Golfing News & Blog Articles

A triple bogey in his opening round at the RBC Heritage. A string of six straight birdies. A second-nine 29 made it another interesting day for Jordan Spieth, who takes a few steps closer and a small step back toward finding his old form.

He won by 15 shots. He was 12-under par. Those are the big numbers. But there are others that are just as staggering from the week Tiger Woods defeated the entire field and golf itself.

He won by 15 shots. It was mind-blowing then. The legend of it has only grown since. But there's a secret about that tournament even Tiger didn't know until months after history was made.

Rory McIlroy says quarantine measures were well worth the trouble for European Tour players who are returning to the United States to compete on the PGA Tour.

Thanks to everyone for voting in the poll adding one key provision to questions surrounding the what to do with the 2020 Ryder Cup.

Just a reminder: most top players the Ryder Cup cannot go forward until next year without the energy of fans. Some feel it should go no matter what, some think a quieter proceeding minus running high-fives and threats of violence against family members might be more appropriate in these times, and recently, signs have suggested the best case scenario may be very limited galleries.

Yet as we learned from the AP’s Doug Ferguson, top players surveyed last week were not given the option to postpone to next year due to the PGA Tour’s unwillingness to push back the 2021 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow.

That’s why the tour went to some of the top players last week at Colonial for a survey. Players were asked to prioritize the following scenarios: a Ryder Cup this year with no fans, a Ryder Cup with half the fans or a Ryder Cup in 2022.

So the results are in and they are, frankly, surprising. Thanks to over 500 of you for voting so far.

June 18, 2020

Pebble Beach Company and Tiger Woods release plans for reimagined short course facility at Pebble Beach

New facility will include a nine-hole par-3 short course, a putting course, and an indoor/outdoor food and beverage venue overlooking one of the Resort’s most stunning views

Pebble Beach Company and Tiger Woods, through his TGR Design firm, today released plans to transform the former site of Peter Hay Golf Course. Located directly between the Pebble Beach Pro Shop and Golf Academy, the new facility will include:

A short course comprised of nine par-3 holes ranging in length from 47 to 106 yards and measuring 670 yards in total;A 20,000-square-foot putting course that can be set up in a variety of different hole and routing combinations; andA 5,000-square-foot food and beverage venue featuring a full kitchen and bar, indoor seating, and the resort’s largest outdoor patio positioned for expansive views of the short course, putting course, Carmel Bay, and Point Lobos

“We are thrilled to elevate the quality of our short course to a level consistent with our other world-class golf courses,” said Bill Perocchi, Chief Executive Officer of Pebble Beach Company. “You can see the genius of Tiger Woods and TGR Design come to life when you walk the site, the way it all fits together. I expect all aspects of this new facility will be very popular for junior golf events, Resort golfers, outings, resident hang-outs, and everything in between.”

Woods’ design philosophy for the short course is anchored on playability and creativity. His vision is that the course will draw new players to the game, bring families together, and provide a fun golf experience for players of all ages and abilities, while still offering a challenge for skilled players.

If you’re trying to wrap your head around the timing of the Cobra Pars and Stripes SPEEDZONE and SPEEDZONE Xtreme drivers, remember that if not for the misery that is 2020, the best golfers in the world would be competing in the U.S. Open at Winged Foot this week.

Pars and Stripes was supposed to be Cobra’s limited-edition U.S. Open driver. But as was the case when The Masters was postponed, the schedule change has left the brand in a pickle.

What do you do now?

You could hold it for the U.S. Open. A limited-edition driver in September is infinitely more practical than an azalea print polo in November but that would push you perilously close to end of the buying season.

With elite players like Tommy Fleetwood, Francesco Molinari and Lee Westwood opting to sit out the PGA Tour’s restart, I didn’t expect anyone to question their decision to stay home. Particularly given travel constraints and the two-week quarantine time (each way) for British golfers. And then there is the restarted in two COVID-19 hotspots (Texas and parts of South Carolina) and in a country with the runaway lead in positive tests.

Rory McIlroy, however, was asked in his pre-RBC Heritage Zoom conference and leveled a pretty harsh rebuke of his European Tour peers, reports Gareth Hanna of the Belfast Telegraph.

“If I were in their shoes and I was asked to come over to the States and quarantine for two weeks before these tournaments, I would have done that,” he said.

“If you really care about your career and care about moving forward, you should be here, I think. Last week was 70 World Ranking points for the winner, this week 74.

“I get there are different variables and families involved, but we all have the means to rent a very nice house in a gated community in Florida. It’s not a hardship for two weeks to come over and quarantine.”

McIlroy passed up the 2016 Olympics over concerns about the Zika virus.

The different length and style of each club has a major impact on the way that you swing that club. Past Swing Tips have focused on swinging up with your driver off a tee. For an iron the point of impact is just before your swing arc bottoms out. The face is actually dropping and causing a reverse spin. When hit properly your ball will actually climb before it drops to the ground.

You may have seen a training video on the proper way to swing an iron by using a towel. When you swing with an iron, your goal is to impact the ball before you impact any turf (before your swing arc bottoms out). Practice your iron shots by placing a tee or a bottle cap or towel flat on the ground about 2 or 3 inches behind your ball. Shifting your weight to your leading foot during your swing will allow you to impact your ball before the arc of your swing bottoms out.

Turning Point
Practicing with a towel is wonderful but when you are on the course, your mind goes into autopilot and your arms take over. My wakeup call came on the course while hitting my ball out of the rough. I knew that I had to swing down to hit the ball before catching any of the fluffy grass behind the ball. Thinking about my downswing, I impacted with the ball before I swung through the rough and nailed the perfect shot. BINGO, EUREKA!
1/ Setup properly with the ball midway between your feet depending on the iron that you are using.
2/ During your swing transition at the top of your swing, allow your weight to shift from your trailing foot to your leading foot.
3/ Weight shift is caused by what some pros call “the bump” as hip rotation starts your down swing (and weight transfer).
4/ Don’t rush the start of your downswing or your swing will be all arms with your weight still on your trailing foot. Another way to feel this is to keep your wrist weak as they hold their lagging position from the top of the downswing. The combination of weight shift and whipping your wrist release through the ball will generate surprising power. Let your club do the work. Don’t try to muscle your arm through your swing.
5/ Impact on the ball should be just before the bottom of your swing arc which is directly below your leading shoulder.
Practice with GOLFSTR+ by letting your straight leading arm control the consistency of your swing while your wrist release generates the power. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com.

Golf Truism #11: It takes 17 holes to really get warmed up.

After the death of George Floyd and ensuing protests, PGA of America President Suzy Whaley and CEO Seth Waugh both penned letters asking for ideas from members and imploring the organization to be more inclusive.

From Whaley’s letter:

Together, each one of us has the power to effect change and build an industry that is accepting, compassionate, and proud to stand together. Stand with us in the possibility and the hope that we cannot ignore our lack of inclusion. Stand with us and let’s all take the necessary steps to change it. Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas through email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

And from Waugh:

We recognize that golf can’t cure all of society’s challenges. But because of our nearly 29,000 PGA Golf Professionals, I believe we are positioned to lead the conversation and take action on how golf can help. We are certainly not proud of every chapter in golf’s imperfect past, including our own failings, but we can certainly be proud of the future we can build together if we become a committed part of the solution. PGA WORKS and PGA LEAD are intentional steps we have taken to make a difference in our sport. But now we must do more and reach higher.

Almost perfect news across the PGA Tour’s testing of players, caddies and family, reports Bob Harig at ESPN.com.

The total of 954 tests over two weeks includes the 98 players, caddies and family members who boarded chartered flights from Dallas on Monday to travel to Hilton Head for the second event on the PGA Tour's revised schedule after a 13-week shutdown because of the coronavirus pandemic. Those who traveled to South Carolina on their own were required to take a test on-site.

Ian Poulter shared his testing experience and the, uh, sensations he felt after the swab went up his nose.

Have you ever wondered what Corona Virus testing in sport looks like...bet you don’t want to know what it feels like! pic.twitter.com/GUCxdn7oiI

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) June 17, 2020

In less positive news, Harig reported this in addition to the previous week’s Korn Ferry Tour’s four positive tests…

Davis Love III, playing this week for the first time since a fire destroyed his home in March, said his return has been an emotional journey filled with "ups and downs."

 

June 17, 2020

USGA Announces Exemption Categories for 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur, U.S. Amateur Championships

The USGA today announced the exemption categories for the 120th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, set to take place Aug. 3-9 at Woodmont Country Club, in Rockville, Md., and the 120th U.S. Amateur, which will be held Aug. 10-16 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, in Bandon, Ore. As previously announced, the fields for both championships will be comprised entirely of exempt players due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Making the decision to forgo qualifying for our championships this year was extremely difficult, but we’re glad to be able to continue the legacy of these competitions and provide the best amateur players in the world the opportunity to compete for a USGA title,” said John Bodenhamer, senior managing director, Championships. “We aimed to create fields that most closely resemble those for a typical Amateur and Women’s Amateur, and are confident we will crown two worthy champions in August.”

Exemption categories for both championships are highlighted by expanded use of the World Amateur Golf Ranking® and Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking®, as well as finishes in recent USGA championships. A full list of U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur exemption categories can be found on usga.org. All exempt players must file an entry. Entries open Friday, June 26 and close Wednesday, July 8 at 5 p.m. EDT.

We are going to take a look at two new Sacks Parente putters: the Series 66 and the Series 18.

Last July, we learned about Sacks Parente and explored their Bullseye-esq initial putter offering, the Series 39.

Sacks Parente is using the same playbook a year later, producing modern interpretations of classic Anser and 8802 heads – a tall order. As our sometimes vitriolic comment section demonstrates, gaining public acceptance of such interpretative ambitions is not easy.

In some ways, innovating in the putter field is like writing a haiku. Unlike other poems where you can wax pentameter, the haiku has a very narrow syllabic window to work within. Historically, putter producers who too closely follow the established shape guidelines evoke cries of mimicry. Putter makers must walk the balance of being creative with their spins while still following the 5/7/5 constraints of the Anser poetry. Consumers want putters that look familiar. But not too familiar.

So,  yes, the Sacks Parente Series 66 and Series 18 putters are modern versions of classic putters. That is obvious as soon as you look at them.

Kyle Rowland from the Toledo Blade reports the exciting news for golf fans, historians and architecture buffs who will get to see the revamped Inverness a year early.

One of America’s most storied tournament courses before today’s mega-jocks moved to plant based diets and became able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, the Donald Ross classic will still host the 2021 Solheim Cup. But now, thanks to some creative maneuvering, Inverness will be on Golf Channel screens July 31-Aug. 2.

 “Thanks in part to the generosity of our partners who could not reschedule their events in 2020, we are adding a valuable additional playing opportunity for our LPGA Tour members,” Whan said in a press release.

The full release can be read here.

And Golf Course Architecture’s Richard Humphreys profiled Andrew Green’s restoration here.

With news of New York approving a U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows, this now joins a rescheduled U.S. Open at Winged Foot in the same state. One is tennis, one is golf and some contrasts are emerging.

Christopher Clarey’s New York Times exclusive item confirms the U.S. Open (tennis) will remain on schedule for Aug. 31 to Sept. 13 without fans.

The USGA’s rescheduled U.S. Open (golf) has not ruled out on-site spectators, though with a stated limit of 2000, it’s hard to see more than a handful of non-essential folks on site.

Back to tennis. As Clarey notes in his item, a lot still has to be figured out regarding travel restrictions for the mostly non-American field to get to New York. Top male player sound unenthusiastic for a number of reasons.

One of the elite women, world No. 7 Gaby Dobrowski, wrote of her concerns on social media today. Note the final portion and a belief that a U.S. Open is not a proper tournament without qualifying and other divisions beyond singles.

AP’s Doug Ferguson lays out the issues facing those charged with determining the 2020 Ryder Cup’s fate. It seems saving the 2021 Presidents Cup—yes the Presidents Cup—because it has been pre-sold, would be a blow to the PGA Tour coffers. So they surveyed top players last week about what to do.

One small problem?

A possible survey winner, Ferguson reports, was not included as an option for a decision that is not even the PGA Tour’s to make.

That’s why the tour went to some of the top players last week at Colonial for a survey. Players were asked to prioritize the following scenarios: a Ryder Cup this year with no fans, a Ryder Cup with half the fans or a Ryder Cup in 2022.

I’m sure it was just an administrative oversight to leave out the other option some might select: postpone the Ryder Cup to 2021.