Golf is already hard enough. Bad advice passed down on the range or repeated by well-meaning buddies can make it even harder. These five common swing tips sound helpful. However, they often lead golfers in the wrong direction. Let’s clear up the confusion and eliminate these five swing myths, making golf harder than it needs to be.

“Keep your head down”

The old “keep your head down” feels like it’s been around since the start of the game. Some have even simplified it to the point that’s all you need to be good at golf. While the intention is good, promoting consistent posture and focus, trying to lock your head in place can restrict your ability to rotate. It can end up hurting your swing.

What you should do instead:

Maintaining posture is the primary goal, not freezing or locking your head. Think about keeping the center of your face relatively stable and your chest rotating through impact. If you want to think about keeping your head behind the ball as your hips clear, that could be a safer swing thought.

“Don’t swing too hard”

Golfers are often told to swing “smooth” or “easy.” You’ve probably had one of those days on the course when nothing is going your way and a player partner says, “slow it down”. A smooth swing doesn’t have to mean a slow swing. Swinging with intent isn’t a bad thing.

What you should do instead:
Accelerate through the ball. Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler aren’t swinging soft; they’re just sequencing it correctly. We tested this concept of swinging harder versus swinging easier, and the harder swings resulted in a better shot.

Should you be using a blade or a mallet putter? While you probably have a preference (and a strong opinion to match), we wondered what the on-course data actually reveals.

Is one objectively better than the other?

Naturally, we turned to our friends at Shot Scope to ask what their mountains of real-world data showed and they came back with some eye-opening findings.

Statistically, it appears one style does have an advantage and one brand is leading the way – more on that below (spoiler alert: your wallet might not like what the data says).

Know your putters

Blade putters – The traditionalist’s choice with a smaller head profile and typically some form of toe hang. Think classic PING Anser or Scotty Cameron Newport designs.

When you’re getting started in golf, having the right accessories will not only help you look the part. It’ll also help you play your best golf. These five accessories are must-haves for new golfers and there are some you should avoid.

The must-haves

The following items are essential to helping you maximize your game. Don’t overlook any of these products and fight the urge to go cheap. More often than not, you get what you pay for.

A good rangefinder

The Vortex Anarch is, in my opinion, the best rangefinder. If you have the extra cash to splurge on it, by all means buy it. Right now.

If you don’t, however, the Vortex Blade Slope is a fantastic mid-level rangefinder loaded with premium features. Knowing not only the yardage to a hole but the adjusted slope will help you hit more greens. Backed by a lifetime warranty, you’ll feel a personal connection with the brand if you ever need assistance.

A quality golf glove

A quality golf glove is another must-have and Red Rooster hits the mark. Crafted from premium AAA cabretta leather and available in various styles and colors, you’ll be able to add a touch of style to represent your personality. Check out The Feather, a favorite of mine.

Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau are all at the U.S. Open trying to win the season's third major. But all eyes will be on one of the hardest golf courses in the world.

• • How Big Is an 18-Hole Golf Course?

    Average Size

    A typical 18-hole golf course covers about 125 to 150 acres of land. However, larger resort or championship courses can exceed 200 acres, especially when they include extra features like driving ranges, multiple tee boxes, practice areas, or natural reserves.

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    How the Space Is Used

    The main playing areas—tees, fairways, and greens—usually take up around 50 to 60 acres.
    The rough around the fairways might add another 25 to 30 acres.
    Water hazards and sand bunkers can use up 5 to 10 acres, depending on the course design.
    Trees, natural areas, and out-of-play zones might account for 15 to 20 acres.
    Add in cart paths, clubhouses, maintenance buildings, and parking, and you get another 10 to 20 acres on top.

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    Why It Matters

    Golf courses are more than just places to play—they're massive landscapes that often include wildlife habitats, walking paths, and even water drainage systems. Managing one requires ongoing work: mowing, watering, landscaping, and environmental stewardship.

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    To Visualize the Space

    An average course of 150 acres is roughly the size of 113 football fields, three Disneylands, or enough land to fit over 500 suburban homes.

Despite calls from golfers to expand the checking of drivers across the field, USGA CEO Mike Whan says the governing body has no plans to change the way it conducts testing.

A very strong field and an extremely difficult course can't stop bookmakers from making Scottie Scheffler a historic favorite for the 125th U.S. Open. His incredibly short odds also aren't preventing bettors from backing him en masse.

The USGA kept the prize fund for this week's U.S. Open at $21.5 million, on par with the 2024 championship. It remains the most lucrative purse of the major championships.

During his 2025 U.S. Open press conference, Scottie Scheffler explained the bizarre reason he had to get rid of Venmo: fans paying him.

The post The strange reason Scottie Scheffler had to delete Venmo appeared first on Golf.

Our experts highlight the bets they're eyeing heading into the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.

ESPN BET odds for golfers to win, finish top-5, top-10, top-20 and make the cut at 2025 U.S. Open.

Howell is a high school junior from Georgia who shot 63-63 in qualifying to get into the field. How did he get here, and what is he hoping for from the biggest week of his golfing career.

Three-time U.S. Open champion Tiger Woods says this week's major at Oakmont "favors long hitters" and the ability to control "shorter iron" shots.

Sometimes the best upgrades are the ones that don’t cost you anything extra.

That’s exactly what Rapsodo has delivered with the addition of attack angle and swing path measurements to its MLM2PRO launch monitor. A simple app update (v 2.17.5) and firmware refresh (3.8.59) unlocks two metrics that have traditionally been reserved for significantly more expensive systems.

For golfers already using the MLM2PRO, it’s like finding twenty bucks in your jacket pocket. For those considering a launch monitor purchase, it further solidifies the MLM2PRO’s position as the best value in consumer launch monitors under $1,000.

What are attack angle and swing path?

Attack angle measures whether your club is moving upward or downward at impact, expressed in degrees. Positive numbers indicate an upward strike while negative numbers show a downward blow. With a driver, most golfers benefit from a slightly upward attack angle (around +2 to +5 degrees) to maximize distance. With irons, a slightly downward attack angle (around -2 to -4 degrees) helps create solid contact and proper trajectory.

Swing path tracks the direction your clubhead is traveling relative to your target line at impact. A path of 0 degrees means you’re swinging directly down the target line. Positive numbers indicate an inside-out path (good for draws), while negative numbers show an outside-in path (often associated with fades and slices).

As the name suggests, Odyssey’s new line of Giraffe Beam putters are long in the neck. How long are they?

The necks on the Giraffe Beam putters are so long that when they drink coffee, it is cold by the time it gets to their stomachs.

Without a trace of sarcasm, I’d answer that neck length question with “long enough.” I’ll explain that answer shortly.

Global Odyssey aficionados know Odyssey released a few Giraffe-Beam models in the Japanese marketplace in 2024. This new line expands upon that initial offering and, more importantly, will be available in the U.S.

All five new models feature a stunning copper-finish, giraffe-themed aesthetics, Odyssey’s Ai-ONE insert and the namesake Giraffe Beam hosel.

Is it Scottie Scheffler vs. the field this week? Could Oakmont produce an over-par winner? We look at five storylines to watch this week at the U.S. Open.

Who will win? Who has the best betting value? Which props are the most interesting? Our experts look at the 2025 U.S. Open from all angles.

Even world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler knows he'll be at the mercy of Oakmont Country Club at the U.S. Open, a course he called "probably the hardest golf course that we'll play."

Look, I’ve tested more golf shoes than I care to admit. Some are garbage wrapped in fancy marketing. But PAYNTR? They’re different.

Actually different.

The brand just dropped their Clubhouse Collection, and I’m not being dramatic when I say these are some of the best golf shoes ever made. Yeah, I said it. Fight me.

There’s a reason PAYNTR dominates our Most Wanted testing. When I heard they were doing something special for the next two Majors? I may have drooled more than my teething baby.

PAYNTR took their award-winning Eighty Seven SC model—already a masterpiece—and created something even better. The Clubhouse Collection celebrates this summer’s major championships with two insanely limited colorways that pay tribute to Oakmont Country Club and Royal Portrush.

The course begins drying out, tee times announced, players discuss a range of matters, and more course perspectives from Oakmont.