Hale and Steve Irwin launching a line of CBD health and wellness products geared toward golfers; as part of a partnership with CGA, portion of proceeds from member purchases from Swingwell Labs will benefit CGA flagship programs
By Gary Baines – 8/31/2020
The CGA’s relationship with the Irwin family dates back almost 60 years, to when Hale Irwin started competing in the association’s championships, with his first CGA title coming in the Junior Match Play in 1962 when he was attending Boulder High School.
Hale would go on to win five CGA championship in all, including three consecutive CGA Stroke Plays and one Match Play in the mid-1960s while attending the University of Colorado.
Son Steve has captured six CGA titles and was the association’s Les Fowler Player of the Year in 2004. He also served on the CGA’s board of directors for four or five years in the last decade.
In addition, the CGA and the Irwins have partnered on a number of programs, initiatives and events in recent years, including the Hale Irwin Player Program, the Hale Irwin Medal and Dinner, the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior tournament, and some junior clinics conducted by the elder Irwin.
So it should come as no surprise that another CGA/Irwin partnership has taken shape.
On Sept. 1, Hale and Steve Irwin are launching a new CBD health and wellness products company in which they’re part owners — Swingwell Labs — which is focused predominantly on helping golfers. And Swingwell Labs and the CGA are partnering to provide Swingwell products at a discount to CGA members in 2020, with 15 percent of member purchases being donated to support CGA flagship programs: the Hale Irwin Player Program, the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, and the Community and Wellness Programs at CGA-owned CommonGround Golf Course.
“The CGA was a natural fit for us to want to partner with,” Steve Irwin said. “We’ve been involved with the CGA as a family now for a long time. We’re really excited about it because we’ve had longstanding partnerships with the CGA on a number of different initiatives. We really wanted to be able to bring a value-add to the CGA membership with a product that I truly believe in and believe can help people.
“The partnership with the CGA is kind of the kickoff for us in our sales and marketing — and all of our efforts. This is the start of a number of different partnerships we’re going to be launching, but the natural fit was to do it with the CGA first.”
The Irwin roots run deep in Colorado. Hale grew up in Boulder, and Steve has been a fixture in the Centennial State for more than a quarter-century, having played college golf at the University of Colorado like his dad.
After winning an NCAA individual title while at CU, Hale Irwin built a professional career that has included 20 PGA Tour victories, including three U.S. Open titles, and a record 45 PGA Tour Champions wins. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1992, and also is in the local halls of fame for Colorado Sports, Colorado Golf, and for CU sports. In 2015, Irwin was named the Colorado golf Male Player of the Century. Hale was also a two-time All-Big Eight defensive back for the CU football team.
“Anytime we can work with Hale Irwin, it is a win for the CGA,” CGA executive director Ed Mate said. “Hale Irwin is the greatest champion in the history of Colorado golf. We share the same goals and values and this is yet another opportunity to align the CGA and Irwin brands.”
While there are many CBD products on the market that can help alleviate pain and aid in recovery for athletes — and others — Steve Irwin said Swingwell Labs sets itself apart with products formulated for the maladies that affect golfers. Swingwell Labs products are manufactured by America’s Finest CBD.
“I don’t want to give the impression that, ‘Hey, it’s just another CBD brand.’ That’s not it,” he said. “We’ve done a ton of work in creating the best formulations possible for golfers.
“I know there’s a lot of CBD companies out there now — it’s kind of a hot industry — but one of the reasons we took so long to get into this was to find the right partnerships and the right group to be able to do what we wanted to do. To me, that’s what’s so fulfilling about Swingwell. We did formulations tuned exactly for what a golfer needs, versus what a triathlete or a bicyclist or some other athlete might need. These are ones that are spot on for what resonates with golfers.”
Generally speaking, CBD products can help reduce and prevent inflammation; lessen pain and soreness; help with sleep, anxiety and stress; assist with focus and concentration; and help calm a person down.
So how did the Irwins come to be involved in the CBD business?
“It’s probably 80 percent me that was the genesis behind it,” said Steve Irwin, who qualified for the 2011 U.S. Open and three U.S. Amateurs. “I’ve used CBD products for a couple of years now, and it’s helped me start the process to overcome a number of injuries, as well as from a recovery standpoint. As an athlete and someone who has played a lot of sports and someone who has injuries that are nagging, I’ve been looking for something to help my body as I’ve gotten older. I just had my 46th birthday — and stuff happens.
“Over the last couple of years I’ve had various injuries that seem to be more and more difficult to get over, so I was looking for alternative therapies versus just going to the doctor or taking more Advil, or whatever the case may be. And CBD worked for me, and especially the formulations that we’ve created have really worked for me.”
Steve Irwin said his dad uses CBD products to help with recovery and sleep, while his mom, Sally, utilizes them for pain in her knee and elbow.
And, of course, Swingwell Labs products offer a variety of potential health benefits while not producing any of the “high” that is associated with THC.
For CGA members — 21 and older — to access more information about Swingwell Labs and see its products, CLICK HERE.