Golfing News & Blog Articles

It’s that time of year again to officially recognize all the great dads out there. While a golf polo is a pretty traditional gift, we thought maybe you want to dig a little deeper this year. We broke down some of the best golf gifts for your dad and split them into various price ranges to make this an easier decision for you.

Best Golf Gifts for Dad Under $100

Vice Pro Plus Golf Balls

The Vice Pro Plus is a four-piece golf ball designed for maximum distance while still offering a soft feel around the green. In our 2023 ball testing, the Vice Pro Plus was one of the best values we could find.

For $38.99, the Vice Pro Plus offers many of the same benefits as a premium ball.

Waggle The Green Hatket Hat

Waggle makes fun hats that work well as a Father’s Day gift. This particular one is $35, has a bit of a Masters motif and is comfortable and adjustable. If you have a dad who needs a little fun on the course, this is a good choice.

CMC Design Black Clover Live Lucky Headcover

The CMC Black Clover Live Lucky logo headcover can bring a bit of personality to your dad’s golf bag. Not only does it protect the driver from damage but it’s also a unique and well-made gift. The head cover costs $39.99 and pairs well with a new driver for dad.

Everyone wants to attend the Masters.

There is a mystique and exclusivity about the tournament that puts the experience on a different level than any other sporting event. There are old-school rules that help everyone be present in the moment, and there are enough activities for one jam-packed day of being a patron.

We all know it’s a special place—but how do you get a ticket?

This is an elusive pursuit for many of us. Augusta National doesn’t reveal how many patrons attend the tournament but the avenues for getting inside the gates are limited.

The Ticket Lottery

Assuming you don’t know someone who has a badge or an extra ticket on their hands, your only shot at reasonably priced tickets will be through the lottery system.

Golf is a beautiful game. Part of that beauty stems from the varying types of courses available for us to enjoy. From parkland to sandbelt to heathland, each design offers varying terrain, elevations and challenges sure to provide excitement in every round. It all started, however, with links golf. 

In this article, we will dive into the origins and roots of this great game, what defines links golf, how it varies from other course styles, strategies for success and some of the best links courses around the world. 

A Game is Born

Golf originated along the coastline of Scotland in the 15th Century, taking place on what we describe today as “links”courses. The term “links” is derived from the Old English word “hlinc,” which refers to sandy dunes. While you’ll see many courses billed as “links-style”, the following elements must be present in order to be a true links course:

Sand dunes and soil conditionsRolling terrain and fairwaysSea and wind influence on game playNative grasses and vegetation

Each provides an essential characteristic to making a links course what it is. Let’s take a look at these elements in more detail.

The Elements of Links Golf

Dunes and Soil

Typically found along coastlines, links golf courses feature natural sandy dunes and sandy soil. These conditions provide hard and fast fairways, which tend to provide more roll than other types of courses. You’ll also find deep pot bunkers lining many fairways and greens.

Michael Thorbjornsen of Stanford finished No. 1 in the PGA Tour University standings and secured his PGA Tour card.

This week's golf news: An intriguing coaching trend continues, a PGA Tour-PIF deal grows murky, Scottie Scheffler's saga drags on and more.

The post PGA Tour stars swap coaches, Scheffler’s saga continues | Monday Finish appeared first on Golf.

LIV pro Richard Bland improbably won the 2024 Senior PGA Championship in his senior debut but was denied a customary winner's exemption. Here's why.

The post LIV pro wins Senior PGA but gets denied customary PGA Tour Champions exemption appeared first on Golf.

How to watch the 2024 RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & Country Club, including full TV coverage, streaming info and more.

The post 2024 RBC Canadian Open: How to watch, TV coverage, streaming info, tee times appeared first on Golf.

The 2024 RBC Canadian Open odds have been posted, and we're picking the defending champion as our long shot to win again.

The post 2024 RBC Canadian Open odds: Defending champion is our long-shot pick in Ontario appeared first on Golf.

In today's edition of Play Smart, Jonathan Yarwood and Chris Como explain the common denominator in all great players' swings.

The post All great players do this during their swings, says top teacher appeared first on Golf.

On this week's Subpar, Stanford Steve told hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz about the first time he met ESPN colleague Scott Van Pelt.

The post ESPN’s Stanford Steve recalls the first time he met Scott Van Pelt  appeared first on Golf.

The latest edition of GOLF's weekly equipment notes takes a look at Justin Rose's red-hot putter, Tour prototypes, persimmon woods and more.

The post What happens when pros use a persimmon driver? | Wall-to-Wall appeared first on Golf.

In a recent interview with GOLF's Dylan Dethier, Patrick Reed discussed being cast as a villain, his controversies, and how he views himself.

The post Patrick Reed on being cast as a villain, his controversies, and how he sees himself appeared first on Golf.

Levelwear, a family-owned Canadian brand, has steadily built a strong reputation based on consistent quality and superior customer service.

The post How this understated Canadian apparel brand is making a big impact in the golf space appeared first on Golf.

Some golfers do a great job of staying up to date with the latest trends in fashion on the course. Others struggle—and that can be an understatement! Golf apparel technology and styles change from one season to the next. These are the best gifts for the golfer who needs a new wardrobe. 

KJUS Cool Recovery Midlayer Half-Zip 

The KJUS Cool Recovery mid layer features a four-way stretch fabric that allows even the strongest and fastest swingers to make clean contact. This half-zip is available in three color combinations and has built-in UPF 50+ protection. 

It’s one of those pieces that comes in handy for those early morning or late afternoon rounds when an extra layer is needed. The KJUS Cool Recover Midlayer Half-Zip is $219.

goodr Sunglasses 

When we look at golf wardrobe upgrades, we can’t forget the accessories. Some of these goodr sunglasses start at just $25 and they come in dozens of colors and patterns. They provide full UV400 protection and have scratch-resistant lenses. 

Sunglasses are a great addition to any golf polo or even a dozen golf balls you give as a gift. We recently compared these sunglasses to a $600 pair and they held up quite well. 

Do you know what the second most popular U.S. shoe brand is?

If you said Skechers, you’re either lying or made a really good guess. But the truth is the truth. Outside of NIKE, Skechers is the best-selling casual shoe brand in the United States.

Why then, when looking for a new pair of golf shoes, is the brand with the giant “S” logo often an afterthought?

When I was in middle school, I was obsessed with NIKE and Air Jordan. I am, to some degree, still that same 12-year-old kid who just wanted to have the coolest shoes. If NIKE and Jordan were the top of the sneaker pyramid, it always felt like Skechers was at the bottom.

To me, Skechers were always just the shoe that janitors wore (no offense intended, I was a janitor all through college to support my family). And my opinion largely stayed that way until I started testing and reviewing golf shoes for a living.

There‘s a lot of cool gear in the golf world that doesn’t always fit 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

Core Golf—a practice app with video drills and the ability to track your progress.

Your Reviewer

John Kennedy, a casual golfer who really only has one skill (hit ball hard) and needs to refine every other part of his game.

Core Golf Basics

Core Golf’s boldest claim is that “it’s like having a golf coach in your pocket.” Broadly speaking, it is, without the logistical and safety implications of having a tiny, squishy human stuffed into your clothes.

I mean, how many times have you accidentally sat on your phone? All you have to decide is if the app is better for you than an actual coach.

Introduction

TaylorMade revamped their TP5 and TP5x models as part of their $100-million investment into their golf ball-related business which included buying the Nassau ball plant in South Korea and huge investments in R&D. Over the last three years, TaylorMade has built a new state-of-the-art indoor test range and completely remade its outdoor test area with Trackman units to capture performance data for every stage of ball flight.

The TP5 and TP5x now have what TaylorMade calls “Speed-Wrap”, a new technology that TaylorMade claims produces “significantly faster with a better feel and a softer feel.” This is done by allowing the material to control the sound without affecting speed. As sound often directly relates to feel, the new TP5 and TP5x can be firmer without feeling or sounding, well, firm. Finally, the initial three layers are now progressively firmer, allowing them to “truly perform like completely different products.” 

So, of course, we wanted to get the new TaylorMade TP5 and TP5x golf balls into the hands of our testers to get their feedback.

The Testing Opportunity

We selected five golfers to test the TP5 or TP5x and also get their thoughts on the new Pix models. 

TaylorMade TP5 and TP5X First Impressions

Sure, golf balls can be a little boring for a “First Impressions” section but there is something to be said about shelf appeal. When our testers unboxed their golf balls, this is what they had to say.

Davis Riley won a subdued Colonial by 5 strokes over Scottie Scheffler and Keegan Bradley for his first individual victory on the PGA Tour.

GOLF's editors discuss Scottie Scheffler's arrest investigation and preview this week's U.S. Women's Open at Lancaster Country Club.

The post Tour Confidential: Scottie Scheffler arrest videos, U.S. Women’s Open preview appeared first on Golf.