Welcome back, Weekend Warriors!

This week, we recap the wild events of last week, getting back into the swing of things with all your favorite reviews, news, on course antics and more.

I hope you enjoy!

Florida Panthers Win!!!!

First things first; the Cat’s keep the Cup! With a dominant performance in game 6, one less than last year’s game 7 nail biter against the same team, the Oilers, the Panthers once again prove Florida is a hockey town with the 6th cup appearance from a Florida team in 6 years, and 4th win. One can only hope that after that ridiculous run and smashing parade in Fort Lauderdale, with about 400k people attending, that they can keep this group of guys together for the three peat. Whatever happens, this is a run that will never be forgotten. Go Cats Go!

Oakley Observations

While all the rage is on the Oakley x Meta sunglasses, what really has me excited is the less technological yet much more exclusive collaboration between Oakley and Metalwood Studio, the 2000’s inspired golf fashion company. They’ve selected the sleek yet strikingly bold Pro M frames, perfect for the elements of golf as much as the flashy lights of an urban block, two places where Metalwood Studio clothing fits equally well. The pink lens color (named Bubblegum) clashes well with the tan of the “digi-moss” an ore-ish earthy light brown that helps mark the stark contrast of the lens and frame. This syncopated combination of colors is akin to the syncopation of music, purposefully putting certain notes (colors) together in a way that doesn’t cause dissonance, but an off-beat beauty that speaks to a high level of knowledge of the craft. Paris Fashion Week is the perfect place to unveil such a product, not just for Metalwood but for Oakley alike, with this collaboration being the first with a brand emerged from this new era of golf. With the only chance of the common golfer obtaining one being through a giveaway, these are sure to go down in golf fashion history as an elusive and exclusive pair of sunglasses that are as strikingly dope as they are experimental. A perfect fit for both brands, and what a time to do it.

G7 Classic

Last week, I was in Charlotte for the phenomenal G7 Classic golf tournament, held at the beautiful TPC Piper Glen right outside Charlotte. I knew it was going to be a great time, but wow, I was just blown away with everything; the course, the reception, the players, and most importantly, how much money was raised for the G7 foundation supporting youth athletes. $180,000! Crazy, man. I was just happy to play a small part in helping to spread awareness about the tourney and to be on scene capturing photos and videos from start to finish. The last thing I expected to see when I rolled up was four super cars, but I guess that’s just what the G7 Classic entails! The hole sponsors were great, from local spas to Prime energy drinks, not only did the players get to enjoy a beautiful course, but have a lot of really cool experiences while doing it. And, TPC Piper Glen killed it with their service and staff in the reception. Everyone was having a good time celebrating the tourney and the foundation. A huge shoutout to Jemma for putting basically the whole thing together flawlessly and in the most fun way possible. I can’t wait for next year’s tourney already, I hope to see some of you guys there!

Course of the Week

TPC Piper Glen is a real gem that forces you to content not just with stark elevation changes, with straight uphill par 4’s followed by dropdown short par 3’s, but the abundance of nature. Forest golf is one type of course I do not encounter often, so it is always special when I do, and the wooded fairways of Piper Glen command a driver that doesn’t stray too far to either side. Some of the forced carries on the approach shots were massive, spanning yards of water and brush, while the greens were huge sloping complexes that were as spotless as the fairways preceding them. It was an absolute pleasure to walk up and down the hills for a day, and I hope to one day play the course myself. Until then, I’ll daydream about all the cool little spots in the trees I would have to go looking for my ball.

Claret Jug

One week ago, I was invited to New York by my friend Matt aka The Silent Golfer (check him out) to an event at the phenomenal Game On Golf Center in White Plains (check them out too.) Top Tracer bays, a short game area, and just an overall great vibe. While I’m sure it’s great there any night, this night was something special, as the Claret Jug, the 153 year old trophy from The Open Championship, was there making a special appearance after a tour through NYC. To be able to stand next to that trophy, read the names of the legendary players that graced it over a century ago, to take photos of it and just be in the presence was a potential once in a lifetime experience. It was a similar feeling to seeing the Swilcan Bridge on 18 at St. Andrews, yet much more tangible and much more memorable. It’s not all the time you get to see the Claret Jug and the Stanley Cup in the same week, but I think that is some trivia I’ll never let down. A huge thanks again to Matt, Mike, Evan, Frank, Game On Golf Center, and the R&A. Oh, and of course, the legend John Ball, whose name is inscribed right at the top.

Song of the Week

Roxanne - The Police

Stories from the Sticks

“Don’t play too much golf. Two rounds a day are plenty.”

— Harry Vardon

I hope you enjoyed this Weekenders Weekly recap, before we move back to the more newsworthy editions you’re used to. For those on socials, be sure to check out the video recap released yesterday, and a cool Adidas Golf highlight released earlier today! We have some cool new series planned to release in the coming weeks I can’t wait to announce. As always, thanks for rocking with Weekenders Weekly, and go play some golf!