Golfing News & Blog Articles

Unless you are living in a bunker (an underground shelter, not a sandy pit on the course), you saw what J.J. Spaun did to win the U.S. Open at Oakmont.

Spaun got off to a dreadful start Sunday, making bogey on five of his first six holes. He appeared to shoot himself out of the tournament as Sam Burns took the lead.

Just when all looked lost, inclement weather forced a stoppage of play. It was just the kind of reset that Spaun needed.

What happened next will go down in U.S. Open lore.

He made how many feet worth of putts?

After the delay, the 34-year-old journeyman went nuclear.

Picture this: You’re standing in the golf ball aisle at your local pro shop, staring at what appears to be an endless wall of white dimpled spheres. The prices range from “reasonable” to “You can’t be serious!” You grab what looks like the latest Pro V1, confident you’re getting the newest technology that will finally drop your handicap into single digits, only to discover later that you’ve bought a model as old as your set of Tommy Armour 845 irons.

We’ve all been there. The golf ball market is a minefield of model years, packaging changes and inventory that sometimes feels like it’s been sitting on shelves since the second Bush administration. With manufacturers constantly updating their offerings and retailers moving through old stock, knowing what you’re actually buying has become more complicated than reading a green at Augusta.

Here’s the thing: golf ball technology actually does improve (or at least change) from generation to generation. Sure, it’s not going to transform you into Scottie Scheffler overnight but the differences between a current model and something from three years ago can be significant enough to matter. More importantly, if you’re paying premium prices, you deserve to know you’re getting the version you actually want.

So how do you navigate this maze without getting burned? It’s simpler than you may think but it requires a little detective work. Here’s your field guide to making sure you’re not the sucker who pays full price for last year’s model.

When in doubt, check the manufacturer’s website

This is Golf Ball Shopping 101 but you’d be amazed how many people skip this step. Manufacturers want to sell their newest stuff—that’s where the margins are. So, what you see prominently featured on their websites is almost always going to be their current generation.

COBRA has released its most aggressive driver head yet, and it’s not for the faint of heart or the slow of swing.

The new DS-ADAPT LS Long Drive clubhead is what happens when you take an already low-spinning driver and ask Kyle Berkshire what he’d change. The answer, apparently, involves making everything more extreme.

Six degrees and a prayer

Starting with just 6 degrees of loft, the DS-ADAPT LS Long Drive head isn’t exactly what you’d call beginner-friendly. But here’s where COBRA’s FUTUREFIT33 hosel system earns its keep. You can dial it up to 8 degrees, which, I suppose, puts it in the realm of playable for high-speed golfers who generate too much spin with traditional lofts.

The revised shape is where things get interesting from an engineering perspective. COBRA made the face 2mm deeper and shortened the profile by 3mm front to back. It’s subtle stuff, but these changes make the head more aerodynamic and even lower spinning. While that’s irrelevant for most of us right now, it’s the kind of thing that could trickle down into the next mainstream COBRA LS model.

For golfers swinging in the 85 mph range, aerodynamic improvements offer minimal benefit. But as swing speeds climb, the value of aero efficiency increases exponentially. At Kyle Berkshire speeds—we’re talking 145 mph average and over 150 when he’s really feeling it—those benefits become significant.

Rory McIlroy was second in driving distance at the Masters and fourth at the PGA Championship but he finally took the top spot at Oakmont with an average of 330.3 yards, nine yards longer than the next guy on the list.

Here’s the thing: it didn’t help him at all.

While Rory was launching missiles off the tee, he couldn’t convert the length into a winning score. Oakmont’s narrow fairways and punishing rough reminded everyone that driving distance is only part of the story.

Who else topped the charts and what can we take away from the numbers this week?

Longest drivers of the 2025 U.S. Open

The first name I looked for on this list was tournament winner J.J. Spaun. He was tied for 34th for driving distance with just under 300 yards as an average distance.

A Reddit user recently posed a simple question: What’s the most useless golf product you’ve ever purchased?

Golfers, as it turns out, had a lot to say. Dozens of responses poured in calling out overhyped gadgets, overpriced accessories and training aids that never really trained anything.

While not every golfer agrees, a few products got called out more than once. We dug into the most commonly mentioned items and looked at what we believe are some of the most useless golf products of all time. Here are our top five.

The golf ball waist holder

The golf ball waist holder clips to your waist so you’re ready with a second or third golf ball whenever you need it. Frankly, it’s a little embarrassing walking around with one of these, assuming you’ll run out of golf balls at any moment. Can’t we keep golf balls in the bag and grab one if we need to reload?

Aside from the looks, most golfers said it added no real value and was just one more thing to fumble with. Even a pocket does a better job.

Look, I’ll be honest with you. When I first saw the press release for Callaway’s new Chrome Tour Dino golf balls, my initial thought was that this had to be some kind of collaboration with Love on the Spectrum.

But no. This is just Callaway being Callaway, dropping limited edition golf balls with the marketing rationale of “because people love them.”

And you know what? Fair enough. People do love dinosaurs. My nephew can name every dinosaur that ever existed but still thinks a sand wedge is something you eat at the beach. So maybe Callaway is onto something here.

I don’t know. This one is still kinda weird.

Something is missing

The Chrome Tour Dino collection features four designs: triceratops, stegosaurus, tyrannosaurus rex, and brontosaurus. Each ball gets the same Chrome Tour performance that’s been making waves since Callaway decided to get serious about challenging Titleist in the premium ball category.

For golfers who appreciate the finer things in their bag, Yururi is a name that often comes up. Known for their meticulous Japanese craftsmanship and a focus on feel, Yururi has built a reputation for creating clubs that perform as beautifully as they look. And now, we’re excited to introduce something truly special from them. the Yururi WNiCrS Irons – Limited Edition. We’ve got ’em from #4 all the way to PW, and trust us, they’re pretty sweet.

What sets them apart? You’ll notice the distinct Double Nickel Chromium plating with a smooth Satin Finish. This isn’t just for show; it also helps cut down on glare while you’re eyeing your shot. And for a touch of exclusivity, each iron features the Japanese YURURI logo subtly placed on the back face. It’s a nice detail that speaks to their limited-edition status.

If you’re already a fan of the Yururi FlatBack Irons, you’ll find the WNiCrS Limited Edition offers a very similar experience in terms of feel and playability. We’re talking about:

Pure Impact Feel: Designed to give you that responsive, soft sensation when you strike the ball, helping you get a better sense of your shots.Workability: These irons are crafted to let you shape your shots with confidence, whether you’re drawing or fading the ball.Classic Blade Design: They feature a clean, traditional blade profile that many golfers appreciate for its timeless aesthetic.Exceptional Craftsmanship: As with all Yururi products, these irons are built with meticulous attention to detail and high-quality materials, ensuring a premium feel and lasting performance.

The Yururi WNiCrS Iron – Limited Edition offers a chance to own a distinctive set of clubs that combines Japanese forging artistry with a great playing experience. Given their limited availability, they’re definitely worth considering if you’re in the market for something special.

SPECIFICATION

After a week at Oakmont's U.S. Open, here's what I'll miss upon reentry to the real world. Plus Hovland's mojo shift, a swing thought, more.

The post 10 things I’ll miss from the U.S. Open (and 3 I won’t) | Monday Finish appeared first on Golf.

GOLF Top 100 Teacher Joe Plecker breaks down J.J. Spaun's incredible drive off Oakmont's 17th tee that won him the U.S. Open.

The post J.J. Spaun’s heroic U.S. Open-winning shot, explained appeared first on Golf.

Letting that f’er go. J.J. Spaun. Adam Scott. Heavenly Oakmont Bakery. And more. Here are 50 thoughts on the U.S. Open week at Oakmont.

The post Letting that f’er go and heavenly Oakmont Bakery: 50 thoughts from U.S. Open appeared first on Golf.

We spent three hours with J.J. Spaun after his U.S. Open victory to find out what goes on behind the scenes after winning a major title.

The post In hours after J.J. Spaun’s U.S. Open win, the best moment was unscripted appeared first on Golf.

Rory McIlroy became the first player to qualify for Europe for the 2025 Ryder Cup, with the Masters champion set to make his eighth consecutive appearance.

On this week's episode of Emergency 9, Subpar co-host Drew Stoltz went into detail on the Cobra clubs he's gaming in 2025.

The post Drew Stoltz shares the Cobra clubs he’s currently gaming appeared first on Golf.

Here’s a detailed look at the history of golf clubs, tracing their evolution from hand-crafted wood to high-tech precision tools:

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1. Origins (Pre-1500s)

• Early golf-like games in Scotland used sticks or carved wooden clubs to hit stones or rudimentary balls.

• No standardization — players often made their own clubs from local wood.

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2. 1500s–1700s: The Wooden Age

• Clubs were crafted from hardwoods like beech, holly, and apple for heads; shafts from ash or hazel.

• Balls were leather pouches stuffed with feathers (featheries), so clubs were designed for delicate impact.

Sergio Garcia has been striking his irons pure for over two decades in pro golf. Here are his six keys for ball-striking success.

The post Sergio Garcia’s 6 keys for pure contact with your irons appeared first on Golf.

Well, saddle up, partners, because TaylorMade has decided to lean all the way into the Wild West theme for its limited-edition tribute to the Women’s Professional Championship, and the host city, Frisco, TX.

If southwestern cowboy chic is your thing, TaylorMade is playing your song … on an out-of-tune saloon piano (probably).

Yeehaw meets tee time

The centerpiece of this collection is the Stockyard staff bag, and it’s clear TaylorMade didn’t hold back on the western inspiration. Drawing design cues from cowgirl boots, the bag features a color palette that pulls heavily from southwestern design traditions.

We’re talking beige, turquoise, brown, and pink highlights that look like they were lifted straight from a high-end Santa Fe boutique. The stitching work on both the front and back pays homage to the intricate embroidery you’d find on high-end cowgirl boots, the kind that serious western wear enthusiasts actually appreciate (again, probably).

But TaylorMade didn’t stop at pretty colors and fancy stitching. Oh no, they went full frontier with this one.

J.J. Spaun wore a series of cool polos in a patriotic color palette of red, white and blue at Oakmont. Shop his looks here.

The post Shop J.J. Spaun’s patriotic, U.S. Open-winning polos appeared first on Golf.

How closely does Scott's current form resemble the swing that led him to his last major victory? A top teacher explains.

The post An in-depth look at Adam Scott’s swing evolution appeared first on Golf.

Viktor Hovland didn't emerge victorious on U.S. Open Sunday at Oakmont, but he left the famed course with something he needed.

The post Viktor Hovland lost the U.S. Open but left with something he needed appeared first on Golf.