THE WEEKLY

9 holes at Encanto, a custom glove, and a drink ticket. Plus, your first Blades session is free through October 31. Reserve your spot.

Blades Golf Lounge is offering your first session free. Test Foresight Falcon tech, dial in your game, and experience indoor golf like never before.

Someone says, “We should play.” Three people agree. Nobody books anything. Two weeks later, you’re still sending each other golf videos instead of actually playing.

Let’s fix that.

The Cactus Game is back for Season 2, starting with Cactus Game 8 at Encanto. We’re bringing together 16 golfers for nine holes, and every player receives a custom golf glove and a drink ticket.

Here’s the invitation:

Friday, October 16, 2026, at 3 pm. Encanto Golf Course. 9 holes. A field of 16 players.

Come with a friend or come on your own. You don’t need to organize a foursome before registering.

Reserve my Cactus Game 8 spot

Last weekend, I played with an old friend for the first time in more than 20 years.

We used to compete against each other in junior golf. Different lives, different careers, two decades later, and there we were doing it again.

That round reminded me why I care about creating these opportunities.

You remember scores. You remember courses. But the people are what make you want to book the next round.

I can’t promise that your next lifelong golf friendship starts at Encanto. I can give you a place to meet someone outside your usual group.

That’s what Season 2 is about: making it easier to turn “we should play” into something that actually happens.

16 players means four groups. Enough people to meet someone new, without turning the afternoon into an event where everyone disappears into their own group.

9 holes gives us room for golf and conversation without asking you to build an entire weekend around it.

My goal is a game that feels worth making time for: competitive enough to keep you interested, relaxed enough that meeting people doesn’t feel like an interview.

Bring your competitive side. Just bring your personality with it.

I’ve played plenty of serious golf. I still want the first thing someone remembers about playing with me to be that they enjoyed it, not that I explained my swing for nine consecutive holes.

Maybe you’ve read the newsletter for months but haven’t made it to an event.

Maybe your regular playing partners have impossible schedules.

Maybe you’re interested, but showing up without knowing anyone feels like the hardest part.

This invitation is for you, too.

You don’t need a history with The Cactus Club to join its next chapter, and you don’t need to wait for a friend to agree to come.

When you arrive, say hello. I want to know who you are, where you normally play, and what brought you out.

Start there. Let the golf handle the next conversation.

For returning players, I’d love to have you back. Better yet, think of one person who would enjoy the experience and send them this invitation.

Not the entire contacts list. The friend who keeps saying they want to play more.

Every player at Game 8 gets a custom glove and a drink ticket.

You don’t have to win anything to leave with something.

But the thing I’d most like you to take home is a reason to play again.

A new name in your phone. Someone to practice with. A conversation you’ll pick up at the next game.

Those things aren’t guaranteed. They become possible when you actually show up.

Season 2 starts with one simple decision: put a game on your calendar.

Friday, October 16. Encanto. 9 holes.

Check the registration details, reserve your place, and spend an afternoon with us.

Reserve my Cactus Game 8 spot

Been curious about indoor golf but haven’t tried it?

Here’s your reason: your first session at Blades Golf Lounge is free through October 31, 2026.

Blades is in Uptown Phoenix at 24 West Camelback Road, Suite C. Inside, you’ll find a lounge setting and Foresight Falcon simulator technology that tracks what your ball and club are actually doing. Blades Golf Lounge

You can explore the simulator, work on your game, and see whether you’d enjoy spending more time here.

No need to turn your first visit into a complete swing rebuild.

Having spent years around golf technology, I think the best introduction is simply getting comfortable with the experience. Hit some shots. See what the numbers tell you. Enjoy playing somewhere different.

Maybe you discover a useful practice option. Maybe you have a good time hitting golf balls indoors.

That’s why I like an introductory offer like this: you get to experience a local golf business instead of deciding whether it’s for you based on another Instagram post.

Ready to try it?

Call Blades at (602) 456-0252.

“I’m a Cactus Club reader. I’d like to arrange my first free session.”

Request my free Blades session

Looking for a place to play? Open Local Loop, then see what’s happening with The Cactus Club.

Explore Local Loop

Congratulations to Cactus Club member Fred Matthews on winning the 2026 Arizona Northern Amateur at Talking Rock. Fred opened with a 66, followed by a final-round 75, finishing at 3-under to claim a two-shot victory.

The Cactus Game is back for Season 2, starting with Cactus Game 8 at Encanto. We’re bringing together 16 golfers for nine holes, and every player receives a custom golf glove and a drink ticket.

Golf clothes should work beyond the clubhouse. These ten polos offer fresh textures, classic stripes, and fall layering options without looking like another tournament giveaway.

Your scorecard tells you what happened. Arccos Air promises to explain why, without club sensors. Golf Monthly tests whether the convenience outweighs the accuracy trade-offs.

Blades Golf Lounge is offering your first session free. Test Foresight Falcon tech, dial in your game, and experience indoor golf like never before.

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EXPLORE: Plan your next round
PLAY: See golf experiences
BELONG: Explore membership