Friday, March 04, 2011

Irish golf club goes bust owing €2.5m

A company part-owned by the Shannon Airport Authority chairman has gone bust after running up debts of over €2.5m.

Accounts filed at the Companies Office show that Brian O'Connell, the authority's chairman, is a shareholder in Limerick County Golf & Country Club...

For full story see Belfast Telegraph

Irvine golf legend Jack Cannon dies

Jack Cannon, the oldest man to win the Scottish Amateur Golf Championship and the last surviving member of the legendary Bartonholm Trio, died on Tuesday, aged 94.
Jack, along with Jimmy Walker and Hammy McInally, was one of the three sons of the tiny miners’ row on the outskirts of Irvine who won Scottish amateur golf’s greatest crown, but although he was widely regarded as the quietest of the trio, he was not afraid to do his talking on the course...

For full story see the Irvine Herald

Three years with no new golf course approval in Andalucía

The new law which controls new golf courses in Andalucía has now been in operation in the region for three years, and over that time not a single new golf development has been authorised.

The so-called ‘Golf courses of tourist interest’ mix new sporting facilities with new residential developments...

For full story see TypicallySpanish.com

Emergency meeting will seek to reopen Letham Grange golf courses

An emergency general meeting will be held in Arbroath this month as the rescue bid to save famous fairways at a collapsed Angus resort hotel picks up pace.

The captain of Letham Grange Golf Club has revealed the club committee hope to gain acceptance for a plan that would see the two 18-hole courses — the 6632-yard par-73 Old and the par-65 Glens — quickly playing again...

For full story see The Courier


Travel agent takes golf tour to North Korea

A Wigan travel agent is organising the first international amateur golf tournament ever to be held in North Korea...

For the full story see the Manchester Evening News

Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Celtic Manor Wales Open boosts local economy

Spectators attending the 2010 Celtic Manor Wales Open spent more than £1.5m in Newport and south Wales, according to an economic impact study.

The substantial boost to the local economy came as visiting golf fans spent the money on accommodation, food, travel, tournament tickets and associated costs while attending the European Tour event last June 3-6...

For full story see EuropeanTour.com 

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Foresight's GC2 is all right on the flight

European golfers are about to discover what Titleist and other major manufacturers have known for around 12 months – Foresight Sports’ GC2 is the future of ball-flight analysis.

The GC2 has dominated the US market since its launch last year and is now available in Europe. It revolutionised club-fitting and teaching Stateside because of its unique design, which offers unrivalled launch stats accuracy; unprecedented data speed; true portability – the unit weighs just 1.7kg and takes just 40 seconds to set up; an eight-hour battery life and a simple plug-and-play operation.

The system has been adopted by many of the world’s leading club manufacturers including Titleist, Cleveland/Srixon, Cobra/Puma, PING and TaylorMade – and it’s easy to see why.

The unique ultra-high-speed dual camera design of the GC2 records the most accurate ball flight statistics on the market today. It doesn’t rely on any backward extrapolation to generate ball-flight data but, instead, directly measures ball flight and spin at club impact and launch, recording precise ball speed, spin (side, back and total), direction and launch angle, and calculates carry and total distance in a split-second, to the tightest tolerances in the industry.

Richard Temple, Titleist Golf Clubs’ product and fitting manager (EMEA), explained why his company is recommending using the revolutionary equipment.

He said: “We are recommending GC2 because of the quality of the numbers it puts out. Our US research and development team has worked very closely with Foresight Sports approving the system in terms of its performance, relating to launch angles, spin rate and ball speed.

“The feeling is it provides numbers consistent with our own launch monitors to the point where we feel this is the great option for accounts which are looking for an accurate launch monitor at a more reasonable cost. The team in the US is happy to put the Titleist name alongside it and we have done the same for Europe.”

Distributed in UK&I exclusively by Foresight Sports UK, the GC2 has been quick to win admirers this side of the Atlantic – among them one of Britain’s most respected golf coaches.

The GC2 is light, compact, quick to set up,
but above all very accurate

PGA master professional Luther Blacklock, the head pro at Woburn GC and a Golf International teaching panellist, is an enthusiastic advocate of the system – having agreed to purchase one within minutes of seeing it in operation.

Blacklock said: “As soon as I saw the unit’s immediacy and ease of use I was sold. I bought one on the spot and it’s already paid for itself in terms of benefits to my pupils.

“It’s more accurate than other products on the market; it’s truly portable – so tuition is not affected by adverse weather conditions; it takes a fraction of the time other products take to set up and it’s around a fifth of the cost of some of its rivals. When you see it in action it’s easy to see why so many of the world’s leading manufacturers are using it as the standard launch monitor for club-fitting and testing.

“I was hugely impressed by the ‘real time’ nature of the shot, powered as it is by exceptional software. The practice ground setting is even better than hitting shots on the range in teaching terms, as the ‘vapour trail’ left on the screen as you practice, is a ‘video’ of the last shot – which is even more beneficial than a video of the last swing.

“It’s made a massive difference to the pupil analysis I can offer as a golf coach as the information is more accurate and easily demonstrable.”

Another convert is Tim Mickelson – brother of four-time Major-winner Phil – who is the head golf coach at the University of San Diego.

He said: “I was blown away by the GC2’s portability, ease of use and, above all, accuracy. It’s not only an incredible tool for college golf programs, but for any player looking to get to the next level – it’s that good.”

The fact that the GC2 has a price-point around 80 per cent cheaper than existing competitors with comparable data is not lost on the industry’s leading professionals.

Titleist’s Temple added: “GC2 came along with comparable results but is pitched at a much more affordable price. Our sales force in the USA now uses GC2 for its fitting days and we’re going to provide it, not just to some of our sales force, for some tech reps and future Fitting Centres across Europe, but also to our FittingWorks accounts – of which we have about 800 across Europe – as their suggested launch monitor technology.”

Connected to a PC, real-time ball flight and statistics are available immediately and the data can be recorded to a spreadsheet and emailed to a customer in an instant. There is even the ability to instantly deliver data, via Bluetooth, to an Android-based mobile or hand-held device.

The flexibility and test-proven accuracy of the GC2 also allows it to be upgraded to provide a simulator experience, whether with a simple net and PC or as a full-size, bespoke studio experience.

Rob Thöle, sales manager for Foresight Sports UK, said: “The GC2 really has it all: it’s totally portable; it’s the most accurate system on the market; it’s self-levelling; requires no calibration; is up and running in 40 seconds; works perfectly indoors or out; can work as a standalone unit or with a computer and can be upgraded to provide the full simulator experience. It is the ultimate in ball-flight analysis.”

■ The Foresight Sports GC2 costs just £4,995 (+ vat). For further information call 0845 644 3870 or email info@foresightsports.co.uk.

http://www.foresightsports.co.uk/