Golfing News & Blog Articles

Score one for for Wendell Haskins, the PGA of America’s former director of inclusion efforts during CEO Pete Bevacqua’s years, who penned the organization to highlight how little they had done on the inclusion front. One highlight of the letter was his simple sentence noting Horton Smith’s overt racism.

Current CEO Seth Waugh reached out to Haskins and the two apparently had a healthy conversation that has now led to one noticeable change: the elimination of Smith’s name from the award for outstanding contributions to professional education.

For Immediate Release:

PGA of America Board Votes to Rename the Horton Smith Award

PGA of America sheds historic award with racial ties

GolfDigest.com’s John Feinstein follows up with Charlie Rymer about the longtime player and commentator’s COVID-19 battle. He’s back home in Myrtle Beach gradually recuperating. The story includes several noteworthy details beyond Rymer’s Tweets earlier this week, including his hospitalization, wife Carol’s role in his care and the comments from the lunatic he wasn’t expecting.

As always please hit the link, but just one part that stood out:

Country singer Vince Gill, a very good golfer Rymer has played with often, sent a video that was entertaining and funny. Former Acushnet CEO Wally Uihlein sent a text, and so did Pete Bevacqua, the president of the NBC Sports Group. Quite a few players also got in touch, including Harris English, who recently tested positive for COVID-19.

“I still can’t do a whole lot, so it’s been nice to sit here and read some of the notes and then take some time to respond and say thank you,” Rymer said. “I’d never say this is something I’d want to go through or would want to see anyone to go through, but I think in the end it can be a blessing.”

For many of us, there are one or two guys we’d rather not play with. For whatever reason, we just seem to play worse when paired with them. Someone I used to play with was a great guy but EVERY time we played together, I scuzzed it all over the course. Would it surprise you to learn that tour players deal with the same issue?

Last week, Bubba Watson was asked if it mattered with whom he played for the first two rounds.

“It matters tremendously. There’s guys that are a shot, maybe a two-shot, penalty when you see their name on that sheet. Maybe that’s what they say about me, too, so I guess it works both ways.” – Bubba Watson

I was curious if this could be quantified. Are there some players whose presence in a group causes others to play worse? Are there some that have the opposite effect and bring out the best in their playing partners?

Was it as challenging to play with Tiger in the fourth round as the commentators would have us believe?

The Courier’s Craig Smith explains plans for expanding the R&A Clubhouse (underground) along with other security updates. The building opened in early 1854 and now must accommodate the club’s inclusion of female members. Of course, none of this is open to the public so I’d understand your lack of interest. But it is golf’s most iconic clubhouse so…

However, the R&A’s new application for listed building consent for the proposed works represents one of the biggest changes in living memory.

It has not yet been revealed how much the redevelopment will cost but it is anticipated to be well into seven figures.

According to the proposals, 450 combined male and female lockers, providing adequate bench and hanging space, will be created along with showers and toilet facilities.

Bag storage areas catering for up to 500 golf bags and trolleys are planned, as are a drying room, a family-friendly meeting area to assist in the promotion of junior golf and a new arrival/drop off layby to improve the road network.

No one knows anything, or so the saying goes. Especially in a time of pandemic where the unknowns and mysteries keep even experts guessing, so you can’t blame the PGA Tour for altering their guidelines almost daily. The latest adjustment comes in the case of Cameron Champ, who arrived last week from Houston, tested positive for COVID-19, withdrew but subsequently tested negative twice.

And now, he gets a rule in his honor.

For Immediate Release.

PGA TOUR Statement – Health & Safety Plan Updates

July 1, 2020

With Titleist asking a few pros to hit shots with a dimple-free demonstration ball—video below—Golf.com’s Jonathan Wall says it reminds us how important those little indentations are to the modern ball.

So the next time you hammer a drive and watch the ball soar downrange, take a minute to tip your cap to the ball designer working diligently on the dimples. Without them, you’d need to be Iron Byron to keep it on the map.

Maybe we take just a few off for the pros-15 or so?-make it spin just a little more and see who really hits on the sweet spot? Or who knows how to use the spin to shape a shot? Think of the tracer fun!

Again, just a thought…

The PGA Tour announced a significant change to its COVID-19 policies Wednesday that will allow players or caddies who test positive but are asymptomatic to return to competition if they return two negative test results at least 24 hours apart.

Bubba Watson and Harold Varner III beat Jason Day and Wesley Bryan in a nine-hole exhibition match at The Rocket Mortgage Classic Wednesday that helped raise more than $1 million for Changing the Course, the event's charity initiative.

After withdrawing from the Travelers Championship as a precaution, a recharged Webb Simpson is ready for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, and he said he believes golfers are taking protocols and safety measures more seriously now.

The USGA is leaning more on the world ranking for pros and amateurs, along with current money lists on American tours, to create a U.S. Women's Open field that will not have qualifying because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The PGA Tour heads to Detroit July 2-5 for the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Here are our experts' best bets.

That may seem like a pretty strange phase for a golf training solution but stay tuned and I guaranty that it will turn your drives on.  Yes, shallowing your driver in the backswing will be a key for your future power and consistency with your driver. The length of your driver is actually messing up the swing that you have honed with your irons. It’s easy to make your downswing from the inside with your iron and not as easy with your much longer driver.

We are all watching the pros swing their driver on TV and it appears so easy. They seem to swing back on one plane and then swing down on a slightly lower plane. Well as it turns out for recreational players it ain’t so easy.

David Leadbetter and Jim McLean both talk about swinging from the inside or from the slot. It’s easier said than done.
Top Speed Golf Blog gave us 3 areas to focus on at impact (for right handed golfers)
1/ Your left bicep should be squeezing against your left chest or peck muscle,
2/ Open your hips first (as you are rotating them toward the target)
3/ Your swing is to the right of your target line or you may feel that way as you shallow your club in the downswing.

 

You’ve heard about them, maybe seen them too. Everyday products are being hyped in your Twitter and Instagram feeds. They’re sometimes endorsed by pros, celebrities, and influencers alike. But do they live up to the hype? We take a closer look.

What are Golfers Talking About?

In 2017, Brooks Koepka issued Nike a challenge. He said, “Design me a running shoe that I can golf in.” Nike responded, “Let’s do it.”

Nike knows itself a thing or two about a good running shoe. The mega-brand integrated elements originally designed for running shoes and soccer cleats and combined it with Nike Zoom Stroble technology, first utilized by the NBA’s Kevin Durant.

The end result? The Nike Zoom Air Infinity Tour. They got the thumbs up from Koepka and Nike claims his swing speed increased as compared to his speed while wearing previous Nike models. How much? Nike doesn’t say, but we’re here to see if the Air Zoom Infinity Tour lives up to the hype.

Product Expert

Hi, I’m Harry, and I am a professional golf shoe tester. (Yes, they exist.) I actually test a lot of things at MyGolfSpy and play professionally when I’m not checking and comparing specs on gloves, rangefinders, bags.. ball retrievers.. etc. You can call me the Director of Soft Goods Testing here at MGS. You can also just call me Harry, that’s fine too.

During the “Return to Golf’s” initial three weeks, wannabe J.J. Watt stunt double and elite PGA Tour professional Bryson DeChambeau’s bulk-up, Bomb and Gouge approach has had him in contention.

But his style of play that sees drives air mailing design features raises questions about whether this is what the future of golf should look like. Particularly in making a mockery of courses built long ago and with no chance of imagining the regulatory complacency of the last twenty years to retain some sort of challenge.

DeChambeau is at least apologetic and respectful of a legend like Donald Ross, designer of the latest course to have no chance against modern equipment. After playing the front nine at Detroit Golf Club, home of this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, DeChambeau says he will be taking the fairway bunkers out of play.

From Will Gray at GolfChannel.com:

"I haven't played both sides yet, so seems like it's fairly tight, a lot of rough," DeChambeau said. "I think there's a lot of bunkers that are around like 290 (yards), so hopefully I'll be able to clear those and take those out of play. So, sorry, Mr. Ross, but, you know, it is what it is."

Four more players—one on the PGA Tour and three on the Korn Ferry Tour—tested positive for COVID-19 and have withdrawn from this week’s stops in Michigan and Colorado.

Here is the PGA Tour Communications statement issued:

PGA TOUR, Korn Ferry Tour statement – COVID-19 update – June 30, 2020

As part of the PGA TOUR’s pre-tournament screening process this week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, TOUR player Chad Campbell tested positive for COVID-19 and has been withdrawn from the event (he was the first alternate).

Campbell, who last competed at the Charles Schwab Challenge, will have the PGA TOUR’s full support throughout his self-isolation period under CDC guidelines.

The Scotsman’s Stuart MacDonald explains the Old Course Hotel’s plan unveiling for a “luxury pub” with views over the Road hole.

The key attribute of the proposed terrace bar? Glass frontage.

Presumably glass that can stop an incoming dimpled white pellet stamped with things like Titleist, Taylor Made, Callaway or Bridgestone? Maybe?

Oh no, it’s about preserving the archtiectural integrity of the building once described by Henry Longhurst as looking like a chest with all the drawers pulled out.

“The need for the development is to continue to meet the demands for function space and to provide the highest quality of facilities to guests in a five-star hotel.

I’ve never been prouder to call Charlie Rymer a friend and ambassador of the sport.

The former U.S. Junior Amateur champion, PGA Tour pro, golf commentator and mayor emeritus of Myrtle Beach Tweeted about his brush with death as caused by COVID-19. The courage and heart to both battle back and share his story is something to behold. And a huge thank you to all who cared for him, especially wife Carol who was already destined for sainthood pre-pandemic (RN).

Charlie’s story:

I’ve battled COVID-19 for the last 10 days. It’s been scary. Very scary. Thanks to the heroes @tidelandshealth for putting your health at risk to treat patients like me. Because of you I’m headed home today to be with my family. May God bless you!

— charlie (@CharlieRymerPGA) June 30, 2020

And big thanks to my friends and family for all the texts, thoughts, and prayers. I’ve been alone in the hospital, but I’ve never FELT alone. Love you all!!!!

Chad Campbell, who tested positive following a pre-tournament screening for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, said he is asymptomatic and feels "physically well."

Ron Sirak spent 18 years with the Associated Press and 18 more with Golf Digest/Golf World, he’s an author and Golf Channel contributor while still a reporter on the LPGA beat.

While we do also discuss the upcoming LPGA return in late July, the majority of our discussion surrounds Sirak’s definitive story for Golf Digest on the Fox-USGA media contract. With the deal having collapsed and NBC/Golf Channel/Peacock taking on the remaining seven years of a contract they once held, it was the perfect time to catch up with the 2015 PGA Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient in Journalism about his story, the fallout from the latest turn and playing golf in a pandemic.

Here is the Apple podcast show page and of course, you can always subscribe at your favorite app or listen below via iHeart:

Good signs are aplenty in the latest ratings news, this time for the 2020 Travelers Championship.

Even with only one certified superstar in Dustin Johnson contending, CBS limited in production-values and a so-so ratings start at Colonial, the Sunday broadcast earned a 2.0 final round overnight rating despite a rain delay on the back nine. That’s up 43% vs. last year and fell just short of NASCAR’s Geico 500 for top sports event of the weekend.

Golf Channel saw its biggest audiences since the restart, topping an average audience of over a 1 million with Sunday’s lead-in coverage (Saturday did not include any due to tee times moving up).

Even without the traditional fan energy that is so much apart of the Travelers viewing experience, note how the audience grew each of the three days on Golf Channel.

From ShowBuzzDaily where you can also see how other sports fared: