Golfing News & Blog Articles

The path is clear for Rory McIlroy to clinch the year-long Race to Dubai title and be crowned the European tour's best player for a sixth time.

As part of our equipment testing, we extract key bits of information to help golfers make smart purchasing decisions. This year, we learned a lot, especially about drivers and MOI. If you are in the market for new clubs, let our testing and research help you make more informed decisions. Here are the 2024 equipment testing key takeaways.

Subjective feedback and performance don’t always align

Golfers often assume a club’s look, feel and sound reflect its performance.

Not true.

Models like the T Squared TS-912 and Cleveland HB Soft 2 #1 putters performed well despite low subjective ratings in our putting test. This theme was also seen throughout the iron and driver testing.

Yes, plenty of clubs had strong data to back up the subjective feel and ratings but feel and looks alone are not enough to succeed on the course.

It’s an age-old question that we can argue about for days.

Is it the person holding the putter? Or the putter itself that matters?

I’ve found it borderline humorous that, of the people who will swear putting is all about the person holding the putter, more than a few game something that costs north of $200. A few more game a putter north of $300. And many more will sport a Scotty, a Betty or a PING PLD that sells for over $400.

If you firmly believe a person who putts well can putt well with anything, why are you putting with what you’re putting?

Like I said, we can argue about this for days.

Forgive my cynicism—it’s been a very long past three years in professional golf—but I don’t like how money is dominating the Ryder Cup conversation.

The gold standard for dramatic, big-time events in professional golf, the Ryder Cup is undoubtedly one of the great spectacles in all of sports. Nobody could argue that.

It’s about love of country and continent. In a game known for diplomacy, the intense competition regularly boils over traditional boundaries. It’s a team sport in an individual game, a match that makes millionaires cry tears of joy and sorrow. The American and European fans play prominent roles in the proceedings, cheering and jeering with a certain ruthlessness that transfers back to the players.

In any sport, we just want the athletes to care. We want to see them nervous and passionate. The Ryder Cup has regularly delivered on that, creating riveting drama in a sport that often struggles to do so.

One would assume the Ryder Cup stays that way forever. What could slow it down?

Just below the Arctic Circle, nestled among the fjords of Iceland is the fishing city, Akureyri. Pronounced “aa·kr·ay·ree”, this city, known as the “capital” of northern Iceland, holds a gem of a golf experience that many casual golfers may not have heard of before. 

Who can blame them? When it comes to golf many of us avoid any chance of inclement weather when we tee it up. As for golf destinations, golfers don’t often seek out locations with the word “ice” in its name for a golf trip. 

Akureyri is home to the aptly named Akureyri Golf Club, host of the “Arctic Open” an event that takes place every June during (you guessed it) the summer solstice. Created in 1986, this unique event is one of – if not the only – golf event in the world that allows golfers to tee off at 11pm at night and play during the VERY early hours of the morning. Encroaching darkness may be a concern for those at lower latitudes but in Iceland, the “midnight sun”, allows golfers to traverse the course without delay or visibility issues creating 24-hours of golf during the summer months. 

Spread out over two days, the Arctic Open pits players against one another in a Stableford format across two rounds with winners crowned among various flights and age-groups. The event draws a large amount of interest each year. Participant totals are normally capped around 120 golfers of varying skill levels. The result? An intimate event that allows golf diehards to experience a challenging golf landscape in a country that is only home to fifteen, 18-hole courses and 50, 9-hole courses across a land mass roughly the size of Virginia. 

Talk about the land of fire and ice.

Rory McIlroy and other Europeans this week scoffed at the idea of compensation for participation in the Ryder Cup, saying they remain delighted to participate in the event merely for what European captain Luke Donald called "passion" for golf and country.

Charley Hull and Jiwon Jeon each opened with a 6-under 64 on Thursday at The Annika, while Nelly Korda was two shots back in her first competition in nearly two months.

Hayden Springer, who came to Bermuda at No. 125 in the FedEx Cup, shot a 6-under 65 for a share of the lead at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.

Rory McIlroy shot 5-under 67 and was tied for the lead with Tyrrell Hatton after the first round of the season-ending World Tour Championship.

I know you’ve been here before.

You look forward to your tee time. You have the best of intentions to play well. Maybe your warm-up session even goes well.

But after a couple of early mistakes, the round quickly goes sideways. Pretty soon, you’re not counting score and just playing for fun.

Even though there’s nothing wrong with that, most golfers are obsessed with getting better. It’s disappointing when a round goes south.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could prepare better so that our rounds don’t go off the rails?

Let’s face it. Golf shoes are pricey. Whether your shopping for a new pair of FootJoy Premieres, G/FORE or adidas, you can easily find yourself spending upwards of $200.

If you’re going to spend your hard earned cash on golf shoes, you should spend a little cash on keeping them clean and pristine.

Just as you regularly clean your clubs to maintain consistent performance and clean aesthetics, you should follow the same advice for golf shoes. Clean golf shoes look better, feel better and depending on how dirty they are, may even perform better after a quick clean.

For my money, there’s no better (or easier) way to keep your golf shoes clean than RESHOEVN8R’s sneaker wipes. I’ve been using this product for years on my everyday kicks, and they work wonders in a pinch.

These portable wet wipes pack a powerful punch thanks to the unique texture and soap compound. The flat side is great for wiping, while the textured side is great for scrubbing and tougher jobs.

When Callaway and Acushnet release their quarterly financial reports, we usually discuss sales, profits and which segments are under- or over-performing.

However, since news broke that Topgolf and Callaway will split into separate companies next year, the numbers and trends get a little more interesting. Both Acushnet and Topgolf Callaway released their Q3 financial reports over the past week and the contrast is fascinating. What we’re finding is one company riding a roller coaster of plusses and minuses and profits and losses while the other continues to chug along, getting neither too high nor too low.

With that, here are five things you need to know about the Acushnet and Topgolf Callaway Q3 financial reports.

#1: Acushnet is a very steady company

Acushnet is reporting $620.5 million in sales for Q3. That’s up nearly five percent compared to last year. Year-to-date (YTD) sales for the first nine months total just over $2 billion, up nearly three percent over last year.

What’s more, Titleist’s parent company almost always shows a quarterly net profit and this go-round is no different. Q3 profits are just over $56 million while YTD profits are $215 million. Both are down slightly from last year, but in a year projected to be mostly flat, any profit is good profit.

Key highlights

Data-driven insights: Testers were impressed with HackMotion 2.0‘s ability to provide real-time feedback and detailed swing data, allowing them to better understand and refine their wrist angles and overall swing mechanics.Ease of use and setup: The system’s intuitive setup and user-friendly interface were well received, making it accessible for both tech-savvy users and those new to data-driven golf training.Customization and personalization: Testers appreciated the ability to customize the training modes, allowing them to focus on specific aspects of their game such as wrist angles, swing path or rotation.Immediate impact on swing: Testers noticed quick improvements in their wrist control, leading to more consistent ball striking and improved shot accuracy.

First impressions and setup

From the moment they started using HackMotion 2.0, the testers were impressed by the simplicity of the setup and the sleek design. The wrist sensor’s modern look and comfortable fit made it easy to wear during practice sessions without feeling cumbersome.

vandyland was particularly pleased with how straightforward the setup process was. He appreciated that the instructions were clear and he was able to get the device operating quickly without any technical issues.

“The setup was super easy. I had it on and running in just a few minutes. The instructions are straightforward, and the app is really intuitive.”

NotScratchYet echoed this sentiment, noting that the HackMotion 2.0 system was surprisingly user-friendly given the amount of data it captures. He found that the system’s layout made it easy to navigate and begin gathering useful swing data almost immediately.

“I was a little concerned at first that the tech would be overwhelming, but the app is actually very user-friendly. I was able to start capturing useful data right away.”

Report says USA Ryder Cuppers to be paid. Plus, tickets "sold out" and Seatgeek gouging enrages fans. Plus, eye-catching auction items up for grabs, This, That, Quotable and Reads.

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The 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year teed off at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida on Wednesday.