GBR Wednesday | Newton Golf Grows Fast As The R&A Launches Road To The Opens and U.S. Play Rises
Connecting the dots across golf’s business, media, and professional landscape
Hello GBR,
The last time I sent out a newsletter (last Wednesday), the world of golf was wondering if Tiger Woods was ready for a return to The Masters next week.
And then Friday happened.
You will have read the details elsewhere, and you probably know that he is stepping away from the game to sort his life out, which begs the question of when we’ll see him again.
As far as the PGA Tour is concerned, the Future Competition Committee will continue to shape the future of the tour in Tiger’s absence.
That covers the Tiger side of golf news this week.
Today, we have a busy newsletter detailing the financials issued by Newton Golf for 2025, which has plenty of positives in it.
The National Golf Foundation has reported a strong February in the U.S. for golf participation, which follows a good January, another record year in the making?
Speaking of golf participation, the R&A is one of four partners who have launched “Road To The Opens”, which forms a series of initiatives designed to help inspire young and old to take up the game.
Enjoy today’s GBR.
NEWTON GOLF REPORTS RECORD 2025 SALES AS SHAFT BUSINESS EXPANDS
Newton Golf Company reported record 2025 net sales of $8.1 million, up 136% from $3.4 million a year earlier, with fourth-quarter sales rising 112% to $2.3 million as demand increased for its Newton Motion shaft line across both direct-to-consumer and professional club-fitting channels.
The Nasdaq-listed company said growth was driven by stronger online sales, wider adoption among club fitters, and an expanded shaft range, with Black Friday producing the highest single-day sales total in its history and repeat customers accounting for 26.7% of gross direct-to-consumer orders, up 36% from 2024. During the year, Newton became the top-selling shaft brand for both drivers and fairway woods at Club Champion, expanded its fitter network to about 230 locations from 2024 levels, more than doubled the number of professional golfers using its shafts to more than 60 across PGA Tour Champions, the LPGA and Korn Ferry Tour, launched a Japanese e-commerce site and introduced the Fast Motion driver shaft.
Gross profit rose to $4.6 million, although gross margin fell to 56% from 66% because of higher labor costs, while operating expenses increased to $12.1 million from $7.3 million, reflecting higher marketing, staffing, public company costs, and continued investment in research, development, and enterprise systems. Net loss narrowed to $6.0 million, or $1.63 per share, from $11.8 million, or $178.33 per share, in 2024. Cash and cash equivalents stood at $1.3 million at December 31, 2025, down from $2.5 million at September 30, 2025. After the year end, the company agreed to raise up to $2.0 million through convertible notes and warrants, with an initial March 16, 2026 closing that included a $500,000 convertible note issued to entities affiliated with a company director, carrying 10% annual interest and maturing in 18 months, together with a five-year warrant to buy 50,000 shares at $1.75 each.
Newton also said co-founder and chief technology officer Akinobu Yorihiro became interim chief executive on March 27, succeeding Greg Campbell, who remains on the board, while director Brett Hoge was appointed chairman. “In 2025, our record top-line results were driven by strong growth in our direct-to-consumer sales channel, increased adoption by professional club fitters, and expansion of our Newton Motion technology-driven shaft product line,” Yorihiro said.
FLIGHTSCOPE EXTENDS AJGA PARTNERSHIP THROUGH 2031
FlightScope and the American Junior Golf Association have extended their partnership through 2031 to provide junior golfers with tour-level performance data.
Under the renewed agreement, AJGA members will have access to FlightScope’s latest technology, including the new X3C and Mevo Gen2, at all AJGA events, while AJGA Junior Plus members will receive personal swing videos paired with FlightScope data that can also be viewed by college coaches. The partnership will also continue to offer AJGA members exclusive discounts on FlightScope products. “Extending our partnership with the AJGA reinforces FlightScope’s commitment to developing the next generation of golfers,” said Johan Immelman, FlightScope’s brand director. “Junior athletes deserve access to the same level of trusted, tour-quality data that drives improvement at the highest levels of the game.” Jason Etzen, the AJGA’s chief business officer, said FlightScope’s technology gives players useful insights to improve, compete with greater confidence, and attract the attention of college coaches who depend on accurate performance data.
GOLFGUIDERS LAUNCHES MOBILE APP COMBINING SOCIAL, GPS, COACHING, AND COMMERCE
GolfGuiders has launched a mobile app designed to bring together a wide range of golf-related functions in a single platform.
The new platform brings together social networking, coaching content, GPS tools, tournament management, and an integrated digital marketplace for use both on and off the course. The company said the app is intended to serve golfers of all ages and ability levels, offering features including course discovery, GPS rangefinders, a dial-based scorecard, trip planning, live tournament tracking and scoring, AI-powered assistance for advice, rules guidance, club recommendations, and course suggestions, as well as in-app shopping for equipment and accessories from vendors around the world.
GolfGuiders also said further voice-enabled AI features are planned. “GolfGuiders isn’t just another app, but an ecosystem that simplifies the game for golfers of every age and skill level,” said Richard Hussain, chief executive and founder of GolfGuiders. “We’re creating the digital clubhouse for golfers worldwide to improve the game while fostering a vibrant, connected community.” He added: “The golf industry has needed a platform that brings everything together, social, commerce, coaching, travel, under one roof. GolfGuiders is that platform, and we’re thrilled to introduce it to the world.” The app is available now through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
U.S. GOLF ROUNDS ROSE MORE THAN 5% IN FEBRUARY
Golf rounds played in the United States increased by just over 5% year on year in February, according to the latest monthly play data issued by the National Golf Foundation.
The report outlined the fact that growth was largely driven by the Midwest and Western regions after 29 states from Michigan west recorded above-average temperatures during the month. The result marked a reversal from February 2025, when rounds were down 11% nationally.
Weather-related declines were recorded in the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic, particularly in states including New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but those losses were more than offset by stronger gains in states such as Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Texas, and Washington. Through the first two months of 2026, nationwide play is running 11% ahead of the same period last year. The report noted that February remains one of the lowest-volume months of the year for golf because many facilities in northern states have not yet opened for the season.
QHOTELS COLLECTION ADDS DIGITAL TOUCHSCREENS IN GOLF RESORT MEDIA DEAL
The QHotels Collection has entered a new commercial partnership with Clubhouse Sports Media that will see interactive touchscreen totems installed outside golf shops across its resorts, in a move designed to improve the golfer experience and create new opportunities for advertisers and brand partners.
Positioned in high-traffic areas near golf retail spaces, the digital screens will provide golfers with access to relevant content, promotions, and partner messaging before and after their rounds, while also giving brands an additional platform to reach members, visiting golfers, and corporate groups across the group’s venues. Keith Pickard, golf, health club, and spa director at The QHotels Collection, said the initiative formed part of the company’s wider effort to modernize the customer journey and create more points of engagement within the golf environment.
Rachel Phillips, director at Clubhouse Sports Media, said the partnership would allow brands to connect with a highly engaged audience in a setting where golfers are already immersed in the sport. The rollout is part of The QHotels Collection’s broader strategy of investing in technology, partnerships, and infrastructure intended to support participation and innovation across the UK golf market.
‘ROAD TO THE OPENS’ LAUNCHED TO INSPIRE YOUNG GOLFERS IN ENGLAND’S NORTH-WEST
The R&A, the Golf Foundation, England Golf, and The PGA have launched “Road To The Opens,” a new participation initiative aimed at using the legacy of both The Open and the AIG Women’s Open to bring more young people into golf across England’s north-west.
The campaign was launched at Royal Lytham & St Annes, where junior golfers from the club were joined by the Claret Jug and the AIG Women’s Open trophy ahead of a summer in which Royal Birkdale will host The 154th Open from July 12-19 and Royal Lytham & St Annes will stage the 50th AIG Women’s Open from July 29-August 2. The four organizations said the project is designed to connect the visibility of both championships with grassroots opportunities in schools, golf clubs, and local communities, with a target of reaching more than 3,500 young people through five stages of the “Junior Journey,” from first trying golf to taking part in fun and competitive play. Planned activity includes Trophy Tour visits to schools, clubs, and community venues, introductory golf sessions, careers-focused projects, delivery of the Unleash Your Drive program, junior coaching and GolfSixes League opportunities, and talks on golf’s history and career pathways.
“With both The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale and the 50th staging of the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, we have a unique opportunity to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to try golf and take up the sport,” said Kevin Barker, director of golf development for GB&I and Africa at The R&A. Brendon Pyle, chief executive of the Golf Foundation, said the initiative would use the presence of the world’s best male and female players in the region to encourage participation, while England Golf chief executive Jeremy Tomlinson said the campaign would build on strong growth in junior golf, and The PGA said its members would play a central role in turning championship interest into lasting local participation.
MOUNT JULIET AND BALLYBUNION LEAD WINNERS AT 59CLUB UK & IRELAND AWARDS
The 59club UK & Ireland Service Excellence Awards were held at Celtic Manor Resort on March 26, 2026, with golf, leisure, and hospitality venues from across the region recognized for service standards measured through 59club’s independent mystery shopper program.
Mount Juliet Estate emerged as the leading venue of the night, winning four individual awards and being named Ultimate Golf Resort, while Ballybunion Golf Club retained the title of Ultimate Members’ Club for a third consecutive year, and Eden Hall secured Spa Experience of the Year for the third year running. Among the individual and team winners were Glenn McNaughton of Long Ashton Golf Club in food and beverage, Martin Robinson of Brocket Hall in retail, Matt Aplin of Goring & Streatley Golf Club in greenkeeping, Mount Juliet Estate, Rockliffe Hall and Knebworth Golf Club in golf operations, and Matt Sandercock of Mount Juliet, Tom West of Rockliffe Hall and Mark Bierton of Knebworth in the golf manager categories.
Branston Golf & Country Club collected both golf and leisure membership sales team awards, while Forest of Arden, Celtic Manor Resort, Mount Juliet Estate, and The Warwickshire were also among the venues recognized. The evening concluded with the presentation of Bronze, Silver, and Gold Flag awards for clubs and resorts judged to have consistently delivered high service standards and facilities throughout 2025.
LAS VEGAS TO HOST FIRST INTERNATIONAL INDOOR GOLF TRADE SHOW AND CONFERENCE
The indoor golf sector is set for what organizers describe as a landmark event with the first International Indoor Golf Trade Show and Conference due to be held at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, bringing together industry executives, suppliers, and entrepreneurs for three days of education, networking, and commercial development.
Positioned as a gathering for businesses seeking to launch, expand, or refine indoor golf operations, the inaugural event will include 16 educational sessions, 70 exhibitors, and a program of networking opportunities focused on collaboration and growth across the category. Sessions, which will offer Professional Development Requirement credits through the PGA of America, are scheduled to cover areas including profitable facility design, simulator technology and equipment optimization, staffing and culture, risk management, membership models, league programming, corporate events, brand-building, digital marketing, social media, multi-site expansion, data-led decision-making, partnerships, and the future of indoor golf. Exhibitors confirmed for the show include Smash Swing, aboutGolf, Golf O’Clock, Gallus Golf, Golf Genius, Golf VX, ForeUp, Design2Golf, Whoosh, The Golf Saber, Indoor Golf Design, and FlightScope, with additional names still to be announced.
ENVU RELEASES FAIRWAY PROTECTION PLAYBOOK FOR EARLY-SEASON TURF MANAGEMENT
Envu has released the Fairway Protection Playbook, a free guide intended to help golf course superintendents manage diseases, insects, and weeds across both warm- and cool-season turfgrass through earlier and more proactive intervention.
Developed by the Envu Green Solutions Team, the resource sets out soil temperature thresholds, application timing, and treatment recommendations designed to help turf managers act before pest pressure intensifies and before narrow treatment windows make control more difficult. “Successful fairway performance is largely determined by decisions made before environmental and pest pressures intensify,” said Dr. Zac Reicher of the Envu Green Solutions Team. “Preventative applications help ensure golf course superintendents can strengthen the overall turf health, reduce cumulative stress and limit the establishment of diseases, insects and weeds that are difficult to control once symptoms appear.”
Envu said the playbook is designed to help superintendents identify early-season warning signs, anticipate outbreaks before damage occurs, and maintain more consistent fairway conditions through targeted timing and product guidance.
PGA TOUR SAYS FUTURE COMPETITION COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE WORK DURING TIGER WOODS ABSENCE
The PGA Tour said on Tuesday that the work of its Future Competition Committee would continue while chairman Tiger Woods steps away for what he described as a “period of time” to seek treatment and focus on his health, following last week’s car crash and subsequent arrest in Florida.
A Tour spokesperson said the committee, which is examining significant potential changes to the future PGA Tour schedule, held a virtual meeting on Tuesday and is expected to continue its work during Woods’s absence, with the Tour expecting him to return as chairman when he is ready. Woods said in a statement on Tuesday night that he was stepping away to prioritize his well-being and work toward “lasting recovery,” while multiple reports said he had pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor DUI-related charges, including property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. The PGA Tour and chief executive Brian Rolapp both issued statements backing Woods’s decision to take time away. Josh Carpenter, Sports Business Journal.
LIV GOLF LAUNCHES ‘LIV FOR GOOD’ IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY PLATFORM
LIV Golf has launched LIV For Good, a three-pillar impact and sustainability platform built around Game, Community, and Planet, formalizing what the league described as its long-term strategy to use golf as a vehicle for broader social and environmental change.
LIV said its programs have already reached one million young people globally and that it is now targeting five million by 2032 while aiming to achieve net-zero status by 2040. Under the Game pillar, the league said it will introduce 15,000 young people to golf for the first time each year through partnerships including the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter, ROSHN Rising Stars, Midnight Golf and the Muslim Golf Association, as well as team-led initiatives such as Little Sticks by Majesticks Golf Club, My Golf powered by Ripper GC and the Southern Guards GC Academy Programme.
Through the Community pillar, LIV said it plans to reach 400,000 young people annually via educational and development initiatives, including work with Discovery Education and the UN Refugee Agency, which helped develop the “Golf for Protection Playbook.” Under Planet, LIV said it will seek sustainability certification for at least five events each year, building on ISO 20121 certification for sustainable event management from the British Standards Institution and 13 GEO certifications already achieved. “The values of LIV For Good epitomize the same mission this League has held since day one—to grow the game of golf around the world,” said chief executive Scott O’Neil. Jake Jones, LIV’s senior vice-president of impact and sustainability, said the targets were intended to be measurable and time-bound, adding: “These are not aspirations; they are targets with timelines and transparent reporting.”
PING EXPANDS SCOTTSDALE TEC RANGE WITH FOUR NEW MALLETS
Ping has expanded its Scottsdale TEC putter line with four new mallet models, the Ally Blue Onset, Ally Blue Onset CB, Ketsch Onset, and Hayden, all built around the company’s Eye Q alignment concept, which is designed to stabilize visual focus at address and through the stroke.
Ping’s lineup page lists the four additions, with the standard Ally Blue Onset and its counterbalanced Ally Blue Onset CB variant joined by the Ketsch Onset and Hayden. The new models all use multi-material construction with an aluminum body, stainless-steel sole plate, and one-piece PEBAX insert to combine a softer feel with higher forgiveness and more consistent distance control.
The Ally Blue Onset and Ally Blue Onset CB are both 370-gram mallets designed for golfers seeking added stability, with the CB version built to 37.75 inches and fitted with a 17-inch grip for a counterbalanced setup. The Ketsch Onset is a 350-gram model engineered for players with a slight arc stroke, while the 360-gram Hayden uses a full-shaft-offset, heel-shafted configuration and can be custom-built for loft and lie.
Retail pricing has been listed at $399.99 per putter, and all models are available now.