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LPGA PARTNERS WITH LOTTE TO DONATE TO HAWAII FIRE RELIEF EFFORTS

Together, the LPGA and LOTTE will contribute $125K to the Hawaii wildfire relief efforts

From LPGA Communications:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 21, 2023) – The LPGA Tour has had the wonderful opportunity to compete in beautiful Hawaii for more than a decade. We are heartbroken by the destruction and devastation of Maui and what the people there have experienced in recent days.

To support the communities affected by the wildfires on Maui, the LPGA and LOTTE – the title sponsor of the LPGA Tour’s LOTTE Championship in Hawaii since 2012 – have teamed up to contribute a total of $125,000 to the Friends of Hawaii Charities. In addition to LOTTE’s $100,000 donation that was announced last week, the LPGA will donate an additional $25,000 that will support the ongoing relief efforts.

We encourage our athletes, partners and fans to support those impacted by the wildfires by contributing as they see fit. Visit the Maui Strong - Hawaii Community Foundation website for more information and to make a donation.  LPGA

FedEx St Jude Championship 2023, TPC Southwind, Memphis, TN, 10-13 August

Day Two: Extreme heat takes a toll in Memphis

From PGA TOUR News, by Jimmy Reinman:  

FedEx, Day Two

FedEx St Jude

TPC Southwind

PGA TOUR Leaderboard

Golf Channel Leaderboard

Collin Morikawa donates via his birdies, for Hawaii fires recovery

For every birdie he makes at the FedEx, Collin Morikawa is donating $1,000 to help the people in Hawaii who have been devastated by wildfires.

From ESPN News Services:

Collin Morikawa has pledged $1,000 per birdie he makes in the FedEx Cup playoffs to aid recovery on Maui, where wildfires killed at least 53 people and active recovery missions continued Thursday.

Most of the village of Lahaina was destroyed, and surrounding communities were devastated. President Joe Biden declared a national emergency.

"Maui has always held a special place in my heart - my grandfather owned a restaurant called The Morikawa Restaurant, on Front Street in Lahaina," Morikawa said in an Instagram post announcing his plans. "The people of Hawaii are going to need all the support that we can give them. During the course of the playoffs, I'm going to donate $1000 for every birdie that I make."   Read more

From Yahoo!Sports/ AP, by Doug Ferguson:

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Collin Morikawa is pledging $1,000 for every birdie he makes the next three PGA Tour events to help with relief for the deadly wildfires in Hawaii. For him, it's personal.

His grandparents were born in Lahaina, the historic town on Maui where Front Street and all its restaurants and shops have been obliterated by the wind-swept fires that have claimed at least 36 lives. He still has relatives on Maui, though most have moved to Oahu.  Read more

From Golf Channel, by Rex Hoggard:

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Qualifying for The Sentry in Maui is on every PGA Tour player’s to-do list, but for Collin Morikawa the trip to Kapalua is far more meaningful.

The two-time major champion’s grandfather owned The Morikawa Restaurant on Front Street in Lahaina and he still has relatives who live on Maui, which made Thursday’s news from Hawai'i that much more difficult.

“I woke up this morning, just checking the news, and to see how many people have passed away from that, yeah, it's … I'm at a loss for words,” Morikawa said Thursday at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.  Read more

Sustainable Golf Milestone achieved by Women's Scottish Open

History and sustainability are interwoven, in the video above.

From LET Blog, 3/8/23:

The FREED GROUP Women’s Scottish Open presented by Trust Golf has achieved the notable milestone of becoming the first GEO Certified® Tournament on the Ladies European Tour, recognising the tournament’s leadership as a more sustainable golf event.  Read more

Highlights from the 2022 Women’s Scottish Open included:

• 85% of the tournament energy supplied through mains supplied renewable energy with few remaining generators powered with sustainability-sourced biofuel (HVO).

• 75% of food sourced by Hickory from within 50 miles of Dundonald Links.

• A comprehensive recycling and waste management programme with zero waste to landfill across the tournament operations.

• Items of apparel, from staff uniforms to caddie and marshal bibs made from recycled materials and used year on year.

• 400 spectators educated by RSPB in relationship between golf and nature.
• A comprehensive awareness campaign #TGSWOGoingforGreen highlighting sustainability initiatives onsite and through social media.   Read more
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"You're the Voice"

As parts of the world continue to burn, and as the price of calling it as you see it rose to over a billion AUD (just ask golf commentator and former professional golfer Brandel Chamblee), maybe we can all take heart from this powerful Fire Fight Australia performance.

Santa Cruz golf course burns as fires rage in US and Europe

From CBS News, 12/8/22:

SANTA CRUZ -- Firefighters were able to knock down a vegetation fire burning at a golf course in Santa Cruz Friday afternoon that triggered evacuation advisories, authorities said.

According to a post by the Cal Fire CZU Twitter account, the fire burning eucalyptus trees at the DeLaveaga Golf Course started around 12:30 p.m.   

The golf course is located at 401 Upper Park Road in Santa Cruz. Cal Fire and Santa Cruz City Fire units responded to the fire. Cal Fire air support was seen dropping water on the blaze.  Read more

From Sky News, 12/8/22:

Firefighters from all over Europe have been deployed to help battle the "monster" wildfire in southwest France for a third day in a row - as others burn throughout the continent.

The blaze in the Gironde and Landes regions has damaged 29 square miles of land - around 7,000 hectares.

At least 10,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, with 360 fire staff and 100 vehicles sent from Germany, Romania, Poland and Austria to help put out the flames.  Read more

From Desert Sun Staff, 11/8/22:

A brush fire that scorched about 150 acres near the Southern California town of Gorman generated a rare "fire tornado" captured by TV news crews.  Read more

NBC News, Western wildfires - includes interactive map of fires in the US

Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open, Dundonald Links, Ayrshire, 28-31 July

Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open Showcases Sustainability

From LPGA News, 8/8/22:

Sustainability and climate action have been demonstrated throughout this week’s Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open with a broad range of actions evident at Dundonald Links.

The host venue, Dundonald Links, first become GEO Certified in 2013 and has successfully renewed three times since then, while they have also been recognised for sustainability through Golf Tourism Scotland, Ayrshire Business Awards, BIGGA, IAGTO and through the Golf Environment Awards.

The Gailes Marsh Nature Reserve, which is run by Scottish Wildlife Trust, lies adjacent to the golf course and gives connectivity to the nature reserve meaning it is less isolated.

And there is regular liaison with Scottish Wildlife Trust, Scottish Golf Environment Group, Scottish Natural Heritage, RSPB, Butterfly Conservation and Bug-life which helps in managing the course and adjacent protected sites...

The Small Blue Butterfly became extinct in Ayrshire in 1982 but has been successfully reintroduced to the area and is thriving thanks to careful consideration of their habitat.

Honey is harvested on site with nectar from sources such as heather, gorse and wild flowers to give its smooth distinctive flavour and is used in the food produced.  Read full article here

Greens turn brown as the worst drought "since records began" hits southern England

From The Express.uk, by Millie Cooke:

Burley Golf Club in the New Forest has turned entirely brown, apart from just a single patch of green. Golfers were pictured practising on the course, which has been badly impacted by extremely low levels of rainfall. The south of England has experienced the driest July since records began in 1836.

Only 5.4mm of rain fell across the region last month...

Maps from the Environment Agency (EA) show that river levels across the UK are either below normal, notably low or exceptionally low across the country, with only two locations ranked as "normal".

Meanwhile, the National Drought Group (NDG) moved England into "Prolonged Dry Weather" status at an emergency meeting which took place at the end of last month.  Read more

Flood funding help for many NSW golf clubs

From Golf Australia, by Golf NSW:

Forty-one Clubs across New South Wales will get some much-needed assistance to help recover from recent flooding, with proceeds raised through the NSW Golf Club Flood Relief Fund.

Facilities from the Far North Coast down to the Victorian Border and west out Broken Hill impacted by the disaster will receive cheques ranging in value from $2500 to $7500 to assist in repairing damaged courses and facilities.

Golf NSW and the NSW Golf Foundation established the NSW Golf Club Flood Relief Fund in March this year as the natural disaster unfolded.

With significant help from Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia, almost $200,000 was raised, with all funds going directly to impacted clubs.

Stuart Fraser, CEO of Golf NSW, said it was gratifying to see the sport's peak bodies bond to help the very fabric of the game, club-level golf, get back on its feet.   

Read full article, with list of recipient clubs

How are UK golf courses managing the extreme heat?

From Golf Monthly, by Matt Cradock:

Summer in Britain always seems to cause problems on and off the course, with the soaring temperatures and lack of rain meaning restrictions are being put in place to get through the abnormal weather conditions.
...

Such is the heatwave that the UK is going through now, some courses have adapted their opening and working times, with some golf clubs closing altogether because the high temperatures are a health and safety hazard to the staff and members. 

The most affected individuals though are the greenkeepers who, during not just this summer period, but also through winter, are struggling to keep the course in prime condition as the weather continues to play havoc.

Speaking to a local greenkeeper, he listed just some of the problems that he is facing during the summer months. "To start, there is the lack of water because of the huge amounts of evaporation from the lakes and grounds at the moment," he explains. 

"Managing what we have left in the lakes is a nightmare, especially to keep the greens going."  Read more