How Do You Match Up Against the Average Golf Handicap in 2020?

Serious Golfer

Judge Smails: Ty, what did you shoot today? Ty Webb: Oh… Judge, I don’t keep score. Judge Smails: Then how do you measure yourself with other golfers? Ty Webb: By height. Unlike Chevy Chase’s character in Caddyshack, if you’re among those who post scores and maintain an official golf handicap, you’re probably pretty serious about […]

Best New Golf Shoes in 2021

shoes

As golfers took to the fairways in droves in 2020—playing over 60 million rounds more in the U.S. than the previous year—a notable portion of them fully embraced the joys of walking, getting more exercise and fresh air while physically distancing more effectively. Whether walking four miles or eight miles in an 18-hole round, depending […]

The “Baddest” Par-3 Courses in the U.S.

baddest par-3 courses

The twisted dead trees planted around the holes at the “Bad Little Nine” are a sure sign of what’s in store for golfers at Scottsdale National Golf Club’s fiendishly fun par-3 course. Deep bunkers are everywhere, some sprawling and others a devilish pock. There are humps and bumps the likes of which you’ve likely never […]

Top Short Course Openings for 2021

short course

One of the noteworthy shifts the golf industry has experienced in recent years is the increased popularity of shorter courses, frequently as a complement to traditional courses at established facilities or in golf-rich locations. As such, this installment focuses on some of these alternative offerings: par-3 courses, 9-holers, and courses featuring a non-traditional number of […]

Could Bunkerless Golf Courses Gain Footing?

bunkerless

At the conclusion of a site visit for a much-needed overhaul of the aging Eisenhower municipal golf course outside Annapolis, Md., consulting architect Andrew Green stopped 50 yards from the 18th green, turned to Damian Cosby, chief of golf operations for Anne Arundel County, and asked, “What do you think about going to no bunkers?” […]

Young Members Are Flocking to Luxury Golf Communities

Young Golf Communities

As more and more younger members make luxury golf communities their primary residence, clubs are responding with new amenities—and a new attitude With three new neighbors in their early 50s, Dave Short sees the change at Reynolds Lake Oconee almost every day. These recent homeowners aren’t retirees: They all still travel for work. But they’ve […]

Top 18-Hole Golf Course Openings for 2021

new

With more than 38,000 golf courses worldwide, there’s no shortage of options for golfers with wanderlust. And given the wealth of supply and the demand for land, new golf course openings are pretty limited. But there are still some great ones to celebrate. After recently highlighting the top course debuts of 2020, it’s only fitting […]

10 Top Golf Courses That Opened in 2020

2020

Even with golf’s resurgence in 2020 amid the pandemic, new course openings are exceedingly limited. After all, with more than 38,000 courses in over 200 countries worldwide, there’s no shortage of supply. Think about that. Even if you played one new course every single day, you’d need more than 100 years to play them all. […]

Did Michael Jordan Build Golf’s Best Practice Area?

grove

When he was in high school, Dustin Johnson used to hit balls long into the night at Weed Hill Driving Range outside Columbia, S.C., a practice facility that course architect Bobby Weed built when he was a teenager himself. While Weed Hill closed in 2015, Johnson is still honing his game at another practice complex […]

Top 5 Course Collectibles for Golfers

I recently had a reader in Poland reach out to share a picture of his logo golf ball collection: more than 500 golf balls from courses he’s played in 75 countries, from Pebble Beach in California to Pyongyang in North Korea. Impressively, all are kept in a custom-made, 720-ball display on a single wall in […]