WM Phoenix is here!

GM. This is Easy Pars. The golf newsletter that loves a good good round of night golf.

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• The Good Good Desert Open was a great experiment

• Another lawsuit in golf…

• A quick look at the 2024 WM Phoenix Open

A Night in the Desert 🌵🌗🏌️

YouTube is a huge venue for golfers to get their fix.

Massive channels like Bob Does Sports, Rick Shiels, Good Good, Foreplay, and many others are gaining millions of views and subscribers.

And Big Golf is taking notice.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Tiger made a debut on one of these channels (Foreplay). Bryson Dechambeau and other pros are starting their own channels.

Now, in a historic move, NBC partnered with the golf influencers of Good Good (very popular YouTube golf channel).

The event? Something that absolutely breaks the norm of televised golf.

Here’s why this event is unique

• First, it was a very short course (in an era of courses getting longer and longer). 14 holes, mostly par 3s and a couple of drivable par 4s.

• Next, it was a mix of scratch-golfing YouTubers, pros (Luke Kwon, Michael Block, Wesley Bryan), and even Long Drive champions.

• It was at night. That’s right, night golf in primetime.

• It was streamed live on both YouTube and the Peacock network.

The first two hours aired on Good Good’s YT channel, the rest went on Peacock. Here’s the YT replay link (wouldn’t embed for some reason): https://www.youtube.com/live/PE7t7K173-U?si=7bXmSmc-6jSpQ7FX

Golf but Cheaper

Back in 2017, Costco and Titleist’s parent company sued the other over their golf ball designs.

Titleist accused Costco of violating patents of the Pro V1’s in its signature Kirkland balls. Costco sued first, which is weird. But Titleist then built a suit against the low-priced wholesale club.

The two entities ended up settling.

Now, there’s a new lawsuit. This time, Taylormade is suing Costco over the Kirkland Signature Irons.

Get this. Taylormade wants a jury trial.

Imagine us golf fans getting a summons to jury duty in the mail. You show up, get chosen and it’s this trial.

“Your honor, the jury has requested a simulator and access to evidence. We’re going to have to sequester them in a hotel, preferably close to the nearest top 100 course.”

We may keep you posted, but it’ll likely end up in a settlement. These things nearly always do.

But if it goes to trial…

Phoenix is Gettin Trashy Again

After a night of good good golf in the desert, it’s time to really kick off the 2024 season with one of the most lively tournaments of the year.

It’s back. The Redneck Masters. The Open for Average Joes. It’s none other than the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

A golf tournament with a party hole. Gotta love it.

And Shooter is there, as always to commentate:

Scottie is eyeing a back-to-back victory, and Viktor has withdrawn (massively fueling rumors the world #5 will join Rahm on LIV).

But that’s for another day. Today, we kick back and watch the every man’s tournament.

Carl Weathers

We usually end up with a meme, but the world lost another phenomenal actor this week.

Carl Weathers passed away.

Apollo Creed, Dillion (in Predator), Chubbs in Happy Gilmore, even in the last couple of years in The Mandolorian.

Golf X/Twitter is remembering his best performances. Don’t click on the post below if you want dry eyes.

That’s it for today, golf fan. Let’s turn on the tube and watch the hijinks that happen in the desert!

Later gator,

E.