The Augusta National Women’s Amateur and Champion’s Retreat
By Adam Schupak When former Augusta National Golf Club chairman Billy Payne was asked his thoughts on the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur to be played ahead of the Masters in April, he made the boldest of predictions. “I think it will be the most-watched women’s golf event in history,” he said. With apologies to Babe […]
Characters: Golf Telecast Spotter Greg Parker
Greg Parker has walked more final rounds in the final group at PGA Tour events than Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Ernie Els combined. You may have noticed Parker in the background on your TV screen with his shock of blond hair, shades, and a look more suited to surfing. Who is this golf-junkie mainstay […]
PeperCare: Affordable Course Act
When I’m appointed Czar of Golf, my first order of business will be to address the game’s three big weaknesses—its glacial pace, extortionate expense, and damnable difficulty—and I will do so with my signature decree: the Affordable Course Act. The ACA will at last bring high-quality golf to the millions of U.S. citizens who currently […]
I Was There: 1984 Open Championship
I will never forget the last time I had the good fortune to meet the great Severiano Ballesteros. Back in the fall of 2007, I was standing on the first tee of the Old Course at St. Andrews, waiting to start a round, when he arrived unannounced to do some filming and somewhat to my […]
Who Deserves Credit for a Golf Course Design?
The recent publication of Golf Digest’s top-100 course ranking raised eyebrows and set tongues wagging. And rightly so, raising eyebrows and stirring debate is precisely what rankings are for, though cynics might insist there are less philanthropic reasons. As all credible grading is apt to do, this list launched a million conversations over the relative […]
7 Golf Apparel, Shoe, and Accessory Companies You Need to Know
It’s no secret that the PGA Merchandise Show is mecca for golf equipment enthusiasts. From the OEMs releasing their newest product lines to the tiny startups looking to make a name for themselves, nearly every golf brand is represented somewhere in Orange County Convention Center during the week. For this article my goal was to […]
Q&A with Mark King on Honma Golf, TaylorMade’s Shortcomings, and More
Through relentless innovation and unrelenting product launches, Mark King guided TaylorMade-adidasGolf to more than 50 percent market share in the metalwoods category and $1.7 billion in annual sales in 2013. It was a remarkable run, but one that ultimately couldn’t last as customers grew confused by the rapid driver launches and left the market flooded […]
Brown is the New Green—But it May Not Work for You
It’s early fall and it has barely rained in my hometown of Bellingham, Wash., since April. There may have been a few sprinkles under cover of darkness, but according to weather.com, a grand total of 1.05 inches fell here over a period of 84 days this summer. Daytime temperatures, usually in the mid-70s, have averaged […]
Every Top 100 Course in a Year: The Story of Jimmie James
As golf nuts go, Jimmie James qualifies as extra nutty. In candy bar terms, he’s somewhere between a Snickers and an Oh Henry! James, 59, accomplished a rare feat, playing the entire 2017–18 Golf Digest Top 100 U.S. course list in a single year. James spent 33 years at ExxonMobil, retiring May 31, 2017 as […]
100 Years of Pebble Beach: The Spa
In 2019, Pebble Beach Golf Links will celebrate its 100th birthday and host its sixth U.S. Open. To commemorate these milestones, each issue of Links Magazine and LINKSdigital between now and then will tell the unique story that is Pebble Beach. It isn’t only the golf courses at the Pebble Beach Resorts that earn top […]