Golfing News & Blog Articles

It’s hard to believe the 2023 PGA Show was my first in four years. Coincidentally, it’s also been four years since I last wrote a PGA Show recap article. I can’t say that I missed the show although I do enjoy writing these recaps.

With that in mind, it’s probably best to start with the answer to a question that’s come up quite a bit lately: Why does Tony hate the PGA Show?

The summary version goes like this:

It’s poorly timed. With respect to equipment brands, there’s nothing we haven’t seen, nothing golfers haven’t seen and, from the business side, nothing that hasn’t been ordered already. Apparel and miscellaneous accessories are different animals but at the show’s equivalent of anchor stores, nobody is buying.

Also, for a guy in upstate N.Y., getting there has proven challenging over the years. My flights are delayed or impacted one way or another about 30 percent of the time.

Hank Lebioda shot an 8-under 63 on the Shore course at Monterey Peninsula to take a 1-shot lead after the opening round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Thursday.

Abraham Ancer had a 7-under 63 for a 1-shot lead over Sebastian Munoz after the first round of the Saudi International on the Asian Tour.

Ryo Hisatune jumped into the early lead at the DP World Tour's Ras al Khaimah Championship after an incredible birdie run.

There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised.

What We Tried

Rypstick Speed Trainer

Who Tried It?

Dave Wolfe– MyGolfSpy writer and putter fanatic. I am always looking for ways to improve my game and fight off the impact of aging.

Can I Swing Faster?

Some would argue with me but I believe speed is everything in golf. Sure, control also helps but I find speed to be more important. If you disagree, you likely hit the ball a long way. Control is cool but it does not override distance. Being in the fairway is nice but being way back in the fairway is not that nice.

Pebble Beach is back with a refreshed 8th just in time for the AT&T and this July’s U.S. Women’s Open.

Plus, Phil returns with less weight, key Augusta National members are spared of LIV discovery, the ANWA field is announced, Peacock's massive losses mount, and much more.

Jordan Spieth's daring second shot over a cliff at the 8th hole in last year's Pebble Beach Pro-Am will be harder to replicate this year after an adjustment that Gary Young, the PGA Tour's chief referee for this week, illustrated to ESPN.

Matthew Fitzpatrick, who thinks there's "too much golf" and would like to "play less," said he'd try to play through a neck injury over a three-week stretch.

The Augusta National Women's Amateur tournament, which begins March 29, will feature the top 45 players in the world and expanded television coverage for the fourth edition of the event.

The Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which includes 156 teams of one professional and an amateur, leads this week's top storylines in men's professional golf. All eyes are on a stacked Augusta National Women's Amateur field in the women's game.

Did you know that for about the cost of a brand-new driver you can play 30k courses from around the world, track swing data and improve your next practice session?

Introducing the all-new Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor 2 Pro. The successor to the original Mobile Launch Monitor, Rapsodo has enhanced its entry-level personal launch monitor (and added some neat software features).

The MLM2PRO promises generation-to-generation improvement over its original design. Are you ready for the big reveal?

Rapsodo MLM2PRO Release Info

The Rapsodo MLM2PRO made its debut at the 2023 PGA Show in Orlando.Preorders for the device start February 1, with widespread availability beginning March 31.Received a MyGolfSpy “Best of Show” Award at the 2023 PGA ShowRetail is $699.99, and includes the device plus a one-year premium subscription for additional benefits.

Shiny, New Features

While a solid all-around performer, the original Mobile Launch Monitor wasn’t without its flaws. With the addition of the MLM2Pro, Rapsodo toot a few of its shortcominginto account s and iteratively improved upon them.

Notice something new? The new MLM2Pro has its own built-in, dedicated cameras to track ball flight and capture your swing. In case you can’t put it together, this means that you’ll no longer have to rely on your phone’s camera to capture data.

Each golf shot is a fresh new opportunity to deliver your ball to your target. You can’t do this without a methodical plan and response that works for you. I realize that very few golfers will ever achieve the distance and control of the male pros so I like to focus on the graceful swings of the female pro golfers. If they can consistently deliver drives that are controlled and over 250 yards, that should be good enough for 90% of all golfers who will never be scratch golfers.

When my game is going sideways, I have always been told that I’m swinging too hard. That’s exactly when I try to take control of my mind and body and place it in my own private box where I can take control of my takeaway tempo.

Slowing down your backswing gives you more time to complete a full shoulder rotation and wrist hinge for a 90-degree lag. Rush it and you will miss your opportunity for a great shot with less effort and an amazing result.

The Korda sisters, Nelly and Jessica, both have graceful swings. During a training session with their coach, Jamie Mulligan, they were asked how they controlled their takeaway. Nelly said that Jamie taught her to imagine that her club head is like a rock on the end of a string. She uses a slow acceleration through-out her backswing to create a graceful tempo (as she swing her rock away from the ground).

That’s a great image to help you create a wonderful tempo for your backswing. It will help you slow your transition and accelerate your downswing.

The Blue Bay LPGA tournament has been canceled for the third time in four years because of ongoing COVID-19 matters, the association said Tuesday night in a short statement released from its headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Bubba Watson, who competes in the LIV Golf League, said he was "very thankful" that he gets to return to the Masters this year.

Phil Mickelson, who has improved his personal fitness this offseason, said he is "embarrassed" with how he played last year and expects to have a "really good year."

A million square feet covered at the 2023 PGA Show to find you the best new products.

Every year hundreds, nay thousands, of products are on display at the Show in Orlando, Fla. A percentage of those can be found inside the dwindling (in both scale and number) booths of the big equipment manufacturers but there’s plenty that’s new and intriguing to be found in the booths of smaller companies. And with each passing year, more of those companies exist inside the digital wing of the golf equipment industry.

With that in mind, it isn’t any particular surprise that our “Best in Show” list is filled with entries from golf’s burgeoning technical age—though we did find a pair of putters with potential.

The gear on this list is largely innovative and each, in its own way, has the potential to reshape the how the game is accessed, studied and enjoyed.

Here are our picks for the best new golf products from the 2023 PGA Show.

A federal judge denied a request by LIV Golf to expand discovery in its antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour to include communication with 10 Augusta National members.

Pebble Beach, California, is the next stop on the 2023 PGA Tour for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Here is how you can watch all of the action.

Max Homa wins a thrilling Farmers at Torrey Pines. Rory McIlroy opens with a win for the first time ever. And CBS has a strong start to the PGA Tour season.

All that plus deep thoughts on the Reed rules situation and Mickelson’s lament of joggers.

The PGA-LIV beef gets a bit petty. Max Homa keeps playing well while Keegan Bradley and Rickie Fowler are also looking good. Here's what's happening on the PGA Tour.