The Delaware Women’s Golf Association made a $10,000 donation to the First Tee – Delaware during a presentation at Kings Creek Country Club Aug. 29.

The event included a youth and adult clinic overseen by First Tee staff and the club’s golf professionals. 

DWGA President Lesley Corydon presented the check to First Tee staffers Scott Allen and Charma Bell along with Becky Dengler, PGA/LPGA professional and a First Tee coach.

The DWGA holds annual tournaments, clinics and fundraisers throughout the state, with proceeds supporting golf and youth programs. First Tee – Delaware has a significant presence in the Cape Region, with a variety of programs at golf courses, local schools, and community service agencies such as the YMCA and Boys & Girls Clubs.

Bridgestone Golf Balls

Pleasant weather conditions made Demo Day at the 2024 PGA Show a far more enjoyable outdoor experience than on several recent occasions. The crowd was notably smaller along the circular pathway for the massive driving range at Orange County National Golf Center. While several big-name golf companies kept their spots, others were missing.

Even so, the companies that offered display and contact areas for Demo Day stayed busy with the club professionals and media types who came to check out this year’s offerings.

I first visited the gang at Bridgestone Golf. We first discussed the Georgia company’s e9 Long Drive distance ball, introduced at the 2023 Show ($29.99). Company representative David Vogrin said, “The market is taking to it very well.” It is the official ball for the World Long Drive Association’s professional tour. 

This year the e9 comes in four colors: white, yellow, orange, and pink. During the Long Drive contests, four players hit from the range in the same time frame. The colors make it easy for those measuring the drives to identify which contestants hit which balls. Those same color options are also available for us short hitters.

Bridgestone’s Tour B line of golf balls continues to offer four designs, divided by flight characteristics and whether driver swing speeds are above or below 105 miles per hour. This year’s models include a new, firmer layer between the core and outer cover. The Reactiv X system’s XCLRNT middle acts like a leaf spring to create greater initial velocity and distance.

Richard Delvac and the other Bridgestone reps also showed me the vivid new logo on Tour B golf balls as part of the company’s new Mindset initiative. 

Developed with PGA Tour pro Jason Day, the logo features three colored circles, intended to remind golfers during tee shots and putts of a three-step process for improved results. 

The outer red circle means “Identify Your Target.” The middle yellow circle tells the golfer to “Visualize the Shot Path.” The last circle is a fill-in green dot, a target for the golfer’s final focus before making the drive or putt. 

“It should help you keep focused throughout your shot,” Delvac said, especially with the additional chevron-like arrow logo for aiming.

According to the market materials, “Mindset is a breakthrough approach that enables you to separate analytical thoughts from athletic performance.” Following this three-step process begins with the necessary analysis of the situation, then a visualization of how to meet the target, and finally incorporating those results into the eventual swing.

The logo can act like a visual golf coach if the golfer understands and accepts the purpose of its elements.

Following this sequence could help golfers who struggle with last-second aiming or technique thoughts in the middle of their swings, with predictable and often wretched results. 

The Mindset logo Tour B balls sell for the same price as the other Tour Bs, with the same four design options ($49.99 SRP).

Quinn makes Rookery ace

Congratulations to Bob Quinn of Lewes for his hole in one, made Aug. 22 from the red tee box on the par three 15th hole at The Rookery. He used his nine iron for the 130-yard shot to a back pin location.

Local club competition results

The Mulligan’s Pointe Ladies League played a 2 Best Balls of 4 game Sept. 3. Donna Dolce, Valerie Grib, Brenda Joyce and Stevie Scales won the first division. Marge Amondi, Joann Foster, Gail Logullo and Kathy Marks won the second division.

The Kings Creek CC Ladies 18-Hole league played a team 1 of 4 Best Ball Net competition Aug. 29. 

Diane Herndon, Sally McGovern, Anne Farley and Alicia Polsky won on a match of cards against Erin Reid, Linda Kelleher, Marie Murray and Shelly Conaway. Jean Chlastawa, Leslie McClintick, Lisa Smith and Melissa Soper finished third.

The Kings Creek CC Ladies 8-Hole league played a Team Net Stableford game Aug. 27.

For the first flight, Kaye Allison, Pam Cranston, Kim Parks and Judy Rayner won first place. Tish Brey, Chris Emery, Margie Moore and Juanita Wilson took second. Farah Englert, Marty Jaxheimer, Susan Julbe and Vicki St. Germain finished third.

Terry Barrera, Margaret Connors, Dot Filbert and Sherry Schaffer won the second flight. Deb Chase, Kathleen O’Connor, Chris Piasecki and Margaret Rebarchik took second place, with Sally Chamberlain, Beth Cohen, Marie Murray and Alicia Polsky in third.