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Women's U.S. Open features record $11M purse

The 2023 Women's U.S. Open at Pebble Beach will feature a record $11 million purse with the winner taking home $2 million.

The Duel in the Sun (1977 Open Championship):

The Duel in the Sun refers to the thrilling battle between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus during the final two rounds of the 1977 Open Championship held at Turnberry in Scotland. The tournament is often regarded as one of the greatest head-to-head matchups in golf history.

Here are the key details of The Duel in the Sun:

  • The Setting: The Open Championship in 1977 took place at the Ailsa Course at Turnberry, a renowned links course known for its scenic coastal views and challenging layout.

  • The Competitors: Tom Watson, an American golfer, and Jack Nicklaus, considered one of the greatest golfers of all time, were the two main protagonists in this duel. Both players were at the height of their careers and had already won multiple major championships.

  • The Battle: Over the final two rounds, Watson and Nicklaus engaged in a remarkable back-and-forth battle, pushing each other to their limits. The two golfers shot incredible scores under intense pressure, displaying exceptional shot-making and mental fortitude.

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A go-to guide for conquering those tricky uneven lies

In today's Play Smart lesson, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Brech Spradley shares his tips for hitting off four different types of uneven lies.

The post A go-to guide for conquering those tricky uneven lies appeared first on Golf.

She's playing in the U.S. Women's Open ... and broadcasting it

Emilia Migliaccio enters this weekend with the assignment of a lifetime: a slot in the U.S. Women's Open ... and on NBC's tournament broadcast.

The post She’s playing in the U.S. Women’s Open … and broadcasting it appeared first on Golf.

How to Be A Goldfish in The Post Shot Routine For Golf

Whether it’s after a bad shot or a bad round, sometimes (in the words of Ted Lasso), it’s best to “be a Goldfish” and have a 10 second memory. But this is easier said than done and requires the use of some mental game techniques, which I’m going to share with you in this week’s lesson.

Good shots are easy to move on from (in fact you want to stay with them), but less desirable outcomes can leave us feeling frustrated, angry, and fearful of things getting worse. Letting those thoughts and emotions take hold of you can affect how well you play the next shot and the rest of the round.

Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill that you can take to “turn off” feelings (hitting a ball in the water will aways make you feel some sort of discomfort), but here are 5 things you can do to “be a Goldfish” and have those feelings dissipate quickly instead of them triggering negative thinking and doubt ahead of the next shot. This is what the Post Shot Routine for Golf is all about.

1. Expect to Hit Some Bad Shots

In your next round, you’re going to hit some bad shots. I always ask my players how many they expect to hit in a round. E.g. If it’s 8, allow yourself to hit that many. When you hit your first one or two, they’ll be easier to bounceback from in your post shot routine for golf.

2. Take a Positive from EVERY Shot during the Post Shot Routine for Golf

The human brain has a “negativity bias” that makes it hard not to ruminate on bad shots, bad rounds or think about what could go wrong. In fact, whenever I ask a player about a round, they’ll often start with the negatives.

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Pebble Beach bound? Do these things, says LPGA pro who was raised there

In advance of the U.S. Women's Open at Pebble Beach, Monterey native Mina Harigae offers her insider's guide to the region.

The post Pebble Beach bound? Do these things, says LPGA pro who was raised there appeared first on Golf.

The top 3 ways to spot a bad club fitter

With so many options for club fitting, it's important to be able to separate when you're getting a good fit and how to spot a bad one.

The post The top 3 ways to spot a bad club fitter appeared first on Golf.

U.S. Women's Open: The Rose Zhang show at Pebble, Michelle Wie West's swan song and more

For the first time in more than 70 years, the top women's players take on Pebble Beach. Rose Zhang is the big favorite, but a youth movement will be on display.

Playing Pebble Beach? Here are 5 basics to know before you go

Pebble Beach Golf Links is one of the most famous courses in the world. What should you know before you play at the famed resort?

The post Playing Pebble Beach? Here are 5 basics to know before you go appeared first on Golf.

Golf Clubs 101

The standard types of golf clubs typically found in a golfer's bag are as follows:

  1. Driver: The largest club in the bag, primarily used for long-distance shots off the tee.

  2. Fairway Woods: These clubs are designed for longer shots from the fairway or rough and are numbered (e.g., 3-wood, 5-wood) to indicate loft and distance.

  3. Hybrids: Hybrid clubs are a cross between irons and fairway woods, offering forgiveness and versatility. They are commonly used for shots in the rough or when players need to replace long irons.

  4. Irons: Irons are numbered from 3 to 9 and are used for a variety of shots depending on the distance and loft required. Lower-numbered irons (3-5) are used for longer shots, while higher-numbered irons (6-9) are used for shorter shots and approach shots to the green.

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Will rental clubs mess up your golf swing? | Fully Equipped Mailbag

This week's Fully Equipped mailbag offers tips for using rental clubs, and how to still enjoy your round using them.

The post Will rental clubs mess up your golf swing? | Fully Equipped Mailbag appeared first on Golf.

How this college kid used a deal with his dad to lower his golf scores | Most Improved Golfers in America

Working with the USGA, we identified the most improved golfers in America. Here's how one used an incentive for new clubs to lower his scores.

The post How this college kid used a deal with his dad to lower his golf scores | Most Improved Golfers in America appeared first on Golf.

LPGA star Nelly Korda added to PGA Tour 2K23 game roster

Korda, a one-time major winner at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, joins Lexi Thompson, Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson as the latest LPGA star to appear in the game.

Take Control of Your Swing (#4 Minor Changes to Improve Your Game)

This is the fourth in a Series of simple adjustments that you should explore to improve your game. Your swing thoughts should be embedded in your brain so that you don’t need to hash them out every time you setup for your next shot. Rushing your backswing will destroy your performance.

Avoid an abbreviated Back-Swing: Use a 2 or 3 foot takeaway waggle to feel the right rotation of my shoulders and hips before you start your actual swing. It will give you a new feeling for the start of your swing because you are making this wake-up move with your shoulders and NOT just your arms.

Add enough time in your backswing: Your speed and cadence will depend on how easy it is to keep a straight leading arm, to rotate your shoulders and hips as you add wrist lag before your transition. You will be amazed as I am that when you take more time for your backswing you can create a lot more power and distance.

Shallow Your club at the top: Haney, Leadbetter and Ballard are all teaching golfers to loop their club down at the top of their swing to shallow the club and avoid slicing from over the tip swings. Bowing your wrist down at the top will help you shallow your swing.

Avoid Early Extension: Swing through your ball with the transfer of weight to your leading foot so that your iron sweeps the grass after impact and your driver launches upward after it passed the bottom of your swing. We all want to extend our knees after impact but you can’t afford to get excited and extend them too early. Use your knees to push forward instead of rushing to spring up.

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Ball Lab: Srixon Z-Star (2023)

MyGolfSpy Ball Lab is where we quantify the quality and consistency of golf balls. Today, we’re reviewing the 2023 Srixon Z-Star. To learn more about our test process, click here.

About the Srixon Z-Star

The Srixon Z-Star is the softest of the company’s premium (“tour”) offerings.

According to Srixon, the standard Z-Star should be the lowest-flying of its three Z-Star models. Iron spin is listed as high (as it almost always is). Greenside spin is listed as the highest within the Z-Star family.

All of the balls we purchased were made at Srixon’s Indonesian factory. The data we’ve collected to date suggests (though it does not prove) that quality control isn’t quite as good as it is in the company’s Japanese factory.

Srixon Z-Star Construction

The Srixon Z-Star is a three-piece ball with a 338-dimple urethane cover.

A photo showing the 3 layers of the Srixon Z-Star
A 2023 Srixon z-Star in the MyGolfSpy compression gauge
COMPRESSION CHART
A 2023 Srixon Z-Star golf ball being weighted for Ball Lab.
a ball lab price summary for the 2023 srixon z-star
A Srixon Z-Star with a conecnetricyt defect

A chart showing measurements for all of the balls in the Srixon Z-Star sample
a ball lab summary chart for the 2023 srixon z-star golf ball
COMPARISON TOOL
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Cole Haan OriginalGrand Golf Shoe Review

There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly 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:

The Cole Haan OriginalGrand spikeless golf shoes. Cole Haan is known for making fashionable and comfortable dress shoes but their foray into golf has been rather slow. 

Who Tried It:

Connor. Director of Soft Goods Testing and resident sneakerhead. I believe golf is better with a pair of cool shoes and comfortable joggers. 

Cole Haan Golf Shoes: When Did This Become A Thing?

Nearly 80 years ago, Cole Haan patented their first golf shoes. After fizzling out in the 1980s while FootJoy reigned supreme, the brand turned the focus on its bread and butter: dress shoes. 

Fast forward to 2021. Cole Haan decided it was time to hit the links once again … this time (hopefully) for good. 

Cole haan golf shoes
Traction of the Cole haan golf shoes
Cole haan golf shoes front view
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2023 John Deere Classic: How to watch, TV schedule, streaming, tee times

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

The post 2023 John Deere Classic: How to watch, TV schedule, streaming, tee times appeared first on Golf.

2023 John Deere Classic tee times: Round 1 groupings for Thursday

Full 2023 John Deere Classic tee times for Round 1 on Thursday, featuring Cameron Young, Denny McCarthy and more.

The post 2023 John Deere Classic tee times: Round 1 groupings for Thursday appeared first on Golf.

19 Secure Spots At Royal Liverpool

We should, however, not forget that some higher Power presides over linksland, and to those inclined to be critical that Power hands down an ultimatum much like this: “There is the green which generation after generation has played. There are its pronounced slopes, its sharp ridges, its blind approach, and its other violations of your so-called sound principles. However lamentable all this may be, there it lies, and shall lie. Play it, or leave it, as you like.” ROBERT HUNTER

Avaiable via Amazon: Golf Architecture For Normal People*

Bookshop.org Pre-Order option to support local independent bookstores.

*The book has sold out its first printing but the second is underway and should be available in July. Apologies for this, but thanks to all who supported the book in robust numbers!


Wie West set for 'emotional' end to career at Open

Michelle Wie West, who will retire after this weekend's U.S. Women's Open in Pebble Beach, California, told reporters Tuesday, with regards to her finish, that she hopes "it's in the final group with everyone watching. That would just be so incredible."


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