do you need in a putter? TECHNOLOGY FORWARD WEIGHTS With Tungsten Forward Weighting and the center of gravity positioned closer to the face, Frontline provides better stability through impact for straighter, more accurate putts. SPEED OPTIMIZED FACE TECHNOLOGY Cleveland’s proprietary Speed Optimized Face Technology pattern normalizes ball speed across the face, ensuring consistent distance performance on all your putts. for consistent distance performance. Frontline 4.0 delivers that classic blade look for confidence on the greens. OK, but how does it play? Balance, Touch, Feel and Control. Aren’t these what we want from a putter. Cleveland Golf never disappoints. And The Frontline lives up to the high standard Cleveland Golf demands from it’s family of products. You feel like this putter may be too good for your game. You feel like it came right from the Cleveland Tour Bus and was hand crafted for a PGA Superstar. The Milled Face connects you and the ball on every stroke. If it’s Touch and Feel you want on the green look no further. Forgiveness. Let’s be honest here, we aren’t PGA Pro’s and we need all the forgiveness we can get! Frontline is like
EDISON WEDGES By Randy Tantlinger www.edisonwedges.com Golfin’ Around 6
Terry Koehler is like all Genius’s. He is focused and dedicated on his task at hand. And he doesn’t even know it. Like Thomas Edison himself who would spend countless hours, days and weeks and years in his laboratory is Terry Koehler. Both men of creative Genius. Both me perplexed by a problem and finding an answer to that problem. For three decades Koehler has been focused on one problem and how to solve it. How to study Bounce in golf wedges. Then once understanding Bounce, applying the Physics of Bounce on the soul of a wedge to create the world’s greatest wedge. Here in 2024 I give you the Koehler-Edison Wedge Family. The Edison Weges website tells us “Nothing is more baffling, frustrating, and misunderstood in wedges than the concept of “bounce” and “grinds” that permeate the wedge landscape. But it really doesn’t have to be so complicated. Every EDISON 2.0 wedge is built around the patented Koehler Sole, a dual-bounce design that has been proven for over thirty years to eliminate the compromise of having different and specialized bounces and grinds in the bag. The Koehler Sole is the only design to efficiently combine a high bounce angle in the front of the sole and a low bounce angle in the back of the sole so it can handle any lie and any swing path. While other brands are starting to copy this proven design, none have the experience with it that we do, so they can’t replicate the Koehler Sole versatility. If your swing is steep or you play in soft conditions, EDISON 2.0 wedges will perform like a high-bounce wedge. If your swing is shallow or you play in firmer conditions, that same EDISON 2.0 wedge will perform like a low-bounce sole design. That might sound too good to be true based on what you might have heard about wedges, so let’s take a step back and clear up some myths about bounce and grinds.” Edison wedges provide increased forgiveness, spin and an improved ball flight. Edison even promises up to 31 more feet of distance and 18% more spin. Combine that with Edison’s Custom Fit for each golfer and a 30 day money back guarantee, you have every thing to gain, like better scores and nothing to loose, except that old worn out wedge your Grandpappy gave you.
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With a simple, intuitive interface, powered by an ultra-fast multi-core processor, simple touch screen, and the most accurate course maps in the game, the SkyCaddie LX2 is the simplest way to get yardages you can trust. UNBEATABLE SUNLIGHT READABILITY WITH TOUCHSCREEN The SkyCaddie LX2 offers an unbeatable, sunlight-readable, JDI color touch screen at 1.28 inches. A responsive and easy-to-use interface makes navigating during play almost touch-free. GROUND-VERIFIED COURSE MAPS* The SkyCaddie LX2 comes preloaded with over 35,000 ground-verified, error-corrected course maps without the short-cuts taken by the competition.* Only SkyCaddie walks each course to record thousands of points with sub-meter precision because we know that you cannot trust your club if you cannot trust your distances. Knowing and TRUSTING critical distances lets you manage your game and eliminate those 6, 7, and 8’s from your scorecard! A STYLISH SMARTWATCH, ON OR OFF THE GOLF COURSE The SkyCaddie LX2 is super lightweight and comfortable to wear. Its modern feel and handsome looks make it a versatile watch for use both on and off the course. The LX2’s JDI touchscreen display allows you to see information on the screen in direct sunlight, and its water-resistant casing can handle any weather. FITNESS FEATURES TO STAY HEALTHY The SkyCaddie LX2 is equipped with step counter, step goals, stopwatch, and timer. • 1.28-inch (3.25 cm) JDI touch screen provides unbeatable sunlight readability while using less power • Super lightweight modern design • No Annual Fee’s Required with the GO PLAY plan. • Preloaded with over 35,000 of SkyGolf’s ground-verified, error-corrected maps with accurate & dynamic distances to the front, center, back of green. • Fairway target and layup target into the green, to safe landing zone • Bluetooth & Wi-Fi for simple registration, uploading scores/stats to SkyGolf 360 and updating golf courses. • Auto-course recognition and auto-hole advance • Digital scorecard and stats • Measure Shot distances SkyCaddie LX2 Golf Watch — the simplest, most powerful way to measure yardage
ZEROFIT BASELAYERS The 2023 Golfin’ Around Product of the Year Winner Drum Roll, Please! And the winner of The 2023 Golfin’ Around Product of the Year Winner goes to The MOST AWESOME UNDERLAYER IN THE UNIVERSE-ZERO-FIT! So, it’s Gettysburg, Pa. September 21, 2023. Hurricane Ophelia has descended onto the east coast. In her direct path is Gettysburg. Not since General Lee stormed into town oh so many years ago has the wrath of Nature rained havoc on Gettysburg. Problem, I’m running a two day golf tournament. www.zerofitusa.com from living life! My lower back is a mess. L2-L5 is crushed and needs fused and rods put in it. You try falling 40 FT at terminal velocity and see how you back feels. I do anything to avoid surgery and to keep playing golf. And trust me cold, wet rainy weather is not a friend of mine I’d ever buy a drink for! So, as cold rain fell upon my tournament, the players and my body; I remembered t hat I had my brand new Zero-Fit Underlayer in the car! What the Heck, I’ll try anything to help. What did I have to loose? The winners get to go to Scotland! It was so bad we had to cancel day two of the tournament. Did I mention, I HATE BEING COLD! HATE IT! My body is old and has been broken, smashed, crushed By Randy Tantlinger Golfin’ Around 10
Within minutes of putting on the Zero-Fit Underlayer, my whole upper torso was not only warm, but I’d say it was comfortably hot! I swear to goodness it was amazing! As the wind and cold rain feel in Gettysburg and our players were crying and even a few quite playing, I was warm and snug! So, what’s the deal-eo with Zero-Fit? Who are they? And most importantly, why on God’s green earth is this fabric so amazing? “Zerofit was founded by Mr Koji Higashi in his native Japan in 2005 and the brand was launched in the UK and Europe in 2018 before further expansion into North America rating of 0.78; a standard baselayer would have a rating of 0.1-0.14, while a jumper would typically have a rating of around 0.3. Technologically enhanced ‘Heat Threads’ inside the garment are activated through movement, gently brushing against the skin to generate heat instantly. Unlike every other baselayer, the Ultimate does not work on the basis of ‘compression for heat’ – so not only does it provide greater warmth for golfers, they also don’t feel restricted by an inability to move freely. Listen, if you hate playing golf in the cold! Then invest in Zero-Fit Underlayers. You’ll be glad you did. in 2020 and Australasia in 2021. A passionate golfer and fitness enthusiast, Mr Higashi was unable to continue to do the sports he loved when the weather turned extremely cold, because he felt there was a significant lack of suitable clothing options to keep participants warm and their body temperature regulated.”, says the Zero-Fit website. Then BOOM! The Zerofit Heatrub Ultimate baselayer five times warmer than a standard baselayer. Independently tested at the iconic Boken Institute in Osaka, the Ultimate was awarded a heat retention
Golfin’ Around The CaribbeanCabot Saint Lucia “Cause I love Cajun martinis and playin’ afternoon golf”, Jimmy Buffett Golfin’ in the Caribbean is my heaven on Earth. The wind, the blur water, the beach and the emerald green carpet before me By Randy Tantlinger “Cabot Saint Lucia offers spectacular golf, jaw-dropping natural beauty, and a residential community located on a beautiful 375-acre peninsula at the northern tip of the revered Caribbean Island. The property will feature a magnificent Coore www.cabotsaintlucia.com that beckons my ball. I have been lucky enough to golf through the islands. From the Dominican to Aruba. Now, there’s a new lady I must discover waiting for me and you, Cabot Saint Lucia. Golfin’ Around 12
& Crenshaw-designed 18-hole golf course and a stunning collection of residences ranging from fairway townhomes to expansive, customizable single-family homes and beachfront living opportunities. Completing the member and guest experience, Cabot Saint Lucia will offer a host of luxury amenities and adventures to be enjoyed by the whole family. Perched above the Atlantic Ocean and crafted around the cliffs and valleys of Point Hardy’s magnificent landscape, Point Hardy Golf Club offers an unparalleled Caribbean golf experience. Designed more by nature than by man, each hole takes on the unique topography of this incredible site. Course designers Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have wound the course through lush terrain, over rocky outcrops and along tropical bays and sandy beaches.”, their website tells us.
SuperStroke By Randy Tantlinger Your Putter Grip should be FUN! Your Putter Grip should help your game, not hinder it. Have you tried SuperStroke Putter Grips? If you haven’t you have no idea what your missing! Not too long ago, all golfers basically used the same grips. SuperStroke was created to change that. In 2009, SuperStroke launched a radically different line of putter grips. They knew they would help golfers shoot lower scores. What we didn’t know was how quickly they would change the game. So, why are PGA pros like Jordan Spieth using SuperStroke? Putting is all about the “FEEL”. The feel between your hands, your grip and the club. Imagine grabbing a long tree twig and it’s ducked taped to a shaft and on the end is an Odyssey Putter Head. Grab the twig. How’s your “FEEL”? Do you feel connected and in control of the shaft and the putter head? Heck, no! You want to feel like you are the master of your fate when putting for the club championship. Ole Billy Barooooo, don’t fail me now! SuperStroke’s “Multi-Zone Texturing” is what generates the feel. Upon impact with the ball your hands feel the Golfin’ Around 14
contact/ you and the club are one. Here’s the other advantage. Girth. Take that same skinny twig. Does it feel stable in your hand and like your in control? NO! Either does the out dated, old fashion skinny putter grips. Imagine, grabbing a ball bat. You feel in control of each swing, don’t you? Well, SuperStroke gives you control over every putt! To date, SuperStroke grips have been used to earn more than $500 million in major championships and PGA Tour events. They’ve also helped amateurs around the world shoot career-low rounds and earn important bragging rights over friends and family. As scientific as golf has become, it will always be a game that blends art and science. And that’s just as true when it comes to golf grips. From driver to putter, we all golf our own unique way. Our bodies are different. Our swings are different. We all need different things to play our best. At SuperStroke, their mission to help golfers make every swing and every stroke the best it can possibly be. Every day we come to work, we strive to improve our swing and putter grips with new shapes, sizes, materials, and technologies. We can’t imagine anything more fun than that.
Margaritaville Golf Shoes by Zoriz Golf “Yes, it’s a strange situation, a wild occupation-Livin’ my life like a song. The wino and I know..” Jimmy Buffett. www.zoriz.com popular songs, Margaritaville being the most famous. But for us lovers of all things Buffett, we know them ALL by heart. Tampico Trauma, Cowboy in the Jungle and of course One Particular Harbor to name the tip of the Iceburg. I’m so much of a Parrothead that a few years ago I created the “Margaritaville Golf ParTee Tour”. We pitched the events to Buffett’s people and they loved it. So much so, they hooked me up with BackStage passes and a Meet Jimmy Buffett and his music have been the back ground music for my life since 1986. I know most people know his By Randy Tantlinger Golfin’ Around 16
and Greet with the Coral Reefers before a show here in Pittsburgh. And some great seats to the show. We were moving along, then suddenly... ”We will have to put this on hold Randy.” It all makes sense now that he’s gone. Jimmy would have gotten his “bad news” around that same time. The tears flowed like a water fountain early in the morning when I read of the “Death of an Unpopular Poet”. It’s taken me five months to even begin to listen to Bubba’s music again. Life does move on. So it was like a gift from Jimmy to say thank you for being a fan when I read about Margaritaville Golf Shoes by Zoriz Golf. They make three distinct lines of Margaritaville Golf Shoes. The Birdie for women. And the Tap In and Gimmie for men! Look for my review after I get a few round played in them in our next issue.
The Gettysburg Golf Trail By Randy Tantlinger www.destinationgettysburg.com 1863 July 1-3rd, The American Civil War ravaged a small Pennsylvania town. Gettysburg would forever live in America’s memory. The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the Civil War. With more than 50,000 plus casualties, the three-day engagement was the bloodiest single battle of the conflict. Gettysburg ended the South’s ambitious second quest to invade the North and bring the Civil War to a swift end. The loss there dashed the hopes of the Confederate States of America to become an independent nation. The war would rage on for two more years. Golfin’ Around 18
Today Gettysburg is visited by millions of people and her five thousand residence take great pride in calling her home. She is also home to some fantastic golf. A trip to Gettysburg combines everything the modern traveler wants. Fun, Golf, Experiences and Excitement. Whether your family would like to explore the battlefields and visit museums or your golf group wants to combine some history and sport, Gettysburg has a little for everyone. The newest museum, Beyond The Battle, allows guests to discover what the experience for those civilians in and around the town during the historic battle was like. It comes complete with a war room. Guests enter the room made to look like a kitchen in 1863. Soon the ‘immersive experience” explodes around guests. They will hear and feel cannons fire, gun shots, screams, plates braking. It leaves the visitor shaken. The battlefield at Gettysburg is hollowed ground. The sheer magnitude of the loss of human life is overwhelming. Pickett’s Charge left 6,555 men either dead or brutally wounded. Lincoln’s speech several months after the battle ended is perhaps one of the most important ever given in American history. His word’s echo through the ages with truth and honor.
Lincoln finished his speech with, “that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Let’s explore some of the courses and resorts on The Gettysburg Golf trail. www.penngolf.com This wonderful golf resort has a hometown feel. Maybe that’s why they get returning guests who come back year after year. It is home to two great courses. Each has a different feel and layout. Founders Course: During the 1800s, iron ore was mined from the land that is now Penn National. When that ore ran out, the land was farmed until the 1960s, when agriculture gave way to golf Golfin’ Around 20
course development. In 1966, prolific course designer Edmund Ault was hired to lay out the Founders course as a classic, Northeasternstyle masterpiece with large contoured greens and tree-lined fairways. “The Founders Course” opened in 1968 and was updated in 2006 with an extensive bunker and tee renovation. With trees lining most of the holes, Founders can be demanding off the tee but everything is there in front of you--nothing is blind or tricked-up--you know what you have to do, but can you pull it off? A 7-acre lake comes into play and makes things interesting on several holes on the front and back sides. As with all well-laid-out traditional courses, Ault turns up the heat at the end, saving the best and the toughest for the 5-hole stretch starting at the par-5 14th! “The Iron Forge Course”: The Iron Forge is visually stunning with 30-mile views of the
surrounding farmland and mountains. It starts and plays toward the Michaux State Forest, in the foothills of South Mountain, and makes a single loop home, passing through a variety of terrain that offers exciting golf and breathtaking views. In contrast to the Founders Course, Iron Forge is nearly treeless. It will let you grip it and rip it from the tee but the greens and surrounds place a premium on shots to the green and putting. There is also the mysterious “Mountain Effect” that takes control from the 4th through 11th holes- -your eyes will tell you one thing on the greens but just remember that speed and break are controlled by the Mountain! www.libertymountainresort.com This fabulous resort has it all! First off she’s nestled among the rolling hills and mountains of Pennsylvania. The setting is peaceful and serene. Swimming pools, hotel, conference center and so much to do. But, it’s the golf you came for! The Carroll Valley GC at Liberty Mountain is 18 holes of sheer delight. Begin the round on an elevated tee box that allows for views of the front nine. Thus begins your delightful round. Water hazards, meandering creeks, chirping birds, beautiful pines are only s ome of natures bounty your take you long unspoiled walk with. Carroll Valley GC is a fine golf track that follows the topography up and down hills. She gives you uphill shots into well guarded greens. Downhill shots into narrow fairways with water in play on the right. She never stops giving you her best. Quail Valley GC and The Links at Gettysburg round out you golf holiday in Gettysburg. www.thelinksatgettysburg.com www.quailvalleygc.com Golfin’ Around 22
Team USA v Team Ireland Amateur Golf Championships 2024 www.usairelandgolf.com Golf is Ireland! With over 400 golf courses that is an easy claim to make. Most amateur golfers only can dream of someday playing in the Emerald Isle. But, “Team USA v Team Ireland Amateur Golf Championships” is making that dream a reality for Five Team USA
National Champions in April of 2024. Five Amateur Golfers will represent America as the play Team Ireland in Dublin in April. The Five Team USA National Champions will play in one of Five Flights against their Team Ireland competitors. The five Team USA golfers will experience a trip of a lifetime to Ireland. The White Sands Hotel nestled along the Irish Sea will provide accomodations for Team USA during their stay. The Opening Ceremonies will be held in the Killeen Castle. Then four days of incredible golf and tours of Dublin. Seapoint Golf Club, Jameson Golf Links, The K Club, Ardee Golf Club await Team USA. Then a closing round and Awards Ceremonies at Luttrellstown Castle Resort Golf. If you want to compete as a member of Team USA v Team Ireland play in the Golfin’ Around 24
Team USA National Championships-Ireland in Michigan August 25th-26th, 2024. The two day event includes a meet and greet with PGA Legend John Daly. A Long Drive Competition, and the Team USA National Championships. Log onto www.usairelandgolf.com for information.
Team USA v Team Scotland Amateur Golf Championships 2024 By Randy Tantlinger www.destinationgettysburg.com Golfin’ Around 26
Entering it’s 3rd Season in 2024, “The Team USA vs Team Scotland Amateur Golf Championships” gives amateur golfers the chance to compete for the “Ultimate Prize in Amateur Golf”, a chance to play for Team USA in St. Andrews, Scotland against Team Scotland! Amateur Golfers you could be playing in Scotland as a member of Team USA in 2025! Play in a Local Event or Buy Directly into the Team USA National Championships in August of 2024. Amateur Golfers play in one of Five Flights-NO USGA-GHIN is required to play. The very first Team USA National Championship Scotland was played in Arnold Palmer’s hometown of Latrobe, Pa. Gettysburg, Pa. Host the second National Championships. And the Mohegan Sun Casino Golf Resort in CT. will host the 2024 National Championships! St. Andrews plays host to the Team USA v Team Scotland Amateur Golf Championships.
Accommodations and the host course for the event is the awe inspiring Charleton Castle and Estate. www.charletonestate.com Located on fifteen minutes from the heart of St. Andrews, Charleton Castle and Estate is an “affordable luxury” experience. You can use from their brand new Eco Lodges complete with hot tub overlooking the ocean. These comfortable lodges remind me of a mountain cabin retreat in the states. The Woodland and Peaceful Stone Cottages are romantic. They each sleep six people. Golfin’ Around 28
Complete with kitchen, fireplace, sitting garden, living room and even a game room. Charleton Estate boosts an outstanding parkland course. It is very affordable. It provides rolling hillside terrain. Horses greet you from their meandering in the near bye field. The topography is the gem of the layout. Uphill tee shots, Par 3’s playing 147 into postage stamp greens, White Swans swimming in the pond just below the green all await you. Truly a test of golf. So much so the Two Competition Team USA begins the week with the Opening ceremonies in St. Andrews. Taking their picture on Rounds between Team USA & Team Scotland have found a permanent home here at Charleton Estate.
the Swilcan Bridge begins their week of adventure. www.dumbarnielinks.com Two more rounds of incredible golf will host Team USA. Including playing the Number 1 Ranked New Course in the World Dumbarnie. This truly “brilliant design” is a masterpiece. And built in 1875 is Elie Links. Truly a spectacular links design nestled alongside some of the most stunning sea vistas on Earth. www.golfhouseclub.co.uk Golfin’ Around 30
The week comes to a conclusion with the Closing Ceremonies and Awards being held inside The Chaleton Castle. For your chance to win a dream golf trip of a lifetime log onto www. usascotlandgolf.com Mohegan Sun Casino Golf Resort in CT. will host the 2024 National Championships. Enter to play for your chance to stand on the Swilcan Bride in Scotland!
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