Via NewJerseyNewsroom.com: Wednesday morning in New York brought showers but perhaps the brightest face on a gray day at Madison Square Garden was that of Michael Whan, who was selected as the surprise choice to be the LPGA's newest commissioner... Will all this positive energy mean anything for golf fans in New Jersey, which despite being the home of the USGA, lost the annual Sybase Open from the Upper Montclair Country Club? Perhaps, as LPGA officials confirmed that several sites are being considered for a new or moved LPGA event in the Garden State, with an announcement anticipated in the next few weeks. The return of an LPGA event to New Jersey would give the Tour a much needed presence in the area at a time of year when brands are making all the key decisions on spending for 2010.

Country Clubs Fight an Exodus according to the Wall Street Journal: ...a study of private clubs by the National Golf Foundation, released last spring, determined that 10% to 15% of clubs are in financial distress. At these clubs, memberships are down 29% from their peaks (whenever that was for each club), rounds are down 22%, and 57% are operating at a loss. "When guys from the industry sit around talking, the word is that something like 20% of private clubs won't be here in five years," said Dana Garmany, the chairman and chief executive of Troon Golf, the country's largest manager of golf courses, many of them private.

Ping Tour Tech Van will be coming to Branchburg Family Golf Center this Wednesday, September 3, 2008 from 4pm-8pm. Try all of Ping's newest products. More details can be obtained by call 908-541-0465 or through our website Branchburggolf.net.

Upcoming demo days at Branchburg Family Golf Center, 3091 Route 22 East, Branchburg:

• TaylorMade Demo Day: Sunday July 13th from 11-3pm. Demo all of TaylorMade's products including the new model of Burner Fairways and Hybrids.
  
  
• Cleveland Demo Day: Saturday July 19th from 10-2:30pm. Demo the new XLS models of the HiBore Drivers, Fairway Woods, and Hybrids as well as the complete line of CG Wedges.

For additional information please contact us at 908-541-0465 or go to Branchburggolf.net.

Callaway Tour Tech Van is coming to Branchburg Family Golf Center on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 from 12-6pm. Demo and be custom fit on all of the latest Callaway Golf products. This is the last time the Tour Tech Van will only be in Central New Jersey for 2008.

Clubs will be built on premises just like the Pros. Sign ups are required: Please go to Branchburggolf.net for contact information.

From NorthJersey.com, Public golf course on landfill called money pit:

A proposed 18-hole public golf course atop North Arlington and Kearny landfills would cost $30 million to $40 million to complete and could not pay for itself, according to a 124-page report released by the National Golf Foundation.

That cost also could prove to be too high for the state and counties to make up the difference, given their dire budget situations. The state aid would be needed to clean up portions of the landfill unrelated to golf.

All Saints Episcopal Day School of Hoboken NJ is holding it's 12th annual "Tee Off For Kids" golf outing at Crystal Springs 5/16/2008.

All Proceeds beneifit our scholarship fund.

Register on line at: http://www.golfdigestplanner.com/2770-TeeOffForKids/index.html or call Karen Kinney 201-420-4469 for more info.

Future of Alloway Township golf course is uncertain: For a stretch a few years ago, the course and its facilities hit a rough patch and saw its revenues decline. But a revamped effort toward better maintenance and upkeep looked to get Holly Hills back to its place among the top 10 courses in South Jersey. According to Sebell, the decision of owner Ram Arya to close had been kicked around for a few months but the staff was only informed of the final decision in mid-December. Sebell said Arya, proprietor of Arya Golf Properties, is 64 now and ready to retire... And to the dismay of Sebell and many other residents, the closing of the semi-private club (which means members can call ahead to reserve a tee time) has been harder on them because it is unclear at this point if Holly Hills will even remain a golf course.

New York Times reported on Trump's announcement to rescue the EnCap golf and housing development:

The developer Donald J. Trump pledged yesterday to rescue the troubled EnCap golf and housing development in the New Jersey Meadowlands, saying he would come up with a new design, a world-class golf course and more upscale housing.

Donald Trump says he will find a new master plan for the housing and golf course to be built at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. Critics were wary of Mr. Trump’s involvement in the project.

Mr. Trump said in an interview that he had signed a deal to become a 50-50 partner with the current builder, Cherokee Investment Partners, in developing 785 acres covering four garbage dumps stretching across Lynhurst and Rutherford, N.J. The developer said he had already started interviewing five firms to find a new master planner for the project.

But Christopher Gale, a spokesman for the Meadowlands Commission, reportedly said “We don’t have any information concerning Mr. Trump, nor has anyone at this agency been approached by Mr. Trump.”

Should be an interesting story...