In This Issue...
- PGA Show, Chapter Meetings and other News
- ICG Webinars, COY and HOF Awards
- Web and Forum Highlights
1. PGA Show, Chapter Meetings and other News
Plans are firming up for our 2016 PGA Show presence. Thanks to Frank Viola's efforts, we're returning to Range #5 (about a 5 minute walk from the main entrance) at the Demo Day and to Room W209B (just off the main floor) at the Orange County Convention Center
The economy may be doing a little better, and the golf business, for those who provide value, might be on the up swing. Proof? Well for starters every conveniently located meeting room at the Show is sold out. So we’ve decided to forgo a second room, and provide all 1,600 square feet to our participating sponsors. On deck this year (as of December 18th) are the following:
- Last year, ICG Sponsors Accra Golf and Cool Clubs S3 simulation profiling machine was the technological center of our presence at the Show. This year, ICG Sponsor, Advanced Profiling System (APS) will take center place. APS is offering a free year of ICG membership to anyone purchasing a machine. Price is $899 (Auditor must be supplied by purchaser) plus shipping. See the APS in action with inventor Roy Kaltz and ICG Hall of Fame member Jerry Hoefling, Sr. here.
- New ICG Sponsor Veylix will be our featured shaft sponsor at the show. Demo their products at the Demo Day, and enjoy watching Long Drive competitors hitting drivers at Range 5 (along with testing their new Forged Wedge Series); take advantage of an amazing ICG special with Jennifer Gard in our meeting room the rest of the show;
- Provoto, LLC. New ICG Sponsors Wayne and Cindy Sanders have designed amazing putting greens - made by Amish craftsman in Indiana - that have perfect roll great for clubfitting and training. They’ll be at the Demo Day and sharing space with Balance Certified in our Meeting Room;
- Balance Certified. With anchoring being banned on all tours in 12 days, you can learn how to help your customers with back weighting at both the Demo Day and in our meeting room. Balance Certified will also demo their shaft stabilizing devices for drivers and wedges at the Demo Day;
- Long time ICG Sponsor Billy Bob’s Golf will be exhibiting with us for the first time at the Show. Check out their diverse line of shaft tip adapters and ferrules, including their Titleist adapters;
- ICG sponsor, Grip Master, manufacturers of exotic leather grips - including Ostrich Leg putter grips - will be with us at both the Demo Day and in our meeting room. Top Australian teaching pro Brett Latcham will be explaining the advantages of Grip Master Grips, and will have stock on hand with amazing deals for ICG members;
- We have a couple more sponsors who have made verbal commitments which will help us achieve our 2nd sold out Show in a row.
Missed 2015’s PGA Show fun last year? Here’s some video highlights of last year’s Show which should give you an idea of our success last year (including signing up 5 new sponsors, 67 new members, and 73 renewals).
To approach last year’s success, we’ll need volunteers. Europe VP Gerald Friz has created an online form where you can sign up to volunteer in various time segments. You can also access via your member center landing page or here after logging onto our site. Initial poll results indicate that one third of our active members will be there and volunteering. If everyone just donates 2 hours of their visit, we’ll be on our way to matching or topping last year’s overwhelming success. We really need more members attending the Show to help out.
Kudos to those ICG members who have already volunteered their time:
- Donald Stadnika;
- Bill Marshall;
- Greg Courtnay;
- Jim McCleery;
- John Dranshak;
- Jeff Shuster;
- Roy Kaltz;
- Ray Tomaszewski;
- Ed Weber;
- Don Irving;
- Jacques Intriere;
- Doug Mael.
And please don’t think we’re resting on our laurels. Last year, we were the first clubmaking/fitting organization to participate at the PGA Show Demo Day, had a great meeting room at the Orange County Convention Center, and we debuted our Clubmaker of the Year (COY) awards, and ICG Clubfitting Certification. At the 2016 Show, we’ll be awarding our 2016 COY awards, inducting our 2016 HOF Class, announcing our first online training course, introducing our process for becoming eligible for our International top list of ICG Clubfitter/Makers, and announcing our clubmaking/clubfitting exclusive partnership with GolfMds.
The Europe Chapter of the ICG held its first ever meeting (Mallorca, Spain).
Here's a brief summary of the meeting's highlights.
The first European Chapter Meeting was held at Mallorca, Spain on the 27th and 28th of November, 2015. 35 attendees from Spain, France, Italy, UK and Germany met in Las Palmas to share their experience in clubmaking/clubfitting and to make professional contacts. A lot of fun but also a lot work was waiting for the members.Perfectly organized by our Spanish clubmakers Agustin Sanchez (Clubmaker of the Year 2015 Europe) and Miki Rapado (ICG Advisory BOD), the conference started with a round of golf at Real Golf Bendinat. Saturday was a 12 hour working day with morning presentations about putter fitting and technical equipment. In the afternoon there were presentations of products and services by our meeting sponsors Amara Golf Foresight, Science & Motion, Gripgolf, Grindworks, Trackman and ICG Sponsors Accra Golf and Big Fish Golf . The conference finished with roundtables discussing shared interests professionals from different countries.
The next chapter meeting in 2016 will be enriched with workshops and breakout sessions to give the professionals the possibility to discuss topics in depth – one day was just too short to cover all needs. So look forward to a 2-3 day meeting - perhaps in the United Kingdo! Reporting from Europe - Agustin Sanchez (ICG BOD member) and Gerald Friz (ICG Europe VP).
Watch highlights of Agustin’s meeting here.
2. ICG Webinars, COY and HOF Awards.
Golf Digest Best 100 Clubfitter and ICG Distinguished Service Award winner, Frank Viola, and new ICG Sponsor Bill McPherson of Graphite Design/Pro Choice Golf Shafts conducted a great webinar - attended by 38 members - in November. Enjoy a 10 minute clip on our home page. ICG Members can watch the entire fully close captioned webinar by following this link. Frank also recently had ICG Sponsor Authenticlub’s webinar fully close captioned as well.
The COY Committee (Jerry Hoefling, Sr., Bob Uebelhor, Eddie Smith, and Eric Ng) announced the 2016 ICG COYs. They are:
- Jacques Intriere - 2016 ICG Wide World Clubmaker of the Year;
- Miki Rapado - 2016 ICG European Clubmaker of the Year;
- Greg Courtnay - 2016 ICG North American Clubmaker of the Year;
- Don Irving - 2016 ICG Canadian Clubmaker of the Year;
- Peter Doyle - 2016 ICG Ireland Clubmaker of the Year;
- Jacques LeMoyne - 2016 ICG Eastern US Clubmaker of the Year;
- John Dranschak - 2016 ICG Midwest US Clubmaker of the Year.
Click on the members names to access their web sites. ICG members can view COY videos under the members only section.
COY awards will be presented at 5 PM on Wednesday, January 27th, 2016, in our Meeting Room along with the following Hall of Fame 2016 Class Inductees:
1) Gawain Robertson (Accra) for innovative designs and providing clubfitters/clubmaker exclusive produces for over 10 years;
2) Chip Brewer for being the first CEO to sell heads (ProTech accounts) to clubmakers when he was at Adams, and continuing to support clubmakers(by selling Proponents) when he moved to Callaway;
3) Mr. Miura from Miura Golf for developing clubmaker exclusives and selling heads to clubmakers;
4) Mike Stachura for promoting clubfitting to the golfing public via his numerous articles citing clubmakers/clubfitters and for the development of the biannual Golf Digest Best 100 Clubfitter List.
3. Web and Forum Highlights
One of the byproducts of the Europe Chapter of the ICG Meeting, is that 75% of forum posts since November have been in Spanish. The ICG continues to put the I in International. Check it out here and here! In recognition of a growing demand from our increasing presence in Spain, and hopefully in Latin and South America down the road, the ICG BOD has agreed to translation of the ICG Certification Test Bank into Spanish. This is certainly in line with our mission of promoting clubfitting and club making world wide.
Look for ICG Member, Show Specials, and more updates in our Pre PGA Show Clubfitter Digest in about 4 weeks, and our PGA Show Report Clubfitter Digest in about 8 weeks.
JOIN NOW- If you’ve learned anything at all about us in the last couple years - we’re not your Grandfather’s clubmaking/fitting organization. Join us, you won’t be disappointed!
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