John Holmes's blog

Just a reminder, the entry deadline for the inaugural Drive, Chip and Putt Championship is April 30.

The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship is free to enter, and open to boys and girls ages 7-15, who will compete in four age categories.

The event is supported by the Masters Tournament Foundation, The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association. The finalists in the various age groups will compete in the national finals next April at Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters.

If you've been keeping up with Bubba Watson on social media over the last month or two, you know he's become fast friends with the gentlemen from ''Duck Dynasty.'' 

Mostly, Bubba's been on their turf (or in their blinds). But today, the duck-calling crew is returning the favor – they're at TPC Louisiana for pro-am day for the Zurich Classic.

May is typically the month when the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort typically punches its greens and performs routine maintenance on its golf courses. Not this year, though – the resort is hosting the NCAA men’s and women’s Division III national championships, and the courses will remain in top shape throughout the month.

The college kids aren't the only ones who can take advantage of the extra-long prime season at Sandestin. The resort is offering a Spring Swing package to lure golfers – no matter their collegiate loyalty.

Redstone Golf Club, home of the Shell Houston Open for the past decade, has a new owner. 

Alan Dunbar of Northern Ireland has turned professional and plans to begin the new phase of his career in Europe.

Dunbar, who turns 23 next week, won the British Amateur crown last summer at Royal Troon, and soon thereafter signed with International Sports Management. He remained an amateur so he could play at the Masters two weeks ago, when he missed the cut. 

Dustin Johnson and Zach Johnson had been scheduled to play in this week's Ballantine's Championship, which is set to return as usual to Incheon, South Korea, near Seoul. But early this morning, event organizers announced that the two PGA Tour stars had decided to stay home.

Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, Calif., has begun an extensive makeover under the direction of the Robert Trent Jones II architectural firm. Jones designed the course – perhaps best known as part of the rotation for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am from 1991-2009 – almost 30 years ago.

Jones is working closely with the Northern California Golf Association, which owns the course, to bring it up to modern standards, improve its playability and help it conserve water. 

One reason golfers miss putts is because they can't keep their putter completely steady and on line throughout their stroke. One way TaylorMade is trying to solve that problem is by counterbalancing – adding weight to the grip end to counter the weight of the clubhead. 

PGA Tour player James Driscoll grew up in the Boston suburb of Brookline, Mass., and lives in downtown Boston – about two blocks from where the twin bombs went off during the Boston Marathon.

Driscoll wasn't home on Monday; he was practicing down in Florida. He had thought about going home for the Patrriots’ Day festivities, but decided not to.

And now he's raising money for those affected by the bombing. Driscoll has pledged $1,000 for each birdie he makes this week in the RBC Heritage and at the Zurich Classic next week.

If you're looking to put some pop into your golf wardrobe this summer, Antigua might have just the clothes for you.

The Arizona-based company's Summer Performance Golf Collection for men and women continues the bolder and brighter color stories introduced this spring, and uses these trending pop colors as subtle details in the summer line-up.