Golf has always been a positive addition to anyone’s healthy active lifestyle. More so now, as the world navigates the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, adding golf into one’s physical and mental health routines can provide a litany of benefits.

While the sport is a positive addition for these times, it’s also an idyllic activity for millennials who are perhaps feeling the pull of wanting to see friends, enjoy a cold Steam Whistle outdoors, and feel a part of nature again.

The only place all three of those things can happen these days is on the golf course.

Here are seven reasons why golf is the perfect sport of now for millennials:

1. The ability to get together with friends

The only place to get a group of guys or group of girls together—all from outside their family/household bubbles—for a couple of hours and have fun is on the golf course.

“The reality is that there are few activities available right now where people can get together and enjoy the company of friends and family,” says Brian Decker, the director of marketing and communications at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.  “Golf is uniquely positioned to give people a safe way to do just that, and we feel that if we can give people an outlet to get away from the stresses of this crisis, we’re playing a small role in our collective recovery,”

As millennials, we’re used to having constant connection with people.

Sure, we have been able to digitally connect with our colleagues and have made headway in virtual game nights or catch-up drinks over the last 90 days or so, but there’s nothing like in-person connection. Playing golf allows for that.

2. Digital-first communication

Millennials are strapped to their phone—there’s no way around that. It’s not as though phone usage should be looked as a negative, either. Phones these days are used for banking and work connections, not just games or dating apps.

Golf courses have done a fantastic job with their digital communication strategies as they open across Canada in the time of COVID-19.

You’d be hard-pressed not to find courses using new features on Instagram, like the ‘Story’ function to show the different things golfers can expect at clubs upon arrival and through their round during the time of COVID-19.

“All of our member communication about our COVID-19 procedures has been done through our broadcast emails.  We have also used video and provided the links,” says Dave Fox, the general manager at Islington Golf Club.

While many golf courses struggled to dedicate time and personal to marketing and communications, one thing COVID-19 has helped to boost is the social and digital relevancy of golf clubs.

This is a positive as many millennials, and many for the first time, will be searching and following golf courses they want to play. The information provided, through digital and social channels, is the perfect way to connect with millennials.

3. Social Sharing

Millennials are the earliest adaptors of social media, and as such, there are approximately 3.5 billion millennial social media users in the world. Golf provides the perfect canvas for millennials to want to share their experiences on social media.

Whether you’ve been able to get together with your friends for the first time in months, you’ve been able to buy a beer from a bar (or in this case, a halfway house or clubhouse) for the first time this summer, or you’ve caught the perfect late-afternoon light—posting about your day on a golf course is millennial friendly.

“Social media has always been a priority for us in communicating/marketing to the travelling golfer,” says Mark McLane, the executive director of Golf Prince Edward Island, who says the agency’s Facebook page prompted nearly 20,000 website views in April alone.

McLane says—with only 27 coronavirus cases on PEI and no deaths—the islands reputation for safety and tranquility has promoted groups who usually travel internationally (including to the U.S.) for golf wishing to come to the island.

A Canadian golf trip experience is an ideal platform for social sharing, and whether it’s wrapped in food, friendship, or, of course, the golf, millennials love the opportunity to snap a picture and click share.

4. Exercise

With no gym facilities open across Canada, millennials are looking for places to exercise that isn’t usually their kitchen, bedroom, or basement.

Golf Canada research suggests players burn approximately 2000-2500 calories during a round while walking a minimum of 9,000 metres. Golfers will exceed 10,000 steps over 18 holes.

My scores haven’t been great and that’s an understatement. But there were some numbers I liked from a recent round: 13,000 steps taken and 9 kilometres walked while climbing the equivalent of 23 floors. My mantra: Golf is good for me. https://t.co/lEm7xfuRVF

— Brad Ziemer (@BradZiemer) June 16, 2020

The golf course is not just a place to get together with friends for a hot dog at the turn, but it’s a place to burn off the one-too-many hotdogs from being quarantined.

5. Sense of Normalcy

If there were one place where millennials could feel as if they were participating in a “normal” activity, it would be the golf course.

Those lucky enough to have access to a car can jump in it, see their friends or family members at the parking lot of the golf course, play 18 holes together and catch up, and then drive home.

“The tee sheet has been busy. We couldn’t accommodate all the requests to play the first weekend,” says Fox from Islington, showing that people are just anxious to get back to something that makes them feel as if they are doing something as normal as possible these days.

From a business standpoint as well, the golf industry in Canada has a $19.7-billion impact on economic activity in the country. According to recent Carleton University COVID-19 stats, younger Canadians are more bullish about reopening the economy.

“Golf employs a ton of people,” says Sam Wills, a PGA of Canada Assistant Professional at Deer Valley Golf Club in Regina. “From an economic standpoint, getting golf courses getting open is a great thing.”

6. Responsibility for the greater good

A new 10-year-long study from the Case Foundation of 150,000 millennials revealed that one of the top-10 takeaways is that millennials care about social issues.

The ability for millennials to be part of the safe reopening of the economy while caring for the health and safety of their fellow man makes golf so important in the millennial ethos.

“We continue to evaluate our protocols daily in such an evolving landscape,” says Brian Mossop, the general manager of Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club. The club was closed for several weeks to have the opportunity to completely re-evaluate its services and service-related items. 

And while millennials continue to practice physical distancing, it can be done with aplomb on the golf course.

“Golf,” Wills from Deer Valley says, “is safer than going into a grocery store right now.“

7. Hope

While millennials have been blamed for everything from the demise of chain restaurants to cereal, one thing is true—this group has hope.

During an unprecedented time in our history, when you combine all the good things about golf (social health, physical health, mental health, fun, positive economic impact, environmental benefits, and more) it gives millennials hope for what can come on the other side of this pandemic.

“Shortly after we opened earlier this month, we received an email from someone who had played here and thanked the staff for a great experience and helping them to feel ‘normal for the first time in two months,’” says Decker at TPC Toronto. “That really hit home for our team and confirmed for us that golf can play a really positive role in these times.”

Whether you’re picking up the game for the first time, returning to golf after a bit of a break, or if you’re a long-time player just thrilled to be able to get back out there again for the 2020 season, it’s imperative to follow the guidelines as listed by your golf course or club. The new rules are in place to reflect government and health organization best practices as we all navigate this global pandemic safely. And although your time at a golf course may look different than in year’s past, one thing should remain the same: be sure to treat the golf-course staff with respect and understanding. We’re all in this together.

The RBC Canadian Open would not be possible without our tremendous fans, volunteers and partners. On behalf of Team RBC and all who make the RBC Canadian Open possible, thank you!

Golf Canada and title sponsor RBC have confirmed that the membership of St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto has agreed to host the 2021 RBC Canadian Open, with nearby Islington Golf Club housing the official practice facility for the tournament. Read the full story here.

CALGARY — The Shaw Charity Classic, with the support of the PGA TOUR Champions, has decided to cancel the 2020 edition of the award-winning professional golf event scheduled for August 24-30, 2020, at Calgary’s Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club.

With the direction of provincial medical and government leaders and international travel restrictions, the official decision comes after the City of Calgary cancelled all event permits through to August 31, 2020, in an effort to minimize the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

“Over the past few weeks, we have had extensive meetings with all of our key stakeholders including the PGA TOUR, along with our generous corporate partners and vendors. We’ve determined that, after weighing all options, it was best to press pause and focus on bringing golf fans back together in 2021,” said Sean Van Kesteren, executive director, Shaw Charity Classic.

“Community is at the heart of the Shaw Charity Classic. Our mission with this event has always been to make a positive impact on Alberta’s youth, and we will remain committed to doing that throughout the summer.”

Title sponsor Shaw Communications announced its commitment to continue supporting the kids and youth who depend on the tournament by contributing $1 million to match community donations through the Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink program.

“The real winners of the Shaw Charity Classic have always been the hundreds of thousands of kids and youth across Alberta who rely on charitable organizations for support in areas such as food security, healthcare, mental wellness, and much more,” said Brad Shaw, Executive Chair and CEO, Shaw Communications. “Charity has always been at the heart of this tournament, and this year it is even more important. While we are unable to physically come together this year, we are absolutely committed to working with the community and our amazing partners to continue the Shaw Charity Classic’s incredible legacy of giving.”

The Patron group behind bringing many of golf’s biggest stars to Calgary over the last seven years already donated $100,000 in April to be split among four local organizations (Mustard Seed, Calgary Food Bank, Meals on Wheels and Inn from the Cold) supporting the city’s pandemic relief efforts.

Since its inception in 2013, the lone PGA TOUR Champions event in Canada has raised more than $48 million for 213 youth-based charities across the province through its Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink program.

With more than 200 Alberta kids’ charities benefitting, Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink will continue to match donations through 2020.

With all golf courses across Canada permitted to open, golfers are encouraged to post their scores when they tee it up this season.

Posting your scores is important to maintain a consistent Handicap Index as part of the unified World Handicap System.

As a safety measure under COVID-19 protocols, golfers are not permitted to use kiosks found at local clubs or pro shops until further notice to reduce social touch points.

Login at golfcanada.ca 

• Visit golfcanada.ca
• Click “Post a Score”
• Login using your member credentials
  • If you have forgotten your password, follow the prompts or click here
    

    

Post your score

• Choose the golf course
• Enter all applicable information
• Members are encouraged to post scores hole-by-hole in order to ensure the correct adjustment of Net Double Bogey (your maximum hole score for handicap purposes)

Post using the Golf Canada mobile app 

• Open the mobile app on your Apple or Android device
• Tap the Post a Score button
• Choose the golf course
• Members are encouraged to enter hole-by-hole scores
• Post your score

How do I track my stats?

• Members can enter their statistics for each game by selecting which stats they wish to maintain such as Fairways in Regulation (FIR), Putts, Penalty Strokes, Driving Distance etc.
• Post their score Hole-By-Hole and select “Yes” in the “Track Stats” bar.
• Enter in the statistical fields they wish to track and click “Post Score.”

How do I delete or edit a score?

Members can edit their scores at any time but can only delete an unedited score within 24 hours from the time the score was posted. After 24 hours or if an edit has been made, only the club administrator can delete a score. Scores that are edited will be denoted by a “#” beside the score in the scoring record.

• Click on the “Pencil” icon to the right of the appropriate score.
• Make the adjustment(s) to the score and click “Post Score.”
  • There may be some clubs that have changed their default setting (which may not allow golfers to edit or delete at all).

What if the course I played isn’t found in the directory?

If the club a golfer is looking for is not listed, please notify Golf Canada at members@golfcanada.ca or 1.800.263.0009 x4520. All member courses in Canada will appear in the course directory. Please note that courses that are not current members in Canada do not have valid course and slope ratings and scores from these courses cannot be entered for handicap purposes.

Not a member? Join Canada’s largest golf community here.

Chemical Engineering major and Canadian LPGA Tour golfer Brittany Marchand offers up a home schooling lesson where we investigate how the size and weight of a golf ball will affect the distance and speed that the ball travels.

View more from this series here.

Tom Brady delivered the shot of the match that made it easy to forget the rest of his swings. Tiger Woods didn’t miss a fairway and earned a small measure of revenge against Phil Mickelson.

The PGA Tour is set to return in just over two weeks, and it has a tough act to follow.

In the second and final charity match that brought live golf to TV, this exhibition was as entertaining as the real thing.

Woods lagged a long birdie putt close enough that his partner, Peyton Manning, didn’t have to putt. That secured a 1-up victory over Mickelson and Brady in “The Match: Champions for Charity.”

The goal was to raise $10 million or more for COVID-19 relief funds, and online donations sent money climbing toward about twice that much.

This made-for-TV exhibition would have been worth pay-per-view, the model Woods and Mickelson used for a $9 million winner-take-all match in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving weekend in 2018 that Mickelson won in a playoff under lights. It felt forced, lacked banter and turned out to free because of technical issues.

Throw in two NFL greats in Brady and Manning, and this allowed viewers to ride along for 18 holes at Medalist Golf Club among four of the biggest stars in sports.

Justin Thomas pitched in as an on-course reporter, bringing a mixture of humour and insight with the right amount of words.

Woods and Manning took the lead on the third hole and never trailed, building a 3-up lead in fourballs on the front nine, with Manning making two birdies (one was a net par).

Brady, whose six Super Bowl titles are more than any NFL quarterback in history, took a beating on social media and in the broadcast booth from Charles Barkley, who twice offered $50,000 of his own money toward charity if Brady just hit the green on a par 3. He missed so far right it would be comparable to a pass that landed three rows into the stands.

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton weighed in on Twitter, noting Brady signing as a free agent with Tampa Bay by saying he liked the “Florida” Brady much better.

Brooks Koepka offered $100,000 if Brady could just make a par.

I’ll donate 100k through the @bkcharityfund if @TomBrady makes a par on the front 9 #TheMatch #TNT

— Brooks Koepka (@BKoepka) May 24, 2020

One shot shut everyone up.

Never mind that Brady had to take a penalty drop before getting back to the fairway on the par-5 seventh. With his fourth shot, with Barkley needling him relentlessly, Brady’s shot landed beyond the pin and spun back into the cup.

“Shut your mouth, Chuck,” said Brady, whose microphone piece dangled off the back of his pants.

Woods still thought he won the hole with a 25-foot eagle putt that instead spun hard off the back of the lip. All that, and they ended up halving the hole.

Never doubt @TomBrady.

Charles Barkley learned the hard way … pic.twitter.com/muZ0xkt5xJ

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 24, 2020

Donations for COVID-19 relief funds kept piling up, and the entertainment didn’t stop even as the rain returned. It caused a 45-minute delay at the start, and as Woods said on the practice range, “I don’t normally play in conditions like this.”

Mickelson brought out his “Tiger Slayer” putter that he used to shoot 64 at Pebble Beach in 2012, the last time they were in the final group on the PGA Tour. Woods shot 75 that day. It didn’t help Lefty with a few critical birdie putts to square the match, though he rolled in a 15-foot par putt to stay 1 down with two to play.

The back nine was modified alternate shot – all players hit tee shots, and it was alternate shot from there. It was key for the quarterbacks to find the fairway for the pros to hit shots into the green, and Brady came through until the 18th.

Woods was playing for the first time since Feb. 16 when he finished last at Riviera in Los Angeles. He chose not to play the next four weeks with his back not feeling just right, and then the pandemic shut down golf and sports worldwide.

Woods looked sharp for the most part, with his game and his words. Mickelson on the fifth hole asked Woods to mark his ball from some 80 yards away.

“You want me to mark with a U.S. Open medal?” said Woods, a three-time champion of the only major Mickelson hasn’t won.

“Do you have one? I have some silver ones,” Mickelson said, referring to his record six runner-up finishes.

Mickelson boasted about taking Woods down on his home course at Medalist, and now their TV matches are tied at 1, even with each getting a little help. Mickelson says he was a little nervous on the front nine until he found his groove, driving the green on the par-4 11th with Brady making a 20-footer for eagle that began their rally.

“Phil said he was nervous. I know Tom and I were comparing notes,” Manning said. “To be behind the ropes in these guys’ worlds, to be in the arena with them, it was really a special experience. I was not comfortable the entire time. Knowing $20 million was raised and helping people going through tough times, it was an honour to be invited.

“It’s something I’ll always remember.”

Our partners at the Provincial Golf Associations have worked incredibly hard alongside industry stakeholders to implement protocols that foster a safe environment for golf during the COVID-19 crisis.

They will continue to seek clarity from municipal and provincial government and health authorities to help our member clubs and golfers navigate through this crisis.

Below are summaries and links for each respective provincial golf association:

Click here for relevant information on our COVID-19 resource page.

ACTON, ON (May 20, 2020) — The 2020 PGA Championship of Canada has been postponed after careful consideration from the PGA of Canada and lead sponsors TaylorMade Golf Canada and adidas Golf.

In addition, the PGA of Canada has decided to pause its player rankings for 2020 given the uncertain impact of COVID-19 on events across the country.

“There is no denying this is an unpredictable year for professional tournaments,” said Adam LeBrun, managing director of championships and foundation at the PGA of Canada. “Given the uncertain nature of inter-provincial travel and other restrictions due to COVID-19, we felt it was prudent to postpone the championship and pause the association’s player rankings this year.”

The PGA Championship of Canada was scheduled for July 6-10 at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, Alta.

Due to scheduling conflicts, Royal Mayfair is unable to host the tournament later in the season but has stated they are eager to work with the PGA of Canada to see the event return in the near future.

“We are disappointed we will not have the opportunity to host the association’s top professionals this year, but we fully support the PGA of Canada’s decision to postpone the event,” said Royal Mayfair’s director of golf Matthew Johnson. “It is our hope to return as a host venue for this prestigious championship in the near future.”

The PGA of Canada and its partners continue to monitor COVID-19 developments across the country and will evaluate all opportunities to see the championship contested later in the season.

“We are thankful for Royal Mayfair’s enthusiasm to host and to our partners at TaylorMade Golf Canada and adidas Golf for their flexibility and understanding as we navigate these unusual times together,” added LeBrun.

The association and its nine zones have decided to hold off awarding player ranking points in 2020 given the ever-evolving event season ahead.

PGA of Canada professionals accumulate points on a three-year rotation based on tournament performance at the zone and national level. As a result of this year’s pause, the current PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC will carry over to next year.

The ’19 PGA Championship of Canada was won by Dustin Risdon of Calgary, Alta., who bested Oliver Tubb 3 & 1 in the final match. Risdon became a two-time national champion and now sits at No. 12 on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC.

Past PGA Championship of Canada winner Pierre-Alexandre Bedard of Chibougamau, Que., will hold on to his No. 1 ranking heading into 2021.

Updates regarding upcoming national championships will be provided 8-weeks prior to the scheduled start of each tournament.

To view the current PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC, click here.

Golf courses have become a refuge of sorts for British Columbians seeking wide open spaces during the COVID-19 crisis.

In fact, getting a tee time has been almost as tough as finding toilet paper on store shelves was in the early days of the pandemic. Tee sheets at many B.C. golf courses have been filled from dawn to dusk with golfers following strict social distancing protocols as they go in search of birdies.

“I guess the best way to say it is all the tee times we are offering are spoken for, which is great,” says Hal Eremko, head professional of Burnaby Golf Services.

“We have so many customers who are dying to get back with us and play. For every tee time we fill, we are probably annoying four other people right now. It really is too bad, but as things open up, hopefully that will alleviate itself a little bit.”

One of the reasons things have been so busy is due to the fact that courses are offering fewer tee times per hour than they normally do to ensure social distancing. Some opened with tee-time intervals of 15 minutes, meaning they were sending off only four groups per hour.

Burnaby’s two 18-hole layouts, Riverway and Burnaby Mountain, reopened May 1 with 15-minute tee times but quickly dropped to 12 minutes when it became apparent that traffic on the courses was moving smoothly. Both courses normally operate with eight-minute tee-time intervals. “Except for rainy days we pretty much have had each of our tee times spoken for from 6 a.m. until past 7 at night,” Eremko says.

No one has had a busier spring than the three courses owned and operated by the West Coast Golf Group. While most courses in B.C. closed sometime in March, Hazelmere in Surrey, Belmont in Langley and Swaneset Bay in Pitt Meadows were among a handful that remained open.

“We developed our protocols starting with the raised cups and removing the bunker rakes and ball washers,” says Troy Peverley, vice-president of the West Coast Golf Group. “We had our protocols changing daily as we went and we worked with the National Golf Course Owners Association to keep on top of that.”

The WCGC did a record number of rounds in April. “It is definitely busier than normal,” Peverley says. “During that period of time when very few courses were open, we were extremely busy and were turning away as many people as were golfing. But it is still busy.”

It’s the same story throughout British Columbia. Cordova Bay in Victoria has been booked solid since reopening. “There is a fair bit of pent-up demand,” says Brian Hann, lead teaching professional at Cordova Bay. “With most courses going to a little wider interval of tee times we have like 20 per cent less inventory in tee times. Our tee times are booking up right at the booking window which for us is two weeks in advance.”

Cordova Bay reopened its 18-hole public course on May 1, while its par 3 course opened for play on May 18. Tee-time intervals on the 18-hole course are presently 10 minutes, versus the regular eight.
Hann and others in the industry say golfers have been good about following the social distancing protocols that have been put in place. “The support we have gotten has been great,” Hann says. “People are more than happy to support any of the safety protocols we have introduced. They are all over it.”

Golf courses in British Columbia were never ordered to close, although many did in the early days of the pandemic. But with proper social distancing measures in place, it quickly became apparent that golf courses were a safe place to be.

Burnaby Mountain Golf Course – Image Courtesy Burnaby Golf

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has been encouraging British Columbians to spend some time outdoors and golf courses have become a popular way to do that. “Most golf courses are built on areas in excess of 100 acres which provides plenty of spacing and distancing for the golfers to maintain their physical distancing which I think will be with us for a long time,” says Andy Hedley, vice president of operations with the GolfBC Group. “So I think we have a great product that meets all the criteria our provincial health officer is stipulating.

“It is very easy to play golf and maintain at least a six-foot spacing between each player. In fact, that would be an absolute bare minimum. I have played a couple of times this year and most times there’s no need to get within 20 feet of a playing parter. It’s obviously great exercise and great for the mental health to get out, get some fresh air and enjoy the outdoors.”

GolfBC is Western Canada’s largest golf course operator. Its B.C. holdings include Gallagher’s Canyon and Okanagan Golf Club in Kelowna, Olympic View in Victoria, Mayfair Lakes in Richmond and Nicklaus North in Whistler. Dan Matheson is general manager of the 36-hole Okanagan Golf Club facility, which includes the Quail and Bear courses. Both courses have been extremely busy since opening in late April.
“We tracked it right away and it was like, gosh, we are awfully full,” Matheson says.

“It would appear our members are playing about 35 per cent more. For some it may be because they are not working right now, they are absolutely not traveling anywhere else to do it and up until very recently there were no choices. You could go hiking or cycling, or maybe go fishing. Golf was the one thing where you could actually have some activity and it was social. You got to hang out with your buddies. It was allowed. I think the golf course was the one place where you could still have social interaction and get out in the fresh air and sunshine, walk around and feel like you had done something. Those reasons combined have resulted in people playing lots of golf.”

The hope in the industry is that over the long term golf may see some benefits from these challenging COVID-19 times. Many regular golfers are playing more than they have in many years and some who have left the game have come back. Others are giving golf a first try. “We are lucky we are the first sport to open up so we are getting a lot of folks who are just dying to get out and do something,” says Eremko.

“So we are seeing some range customers we have never seen before. They just want to do something and the fact they get a chance to maybe hit one ball on the range that just goes crazy is a real eye-opener. It has been a bit of a sales point for us which is kind of cool. The other opportunity is people are recognizing that if this game is this safe and it is the first to open, here is something that I should maybe be doing more of long term.”

As good as business has been, plenty of challenges remain. Until recently all food and beverage and retail operations at most courses have remained closed. Clubhouses and pro shops are just beginning to reopen at many courses. “Food and beverage is probably bigger than most people realize,” says Hedley. “It’s a huge part of our business. Many of our restaurants are stand-alones in terms of their marketing and branding and they do very well. Obviously now we will have limited numbers, limited seating, but we want to work within the confines of the protocols that are given to us and you just hope to build on that.”

Tournament play has also been virtually eliminated, at least for the immediate future. “With no gatherings of more than 50 people allowed, that pretty much puts every tournament out of commission for the foreseeable future,” Eremko says. “That’s tough on charities.” That 50-person limit has also hit the wedding business of many courses. “That’s a huge part of our business at Swaneset,” says Peverley. “We are booked up to two years in advance and every week we have multiple weddings.”

For now, those wedding aisles are empty. The fairways, on the other hand, have plenty of traffic.

Building upon the momentum generated by the introduction of the Vokey Design SM8 line in January, Titleist launches the WedgeWorks Low Bounce K Grind, a tour-proven, versatile wedge now available in 58- and 60-degree lofts.

The SM8 K grind is among the most popular of all the available Vokey options, especially with amateur golfers who favor its wide, cambered sole, providing maximum forgiveness on greenside shots and out of the bunker.

Like the majority of Vokey Design wedges, the new Low Bounce K grind was born out of Master Craftsman Bob Vokey and longtime Vokey tour representative Aaron Dill’s collaboration with players on the PGA Tour and across the worldwide professional tours. The pool of input runs deep, as Vokey Design models account for more than half of all wedges at a PGA Tour event during any given week. Vokey and Dill take that extensive feedback to consistently deliver new, tour-validated designs.

“Several players preferred the K grind sole but were seeking a lower bounce version,” said Vokey. “As a result, we crafted a sole with 6° of effective bounce, while maintaining the wide camber that makes the K design so effective for a wide variety of players.”

“As soon as we brought it out on tour, it was immediately accepted and in the bags of multiple players as soon as they had a chance to test it.”

Among those choosing the play the Low Bounce K for its combination of performance and aesthetics are Adam Scott, Webb Simpson, Ben An and Bud Cauley, all four of whom gravitated to the 60.06 K grind.

Aaron Dill provides the inside story on how Scott and Simpson decided to put their 60.06 K wedges in the bag:

“Adam Scott was using the original Vokey Design 200 series (260.08) wedge for several years. As far back as 2012, we started testing the new K grind with him after he mentioned he was looking to improve his bunker play. He was seeking more forgiveness in his sand/lob wedge, and – after some blind testing – Adam was blown away by how simple bunker play could be with this grind. We started with a 60.10 K, and as conditions firmed up, Adam mentioned that a little less bounce could be the key. The 60.06 K was born and has been in his bag ever since.”

“The 60.06 K made its way into Webb’s bag early 2018 after he played a round with a fellow competitor. It is not uncommon on tour for a player to see what somebody else is having success with and then ask to give it a try – especially with wedges. Webb said to me when ordering his 60.06 K that it gave him what he wanted, and more importantly, what he needed. The ground hugging look and the forgiveness in the bunker was what he needed to free up his wedge action and build further confidence.

The WedgeWorks Low Bounce K incorporates all the technology that sets Vokey Design SM8 wedges apart, including:

• Progressive CG pushed forward off the face for increased MOI, improved consistency and softer, more solid feel.
• Spin Milled grooves cut with a level of precision that is unique by finish, producing maximum spin.

Customization: Consistent with SM8, the Low Bounce K features a modern, clean look, which also provides a canvas for customization. Inspired by Dill (@VokeyWedgeRep), the WedgeWorks custom options are expanded to include:

• Six unique toe engravings.
• Expanded stamping options: 10-character Straight/Freestyle; 15 characters around toe; 5-character staircase style.
• Custom paint-filled Loft and Grind markings and BV Wings logo.

Availability and Pricing: The WedgeWorks Low Bounce K (58.06 and 60.06) models will be available immediately in both right hand and left hand for custom order in golf shops. Finishes include the new Tour Chrome and Raw and the Stock Shaft/Grip is the True Temper Dynamic Gold S200/Tour Velvet 360 White.

Pricing: The $269 CAD price point includes options for custom stamping, custom ferrule and custom shaft band. Additional customizations are also available a la carte and are listed on Vokey.com.