Golfing News & Blog Articles

Well before Nick Stubbe became Fat Perez—before the 500,000 Instagram followers and appearing in YouTube golf videos for Bob Does Sports that draw more than 75 million viewers annually—he was just like most of you reading this.

Stubbe grew up in the Richmond, Va., area surrounded by a family of golfers, spending much of his youth at what is now called Lakeside Park Club, a private course on the north side of the city. He played two years of college golf for Division III Hampden-Sydney about 70 miles west of his hometown, holding onto a dream of playing professionally as long as he could.

“And then I stopped growing height-wise,” Stubbe told MyGolfSpy during an interview last week. “I didn’t quite have the distance of some of the guys I was playing with. Somewhere along the line at a frat party one night, I had a come-to-Jesus moment where I asked myself ‘What am I doing here? I’m a history major who doesn’t really care about school and I can barely crack the starting line up here. What am I going to do after that?'”

The answer was to head for the real world. After playing college golf in 2007-2009, Stubbe transferred to the University of Richmond for a couple of semesters and then finished off the tour by graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with an accounting degree he earned “quite a bit after” having started his college career.

By the pandemic, Stubbe was in commercial real estate accounting with a typical job.

Key highlights

Aesthetic appeal and build quality: Testers praised the VGI01 and VGI02 irons for their sleek, modern look and high-quality construction. The distinct designs of each model were complimented with the VGI01 standing out for its minimalist elegance and the VGI02 for its more forgiving profile.Forgiveness and playability: The VGI01 irons provided more control and workability, making them suitable for lower handicappers, while the VGI02 irons offered forgiveness and consistency, appealing to a wider range of golfers.Distance and accuracy: Testers experienced consistent distance gains with both sets with the VGI02 providing greater forgiveness on off-center hits and the VGI01 delivering better accuracy and shot shaping.Feel and feedback: Both models were praised for their feel with the VGI01 offering responsive feedback for those who prefer more control and the VGI02 delivering a softer, more forgiving feel for higher handicappers.

First impressions and aesthetic appeal

The Vice Golf irons made an immediate impact on all four testers. Whether it was the VGI01 or VGI02 irons, testers praised the clean and modern designs with each model catering to different player preferences.

Tom the Golf Nut was particularly impressed with the VGI01 irons, describing them as having a “sharp and well-designed look.” He noted that the minimalist design gave off a premium vibe which added confidence at address.

“The VGI01 irons have a very sleek and clean look. They’re simple but feel like high-end clubs. They give you a sense of confidence before even hitting the ball.”

dback echoed this sentiment, adding that the VGI01’s refined look was matched by its performance. For him, the combination of aesthetics and performance made these irons stand out.

“These irons are as good to look at as they are to swing. I love the clean, minimalist design of the VGI01s, and they perform as well as they look.”

GOLF's newest Top 100 Courses in the U.S. ranking includes 11 newcomers, which we'll introduce you to here. Meet Ladera in Thermal, Calif.

The post This exclusive Gil Hanse-designed course is a desert masterpiece appeared first on Golf.

How to watch the 2024 RSM Classic on Thursday, including full Thursday TV coverage and streaming info for Round 1 at Sea Island.

The post 2024 RSM Classic Thursday TV coverage, streaming: How to watch Round 1 appeared first on Golf.

Cameron Smith and Jason Day each shot 4-under 67 and were two shots behind the leader after the first round of the Australian PGA.

Nelly Korda capped her best season by capturing the top two honors Wednesday at the LPGA Awards.

LPGA golfers will compete for a record $131 million in purse money over 33 events in 2025, the circuit's 75th anniversary season.

It's time for the 2024 LPGA CME Group Tour Championship -- here's how to watch on ESPN+.

L.A.B. Golf announces their new OZ.1 and OZ.1i putter models.The OZ.1i is the first L.A.B. Golf putter with an insert.The OZ.1i will be available in December with the OZ.1 following in January.

Let’s get something out of the way. The release of the L.A.B. Golf OZ1.1 and OZ.1i has nothing to do with the release of Wicked in theaters this week. I’m sure L.A.B. Golf doesn’t mind the publicity generated by the unintentional crossover but neither Munchkins nor flying monkeys were involved in the production of these putters.

Yes, that does make me a little sad. Don’t worry. I’ll be sure not to rust myself.

Instead, the inspiration for the new L.A.B. Golf OZ head design came from the wickedly handsome and very Australian golfer Adam Scott.

Scott made the switch to a L.A.B. Golf long putter in 2023. Since then, he has collaborated with the team at L.A.B. to come up with the putter you are looking at today.

“We’ve always challenged ourselves to develop putters that resonate with world-class golfers while retaining all the performance benefits of Lie Angle Balance. Collaborating with Adam Scott was an inspiring and rewarding process for our team, and it provided invaluable insights into the nuances of shape, feel, sound, and performance from one of the most experienced and respected players on the PGA Tour.” Sam Hahn, CEO of L.A.B. Golf

Amateur golfers often misunderstand wedge grinds. From what a wedge grind actually is to how it impacts your shots, this aspect of the game is typically left to the professionals and custom fitters. However, having a basic understanding of wedge grinds and knowing which types can improve your performance on the course can be helpful.

What is wedge grind?

The wedge grind refers to the shaping of the bottom of the wedge, also known as the sole. The sole shape affects how the club interacts with the turf and the ball. When choosing the right wedge grind, factors such as turf conditions, your angle of attack and the type of shots you want to hit should all be considered.

Does wedge grind matter?

If you’ve never paid attention to the wedge grinds in your bag, you might wonder if it really makes a difference. However, club fitters and top players would argue that it certainly does. The right wedge grind can improve your scoring and consistency around the greens. Here’s why it matters.

Performance in soft/firm conditions

Soft conditions require wedge grinds with a higher bounce to help prevent the club from digging too much into the ground. You’ll also find that the higher bounce typically works well from soft sand.

Lower bounce grinds allow for cleaner contact with the ball. On compacted surfaces and firm turf, the lower bounce grinds help ensure ball-first contact.

The search for affordable gear that enhances comfort, style and performance is over. Our team has discovered the top 15 golf accessories under $25 for your bag. Clean your grooves, shield from the sun and keep your hands blister-free without breaking the bank.

1. For the golfer hitting more mud than balls 

Caddy Splash Golf Water Brush

The water in this brush softens the mud in your grooves while the bristles displace grime, leaving your clubface clean to launch the ball.

 2. For the player who values style

NIKE Men’s Golf Hat

Dri-Fit polyester removes moisture from your forehead, keeping you cool and dry. The low-profile design sits comfortably on your head presenting a stylish finish.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about some of the YouTube golf channels that are trending in the right direction with viewership.

This week is the other side of the equation.

While many of these channels still boast outstanding overall numbers in terms of viewership and engagement, they have seen a decline in popularity this year.

This is not meant as a slight at these channels. They are still doing some great work and, in several cases, are incredibly popular. Success is also not measured exclusively in viewership: engagement, subscriptions, sponsorships, merchandise sales and other factors are important.

Also, these viewership numbers only take a channel’s own videos into account. Collaborations where characters show up on another channel don’t factor into these stats.

In 2024, it’s easy to claim that golfers are hitting the ball further than ever but we wanted to put that to the test. We compared the longest driving PGA Tour players for each season since 1989. Here’s what we found.

The distance between Humenik and Cameron Champ

Here’s the big question: How much has distance changed in the last 35 years?

Looking at the differences seen below between Ed Humenik (who posted an average of 280.9 yards in 1989) and Cameron Champ (who averaged 323.3 yards in 2024), it’s clear how much the game has evolved. The gap between these two is 42.4 yards.

John Daly’s dominance

John Daly absolutely dominates this list. He was the first to break the 300-yard mark in driving distance and his name appears 11 times. If you ever doubted his legacy as one of the longest hitters in golf history, this list will prove you wrong.

What’s more impressive (though not reflected in the list) is that in some of the years when Daly claimed the title of the longest driver on Tour, he won by eight to 10 yards.

Tyrrell Hatton is the only player from LIV Golf who will play in a Ryder Cup warmup event in January overseen by Europe captain Luke Donald.

News of reduced field sizes gives the impression of an insular enclave getting away from pure competition. Plus, Comcast is set to announce a spinoff of its major championship-hosting cable channels.

From reduced field sizes to making it harder to get cards, we take a closer look at some of the changes coming to the PGA Tour in 2026.

Ludvig Aberg, who had surgery on his knee in September, spent four weeks away from the game and will return to defend his title at the RSM Classic this week.

How much money would you pay to play on one of GOLF's Top 100 Courses in the U.S.? We asked, and you answered.

The post How much you’d pay to play a Top 100 Course in the U.S., according to … you! appeared first on Golf.

Brian Harman used his RSM Classic press conference to raise awareness and ask for prayers for a woman who tried to save his son.

The post Woman in coma after trying to save Brian Harman’s son from rip current appeared first on Golf.

The RSM Classic begins on Thursday in Georgia. Here are 5 players our expert loves — and why he thinks you should too.

The post RSM Classic betting guide: 5 picks our gambling expert loves this week appeared first on Golf.