LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. and ST ANDREWS, Scotland (Feb. 14, 2019) – The USGA and The R&A have issued a periodic update of progress made to date on the Distance Insights project.

The update can be viewed or downloaded via this link here.

The project was initiated last May to provide the most comprehensive understanding of the past, present and future impact of distance on the game of golf.

A complete report is expected to be delivered in late 2019.

For more information on the Distance Insights project, please visit www.USGA.org/distanceinsights or www.RandA.org.

CP Women's Leadership Summit (Golf Canada)

Courtesy R&A and Golf Canada

The R&A’s drive to increase the number of women and girls participating in golf and to encourage more opportunities for women to work within the sport has been reflected in early success for the new Women in Golf Charter.

Launched last May in London, the Charter set out to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf globally. It is designed to encourage actions that enable more women and girls to flourish and maximise their potential within the golf industry at all levels.

This month we feature the two most recent episodes of The ModGolf Podcast as part of our effort to bring you golf’s best innovation and entrepreneurship stories.

Former PNGA President MG Davis Was Championship Chairman In 1994 When Tiger Woods Was The PNGA Men’s Amateur Champion - Image Courtesy Troy Andrew/PNGA

Former Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) president MG Davis passed away recently and current CEO and Executive Director Troy Andrew penned a sincere note to everyone in the golf community inviting all to a celebration of life .

Pacific Northwest Golf Friends,

As many of you know, we lost our great friend MG Davis a couple weeks ago.

MG loved and was dedicated to the game of golf, The Home Course, and the PNGA. He treated anyone associated to golf as his best friend. His selfless contributions to the golf industry have resulted in the PNGA and The Home Course achieving a level of excellence and respect within the golf community that would otherwise not have been possible. He will be missed dearly!

Above you'll see one of my favorite pictures of MG when he was the Championship Chairman of the PNGA Men’s Amateur at Royal Oaks CC in 1994, the year Tiger Woods won the PNGA Men’s Amateur and went on to win the U.S. Amateur that same year.

His family would like to invite you to his Celebration of Life on Sunday, February 10th at 11:00 a.m. at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington.

Please click on the following link to RSVP - http://evite.me/9pfShtghjV

Best regards,

Troy Andrew | CEO and Executive Director

Washington State Golf Association, Pacific Northwest Golf Association, The Home Course

The PGA TOUR and its affiliated Tours boasts a large roster of players from Canada as members. Here is the recap from this past week’s action and their performances.

Courtesy Golf Canada

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. and ST ANDREWS, Scotland – The USGA and The R&A have released the 2018 Annual Driving Distance Report, containing driving-distance data from seven men’s and women’s professional golf tours around the world. This is the fourth annual distance report issued by the game’s governing bodies, completed in an effort to monitor current trends in driving distance.

The 2018 data show that driving distances on these seven tours increased by an average of 1.7 yards, beyond the previous year’s gain of more than 3 yards.

See how Canadians fared in professional events around the world this past week.

By GORD MONTGOMERY, Inside Golf

"Even though a new set of guidelines have now been put into play for the game of golf, the rulebook still doesn’t address one major component found in every weekend warrior’s game — the mullligan or breakfast ball.

Despite that oversight, the new rules, the first in over six decades, will make the game’s regulations a bit easier for one and all to comprehend and abide by. At least that’s the word coming from Adam Helmer, the Director of Rules and Competitions for Golf Canada.

By JORDAN SCHWARTZ, USGA

When Nick Karnazes, then age 72, told his cardiologist about his plan to play 96 rounds of golf over 96 days across the 48 contiguous United States, he was warned that he might be coming home in a pine box.

“No one lives forever,” Karnazes, now 82, told his doctor at the time, fully aware that he was a candidate for heart surgery. “I have a daughter in heaven, so if something happened to me, I’d be with her. I had already mailed out letters to all the courses. I love golf. I’m going on the trip.”

Karnazes began doing some research and found that 18 people had played 48 rounds in 48 states, but no one had played two rounds in each state over 96 days. While others had circuited the country in small planes, Karnazes drove – mostly by himself – from one tee time to the next in an RV.

Dubbed “The Happy Golfer” by Callaway, the brand supplied him with clubs, balls, and apparel.

Click here for the full story.

Jordan Schwartz is the creative and content lead for the USGA Foundation. Email him at jschwartz@usga.org.

Some of the new Rules of Golf appear to have confused people.

This may help, a video highlighting the main changes with the new 2019 Rules of Golf.

 Via Press Release

Federal Way, Wash. – The 7,248-yard, par-72 Championship Course at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque will host the world’s most accomplished amateur golfers for the 53rd installment of the Pacific Coast Amateur Championship.

The 53rd Pacific Coast Amateur Championship, hosted by the Sun Country Amateur Golf Association (SCAGA), will take place July 23-26, 2019. This will be the first time in history that the Pacific Coast Amateur will be played in New Mexico.

Women’s Golf Day is an event celebrating girls and women playing golf and learning the skills that last a lifetime while supporting a worthy cause.

This highly successful and worthwhile event takes place on June 4th in 2019 and interested facilities can register for free to host an event by signing up through February 28th.

With the recent celebration of International Volunteer Day (IVD) across the globe, British Columbia Golf would like to take this opportunity to both acknowledge and sincerely thank the many women, men and young people who regularly give of their time and expertise to help make the championship events held in our province run smoothly and efficiently and indeed, allowing them to take place at all.

By RYAN HERRINGTON, Golf Digest

As January 1, 2019, approaches, it’s time to consider what New Year’s resolutions you’ll be making to help your golf game in 2019.

For those who haven’t come up with any, here’s a suggestion: Learn the Rules of Golf. (No, really learn them this time.)

Perhaps you’ve tried, only to find that by February, the copy of the rules book you picked up is covered with as much dust as that Peloton you bought to get into shape.

Yet here’s the thing: There’s no better time than now to give it another shot because a new, modernized version of the rules goes into effect on New Year’s Day.

Click here for the full story...

Brian Youell image credit: Chad Hipolito

Brian Youell Fins 2018 Leo Feser Award From GCSAA

Brian Youell, the golf course superintendent at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, has been selected as the recipient of the 2018 Leo Feser Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

Now in its 41st year, the award is presented annually to the author of the best superintendent-written article published in Golf Course Management, the association’s flagship publication, during the previous year.

Courtesy the good folks at Global Golf Post and YouTube, we'd like to share this inspiring video from 2013.

Each Christmas at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, there are a few kids who are too sick to go home. Watch how Arnold Palmer helped deliver some Christmas Miracles just in time!

Video created with love by strong films (http://strongfilms.org)

"Auld Lang Syne" and "Jingle Bells" performed by Ben Rector, used with permission!

The Hacienda Pinella Club de Golf In Costa Rica - All Images Credit Michael Cunningham

By Michael Cunningham

Brilliant rays of red and orange disperse across the darkening sky as our aircraft gently touches down on the runway at San Jose’s Juan Santamaria airport.

"Pura vida, welcome to Costa Rica”! Is a recurring expression of warmth that I will encounter throughout my visit here, genuine wishes for a “good life and happiness”.

I have arrived in Costa Rica to experience the emergence of golf in this county. My host is Fabio Solano, owner of Tee Times Costa Rica and the unheralded ambassador for the promotion of the sport in his country.

The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada is busy preparing for another strong season, announcing on Thursday the dates and sites for its six 2019 Qualifying Tournaments, events that determine the membership of the Mackenzie Tour.

The six sites will be: TPC San Antonio in San Antonio, TX (February 25-March 1), Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howie-In-The-Hills, FL (March 4-8), Carlton Oaks Golf Club in Santee, CA (March 25-29), Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, AZ (April 1-5), TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (April 22-26) and Crown Isle Resort & Golf Club in Courtenay, BC (April 29-May 3).

Each event is a 72-hole, no-cut qualifying tournament, with fields of 120 players.

Marine Drive Golf Club's Leah John, Seen Here Teeing Off At Her Home Course In The Canadian Women's Amateur This Summer, Is Headed To The University Of Nevada In Reno On A Full Ride Golf Scholarship - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

Courtesy Nevada Wolf Pack Women's Athletics

RENO, Nev. – Nevada women's golf coach Kathleen Takaishi signed three young players to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period, with Vancouver's Leah John being one of them.

"I am very excited about this recruiting class," said Takaishi. "Their hard work and dedication exemplify the values and culture we have built over the past few years. Each of them brings a unique aspect to our team. I anticipate this class making a big impact on our success moving forward."