SAVANNAH, Georgia – The International Network of Golf (ING) recently held its annual Spring Forum at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia. A non-¬profit organization since 1990 that is golf’s only media-based networking organization, ING has a unique motto and concept: “Where Media and the Golf Industry Connect.”
Mike Jamison, Executive Director of ING since its inception 35 years ago, said, “The object is to bring golf industry executives together with members of the golf media to improve communication, introduce new products, services and destinations, and to develop and nurture relationships. Membership is open to anyone from any segment of the golf industry and to all media who cover the business of golf.” Those who attended the Spring Forum included golf writers, broadcasters, social influencers, and business executives.
I have been a member of ING since 2010, and I greatly anticipate ING’s three yearly forays: at the PGA Merchandise Show in late January, the Spring Forum in May/June, and the Fall Forum in November. This year’s Spring Forum provided an exclamation point to the organization’s mission statement.
First of all, the destination was superb for our daily networking meetings and our golf tournaments. Without doubt, The Landings Golf & Athletic Club is the premier residential club in the southeastern US with its impeccable location on the Atlantic Ocean and its incomparable appreciation for its homeowners.
The Landings is without transient accommodations because it is a totally private community. Therefore, our command post was the imposing downtown Thompson Hotel, which offered upscale sophistication along the Savannah River’s edge where the Historic District meets the Eastern Wharf.
The Landings members enjoy eight themed restaurants, six outstanding championship golf courses (designed by such notables as Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio, Arthur Hills and Willard Byrd), five pools, six clubhouses, multiple tennis and pickleball and bocce courts, and a 52,000 square foot wellness center, among other amenities. The Golf Performance Center is a 3,000 square foot facility that includes six hitting bays, demo inventory with advanced fitting technology, golf club repair, an outdoor veranda for pre- and post-session socialization, and a showroom/retail area.
The Thompson Hotel, a member of the Hyatt group, offered luxurious, spacious rooms and superior service. The signature restaurant Fleeting is a city highlight, and the Bar Julian is the elevated rooftop saloon with a spectacular view of the city. ING members relaxed there in the evening during our ClubING social hour, where ING President John J. Glozek, Jr., publisher of both “NYGOLF” and “Golf DESTINATIONS” welcomed the crew.
This year’s Spring Forum included presentations from our host The Landings and from four golf companies, a state-of-the-industry discussion, and an open mic session to express concerns, beliefs, and impressions. We also played two rounds of golf at beautiful and pristine courses. We played the 15th annual Durland Cup competition, a four-person scramble for insufferable bragging rights, at Tom Fazio’s Deer Creek, where the Korn Ferry Tour plays its televised Club Car Championship in late April. Our second round was the annual Pro Golf Weekly individual Stableford event at Palmetto, an Arthur Hills delight.
Gary Lorfano, Director of Membership, Marketing, and Communications at The Landings since 2021, was our go-to man for information about The Landings. We were impressed by both his dedication to The Landings and his commitment to its members. He also organized our itinerary and was responsible for the delicious dining that is a way of life on Skidaway Island. He encouraged us to visit the comprehensive website for many more particulars, www.thelandings.com.
Mike Jamison was ably assisted by his wife and Membership Director Linda Jamison and by Membership Coordinator Jennifer Dixon as they kept the Spring Forum moving forward and kept the participants up-to-date with the program. Mike introduced the four golf industry presenting sponsors who had something innovative to offer the golf world: Bridgestone Golf, Featherie Golf, PeakVision, and Blaze Golf.
Briefly, let me summarize their creations: Bridgestone Golf, with its plant in Norcross, Georgia and with its ING relationship for years, has been marketing golf balls in the US since 1990, but its niche has become its ball fitting technique. The program began in 2006 to educate its consumers as to which of the Bridgestone ball constructions would best complement their swings. Today, as the #1 ball fitter in golf, Bridgestone has conducted over 4.5 million fittings via a combination of live-fitting, online selection, OTTO Autonomous Ball Fitting, and its V-FIT video ball fitting. Each ING member had the opportunity to use the technology on the driving range to see which ball best amplified his/her swing and learned why. We received an email with the statistics.
Bridgestone has taken the ball fitting regimen to a new level this year with its “Mindset” logo and idea. Each TOUR B series ball now has a graphic on the ball, a red circle with arrows to the left, which is where the eyes are to concentrate during the swing. The “Mindset” then has three parts—(1) Identify the target; (2) Visualize the shot path; (3) Focus on the dot. The website explains both the TOUR B series and the Mindset idea. www.bridgestonegolf.com.
Featherie Golf is the brainchild of 16-year-old entrepreneur and avid golfer Kate Korngold, who was frustrated by the lack of raiment choices for junior female golfers. She said, “I couldn’t find apparel that combined high performance with a modern, flattering feel. What began as sketches has grown into a brand for girls and women who want to feel confident in what they wear on and off the course. With ING, we are connecting with others and helping to shape the future of the game.”
Named for the featherie golf ball that revolutionized golf play in 1618 and lasted for over two centuries, Kate was 13 when her vision of teenage golf garments evolved and started a revolution in its own way. Featherie Golf CEO Kristy Korngold (Kate’s mom) helped turn the vision into reality by devoting her efforts into this enterprise.
Kristy turned down overtures from “Shark Tank” as their company developed and kept the evolution in the family. The company is also directly involved in growing the female segment of golf through community events, clinics, and experiences that make the sport more accessible. www.featherie.com.
PeakVision produces patented dual-zone/zero-distortion lens sunglasses that have no equal. A number of ING members swear by PeakVision’s acuity and wear no other brand of sunglasses. Owner David Feaser said, “The upper half of the lens features a 20% neutral gray and the lower half is a 60% contrast amber, all engineered to reduce glare, to sharpen depth perception, and to deliver three times the visual information that the naked eye can process, anywhere the sun shines. The neutral gray enhances long distance visibility; the contrast amber enhances clarity. Both zones provide protection from all UV rays and help track the ball in the air regardless of the sun, the clouds, and the background.” www.peakvision.com.
Finally, ‘mate’, the Spring Forum attendees learned firsthand about Blaze Golf, a Down Under apparel outfit that provided each of us with a splendid example of its jersey ingenuity. Introduced in the New Products Showcase at the 2026 PGA Merchandise Show in January, Blaze Golf is known for its unique designs that reflect the passion for the sport of founder Franjo Blazevic, a PGA-registered professional golfer.
In his career on his side of the world, Blazevic became weary of overpriced and uncomfortable golf clothes and decided to design his own line that would be much lower in price but would have the same quality as the big-name brands. The designs are sleek and stylish, while still providing the functionality that every golfer desires. His shirts retail for $45 and include free shipping within the US with an $80 purchase. Peruse the new line and learn more about Blaze Golf on its website. www.blazegolfapparel.com.
The International Network of Golf Spring Forum exceeded my expectations, was a rewarding way to keep current with different aspects of the golf industry, and was a superior way to share ideas with colleagues about the game we all love. I look forward to the ING Fall Forum which announcement should be coming soon!
https://thompson.savannahotel.com/
