The summer golf season is nearly upon us. What's the GOLF staff excited to buy? Our writers and editors shared their top picks.
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The leaderboard at the 2025 PGA Championship is in good shape heading into the weekend. Jhonattan Vegas, Matthieu Pavon, and Matt Fitzpatrick lead the way. But some big names missed the cut at Quail Hollow.
Jordan Spieth came in with a shot at the career Grand Slam. That’s on hold again. A second-round 68 helped, but it wasn’t enough to undo an opening 76; he missed the cut by one at +2.
Brooks Koepka didn’t make it either, finishing 9-over for two rounds.
Xander Schauffele had made 62 straight cuts coming into the PGA Championship. He was outside the cut line almost all day but finished at +1 to make his 63rd cut in a row. Rory McIlroy also barely made it to the weekend and finished at +1 after two rounds.
Some big names heading home include Justin Thomas (+3), Ludvig Åberg (+3), Hideki Matsuyama (+3), Patrick Cantlay (+6) and Phil Mickelson (+9). Quail Hollow has been demanding, and the next two days won’t get easier.
Jhonattan Vegas maintained his lead at the PGA Championship despite a double bogey on his final hole. Three shots back is world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
Defending champion Xander Schauffele shot an even-par 71 on Friday at the PGA Championship to make the cut on the number at 1-over 143, extending his streak to 64 tournaments.
Here are some of the most famous golf rounds in history—performances that are legendary for their skill, pressure, and historical significance:
1. Tiger Woods – 2000 U.S. Open (Pebble Beach)
Round: Final Round (67)
Tiger won by 15 strokes, the largest margin in major history. His dominance over four rounds, especially in tough conditions, set a new standard for excellence.
2. Jack Nicklaus – 1986 Masters (Final Round 65)
At 46 years old, Nicklaus stunned the golf world with a back-nine charge, capturing his 18th and final major title. His iconic birdie putt on 17 remains one of golf’s most replayed moments.
3. Rory McIlroy – 2011 U.S. Open (Congressional)
Round: Final Round (69)
After collapsing at the Masters months earlier, McIlroy bounced back with an eight-shot win and a record 16-under total—showing resilience and brilliance.
4. Phil Mickelson – 2004 Masters (Final Round 69)
After years of near-misses, Mickelson finally won his first major with a dramatic birdie putt on the 18th green—earning a joyous leap and a place in golf lore.
Transitioning to a new coach and new clubs, Max Homa shot a 7-under 64 in the second round of the PGA Championship on Friday to vault himself into contention.
American golfer Patton Kizzire withdrew during Friday's second round of the PGA Championship due to an undisclosed injury.
After a rough start to the 2025 PGA Championship, Justin Thomas closed with an epic creek shot that nearly left the ESPN TV crew speechless.
The post Justin Thomas’ ‘incredible’ shot from rocky creek wows ESPN crew at PGA Championship appeared first on Golf.
Mini drivers aren’t replacing traditional drivers, but they are changing the way PGA TOUR pros approach specific courses. For most players, they’re a situational weapon. A club that blends driver-like distance with the shot-shaping and control of a 3-wood. Typically, the 3-wood comes out of the bag, not the driver, when a mini driver goes in. Here are some golfers on Tour using the mini driver in 2025.
Callaway
The Paradym Ai Smoke Ti 340 (13.5°) has been showing up in Tour pros’ bags for the last few years. Erik Van Rooyen has had it in place since early 2025. Min Woo Lee, Akshay Bhatia and Max Greyserman are also known to take it in and out of the play depending on the course setup.
PXG
PXG has officially joined the mini driver space with the release of the Secret Weapon Mini Driver. With a 300cc head, 13° loft, and a 43.75-inch shaft, it’s built for players who want more control off the tee without giving up too much distance. The club features PXG’s signature adjustable weighting system and a tighter leading edge, making it playable off the turf.
Jake Knapp has put the Secret Weapon in play on Tour, and several other PXG players rotate it in depending on course setup:Ryan McCormickEric Cole Mason Andersen Chad Ramey Patrick CoverTitleist
Titleist’s GT280 Mini Driver is their first official entry into the mini driver category. With a compact 280cc head and 13° loft, it’s built for players who want more control than a driver and more distance than a 3-wood. These golfers have the GT280 Mini coming in and out of the bag depending on the day.
Anders AlbertsonJackson SuberRicky CastilloKeith MitchellCameron YoungRafael CamposLanto GriffinThomas RosenmuellerJ.T. PostonBronson BurgoonWebb SimpsonPreston SummerhaysDanny WalkerBud CauleyMac MeissnerTaylorMade
TaylorMade’s BRNR Mini Driver is the club that reignited the mini driver trend on Tour. Originally released in 2023 and updated since, the BRNR blends retro looks with modern performance, and it’s become a trusted option for players who want more control off the tee without giving up distance. TaylorMade also has the R7 Quad Mini Driver. These players have been seen with TaylorMade mini drivers in their bag:
I take no joy in writing this because I actually like watching Brooks Koepka play golf.
While everyone has crowed over media darlings like Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth over the past decade, it was Koepka who dominated the major championship landscape. From 2017 to 2023, he won five times and had nine top-10 major finishes on top of that.
Koepka was golf’s bully, a player who was able to raise his game at precisely the right moment. No one could match his ability to turn on the switch at majors. He would dither around the PGA Tour, rarely contending, only to show up at majors like a top player in the world who had been in prime form for months.
He showed up with swag and would stomp on dreams, winning like he expected it to happen. It was almost emotionless, save for a chip on his shoulder and an “I’m better than you” vibe.
Koepka displayed the kind of personality that didn’t endear him much to the masses—but it won him a lot of important golf tournaments. Only 14 men in the game’s history have more major titles.
Most golfers misunderstand the role of the lead arm. You’re told to keep it straight, but not rigid. Connected, but still wide. Active, but don’t overuse it.
Somewhere in that mess, there is probably the right answer. This video from Performance Golf, Eric Cogorno, and Hall of Fame instructor Rick Smith explains a simple drill you can use to correct the lead arm position.
The most common lead arm mistakes golfers make
While not keeping the lead arm straight tends to get all the attention, it’s not the only mistake golfers are making with the lead arm. Others include:
Lifting the arms away from the body during the backswing.Starting the downswing with the arms, not the body.Losing pressure between the arm and torso too early in the backswing or downswing.What the lead arm should be doing
The video above talks about the classic glove under the arm drill, which you may have seen before.
However, this version goes beyond basic connection. Rick Smith explains it’s not just about keeping the glove in place. It’s about understanding when to apply pressure. Here’s how to do the glove drill with the added focus on pressure.
This week’s Deals of the Week features clubs from TaylorMade, Titleist and PING from the PGA TOUR Superstore. Whether you’re looking to save on a new driver, some shoes or even lessons, we’ve got your back.
Check them out below and let us help you take your game to the next level.
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max Driver
The Ai Smoke line from Callaway was designed using the data of real players to optimize the face for maximum performance. The MAX model features a rear sliding weight to offer players up to 19 yards of shot-shape correction delivered in a forgiving shape. Callaway also improved upon their 360-degree carbon chassis to allow for weight redistribution to improve launch conditions and forgiveness.
Save up to $30 on Titleist Vokey SM 9 wedges
If your wedges are past their due date for an upgrade, this deal from Titleist on the Vokey SM9 is a great way to go. Grooves are cut to maximize spin for control on all types of shots. The CG of these wedges were also raised to promote a more controlled ball flight and solid contact. With a variety of grind and bounce options, you’ll be able to tailor your clubs to your specific needs. All while saving some money in the process!
PING 2024 Tyne H putter
The Tyne H features a shallow milled face for a firmer feel and consistent roll off the face. This high MOI design contains perimeter weighting and an optimized CG to blend balance, stability, forgiveness and accuracy. A white alignment line offers great contrast and the ball-width rear cavity helps with consistent aim, leading to improved putting.
If you’re stuck in the 20–30 handicap range, you’re not alone. The path to lower scores can feel frustratingly complex until you get to the other side. Once you’re playing as a mid-handicapper, you’ll wonder why it all seemed so difficult. The good news? It’s not as complicated as it feels right now. Here are four simple things you can start doing today to play more like a mid-handicapper tomorrow.
Know your actual carry distances (Not your summer rollout numbers)
Too many high handicappers estimate how far they hit the ball. Maybe more dangerous than this, they use the best-case numbers as their average distances. If you’ve hit one 7-iron shot 162 yards, that’s not your 160-yard club.
You have to look at your averages if you want to hit greens in regulation. That one 162-yard 7-iron shot happened once, but most are 153 yards. That’s your number.
What to do today:
Use a launch monitor, GPS app, or rangefinder to measure carry distances only.Once you have carry distance numbers learn how much rollout you normally get with each club. Track your club averages, not your outliers. If your 7-iron carries 150 most of the time, stop planning for the one time it may fly 165.Practice into the wind and uphill/downhill to get a feel for how much yardage you lose.Play to the middle of the green—always
Better golfers don’t aim at sucker pins. They don’t try to carve 7-irons over bunkers to tight back-right flags. They aim for the center of the green. High handicappers get up and down only about 25% of the time. Getting on the green will save you a lot of strokes.
Golf majors come and go too fast. Seventy-two holes never feel like enough.
If you’re hoping for extra holes, it helps to know how each major handles a playoff because not all formats are the same. Which one delivers the most drama? Which one feels the fairest? Let’s break them all down so you can decide for yourself.
The Masters
Format: Sudden-death stroke play
Playoff Holes: Alternates between hole 18 and hole 10
In case you missed it, the 2025 Masters had a playoff featuring Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy. The sudden-death playoff begins immediately after play as golfers start on the 18th hole and then move to the 10th. They repeat this order until someone wins a hole.
PGA Championship
Format: 3-hole aggregate stroke play, then sudden death if needed
Playoff holes: Depends on the golf course
Ball markers are a dime a dozen. Every pro shop stocks them in five or six different colors with the club logo slapped on it. If you’re tired of the same ol’ same ol’, add some spice and flare to your game with some ball markers that push it just a little bit closer to the fun side.
Chubs Hand Golf Ball Marker
Pay your respects to the man who helped Happy Gilmore overcome Shooter McGavin in the Tour Championship when he erased a four stroke deficit to secure a victory. Every time you see this marker, you’ll think of that run Happy made in honor of his mentor and golf coach, Chubbs.
Scotty P Ball Marker
Leave the green with “No Ragrets” and let everyone know it. The Scotty P ball marker will let your playing partners know that no matter what happens, you gave it your all with every putt – even if it wasn’t quite enough to beat them.
wolph This is FINE
No, it’s not fine. That 40 footer you’re staring down that you need to lag close to secure a par and the win on hole 18 has you shaking in your spikes. This hilarious ball marker from wolph shows what is most likely going on in your mind. Sure, you look calm, cool and collected on the outside. But inside? Woof, that’s a whole different story.
Team Effort Deadpool hat clip
Deadpool is the king of “extra” when it comes to personality. However, our inner Deadpool needs to stay in check while on the course. Use this ball marker when you feel like muttering your worst line inspired by the “Merc with a Mouth” instead of saying it out loud. Your playing partners will thank you.
Bettinardi Golf makes Tour-proven gear in the USA — putters, wedges, irons and more — all crafted in-house by a family-owned Chicago brand.
The post Bettinardi Golf: Built in the USA, family-owned and Tour approved appeared first on Golf.
How to watch the 2025 PGA Championship on Friday, including full PGA Championship TV coverage and streaming info for Round 2.
The post 2025 PGA Championship Friday TV coverage: How to watch Round 2 appeared first on Golf.
Jhonattan Vegas made five birdies on his last six holes to shoot 7-under 64 -- his best score in 45 rounds at the majors -- and leads the PGA Championship by two shots.
Is Scottie Scheffler now the favorite? How will Quail Hollow play the rest of the way? We break down what the first round means for the rest of the PGA Championship.
On Thursday at the PGA Championship, playing conditions took center stage, and ESPN's Curtis Strange said the PGA made a mistake.
The post ‘They were wrong’: Curtis Strange takes issue with PGA rules decision appeared first on Golf.
