Golf Digest Middle East-January 2026 by Motivate Media Group

THE #1 GOLF PUBLICATION

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HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC IS HERE

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HOW GOLF IS GROWING IN SAUDI ARABIA

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QATARI DANIIL SOKOLOV IS ONE-TO-WATCH

AED20 KD1.7 OR2.1 SR20 BD2.1

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DESTINATION

DUBAI

The game’s biggest names are coming to the UAE this month

J A N U A R Y

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Majlis Matchup

The Hero Dubai Desert Classic was founded in 1989 as the first DP World Tour event to take place in the Middle East. Page 32

4 Happy New Year Dubai kicks off global golf for 2026. BY HARRY GRIMSHAW

the starter 6 Desert Design Meets Water Drama Located in Yas Acres, Abu Dhabi. BY HARRY GRIMSHAW

voices 8 The Undercover Pro Cheaters in high-stakes simulator tournaments. WITH JOEL BEALL

10 Journeys Zach James

30 Dubai Creek, Looking Good! Course upgrades, firmer greens and a tougher test for the Dubai Invitational.

40 Sokolov’s Stage 14 year-old Daniil Sokolov is preparing for the Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club.

BY HARRY WELLS

42 The 75 Coolest Records in Golf We rank the achievements least likely to be equaled.

32 Heavyweights Headline Hero Dubai Desert Classic Rory McIlroy’s return once again provides the spotlight. 34 Constructing A Victory New Zealander Ryan Fox and Arena are building one of golf’s most iconic weeks. WITH HARRY GRIMSHAW

WITH KEELY LEVINS

EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

features

36 Key Holes How to score well around the Majlis.

BY THE EDITORS

12 Sting One Out There BY CHRIS SPALLA

14 Make More MidRange Putts

BY HARRY GRIMSHAW

54 Faldo’s Saudi Swing Qiddiya City to host Saudi Arabia’s Faldo Series in 2026.

38 From Riffa To Royal Monty’s vision created a global golfing destination in Bahrain.

58 Wedge Shots You Need to Know From high ones and low ones to spinners and runners and everything in between.

BY HARRY GRIMSHAW

BY MICHAEL BREED

20 What’s In My Bag BudCauley

where to play 22 Rodeo Dunes BY STEPHEN HENNESSEY

BY JAMES SIECKMANN

15 Check Your Setup In The Sand BY JORDAN DEMPSEY WITH DAVE ALLEN

52 Bigger & Better How Saudi Arabia is expanding golf across The Kingdom.

28 DP World Tour 2026 Middle East Swing Four consecutive events across Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHS BY GETTY IMAGES

how to play

24 ‘To Play Three Links as if They Were One’ Retracing Walter Hagen’s 54-hole loop of courses on the south coast of England

16 Rules: Putting After a Concession In a match, that could get your side in trouble

BY JAMIE KENNEDY

BY RON KASPRISKE

64 Club News All the recent news from within the Arab Golf Federation

17 Fuzzy’s Cure For Your Slice BY LUKE KERR-DINEEN

what to play 18 How To Keep Your Distance When You Lose Speed BY MIKE STACHURA, E. MICHAEL JOHNSON AND JONATHAN WALL

AGF news

the gulf club 66 Club News A gallery of just a handful of the local tournament winners in the amateur circuit within the region of the Middle East

JANUARY 2026

GOLFDIGESTME.COM 3

E D I T O R’S

LETTER

editor-in- chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer managing partner & group editor Ian Fairservice chief commercial officer Anthony Milne group content director Thomas Woodgate editor Harry Grimshaw art director Clarkwin Cruz editorial assistant Londresa Flores gener al manager - production S. Sunil Kumar production manager Binu Purandaran assistant production manager Venita Pinto T H E G O L F D I G E S T P U B L I C AT I O N S editor-in- chief Jerry Tarde senior director, business development & partnerships Greg Chatzinoff international editor Ju Kuang Tan GOLF DIGEST USA editor-in- chief Jerry Tarde gener al manager Chris Reynolds editorial director Max Adler executive editor Peter Morrice managing editors Stephen Hennessey, Ryan Herrington, Jonathan Wall chief designer David Schlow pl aying editors Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth

A new year on the greens Dubai kicks off 2026 for global golf! BY HARRY GRIMSHAW

HEN A NEW YEAR comes to the Middle East, it means just one thing, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic is in town. World Number Two Rory McIlroy headlines once again, marking 20 years since his first appearance as an amateur in 2006. He will be joined by Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry and plenty more of the DP World Tour’s finest. Dubai-resident and 2012 Dubai Desert Classic champion, Rafa Cabrera Bello, shares his insights on three of the Majlis’ most pivotal holes, while Emirates Golf Club Senior Teaching Professional Tom Ogilvie explains how amateurs can tackle the same challenges. Kiwi Ryan Fox is making his 10th start on the Majlis, as he reflects on the tournament that inspired him as a young golfer and on his long-standing role with Arena, which gives him a unique view of what it takes to stage one of the tour’s most iconic weeks! This month, we also look at the course upgrades and firmer greens set for the Dubai Invitational at the Dubai Creek Resort, the transformation of Bahrain’s Riffa Golf Club into the Royal Golf Club, and chat to 14-year-old Qatari prodigy Daniil

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JANUARY 2026

Sokolov, who tis preparing to tee it up in his third Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club. Saudi Arabia continues to expand its golf footprint in plenty of ways, with Qiddiya City set to host the Faldo Series — a project led by Sir Nick Faldo, as we also bring you the latest from the Arab Golf Federation. Away from the local spotlight, we rank golf’s coolest records — achievements few are likely to match — and retrace Walter Hagen’s famous 54-hole loop along England’s south coast. Bud Cauley also opens his bag, as we have plenty of tips and tricks that will help improve your game immediately. From the Middle East and beyond, we wish you a happy, healthy, and inspiring New Year!

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Golf Digest and How to play, what to play, where to play are registered trademarks of Warner Bros. Discovery. Copyright © 2024 Discovery Golf Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Published by Warner Bros. Discovery. Principal office: Golf Digest, 230 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, 10003. Warner Bros/Discovery Luis Silberwasser, Chairman & CEO TNT Sports; Gunnar Wiedenfels, Chief Financial Officer. Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y., and at additional mailing offices.

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JANUARY 2026

the starter Desert design meets water drama A floodlit 9-hole course that blends desert landscapes with bold design in Abu Dhabi

e st le d in t h e Yas Acr e s commu n i ty, Yas Acres Golf & Country Club is a bold addition to Abu Dhabi’s golf scene. Designed by the renowned Fry/Straka team, this 9-hole, 3,700-yard floodlit par-36 course spans 130 acres and combines eye-catching scenery with a dynamic layout that includes long holes, rolling contours and a central ridgeline that runs through the course. Water plays a significant role, with lakes and streams crossing four holes, adding both challenge and visual appeal. Native desert plants and vegetation flourish alongside the water features.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY BY THE CLUB

THE

UNDERCOVER

PRO

Cheaters at High-Stakes Sim Tourneys 8

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I’M A PRO WHO OWNS SEVERAL DRIVING RANGES across the Midwest. Ten years ago, I started investing in simulators to keep my clients busy during the cold months. My ratio of outdoor mats to simulators is 15-to-1, yet simulator golf accounts for 40 percent of my business. Avid golfers can’t get enough of it, and it’s also great for beginners. But it’s not just a novelty. There are also real opportunities in the simulator golf world. Professional golfer Jordan Weber received a DP World Tour invitation into the Omega European Masters (plus three additional exemptions into the European feeder circuit, the HotelPlanner Tour) for winning the Order of Merit on the NEXT Golf Tour, which is played on simulators. Some prizes rival tour events; the GOLFZON Tour winning team gets $150,000. When the stakes climb, so does the temptation to cut corners.

The first month I opened the simulator bays, I got the same weird request from a customer twice in one week. He wanted me to turn down the lights in one of the rooms because he said it was messing with the data readouts. The way our lights are wired, it wasn’t something I could easily fix. I went online to learn if this was a common issue, and sure enough, discovered that very dim lights can make a simulator read increased spin numbers. This player knew what he was doing, and I had no idea of the underbelly I was about to discover. ILLUSTRATION BY GONÇALO VIANA

Simulators are not as smart as you might think. Most have just two cameras working together: one watches your club, the other tracks the ball. Together, they calculate curve based on your clubface angle and swing path, which works really great … until it doesn’t. With many simulators, if you strike the ball outside a certain zone, the club camera basically gives up. The system can only see the ball at that point, which means no clubface data, which means no curve calculation. The simulator assumes your shot is flying dead straight, no matter how wild the swing. One owner learned this the hard way when complaints flooded in about a player who figured out how to always nudge the ball just so outside the tracking zone before he hit. This guy had finished second in a high stakes event and walked away with $15,000. The leagues I run out of my shops are just local games for small change and bragging rights. Most of the bad behaviour isn’t so much cheating as not playing in the spirit of the game. The shady ones have realised that if there is water down the left side of a hole, just bomb it into the right trees because most software doesn’t recognise branches. As long as you avoid the trunk with your next shot, it’s not a true penalty. Same with hitting in the sand. Provided you take a club with enough loft, you can clear any high lip on a simulator with a normal pitch-shot motion and get a good result. Sometimes there is also true cheating. Instead of hitting from the designated rough or sand spots on the mat (which are not rough or sand but longer bristles of turf) a lot of players just stay on the fairway spot. This might not seem like a big deal, but those cleaner strikes add up. The most common cheating I see is in manipulating gimme putts. To keep things moving (simulator golf can get deathly slow, too) a lot of systems have automatic gimmes for when your ball gets into a certain range, usually less than five feet. I’ve seen players slyly change that range to 10 feet or even 20 when their competitors in the next bay aren’t looking. We once had a year-long contest for lowest score on the Old Course,

handicap adjusted. One entrant was a 20-handicap who I know had a friend play the round for him. I have no idea who this other person was, but he wasn’t a damn 20. After the 20-handicap submitted and signed for a 53 (-19), I made him play a few holes on the Old under my supervision. After three holes and a six-over score I told him to hit the bricks. His response was, “Sorry, I get nervous under pressure.” Please. Of course, I have it easy. We had an industry convention in San Diego this year, and I couldn’t believe the amount of cheating I heard about in larger, nationwide simulator tournaments. One proprietor told me he had to start counting clubs after someone brought 20 sticks to a tournament. Another said a player was using olive-oil cooking spray to win a long-drive competition (minimises friction, less sidespin, longer and straighter shots). There was one assistant pro from Houston who said his club had to kick out a board member after he tried to hack into a simulator league and manipulate his scores. To be fair, the big-time event organisers are starting to catch on. When five-figure paychecks are on the line, those tournaments now require rounds to be fully captured by a separate video recording, usually from a phone. Trackman has systems, too, similar to gambling watchdogs, that point out spin or score irregularities for review. Most rounds are required to be played in pairs whereas before you could submit solo. The sim-tournaments I run are for pro shop credit or a piece of equipment. I’m not requiring video documentation or going through all those other hoops for a $50 gift card. That leads me to my favourite cheating story. Once, during Players week, I was awarding a free lesson to whoever hit closest to the pin on TPC Sawgrass’ 17th hole. I charge $70 an hour for lessons, and it’s $50 per hour to play on a simulator. I watched a college kid hit mulligan after mulligan for three hours, then finally quit happy when he put one to three inches. When he came to proudly write down his name, all I could say was, “I hope you’re not a math major.” —WITH JOEL BEALL JANUARY 2026

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JOURNEYS

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JANUARY 2026

Zach James: ‘I Was Shooting in the 100s in High School’ WITH KEELY LEVINS

Y DAD WAS A SOCIAL GOLFER who shot in the 80s. He took me to the range when I was two, but I got serious about baseball, basketball and football before I got serious about golf. I broke my wrist playing football, so I quit. I got tennis elbow in my throwing arm, so I couldn’t pitch anymore. I’m really flatfooted, so all the running in basketball had me limping at the end of every practice. I love competing, so I turned to golf as my outlet. It seemed like the only sport my body would handle. I joined the high school golf team I couldn’t play for months. I went to and shot 106 in my first tournament. class, did my schoolwork and watched I didn’t realise how bad that was. I got Netflix, but all I could think about was how badly I wanted to get a a job cleaning carts at Rock club in my hands and start Creek Golf Club, a private ZACH JAMES grinding. I won three times Nicklaus course in GordonKORN FERRY the next season and five the ville, Texas. I’d practice beTOUR following. I graduated with fore or after shifts, taking one a degree in business in 2019 of those huge 300-ball buckAGE: 30 knowing I wanted to play proets to a corner of the range. I’d LIVES: fessional golf. choose a flag and try to hit it. ●●●

DENTON,TEXAS

My sophomore year, I started shooting in the 80s. Soon, I was shooting in the 70s. Senior year, I lost our district championships by a shot, shooting 76 with 41 putts. ●●●

I never played in big amateur tournaments or AJGA events. We didn’t have the money. Spending $400 to finish 15th behind a bunch of kids who’d been taking lessons since they were eight didn’t make sense. I knew DI wouldn’t happen. I sent my stats to coaches at schools where I could get in-state tuition. That meant Texas and schools within a certain distance of the Texas border. ●●●

Southeastern Oklahoma State had a solid DII golf program and offered me a scholarship. I did a lot of gate drills to clean up my putting, and we went to nationals my sophomore year. My junior year, I had a freak accident on a night out with my teammates. We were playing that game where you punch the boxing bag machine as hard as you can. I hit it at a weird angle and broke my wrist. PHOTOGRAPH BY JEFF WILSON

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I played in some state opens but started feeling a lot of pain in my left thumb. I got scans and the diagnosis was trigger thumb, which is tendon irritation that can lock the finger in one position. I got steroid shots and wore a splint. I continued working at Rock Creek as an assistant pro for money, but I was miserable. My pro career felt over. ●●●

I changed my grip from overlap to interlock. Finally, after about eight months, I could play. I got my game in shape, and played in All Pro Tour events. In college, you shoot two or three under, and you place pretty well. On the APT, do that and you’re barely making cuts. I learned to go deep more consistently. I got comfortable making the turn at five under. I went from thinking, Oh, my gosh, it’s happening, I could shoot nine under today! To thinking, I’m 100-percent doing this today. ●●●

I played Korn Ferry Q School in 2021 and didn’t get through. A group of guys at Rock Creek sponsored me, which

was incredible. One of my sponsors, Ron Johnston, is a CPA. He asked if I wanted to work in his office to make money in the off-season. I took my work on the road when the next season started. I can’t thank him enough. The paycheck helped me keep up with expenses while creating a backup career. ●●●

Right before Korn Ferry Q School in 2022, I developed arthritis in my pinkie, I think due to the new interlocking grip. That pinkie knuckle is still twice normal-size. I withdrew, didn’t get through again in 2023, wondered if it was time to quit and become a full-time accountant. My parents said, “You’re still young, you’ve got plenty of time to get better, you can still do it.” ●●●

In the middle of the 2024 season, I got through PGA Tour Americas Q School, earning status in Canada, a major confidence boost. That fall, I made it through the first stage of Korn Ferry Q School. Between rounds I worked my accounting job. It was nice to take my mind off golf. I started the second stage with the best round of my life, then followed it up with another 63 to lead by six. It probably wasn’t the right mindset, but going into that third round, I was just trying not to mess it up. Top 12, that’s all we have to do. I finished tied for seventh. That got me to the final stage, where I finished 26th, earning a spot in the first 12 tournaments of the 2025 Korn Ferry season. My buddy who caddied for me cried. ●●●

Right now, I still have two jobs: golf and accounting. My golf winnings and sponsors are funding my golf, and accounting pays for the rest of my life. I’m lucky to keep the two separate. My goal is to make golf my only job, get my investors their money back and be out here competing for as long as I possibly can. JANUARY 2026

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TWO-MINUTE

CLINIC

Sting One out There When you have to find the fairway, this shot is super useful BY CHRIS SPALLA

ONE VALUABLE TEE SHOT FOR players who can generate decent swing speed is the stinger. The intent of it is to fly the ball lower with less spin, so it’s great on windy days or in nail-biting situations when getting the ball in the fairway is crucial. That said, it’s not the easiest shot to execute unless you make certain adjustments to your stance and swing. Here’s what you need to know. —WITH RON KASPRISKE CHRIS SPALLA, one of Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers in America, is director of instruction at the Shingle Creek Golf Club in Orlando.

STEP ONE: Change your setup • Tee it lower than normal • Play the ball slightly further back than your normal driver position • Set your spine angle more veritical • Your weight should still slightly favour your trail foot

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY J.D. CUBAN

STEP TWO: Shorten your backswing • Take the club back until your lead arm is parallel with the ground • Don’t load up and turn way off the ball • Feel like your chest is still hovering over the tee

STEP THREE: Drag the club through • Don’t lash at the ball • Swing into it with 80-percent effort • Feel like you’re dragging the club through behind your body • Focus on body rotation, not a whippy arm swing

STEP FOUR: Deloft the face • Swing through on a level or downward path • Try to reduce dynamic loft on the driver • Start the ball low (it should stay low with less spin) • Feel lower and longer after impact • Restrict your finish (like a knockdown shot)

JANUARY 2026

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TIPS

FROM

THE

TOP

Make More Mid-Range Putts The way you’re reading them might be hurting you BY JAMES SIECKMANN

HE MOST COM MON complaint I hear from golfers at my academy is, “I don’t make enough putts from eight to 20 feet.” I call these putts “difference makers,” because they really do impact your score. To have success with them, it’s all about matching the line of the putt with the proper speed. If you’re simply standing behind the ball and picking a start line for these putts, you’re going to miss a lot more than you make—reading them this way tells you nothing about the speed you need. Instead, use my pre-putt routine. 1. Find the entry point Stand on the opposite side of the cup from your putt and picture the entry point the ball should roll into the hole— 14

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I call it the front door. I put down two sleeves of balls around the hole to form a gateway (above). I’m trying to get the ball to roll through that gate before it drops. 2. Check the slope midway On the walk back to your ball or marker, stop at the mid-point between it and the hole to see if it’s an uphill or downhill putt. It should be obvious from this side view. 3. Visualise the ‘action track’ Keeping the entry point (the front door) in mind, go to your ball and visualise an “action track.” It’s the path the ball should take on its way to the hole. 4. Pick your start line Instead of projecting a line or target out

IT’S A BLEND by the cup, choose You can’t something within a pick a line few feet of your ball to without also roll over or roll past. determining That start line is your the speed. “near target” and the front door is your “far target.” This image of the near target and far target requires one exact speed. If held adequately, it will govern your subconscious and allow you to react athletically, getting the right pace on the ball. Follow these four steps and you will hole more of these differencemaker putts. —WITH RON KASPRISKE JAMES SIECKMANN, one of Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers in America, is based at Shadow Ridge Country Club in Omaha, Nebraska. PHOTOGRAPH BY DOM FURORE

BETTER

SATURDAY

Check Your Setup in the Sand You’ll be a lot more accurate if you get your clubface and body aimed the right way BY JORDAN DEMPSEY

AVER AGE GOLFERS SET up in greenside bunkers in two common ways. Some turn the clubface wide open and stand open. Others are afraid to open the face, so they set it square and stand closed. Both these setups are problematic. The open player can deliver too much loft, and the closed player can dig too much. Control and consistency suffer. Instead, here’s a better way to get the face and your body ready for a great shot. As you step in, rotate the clubface open about 10 degrees and then take your grip. Walk up to STAND AND the ball and set your DELIVER trail foot down with Set up open, your body open to but keep the the target. On this club facing shot (right), my target your target. is the flagstick, but that’s not always the case. Place your front foot and then aim the clubface directly at your target. Keep in mind that the clubface is still open to your stance because you’ve shifted your alignment (top photo, right). That’s it. Set your body slightly open, aim the club at your target, and then swing along your stance line—oh, and enjoy your sand save. —WITH DAVE ALLEN JORDAN DEMPSEY teaches at the

PGA Tour Performance Center at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. PHOTOGRAPHS BY J.D. CUBAN

JANUARY 2026

GOLFDIGESTME.COM 15

RULES

Putting After a Concession In a match, that could get your side in trouble BY RON KASPRISKE

You can guess what happened next: The player whose stroke was conceded hit the putt anyway. Clearly, this was done in an attempt to show his partner the line. There was no hiding behind the rule that allows you to practice on the putting green of the hole you’re playing upon completion of it (Rule 5.5b). The reason? This is a team competition, and the hole is not completed until both players hole out, have their READ IT, strokes conceded or BUT DON’T concede the hole to SHOW IT the other side. A conceded If you’re wonderputt can’t ing what should be struck.

have happened, it’s covered under Rule 23.6. “A player must not continue play of a hole after the player’s next stroke has been conceded if this would help [his or her] partner.” If this rule is ignored, as it happened at the Northeast club match, the partner who has yet to putt no longer matters in terms of the outcome of the hole. His or her score can’t count for the side, so the partner whose shot was conceded now supplies the team’s score for that hole. Keep in mind that there is no penalty, just some bad etiquette and (hopefully) a memorable mistake for the player who tried to game the game.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAN KRUGER/GETTY IMAGES

V E N I N S AT U R DAYmorning matches between old friends, things can get a little chippy when braggingrights is on the line. A recent dust-up that went down at a Northeast country club (and one that probably happens a fair amount around the globe) surfaced an interesting rules conundrum. In a four-ball match, partners on the putting green had their golf balls on a similar line. The player who was likely to make a higher score was about to hit the putt to show his partner the break. The opposing team, wise in its ways, saw what was about to happen and immediately conceded the putt.

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FRO M T HE ARC HIVES

Fuzzy’s Cure for Your Slice Adjust your setup to change your path BY LUKE KERR-DINEEN

ACK IN 1984, JUST months before his U.S. Open victory at Winged Foot, Fuzzy Zoeller said in Golf Digest’s April issue that his unusual setup move with the driver helped improve his accuracy off the tee. It’s also one that can help you turn a slice into a fade—or even a draw. Zoeller would slide the clubhead away from him at address so that the heel of the driver was behind the ball (below). “This tells me to pull the heel of the clubhead down first in my downswing. With that little slide, I get away from that over-the-top swinging motion.” Many amateurs incorrectly whip the club inside the target line on the backswing and then have no choice but to re-route it “over the top” of the line on the downswing, Zoeller says. This typically sets the clubface open in relation to the path and causes a slice. The adjustment prompted Zoeller to take the club back outside the target line and then loop it inside coming down—the opposite of the slice move. Think of it as a figure-eight motion going from out to in. Zoeller’s thought of leading down with the heel sets the club on the proper in-to-out path. “You need something to remind you to do certain things in your swing,” he said. “It just works for me—and might do the same for you.”

ILLUSTRATION BY JIM MCQUEEN

JANUARY 2026

GOLFDIGESTME.COM 17

YOUR

QUESTIONS

How to Keep Your Distance When You Lose Speed

IS THERE EQUIPMENT THAT CAN HELP ME REGAIN DISTANCE? I’M 62 AND 20 YARDS SHORTER THAN 10 YEARS AGO. There are few scenarios in golf more dejecting than no longer being able to carry that bunker at the corner of the dogleg or having to go up two clubs on your favourite par 3. Although equipment by itself probably won’t erase a 20yard loss, optimising your launch and spin conditions is a great place to start. As swing speed drops, launch conditions are likely to change. If you’re launching the ball too low or spinning it too much, try adjusting loft. You can fiddle with driver settings, but it’s better to see a clubfitter. At least use a launch monitor to compare results. Rapsodo’s MLM2Pro, which we use at our Hot List testing, is reliable and portable. You also should consider a lighter shaft. That can increase swing speed, but it might not produce a better strike. 18

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A lighter club can HAVING A BALL Fred Couples lead to wild golf swings, but see if found power and control with it works for you. a ball change. With the irons, if you’re still swinging heavy steel shafts, a lightweight steel or graphite option could help. Also, a number of today’s irons have springier clubfaces. In wedges, a cavity-back head style and lighter shaft might be easier to hit than traditional muscleback wedges. Don’t forget your golf ball. You can customise it for a more efficient flight. For example, you can’t hit Bridgestone’s Tour B X with medium speed and expect much distance. Just ask Fred Couples. “At this point in my career, the Tour B RX [for swings under 105 mph] fits me best,” Couples says. “I can swing smooth and get the distance and control I want.” In short, there’s no silver bullet. Add up a few small gains, and you’ll see a difference. Are you going to find 20 yards? With the driver, it’s possible. The best approach is to check for deficiencies with your current equipment.

“Buying online” can mean a lot of things. There are reputable sites like Golf Galaxy and PGA Tour Superstore, then there are massive auction sites like eBay. Most sellers are legit, but the internet is a haven for counterfeiters targeting people who buy on faith. First, look at the product photos and the seller profile. If the seller is offering multiples of one item and the images look like glam shots, that’s a caution flag, especially with a new model. It’s strange if someone is trying to dump current models at a steep discount. Let’s say you bought a club and aren’t sure. Here are a few things you can do to see if you’ve been duped. Check the font of the manufacturer’s logo and compare it to a logo from the company website. Counterfeit fonts often are slightly off, usually darker or thicker. If the club is supposed to have a carbon crown, tap a coin on it (above). If it rings like a bell, you’ve been had. Only titanium or stainless steel will ring. If the seller says the club is titanium and a magnet clings to it, it’s a fake. Magnets don’t stick to titanium. Finally, smell the grip: Counterfeiters often use cheap rubber that has a pungent odor. Bottom line: Stick with an authorised dealer. It simply isn’t worth the risk. Answers by Golf Digest equipment editors Mike Stachura, E. Michael Johnson and Jonathan Wall

COUPLES BY KEVIN C. COX/GETTY IMAGES; CLUB IMAGE BY STEPHEN DENTON

Q: I’M PLANNING TO BUY A SET OF WOODS ONLINE. HOW CAN I TELL IF THEY’RE AUTHENTIC?

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GEAR

TOUR

What’s in My Bag Bud Cauley

GOLFDIGESTME.COM

JANUARY 2026

WEIGHTY MATTERS ON THE GREENS

Cauley’s putter is a Scotty Cameron Timeless Newport 2. Its head weight is on the light side, at 340 grams, but Cauley prefers more heft, so he adds lead tape on the bottom. “Extra weight helps with my takeaway and makes my stroke more consistent,” he says.

FLIGHT CLUB

FOUR’S A CHARM

MARK THAT SPOT

PENCILS DOWN

This 48-degree Titleist Vokey SM10 wedge also features some lead tape to help Cauley get the flatter trajectory he wants to see.

Cauley hadn’t been to the RBC Heritage since 2020, so last spring he grabbed some Harbour Town ball markers. PHOTOGRAPHS BY JON JAFFE

JANUARY 2026

Cauley’s grandfather found this four-leaf clover in his yard. Is it lucky? Cauley has made 11 holes-in-one.

If a scorekeeping pencil breaks, not a problem. Cauley keeps a stash in his bag from most weeks he plays. GOLFDIGESTME.COM 21

E D I T E D

Yee-haw!

B Y

S T E P H E N

The next great golf resort in the U.S. is in a ranch town in Colorado with less than 500 people. A solo development by Sand Valley co-owner Michael Keiser, its first course will open in 2026 for founders and VIPs before opening to the public in 2027. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw got the first crack, and Coore says Rodeo Dunes is “without question” the most bold and brawny course yet from his firm, with a number of blind shots dictated by the abrupt chop dunes. Check out the thrilling short par-4 17th, shown here. Six courses are planned on this 4,000-plus-acre site, which is 40 minutes from the Denver airport. You can make tee times for 2027 starting in February 2026.

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H E N N E S S E Y

PHOTOGRAPH BY JEFF MARSH

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ADVENTURERS

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‘To Play Three Links as if They Were One’ Retracing Walter Hagen’s 54-hole loop in England BY JAMIE KENNEDY

I DON’T HAVE A LOT IN common with Walter Hagen. I looked. He was born in 1892. I was born in 1985. He lived in New York. I live in Edinburgh. He was 5-10. I am 6-3. He won 11 major championships. I’ve won zero (at the time of writing). However, for one day, I was going to walk in the footsteps of “The Haig.” In 1920, Walter Hagen was excited to make his debut at The Open Championship. He arrived early at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club on the southeast coast of England. His first order of business was to get acclimatised to the links turf. He and his friend and fellow pro Jim Barnes set off early for a practice round. When the pair reached the 11th hole, Hagen noticed more flags in the distance. Barnes told Hagen they belonged to Royal St. George’s Golf Club, which in time would host 15 Open Championships. Rather than looping back down the Kent coast and the back nine of Cinque Ports, the pair hopped a fence and picked up their A GRAND game at Royal St. SHOTGUN START George’s on the Hole No. 14 sixth hole. at Royal St. Fast forward George’s was another nine holes hole No. 38. PHOTOGRAPHS BY PITCHMARK MEDIA

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ADVENTURERS

and they reached the thin wire fence that marks the boundary with Prince’s Golf Club, which hosted the Open in 1932. Once again, Hagen and Barnes scaled the fence and teed off on a new course. By the time their tour was over, they had played 54 holes, 18 on all three courses. It’s important to understand that these three English links aren’t just nearby one another; they are practically laid out on the same land. In his book The Walter Hagen Story, Hagen would document their marathon day, explaining the goal was simply to “play the three links as if they were one.” The loop became known as the SWINGING SNAPPY Hagen 54. Dr. Simon In the summer of Barton 2025, the three clubs channels the came together to lay fashion of Walter Hagen. out the historic route

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once again—and I scored an invitation. As I stepped onto the sixth tee at Princes, hole 20 of the routing and my designated starting point for the grand shotgun start at 5:30 a.m., I could see dozens of holes and flags fluttering in the early glow of sunrise. A horn sounded across the three links, and we were off. Prince’s Golf Club was converted from the original 18 to a 27-hole facility following severe damage to the land during World War II. For today’s adventure, we played the Shore and Himalayas nines. When we finished, Rob McGuirk, the club’s general manager, was waiting for us by the green with a smile, some words of inspiration and a bag of freshly made sausage rolls for the group. The fuel was much needed as we headed through a cut in the wire fence over to Royal St. George’s.

Often, courses start with a sort of handshake opening hole. However, with this commemorative routing, laid out over 100 years ago by Hagen and Barnes, we were met with more of an arm-wrestle. The par-5 14th hole is one of the most famous holes on the course. It put an end to Dustin Johnson’s run towards a Claret Jug in 2011 when his second shot in the final round sailed out–of-bounds to the Prince’s Golf Club side of the fence. We made it to the opening hole at Royal St. George’s at around 11 a.m., which meant we were 23 holes into the day. As we enjoyed more refreshments in the shade of the iconic, Victorianstyle starter’s hut, we wondered what Hagen and Barnes would have been thinking in this spot. Hagen, from Rochester, New York, had never been on British soil ahead of his visit here in 1920. Clearly, though, something about the place appealed to him. He would go on to lift the Claret Jug not once but twice, just steps from where we stood on the first tee at Royal St. George’s. Behind the fourth green, we enjoyed a glance at the former home of Ian Fleming, the author and proud St. George’s member who created the world of James Bond. In his book, Hagen said, “After playing eleven holes on the Deal course, we hopped a fence over to Sandwich [Royal St. George’s] and played ten holes there.” In the interest of time and navigation, the clubs had arranged buses to shuttle us between St. George’s and Royal Cinque Ports. However, my playing partner, Sean of New England, wanted a more authentic experience. Rather than walk through the hole cut in the fence, he climbed it. Around 1 p.m., now onto our third course and hole 29 of 54, the weather arrived. A few drops here, misty rain there and then proper English rain. Midway through a back nine, one might embrace this sort of challenge: It is links golf after all. However, we still had 25 holes to play. As we walked off the 18th green at Cinque Ports and headed toward the temporary shelter on the first tee, we were greeted by staff from the club, complete with smiles, warm coffee and

“Neil, our loyal forecaddie, informed us we were about to play 19 holes into the wind in the rain.” sandwiches. We needed all three, in that order. While the pro at Cinque Ports escorted Larry, an author from Vermont and one of my playing partners, to the shop to loan him some “better” waterproofs, the rest of the group headed down the first fairway to the furthest point south of our day. This is where Hagen and Barnes started their journey. If the weather had been similar on their day in 1920, we probably wouldn’t have been playing 54 holes on this day. After the opening hole at Cinque Ports, we turned north to play the second hole. Neil, our loyal forecaddie, informed us we were now about to play 19 holes into the wind in the rain. As we boarded one last mini-bus for the journey back to the fence that Sean climbed over four hours earlier, our

driver read us a Hagen quote about his marathon. “Scores? I’ve forgotten. We weren’t trying to break any records. We were just lucky to go that far. We did it for fun.” The driver could tell that beyond battling for scores, we were now battling just for enjoyment. After toweling ourselves down, we headed to the short sixth at Royal St. George’s. Larry was very wet. He now wore a “borrowed” club towel around his shoulders underneath his jacket and looked more like a linebacker than a golfer. He teed up his ball on the 150-yard par 3 and found the green. With raindrops cascading off his clothing, he rolled in the 20-foot birdie putt. We were instantly reminded why we were there: fun! More fun came on the short 10th hole. By this point, I had ruined four gloves and was gripping with bare hands. They slipped, and I topped my drive, My ball tumbled straight and barely reached the fairway. Neil, a St. George’s lifer, had used the same yardage book, complete with detailed notes and annotations, for years. When he pulled it from his pocket, it was practically pulp. I felt bad for him, but like a true caddie, he peeled the pages apart

to give me my yardage—194 yards. “Come on, one more good swing,” he said. He could sense my energy level as we passed the 12-hour mark of our “loop.” Like magic, I summoned whatever energy and grip I had to send the ball with my six-iron toward the perched green—to two feet. We played 54 holes in a little over 13 hours. After a quick—who am I kidding?— long shower in the lodge, I sat with a well earned drink. I thought about Hagen and Barnes doing the same loop over 100 years ago. I thought about the sunrise we enjoyed as we started. I thought about the laughs and the sausage rolls. I thought about the friendly members, scattered throughout the day, each with a unique story and smile to share. I thought about the bus driver’s words of wisdom and Neil’s poor yardage book. Ultimately, now warm and sitting comfortably, I thought about the fun we’d had, walking in the footsteps of “The Haig,” all 39,000 of them, according to my Fitbit. CARRY ON

The walk to hole No. 20 of The Hagen 54 at Prince’s Golf Club.

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DP WORLD TOUR

2026 MIDDLE EAST SWING 28

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3 4 2

Dubai Invitational

DUBAI CREEK RESORT Dubai, UAE Jan 15-18 Prize Fund: USD$2.75 Million Past Winner: Tommy Fleetwood

Hero Dubai Desert Classic

MOZZZ/ADOBE STOCK

The DP World Tour begins its annual Middle East Swing this month with four consecutive events, starting with the Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort, where headline names of Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy are already confirmed for another duel around the Creek. After the opener in Dubai, the Tour makes the short trip down the coast to Emirates Golf Club for the 37th Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Tyrrell Hatton returns as defending champion, while McIlroy will be aiming for a record fifth Dallah Trophy when the Rolex Series event begins on 22 January. The run continues with the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on 29 January at Royal Golf Club, before wrapping up with the Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club starting 5 February.

EMIRATES GOLF CLUB Dubai, UAE Jan 22-25 Prize Fund: USD$9 Million (Rolex Series) Past Winner: Tyrrell Hatton

Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship 3

ROYAL GOLF CLUB Kingdom of Bahrain, Bahrain Jan 29 – Feb 01 Prize Fund: USD$2.75 Million Past Winner: Laurie Canter 4

Qatar Masters

DOHA GOLF CLUB Doha Qatar Feb 05-08 Prize Fund: USD$2.75 Million Past Winner: Haotong Li

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Dubai Creek, looking good! Course upgrades, firmer greens and a tougher test await players for the Dubai Invitational BY HARRY WELLS Golf Course Superintendent Dubai Creek Resort

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY BY THE CLUB

miss the putting surfaces. Other than that, not too much has changed. Our main defences at Dubai Creek are the rough and the firmness of the greens. We’re a full Bermuda golf course, with ultra-dwarf TifEagle on the greens and Tifway 419 Bermuda on tees, fairways, roughs and approaches. The greens are quite small, so we can get them firm and bouncy, which makes it difficult to keep the ball on the surface. If it runs off into the rough, it can be thick and tough to play from. That’s the balance we’re aiming for again this year to make the course more defensible. There are some very special holes at Dubai Creek. Holes five and six are particularly memorable. The par-three fifth looks out over the city with the Burj Khalifa in the background, while the par-four sixth features the iconic floating tee box. Personally, I think the standout stretch is the closing run of 16, 17 and 18. They’re three very demanding holes, especially the 18th. With the wind coming in off the Creek, it becomes a long par four over water, with danger on both sides. You can either win it or lose it on that hole. The finishing stretch really is something special, especially with the iconic sail clubhouse overlooking the course. With golf being so popular and courses seeing heavy traffic throughout the year here, we have to stay on top of maintaining it. We deliver the best possible playing experience for our members and guests, and we’re looking forward to welcoming everyone back for the Dubai Invitational this month.

t’s been a busy couple

of years since the last Dubai Invitational. We’ve seen significant investment across the property and, from a golf course perspective, we’ve installed a brand-new irrigation system. It’s the latest technology on the market and has drastically improved turf conditions throughout. We’ve also built a new short-game practice facility, which now puts us right up there with the best in the country. We’ve even had time to build 18 new villas on the old par-three course, which now features a brand-new Himalaya-style putting course in the middle and has just been completed. It’s been a big investment to uplift the property over the last few years, but it’s really exciting to be part of. We learned a few bits from the 2024 Dubai Invitational, on areas that we can improve on, but nothing major. For example, we’re growing the rough earlier before the weather cools down, which allows it to get thicker and juicier. We’re obviously a very busy golf course throughout the year, so we have to manage wear carefully to ensure it doesn’t affect tournament week too much. We’ve also adjusted a couple of grass lines around the greens to make them juicier, adding a bit more of a test if players

You can either win it or lose it on the 18th hole”

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H E AV Y W E I G H T S HEADLINE

HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC F L E E T W O O D , H AT T O N , H OV L A N D , L O W R Y & M C I L R OY ARE BEING SUMMONED TO THE MAJLIS

he Hero Dubai Desert Classic has never been short on star power, and this year’s edition is shaping up as one of the most enthralling in recent memory. When the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of the year tees off at Emirates Golf Club from January 22 to 25, it will do so with a field that reflects both the tournament’s deep history and the current strength of the global game. World Number Two Rory McIlroy’s return once again provides the spotlight. The four-time Hero Dubai Desert Classic champion will mark 20 years since he first played the tournament as an amateur back in 2006, a milestone that mirrors just how close-

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ly his career has been intertwined with this event. McIlroy’s first professional victory came on the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club in 2009, and subsequent wins in 2015, 2023 and 2024 have turned Dubai into one of the most significant stops of his season. “I came to the Desert Classic as a teenager, following Tiger and soaking it all in,” McIlroy said. “To later debut here and win it four times shows how much this tournament has been part of my journey from the very start.” Now chasing a record fifth Dallah Trophy, the World Number Two spoke openly about what the week still means to him. “The support in Dubai has been incredible from the start, which is why this event means so

PHOTOGRAPHS JASON BUTLER, JONATHAN DIMAGGIO, ROSS KINNAIRD, RICHARD HEATHCOTE, HENRY NICHOLLS/GETTY IMAGES

BY HARRY G RI M SHAW

PHOTOGRAPH RICHARD HEATHCOTE/GETTY IMAGES

much to me,” he added. “Having the chance to chase a fifth win in 2026 is hugely exciting and motivating.” Defending champion Tyrrell Hatton arrives with confidence after a 2025 season that strengthened his reputation as one of Europe’s most dependable performers. His one-shot victory at Emirates Golf Club last year set the tone for a memorable year for the Englishman that included major championship contention and a pivotal role in Europe’s Ryder Cup success at Bethpage Black in September. “I’m delighted to be heading back to Emirates Golf Club to defend my title,” Hatton said. “It’s a golf course that has really suited my game over the years, and the week at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic back in January was incredibly special for me. “It’s always good to go back to a place where you’ve won before, and I’m really excited to have a chance to contend for the title again.” Hatton will once again be joined by Dubai resident Tommy Fleetwood, whose connection to the tournament runs just as deep. The Englishman will be making his 15th consecutive appearance in the tournament, continuing on a streak that stretches back to his first season as a professional. Fleetwood returns after a landmark year that included the PGA Tour’s FedExCup title and another shining role in Europe’s Ryder Cup victory. “It’s been an incredible year, winning the FedExCup and being part of that special Ryder Cup victory for Europe,” Fleetwood said. “I always enjoy starting my season in Dubai and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic has become a tournament that I love. “I’m looking forward to teeing it up close to home in front of friends and family once again and trying to get my hands on that famous Dallah Trophy.” The European Ryder Cup vibe runs deep throughout the field. Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Ireland’s Shane Lowry both return to a tournament that has played host to key moments in their careers. Hovland,

I T ’ S A LWAYS G O O D T O G O BACK TO A PLACE WHERE YOU ’VE WON BE FORE , A N D I ’ M R E A L LY E XC I T E D TO H AV E A C H A N C E TO CONTEND FOR THE TITLE A G A I N . - T Y R R E L L H AT T O N

LOOKING BACK

Tyrrell Hatton returns as defending champion

the 2022 champion, rediscovered his winning form last season with his 11th professional title as the 28-year-old returns to fond memories of the Majlis course. “Winning here in 2022 was really cool, and it’s always a great place to start the year,” Hovland said. “The tournament is one of the highlights of the season – great golf course, great weather, and I’m looking forward to competing for the Dallah trophy again.” Lowry, making his 10th appearance and his first since 2023, arrives fresh from one of the defining moments of his career, having holed the decisive putt that ensured Europe retained the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. “There were some incredible moments in 2025, particularly at Bethpage Black,” Lowry said. “Now I’m looking forward to getting 2026 off to a positive start by returning to Dubai for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. “I’ve played this tournament many times over the years, and I always love being back at Emirates Golf Club. It’s a fantastic way to start the year.” Adding further intrigue is the debut of Dustin Johnson. The two-time major champion and former World Number One will play the Hero Dubai Desert Classic for the first time, drawn by the event’s history and reputation. “When you look at past champions like Seve, Tiger and Rory, you know it’s a really prestigious tournament with incredible history,” Johnson said. “I’m excited to compete for the Dallah Trophy and be part of what is always a world-class field.” The field will also be bolstered by some of the games biggest and brightest stars including Ryan Fox, Padraig Harrington, Tom McKibbin and Joaquin Niemann. The tournament also continues its tradition of offering opportunities to the next generation. University of Texas senior Christiaan Maas, ranked No. 2 in the PGA TOUR University Class of 2026, has earned an exemption, following in the footsteps of recent graduates who used Dubai as a launchpad to professional success. The Hero Dubai Desert Classic continues to remain a leader in sustainability and player wellbeing. GEOcertified for a third straight year, the event will again feature its Mental Fitness Zone, alongside a growing emphasis on greener transport options for fans. With a field this stacked with pedigree, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic once again looks set to deliver a week worthy of its status as the Middle East’s flagship golf event.

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CON STRUCTI NG A V I C TO RY INSIDE THE HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC W I T H RYA N F OX A N D ARENA, BUILDING ONE OF GOLF’S MOST ICONIC WEEKS

WITH HARRY G RI M SHAW

Ryan, you’ve been involved with Arena for three years now. How special has that journey been? It’s been great being an Arena ambassador. They’ve obviously got a huge involvement in golf, but the relationship actually started in a pretty organic way actually through the Hero Dubai Desert Classic a few years ago, just by doing a Q&A in their hospitality suite. Everything clicked from there! What’s been really cool is learning about what goes on behind the scenes at golf tournaments. As players, we just turn up and everything’s there, it looks amazing for a week, then you leave and it’s the same story at the next event. You don’t really think about how much work goes into it. Seeing how long the builds take, the challenges of putting up temporary structures, fitting them out, and then tearing everything down again has been eye-opening. The way they can make a temporary structure feel permanent from the inside is serious-

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PHOTOGRAPH JOSH CHADWICK/GETTY IMAGES

he New Zealander is set for his 10th start at Emirates Golf Club, in a tournament he grew up watching on TV and one that continues to set the benchmark for atmosphere on the DP World Tour. Away from the ropes, Fox’s long-standing partnership with Arena has given him a unique perspective on what goes into staging one of the game’s most iconic weeks. Ahead of this year’s championship, Fox reflects on Dubai, his role with Arena and why the Hero Dubai Desert Classic remains one of the standout stops on the global golf calendar.

In terms of the Majlis golf course at Emirates Golf Club, holes like 9th and 18th are defined by the hospitality and the amphitheatre feel around the greens. Playing those holes without it almost feels strange. You see the same thing at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on the 18th hole, which Arena also fits out. Without the structure it feels like something’s missing, but during the tournament the atmosphere is unbelievable. Knowing now how much effort goes into building that for just one week makes it even more impressive. The tournament also manage to make it feel slightly different every year, which keeps it fresh. It’s an amazing way to start the season.

ly impressive. It’s a massive operation and learning more about that side of the sport has been very cool. It’s been a great partnership and hopefully it continues for a long time.

PHOTOGRAPH RICHARD HEATHCOTE/GETTY IMAGES

It must be nice having a sponsor you’re involved with regularly at tournaments that you’re actually competing in? Yeah, it’s really cool. A lot of what we do together happens at tournaments, which makes sense given how involved Arena are across the schedule. Whether it’s dinners, hospitality visits or Q&As, it all works really well. They’ve also got a team that genuinely loves golf. A lot of the guys play, they follow it closely, and that passion comes through. It’s really nice to be part of something where everyone’s genuinely invested in the sport. How does the Hero Dubai Desert Classic compare to other global events you play? The Hero Dubai Desert Classic is an incredible event. The field is always strong, the course is fun to play and still presents plenty of challenges. Spending a couple of weeks in Dubai is pretty hard to beat as well. It’s very different to what I grew up with in New Zealand, and that’s something I’ve always enjoyed about travelling. Even if you’ve been to Dubai a lot, there’s always something new to see.

ABOVE

Ryan will be making his 10th start in the event this year OPPOSITE PAGE

The Kiwi has 19 wins worldwide

This will be your 10th Hero Dubai Desert Classic. How would you gauge your record around the Majlis? I’ve made a decent number of cuts and had a couple of solid weeks. For me, it’s often been more about where it sits in the year than the golf course itself. Coming straight off the New Zealand summer, it’s usually been my first or second event of the season and I’ve sometimes felt a bit scratchy. Last year was different though, I was coming off a 12-week injury break and actually played really well, finishing inside the top-10, I think. Most years it feels like there are positive signs, I just haven’t quite put four rounds together. I’m hoping 2026 is the year that I come out of the blocks a bit faster. It’s an event I’d love to be in contention on Sunday. The atmosphere and crowds are fantastic and it’s one I watched a lot growing up on TV. That excitement still hasn’t worn off now. With you success across both sides of the pond, do you class yourself as a global player now? I’d like to think so. The last couple of years in the US have probably shifted the focus a bit more that way, especially this past season, but that’s just how the system works. I still love playing the DP World Tour. I love the travel and getting to play in places like Dubai, London, St Andrews, Paris and all-around Europe. We’ve also just been to Melbourne and Brisbane, which was great. I want to keep playing both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour for as long as I can. I’m not getting any younger, and the travel doesn’t get easier, especially with a young family, but I still feel like I’ve got the game to compete. I’d like to stay a global player for a while yet.

KNOWING NOW HOW MUCH EFFORT GOES I N T O B U I L D I N G T H AT F O R J U S T O N E W E E K MAKES IT EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE.

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HOW TO WIN AROUND

The Majlis Three crucial holes that can make or break your round

HOLE 8 | PAR 4 | 459 YARDS | STROKE INDEX 3 RAFA CABRERA BELLO: Beautiful tee shot with the skyscrapers in the background. Very exposed to the wind too. Also, you would like to cut over as much of the desert as you can, but very wind dependent on how much you can chew on. There’s a palm tree that normally is a very good reference point for most players of how far right you want to finish the drive and still be in the fairway. Favouring the left side is clearly safer, but also not a freebie since many years there thick rough that makes the second shot pretty hard. I feel the second shot always plays a little longer than the math. Definitely not a green you want to miss long. Left and right misses might be fine unless you’ve really short sided yourself. Green has a big slope from back to front that makes chipping from pin high tricky. Middle of the green in days the hole is playing long because of the wind is normally a good result. With no wind and a good drive you can be a bit more aggressive but I feel that with a par you’re gaining on the field.

TOM OGILVIE: This is my favourite tee shot in the UAE. A slight dogleg to the right usually plays into a prevailing wind, so try to hug the left side of the fairway. A fully committed drive is required, which will leave you a mid to long iron into the green. My top tip here is to double-check where the flag is on the green. From down below in the fairway, you can’t see the bottom of the flag. If it sits at the back, do not go long of the green. Leaving yourself below the hole will give you a much easier chip, or hopefully a putt, up the green for birdie. Enjoy it, it’s a cracker. 36

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PHOTOGRAPHS DAVID CANNON, KARIM SAHIB/GETTY IMAGES

our-time DP World Tour winner and 2012 Dubai Desert Classic champion Rafa Cabrera Bello shares his strategic insights on three of the Majlis’ most pivotal holes, while Emirates Golf Club Senior Teaching Professional Tom Ogilvie explains how amateurs can tackle those same challenges.

HOLE 17 | PAR 4 | 359 YARDS | STROKE INDEX 16 RAFA CABRERA BELLO: Drivable par four always gives a lot of options. Most of the really long hitters will give it a try almost daily, but someone like myself has to take other things into consideration before taking it on. Firstly, the wind – into the wind is a no go for me, I’ll probably hit a 3 iron or 5 wood straight to the middle of the fairway. It looks like a very wide fairway off the tee, and it is, but you could end up in the right side of the fairway and be blocked by some very well placed palm trees, so when I’m playing safe off the tee, it takes good commitment to look for the middle, even the left side so that the shot to the green is unobstructed. If we have a downwind breeze, then the driver comes into play. I personally need my absolute best drive to reach the green, so with thick rough around the green I will check for the pin position. Any pins in the right-hand side of the green, especially the back right one, and I will also play safe from the tee. For me the ideal pin to go for it will be the back left pin, because if I don’t reach the green, I will have still have a lot of room and green to use for the chip shot. Very exciting hole that can allow from eagle to bogey or worse in a very narrow margin.

TOM OGILVIE: The 17th is a real birdie chance. If you’re feeling confident with the driver, take it on. You’ll need to aim slightly right and carry it over the trees. It’s a short par 4 which, for the longer hitter, can get you close to the green or leave a short pitch into a narrow target. For the more conservative golfer, a 3 wood or long iron from the tee will leave a short to mid iron in. A generously wide fairway awaits, but the green is significantly longer than it is wide, so an accurate approach is required.

HOLE 18 | PAR 5 | 546 YARDS | STROKE INDEX 12 RAFA CABRERA BELLO: Tough tee shot to hit the fairway. Very narrow ‘actual’ fairway if you want to take it on in two. Ideally, a high draw is what most guys will try to hit, but if you just draw it a tiny bit too much because of the angle of the dogleg it will make it very difficult to carry. On the other hand, if you don’t draw the ball enough you could run through the fairway into the rough and/or leave yourself too long of a second shot to go for the green. If you’re laying up, it could be crucial to hit the fairway and leave yourself a comfortable number to the pin. For the pins on the left, it’s much easier, the green is way deeper and there is a slope that will help you stop the ball if you’re coming out of the rough and even feed it close to the hole depending on the pin placement. For the typical Sunday pin that is tuck on the right, the green will be pretty short for your landing area. Water short will be an immediate penalty, and the bunker long will most likely force you to play safe out, not even going at the pin, costing you a very disappointing and likely bogey to finish. Assuming you’ve hit a great drive and you’re in range to go for it it’s a very inviting shot to actually go for it. Again, pin placement will make it easier or tougher specially for the eagle chance. You have room left, and a grandstand long left that will allow you to hit an extra club if you can’t afford to go in the lake. The up and downs from the left are very makeable, but get tougher the further right the pin is. And if you’ve managed to hit the green you’ll be happy to have the eagle chance.

PHOTOGRAPHS FRANCOIS NEL, RYAN LIM/GETTY IMAGES

TOM OGILVIE: This is fantastic par 5 finishing hole that shapes from right to left and really tests your bravery. The more you cut the corner, the shorter the second shot becomes, which may give you the chance to take on the green over the water. Colin Montgomerie famously hit driver off the deck here to claim the 1996 European Tour Shot of the Year, so keep an eye out for his plaque. For those who lay up, a straightforward mid to long iron will leave a short approach over the water. If you decide to take on the green, the conservative line is up the left side, which leaves a pitch across the green. Sloping from back to front, a slippery putt awaits if you find yourself past the flag, putting back towards the water. JANUARY 2026

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1999

Originally named Riffa Golf Club, Bahrain’s first grass golf course, designed by Karl Litten opened in 1999. Spanning roughly 65 hectares, the original layout marked a major milestone for the game in the Kingdom and laid the foundation for future international ambition.

2005 The club gained early tournament pedigree in 2005 and 2006, hosting the Arcapita Senior Tour Championship on the European Senior Tour. Des Smyth claimed victory in 2005, followed by Gordon J. Brand the following year.

From Riffa

COLIN MONTGOMERIE’S VISION CREATED A GLOBAL GOLFING DESTINATION

2024 to present

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PHOTOGRAPHS GETTY IMAGES

The DP World Tour made its long-awaited return to Bahrain in 2024 as Dylan Frittelli won the inaugural edition, with Laurie Canter lifting the trophy in 2025. The 2026 edition of the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship is now within touching distance, as the club continues its modern tournament legacy.

2007

In 2007, the venue hosted the inaugural King Hamad Trophy, which is still being played this day, a landmark moment that also saw the course officially renamed the Royal Golf Club, reflecting its growing status within regional and international golf.

To Royal International tournament golf returned in 2011 when the Royal Golf Club hosted the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions on the then European Tour. Paul Casey claimed the title, further cementing the venue’s reputation as a stage capable of testing the world’s best players.

2008 2011

A major transformation followed in 2008 with the opening of the redesigned Montgomerie Course. Created by Colin Montgomerie alongside Robin Hiseman of European Golf Design, the layout retained the original clubhouse site but none of the previous holes. The occasion was marked by the Riffa Views Invitational, won by Retief Goosen. JANUARY 2026

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SOKOLOV’S STAGE THIS YOUNG QATARI AMATEUR HAS BUILT A RESUME THAT WOULD BE IMPRESSIVE AT ANY AGE

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AT JUST 14, YES 14!

Daniil Sokolov is already a rising star within golf in the Middle East. A string of wins across the Arab Golf Series, strong showings on international junior tours, and a handful of professional cuts already under his belt, this young Qatari amateur has built a résumé that would be impressive at any age. Come February, he will be pegging it up at Doha Golf Club for his third Qatar Masters appearance on the DP World Tour, stepping onto the same fairways that first sparked his love for the game and a place he now calls home. “Every time I get the chance to tee it up on the DP World Tour, it feels a bit unreal,” Sokolov says. “Playing at home makes it even more emotional. I remember coming here as a small kid, watching the tournament and dreaming about being inside the ropes one day. Now I’m actually playing.” That first visit came in 2016, when he was just five years old. It was the first golf tournament he ever watched, and the atmosphere of the Qatar Masters left a lasting impression. “Honestly, I think that moment is where my love for golf really started,” he says. Daniil is lucky enough to call Doha Golf Club his home course and the base of the Qatar National Golf Team. Over the past few years, he has experienced it as a true championship test, particularly when February winds in the Gulf sweep across the desert. “Over the last two or three years, the course has improved a lot and now feels truly one of the best in the world,” he says. “When it’s windy, you really have to stay patient and think your way around the course. And when it’s set up for the DP World Tour, it becomes a completely different challenge.”

PHOTOGRAPHS JASON BUTLER/ASIAN TOUR & OCTAVIO PASSOS/GETTY IMAGES

Doha Golf Club is Daniil’s home track and the base of the Qatar National Golf Team

Stretched to over 7,500 yards, the Peter Haradine designed Doha Golf Club demands discipline. The 634-yard ninth hole and the water-lined 15th are punishing tests, while the short par-4 16th, Sokolov’s favourite, offers the chance for reward. As a PUMA Golf and Cobra Golf ambassador, Daniil is also represented by Modest! Golf, which plays an important role in his development and tournament pathway, thanks to his +6.8 handicap! “At this level, I can already compete on professional setups, including DP World Tour courses. But to really challenge at the top on those courses, you need to be closer to +9 or +10. That’s what I’m working to.” 2025 was hands down a breakthrough one for Daniil. On the Arab Golf Series, he won in Jordan and Egypt, claiming the Pan Arab Junior Championship in the Under-16 category. He also won the Abu Dhabi Golf Club Championship, The Cedars Junior Championship and finished on the podium in Bahrain, at the GCC Championship, and at the Qatar Amateur Open. “Those experiences taught me a lot about handling pressure and learning how to close tournaments,” he says. One highlight was qualifying for the US Junior Amateur through a playoff, making him the first golfer from Qatar to reach a USGA Championship. “The pressure was huge, and when it was over, it honestly felt unreal. It’s something I’m extremely proud of, and it’s an experience I’ll always remember.” Internationally, Sokolov has competed on Stephen Curry’s Underrated Golf Tour, presented by KPMG, at iconic courses including PGA West, TPC Sawgrass, and Liberty National. “Playing Liberty National felt like a real step closer to the level I want to reach,” he says. As mentioned, he has also begun testing himself in the professional ranks. Making cuts at the Aramco Invitational and the Asian Tour’s season-ending Saudi Open presented by PIF being a significant confidence boost. “Playing rounds three and four on a professional tour shows you a completely different level of golf,” he says. “That’s where things get really intense, and I know I still have a lot of work to do.” Representing Qatar remains central to Daniil’s current focus. He competes for the national team in both Men’s and Under-16 events and currently ranks as the top player in Qatar and the GCC on WAGR. “Being able to wear the national colours is something I’m very proud of,” he says. As the Qatar Masters approaches, Sokolov’s goal is to perform, learn, and enjoy playing at home. “After making the cut on the Asian Tour, the minimum goal is to make the cut again, play all four rounds, and show that my game belongs at this level.” JANUARY 2026

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THE COOLEST RECORDS IN GOLF

We rank the achievements least likely to be equaled

Most Majors Some say the count is 18, while others argue Jack Nicklaus’ two U.S. Amateurs make 20. Either way, the man who took up golf when he was 10 years old in 1950, the same year Golf Digest was founded, holds the game’s coolest record. Nicklaus also appeared on our cover 38 times, more than any other subject.

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2. SIX STRAIGHT USGA TITLES Of all Tiger’s countless and sublime feats, it’s inconceivable his winning streak of three U.S. Junior Amateur titles followed by three U.S. Amateur titles will ever be matched. Achieved during ages 15-20, he became Golf Digest’s youngest playing editor at 22.

NICKLAUS PHOTOGRAPH BY R&A CHAMPIONSHIPS/CONTRIBUTOR BROOKSHIRE PHOTOGRAPH BY BRENT HUMPREYS

3. MOST CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS As of this writing, Arlene McKitrick, 78, of Longboat Key Club in Florida, has won 116 club championship titles across 12 clubs. She started playing golf at age 30 at Congressional C.C. near Washington, D.C., and her passion for the game has survived several medical trials, including receiving an artificial pancreas.

4. ONE DRIVE O.B. Across a PGA Tour career that included 12 wins and over 1,200 rounds, Calvin Peete hit only one (!) drive out-of-bounds. He led the tour in driving accuracy from 1981-1990, and Golf Digest collaborated with Peete to capture his swing sequence in 1982.

5. OLDEST TO SHOOT THEIR AGE Arthur Thompson was 103 when he shot 103 in 1972 at his home course, the 6,215yard Uplands G.C., Victoria in B.C., Canada. A walker, his other key to longevity was avoiding “hot” weather of over 75 degrees.

6. BOGEY-FREE STREAK While World No. 1, Jin

Young Ko went 114 holes at par or better. The streak ended with a pulled threefooter in the same round she eclipsed Tiger Woods’ record of 110 holes. Unfazed, she still won the tournament, the 2019 Cambia Portland Classic.

7. LOWEST ROUND RELATIVE TO PAR Aussie pro Rhein Gibson’s 12 birdies and two eagles (55, -16) on the 6,698-yard River Oaks G.C. in Edmond, Okla., in 2012 is as close to an immaculate round as Golf Digest has seen.

8. 74, BLIND Winner of 23 Blind Golf National Championships (including 20 consecutive), as well as the longtime president of the U.S. Blind Golf Association, Pat Browne shot 74 at Mission Hills C.C. in Rancho Mirage, Calif., in 1980, a feat that defies understanding by any sighted golfer who has ever attempted to play blindfolded.

9. MOST USGA EVENTS At a certain level of competitive amateur golf, nobody brags about a handicap, only the number of USGA events he or she has played in. Two? Four? Five? The all-time leader at 121 events is as modest and gracious as they come. Carol Semple Thompson, still competing at age 76, won seven.

11. STREAK OF BEATING FIELD AVERAGE Possibly Tiger Woods’ most overlooked feat? Between August 1999 and Novem-

Longest Drive Kyle Berkshire smashed a 579-yarder at Rochelle Ranch Golf Club, in 2023. It was also a record for ball speed at 241.6 mph, which Berkshire prophesied as a goal three years earlier in a Golf Digest feature.

ber 2000, Woods posted a tournament score better than the field average for 89 consecutive rounds. The next-best streak, by Mark O’Meara, covered 33 rounds.

12. BACK-TO-BACK ACES When Frank Bensel Jr., a decorated club professional out of Century Country Club in Purchase, N.Y., aced consecutive par 3s—the 184-yard fourth and 203-yard fifth at Newport Country Club—during the second round of the 2024 U.S. Senior Open, it didn't propel him into contention. The 56-year-old was

so amped, he bogeyed the next four holes, shot 74 and missed the cut.

13. MOST TOUR WINS Kathy Whitworth surpassed Mickey Wright’s previous record of 82 wins in 1982, then added six more to become the winningest golfer of any major tour. Along the way, she also became the first LPGA player to eclipse $1 million in a career.

14. OLDEST MAJOR CHAMP Phil Mickelson’s win at the 2021 PGA came at 50 years, JANUARY 2026

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11 months, and seven days. Phil wrote instruction articles exclusively for Golf Digest starting at age 23, and we covered his fitness regimen and magic coffee recipe when he was a senior.

15. NO. 1 GOLF COURSE, LIFETIME Pine Valley G.C. in New Jersey has occupied the top spot in the Golf Digest 100 Greatest for 32 out of 40 years since 1985 when we began listing courses in order of score. Augusta National has spent six years at number one and Pebble Beach two.

17. THE IMPREGNABLE QUADRILATERAL Bobby Jones’ captured his five U.S. Amateur titles when amateur golf was deemed as or more competitive than the fledgling pro

game. The last of those U.S. Am wins, in 1930 at Merion, capped Jones’ completion of what was called the “impregnable quadrilateral” of the U.S. Open, Amateur, The Open and Amateur all in the same year.

18. ACED FIRST HOLE At age 62, Norwegian-born Unni Haskell’s first outing on a golf course was at the par-3 Cypress Links in St. Petersburg, in 2009. Using a driver from 75 yards on the first hole, she jarred it for the quickest ace in history. With this luck also came the unexpected challenge of a bar set impossibly high for the rest of her career.

19. MOST BIRDIES IN A ROW Playing with three friends on August 24, 1989, ama-

teur Mike Allen bogeyed the first hole at Jimmy Clay Municipal Golf Course in Austin, and then the fourth. From there he embarked on a heater unmatched in the sport. Beginning with the 171-yard par-3 fifth hole and ending with the 307-yard par-4 15th, Allen birdied 11-consecutive holes, as well as the last, to card 63.

20. MOST TOP-3 MAJOR FINISHES As much as Jack Nicklaus’ career greatness will be defined by his major wins, his total of 46 top-3 finishes showcases how good he was for so long. Nicklaus’ second-place finish in the 1960 U.S. Open while still an amateur was the first of 19 runner-up major finishes— four each in the Masters, U.S. Open, and PGA, and seven times in the Open.

Most U.S. Amateurs Glenna Collett-Vare collected her six U.S. Women’s titles in a career in which she won 49 times, all as an amateur. Although her career preceded the founding of the LPGA Tour, the tour honours her legacy by awarding the Vare Trophy to the player who ends the season with the lowest scoring average.

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21. OLDEST HOLE-IN-ONE In 2014 Gus Andreone was the oldest-living member of the PGA of America when he added another feat. With a driver from 113 yards on the par-3 14th hole at Palm Aire Country Club in Sarasota, Andreone carried his tee shot 80 yards, then watched it roll the rest of the way into the cup. At 103, he became the oldest person to ever record an ace, eclipsing by one year the previous record-holder. Arguably more impressive? He beat his age by 30 shots.

22. LARGEST MAJOR MARGIN OF VICTORY “You just don’t win a U.S. Open by 15 shots.” When Golf Digest’s Dan Jenkins chronicled Tiger Woods’ outlandish runaway at Pebble Beach in 2000, no hyperbole was needed. Just a simple summation of greatness. Louise Suggs won the 1949 U.S. Women’s Open by 14, and gone after 138 years was Old Tom Morris’ previous male record. If Tiger’s mark is broken in less time, we’ll be shocked.

23. MOST AGE-DEFYING ROUND In 2015, Pat Willis, a former marine carrying a plus-four handicap at age 59, shot 57 at Virginia’s Laurel Hill G.C., propelled by making three holes-in-one on the day— including two on par 4s. The Director of Golf, Gene Orrico, PGA, verified the scorecard and Willis’ reputation as a well-respected and honourable man.

24. LOWEST COMPETITIVE ROUND Although the course was

only 5,002 yards par 70, Homero Blancas carded a 55 in the final round of the 1962 Premier Golf Invitational, making it the lowest competitive round ever. Blancas showed Golf Digest readers how to make more birdies, too.

VARE PHOTOGRAPH BY JIMMY SIME/CENTRAL PRESS/HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES. WOODS PHOTOGRAPH BY WALTER IOOSS JR.

26. CONSECUTIVE PGA TOUR WINS Among active PGA Tour pros through the end of 2024, just 10 had won 11 or more titles in their careers. The idea then of winning 11 straight starts—and 18 in a season—borders on incredulity. Even more remarkable is the story Byron Nelson would tell Golf Digest about walking away from the game afterward.

27. LONGEST ACE A 447-yard hole-in-one? On a course called Miracle Hill? Too good to be true, right? Well, we chronicled Bob Mitera’s one and only career ace a year after the 5-foot-6 college golfer pulled it off on Oct. 7, 1965, and revisited it in 2001, talking to surviving witness. The hole was originally documented at 444-yards and was remeasured in 1976 and found to be 447. It was downhill and downwind.

28. WORLDWIDE WINS Roberto De Vicenzo won more pro tournaments worldwide (231) than any golfer. Yet he might be best remembered for the one he didn’t win—the 1968 Masters and the scorecard error that kept him out of a playoff. The Argentine seemed at peace with it when we caught up with him that summer.

Most Weeks At No. 1 Tiger Woods has spent the most consecutive weeks (281) and most total weeks (683) at the top of the Official World Golf Rankings. Four golfers have spent one or more entire calender years atop the rankings: Nick Faldo, Greg Norman, Tiger Woods and Scottie Scheffler.

29. CONSECUTIVE U.S. AMATEURS To play in the U.S. Amateur is the pinnacle of many golfers’ career. To play in it 33 straight times? You need to be an ageless wonder like William C. Campbell. The winner in 1964, the late Campbell played in the USGA’s oldest championship on 37 occasions overall beginning in 1941.

30. SHOOTING AGE LEFTY AND RIGHTY Jim Kaat is in the National

Baseball Hall of Fame, but that’s somehow not his greatest accomplishment as an athlete. Instead, it’s shooting his age (75, 70) as both a righty and a lefty. Kaat is naturally left-handed, and struggles with his short game had him trying things out from the other side.

31. MOST ROUNDS IN A YEAR Averaging around 3.4 rounds per day—all walking for a total of 8,424 miles travelled by foot—retired

IBM executive Barry Gibbons played 1,235 rounds in Austin where he’s a member at The Hills at Lakeway. He'd originally planned to play 1,234 because it sounded better, but he couldn’t resist one last round on New Year’s Eve.

32. THREE ACES, THREE DAYS, SAME HOLE Robert Taylor somehow aced the 16th hole at Hunstanton Golf Club in Norfolk, U.K., every time he played it over the span JANUARY 2026

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Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals

With her gold medal at the 2024 Olympics, Lydia Ko became the first golfer to take home gold, silver and bronze medals in a career. She was already the youngest to win on the LPGA, the youngest to win a women’s major and the youngest to reach World No. 1 at 17, so it’s hard to pick her coolest record.

of three consecutive days from May 30 through June 1 in 1974. Witness and photographer David Cannon called it one “of the world’s greatest sporting miracles.”

33. MOST BIRDIES IN A ROW, PGA TOUR Just twice has a pro been able to record nine birdies in a row on the PGA Tour: Mark Calcavecchia in the second round of the Canadian Open in 2009 and Kevin Chappell in the second round of A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier just over 10 years later. Neither won their respective event.

34. TWO SUB-60 ROUNDS Jim Furyk doesn’t just have the lowest score on the PGA Tour, a 58. He also has a 59, which makes him the only player in PGA Tour 46

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history with multiple sub60 rounds. The round of 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship nearly didn’t count as his playing partner, Miguel Ángel Carballo, incorrectly marked him down for a birdie 3 on the 14th. Thankfully, the mistake was caught before the scorecard was signed.

35. CONSECUTIVE WEEKS IN THE TOP 50 Phil Mickelson is currently in the 300s in the OWGR, mainly due to his switch to LIV Golf. However, his record of 1,305 consecutive weeks (25 years) in the Top 50 still stands. He had 167 top-10 finishes during that time period.

36. THREE EAGLES IN A ROW IN COMPETITION Adam Petrasovic made a

15-foot eagle putt on the 440-yard par-5 fifth, holed out a sand wedge from 105 yards on the 375-yard sixth and once again holed out his sand wedge from 105 yards on the 367-yard seventh, all in a row at the 78th annual Essex-Kent Boys Golf Tournament, at Roseland, Windsor, Ontario, in 2005. The Sacred Heart golfer ultimately shot eightunder and won his quarterfinal match that day.

38. ONLY 59 ON THE LPGA TOUR Annika Sorenstam added yet another LPGA Tour accolade in 2016 during the second round of the Standard Register PING in Phoenix. She went around Moon Valley Country Club with a 59 that featured 12 birdies over her first 13 holes. A playing editor for Golf Di-

gest, her solo cover appearance in 2007 was the first by a woman in 30 years.

39. LONGEST STRETCH BETWEEN USGA WINS Patience is a key attribute of a champion golfer, and Marvin “Vinny” Giles knows how to wait. He finished second in the U.S. Amateur three consecutive years (1967-69) before finally triumphing in the event in 1972. Then he won the 2009 U.S. Senior Amateur 37 years later at age 67.

40. ALL 100 GREATEST IN A YEAR Jimmie James, a Black middle-handicapper with average connections, had an audacious idea for retirement—play every one of Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Courses in a

calendar year. He needed all 365 days to finish the feat on June 11, 2018, having relied on meeting hosts organically along the way. Golf Digest chronicled his feat and later excerpted his book, a positive testament to an underlying unity in our nation.

44. MOST COURSES Ralph Kennedy was born in 1882 and began playing golf in 1910. He was a founding member of Winged Foot Golf Club and holds the record for most rounds at unique courses with 3,165, meticulously recorded.

41. THREE ACES, SAME HOLE, SAME GROUP On April 13, 2005, on the par-3 15th hole at Antelope Greens Golf Club, Dave Schumacher missed the green, and what followed were three consecutive aces by Bob Fleming, Marc Arcuri, and Dan Condie. The golfers were determined to convince the public of their feat and requested and paid for a polygraph test. The head professional vouched for them, too.

45. BACK-TO-BACK AGEBREAKING ON TOUR Sam Snead holds the record for the youngest person ever to shoot their age on tour, posting 67 in 1979 in the second round of the Quad Cities Open. Snead would follow that performance with a final-round 66 to cap off his age-breaking weekend.

46. MOST GREENS IN A ROW Bob Lohr set the record for

consecutive greens hit in regulation on the PGA Tour with 51 in 1993. Lohr turned pro in 1983, and his only career win came at the 1988 Walt Disney World Classic.

47. CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS, DIFFERENT CLUBS Neil White won 21 titles at 13 clubs in eight states with at least one title in every decade from the 1920s to 1980s. The first was in 1927 at White Lakes, Topeka, and the last at Desert Hills GC in Arizona in 1987.

48. MOST RANKED DESIGNS Designer Tom Fazio has placed 51 courses on our national rankings of the 200 Greatest, including four with his uncle George in the 1970s and 80s. His highestranked is Shadow Creek,

which scored eighth in the 1993-1994 ranking.

50. LONGEST MADE PUTT ON TELEVISION At the 150th Open at St. Andrews, Ian Poulter holed a 162-foot putt on the flat green of the par-4 ninth hole for eagle. His read was "two cups right." He bested Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps, who made a 159foot eagle putt at the par-4 sixth just up the road at Kingsbarns in the DP World Tour’s Dunhill Links Pro-Am a decade earlier. Phelps' triple-breaker travelled for 16 seconds before kissing the flagstick and dropping in.

51. MOST CUTS MADE Making the weekend used to mean more on the PGA Tour, and nobody made the weekend more than Jay

KO PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN C. COX/GETTY IMAGES. KOEING PHOTOGRAPH BY PATRICK KOENIG

42. WINNINGEST SENIOR Bernhard Langer had his Achilles repaired on Feb. 1, 2024, and eight months later the now 67-year old won his 47th PGA Tour Champions title, keeping alive a streak of 18 consecutive years with a victory. In 2019 Langer told Golf Digest that taking breaks from golf was one of the secrets to his unexplainable longevity.

43. YOUNGEST U.S. AM QUALIFIER At 10 years old, Allisen Corpuz qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links at Erin Hills in 2008. Quickly delivering greatness in her anticipated professional career, she won the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Most Courses in a Year

Most golfers can only dream of playing 580 different courses in a lifetime. Patrick Koenig accomplished that feat in just 365 days. The golf photographer went on an RV journey that covered 41 states in 2023. JANUARY 2026

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53 A FAMILY SWEEP OF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS It's happened twice. In 1967, the DeBons family won every club championship at Fox Hills G.C. in Paragould,

Arkansas. John, 17, won the men’s, sister Kathy, 16, and brother Mike, 14, won both junior titles and mother Frances won the A-flight women’s title. In 1994, at Towson G&CC in Phoenix, patriarch Joseph Soliman won the 1994 Senior Club Championship, his son Jack won the men’s, his daughter Pam won the women’s and his other son Michael won the junior.

54. MOST HOLES IN A DAY Cart or no cart, 36 or 54 holes in a day is tough on the body. How about 612? That was the total number

of holes played in just 16 hours by pro Ben Berger during a fundraiser tournament in 2010. Berger averaged two 18-hole rounds per hour for a grand total of 34 full rounds played, never shooting worse than 82. On the final hole, Berger chipped in for eagle.

55. MOST MAJOR WINS CADDIEING With some good fortune Steve Williams found his way to Tiger Woods’ bag, but retaining that job for 13 major wins took earning trust and consistently meeting high expectations.

A 68 In 53 Minutes There have been lower scores in less time on flatter and shorter courses, but Christopher Smith’s 68 in 53 minutes at Bandon Dunes, running and carrying his bag while being filmed, is damn cool. Smith applied speed golf lessons to regular rounds in our popular Breaking 100/90/80 series.

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Add in one more major on the bag of Adam Scott at the 2013 Masters, and Williams checks in with 14 majors, the most of any looper in golf history. In 2015, the New Zealander told us he hadn’t watched a single golf shot in retirement.

56. BEST FAIRWAYS PERCENTAGE There are stripe shows and then there is Mo Martin, who hit fairways at an 86.25 percent clip over her professional career. In total, Martin hit 8,446 out of 9,792 fairways. It only translated to one LPGA Tour victory, but it was a sweet one — the 2014 Women’s British Open at Royal Birkdale, where Martin (obviously) hit the fairway on the 72nd hole and then nearly holed out for an albatross with a 3-wood to secure the title.

57. NATIONAL OPENS, MOST CONTINENTS Gary Player is the only player to complete the career major grand slam on both the regular and senior tours. He’s also boasted that no one has logged more airline miles. Perhaps that makes his coolest feat winning national opens on five continents: North America (the U.S. Open), Europe (Open Championship), South America (Chilean Open), Australia (Australian Open) and Africa (the South African Open). If only Antarctica had a championship.

58. LARGEST WINNER’S CHECK NOT ACCEPTED Nick Dunlap became the first amateur in over three decades to win on the PGA Tour with his victory at

PHOTOGRAPH BY ADAM LEVY

Haas. The nine-time tour winner and Wake Forest legend made 592 cuts in a career that spanned 799 events, meaning he made it to round 3 a whopping 74.09 percent of his PGA Tour career. Only two other players, Raymond Floyd and Tom Kite, were able to make over 580 trips to Saturday, doing so in 726 and 714 starts, respectively.

the American Express in January 2024. Because of his amateur status, Dunlap couldn't claim the $1.51 million winner’s check. He promptly turned pro and won the Barracuda Championship—and collected.

59. HIGHEST SCORE IN A MAJOR QUALIFIER Maurice Flitcroft had never played 18 holes. That didn’t stop him from signing up for the Open Championship, listing himself as professional because he didn’t have a handicap. He proceeded to shoot 121 (+49) at the qualifier and received a lifetime ban from the R&A. Flitcroft later used aliases for future attempts to qualify, and a movie was eventually made about his endeavors, “The Phantom of the Open.”

61. MOST NCAA TEAM TITLES The Houston Cougars haven’t won an NCAA men's title in nearly four decades, but their 16 titles are still five more than any other school. Special shoutout to Yale, which won 20 National Intercollegiate Golf Association titles, the precursor to the NCAAs.

62. MOST PGA TOUR STARTS By wins, Mark Brooks had a good career with seven victories, highlighted by the 1996 PGA Championship. Those wins were packed in an eight-year stretch, which fails to convey his longevity of 803 PGA Tour starts.

63. MOST CONSECUTIVE WINS, SAME EVENT Annika Sorenstam won the

Youngest Hole-in-One In 2001, Jake Paine of Rancho Santa Margarita, California, aced the 66-yard sixth hole at the Lake Forest Golf and Practice Centre, at 3 years old to become the youngest player to ever record an ace.

Mizuno Classic in Japan five straight years from 2001 to 2005. The PGA Tour record for consecutive victories in an event is four, a mark shared by Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen and Tiger Woods.

64. MOST ROUNDS WITH ONE GOLF BALL According to Golf Digest records, Judge Michael Nehemiah purchased a Pro-Flite ball in November 1928 and used the same ball until Jan. 28, 1929, for a total of 46 rounds. You could have told us the re-

cord was 46 holes and that would’ve been impressive.

65. EAGLED EVERY HOLE ON A COURSE The feat of eagling every hole on a course over a career has been accomplished at least seven times. Del Walker at Virginia C.C, in Long Beach, California; Bernie Mathias at Pebble Creek Golf Course in Lexington, Ohio; Jerry Nelson at Rozella Ford G.C., Warsaw, Indiana; Tony Blom at Maketewah C.C. in Cincinnati; Jim Gray at Gaston C.C. in

North Carolina; and Bob Trombino at Glen Flora C.C. in Waukegan, Illinois; Pete Mahovlich, Glens Falls C.C. in New York.

66. 62 IN A MAJOR For decades it seemed like the golf gods wouldn’t allow anyone to break 63 in the four biggest men’s events, a mark set by Johnny Miller in the final round to win at Oakmont in 1973, but that changed with Branden Grace’s 62 at Royal Birkdale at the 2017 Open Championship. Six years later, both Rickie Fowler JANUARY 2026

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67. WINNING THE MASTERS AS A CLUB PRO Seventy-five years before club pro Michael Block’s impressive performance at the PGA Championship, Claude Harmon, then the head pro at Winged Foot G.C., won the 1948 Masters. Harmon would wind up with five career top-five finishes in majors, including a T-3 when Winged Foot hosted the 1959 U.S. Open.

68. NO. 1 TEACHER, MOST YEARS Butch Harmon has coached four players to No. 1 in the world—Greg Norman, Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott and Tiger Woods. Harmon also holds a No. 1 claim of his own. His teaching peers voted him Golf Digest’s top-ranked instructor for 22 years in a row, then in 2024 he topped the inaugural list of Golf Digest’s Legends of Golf Instruction.

69. FEWEST PUTTS, NINE HOLES We offer a special nod to longtime Golf Digest instructor Stan Utley for sharing this PGA Tour record with Chris Riley and Marcus Fraser. All three needed only six putts to complete nine holes, with Utley setting the mark first during the front nine of his second round at the 2002 Air Canada Championship at Northview Golf & C.C.

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70. MOST EUROPEAN TOUR ORDERS OF MERIT In today’s parlance, this would be the most DP World Tour Race to Dubai wins but, regardless, an impressive accomplishment by Colin Montgomerie. The Scot finished atop the tour’s season-long money list eight times, including seven consecutive years from 1993 to 1999. It might not be his record for much longer, however, with Rory McIlroy winning the Race to Dubai for a seventh time in 2025.

71. FASTEST TOUR ROUND Known for being a trickshot artist before finding success as a tour pro, Wesley Bryan pulled off a cool trick on the PGA Tour. Playing as a single during the final round of the 2017 BMW Championship at Conway Farms, he took only 89 minutes to shoot 69.

72. 18 PUTTS Okay, it was a four-person scramble, but still, an immaculate performance on the greens. Playing in an event at Maple Dale C.C. in Dover, in 1981, golfers Dave Miller, Micko Miller, Mike Potts and Tina Potts oneputted each green to card a 59.

73. MOST MINOR LEAGUE GOLF TOUR WINS Sunny Kim turned pro in 2007 and has managed just three Korn Ferry Tour starts, but his success on the Minor League Golf Tour in Florida has been staggering—87 wins! At 35 years old, there’s no reason to believe he can’t hit the century mark.

74. MOST CONSECUTIVE CHIP-INS Amateur Ron Stutesman had five consecutive chipins on holes 4-8 during a round at Orchard Hills Golf

& C.C. in Washougal, Washington, in 1978. Stutesman shot 33 on that front nine— not too shabby considering he missed at least five greens in regulation.

Most Holes-In-One Mancil Davis, known as the “King of Aces,” made his first hole-in-one in 1967 and is sitting on 51. Norman Manley was previously regarded as the recordholder with 59, and Golf Digest covered the controversy about a lack of witnesses. Phil Mickelson says he’s made 47 aces.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DARREN CARROLL

and Xander Schauffele shot 62 in the first round of the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles C.C. While the three men share the record, they also share the fact that none won those tournaments.

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audi Arabia is entering golf in 2026 with a unique focus on growing the sport from the roots up. The Kingdom has set an ambitious goal: to expand the number of registered golfers from 5,000 to 46,000 by 2030. Achieving this requires more than just hosting high-profile tournaments—you have to invest in infrastructure, grassroots programs, and opportunities for new Saudi nationals to learn, compete, and stay engaged with the game. And the Kingdom is very much doing that. Golf Saudi’s efforts are to integrate the sport into local communities, schools, and youth programs across the country. Central to participation growth is their “Go Golf” program. The initiative offers 12 free lessons for any Saudi national, introducing beginners to the fundamentals of the game in a structured, supportive environment. Participants will then earn a digital golf passport upon completing the lessons, providing discounts on equipment, memberships, green fees, and even restaurants—all designed to encourage long-term engagement. Infrastructure growth is just as important. Currently, Saudi Arabia has seven publicly accessible golf courses, but Golf Saudi plans to increase that number to more than 20 within the next five years. Driving ranges will be introduced across all 13 regions, and multi-purpose, Topgolf-style venues are planned for Riyadh, Jeddah, and the Eastern Province. In addition, the partnership with Five Iron Golf will bring 52

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ABOVE

Golf is driving economic growth in Saudi Arabia

cutting-edge indoor golf facilities to Riyadh starting in early 2026, blending simulation technology, hospitality, and instruction to attract beginners, families, and casual players. For example, courses like the new Wadi Safar Golf Course, designed by Greg Norman, combine worldclass infrastructure with sustainable operations. These types of venues will serve both professional competitions and community programs, offering golfers a place to learn and grow while also positioning Saudi Arabia as a global golf destination. High-profile tournaments also play a role in inspiring participation. Events in the past 12 months include LIV Golf Riyadh, the PIF Saudi Ladies International, and the Saudi Open presented by PIF all showcase elite talent while giving Saudis a chance to experience world-class golf firsthand. Attendance figures highlight the growing interest that there is in the Kingdom. More than 72,000 people registered for the 2025 Saudi International, a dramatic increase from just 8,000 the previous year across the four tournament days. The tournaments staged by Golf Saudi are integrated with weighty initiatives like Riyadh Season and entertainment events, combining sport with tourism, hospitality, and business. Showing that golf is a driving economic growth, thanks to partnerships with entities such as the Public Investment Fund and Riyadh Season. Golf Saudi has focused a vast amount of its time on creating pathways for local talent. Programs for juniors, women, and emerging professionals provide

PHOTOGRAPH BY GOLF SAUDI

HOW SAUDI ARABIA IS EXPANDING GOLF THROUGHOUT THE KINGDOM

ABOVE

PIF London Championship

LEFT

Five Iron Golf is coming to the Kingdom

TOP

PIF Global Series Houston

LEFT

PHOTOGRAPH BY LET & FIVE IRON

There is a target of 46,000 registered golfers by 2030

coaching, competitive opportunities, and mentorship from Golf Saudi ambassadors, including both global stars and Saudi Arabian professionals like Othman Almulla, Saud Al Sharif, Faisal Salhab, Khalid Attieh, and Shergo Al Kurdi. This combination of elite access and grassroots development ensures that the sport is inclusive and that talent can be on display at every level. The Kingdom’s development efforts are also complemented by regional initiatives. The Arab Golf Federation (AGF) launched the Arab Golf Series (AGS), a unified schedule of tournaments across 17 member nations, complete with an official ranking system for amateur and professional players. This now provides a clear pathway for emerging Arab golfing talent, enabling them to measure themselves against the best in the region and gain international exposure. By participating in AGS events, local players can track progress, earn ranking points, and qualify for higher-level competitions, creating a structured ecosystem that bridges grassroots development and elite performance across the Arab world. Looking into the crystal ball for 2026, the Kingdom’s strategy is to further nurture and grow the sport through infrastructure, community programs, elite competition, and national initiatives like Go Golf. The combination of world-class venues, strategic partnerships, and structured development programs is designed to ensure that golf is not only played but embraced as part of Saudi Arabia’s cultural and sporting fabric. JANUARY 2026

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QIDDIYA CITY TO HOST SAUDI ARABIA’S FALDO SERIES

FALDO’S SAUDI SWING 54

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Sir Nick Faldo spent over three decades competing in golf as a major-winning player, throughout time then developed into a broadcaster and now designer, with his latest project taking him to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Set against the Tuwaiq mountains, Qiddiya City, a major new development outside Riyadh, will feature a signature 18-hole championship course from Faldo Design, along with a clubhouse, academy and practice facilities. The city will also become the Kingdom’s base for the Faldo Series, a global pathway for young golfers. “This is a unique opportunity to become involved in one of the most exciting cities being developed today where a new way of city life is fused together with sport, entertainment and culture,” said Sir Nick. “Our partnership with Qiddiya City brings together the golf community with a whole nation bubbling with energy to be active and try new sports.” The course will open to the public in 2026, with the supporting clubhouse and academy following in 2028. It’ll sit intensely beneath the 200-metre cliffs of the Tuwaiq Mountains, offering a setting rarely seen on championship golf courses. “I made the decision to go in and use the 650-foot-high cliffs. “I should think it’s an architects dream to be able to just dream up something unbelievable and then be able to go and build it,” Faldo said. 68-year-old Sir Nick sees the course as a visually natural fit for the landscape. “I think it’s going to be iconic. Every hole is literally an instant postcard.” The design balances accessibility with challenge, as it has a three-hole return system built into the design, to allow players of all levels to enjoy the course and floodlighting for night golf playing hours. Faldo’s focus is on giving people, specifically juniors, the chance to engage with golf at all levels. “If you’ve got the opportunity to try the game and then learn the game, and then maybe compete at the game. I think you put all of that together. I think the way you plant a seed is opportunity and I think you’re (Qiddiya) creating a great opportunity for people to come and play, experience at every level.”

The Faldo Series has been a backburner throughout Faldo’s work for 30 years, providing young golfers with competitive opportunities and mentorship. Matthew, who works alongside his father, highlighted the significance of bringing the series to Saudi Arabia. “70% of Saudi’s are under the age of 35. Using golf as that vehicle to give them life skills as well as playing an amazing sport is pretty cool.” Our (Faldo Series) partnership for the series has allowed us to create so many more tournaments, opportunities for the players worldwide, but then also the Saudi juniors as well.” The course, academy, and clubhouse will form part of a wider community hub, with Patterson’s green-roofed clubhouse linking the three spaces wellness, social spaces, and leisure facilities together. It’s clear to see that this project is another step in Sir Nick’s career defined by creating opportunity and growth, for both himself and for the next generation. “We’re (Faldo Design) unbelievably excited about the project at Qiddiya. When we first went there (2023) with the vision of what we could do, we knew the backdrop would be instantly recognizable and now we’re really able to bring everything to the game of golf.” “Qiddiya City could be the future of junior golf. A global hub for young golfers to come and play and compete,” Faldo said. For a country continuously building its golf pedigree, and having a legend like Sir Nick Faldo directly involved, could mark a new chapter for golf in Saudi Arabia.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SUPPLIED

“Qiddiya City could be the future of junior golf. A global hub for young golfers to come and play and compete.”

JANUARY 2026

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In Partnership

TDB Group:

Powering Africa’s Next Era of Growth 40 YEARS SUPPORTING AFRICA’S TRADE AND ECONOMIC INTEGRATION Founded to address Africa’s long-standing trade finance and development gaps, Trade Development Bank Group (TDB) was established with a clear mandate: to foster regional integration, enable cross-border trade, and support sustainable economic growth across the continent. As the Group celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2025, this guiding principle continues to support TDB’s growth into a prominent African multilateral development finance organisation with a robust pan-African presence serving 26 member states and operating across Eastern, Southern, Central, and Western Africa, as well as key international financial centers. Admassu Tadesse’s journey reflects that trajectory. Appointed Group President and Managing Director at a defining moment for the institution, he has since overseen a period of strategic transformation, guided TDB’s expansion and strengthening its role as a trusted development finance partner across Africa and global markets. AFRICA’S ECONOMIC FUTURE At a time of heightened geopolitical fragmentation and shifting capital flows, TDB Group has positioned itself at the forefront of efforts to secure Africa’s long-term economic future. “The Group’s mandate today is anchored in mobilising capital in an increasingly multipolar world, fostering sustainable trade, and aligning finance with Africa’s continental priorities, notably regional integration and infrastructure,” explains Admassu Tadesse, Group President and Managing Director of TDB Group. Central to this vision is the belief that Africa is entering a defining moment. TDB Group advocates a new financing paradigm that goes far beyond aid in favour of equity, co-investment, and shared prosperity, guaranteeing that global capital flow into the continent with a long-term impact and a purpose. In this context, Africa is positioned not as a passive recipient of capital, but as an active architect of its own development trajectory. ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL SOURCES As development finance tightens globally, African economies are actively broadening their pool of investment partners. The Arab world has emerged as a key partner in this shift, offering long-term capital and development expertise aligned with the continent’s ambitions. In this regard, the Arab Coordination Group — a consortium of Arab development finance institutions — announced at COP28 a plan to commit around $50bn to African development initiatives by 2030. “This expanding Arab–Africa engagement highlights the growing importance of diversified capital sources in

Mr. Admassu Tadesse, TDB Group President & Managing Director

TDB GROUP HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ADVANCING PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE ARAB WORLD AND THE BROADER MIDDLE EAST, ANCHORED BY ITS LONG-STANDING COLLABORATION WITH THE ARAB BANK FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA.

sustaining the continent’s growth and advancing shared economic objectives,” Tadesse emphasises. TDB Group has played an important role in advancing partnerships across the Arab world and the broader Middle East, anchored by its long-standing collaboration with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa. Since 2015, BADEA has provided successive lines of credit to TDB Group, complemented by an equity investment in 2018 and participation in the Groups hybrid capital instruments. Together, the two institutions have mobilised over one billion dollars in trade finance, supporting trade flows between Africa and the Arab world. Building on this foundation, TDB Group has also entered cooperation frameworks with other Middle Eastern partners, including a memorandum of understanding with Saudi EXIM Bank to explore co financing and risk sharing structures aimed at strengthening Saudi African trade and investment ties. BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS TO DRIVE AFRICA’S FINANCIAL SELF-RELIANCE Strategic partnerships sit at the core of TDB Group’s approach to financing Africa’s sustainable development agenda. Over the years, the Group has emerged as a key convenor of multilateral and national development banks, export credit agencies, commercial lenders, sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors, structuring innovative solutions that expand access to long-term capital. TDB Group has pioneered instruments ranging from hybrid capital to trade securitisation and guarantee-backed financing, mobilising capital across its member states and beyond. Among these innovations, TDB Group became the first financial institution in Africa to execute a blockchain enabled trade finance transaction, marking a milestone in the application of distributed ledger technology to enhance transparency, efficiency, and security in cross border financing. This development reflects the Groups commitment to leveraging innovation to modernise Africas trade finance ecosystem and unlock new efficiencies for clients and partners. “Over the past decade, we have taken deliberate steps to deepen institutional resilience, broaden our reach, and sharpen our development focus,” says Tadesse. “The Group structure we have today reflects years of reform, innovation, and strategic expansion. With operational entities such as the Trade and Development Fund, TDB Asset Management, and TDB Captive Insurance, we are extending our capacity to serve more clients, more sectors, and more communities.” THE ROAD AHEAD As Africa’s financing needs continue to evolve, TDB Group is focused on scaling its impact through innovation, partnership and disciplined growth. “As we mark four decades of supporting trade and economic integration across Africa, our focus is firmly on the future. Building on this foundation, we aim to deepen our role as a catalyst for trade, investment and regional integration, while mobilising capital that supports long-term resilience and shared prosperity,” Tadesse concludes.

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GOLF DIGEST

ISSUE X 2025

From high ones and low ones to spinners and runners and everything in between

By Michael Breed PHOTOGRAPHS BY J.D. CUBAN

PHOTOGRAPH BY NAME SOMEONE

ISSUE X 2025

GOLF DIGEST

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To be a good golfer, you need to have a system for controlling wedge shots. I don’t mean just knowing a go-to yardage for each of your wedges. I mean being able to handle a variety of shots, like taking 10 yards off or playing to a front pin or a back tier. If you can’t dial in the shot with simple adjustments, you’re guessing—and guessing just doesn’t cut it. • With your other irons, you probably don’t get a ton of “in-between” shots. For example, if you hit your 8-iron 140 yards, I bet you feel fine facing a shot of 135 or 145. But if your gap wedge goes 90, and you’re looking at a tucked pin over water at 95 yards, you might be shaking. • That said, if you’re satisfied hitting your wedge shots anywhere on the green, stop reading now. My guess is that your expectation with a wedge is to get closer to the hole. You might have to adjust the distance, trajectory or spin to achieve the precision you want. • Let me show you the system I teach. You can take the parts that feel right and develop your own strategy, and start wedging it close! —with Peter Morrice 60

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Distance: Turn full or turn less The first step to hitting your wedges closer to the hole is knowing your baseline distances. On a full swing, my 46-degree goes 135 yards, my 53-degree 110 yards and my 58-degree 95 yards. I create all of my distance adjustments off of those numbers. To accurately get your

baselines, set up a practice session using the type of ball you normally play and hit to a real green. Slapping range balls to the 100-yard sign won’t work. How do you adjust distance for shots that don’t match one of your full-swing yardages? My favourite method is to vary how much you turn your shoulders

GRIPPING DOWN

Shortening the club by gripping down (above) is an effective way to hit shorter shots. Moving your hands down two inches should take off 10 yards. I like this adjustment because you do it at address, which is the simplest place to make a change. However, you do have to make up for the shorter shaft, by bending more at the waist or standing a touch closer to the ball.

OPENING THE FACE

on the backswing. Start with a full turn, call it 12:00 on an imaginary clockface, using a club across your shoulders to mark it (above, left). That’s your baseline. Then, develop at least one shorter shot, like a partial turn to 10:30 (above, right), which will take off about 10 yards, depending on your baseline. Regulating turn is a simpler way than trying to control the amount of wrist hinge or arm swing. Those methods are less reliable and harder to monitor.

I like using shoulder turn because you can see your lead shoulder in your peripheral vision, so it’s easy to check. Also, you can swing through the same on every shot and produce different distances with just this one change. You simply set the turn going back and make your normal through-swing. I teach two other ways to adjust distance, which I’ll explain (right). Mix and match any of them to add more distance versatility with your wedges.

Setting up with an open clubface (above) reduces distance by adding more loft to the club. However, it makes some players feel like they’re going to push the ball or shank it. In truth, you’re adding loft more than you’re setting up for a push. That said, you should align your body slightly to the pull side to compensate. A word of caution: Don’t just twist the face open after you grip the club. To do it correctly, open the face, then take your grip. JANUARY 2026

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Trajectory: Hands in or hands out On wedge shots inside of 50 yards, the best way to alter the trajectory is to focus on where your hands finish in relation to your body. When your hands stay in close, you’ll hit a higher shot. When your hands extend toward the target, you’ll flight it lower. Let me further explain. 62

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For the higher shot, swing the club through so the butt end of the grip finishes close to your lead hip (above, top photo). That creates a glancing strike with the club cutting across the ball from out to in. It also reduces shaft lean toward the target at impact. The result is more loft for a higher, softer shot—great

for front pins or to fly it over bunkers. To hit it lower, extend your arms away from your body through the strike (bottom photo). That extension gives you more forward shaft lean at impact and contact lower on the face. You’ll deliver less loft for a lower, hotter shot. It works for back pins or run-up greens.

Spin: Hold the face open or close it Adding or taking away backspin is another terrific way to expand your wedge game. Spin comes from what the clubface is doing at impact: An open face means more spin; a closing face reduces it. To hit with an open face, you need the heel of the clubhead to be leading the toe through impact. A great feel is the palm of your trail hand facing the sky in the follow-through (left, top). It’s like you’re making a karate chop with that hand. The open face will impart cut spin, so be aware that the first bounce might nudge the ball right (for righties). An open-face shot is better for fast greens or tucked pins. For a closing face, the visual is the toe passing the heel through impact. The trail palm is more straight up and down in the followthrough, like a hitchhiker (left, bottom). Opposite of hitting with an open face, the ball will pick up hook spin, so the first bounce likely will go left. This shot is great for slow greens or running up a back tier. Start adding these shots to your bag, and you’ll want a wedge on every hole. Based in Greenwich, Michael Breed is Golf Digest’s Chief Digital Instructor. JANUARY 2026

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AGF news

The Arab Golf Federation continues to place a real emphasis on developing homegrown talent by creating pathways that help young players move confidently from the amateur ranks into the professional game. That commitment was reflected clearly this past season, with over 20 Arab players earning spots in the 2025 Saudi Open, a US$1 million event on the Asian Tour, offering them valuable experience at a world-class level. The progress on display began well before tournament week. The Saudi Amateur Open again showed how Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation are building a complete structure that gives emerging players the opportunities they need. The event sits within the Arab Golf Series, sanctioned by the Arab Golf Federation, and awards official regional ranking points. Those points carry real weight as they raise a player’s standing and strengthen their chances of qualifying 64

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for stronger fields across the region and beyond. The 2025 Saudi Open highlighted the speed at which the sport is evolving in the Arab world and Saudi Arabia’s influence as a host of international golf. This year’s field brought together standout players from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, joined by a strong Saudi lineup that included professionals Othman Almulla, Saud Al Sharif, Faisal Salhab, Khalid Attieh and Shergo Al Kurdi. A promising group of Saudi amateurs also competed, highlighting the work underway and reinforcing the wider effort to create an integrated ecosystem that prepares Arab players for the professional stage. Al Kurdi and Moroccan amateur Bresnu were amongst five regional competitors to make the cut alongside the UAE’s Joshua Grenville-Wood, Qatar’s Daniil Sokolov and El Mehdi Fakori, also of Morocco.

PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED

Building the Next Gen of Arab Golf

Hellgren captures Saudi Open presented by PIF, Bresnu wins leading arab golfer award Bjorn Hellgren from Sweden claimed the Saudi Open presented by PIF at Dirab Golf & Country Club. Meanwhile, Morocco’s Adam Bresnu claimed the shot of the day in the final round with a stunning hole-in-one on the 13th. Bresnu’s final score of 14-under-par also ensured he won the leading Arab player award.

Egypt, Palestine and Tunisia take top honours in Saudi Amateur Open at Dirab Golf Club The Saudi Amateur Open, organised by the Saudi Golf Federation, concluded at Dirab Golf Club after three days of competition from December 3 to 5. In the men’s division, Egypt’s Issa Abou El Ela clinched the overall title. The women’s division saw Tunisia’s Ghazlan Saqi take the spoils. Egypt’s Alaa Eldin Salama came out on top in the junior boys’ division while Palestine’s Yasmeen Thaher won the junior girls’ division.

PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED; GETTY IMAGES

Mudadana, Yang and Australia come out on top in Al Ain The UAE Cup concluded at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club with thrilling finishes in all divisions. Morocco’s Hugo Mazen Trommetter led the Men’s Arab contingent, finishing tied for fifth at eight under par. In the women’s division, Turkey’s Deniz Sapmaz tied for fourth at level par, as the top UAE finisher was Jamie Camero, who tied for ninth.

UAE’s Ahmad Skaik turns professional, a new chapter for the Emirati-born pro The Emirates Golf Federation is proud to announce that UAE National Team standout Ahmad Skaik has officially turned professional, marking the next chapter in one of the most successful amateur careers in Emirati golf history.

To read more, visit golfdigestme.com/agf-news JANUARY 2026

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the gulf club

A gallery of some of the local winners in the amateur circuit. Spot anyone you know?

Emma Malsher

Maximilian Quack, Anil Shivanna, Tjalling Van Den Burger and Shelton Sacrafamilia

Ladies Matchplay Trump International Golf Club Dubai, UAE

Mixed Christmas Scramble Emirates Golf Club, UAE

Mark Thompson-Royds, Alan Dobbins, Louis Gaughan

Rizmy Shariff & Melanie Probert

Team Winners Lincoln Pro Am Series Jumeirah Golf Estates, UAE

Club Champions Al Zorah Golf and Yacht Club, UAE

Sean Ewing

Jackson Bell

Mukti Rai

OMA Emirates Medalford Jumeirah Golf Estates, UAE

Professional Winner - Lincoln Pro Am Series Jumeirah Golf Estates, UAE

Monthly Medal Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, UAE

To read more, visit golfdigestme.com/thegulfclub 66

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