Welcome to 2025.

I should probably write something about new year’s resolutions but those can seem stale and lofty, no matter how good the intention.

My only advice around bettering yourself (whether during New Year’s or in general), is to write it down. It’s what helped me create this very newsletter.

Here’s to change and improvement in the new year.

- Riley

New Year, New Clothing Sponsors for PGA Stars

Max Homa has 2 big moves he’s debuting at the Sentry this week.

1. He’s moved his clothing sponsor from Footjoy to Lululemon, and

2. Changed club sponsors from Titleist to Cobra.

You see lots of Titleist sponsored golfers also wearing Footjoy, seemingly because both companies are owned by the same parent, Acushnet. But optically they both represent the same things - tradition and class. When you think of a classy golfer, you usually think of Titleist clubs and Footjoy shoes.

The move for Max to Lululemon seems like a good one. It’s a chance for him to be the 2nd golfer wearing Lulu in just their 2nd season in professional golf. He, along with Min Woo Lee, both attempt to bring a more casual fan into the game with a brand everyone already knows and loves.

The Cobra switch, however, seems less obvious. You have to assume it’s for more money as Cobra is looking for a new flagship PGA player after Bryson went to LIV (and then Stitch). Hopefully Max can help bring Cobra back into relevancy and away from the single-length iron corner that Bryson put them in.

Again, change is good and hopefully no different for Max.

Akshay Bhatia’s move is perhaps more obvious and less exciting. Having already been sponsored by Callaway for his clubs, he’s now moving to their apparel brand - Travis Matthew. Callaway purchased TM back in 2017 and you ‘ve seen see their clothes (and Cuater shoes) on Jon Rahm and Sam Burns.

Askhay’s previous apparel sponsor was Greyson Clothiers, the company founded by a former Ralph Lauren designer and co-owned by PGA golfer Morgan Hoffman. Their biggest sponsor to date has been Justin Thomas (previously sponsored by Ralph Lauren before they ditched him after his infamous hot-mic remarks).

Financially, I have to assume this is a step forward for Akshay. Style-wise, unfortunately this is a step back toward looking like every other PGA golfer.

Links for more info:

Q&A: Max Homa Discusses New Deal With Lululemon, Phoenix and a New Year’s Resolution

Innovation of the Week

thethunderbox0

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What does every dad need who loves Marvel movies? Their very own Thor hammer. Pretty genius move to combine that with the very necessary functionality of tool storage. Well played.

Why choose between your favorite watch or smart features?

wearganance

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As someone who pivots back and forth between the mechanical watch I love, and the benefits of a smart watch and sleep tracker, this new product from Ganance could be a game changer, or at least a start in that direction.

They’ve developed a small disc filled with most basic smart watch features that magnetically attaches to the back of any watch, in theory turning any watch into a smart one.

This is a fantastic example of falling in love with the problem and thinking of creative ways to solve it. In one corner you have Whoop focusing purely on recovery, so much that they refuse to add a clock display. You have Garmin trying to shove everything into a bulky, sporty digital watch. You have Apple nearly re-imagining what a watch can be, while creating something that looks nothing like a traditional watch. But what none of those solutions can provide is the elegance and emotional attachment some folks have to their mechanical watch.

The flagship product, Heir, is still in pre-order but for only $99 this does seem like a purchase many watch lovers will make just for the chance to have their cake and eat it too.

Ganance.com

(Ridiculous) Poshmark of the Week

As a Red Wings AND Greyson fan we found this one tough to stomach.

Greyson has been doing a ton of pop-up markets in their home city of Detroit the last few months. They had a line of Lions hats, they were at Michigan with some slick apparel, and they had 1 night at Little Caesar’s Arena for the Red Wings. They sold 2 limited edition Wings hats and once they were gone, they were gone.

Clearly someone is trying take advantage of that and sell the hat below for a massive markup. You gotta hope people like this just never win. Shame shame.

Poshmark

What we’re listening to…

Talkbox-loving Chromeo joined Daryll Hall at his house for some remakes of famous Hall and Oates classics back in 2008. Long-live the talkbox.

Youtube

Now back to the grind!

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