Golfing News & Blog Articles

In this addition of Ask Alan, our Alan Shipnuck takes reader questions about the golf world.

What DEFCON is pro golf at right now? That the top two tours can’t get over 100K viewers on a Sunday seems disastrous even for football season. Combined with the lackluster ratings for the playoffs, it really does seem like this sport is in a fast downward spiral! @SarrMaclean

I’m going to say DEFCON 2: a raging crisis that is threatening to turn into mutually assured destruction. The PGA Tour has been badly devalued by the loss of so many key protagonists, and the TV ratings you cite reflect that. The Tour’s new benefactors can’t be happy, either, as the first billion dollars of private equity money was shoveled to players without a dollar going toward upgrading the product. After three seasons and countless billions of dollars, LIV still has only a modest audience and now faces numerous big-ticket personnel decisions as the first wave of signees age out and/or need to be put out to pasture.

A deal to (sort of) reunify the sport is not a magic cure-all, as many former fans have realized that they’re okay not watching golf… and Bryson DeChambeau teeing it up at the Byron Nelson is not going to change that. The tour wars couldn’t have come at a worse time because the pro game was already suffering a glaring personality deficit. Greg Norman, Payne Stewart, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh…golf enjoyed a quarter century run of charismatic stars, badasses and transcendent talent. Now the PGA Tour is dominated by low-key nice guys who barely make the needle twitch. LIV has all the antiheroes and spicy personalities but they remain mostly out of sight and out of mind. We’ll see how things shake out in the off-season but DEFCON 1 could be coming.

Is Rory’s inability to win physical or mental? Or metaphysical? @Kevinp613

If you watched the FedEx Cup finals, you might remember Scottie Scheffler’s surprising shank out of the bunker on the eighth hole. While it was a rare moment, it reminded us all that even the pros are human. The shanked bunker or wedge shot is likely something you’ve encountered far too often in your own game. If wedge shanks are ruining your scorecard, you’re not alone. Here are three simple tips to ensure you get rid of the shanks for good.

Maintain a more vertical swing path

One of the main causes of a shanked wedge is swinging the club too flat. For many players, this feels and looks like a club that comes inside as the very first move away from the ball. Once the club is that far inside, it is difficult to get it back on plane.

This exaggerated out-to-in path on the downswing leaves the hosel as the first point of contact instead of the clubface.

The result is an ugly shank.

You’ll notice this not just in bunker shots but with any wedge shots around the green. Players have a tendency to do it more often when they are taking a half swing.

Many golfers prefer leather shoes for durability, water resistance, comfort, and a classic look. However, these premium shoes require proper care to maintain their quality. If you want to extend the life of your leather golf shoes and get a few extra years out of them, this guide will cover everything you need to know. We’ve covered you, from pre-round prep to post-round cleaning and storage tips. While avoiding obvious things like jumping in puddles helps, there are additional maintenance steps you can take to keep your leather shoes looking and performing their best.

Pre-Round Leather Golf Shoe Care

Your leather golf shoes probably came with a shoehorn in the box.

Use it!

The shoe horn prevents damage to the heel, which helps ensure a proper fit and can even help prevent blisters. Before you put your shoes on, also take a look at the spikes (if you own spiked shoes) and ensure they don’t need replacement.

Finally, consider rotating your leather golf shoes. If you wear golf shoes every day, try to alternate between two or three pairs. Constant wear with one pair of shoes is not recommended, especially in wet conditions.

It it permissible to lave your marker on the green behind your ball while you make a stroke? Rules Guy has the answer.

The post Rules Guy: Can I leave my marker behind my ball while I putt? appeared first on Golf.

Lydia Ko's surreal summer, Billy Horschel's conflicted feelings, strange Presidents Cup records and more in this week's Monday Finish.

The post Presidents Cup weirdness, Lydia’s fairy tale, Rory vs. Billy | Monday Finish appeared first on Golf.

First mixed Presidents Cup brings together men, women, co-Captains, analytics philosophies and wild "snake draft" scenarios to Royal Montreal.*

Here are 18 observations as Presidents Cup week at Royal Montreal Golf Club begins, including ones on Tom Brady and Aquaman 2.

The post Tom Brady and Aquaman 2: 18 observations as Presidents Cup week begins appeared first on Golf.

What we’ve seen in 15 years of testing here is there’s rarely one brand through the bag that makes the best clubs. We just finished wrapping up hybrid testing here and the Ping G430 won pretty convincingly.

We were sitting there diving through the data and it just made me think like, “I don’t know what is going on at PING golf in the last two, two and a half years, but they have obviously figured something out because It’s rare that we see clubs finish like standard deviations better than others.”

That’s what we’re seeing with so many PING clubs. The PING iCrossover, ridiculous. The PING G430 10K, ridiculous. Like if you can’t hit that in the fairway, you probably need some lessons. It makes everybody pretty good at golf. The hybrid just won by leaps and bounds. The wedge, the wet wedge results they’ve dominated in.

Like the wet wedge, the hydrophobicity thing that they did, like now everybody’s following them on that. The 10k driver, everyone’s following them on the 10k thing.

If I were to pick a single brand to play from top to bottom, minus the putter, it would be PING golf and that goes against almost everything we’ve ever said.

The more clubs we test, the clearer it becomes that accuracy is key if you want to score low. But let’s be honest, when it comes to the driver, distance is what every golfer craves. 

It’s hard to convince any player (beginner or veteran) that it’s not all about those extra yards off the tee.

In our 2024 driver testing, we ranked 37 drivers by total distance. The yardage gap between the top performer, the Callaway Paradym Smoke Ai Triple Diamond, and the last-place finisher, the Krank Formula Fire Pro, is 15.58 yards. That’s a difference you’ll notice on the course.

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (255.75)TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (255.46)Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D (255.44)Titleist TSR4 (254.42)Titleist TSR3 (254.24)PING G430 LST (254.24)PING G430 MAX 10K (253.69)Wilson Dynapower Carbon (253.45)Srixon ZX5 LS Mk II (253.44)COBRA Darkspeed X (253.44)Srixon ZX7 Mk II (253.35)Titleist TSR2 (252.93)TaylorMade QI10 LS (252.65)COBRA Darkspeed LS (252.18)Mizuno ST-G (251.75)Srixon ZX5 Mk II (251.29)Cleveland Launcher XL 2 (251.13)Titleist TSR1 (250.82)Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Max (250.75)PING G430 MAX (250.7)PXG 0311 GEN6 (250.45)Wilson Dynapower Titanium (250.38)TaylorMade QI10 (250.25)Mizuno ST-MAX 230 (249.71)Mizuno ST-Z 230 (249.7)Tour Edge Exotics C723 (249.58)Tour Edge Exotics E723 (249.49)Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Draw (249.18)PXG 0311 XF GEN6 (248.93)Kirkland Signature Driver (247.81)Mizuno ST-X 230 (246.93)PING G430 SFT (246.78)COBRA Darkspeed Max (246.06)TaylorMade QI10 Max (245.89)XXIO 13 (243.03)Tommy Armour 845+ (242.7)Krank Formula Fire Pro (240.07)

The post Top 37 Drivers Ranked by Distance appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Looking for something more unique than a box of golf balls or a new driver? These intangible golf gifts are all about the experience they offer. While some of these gifts may have a physical component, their true value lies in how they help golfers improve their game, enjoy their day and show them that you’ve put real thought into finding the best gift. With these, you’re giving more than just a present. You’re offering memorable moments on the course.

Golf Galaxy – Golf Ball Fitting

Golfers often second-guess which golf ball they should be playing with. The Golf Galaxy Golf Ball Fitting is a perfect way to fix this issue. For anyone who wants to maximize distance, dial in accuracy and fine-tune feel, the $19.99 ball fitting is a great gift. Pair the right equipment with the right golf ball and players will see big differences on the course.

Me and My Golf – Golf Lessons

Personalized coaching is not just an intangible golf gift, it’s an invaluable one. Getting expert tips to lower scores is a hard gift not to love. The Me and My Golf Coaching Plans offer quick results and segmented learning to work on various aspects of the game.

Golf Forever – Swing Trainer

The Golf Forever Swing Trainer comes with the equipment needed for a golf-specific fitness routine but the app is where golfers can truly benefit from this product. It’s perfect for anyone looking to maintain their fitness or use the off-season to get golf-ready. Flexibility and strength equate to more yards and consistent year-round play.

Rypstick – Training Package

Similar to Golf Forever, the value in the Rypstick is in its training method. With the Rypstick, golfers learn not just how to gain speed but how to gain speed without getting injured. Not all speed-increasing golf devices are created equal. 

Oh, my $20 putter, how do I love thee?

Let me count the ways …

I love that when I hold you in my hands I rarely have to count to three.

I love that when you miss that first putt, you almost always leave me an easy second putt, no matter where that first putt comes from.

And I really love the fact that when that second putt is a bit of a tester (and I blame myself for that, dear friend, not you), I can almost always knock it in.

Do you feel like you’ve been putting time in on the range but not seeing the results? The driving range is a popular spot to find golf-obsessed people working on their swing in hopes of finally achieving those low scores. 

However, very few can take what they learn at the driving range and apply it to the course. 

If you are tired of being a range hero but that doesn’t transfer to the course, maybe these five tips will break the cycle for you.

Stop focusing only on the clubs you like

If you are headed to the range, stop bringing your favorite clubs. Maybe they are your pitching wedge 7-iron and driver. 

It’s time to change things up a bit.

He prevents McIlroy from winning DP World Tour's marquee stop. Plus, will Rahm's "severe flu" impact Ryder quest, PGA clarifies policy, Pattinson drives in, remembering Huggett and Green Sr.

Paul Broadhurst finished off his second PGA Tour Champions victory of the year with a few nervous moments Sunday, closing with an even-par 72 at Pebble Beach for a three-shot win in the Pure Insurance Championship.

Cameron Smith and Lucas Herbert delivered clutch putts late in the championship round to lead Ripper to its first team title in the LIV Golf League.

Lydia Ko won again on Sunday for her third LPGA Tour title in four starts.

Lydia Ko caught fire during the final round at the Kroger Queen City Championship, winning her third event in a row by five shots.

The post Lydia Ko rolls in final round to 3rd LPGA win of the year appeared first on Golf.

Billy Horschel won the BMW PGA Championship after beating Rory McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence in a thrilling three-man playoff.

Scottie Scheffler's arrest was perhaps the biggest golf news story of 2024. Here's how it played out for his caddie, Ted Scott.

The post Here’s how Scottie Scheffler’s shocking arrest played out for his caddie appeared first on Golf.