In August, the dog days of summer begin to howl. The humidity and heat seem to slow everyone down to a snail’s pace: except for avid golfers. In fact, the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) declared the month of August as National Golf Month back in 1994. Why does the hottest month of the year in America make the ideal month for golf? Many possible explanations exist.
AUGUST BUILDS SUSPENSE
From the PGA’s point of view, August brings the ultimate in suspense. By August, only one invitation remains to the final spot in the elite foursome for the 2014 PGA Grand Slam of Golf. The PGA extends its four invitations each year to the winners of the four majors. In 2014, Bubba Watson won the Masters in April. Next at the U.S. Open, Martin Kaymer claimed victory. Now, Rory McIlroy has captured the British Open Championship. Who will be the fourth golfer to claim a spot in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf? The spot will be filled by the winner of the 96th PGA Championship, Aug. 7-10, at Valhalla Golf Club. Thus, August is a crucial month in establishing who will play in the prestigious PGA Grand Slam of Golf.
This year’s Grand Slam will take place October 13 to 15, and Watson, Kaymer, and McIlroy have all played in the Grand Slam once before 2014. According to PGA.com, the Grand Slam will have a $1.35 million purse, and the winner receives $600,000, second place $300,000, third place $250,000 and fourth place $200,000. First played at the Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York back in 1979, for most of its history the Grand Slam was played in the U.S. But in 2007, the competition was p
layed at Mid Ocean Club, Tucker’s Town in Bermuda. Still in Bermuda, the Grand Slam returns for the sixth year to Port Royal Golf Course. According to travelpulse.com the PGA Grand Slam will be played on the U.S. mainland in 2015.
AUGUST BRINGS A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT
We know now why the PGA may like the month of August, but why is August a perfect month for golf for the rest of us?
Although it is hot, the weather in August creates some ideal playing conditions. The chilly month of April often keeps many amateur golfers off the links. Spring rain in April and May often make courses too wet to play, but by August most courses have dried out completely. Dry fairways often add distance to drives and might even cut a stroke off of your score for a hole.
Not only is the weather favorable for golfers in August, but time is actually on a golfer’s side too. According to AccuWeather.com, August 1 has almost fifteen hours of daylight. The sun rises around 6:30 am allowing golfers time to get out early to play in cooler morning temperatures, while the sunsets about 9 pm so a round of golf can be squeezed into the evening hours; however, by the end of the month, golfers have lost almost an hour and a half of playing time.
AUGUST STARTS GOLF SEASON FOR SCHOOLS
Finally, August marks the start of the golf season for teams at the college, high school, and junior high levels. With those teams taking the links, athletic directors and tournament officials will need to provide trophies, and that’s where Hit Trophy can help. In August, we have over 30 golf trophies and personalized gifts available. One of our best sellers is our Crystal Golf Trophy, item CRY213. This trophy measures 8.75” tall by 2.5” wide and features a crystal golf ball on the very top and a 3-D laser etching of a player swinging his club inside the optical crystal pillar. We will laser engrave up to three lines of text onto the crystal base for free and ship it to you in a deluxe velour lined presentation box. A similar trophy to CRY213 is our Ladies Golf Trophy, CRY293. It too contains a 3-D image of a golfer, yet this trophy contains a woman golfer in her backswing. Both of these wonderful awards are inexpensive at $29.90. Another unique award is our Hole In One Trophy, item RFG528. A new item for us this year, the Hole In One Trophy 
has a 4” tall silver #1 which has a circular cut out perfect for holding and displaying the ball used for that terrific shot. A rosewood base holds the resin numeral, and it supplies our engravers enough room to place three lines of text on the accolade. Besides trophies, we have some great personalized gifts for golfers. Our Crystal Golf Ball Clock (item CRY6101L) allows that avid golfer to watch every second pass until the next tee time. Standing 3.5” wide x 5” tall, a beautiful crystal golf ball, complete with dimples, rests on an ebony crystal base. A classically styled clock has been mounted in the sphere. Trimmed with a silver rim, the clock’s white face displays black Roman numerals for each hour of the day. A three hand mechanism allows you to track each hour, minute, and second until you will be out on the fairways again. Another great gift, our BC525 Golf Name Plate, proudly declares the owner’s name and love for the game of golf. The rosewood piano finished name plate with pen, card holder, gold metal golf ball and clock is the perfect gift for the person who sits behind a desk for a job but sits in a golf cart for relaxation and fun. Measuring 2.25” high and 9” long, this beautiful name plate will delight any passionate golfer with a desk job.
So enjoy National Golf Month by getting outside to play a round of golf or by watching some professional golfers as their season winds down. And if you need to order a trophy for those young golfers just starting their season at school, be sure to browse our complete collection of golf trophies by clicking this link.