Golfing News & Blog Articles

Watching the FedEx Cup St Jude Championship, I saw Rory McIlroy missing too many putts on the first 3 days of that tournament. Just sinking 1 more putt, would have put him in the playoffs on the final day of that tournament. Please forward this blog to Rory as the content could have earned him an additional $2.5 Million. Of course, it should also help you too.

All golfers want to use any advantage to sink more putts. Choosing the right line to start your putts and swinging with the right weight are the 2 critical issues that I hope to help Rory and you for short putts. Pros sink about 44% of all 10-foot putts and their success drops significantly for longer putts. Distortions on the surface of the green will change the direction of every putt but small distortions closer to the hole are a much bigger problem as your ball slows down near the hole. So hitting firm enough to pass the hole is critical for your success.

1/ Ball Momentum is MORE Critical Near the Hole
Every putt needs enough speed to carry the ball at least 12 to 24 inches past the hole to avoid the distortions caused by imperfections near the hole. The most damage on every green is caused by golfers carelessly bending down at the hole to remove their ball from the hole. Pressure from a footprint or the head of a putter used for balance, cause these hidden distortions.

NOTE: When you putt to pass the hole you should plan on less break at the hole.

2/ Every Putter Can Sink ANY Putt
You can’t afford to worry about using the wrong putter for each day that you play a round of golf. Rory had his caddie cut down his putter by 3/16ths of an inch “because it was not exactly the same length as the putter length that he preferred”. This was a crazy request as he was using a flat grip and could easily slide his hands up the grip. This was a dumb excuse.

L.A.B. Golf's Mezz.1 Max putter has keyed a career resurgence for Glover, who won for the second time in his last two starts.

The post Lucas Glover’s career resurgence can be tied to a timely putter change appeared first on Golf.

If you are going to become a good competitive player and achieve your goals, you are going to feel nerves in golf at various stages of a round.
Fact is, it’s perfectly normal.
What’s important is that you have a strategy to be able to manage nerves in golf so you can use this energy to enhance your performance. Here are 5 ways to do it:

1. Embrace Nerves in Golf

Nerves in golf are part of your journey to better. When they appear, they’re telling you that you are exactly where you need to be – making big strides on that journey. If you CHOOSE to enjoy the feeling you are experiencing, it will soften them. If you resist them, and tell yourself that it’s wrong to be feeling nervous, you’ll make them stronger. By thinking of nerves as a positive, rather than fear or anxiety, you’ll get more of the positive effects – increased focus and sensory awareness and less of the negatives – the shakes, tension, poor thinking, etc.

2. Be Aware of your Thinking

Nerves can be brought on subconsciously (without you being aware of why), but your awareness of the feeling of them can trigger negative thoughts, such as: “What if I don’t succeed? What if I hit a bad shot here and blow my chance? What will others think of me?”
These are all thoughts that can appear when a player is experiencing “Performance Anxiety” before or during a round, which can affect the mood and performance of the player. The key skill, which you will have read several times in my lessons, is Mindfulness and having the ability to control your attention, so you can move it away from negative thoughts and back to the present moment.
What self talk in golf do you have when you are under pressure? If you have the lead, do you say: “You better not screw this up”, or do you say: “You have what it takes to get the job done!”. Make sure you do the latter…

3. Know your Tendencies

What (do you know) happens mentally and physically to YOU when you feel nervous?

Do you have a specific miss that tends to show up?
Does your swing get quick?
Do you leave the club face open?
Do you start guiding the ball instead of swinging aggressively?

European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has added Italy's Francesco Molinari as his fifth and final vice captain for next month's competition at Rome's Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.

This week's BMW Championship is the second event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs and another opportunity for bettors to cash in. Here's our picks.

The post BMW Championship betting guide: 3 picks we love at Olympia Fields appeared first on Golf.

What We Tried:

SwingU – A golf GPS and shot-tracking app for your mobile phone.

Who Tried It:

Tony Covey – MyGolfSpy Editorial Director and data nerd who loves tracking his stats … when he’s playing well (which hasn’t been often lately)

The SwingU Advantage

Let’s start with a simple fact. The GPS functionality of every golf GPS app is similar. They’re all using the GPS chips on our phones and it’s not like anyone in the golf GPS game has their own satellites.

The real differentiation is found in the features so the logical first question is What differentiates SwingU?

While SwingU offers a robust set of features, the biggest differentiator is what the company describes as the fastest and simplest data entry in the shot-tracking world.

To be clear, “simple to use” shouldn’t imply simplistic results.

Why walk when you can ride in style? Nothing frees up your game like owning your very own golf cart. Riding can take the stress out of the game and off of your joints. But, it can be stressful to determine which is the best fit for you. We’ve done the hard work for you, and are excited to share our findings.

The golf cart market size is expected to nearly double from 2021 to 2031. More and more manufacturers are trying to grab a piece of the expanding market. We will show you some top models and advise you about what to consider before purchasing.

Club Car Onward (Best Overall)

In our opinion, the Club Car Onward is the best golf cart on the market. Not only is Club Car a reputable and well-known golf cart manufacturer, the Onward is a high quality, comfortable and efficient golf cart. 

Club Car has always been a top choice for golf cart fleet programs.  Club Car has built on this success, offering customization and private cart options for people who live on golf courses. 

Club Car sets the bar high. They use premium materials in their carts, creating a sturdy and reliable ride and allowing for various seating arrangements. 

Match play versus stroke play … what’s the difference? Is one better than the other? Today we’re breaking it down.

Key Takeaways

Match play focuses on winning individual holes against opponents while stroke play totals strokes for the entire round.Adapting your strategy according to the format can improve your performance on the golf course.

Understanding the Basics of Match Play and Stroke Play

Definition of Match Play

In match play, you compete against another player on a hole-by-hole basis. Each hole is a separate competition and the winner of each hole earns a point. The player with the most points at the end of the round is declared the winner. In case of a tie, the match is usually considered halved. It’s important to note that the total number of strokes taken during the round doesn’t matter in match play. This format encourages more aggressive and strategic play, as you focus on winning individual holes rather than minimizing your overall stroke count.

Definition of Stroke Play

In contrast, stroke play is a competition where you count the total number of strokes taken throughout the round with the ultimate goal of having the fewest strokes at the end. In this format, every shot counts, making it essential to play carefully and consistently. Unlike match play, stroke play doesn’t allow for a fresh start on each hole as your cumulative score determines the final outcome.

Here are some key differences between the two formats:

Match play is a head-to-head competition. Stroke play is an individual pursuit against the entire field.The scoring system in match play is based on points earned for winning individual holes whereas stroke play counts your total strokes for the entire round.Match play tends to encourage more aggressive and strategic play while stroke play promotes consistency and a focus on minimizing total strokes.Some rules and penalties may differ between the two formats as match play is more focused on the interaction between two players.

To sum up, match play and stroke play are different types of golf competitions, each with their unique scoring system and approach. Understanding these basics will help you better appreciate the strategic elements involved and possibly improve your performance in both formats.

Full 2023 BMW Championship tee times for Round 1 on Thursday in Illinois, featuring Rory McIlroy, Luca Glover and more.

The post 2023 BMW Championship tee times: Round 1 pairings for Thursday appeared first on Golf.

For Ralph Lauren, Team USA's Ryder Cup outfitter, the road to winning in style starts years in advance. Here's what's in store for Rome.

The post FIRST LOOK: Check out Team USA’s Ryder Cup uniforms, courtesy of Ralph Lauren appeared first on Golf.

Is it permissible for a caddie to repair ball and spike marks in the line of your putt? Rules Guy has the answer.

The post Rules Guy: Can a caddie help you repair marks on the green? appeared first on Golf.

The 2023 BMW Championship kicks off this week in Illinois Here's how to watch the event, including a full TV schedule and tee times.

The post 2023 BMW Championship: How to watch, TV schedule, streaming, tee times appeared first on Golf.

The best of the best in pro golf have a new opportunity this year: a real offseason. How many will take it?

The post Do PGA Tour players really want an offseason? Yes…and no appeared first on Golf.

GOLF Teacher to Watch Mike Bury shares a 5-step putting practice routine that will help players gain confidence prior to a round.

The post Gain the ultimate confidence with this 5-step putting practice routine appeared first on Golf.

The distance comment period is over and we learned a lot about what the various leading organizations really stand for. At least I did!

The 2027 BMW Championship will be played at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J., in what will be the tournament's first visit to the New York metro area.

Stress and traveling go hand-in-hand, but with this portable and USB-charging Hyperice massage ball, you can relieve your tension anywhere.

The post How this Hyperice portable massage ball can help you release tension anywhere appeared first on Golf.

As a parent, what's the best course of action when you see someone else's kid cheating in a junior golf tournament?

The post You catch someone else’s kid cheating in a junior golf tournament. What should you do? appeared first on Golf.

At a USGA event, one of our writers brought a junior golfer as a caddie. Here's what he learned and what he hoped rubbed off on his looper.

The post I played in my first USGA event. Here’s what I learned (and tried to teach my caddie) appeared first on Golf.

To help amateurs understand how to hit different ball flights, golf instructor Cristy Longfield gives a few easy-to-understand tips.

The post Struggling with ball flight? Here’s how your club positions should look appeared first on Golf.