NEW YORK, May 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — KPS Capital Partners, LP (“KPS”) announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its portfolio company, TaylorMade Golf Company, Inc. (“TaylorMade” or the “Company”), to Centroid Investment Partners (“Centroid”), a Seoul, Korea based private equity firm. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
TaylorMade is a leading global designer and manufacturer of golf clubs, balls, bags and accessories with #1 or #2 market positions in most of its key products and geographies. For over 40 years, TaylorMade has brought innovative, high performance product technologies to golfers worldwide and is represented by some of the world’s best Professional Tour athletes in the game; including World #1 Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Matthew Wolff, Sung Hyun Park, Charley Hull, Maria Fassi and Sierra Brooks.
KPS acquired TaylorMade in 2017 from adidas AG in a highly complex global corporate carve-out transaction involving the separation of shared facilities, employees, distribution infrastructure and material commercial arrangements.
TaylorMade was transformed under KPS’ ownership into a fully independent, focused golf equipment company that achieved market leadership in all its key product categories and experienced the highest growth rates in the industry. TaylorMade invested heavily in industry leading equipment technologies, introduced a series of revolutionary new products, achieved significant market share growth in golf balls, built new manufacturing and distribution facilities, and successfully refocused its marketing strategy, including the expansive build-out of one of the most advanced digital platforms in the business. As a result of these initiatives, the Company rapidly progressed from generating material operating losses between 2015 and 2017 to substantial growth in profitability each year under KPS ownership.
David Shapiro, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner of KPS stated, “TaylorMade demonstrates KPS’ ability to see value where others do not, buy right and make businesses better. KPS recognized the value of the iconic TaylorMade brand, its cutting-edge product portfolio, the talent of its world-class management team and employees and the opportunity to align the Company’s cost structure with the market realities.”
Mr. Shapiro added, “We congratulate and thank CEO David Abeles, TaylorMade’s management team and the entire organization for their tremendous dedication to the brand and Company and their passion for the game of golf. The Company is well positioned for continued growth and industry leadership and is poised for accelerated growth in the important Korean market as well as the rest of Asia under Centroid’s ownership.”
David Abeles, Chief Executive Officer of TaylorMade, added, “Our partnership with KPS has been extraordinary. It has been inspiring and incredibly productive to work with the team across the firm. From the beginning, KPS had the vision to recognize the strength and potential of the TaylorMade brand and business. Under KPS’s ownership, TaylorMade has become a far better company by investing in our operations, product technology pathways, product development processes and, importantly, in our people. TaylorMade has never been better positioned for future growth than we are today.”
Paul Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal counsel and Morgan Stanley and Allen & Co. served as financial advisors to KPS and TaylorMade. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals.
About TaylorMade Golf Company, Inc.
Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, TaylorMade is a leading manufacturer of high-performance golf equipment, golf balls and accessories with industry-leading innovative products like SIM2 metalwoods, SIM2 irons, P Series irons, TP5/TP5X golf balls and Spider putters. A major force across the world’s professional tours, TaylorMade has an unrivaled athlete portfolio that includes Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Matthew Wolff, Sung Hyun Park, Charley Hull, Maria Fassi and Sierra Brooks.
About KPS Capital Partners, LP
KPS, through its affiliated management entities, is the manager of the KPS Special Situations Funds, a family of investment funds with over $12.3 billion of assets under management (as of December 31, 2020). For nearly three decades, the Partners of KPS have worked exclusively to realize significant capital appreciation by making controlling equity investments in manufacturing and industrial companies across a diverse array of industries, including basic materials, branded consumer, healthcare and luxury products, automotive parts, capital equipment and general manufacturing. KPS creates value for its investors by working constructively with talented management teams to make businesses better, and generates investment returns by structurally improving the strategic position, competitiveness and profitability of its portfolio companies rather than primarily relying on financial leverage. The KPS Funds’ portfolio companies have aggregate annual revenues of approximately $10.6 billion, operate 159 manufacturing facilities in 22 countries, and have approximately 34,000 employees, directly and through joint ventures worldwide. The KPS investment strategy and portfolio are described in detail at www.kpsfund.com.
SOURCE KPS Capital Partners, LP
May 12, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF
James Beard Award winning author Adrian Miller reclaims a celebrated African American tradition and reinforces barbecue as an important Black cultural contribution to American cuisine.
Black Smoke is a delectable Black History lesson that takes a scholarly approach to tracing the evolution of barbecue in America. From its earliest mentions in journals written by Spanish explorers in 1513, through American slavery and Jim Crow, all the way to modern day grill-masters, Black food artisans, once lost to time, vividly come to life in the pages of Miller’s new book. He offers first person accounts, oral histories, and published reports about connoisseurs of slow-cooked meat who distinguished themselves through their ability to que! Miller also examines the array of cultural influences that have helped shape the culinary art of barbecue.
Native Americans, Latinx, Afro-Caribbeans, Asians, Europeans, everyone smoked meat…but, Black Americans perfected it! As the Black community continues to reclaim “the culture,” Miller’s Black Smoke solidly makes the case for African Americans as the true innovators of barbecue.
Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue is available now at all major booksellers or wherever books are sold.
May 11, 2021
NNPA NEWSWIRE — In December 2020, the PGA Tour made a $500,000 donation to five Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including $100,000 to Prairie View A&M’s men’s and women’s golf teams. The PGA Tour made the Prairie View A&M donation in the name of Champ’s grandfather, Mack, who wanted to attend Prairie View A&M but went into the military instead.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion was a prime focus during the 2021 National Golf Day event held virtually on Monday, May 10.
We Are Golf, a coalition of the game’s leading associations and industry partners, usually hosts the event in Washington, D.C., with industry leaders, members of Congress, the Executive branch, and federal agencies.
Because of the pandemic, this year’s event occurred virtually.
The biggest announcement came during the first hour when Neera Shetty, the Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at the PGA Tour, announced that the organization is entering a relationship with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the trade association that represents the Black Press of America.
“The Tour has entered into a relationship with the NNPA, which has an outreach to over 230 publications that reach Black and African American audiences, and we are planning to leverage that,” Shetty proclaimed.
Furthermore, Neera Shetty, EVP and Deputy General Counsel of the PGA TOUR and Chair of the TOUR’s Inclusion Leadership Council declared “The PGA TOUR is pleased to be working more closely with the NNPA and Black Press of America through this partnership….We are committed to connecting with diverse audiences that help us better reflect and engage with the communities where we play, and the leadership and support from Jim Beatty and the African American Golfer’s Digest played an integral role in bringing our organizations together in this important effort.”
Beatty, who also serves as CEO of Jim Beatty Golf Ventures said, “I am proud and pleased to have helped bring this to fruition. I plan to pursue the same with USGA,LPGA and PGA of America.”
“I think that what we’re seeing now, which is different, is just that everybody is coming together and really putting some passion and thought into how we can work collaboratively to try to overcome some of the past issues and really move forward in this area,” stated Shetty.
While National Golf Day celebrates the sport’s more than $84.1 billion annual charitable impact and its environmental and fitness benefits, the event kicked off with a panel discussion on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
“We are not that far removed from when there was a Caucasian-only clause in the PGA bylaws,” Shetty stated, who participated on a panel that included Sandy Cross, the Chief People Officer at the PGA of America, and Laura Diaz, the Director of Foundation Operations with the LPGA.
Shetty noted the Caucasian-only clause existed between 1939 and 1961, and it affected generations of businesses.
“Trying to overcome some of that historical exclusion is what we have to be very intentional about,” Shetty continued.
“We need to make sure that we are not only letting people know from all different backgrounds that they are not only invited, but they are welcome and that we are going to provide that equitable means so that they can participate in golf.”
RELATED: James Beatty Appointed to Golf 20/20 Diversity Task Force
African American Golfer’s Digest Executive Editor James “Jim” Beatty originated the suggestion of the NNPA connection to the PGA Tour a few months ago during the exploratory process and committee meetings which he was a part of. Beatty, president of Jim Beatty Golf Ventures, is one of North America’s Top 50 Site Consultants and he recommended the PGA Tour collaborate with the NNPA for a mutually beneficial media campaign that could potentially reach over 300 combined Black American newspapers and publications. “I am proud to have initiated the discussion and help put this together!” said Beatty in a statement. The campaign “Make Golf Your Thing” kicks off this month with promotions running in print, digital and on social media.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mean race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, socio-economic status, and religion, Diaz interjected.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Golf Industry Unites Around Game’s Momentum and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Collaboration during 2021 National Golf Day
“Equity is fair treatment, access, and opportunity for advancement and recognizing there are barriers but working to overcome them,” she explained.
“Inclusion is about creating that environment because you want to make sure that individuals and groups not only feel welcome and supported, but that they belong.”
Cross offered that it is critical golf embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“We have to understand that what and the why before we collectively, as an industry, can move to the how,” Cross said.
“How do we operationalize diversity and inclusion?”
The PGA Tour has worked diligently over the years to diversify the sport on all levels.
The PGA Tour currently has a 10-year and $100 million commitment to support racial equity and inclusion.
It has highlighted through video and social media individuals like Cameron Champ, one of just a handful of Black pro golfers.
In December, the PGA Tour made a $500,000 donation to five Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including $100,000 to Prairie View A&M’s men’s and women’s golf teams.
The PGA Tour made the Prairie View A&M donation in the name of Champ’s grandfather, Mack, who wanted to attend Prairie View A&M but went into the military instead.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Haskins & Friends bring in additional $64K to Mack Champ golf scholarships for Prarie View A&M University
The PGA Tour also made $100,000 donations to Delaware State’s women’s golf team, Tennessee State’s men’s and women’s teams, Wilberforce University’s men’s and women’s teams, and the Bowie State Golf Classic, an annual fundraiser for the school’s athletic department.
Augusta National also announced two Lee Elder scholarships for the men’s and women’s teams at Paine College, an HBCU in Augusta, Georgia.
“We know we have a lot of work that we are planning to do and will do to make sure that we address [diversity, equity, and inclusion] as an industry,” Shetty remarked.
Click here to watch the full National Golf Day Event.
This article originally appeared in BlackPressUSA.com
‘Make Golf Your Thing’ initiative kicks off next week,
inviting people from all backgrounds to try the game in their own way
(PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.) May 10, 2021 – Today, more than 300 leaders and representatives from a diverse cross-section of the golf industry participated virtually in National Golf Day, which was focused on strengthening the ongoing collaboration needed to advance the game’s appeal and increase its accessibility amongst those traditionally underrepresented in golf, while also building on the overall increased interest in the sport.
PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Seth Waugh, PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan and LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan were keynote speakers during the virtual National Golf Day General Session. The leaders organized the industry last summer around addressing two critical opportunities: how to build on the momentum that golf has experienced since the pandemic began and how to bring greater diversity to the game. Waugh, Monahan and Whan commented on the work accomplished so far through the broad-based industry collaboration and further pledged their organizations’ collective support of the ongoing efforts.
As part of the same session, a panel including Sandy Cross of the PGA of America, Laura Diaz of the LPGA Foundation and Neera Shetty of the PGA TOUR provided insights into the various working groups that have assembled over the last several months to further delve into industry Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts in the areas of education and skill development, talent acquisition, procurement, human resources, youth and adult player development, and marketing/communications. These work groups have brought together ideas and voices from all backgrounds and continue to grow in size and inclusivity.
RELATED: National Golf Day Transcript from virtual session
One tangible outgrowth of the marketing/communications work group was unveiled during National Golf Day, through ‘Make Golf Your Thing,’ a multi-faceted, multi-year initiative aimed towards inviting more people into the sport from all backgrounds, and especially those traditionally underrepresented. ‘Make Golf Your Thing,’ which will begin rolling out next week, was introduced by PGA TOUR Chief Marketing Officer Matt Corey alongside Jim Beatty of Jim Beatty Golf Ventures and Charles Dillahunt from the PGA of America, providing context to the movement and inviting the full industry to leverage the creative assets and spirit of ‘Make Golf Your Thing.’
The participating industry partners will leverage their combined owned media assets to spread the message and invite people to ‘make golf their thing,’ including but not limited to PSAs in golf tournament telecasts, websites and social media accounts, digital media, paid social media, email, and in-venue screens of Topgolf locations and participating golf course facilities nationwide.
The plans to partner with one or more multicultural marketing agencies on this work and the agency evaluation process is currently underway.
In addition, the youth and adult player development group has launched the first phase of the Grassroots Grants Program to support charitable organizations or programs dedicated to increasing golf participation among those who are underrepresented in the sport. More information can be found here.
Coordinated by a coalition of the game’s leading associations and industry partners under the banner of WE ARE GOLF, National Golf Day, typically held in Washington, D.C., brings together more than 300 industry leaders from across the U.S. to support the game’s $84.1 billion economy, nearly $4 billion annual charitable impact, close to 15,000 diverse businesses and two million jobs impacted.
Click here for more information on #NationalGolfDay and follow @wearegolf on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About WE ARE GOLF
WE ARE GOLF is an industry coalition that promotes the game and its positive impact on individuals and communities, as well as the economy, environment and wellness in America.
More information: www.wearegolf.org.
Meeting Recording & Agenda
https://zoom.us/rec/share/Km14PDm7X6yZj5WaQ7lye__tu4G6zh2NWlbk1e2vJcVJhPHgph-hOsmwK39Xdzol.NS3oeItQBJRtz6Y8
- Opening Commentary | Minute 01:00 – 09:50
- Session 1 DEI Collaboration Panel| Minute 09:50 – 48:00
- Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Roundtable featuring Neera Shetty, SVP & Deputy General Counsel at the PGA TOUR, Sandy Cross, Chief People Officer at the PGA of America, and Laura Diaz, Director of Foundation Operations with the LPGA.
- Session 2 Marketing Panel| Hour 48:00 – 01:25:10
- Industry Kickoff of ‘Make Golf Your Thing’ Marketing Movement featuring a presentation by Matt Corey, Chief Marketing Officer, PGA TOUR, Jim Beatty, Golf Ventures, Charles Dillahunt, Strategic Adjunct CEO and Chief People Officer, PGA of America. This presentation and panel discussion includes the historical background on how and why this new movement is an important, first-of-its-kind opportunity of the golf industry coming together to grow interest and participation in golf.
- Session 3 Leadership Roundtable| Hour 01:25:10 – 02:07:18
- Leadership Roundtable provides a thoughtful discussion with PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan, LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan, and PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh on how the golf industry continues to evolve and the important opportunities that lie ahead.
May 11, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF
The game of golf is growing by leaps and bounds, thanks to the excellent playability that social distancing provides. The pandemic, as awful as it has been and the devastation that it has caused, the virus has given ‘new life’ to the game of golf. No longer is it presumed true that golf an only grown with the introduction of new equipment and technology.
More people are out playing and learning the sport, freeing themselves from the stoic isolation of that self-quarantining can bring out. Over the last few months golf courses have been seeing a strong rise in tee time bookings and their overall revenue has reflected the playing surge.
A STRONG FORECAST
Titleist and FootJoy parent has adjusted upwards its outlook for the full year 2021, according to ProGolfWeekly.com The company said it expects sales to be in the range of $1.79 billion to $1.87 billion – up approximately 14 percent at the midpoint compared to 2020.
Acushnet reported Q1 sales of $581 million and earnings of $85 million, each up significantly from Q1 of 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic was beginning to impact businesses across the country. “Of course, these expectations assume no significant worsening of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic including additional significant incremental closures of global markets and additional supply chain disruptions,” said Tom Pacheco, Acushnet’s Chief Financial Officer.
“With a very strong first quarter and the second quarter, which we expect to be about 75 percent to 80 percent higher than 2020.
“We project very healthy first half sales gains as compared to both 2020 and 2019.” Acushnet’s second half sales in 2021 are expected to be lower than 2020, primarily due the impact of COVID-19 pandemic that saw an artificial surge in sales in the back half of 2020 when golf courses and pro shops re-opened en masse after being shuttered for months due to the crisis.
Acushnet reported Q1 sales of $581 million and earnings of $85 million, each up significantly from Q1 of 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic was beginning to impact businesses across the country.
“Of course, these expectations assume no significant worsening of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic including additional significant incremental closures of global markets and additional supply chain disruptions,” said Tom Pacheco, Acushnet’s Chief Financial Officer.
“With a very strong first quarter and the second quarter, which we expect to be about 75 percent to 80 percent higher than 2020.
“We project very healthy first half sales gains as compared to both 2020 and 2019.”
Callaway is thriving on the back of club and ball sales along with a couple of shrewd acquisitions. From Mike Freeman in the San Diego Union Tribune:
The Carlsbad company relied heavily on its core club and ball business to drive financial results as the once stagnant game continues its renaissance. Rounds played surged 24 percent in the U.S. alone during the first quarter, according to industry research firm Golf Datatech.
More surprising was the solid performance in Callaway’s apparel arm. Its TravisMathew and Jack Wolfskin brands did well despite lingering COVID-19 restrictions in important markets. Emerging e-commerce sales led the way.
Callaway’s overall revenue rose 47.5 percent to $652 million compared with the same quarter last year. Adjusted net income reached $77 million, or 62 cents per share — up from adjusted earnings of 31 cents per share a year ago.
May 10, 2021 | BY HOWARD BANKHEAD
Par Excellence Youth Development (PEYD) is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization mission: To positively influence the lives of youth by providing educational programs, that encourage fitness, character, and academics. We do this in partnerships with educational institutions, other non-profits and partners*1.
>> The program introduces students primarily in grades 2 thru 8 to math, science, reading, and life skills (character) using golf as the context. Students with and without disabilities are integrated and developed in the same environment. Learning and development are achieved in the classroom and on the golf course.
>> Programs are presented during regular school hours, after-school, and summer enrichment. Tutoring, mentoring, academic, and athletic activities are components of the curriculum. The program has multiple effects, including increasing interest and expanding the understanding of math, reading, technology, and science while increasing golf knowledge and its association with character development.
Instructional Staff and Network; PEYD instructional staff includes golfers and non-golfers. Both serve in their respective capacity of educational and life skills training and golf skills. The life skill trainers focus on the development of the participant’s academics and the golf skills trainers focus on the drills, management and playing the game of golf. Other instructional staff includes members of the Professional Golfers Association (PGA).
Through the history of PEYD programs of reaching out and presenting to thousands of youths starting in 2003 contributed to programs being awarded; PGA Growth of the Game Grants; the USGA Good for the Game Grants and enabled the founding of (former) The First Tee of Huntsville.
PEYD, has the highest of hopes for our great state. PEYD believes the best of Alabama is still untapped. The history of great Alabamians, were fostered from areas of the Black Belt and throughout the state. One of our goals is for Alabama to be #1 in character and STEM, as we are in football.
Partnerships*1 include: City of Huntsville; Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail @ Hampton Cove Course; Madison Golf Center; Huntsville Achievement School; Tennessee Valley Jazz Society-Huntsville; AAMU Community Development Corporation; New Beginning Christian Church; African American Golfers Digest; Datatek Graphics; Colsa Corporation; National Alliance for Accessible Golf. PEYD are also proud members of the Huntsville Madison County Chamber and the Alabama State Black Chamber of Commerce.
PEYD evolved from The Tennessee Valley Jazz Youth Golf Development and The First Tee of Huntsville.
PEYD respectively requests to be considered and included in the various charitable Foundations that you provide fiscal support to.
“Reading; Math; Science; Tech; Life-Skills Thru Golf”
Winning Formula
60(a) + 40(g) = 100(pi)
Academic (a) + Golf (g) = Positive Impact (pi)
FMI & Tax-Deductible Donation: (256) 604-8172 / [email protected]
Visit our website: https:www.peyd2016.com
Howard Bankhead
Executive Director
Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development
604 Jordan Lane
Huntsville, AL 35816 USA
256-604-8172
May 10, 2021
‘Make Golf Your Thing’ initiative kicks off next week,
inviting people from all backgrounds to try the game in their own way
(PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.) May 10, 2021 – Today, more than 300 leaders and representatives from a diverse cross-section of the golf industry participated virtually in National Golf Day, which was focused on strengthening the ongoing collaboration needed to advance the game’s appeal and increase its accessibility amongst those traditionally underrepresented in golf, while also building on the overall increased interest in the sport.
PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Seth Waugh, PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan and LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan were keynote speakers during the virtual National Golf Day General Session. The leaders organized the industry last summer around addressing two critical opportunities: how to build on the momentum that golf has experienced since the pandemic began and how to bring greater diversity to the game. Waugh, Monahan and Whan commented on the work accomplished so far through the broad-based industry collaboration and further pledged their organizations’ collective support of the ongoing efforts.
“We have an opportunity as an industry to make a significant impact on the future of our game by being intentional about our efforts to broaden golf’s reach to underrepresented communities,” said Whan. “In 30 years, we want to look back and be proud of the work we’ve done as an industry alliance because the world deserves it. If you feel like you can make a difference, we want you to be involved.”
As part of the same session, a panel including Sandy Cross of the PGA of America, Laura Diaz of the LPGA Foundation and Neera Shetty of the PGA TOUR provided insights into the various working groups that have assembled over the last several months to further delve into industry Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts in the areas of education and skill development, talent acquisition, procurement, human resources, youth and adult player development, and marketing/communications. These work groups have brought together ideas and voices from all backgrounds and continue to grow in size and inclusivity.
One tangible outgrowth of the marketing/communications work group was unveiled during National Golf Day, through ‘Make Golf Your Thing,’ a multi-faceted, multi-year initiative aimed towards inviting more people into the sport from all backgrounds, and especially those traditionally underrepresented. ‘Make Golf Your Thing,’ which will begin rolling out next week, was introduced by PGA TOUR Chief Marketing Officer Matt Corey alongside Jim Beatty of Jim Beatty Golf Ventures and Charles Dillahunt from the PGA of America, providing context to the movement and inviting the full industry to leverage the creative assets and spirit of ‘Make Golf Your Thing.’
The participating industry partners will leverage their combined owned media assets to spread the message and invite people to ‘make golf their thing,’ including but not limited to PSAs in golf tournament telecasts, websites and social media accounts, digital media, paid social media, email, and in-venue screens of Topgolf locations and participating golf course facilities nationwide.
The plans to partner with one or more multicultural marketing agencies on this work and the agency evaluation process is currently underway.
In addition, the youth and adult player development group has launched the first phase of the Grassroots Grants Program to support charitable organizations or programs dedicated to increasing golf participation among those who are underrepresented in the sport. More information can be found here.
Coordinated by a coalition of the game’s leading associations and industry partners under the banner of WE ARE GOLF, National Golf Day, typically held in Washington, D.C., brings together more than 300 industry leaders from across the U.S. to support the game’s $84.1 billion economy, nearly $4 billion annual charitable impact, close to 15,000 diverse businesses and two million jobs impacted.
Click here for more information on #NationalGolfDay and follow @wearegolf on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About WE ARE GOLF
WE ARE GOLF is an industry coalition that promotes the game and its positive impact on individuals and communities, as well as the economy, environment and wellness in America.
More information: www.wearegolf.org.
May 8, 2021
Professional golfer Daniel Bowling has been charged for a number of offences, including obscene communication, travelling to meet a minor and attempted lewd and lascivious communication, according to a report at GolfMagic.com
According to PEOPLE, Bowling was arrested in Florida on Thursday for attempting to meet up with a 15-year-old girl, but it was in fact a police officer posing as a young girl.
Bowling had been speaking to who he thought was a young girl since April, but he has now been arrested and charged, described by the Orlando Police Department as “a dangerous online predator.”
As reported by PEOPLE, Bowling had made first contact on the AdChat app in early April and according to reports, the police department said that the chats turned into a sexual nature within the first day and it intensified at a fast pace.
On April 26th, Bowling posted on his Instagram page a video of himself playing golf and attempting to qualify for the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina this week.
“Unfortunately, there are potentially hundreds of predators like Mr Bowling online,” said Jennifer Wing from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
“I hope news of today’s arrest encourages parents to be more proactive in monitoring their children’s lives online.”
Unfortunately, these are not the first offences of this nature that Bowling has committed in his life. In 2018, he was handed probation after he was spotted masturbating at a hotel while watching children in a swimming pool.
April 15, 2021
PGA Member Lee Elder, who lived the dream of competing in the spring in Augusta, Georgia, has repeatedly felt the impact of the month of April upon his life. It was April 21, 1974, when Elder won the Monsanto Open, guaranteeing he would become the first Black golfer to earn a berth in the 1975 Masters.
Thirteen days earlier, Elder’s friend, Hank Aaron, broke Babe Ruth’s home run record. As fate would have it, 47 years later to the day of Aaron’s epic blast, Augusta National Golf Club welcomed the 86-year-old Elder as an Honorary Starter for the 85th Masters alongside Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. An April day later, the PGA of America held a special celebration for Elder just south of Augusta National at Augusta Municipal Golf Course. Affectionately called “The Patch,” the landmark facility was the first in the city to allow Blacks to play in the 1960s.
Among the special guests next to Elder at both Augusta National last Thursday and at the celebration on Friday were 12 Black PGA Members carrying their own history-making credentials.
PGA Member – Club/Affiliation – Hometown
- Renee Powell, PGA Hall of Fame – Clearview Golf Club Clearview Legacy Foundation – Canton, Ohio
- Mackenzie Mack, PGA – Callaway Golf Company – Carlsbad, Calif.
- Maulana Dotch, PGA – Hermann Park Golf Course – Houston
- Scooter Clark, PGA – PGA of America PGA REACH – Frisco, Texas
- Kennie Sims, PGA – Tampa Sports Authority – Tampa, Fla.
- Kendall Murphy, PGA – PGA of America – Las Vegas
- Jeff Dunovant, PGA – First Tee of Metro Atlanta John A White Park Golf Course – Atlanta
- Howie Pruitt, PGA – Aspen Lakes Golf Club – Sisters, Ore.
- Gerry Hammond, PGA – In The Number – Columbus, Ohio
- Earl Cooper, PGA – Eastside Golf – Philadelphia
- Rich Jones, PGA – Pine Ridge Golf Club Golf Galaxy – Rich Jones Golf Academy – Coram, N.Y.
- Wyatt Worthington II, PGA – APGA Tour – Las Vegas
Each PGA Member was moved by the experience. “Dr. Elder was able to see through the 12 of us that his struggle has made an impact, and these are the fruits of his labor,” said Scooter Clark, PGA, of Frisco, Texas, Director of the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship. “What all his work has meant and that everything leading up to 1975 wasn’t in vain.”
For Earl Cooper, PGA, Co-Founder of Eastside Golf, a Philadelphia-based apparel company looking to grow the game through fashion and culture, it was a moment that moved him to tears. “To be standing on the shoulders of giants, for what he did to break the color barrier, there is so much more to do. Lee Elder gives me the energy to keep going. To be part of that moment was very inspiring.”
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“To be able to actually walk up to a pioneer and say, ‘Thank you for making a way for me’ is incredible,” said Mackenzie Mack, of Callaway Golf Company in Carlsbad, California, and the first Black person to compete on Indiana State University women’s golf team. “I’m glad that we as an industry were able to acknowledge, celebrate and figuratively give roses to Dr. Elder while he could receive them.”
Declining health prevented Elder from hitting a tee shot a day before, but once he stood with a driver in hand, the ovation he received was as if he split the fairway.
“Life is made up of many moments,” said PGA President Jim Richerson during the PGA Member ceremony, which coincided with the second round of The Masters. “Moments that will make you think. Moments that will shape your beliefs, and moments that will shape your life. For those that were fortunate enough to be in attendance this week and share in the life of the great Lee Elder, it will be a moment they will never forget.”
“There was no place on Earth that any one of us would have wanted to be than on that First Tee last Thursday,” said PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh. “Dr Elder’s accomplishments, courage and grace were all so evident and had such an impact on all in attendance and indeed around the World. What a privilege and an honor to be in the presence of this incredible man and his well deserved legend.”
“It was an honor for me to be a part of this, in the presence of his family and our incredible golf professionals attending the event,” echoed John Easterbrook Jr., the PGA’s Chief Membership Officer.Elder, Richerson, and Waugh were joined onstage by Augusta Mayor Hardie Davis Jr. and Paine College President Dr. Cheryl Evans Jones.
Elder survived quintuple bypass surgery a decade earlier and is blind in his left eye as a result of diabetes, yet he maintains a positive outlook. “For me and my family, I think it was one of the most emotional experiences that I have ever witnessed or been involved in,” said Elder, a 45-year PGA Member who competed in all four of golf’s majors.
“My heart is very soft this morning — not heavy soft– soft because of the wonderful things that I have encountered since arriving here.”
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“It was unfortunate that this happened so many years later,” said PGA Hall of Fame Member Renee Powell of East Canton, Ohio, who became the first Black woman PGA Member in 1996. “But it was fortunate that he could be there…Lee is such a gracious person and watching his smile; he has the same smile and disposition that he’s always had. I think people now appreciate who he was and the challenges he faced back in 1975.”
Earlier, Davis presented Elder with the inaugural Mayor’s Legacy Award, while Paine College bestowed an Honorary Doctorate degree. Richerson then presented a plaque to Elder on behalf of the PGA of America’s nearly 28,000 PGA Professionals, and in celebration of his groundbreaking contributions, including becoming the first Black person to compete and earn a point in the Ryder Cup, which he did for the victorious U.S. team in 1979.
“You have me going to tears,” said Elder. “It is a great honor for me to accept this great token of what the PGA has given to me.”
PGA Member Kennie Sims, Vice President of Golf Operations for Tampa Sports Authority, said he cherished “a front row seat as history was made…The world stopped for a moment to say thank you to Dr. Elder and to atone for what he and others had to endure. Today was one of those days when golf and society came together.”
“I started playing golf in 1966,” said Pruitt, President of the Pacific Northwest PGA Section. “In 1968, Dr. Elder came out on the PGA Tour. I didn’t have a clue what it took to be a PGA Professional. But, he inspired me then, and he continues today. Nearly 40 years after he joined the Tour, I became a proud PGA Member in 2007.”
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Gerry Hammond, PGA, of Gahanna, Ohio, is the Founder and CEO of In the Number, which uses golf as a tool to teach integrity, discipline, academic excellence, teamwork and service. “I thought honoring Lee Elder was a testament to the PGA of America’s commitment to establishing and supporting equitable and inclusive opportunities for Black PGA Members.
This was a step in the right direction to do what is right for the game.”Jeff Dunovant, who along with his father, Harold, comprised the first Black PGA Member father-son tandem, said the experience struck home. “I have known Lee Elder personally all my life. He and my father were friends. Lee has always been an inspiration to me and to be there to support him is something I will never forget.”
Maulana Dotch, PGA General Manager at Hermann Park Golf Course in Houston, was a collegiate player at Bethune-Cookman University when she first met Elder. “Just knowing his story and seeing him happy, loving, and surrounded by people who love him really touched me,” said Dotch, who recently became the first Black woman PGA Member to ascend to General Manager. “This experience fueled my will to keep pushing me to grow this game and make it accessible to all.” Elder’s torch was figuratively passed throughout the room.“
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Dr. Elder has paved the way for me to have the career that I have today, and I am so grateful,” said Kendall Murphy, PGA, of Las Vegas, Career Consultant for the PGA of America.
“Today, his strength and courage persevered again.” “Breaking the color barrier at one of the most traditional events in golf is no easy task,” said Wyatt Worthington II, who became the second African American PGA Club Professional to compete in the PGA Championship in 2016. “I wouldn’t have been able to achieve any of my accomplishments without his sacrifice.”
Rich Jones, PGA Director of Instruction at Pine Ridge Golf Club in Coram, New York and at Golf Galaxy in Bayshore, New York, and owner of Jones Golf Academy, said the “significance and meaning of Elder’s tribute at Augusta National has not escaped me. We must never forget on whose shoulders we stand. Because of him, we can. Because of many before us, we do. As Mr. Elder famously stated, we must ‘stay the course.’”
Clark said his trip to Augusta also brought him to tears.“This entire week has been unreal,” Clark explained. “It has reinvigorated me to do things organizationally as a PGA Member and staff member to carry the torch for the next generation, to leave my own legacy on the game. This is bigger than any of us, and fortunately industry wide we are now using our collective efforts for the greater good of creating equity in the game we all love.”
This article was originally publshed on PGA.com
May 7, 2021
WE ARE GOLF is now accepting applications for a newly created Grassroots Grants Program! This program is being administered through the Youth & Adult Player Development Work Group within the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Golf Industry Collaboration.
The purpose of the Grassroots Grants Program (GGP) is to support 501c(3) charitable organizations or programs dedicated to increasing golf participation among those who are underrepresented in the sport: Black, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Indigenous communities as well as women, LBGTQ+ individuals, Veterans, and individuals with disabilities.
Applications will be accepted beginning May 7, 2021 and will end the earlier of: (a) WE ARE GOLF’s receipt of 100 applications; or (b) May 28, 2021. The first phase of this Grassroots Grants Program will award a combined total of $150,000 to successful applicants, who may receive individual awards of up to $10,000.
An official outline of the Grassroots Grants Program funding and eligibility, application, and more information can be found HERE. Additionally, please submit any questions or comments to [email protected]
Memorial Service Live Stream Link: https://youtu.be/KRU_j38sef8
Gregory Lee Odom (Greg) was born January 4, 1954, to the late Mr. James Odom, Sr. and Mrs. Jimmie D. Odom in Memphis, Tennessee. He was the fourth child of ten children. Greg was a graduate of George Washington Carver High School.
While at the high school, he introduced the sport of golf to the school and developed an avid love for the sport. Whenever he had a chance, he would have a golf club in his hand. He also enjoyed shooting pool and fishing. He would often bring his catch home and have a fish fry.
Gregory Odom was an active member of Greater Kerr Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend James A. Hailey until his health prevented his attendance. Greg worked many years as a steamfitter/ pipefitter with Steamfitter’s Local 614. Greg’s entrepreneurial spirit, skills, and experiences received as a pipefitter, motivated him to start his own wrought iron business in 1979: GLOCO IRON WORKS.
Greg shared his own experiences as a welder and small business owner to train and mentor young men about the trade and starting their own business. Traveling around the city and neighboring cities of the Midsouth, you will see a sample of Greg’s wrought ironwork. Greg was a member of the 12 Sportsman Club.
Greg and Shirley Baxter were married on October 13, 1996, and to this union was born Gregory Lee Odom Jr. Two brothers, James Odom, Jr., and Elbert Odom preceded him in death.
Gregory Odom, Sr. was a husband, father, businessman, and friend. He was especially a golfer of great skill. Born poor and African American didn’t stop him from learning, playing, and sharing the game of golf. Among great amateurs in Memphis, Tennessee, Greg could hold his own. Not a big hitter, but deadly accurate, he understood the lay of the land. Greg was hardly ever out of competition. Greg did a lot for the game that gave him so much. He coached the youth, conducted charity tournaments, and was the encourager of anyone attempting to play the game.
His son, Gregory Odom, Jr., a collegiate player at Howard University was Greg’s pride and joy. Gregory Odom, Sr. passed away on May 1, 2021. Two days after Greg’s death, Greg, Jr. won the national PGA Collegiate Championship.
Gregory Odom, Sr. has been selected as the prototypical Amateur African American golfer of excellence. The Life Together Board of Directors has named its Stakeholders Amateur Golfer Award after Gregory Odom, Sr. and it will be awarded annually.
Greg leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Shirley; one daughter, LaToya Williford (Joel); two sons, Eric Walker (Karika) and Gregory Jr; four sisters, Gwendolyn L. Jones, Sandra L. Houston (Freddie), Clarissa Odom, Nita McComb (Maurice); three brothers, Maurice Odom (Carol), Aubry Odom (Linda), Harold Odom (Helen) and a host of grandchildren, great-grands, nieces, and nephews. Greg raised nephews, Antonio, Anthony, and Timothy as his own children.