kick-off with this week’s Masters of the Amateurs at Royal Melbourne on 10–13 January,
followed by the Australian Amateur Championship at the Woodland and Huntingdale Golf
Clubs on 17–22 January.
The man who wields the shortest putter on
the PGA Tour appears prepared to go in the
opposite direction in 2012. Robert Garrigus has
been toying with the idea of switching to a long
putter, starting in Hawaii this week. He tweeted
that the change is almost certain: “[T]o all my
boys on tour I look forward to seeing everyone
in palm springs! I am gettin a bit antsy might
be hawii! With the long putter;) “Still in limbo
with that but pretty sure it’s going to happen
needs some more time to get used to it then it
on!” Garrigus has been using a 28½-inch putter
since he was 19. A custom fitter suggested he
use the short stick.
Society which will ensure the New Zealand
Women’s Open keeps its co-sanctioned status
on the Ladies European Tour and the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tours in 2012.
The tournament will remain at the Pegasus
Golf and Sports Club about 30 minutes north
of Christchurch and will be played as a three-round tournament from February 17–19.
The PGA Tour announced the 2012 Nationwide Tour schedule, which features 27 events,
played in 17 states, plus stops in four Latin
American countries. The Tour’s 23rd season
will begin in mid February with events in Colombia, Panama and Chile.
Eastman Kodak Company and the PGA Tour
announced an extension of their Official Marketing Partnership through 2016.
The Champions Tour recently announced the
tournament schedule for the 2012 Champions
Tour season. Seven new tournament venues
and several previously announced date changes
for existing tournaments are the most significant developments for the 2012 season.
Ryan Moore has always been a businessman off the course and this off-season has not
been an exception. Moore’s company, RMG Golf
Course Management, acquired Oakbrook Golf
and Country Club in Lakewood, Wash., adding
it to its two other courses – Spanaway’s Classic Club and McCormick Woods, also in Washington. With these holdings, RMG launched a
membership-driven business model Jan. 1 to
bring first-class golf to Washington residents at
reasonable prices. Moore, a full- time PGA Tour
member since 2006, picked up his lone Tour
victory at the 2009 Wyndham Championship.
New Zealand Golf announced a new title
sponsor the International Sports Promotion
The PGA of Canada will recognize Richard H.
(Dick) Grimm with its inaugural George Cum-
ming Distinguished Service Award later this
month at the PGA Merchandise Show in Or-
lando, Fla. l
