Golfing News & Blog Articles

Dustin Johnson said he feels "a little more relaxed" having won the Masters last year, however he said his game is "not quite as sharp as it was" as he finished with a first-round 74 on Thursday.

It was one of quite a few errant shots for McIlroy, who shot a 4-over 76 in the first round of the 85th edition of the Masters.

Lee Elder, the first Black man to play in the Masters, joined Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as honorary starters on the first tee at Augusta National on Thursday.

The story of distance at the amateur level is, surprise, surprise…for all intents and purposes unchanged since forever – or at least since people started caring about it.

That fundamental fact is the rallying cry for amateur golfers every time the USGA, R&A, and anyone mentions anything about a distance rollback.

Amateurs don’t hit the ball too far. They never have…and if you’re into death and taxes sort of guarantees, you can probably add “average golfers obsoleting anything longer than a pitch and putt” to the list.

The Lack of Distance Problem

In 2020, the Arccos database average for shots hit with a driver on par 4s and par 5s was 219 yards. When we narrow it down to just men it jumps all the way to 221. Women averaged 171.

At this point, saying distance isn’t a problem at the amateur level is little more than stating the obvious, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other insights worth discussing.

We have all struggled with the bunker shots, especially when we are playing in a match where every stroke counts. A messed up shot on a fairway is a pain but 2 or 3 attempts to get out of a bunker is a real disaster. We all land in bunkers so wouldn’t it be fantastic if we knew that we could get out in our first attempt?

I was excited to watch a friend escape a bunk with a perfect swing. She had taken a lesson from a PGA Certified Instructor who showed her the ideal bunker shot:

1/ Using your sand wedge setup with an open stance and the ball in the center of your stance and weight slightly forward (on your leading foot).
2/ Wiggle your feet down about an inch into the sand for stability and to lower your swing depth in the sand.
3/ Open your club face so that the face points almost straight up from the sand (depending on the distance that you want your ball to fly). You still need to make a three-quarter to full swing and finish your follow-through.
4/ KEY POINT: Imagine a quarter placed in the sand beyond your ball. Your goal is to launch your ball, the imaginary quarter and sand on to the green. Depending on the distance you want to fly your ball take a three-quarter swing to power the head of your sand wedge under your ball and LAUNCH YOUR BALL & SAND (about 3 to 5 inches) BEYOND THE BALL ONTO THE GREEN.

Unfortunately after working on this method I was still leave about 30% of my bunker shots in the bunker.
Amazing Discovery
I discovered that if I STARE AT A SPOT IN THE SAND ABOUT 1 INCH BEYOND THE BALL DURING MY SWING I can now make most of my bunker shots. I have never heard a pro recommend this trick. If I want to land my ball further across the green, I just focus on a spot about 2 or 4 inches beyond my ball.

After you try this revolutionary method out, I hope to hear from you. I realize that it’s difficult to change your focus from your ball to a point in the sand beyond your ball. Just drop a number of balls in a practice trap and feel the thrill of success before you take this trick to the course. Start enjoying your bunker play forever.

Masters chairman Fred Ridley said Wednesday that he is keenly interested in the results from an ongoing study on distance by golf's governing bodies as it relates to keeping Augusta National viable as a major championship venue.

After missing out, for decades, on a Masters tradition of donating a club after a victory, Fred Couples, who won in 1992, brought an old driver with him to Georgia this week.

Augusta National and Masters chairman Fred Ridley would not outright condemn Georgia's controversial new voting law but said that no one should be disadvantaged in their ability to vote.

Tiger Woods' car accident in February was caused by excessive speed, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office says.

Jon Rahm arrived at Augusta National on the eve of the Masters following the birth of his first child over the weekend. While acknowledging golf "wasn't even on my mind" for those four or five days, Rahm says he's "here ready to compete."

Tiger Woods is not at this Masters, but well-connected people, in small numbers, have passed through the gates. This particular April in Georgia comes with hope and a reminder about what was and what is to come.

Several PGA Tour golfers weighed in on the recent controversy over the new Georgia law that some feel restricts voting access.

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:

The French Open, scheduled for May 6-9, has been postponed because of COVID-19 restrictions, the European Tour announced.

It's time to head back to Augusta, with The Masters returning to its traditional spot as the first major of the year. Here are our best bets for the event.

It’s time for the first major of the season. The azaleas are in bloom this time around with a return to the traditional tournament week. To help you prepare, here’s a guide to this season’s Masters-inspired gear, details on how to watch the tournament, and where you can find fantasy options to further engage.

Masters Inspired Gear

While only official Masters merchandise can carry the tournament name, there is tons of golf gear and apparel out there clearly inspired by the major. For clubs, two special edition putters are soon to be released.

The first is TaylorMade’s special-edition Itsy Bitsy Spider putter to commemorate Dustin Johnson’s 2020 Masters victory. This Masters spider will be built to DJ’s play specs and feature custom aesthetics reflecting his first win at Augusta National. Read more about this putter here.

The second is Bettinardi’s Spring Classic BB14 limited run putter which has the unique Masters-inspired aesthetics and a head that is not available as a retail offering. Check out this post for the full specs and information.

In honor of the first major of the season, Cobra has released the KING RADSPEED XB Driver – Season Opener.

The Callaway REVA golf ball is a women’s version of the Supersoft Max.It’s available in pink and white sparkle.Retail price is $22.99 a dozen.

What do women want?

At the risk of mansplaining, let me tell you what I know about it.

Nothing.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

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

The Forme Core Tee, a therapeutic shirt.

What is Forme?

Forme is the brainchild of Dr. Stephen Liu, orthopedic surgeon and sympathetic son. When his mother was undergoing treatment for cancer, Dr. Liu often helped her breathe by pulling her shoulders back, thus opening up her lungs.

Eventually, Dr. Liu created a team of intellectuals, doctors, scientists and technology pioneers to employ the same strategy for others. With athletes in mind, Forme created the Core tee and sports bra, a wearable therapeutic designed to correct and train alignment of the spine/neck/shoulder/hip and increase joint movement, reduce injuries, boost recovery and provide better breathing for higher oxygenation.

Why Are We Trying It?

Simple. After successful results with U.S. Olympic teams, MLB and NHL athletes and both the men’s and women’s U.S. national rugby teams, Forme is beginning to infiltrate professional golf. Jared Wolfe, Rohan Ramnatho and Harold Varner have been using Forme.

Our panel was all over the place, from a Dustin Johnson repeat to a Justin Thomas roll to Jon Rahm taking family photos with a green jacket to a few out-of-nowhere choices.

There are the contenders, those players hoping to take home the green jacket. There are those who will have accomplished something just by making the cut. And there are those who are just here for a fun few days. We decide who is who.