The U.S. Open returns to Oakmont Country Club, June 12-15, for a record 10th time. Contestants will face devious greens, sinful rough and the notorious Church Pews bunker. Page 34
6 Rory v Scottie
It’s heating up in the battle to be the best in the world.
BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
the starter
8 Mythical Greens
Costa Navarino is rapidly being recognised as a worldclass destination located in Greece.
BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
features
38 Dramatic Dubai Golf Trophy
Amateurs retain one of the oldest events in the United Arab Emirates.
WITH HARRY GRIMSHAW
39 Cairo’s Crowned Champions
Arab Golf Series’ Pan Arab Ladies and Junior Championship.
WITH HARRY GRIMSHAW
40 Back-to-Back Glory in Korea
10 Journeys: Robin Tiger Williams
WITH KEELY LEVINS
12 The Shot that Made Tiger Tiger BY
JERRY TARDE
14 The Shots That Will Win the U.S. Open
BY EDOARDO MOLINARI
PIF Global Series concludes succesful event in Seoul .
42 Putters, Planes and Parenthood
Richard T. Lee is playing his way into the global golf conversation.
WITH HARRY GRIMSHAW
44 Troon’s Middle East Rise
A deep dive into the business and culture of golf in the region.
WITH HARRY GRIMSHAW
50 Riding the Rorycoaster
My inside-the-ropes view of McIlroy making history at the Masters.
BY DOTTIE PEPPER
60 The Greatest Gig Steve Williams shares how he started caddieing for Tiger.
BY STEVE WILLIAMS & EVIN PRIEST
how to play
18 How The Pros Scout A Green
What players are looking for when they step foot on a green.
BY MARK BLACKBURN
19 Hit More Greens from a Fairway Bunker
Make these shots a lot easier with this selfhelp guide.
BY DAVID LEADBETTER
what to play
20 HOT LIST PART 5 • Golf Balls
BY MIKE STACHURA & E. MICHAEL JOHNSON
27 Is It OK to Play Old Golf Balls?
Condition is much more important than age for performance.
BY JONATHAN WALL
28 Why Tour Players Are Ditching Hybrids for Fairway Woods Should you be rethinking the hybrids you have?
BY MIKE STACHURA & E. MICHAEL JOHNSON
where to play
30 Costa Navarino Championship golf, luxury resorts, and breathtaking views. BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
32 Legends Light Up Greece The Legends Tour returns to the Med. BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
34 Oakmont Overhaul
The five big changes that will impact the U.S. Open. BY DEREK DUNCAN
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.
Rory’s Reign and Scottie’s Streak
Golf enters a pivotal stretch defi ned by majors, strategic scheduling, and Ryder Cup implications.
BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
THAT ELUSIVE Masters win has catapulted Rory back to the very top of the conversation – and rightly so. But let’s not get too comfortable.
Because while Rory is now the most decorated player of his generation, Scottie Scheffler is still officially the best golfer in the world – and it’s going to take something special to knock him off that perch.
Scottie made it three major titles to his name at last month’s the PGA Championship, and he’s looking unstoppable.
Quail Hollow should have been a coronation for Rory, but it turned into a bit of an odd week for the Northern Irishman. No media interviews after any of the four tournament rounds and a failed driver test earlier in the week, which happens all the time and means nothing – but then the silence from McIlroy just made it a bigger deal than it needed to be. Questions still to be answered. Then he surprised everyone by skipping the elevated Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour and opted to play the RBC Canadian Open instead – meaning he’ll be teeing it up the week before the U.S. Open at Oakmont.
Very much a player in demand, but he has announced that he will be teeing it up in India at the DP World India Championship in October, the first time he would have played in the country and the first
time India would be hosting a Masters Champion. Huge for the growth of golf there having Rory’s presence.
What else is coming up this month? A lot, across all tours:
The DP World Tour heads to the Netherlands and Italy for their national opens, the Legends Tour returns to Greece for the Costa Navarino Trophy before the U.S. Senior Open in Colorado, the PGA Tour rolls through the RBC Canadian Open, Travelers Championship, and Rocket Mortgage Classic, LIV Golf is back with events in Virginia and Dallas, while not forgetting the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship taking centre stage in mid-June.
All tying in nicely with qualification for the Ryder Cup which is properly heating up, just like the weather over here!
For the U.S. Team, it’s currently Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, and Russell Henley in the automatic spots, with Harris English, Andrew Novak and Maverick McNealy lurking just outside. Europe’s side is trending nicely, Rory, Shane Lowry, Rasmus Højgaard, Tyrrell Hatton, Sepp Straka, and Tommy Fleetwood are in qualifying positions, while Justin Rose, Ludvig Åberg, and Matt Wallace are banging on the door. Both teams have six automatic qualifiers, and then six captains picks.
Summer is well and truly here, the majors are in full swing, and the Ryder Cup race is on the final straight!
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the starter
Navarino’s mythical greens
The Legends Tour returns to Greece for a week of sun-drenched golf
The Costa Navarino resort is rapidly becoming a world-class golf destination located in the heart of the Mediterranean. With four signature golf courses available, the Hills Course (pictured here) is an 18-hole, par-72 Championship course measuring 6,280 metres in length. Designed by Ryder Cup legend José Maria Olazábal, it is set above the coastline and offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Costa Navarino is set to host the Legends Tour this month, with the second round of the 2025 Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy taking place on the Hills Course. Read more about the tournament and all Costa Navarino has to offer on page 32
For more info, visit legendstour.com
Robin Tiger Williams ‘I Donated My Winnings to My Competitors’
WITH KEELY LEVINS
ICA N’T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF YOUTUBE VIDEOS I’VE WATCHE D of Tiger Woods, the man who inspired my middle name. I’d get in trouble when I was supposed to be studying because I had golf on my iPad. He was a massive inspiration to me not only because he won so much but by how many lives he impacted through golf. I knew from a young age that I wanted to play golf and help people in a positive way.
I was born in a small town in South Africa in 2001. My dad tried to name me after a cricket player, Sachin Tendulkar, but my mum vetoed it. My dad loved golf, so he named me after Tiger. Golf wasn’t big in our town, so when I was getting christened, everyone in the church wondered why my parents named me after an animal.
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ROBIN TIGER WILLIAMS
DP WORLD TOUR
AGE: 23
LIVES: PETERBOROUGH, ENGLAND
My dad, a scratch handicap, taught me to play golf as soon as I could grip a club. I was obsessed with it and hit balls in the living room with plastic clubs. When I was 8, we moved to the U.K., where we joined the local golf club and started training. My dad and I woke up at 4:30 in the morning, made hot chocolate and hit balls into a net in our back yard. After school, I went to the range and hit balls. After work at his dental practice, my dad would join me, and we’d be there until dark.
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I was terrible at first and could barely hit the ball, but I got better quickly and played local junior tournaments and then the U.S. Kids European Championships in Scotland. I finished dead last. I went out to watch the older kids to see what I could learn. They were better at everything. I was far behind. I needed to keep working hard.
● ● ● Sometimes we’d drive 10 hours to
see a coach. We met Iain Highfield, a sports psychologist, who went to work at Bishops Gate Golf Academy in Florida. He organi sed a scholarship for me, so I went to the academy at 12 years old and spent a few years getting private coaching. All that professional training helped my game a ton.
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I met Tiger at the 2018 Ryder Cup, when I was representing Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup. One coach yelled, “What’s your middle name?” while I was shaking Tiger’s hand, and I told him. Tiger laughed and said, “No way.” I thanked him for being such an inspiration to me, and he joked that just because I was playing for Europe he hoped I was still cheering for him to go 5-0. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.
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In 2019 I went to Florida State because I knew the assistant coach Then COVID hit, and since I knew I’d have some mini-tour opportunities, I turned pro. I tried to get a HotelPlanner Tour card but failed. I went back to South Africa to try and play the Sunshine Tour, but I missed getting through Q school by one shot. Every day, I wondered if I’d made a mistake; Did I turn pro too early?
● ● ●
The Sunshine Tour has two Q
schools, the standard Q school and then the Vusi Ngubeni Qualifying School, which is a Q school for nonwhite players. After decades of apartheid, inequality between races is still prevalent in South Africa. The Vusi Q school is less expensive and provides an opportunity for players who might not otherwise be able to afford to play. I played it in 2023 and won.
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What I saw on the Sunshine Tour was shocking. At one tournament, I saw a bunch of players sleeping on the course. I went over, and they told me they had taken a four-day bus trip to get there and had no money for a hotel room, let alone food. They came from humble means, had no sponsors and were missing cuts. It was heartbreaking.
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We came up with a way to help these players. I donated almost all my winnings, my dad contributed from his dental practice and my sponsor put money in, too, to help pay for things like yardage books and flights. When I rented a car for a tournament, I’d get a van to take as many guys with me as I could. We wanted these guys to be able to showcase their skills. I saw guys make the cut for the first time. We made a difference.
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I was Rookie of the Year in the 20232024 season to earn DP World Tour status. It’s been my dream to get to the PGA Tour ever since I was 8. I want to be one of the best players in the world, but if I’m not able to impact people’s lives in a positive way, then that success would be worthless to me. I want to inspire the next generation and make golf accessible to people who don’t have the chance to play this sport I love so much.
The Shot that Made Tiger Tiger
A complete history of The Stinger BY JERRY TARDE
SHOTS FIRED
Tiger took careful aim just a few inches over our photog’s head.
IIf you’re a golfer, he needs no introduction. Butch Harmon is the greatest golf teacher of all time, the most outrageously under-appreciated figure yet to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and Tiger Woods’ coach in his formative
and peak years from 1993 to 2004–ages 17 to 28.
“The way I put it,” Butch was telling me the other day in his office outside of Las Vegas, “is Jack Nicklaus was the greatest champion of all time, but Tiger was the greatest player.”
If Tiger didn’t fire Butch, and Butch had been his lifelong coach, like Jack Grout was to Nicklaus, Tiger may very well have held both titles.
That’s not a knock on Hank Haney or Sean Foley or any of the coaches that came after Butch. It’s a statement of
fact, and the evidence I’d offer is one shot that Butch taught Tiger because it was the key to everything.
The shot that made Tiger was a knockdown 2-iron you know by another name: The Stinger. The origins of the shot can be traced back to a beryllium copper Ping Eye2 1-iron that he cadged from his father because Earl didn’t have the clubhead speed to “hit it in the air,” said Tiger in a 2018 press conference. Even as a kid, especially as a kid, Tiger had clubhead speed. He was reminiscent of the young Seve Ballesteros, who played hooky from school and hit 3-irons on Somo Beach, near his hometown of Pedreña, Spain. Like Seve, Tiger fell in love with golf and taught himself shotmaking with that club, from chips around the green to driving irons.
“That 1-iron was probably the start of learning how to hit the ball down, plus we had balata balls back then, so learning how to take spin off it was a big thing,” he said. “The longer the ball stays in the air, the longer time it has to go crooked, so get that thing on the ground.”
In the evolution of the tour swing, The Stinger represents a return to the principles of Ben Hogan’s action developed by staying more on top of a highspinning balata ball in Texas winds. Hogan favoured control with a shut clubface, trapping the ball and taking spin off the shot. Hogan was said to “cover the ball.” One of his contemporaries and close observers was the 1948 Masters champion Claude Harmon, who taught stingers to his sons. Butch’s brother Craig remembers their dad coaching them to hit a “push-slice” with a 2- or 3-iron; he wanted you to think “hit and stop.”
A long period of swing evolution followed with tour players hanging back into a “reverse-C” finish, delivering a square clubface at impact and hitting the ball much higher than Hogan ever did—powerfully demonstrated by players like Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller and Tom Watson.
There were always exceptions by imaginative players such as Lee Trevino, Doug Sanders and Paul Azinger,
who had more of a sawed-off, low-andaround finish. Tiger exhibited a work ethic greater than all those players, and mindful of Hogan. He was able to combine the strength and trajectory of Nicklaus when he wanted it with the creativity of Trevino. As the ball evolved from “spinny” balata to the modern solid core, Tiger built his versatility on the back of The Stinger.
A word about that word “stinger.” Where did it come from? It didn’t exist before I wrote it on the cover of the April 2000 edition of Golf Digest for a Tiger-bylined article inside headlined somewhat breathlessly as “Tiger’s Supersonic Stinger.” You can look it up.
The following week after the magazine was on newsstands, Tiger, Butch and the rest of the world adopted the terminology as if it had always existed. I can’t claim the inspired poetry of a Herbert Warren Wind naming Augusta National’s “Amen Corner” or even Sandy Tatum calling Cypress Point “the Sistine Chapel of Golf,” but I do own this small patch of epistemological origin. As Tiger himself wrote in 2020, “I didn’t come up with the name ‘stinger.’ This very magazine gets the credit.” The term drew from the whizzing sound of the shot when Tiger was demonstrating it for that first instruction article, photographed by Stephen Szurlej.
Fearing the shot would take his head off, Szurlej retreated and set up his camera with a remote shutter on a tripod that Tiger aimed over, 30 feet down the line and 20 inches off the ground. Tiger said, “Lower.” Szurlej dropped the camera to 14 inches. Tiger said, “Lower.” The tripod was then dropped with the lens just a couple of inches off dead flat. “This could be close,” said Tiger. Witnesses recall the first shot missed the camera by an inch.
“I taught and showed him the shot,” says Butch today. “He had the clubhead speed and trajectory control to pull it off like no one before him. When he wanted to lay up off the tee, it became the greatest club in his arsenal. I remember him bringing it out at Kapalua in the Mercedes Tournament of Champions in 2000. (Tiger had won four in a
row at the end of 1999, then beat Ernie Els to open maybe the greatest season ever played in the modern era.) Tiger could carry the stinger 220 yards in the air and run it another 40-50 yards. He could hit it further than his 3-wood. It allowed him to position the ball, never getting it up in the air.”
Butch says he told Tiger to “stay higher with his right side, tee it low, turn through with the right hip and shoulder, and trap the ball. Hit down with a bowed left wrist instead of a releasing motion and fold the left elbow, like you’re trying to hit a punch shot under a tree. Now a lot of guys hit it. Tiger made it popular, but Gary Woodland is the best today.”
While it’s hard to argue which Tiger victory is most significant—winning his first Masters by 12 strokes in 1997, the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach by 15 strokes or his dramatic comeback in the 2019 Masters—I would make the case from a technical standpoint that his greatest achievement was the 2006 Open at Hoylake, where, as Tiger put it, “I hit one driver all week, I used The Stinger countless times and won by two shots.”
Writing for Golf Digest more recently, Tiger adds this advice: “Don’t rush the swing. Rushing restricts the backswing, and you come down too steep, the ball spins too much and upshoots. Back in the late ’90s, I used a 2-iron almost exclusively to play this shot. Then the design of 3-woods improved, and I could flight it down with that club. Because I don’t hit a 2-iron or 3-wood as far as I used to, I now sometimes hit The Stinger with a driver to pick up some extra yards.”
Throughout his career, it was the shot he could count on.
Back in the late 1970s at a Golf Digest panel meeting of top teachers, I remember Cary Middlecoff saying, “Having a good coach like Jack Grout is fine, but there isn’t a teacher in this room who could have kept Jack Nicklaus from winning 15 major championships.” I think Doc Middlecoff might have said the same about Tiger, but I’ll add that Tiger would have won more if he stuck with Butch, and he’d have won fewer if he didn’t have The Stinger.
The Three Shots You Need To Win the U.S. Open
Narrow fairways, thick rough, fast greens—Oakmont presents a brutal
BY EDOARDO MOLINARI
OAKMONT IS THE EPITOME of a U.S. Open course: The rough is very penal, and the green speeds are among the fastest you’ll ever see. U.S. Opens almost always favour elite ball-strikers, and the stats show that it is more important than usual to have a great week from tee to green. Since shot-by-shot data for Oakmont is limited, as the last U.S. Open there was in 2016, I’ve used Arccos Pro Insights to analyse the skills required to win the U.S. Open that will translate well to Oakmont.
Driving accuracy: Oakmont has very thick rough and narrow fairways, meaning accuracy off the tee will be rewarded more than usual. In the last four U.S. Opens, 70 percent of players’ strokes gained/off the tee were because of accuracy and just 30 percent were because of distance. That’s the opposite of a typical tour event. Given Oakmont’s rough, I expect this trend to continue. That will bode well for Aaron Rai, Collin Morikawa and Russell Henley, who are the most accurate players this year, each gaining at least 1.5 shots per round off the tee because of their accuracy.
EDOARDO MOLINARI, a former U.S. Amateur champion, Ryder Cupper and three-time winner on the DP World Tour, is Arccos Golf’s Chief Data Strategist.
Approaches outside 125 yards: Over the last few years at the U.S. Open, where players rank in their approach play outside 125 yards is highly correlated with their overall success. When we analyse the top finishers in the last four U.S. Opens, around 70 percent of their strokes gained/total comes from either tee shots or approaches outside of 125 yards. Since Oakmont will present numerous lengthy approaches for players, especially on the par 3s, this trend should continue. Who, specifically, does that favour? Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Åberg and Scottie Scheffler have been the best so far this year at longer approaches.
test
Putting: Oakmont’s greens will likely be the fastest players see all year, running at least 13 on the Stimpmeter. On top of that, they have large slopes that make speed control very tricky. The key when putting on greens this fast and severe is having exceptional distance control and a high make percentage inside six feet. I’ve analysed the data of the players who have putted the best on tour over the last five years on greens that were quicker than 13 on the Stimpmeter and had medium to large slopes. The best players in the U.S. Open field that rank high on that list are Harris English, Max Greyserman and Åberg, who all gained 0.7 shots per round or more on these greens.
PLAYERS I LIKE AT OAKMONT
For all the reasons above, there is a player whose name is popping up a lot in all these categories: Ludvig Åberg. We know the Swede is an outstanding player, but his skill set is perfectly made for a U.S. Open, especially one at Oakmont. Look for supreme ball-strikers—McIlroy, Sche er, Schau ele— to also do well. Outside of the superstars, I like Greyserman and Rai to play well at Oakmont, as Greyserman is one of the best fast-green putters on tour, and Rai is an extremely accurate player.
EDITED BY RON KASPRISKE
“Downhill par 3? Time to be aggressive. Try gripping down on the club a touch, then trust your regular swing. It’s all the adjustment you need for a shot that plays shorter than its yardage.”
–RYAN HAGER, GOLF DIGEST BEST YOUNG TEACHERS IN AMERICA, PLAINFIELD COUNTRY CLUB, EDISON, NEW JERSEY.
How the Pros Scout a Green
What the game’s best players are looking for when they see one for the first time
BY MARK BLACKBURN
APGA TOUR COURSE IS like a riddle: It has an optimal way for a given player to make his way around—and it ends with diagnosing the challenges of each green complex.
Meticulous tour caddies will keep a record of where pins have been during previous events, which gives practice rounds a more focused approach. Given the hole location, where is the easiest place to get up and down? Pros look at everything from the amount of landing area and available run-out to grass thickness and green contours. At Augusta National, there are banks and bowls that can
send a shot toward the pin or reject it. Understanding the topography can give a player a much smarter target.
When a course has tight run-off areas and short rough, the ball will behave a certain way based on the firmness and speed of the greens. If the rough is thick and deep, like at a U.S. Open venue, you have to get in there and practice not only the technique you’ll use to get the ball out, but how the ball will release once it lands on the green. I stress to my players that good golf is a compounding of positive, sensible micro-decisions. Just being a tiny bit better in where you leave your approach shots, and a touch closer to
the hole with your wedge game, is how you save a stroke here or there.
FRESH TAKE
When a pro like Justin Rose (above) sees a new green,he’s studying a lot more about it than just its contours.
If you play most of your golf on one or two courses, there’s no excuse not to have a good “book” on each green. It’s especially important if you miss more greens than you hit (you probably do). Your scouting report should influence club selection and aim. For example, is it flat and plush short and left on a hole? If so, favour that area no matter where the pin is.
If you follow an organised approach to “reading” green complexes, you’ll start shooting better scores —not because you hit fewer bad shots, but because the bad ones you’re hitting aren’t biting you quite as fiercely.
—WITH MATTHEW RUDY
MARK BLACKBURN is No. 1 on Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers in America list. He has worked with several tour pros including U.S. Open champ Justin Rose.
Hit More Greens from a Fairway Bunker (Yes, You!)
Make these shots a lot easier with this self-help guide
BY DAVID LEADBETTER
IF YOU PARK YOUR DRIVE in a fairway bunker, what’s your mind-set for the next shot? Just advance it up the fairway? Just get it out? Hello, double bogey? I get it. Fairway-bunker shots are among the least practiced, mostly because it’s hard to find a spot to work on them. I’m also guessing your expectation of getting on the green is fairly low (the PGA Tour average was just over 50 percent last year). Let’s see if you can help yourself boost your
confidence—and odds—of success. Start by getting in a more stable stance. Widen your feet and lean your ankles inward. You can even dig in if the sand is soft—all of this helps keep you from swaying or slipping as you swing. Also helping you make better contact with these shots are to grip down on the club and play the ball so your sternum is a touch ahead of it. Finally, stand a little taller over the ball. That will really help you clip it off the sand. Now here are a few swing thoughts:
Assuming you can clear the lip with a club that can easily reach the green (it’s best to club up from the sand), playing a fade gives you the best chance of knocking it on. A fade encourages a steeper club path, which helps with ball-first contact, and the open clubface in relation to your swing path helps get the ball up. Now focus on making a smooth, three-quarter swing. Keep your chest more on top of the ball and your lower body quiet (above, left). If you get comfortable with this stance and these swing thoughts, your confidence from the sand will soar.
CHECK YOUR STERNUM Set up so your shirt buttons are a touch ahead of the ball (above).
—WITH RON KASPRISKE
David Leadbetter is one of Golf Digest’s Legends of Golf Instruction.
EDITED BY PETER MORRICE
HOW WE TEST
Hot List 2025: Golf Balls
THE GOLF BALL, WITHOUT question the most used and least considered piece of equipment in your bag, might just be the missing piece that could complete your game—even if you’re Rory McIlroy. The future hall of famer switched balls at the beginning of this year almost by chance, realising after some idle chip shots that the softer TaylorMade TP5 might enhance more of his game than the firmer TP5x he had been playing for years. While many elements can be credited for his hot start this season, the only one that impacted every shot was the golf ball.
McIlroy found his way to the right ball somewhat accidentally, but we think our golf ball Hot List lends a measure of intentionality to your search for a gamechanging sphere. You’ll see how our players and robot testing broke down each ball’s performance across the short game and full swing, as well as a feel
assessment and the launch and spin characteristics on half-wedge shots. We divide the universe of golf balls here into multilayer urethane models and non-urethane models. Multilayer urethane balls offer a full suite of performance functionality, while the best non-urethane balls generally focus on a softer feel with more chance for distance. However, they lack the high spin found in urethane-cover balls for finesse shots around the green.
In the end, McIlroy’s decision to make a ball change provides a lesson for golfers of every level: Don’t assume you’re playing the right model. We’re not saying a change is going to net you nearly $9 million in less than two months, like it did McIlroy, but it could get you the same sense of satisfaction. Which is, of course, priceless, even if it doesn’t spend as well as cold, hard cash.
—MIKE STACHURA & E. MICHAEL JOHNSON
Our process for testing golf balls incorporates player evaluations and robot tests conducted by Golf Digest partner Golf Laboratories, based in San Diego. The robot tests produced and compared typical spin and launch for each ball using half-wedge shots. For player tests, we took elite golfers (5-handicap or less) on the course at Marriott’s Grande Vista Resort in Orlando. All brand logos and distinguishing marks were blacked out on every ball. Players hit a range of shots—short game, halfwedge, 7-iron and driver— and scored each ball on a five-point scale (5 for “excellent” to 1 for “poor”). They also provided Feel scores from 1 (“soft”) to 5 (“firm”). The slider graphs on the following pages reflect our player scores and form a Performance rating relative to other balls in the category. The Innovation rating is derived from our review of manufacturers’ technical submissions. Each ball that made the Hot List earned a Gold (93 to 100) or Silver (88 to 92.99) medal based on a combination of all of these metrics.
GOLD SILVER
BRIDGESTONE
Tour B RX
RRP AED 275
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Targets players who swing driver less than 105 mph
• Straighter shots but less greenside check versus other Tour B models
• Cover and mantle designs boost speed and spin
Tour B RXS
RRP AED 275
IS IT FOR YOU?
• For average speed (under 105 mph with driver)
• Softest in the Tour B line for more spin on all shots
• Composition of cover and mantle increases speed on full shots, greenside spin
Tour B X
RRP AED 275
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Best for golfers with fast swings (105-plus mph) who prioritise distance
• The firmest Tour B model
• Cover and mantle layer designed for short-game spin and more ball speed
Tour B XS
RRP AED 275
IS IT FOR YOU?
• For control players with higher speed; o ers the most short-game spin in the Tour B family
• Softer than the Tour B X
• Cover and mantle designs boost speed and spin
CALLAWAY
Chrome Soft
RRP AED 280
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Designed for tour-level greenside spin and nontour-level swings
• Lowest-compression Chrome ball
• Faster core and dimple pattern for higher flight
Chrome Tour
RRP AED 320
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Aimed at better players looking for softer feel, lower long-game spin
• Redesigned core yields new ball-speed potential
• Hexagonal and round dimples for a stable flight
Chrome Tour X
RRP AED 320
IS IT FOR YOU?
• For better players who want mid-spin full shots, maximum greenside spin
• Redesigned core for better ball speed
• Mixed shapes in dimple pattern for a stable flight
DIMPLE TALK
How often have you heard golf balls are all the same: round, white and dimpled? That’s too simplistic. Dimple patterns are designed to minimise drag and create lift. A general rule is, the larger the total volume of the dimples, the lower the lift and the lower the trajectory. Oh, they help with distance, too. The USGA once ran a test with a normal golf ball and one without dimples at tour swing speeds. The dimple-less ball flew a mere 145 yards.
Xtreme Tour
RRP AED 280
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Compression optimises feel and rebound for average swing speeds
• Thinner cover, larger core improve energy transfer
• Softer with less spin and a lower flight than Tour X
Xtreme Tour X
RRP AED 280
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Compression designed for highest swing speeds
• Firmer feel, more spin, higher flight than the Tour
• Thinner cover and larger core create better energy transfer at impact
SRIXON
Z-Star
RRP AED 250
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Expect low driver spin, a flatter trajectory and maximum greenside spin
• Cover uses a renewable plant-derived material
• Cover coating increases friction for more spin
Z-Star Diamond
RRP AED 250 IS IT FOR YOU?
• Higher-speed players will see significant iron spin, less driver spin
• Cover features a plantbased material
• Coating increases friction for additional spin
Z-Star XV
RRP AED 250
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Its higher launch comes with added spin when hitting into the greens
• Cover designed with a plant-derived material
• Cover coating increases friction and spin
Q-Star Tour
RRP AED 199
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Targets average players looking for a softer ball
• Slightly firmer core means more energy transfer
• A flexible cover coating adds grab on iron and wedge shots
What makes up a multilayer urethane ball?
A firmer mantle between the core and cover helps players pinch the ball on wedge shots for more grab. Some urethane balls use lower compression cores to create
Multiple mantle layers produce distinct speed, spin and launch for driver and iron shots.
Dimple patterns focus on reducing initial drag and extending lift to optimise ball flight.
Tour Response
RRP AED 250
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Lower compression is designed for swings under 105 mph
• Expect higher flight with a very soft feel
• Core produces less spin, maintains velocity
TP5
RRP AED 320
IS IT FOR YOU?
• For above-average-speed players who emphasize short-game touch
• Core creates extra energy but without a firm feel
• Shallower dimples reduce initial drag
TP5x
RRP AED 320
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Focuses on distance for better players; firmer feel, lower spin, lower flight
• More speed from the core without upping firmness
• Shallow dimple pattern reduces initial drag
TITLEIST
AVX
RRP AED 290
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Titleist’s softest urethanecover ball
• Lower spin boosts average players’ iron distances
• Improved short-game spin versus previous model
Pro V1
RRP AED 385
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Targets players looking for soft feel, flatter trajectory
• New core boosts rebound and iron/wedge spin, maintains low driver spin
• Mantle contributes speed, lowers long-game spin
Pro V1x
RRP AED 385
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Best for players who want a higher flight, firmer feel
• Lower flight compared to past model, more iron/ wedge spin than Pro V1
• New dual core boosts speed, lowers driver spin
—Pro V1x
RRP AED 350
IS IT FOR YOU?
• The firmest in the Pro V1 line; firmer cover appeals to faster swingers
• Expect high flight with ultra-low full-shot spin
• Mantle layer lowers longgame spin, adds speed
ERC Soft
RRP AED 250
IS IT FOR YOU?
• With help from AI, a firmer mantle layer and softer core and cover were formulated for more distance and increased feel
• A special polymer cover and mantle material increase short-game spin
Supersoft
RRP AED 160
IS IT FOR YOU?
• A low-compression model that delivers a pillowy feel
• The lower compression also reduces excessive spin with longer clubs
• Nine design options, including colours and patterns
Soft Feel
RRP AED 140
IS IT FOR YOU?
• The core is soft in the centre but gets firmer toward the perimeter for a soft feel without distance loss
• The cover delivers pleasing feedback on short-game shots
• Available in five colours
HOW WE USE ROBOTICS
Founded by Gene Parente, Golf Laboratories is the leading robot testing company in the game. Parente estimates he has run nearly 10,000 independent tests in his 35 years of not only manning robot simulations worldwide (and with the USGA and R&A) but designing the rig, too. His latest robot can mimic all kinds of swings from the shortest chip to the longest drive. For our ball testing, the robot replicated a low-trajectory 45-yard pitch shot, with the 2023 Titleist Pro V1 as the control ball.
Tour Soft
RRP AED 265
IS IT FOR YOU?
• A large, fast core provides soft feel and more distance o the tee
• The thin cover delivers enough spin for short-game control
• Low compression promotes a gentle feel at impact
Is It OK to Play Old Golf Balls?
Condition is much more important than age when it comes to performance BY
JONATHAN WALL
AT SOME POINT, WE’VE ALL run low on golf balls during a round and been forced to seek “alternative options” in a nearby pond or trees. The balls you find on those expeditions might feature yellowing of the cover, scuff marks or paint loss—maybe all three. Those well-worn pellets serve a purpose in the moment, but it’s natural to wonder if you’re sacrificing performance by playing something that might be well past its prime.
If you’ve never checked, you won’t find an expiration date stamped on
a box of golf balls like you do a gallon of milk. The cover and core materials aren’t designed to last forever, but you don’t have to sweat a ball that’s 12 or 24 months old wilting away on the course.
Durability has improved exponentially since the days of the ultra-soft balata ball when it didn’t take much to shear the cover on a well-struck wedge. It’s now possible to play the same ball for 72-plus holes. If that sounds ludicrous, consider that pro Alex Chiarella won PGA Tour Canada’s 2019 Lethbridge Paradise Canyon Open using the same Titleist Pro V1x for all four rounds.
Unfortunately, most weekend golfers don’t have the accuracy to play the same ball for that many holes. If you’re one of the lucky few who manages to keep a ball in play for long stretches, the only thing you need to keep track of is cover wear. It might seem logical to worry about a ball when the paint starts to come off, but according to Titleist, it’s the dreaded scuff mark that should be your main concern.
EXPERIENCE MATTERS
Avoid balls with major cover damage or found in the water.
“Our rule of thumb for regular golfers is that as long as paint loss, a scuff or defacement of the golf ball is less than the size of a dime, it should be good to go,” a Titleist representative told us.
Again, today’s covers can withstand numerous wedge shots without seeing a dip in performance. The dime-size (or larger) marks you need to worry about generally come from an errant shot skipping off a cart path or grazing a tree. It’s time to find a new ball when you see noticeable gashes or material missing on a section of the cover.
Could you roll the dice and keep on playing such a ball? No one is going to pull you off the course for continuing on with a battered egg. However, if the wear is enough to alter launch, spin and dispersion, you run the risk of flushing one and watching it fly off line.
For those who like to collect balls from water hazards, be advised that it’s difficult to predict performance in the moment. For starters, there’s no telling how long the ball has been submerged in the water, so it’s tough to say whether performance will take a hit.
Most of today’s premium balls have a water-resistant coating, so it’s possible that something you find along the bank will still be good to go. That said, it’s still a gamble.
“All ball materials will absorb moisture at different rates, and anything submerged in water represents the most extreme condition,” a Titleist representative said. “If you don’t know how long it was in the water, there is a high probability that the ball will not perform as designed.”
Wondering where golf balls should be stored to preserve performance? It’s best to keep them in a dry location where the temperature hovers around 70 degrees. Think inside a home office or a storage closet where your clubs might already reside.
Following these few rules will ensure that your golf balls are good to go for the foreseeable future. Now you only have to worry about keeping them in play.
Why Tour Players Are Ditching Hybrids for Fairway Woods
Q:IT SEEMS LIKE HYBRID USE ON TOUR IS DOWN. SHOULD I BE RETHINKING THE ONES I HAVE?
If you’re inspired to do something because you see it happening on tour, we would highly encourage you to dig a little deeper because what is or isn’t working for the pros is at best a data point, not a call to action. Assuming you are not shooting in the 60s, the best answer for you should have a lot more to do with your game than with what you’re seeing on tour.
First things first, let’s get to the start of your question. Yes, hybrid use on the
PGA Tour has tailed off from its heady days 15 years ago. When our Hot List started back in 2004, the hybrid was in its heyday as the saviour for all modern golfers struggling to launch long irons properly. In other words, all modern golfers—major champions, grandmas and you. If you look at the top 20 players on the PGA Tour, only three still carry a hybrid. Fifteen years ago, it was three or four times as many, with a typical week seeing more than 100 hybrids in play. What happened? Well, some of it is reality and some of it is perception. First, elite players often found hybrids to have a little more draw bias than makes them comfortable. (For most elite players, any amount of draw bias makes them uncomfortable. Of course, draw bias
WOOD-WISE Georgia Hall is one of many pros opting for high-lofted woods.
for the average golfer is needed more than a fashion makeover.)
Second, there aren’t that many holes these days where tour-level players are hitting hybrids into greens. According to PGA Tour ShotLink data, the number of approaches longer than 200 yards is 11 percent less than it was 15 years ago.
Third, and this is mostly what might be useful for average golfers, tour pros are opting for other choices beyond hybrids. Those include utility irons and high-lofted fairway woods. Today’s utility irons feature a wide sole and a hollow construction with a fast-flexing face to provide ball speed, higher launch and the ability to flight shots to fit certain conditions. The high-lofted fairway woods, including 5-, 7- and even 9-woods, provide a more compact yet forgiving head that is easy to launch from a variety of lies.
Chris Marchini, Golf Galaxy’s director of golf experience and the lead fitting consultant for the Golf Digest Hot List, thinks fairway woods are a better option for many players. “People wrongly think that hybrids have a lower centre of gravity than fairway woods,” he says. “Fairway woods will be easier to hit it higher for most players.”
We agree, but we still think hybrids should be part of your consideration when ditching your long and even middle irons. We think starting at your 5-iron, your clubs should be more forgiving than those from your 6-iron through 9-iron. That can be a more forgiving style of iron (like in a combo set), hybrids, utility irons and fairway woods. The ideal is a mix of two or three of those options as you work your way from your driver to your most playable longer iron, and that “longest” iron might even be a 7-iron. Golf Digest asked national fitting chain and 100 Best Clubfitter Club Champion to study how much better a 6-hybrid is than a 6-iron for an average golfer. Tests showed that for high handicappers a 6-hybrid was on average 18 yards longer in carry distance than a 6-iron.
Michael Vrska, Callaway’s director of custom fitting and player performance,
SWITCH OUT
Shafts with adapters are easy to swap, but glued-in shafts demand extra care.
recently commented on X, “There certainly are a lot more 7-woods going out on tours, but what’s the real benefit of that compared to a hybrid? The fairway woods generally have a lower and deeper centre of gravity. That’s going to help you launch the ball higher and with a little more spin, and for sure that’s going to give you a steeper descent angle. There’s also the swing issue of ‘steep’ versus ‘sweep.’ In general, people who sweep the ball and swing shallower through impact do better with fairway woods.
“But you also might want to look at face contact. If you struggle with high and low, heel and toe mis-hits, you might want to look a little more toward hybrids. Some players also find the smaller clubhead and smaller sole a little more versatile. Even in thicker rough, the hybrid might be able to cut through some places that fairway woods might struggle.”
Hybrids can be easier to hit because they are shorter-shafted than fairway woods, and because their centres of gravity are closer to the face, they may feel more like an iron in your swing. We also think they are significantly more forgiving than utility irons. Utility irons are best for those who are looking for a specific ball flight (lower) and rarely miss the centre of the face, but most golfers still would get more benefits from the wider sole and lower centre of gravity of a fairway wood.
A good middle ground is to look for fairway woods as replacements for the longer portion of your bag. Consider customising them with slightly shorter shaft lengths, too. That will add some control to that extra power. In other words, go with fewer irons in your set, and then use the savings to help fund some fairway wood purchases to fill the gaps. Yes, we get it, fairway woods are more expensive than irons and hybrids. That might just be because they’re better—in more ways that matter.
As always, resist the urge to make the call on your own. Get a good fitter to analyse what’s in your bag and how a club change might change your game.
Q: DO SHAFTS WEAR OUT OR CAN YOU KEEP PUTTING OLD SHAFTS INTO NEW CLUBHEADS?
Although we’re tempted to reach out and ask if you mean woods with adjustable cogs or irons that are glued in, the answers we received from our experts cover the gamut, so you’ll have all the information you need.
To start, a graphite driver shaft with an adjustable cog is a fairly simple equation. As long as you’re using a compatible adapter and just using the wrench to secure it, you really don’t have to worry about that shaft wearing out.
“Graphite shafts last a long time and can be used in subsequent heads,” say Paul Wood and John Oldenburg of Ping. “Minor flaws within a graphite laminate may eventually lead to failure after repeated use, but, as a whole, shafts do not become worn out.”
Avery Reed, former PGA Tour rep for Mitsubishi shafts and now owner/ master fitter for Fairhope Golf Works, agrees: “If the shaft stays in the same tip, it should be able to go from one head to another head for years,” he says. “Zach Johnson played the same Diamana Blueboard forever. It got to the point where the paint wore off from taking it in and out of the bag, but it never changed the playability of the shaft.”
Now, let’s move on to glued-in graphite shafts. That’s a different story.
“The shafts won’t wear out, but if there is grinding on the tip to take off epoxy, too much material being taken off can cause the shaft to become brittle,” Reed says.
In short, it is never recommended to pull a graphite shaft out of a hosel or hosel adapter and insert it into a new one. The heat required to pull the shaft degrades the epoxy in the graphite. If done properly, you might be able to get away with it, but it’s definitely a highrisk proposition.
Iron shafts don’t have adapters, but because they are typically made of steel, it’s a different deal than graphite.
“True Temper did a test many years ago that said a steel shaft would last two-and-a-half lifetimes,” says Woody Lashen, co-owner and master fitter at Pete’s Golf in Mineola, New York. “Can they bend, yes—especially steel shafts with soft tips—but they don’t wear out.”
Although iron shafts are durable, it’s important to make sure they don’t bend over time. This is a concern for higher-swing-speed players, especially if they have a steep angle of attack and take deep divots.
The takeaway: Shafts generally don’t wear out, but beware the pitfalls.
Answers by Golf Digest equipment editors Mike Stachura and E. Michael Johnson.
where to play
EDITED BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
The Legends Tour returns to Costa Navarino, Greece, this June for the 2025 Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy. Set across two (of the four) world-class courses—The Hills Course and the International Olympic Academy Golf Course ( pictured ) —this Mediterranean hotspot offers luxury resorts, spa centres, fine dining, and exclusive villas. Located in Messinia, the sustainably focused destination boasts powerful views over the Ionian Sea. Designed by José María Olazábal, the 18-hole Academy course at Navarino Hills promises a challenging and scenic experience for players and guests alike.
Legends light up Greece
Costa Navarino’s championship golf, luxury resorts, and breathtaking views await BY HARRY
GRIMSHAW
THE LEGENDS TOUR touches down back into continental Europe this month, following a brief stateside stop at the Senior PGA Championship. This time, the players are welcomed once again to the ultra-luxurious Costa Navarino in Greece — a destination that blends world-class golf with Mediterranean elegance.
Set in Messinia in the southwest Peloponnese, Costa Navarino is a member of the European Tour Destinations network. Known for its commitment to sustainability, the resort has earned a reputation as one of the Mediterranean’s most soughtafter golf and lifestyle sanctuaries.
With four championship 18-hole courses — The Bay, The Dunes, The Hills, and the International Olympic Academy Golf Course — it delivers a golf experience that rivals the very best in Europe.
The 2025 Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy will be contested across two of the venue’s standout courses. Round one tees off on Friday, 12 June on the International Olympic Academy Course, with round two moving to The Hills Course, before returning to the Academy Course for the final round.
Designed by two-time Masters Champion José María Olazábal, the International Olympic Academy Golf Course is set in the dramatic topography of Navarino Hills. The par-72, 6,366-metre layout
BEYOND THE FAIRWAYS
Costa Navarino offers a one-of-akind supreme luxury experience, with guests having the option to stay at one of four five-star resorts.
offers panoramic views over the historic Bay of Navarino and the Ionian Sea. With its strategic challenges and unforgettable scenery, it promises a fitting stage for the Legends Tour.
Beyond the fairways, Costa Navarino offers a one-of-a-kind supreme luxury experience. With players and guests having the option to stay at one of four five-star resorts: The Romanos, W Costa Navarino, Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino, or The Westin Resort Costa Navarino. The destination also boasts over 40 dining venues, three spa centres, a wide array of cultural and outdoor activities, and an exceptional level of service throughout.
For those seeking privacy and indulgence, Costa Navarino’s exclusive villas offer accommodation for up to 12 guests, each complete with its own swimming pool — or even two!
With a world-class field assembling once again in Greece — including Legends Tour Order of Merit leader Scott Hend and Major Champions Michael Campbell and Paul Lawrie — this year’s edition of the Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy promises to be an unforgettable event in one of Europe’s most stunning golf destinations.
For more info, visit legendstour.com
KEY HOLES
INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY GOLF COURSE
11TH HOLE
Par 5 530 yards
This first of two back nine par 5’s, this is a slight dogleg to the right. With three bunkers down the left hand side positioned around the landing area of your tee shot, they all are in play if you don’t decide to cut the corner off the tee. If you get a good drive away you can reach the green in two to set yourself up with an eagle opportunity, thanks to the very deep green on offer. If you have a tendency to bail out on your approach, the right hand side has more space than you think.
12TH HOLE
Par 3 187 yards
A visually stunning par three that can range from anywhere between five different club choices, depending on the wind direction. Missing it left is not an option as you are heading down the cliff towards the Bay of Navarino. There can be some great pin positions as well on the left and back right of this tiered green. Make sure you commit to your tee shot!
18TH HOLE
Par 4 400 yards
A great risk-reward finishing hole. Only playing 400 yards it’s not too long, so it offers an option of a birdie opportunity if you need one late in your round, but you need to be aggressive. If you do like to play a bit more conservatively off the tee there are three fairway bunkers to look out for, two on the left and one on the right but a big drive can leave you with just a wedge or sand wedge into this generous green.
The Bay Course
The Dunes Course
Clark Dennis 2024 Winner
Costa Navarino Residences Olive Grove W Hotel
Mandarin Oriental
Oakmont Overhaul
The five big changes that will impact the U.S. Open
BY DEREK DUNCAN
LEE TREVINO ONCE SAID that Oakmont Country Club was so tough that it was the only course in the country that could host the U.S. Open on demand, without advance notice. The members, who play in quasi-Open conditions daily, are slightly more modest—they say they need two weeks to get ready.
What happens at Oakmont during those two weeks? Not much. It’s more about what doesn’t happen: The rough
isn’t mowed, and the greens are barely watered, making them even firmer than usual. The club does, however, cut the greens—Oakmont’s are often so fast that they need to be slowed down when the professionals come to town. But, a fortnight later, you have the country’s most established U.S. Open course, host to nine previous tournaments dating to 1927 (as well as another three PGA Championships, two Women’s Opens and six U.S. Amateurs).
SAY YOUR PRAYERS
The par-4 third remains a monster despite its changes.
The core ingredients that combine to make Oakmont the most prolific and most exacting U.S. Open test have been immutable for 100 years, namely a legendary set of formidable greens that play like tilted basketball courts, urn-like fairway bunkers forbidding players from advancing the ball very far and wrist-breaking rough,
four to five inches in height.
Glazed greens and penal bunkers may be constants at Oakmont, but that doesn’t mean the course never changes. For almost 45 years after it opened in 1903, founder H.C. Fownes and son W.C. Fownes (pronounced “phones”) shifted greens and added hazards with almost religious zeal, marshaling it from an open, countryside course with no bunkers to one that at its height had some 350 of them (W.C. famously
LANDING ZONES
An expanded fairway and rearranged bunkers entice play at the second.
insisted that “a shot poorly played should be a shot irrevocably lost”). Extra tweaks preceded most major tournaments—by Fownes, by superintendents and by consulting architects, including the lengthening of the design’s original 6,400 yards (it was one of the longest courses in the U.S. right out of the box), ongoing bunker modifi cations (including the creation in the 1930s of the famous Church Pews bunker), the planting of forests of trees between holes, and, decades later, their total removal.
The latest round of upgrades ahead of the 2025 U.S. Open, Oakmont’s record 10th played June 12-15, have been carried out by Gil Hanse and partner Jim Wagner. Nearly 150 yards have been added with new tees on holes like three and 11 that extend the championship length to 7,372 yards, playing to a par of 70 (the uphill par-5 ninth will be a 472-yard par 4). More significantly, the greens were expanded to their former perimeters. Hanse and Wagner studied photos of the course from the years prior to 1947 when the Fowneses were
still in charge and observed a consistent theme of greens that were much more squared off than they’d become, with grass banks dropping off into the recessed bunkers the way a tablecloth falls over the sides of a table. The majority of the work involved enlarging and recreating the plateau edges and connecting them more dramatically to the rebuilt bunkers (as well as to numerous historical bunkers that were revived), adding about 15 percent more putting surface and numerous new hole locations.
Since the Fowneses constantly added and removed bunkers, there was no definitive version of Oakmont to guide the design details. So, Hanse and Wagner attempted to recapture what they and the club determined to be a best version of each individual hole, independent of others—the model for one might have been a 1938 aerial, and for another a 1926 plan or ground-level perspective. The result is a kind of allstar lineup of Oakmont holes, a team of historical greats all playing together in their prime. Every hole at Oakmont has seen substantial changes, including the new green structures, but these five will have the biggest impact on how Oakmont looks and plays.
HOLE 2, PAR 4, 346 YARDS
“Creating an enticing space”
With a ditch guarding the fairway left, bunkers on the right and one of Oakmont’s most severely sloping greens pitched back left to front right, many players elect to hit an iron for safety on the short, uphill second. To entice them to select longer clubs off the tee, the previously narrow fairway has been expanded on the right to create a landing area more attractive to hybrids and metal clubs. Hanse and Wagner also repositioned a string of bunkers on the right to cut diagonally into the fairway to more clearly divide the short landing zone for irons from the second expanded area. Of course, some long hitters will still launch driver near the green, though an additional bunker short right and an extended cross hazard 30 yards short of the putting surface offer more robust defense.
HOLE 3, PAR 4, 462 YARDS
“Deadly front hole locations”
Oakmont’s third has undergone several significant changes but remains one of the most recognisable holes in golf due to the Church Pews bunker framing the left side of the fairway. New tees add nearly 40 yards, and Hanse and
POLISHED GREEN
Players will see new hole locations at the par-3 13th.
Wagner installed an additional pew in the bunker, bringing the total number of the grass berms to 13 and increasing its length to 108 yards front to back. The five deep bunkers on the right were also rearranged in a crescent, the first and fifth of which now pinch the fairway to just 25 yards across. The shaved chipping area that fell away behind the green has been converted to rough, and the pot bunker short left is bigger and more dangerous, protecting forward hole locations in tandem with a monstrous false front. “It is very intimidating looking up and just seeing the skyline of green,” says Hanse. “If you come up short, you’re rolling all the way back down, and if they use the front-left hole position, that’s going to be really interesting.”
HOLE 7, PAR 4, 485 YARDS
“A new carry at 290 yards”
The seventh hole underwent the most fundamental change to any hole at Oakmont. Previously the drive played to the crest of a hill and needed to be placed between flanking sets of bunkers. The architects found an early photo that depicted a cross-bunker
DECISION TIME
There’s less margin for error when players try to drive the 17th green.
cutting across the landing zone from the left and an alternate fairway offset to the right. With this arrangement reproduced, players must either carry their drives 290 yards over the new bunker to the slender crest of the fairway for a clear look at the green surrounded by four bunkers, or hit a cautious drive to the larger right fairway but face a longer, blind approach over the ridgeline. This type of dynamic is rare at Oakmont but shows that at points in its past the design did present strategic options.
HOLE 13, PAR 3, 182 YARDS
“Reviving lost putting contours”
The slightly uphill par-3 13th, set against a hillside, is often overlooked considering its placement following the extraordinary par-5 12th and the five round-defining holes that follow it. It’s difficult to look past it now after the expansion and sharpening of the green edges. “It’s an amazing hole,” Hanse says. “There was this little up and over slot in the middle of the green that was kind of muted in the way it played because the back-left hole location was
too steep to use. But now if you’re on the front right of the green, you can putt over that ridge, and it will take the slot and just feed the ball into the back-left pin. That green is very different from what it was, and it’s exciting because of the possibilities with the recaptured hole locations.”
HOLE 17, PAR 4, 312 YARDS
“Five bunkers made into one”
The 17th, an uphill par 4 that’s reachable from the tee, is always determinative in tournaments at Oakmont, often because players try to drive the green and fail. The primary task here was to reduce the variables of the tee shot. Six bunkers left of the fairway have been combined into one large and one small bunker that are shifted closer to the green, and players who want to play conservatively for position will have slightly more fairway available. The five bunkers that circle the small, perched putting surface leave terrifying recoveries, particularly the Big Mouth bunker short right, so players would avoid them by driving up to the left of the green for a clear chip from the rough. That area is now planted with long fescue. If they try that play now, Hanse says, “they’re probably going to get something they don’t want.”
DRAMATIC DUBAI GOLF TROPHY
DEADLOCK TIE AT 16 - 16, ENSURES AMATEURS KEEP HISTORIC UAE TITLE
On a final day that brought plenty of drama, the Amateurs fought back against the Professionals to retain the Dubai Golf Trophy once again, following a 16-16 tie at the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club, Dubai.
In one of the longest-standing golf tournaments in the United Arab Emirates, the Amateurs entered this year’s event having dominated in recent years, by winning nine of the last ten editions against the Professionals.
The Professionals began Monday’s final day with a slender one-point lead, following Sunday’s Fourballs and Foursomes results, with the singles matches commencing with the Amateurs on 7.5 points and the Professionals on 8.5.
DOMINATION
The Amateurs have won 10 of the last 11 editions against the Professionals
THE DECISIVE POINT CAME FROM THE TOMMY FLEETWOOD ACADEMY’S OSCAR CRAIG ON THE 18TH.
The day was closely contested, with points shared evenly between the teams as the matches progressed. However, the Amateurs rallied late on, securing vital points towards the end of play — notably Barry Pavic defeating Professional Captain Graham Forbes 2&1, UAE National Ahmad Skaik edging Louis Gaughan 1UP, and Aayan Dadabhoy winning 3&2 against Matt Rice.
Dubai Creek Golf Resort’s Matt Brookes kept the Professionals in contention with a crucial 1UP win against Jumeirah Golf Estates member Tom Stephenson.
But the decisive point came from the Tommy Fleetwood Academy’s Oscar Craig, whose 1UP victory over Stuart Smith sealed the win — sparking jubilant celebrations among the Amateurs. The first to congratulate him was his brother, Mo.
The event also featured a Ladies’ Challenge Match, with the top two Professional Ladies — Olivia Jackson of FiveIron Golf Dubai and Lea Pouilard of Dubai Creek Golf Resort — facing off against the top two Amateur Ladies, Aoife Kelly and Sana Tufail, based on their respective Order of Merit standings.
CAIRO’S CROWNED CHAMPIONS
MOROCCO DOMINATES AT PAN ARAB LADIES AND JUNIORS CHAMPIONSHIP
The undisputed country of the Pan Arab Ladies and Junior Championship was the sheer dominance of Team Morocco, securing first place in nine out of 11 categories on offer in Cairo.
The 2025 Pan Arab Ladies and Juniors Golf Championship wrapped up in style across two of Egypt’s premier golfing venues — Madinaty Golf Club and Katameya Dunes Golf Club — bringing together over 110 elite young golfers from 15 Arab nations. With 11 competitive divisions spanning both team and individual formats, the event delivered outstanding performances that highlighted the growing talent in Arab golf.
Organised under the Arab Golf Federation (AGF) and hosted by the Egyptian Golf Federation, this prestigious tournament also marked the implementation of the new Arab Ranking System, a step toward structured development and regional excellence in the sport.
The tournament’s success is a testament to the Arab Golf Federation’s commitment to grassroots and elite player development through the Arab Golf Series.
The strong participation, with countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and the UAE making the podium across categories, demonstrates the level of regional competition in the sport in the Arab world.
With continued focus on development through initiatives like the Arab Ranking System and the support of national federations, events like these are proving pivotal in shaping the next generation of Arab golf champions.
BACK-TO-BACK GLORY IN KOREA
HOME FAVOURITE FINISHES TWO SHOTS CLEAR AT NEW KOREA COUNTRY CLUB AS PIF GLOBAL SERIES CONCLUDES SUCCESSFUL EVENT IN SEOUL.
yo Joo Kim delivered a composed and professional performance to retain her title at the Aramco Korea Championship on the PIF Global Series, claiming her 25th professional win with a final-round 69 to finish seven under par at New Korea Country Club.
The home hero, who previously claimed victory by three shots over England’s Charley Hull in 2024, returned to the winner’s circle in South Korea – this time finishing two shots clear of Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini in an impressive display.
Following her round, the 29-year-old Kim said: “It’s really special to be a winner here again and successfully defend my title. This tournament has given me so many great memories, and I’m truly grateful for the support of my fans. I keep using the word ‘happiness’ – it honestly feels like it’s been my birthday all week!
“Instead of focusing on the competition, I tried to concentrate on my own game. I didn’t feel like I was playing particularly well, and I knew I needed to raise my level. At one point, my caddie asked if I was nervous, and that made me realise my performance wasn’t where it needed to be – that was a turning point that helped me refocus.
“Rather than worry about who might be catching me, I focused on meeting my own expectations. I knew I wasn’t at my best, so I concentrated on getting back to my rhythm and playing at my own pace.”
In the Team event, Team Kouskova secured their maiden victory on the PIF Global Series which was clinched in dramatic fashion as Lee-Anne Pace drained a brilliant birdie putt on the 18th to edge out the nearest challengers by a single shot.
The winning team, captained by Czech Republic’s Sara Kouskova, also featured Germany’s Patricia Isabel Schmidt and American Brianna Navarrosa, who was a late addition after stepping in as a first reserve when Cassandra Alexander withdrew due to a knee injury.
The event is organised by Golf Saudi and part of the newly announced PIF Global Series – a refreshed, five-event initiative on the Ladies European Tour (LET), with PIF as title partner – underscoring PIF’s long-term commitment to the growth of women’s sport.
Noah Alireza, CEO of Golf Saudi, believes an exciting 2025 is in store for women’s golf, “The conclusion of the PIF Global Series in Seoul marks another bold step forward for the future of women’s golf. The evolution of the series, which provides greater playing opportunities and higher prize money for players, reflects the growing momentum of women’s golf globally.
“This progress also underscores our commitment to expanding sports investments and developing the game’s foundation, reinforcing its position as an inclusive and sustainable sport.
“What this weekend truly demonstrated is that golf is more than just a sport—it’s a bridge connecting people, cultures, businesses, and industries worldwide.
“By hosting these global tournaments in places like Korea—with its rich history of success and determination in and beyond golf—we can carry forward these partnerships and valuable experiences as we strive to inspire the next generation in Saudi Arabia by strengthening sports infrastructure and creating new opportunities for growth and excellence.”
The next event on the PIF Global Series is the PIF Championship at the Centurion Club in England between the 8th10th August 2025.
A new daughter, a new putter, and a new level of belief — Richard T. Lee is playing his way into the global golf conversation
PUTTERS, PLANES AND PARENTHOOD
Richard T. Lee is no stranger to a hectic schedule. Splitting his time between the Korean and Asian Tours — while balancing new fatherhood — the Canadianborn golfer has been everywhere lately, and that’s no exaggeration.
“Yeah, so I pretty much switch my time between playing the KPGA Tour, which is the Korean Tour, and playing on the Asian Tour. It’s pretty hard to set my schedule because, the Korean Tour has a minimum of tournaments you have to play each year, as does the Asian Tour as well,” he explains.
“So I think just planning out my schedule with that and, having my daughter last year — I mean, it’s a blessing to have a kid, and she’s so pretty. But I think I have been playing like 30 tournaments the last three years, which is tough.
“I’ve been pretty busy flying around everywhere, usually going through Dubai on Emirates! So thankfully, I’m playing well as well, haha!”
GLOBE TROTTING: Basing himself out of Seoul, Richard T. Lee not only plays his home tour on the KPGA Tour but is also an Asian Tour member.
And he’s not wrong. 2025 has seen the 34-yearold start strong, with a win in Korea along with top finishes on the Asian Tour’s International Series.
“I usually don’t start the season that well, so it’s been a bit of a surprise. I’ve been working really hard with my coach and trainer. We set ourselves a goal to hit the ground running in 2025 — and thankfully, it paid off early with a win in Korea.
“I’m still hoping for another victory on the Asian Tour this year. I had a top ten in India, which was a really tough course. Then in Macao, I closed with a strong final round to finish in the top five.
“Japan was a bit more of a struggle though. I actually lost a lot of weight that week — couldn’t find many places to eat and didn’t sleep enough — and
I can’t lie — over the past two years, and again this year, our main focus as a family has been getting onto LIV Golf.
that added some stress. I’ve realised that eating well really helps keep my stress levels down, both on and off the course.
But I’m looking ahead now — especially to Morocco.”
Lee’s fifth professional win came late in 2024 in Indonesia, part of the International Series — and it came with a story.
“It was amazing. My daughter was born in January last year, and I remember talking to my wife — she pointed out that I’d been missing a lot of short putts using a blade putter. She suggested I try a mallet, like the ones Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler use on the PGA Tour — they’re putting well and winning….
“So I gave it a go in the first Thailand event and I tied for ninth, then I came second, and then I won!
“So the change in putter really made a difference — it boosted my confidence and made golf a bit easier by making more short and long putts as well!”
Seoul-based Lee’s consistency has been building in the year long Order of Merit on the International Series. He finished 10th in 2023, 5th in 2024, and currently sits 10th early on the 2025 season. Could this finally be his breakthrough year, with that coveted LIV Golf card the prize for the Number One ranked player?
“I said that two years ago — and last year too! It’s been really close.
“The final event in Saudi was a great event, but maybe a bit skewed towards the LIV players. With so many points on offer, it gave them a big advantage. The winner there pretty much goes straight onto the LIV Golf Tour, so that was a tough week for me.
“This year, I’m hoping to get one or two quick wins and push for that number one spot. I believe I’ve got the game to do it — just need to keep listening to my wife and holing more putts with the mallet!”
The LIV carrot is clearly on his mind, though Lee says he’s keeping doors open.
TROPHY TIME: In the past seven months, Richard has won on both the KPGA Tour and on the International Series in Indonesia.
“I can’t lie — over the past two years, and again this year, our main focus as a family has been getting onto LIV Golf. But it’s getting tougher each year. Last year, only one spot was available, and even the Asian Tour number one just managed to get in.
“So I’m keeping my options open. I’m thinking about giving PGA Tour Q-School a go this year and seeing how that pans out. If that doesn’t work, there’s always LIV Golf Promotions event.
“If I can get a win on the International Series soon, I’ll be in a much better position to chase that number one ranking. But I’m keeping all avenues open depending on how and where I perform.”
Next stop: Morocco — a return to Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, where Lee has good memories from 2022 where he finished second.
“It’s a really challenging golf course. You need to be able to shape the ball both ways — draw it, fade it — and definitely hole putts.
“It suits my game pretty well. I see myself as more of a ball striker, and if I keep playing the way I have been recently, I think it could be a great week.”
TROON’S MIDDLE EAST RISE
HARRY GRIMSHAW
AS GOLF IN THE MIDDLE EAST CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, FEW HAVE HAD A FRONT-ROW SEAT TO ITS TRANSFORMATION QUITE LIKE DJ FLANDERS WITH HARRY GRIMSHAW
s executive vice president of troon international, DJ oversees one of the world’s leading golf management companies, Troon. A portfolio that consists of over 900 properties across more than 30 countries— it includes some of the most prestigious courses in the UAE and wider region. In this exclusive conversation with Golf Digest Middle East, Flanders shares his insights on what makes the Middle East a unique golfing destination, why a new generation of golfers is redefining what it means to be a golf club member today and the untapped potential of golf tourism here in the UAE. This is a deep dive into the business and culture of golf in one of the world’s most exciting markets.
DJ, let’s start with a bit of background on Troon. Can you briefly explain what Troon does in golf for those that might not know?
Of course, back in 1990, Dana Garmany, our founder, opened a golf course for a Japanese group in Scottsdale, Arizona. They were more focused on real estate development and didn’t have the experience in the golf course side of things. Dana had the idea of creating a management company
Dubai Hills Golf Club
THERE ARE SOME EXCITING NEW PROJECTS COMING, AND THE REGION IS READY FOR IT. GROWTH IS HAPPENING DOMESTICALLY AND THROUGH TOURISM.
that would run all the golf operations so the owners could focus on what they were best at.
He took inspiration from the hotel model— where an asset is owned but operated by a thirdparty expert. So that’s essentially how Troon was born, and we grew from there.
That model struck a chord, and as the industry evolved, so did we. Today, we support ownership groups in a wide range of ways, always focusing on performance, experience, and long-term value. That commitment has been central to our growth over the past three decades.
When you look at a golf course and think “we can help improve this,” what are the key things you look for?
It always starts with the golf course. We were founded by golf professionals, so we understand the impact of investing in the course and main-
BELOW FROM TOP Arabian Ranches Golf Club; Madinaty Golf Club
taining it to a high standard—it drives revenue and membership engagement.
We’ve also learned how to run courses more efficiently. We’re the largest buyer of golf stuff, so we can buy fertilizers, chemicals, irrigation parts cheaper than a standalone client could.
Often, we walk into facilities that aren’t operating to their full potential. We believe in the power of sharing goals—daily or monthly revenue targets—so staff feel ownership and can drive results. Once that alignment is in place, a facility can really thrive.
Troon currently manages 11 courses across the Middle East, including in Egypt, Oman, and the UAE. What makes this region such a great destination for golf?
The ability to play all year round is a huge factor. Sure, the summer months are tough, but we still see solid participation. We’ve got very supportive ownership groups and strong partnerships with local governing bodies like the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), which is helping grow the game locally.
Obviously, I’m a big supporter of Troon, but there’s some other very good operators out there that are consistent in our approach of driving quality and consistency. That then makes this destination reliable for golfers to come to.
I have seen where there’s a lot of competition it can become a race to the bottom if you don’t have good operators that are protecting and providing the right experience, it can confuse the market. But I think we do a good job here, working together to drive the golf market in the UAE and I think it’s going to continue to grow.
In your experience, how popular is golf in the Middle East?
It’s big—and growing—but I’d say it’s been done responsibly. Since Emirates Golf Club opened in the late ‘80s, courses have been added steadily rather than all at once. That allowed each club a fair chance to succeed as tourism and domestic participation grew. New courses are coming online now, and the market is ready for it. There’s a real effort to grow both domestic demand and golf tourism. The key is responsible development, and I think the UAE has nailed that approach.
Can you give us an idea of the mix between resident golfers and international visitors in the region?
Sure. I’d say around 10% of our rounds come from international guests. I know many of the people that read Golf Digest Middle East think it’s a lot more than that, but during the summer months, there’s not a lot of international play here, it’s more domestic play.
The EGF now has over 21,000 registered golfers—triple what it was 10 years ago. And The R&A estimates around 40,000 domestic golfers in total.
Still, 10% being international guests is a relatively low number. You look at Scotland’s at 55%, and I don’t know if we’ll ever be at that number, but I think it’d be great if we could get up to 15 or 20%. The more inventory of golf courses that come on is great, because we’re then taking pressure off bringing those international golfers in while still having availability for the local golfers.
We have to take care of our members and our domestic golfers as we still grow our golf tourism.
Was there a recent spike in participation?
Yes—after COVID, we saw a big surge. We have seen a bit of a softening but it’s been a gentle fall, which we were happy about. We thought it might be a bit more dramatic but I think that’s a compliment to our operators in the region. Golf was one of the few sports you could play safely during COVID, and that created long-term “stickiness.”
We’ve now got four generations playing—Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z—and they all want different things. COVID threw them all together, and now we’re working to cater to everyone.
You’ve got Topgolf, which is “nontraditional golf”, and that has seen a tremendous amount of growth. Those golfers are entering the game in a
completely different fashion, they’re learning the game with hats on backwards and music playing, then they’re going to “traditional” golf clubs where they have to tuck their shirt, wear their hat forward and have high socks on. Millennials and Gen Zs are actually the biggest spenders, but they prefer a more informal, social atmosphere.
So that creates a little bit of a conflict, but as operators, we need to manage that gap between those generations and make it relevant for all and make them all understand that different generations are using our golf courses differently, but they’re equally as important.
It’s about managing those expectations while respecting traditional golf values.
If the UAE wants to attract more golfers from North America or Asia, who should it target?
The UAE isn’t a budget destination—and that’s okay. Golf tourists tend to be high-net-worth individuals.
We’re starting to see traction from North America, especially with more direct flights with Emirates for example. But I think Asia—particularly Korea—is a huge opportunity. Seoul has around 6 million golfers who can’t play much golf in winter.
To attract them, we need to adapt: more caddie programs, some language support, and food offerings that meet their expectations. We already have a strong Korean community here, so we have a good base to build on.
What would appeal to a high-net-worth American visiting the UAE for golf?
It has to be more than just golf—it’s the full experience. We’ve got great courses, but also incredible hotels, restaurants, and adventures. Boomers might explore the culture, while Gen Zs want skydiving. Dubai offers something for everyone—and that’s the story we need to tell internationally and just get the word out.
What role does golf play in business tourism here?
A big one. It often extends the length of stay. Someone might come for a conference, then stay an extra day or two to play golf. That adds hotel nights, food and beverage spend, and more.
We’re also improving at integrating golf events with conferences. That synergy is growing, and it’s a real opportunity.
Is Troon relying mostly on members and casual guests, or is there a big corporate golf presence as well?
The most successful courses are diversified. Not everyone golfs—but everyone eats.
So yes, we run corporate golf days, but we also focus on events that attract non-golfers. Concerts, putting contests, and social events are great ways to bring people to the club.
Globally, about 80% of people who live on golf courses don’t actually play golf. They live there for the view and the lifestyle. If we make clubs a social hub—an extension of their home—we engage them in a different but equally valuable way.
There’s a strong link between golf and luxury residential communities in the UAE. Is that a focus for Troon?
It is—and that relationship has evolved.
ABOVE Montgomerie Golf Club
Previously, clubs were more about pure golf. Now, Millennials and Gen Zs want family-friendly, time-efficient experiences.
They want to bring the kids or have family areas while they play.
We’re seeing clubhouses become more like community hubs. The Els Club Dubai is a perfect example. It originally opened as a core golf experience and over time it’s really become a core community experience. It’s been very successful with doing that.
You’ll start to see more clubs come online going down that community hub type to attract just as many non-golfers as golfers to the golf club.
Have UAE hotels been able to capitalize on golf’s popularity?
Some have, and there’s room for improvement.
Hotels have done well in their own right, but golf tourism hasn’t always been a focus. As more hotels open, I think we’ll see them turn to golf as a way to drive longer stays and higher spend.
It always helps when the hotel GM is a golfer— they “get it” and are more likely to partner with us on great golf packages.
Golf in the UAE is surprisingly accessible. Can you talk about that?
Absolutely—we’re a bit spoiled! Almost everything is within 30 minutes, traffic willing!
We also get a lot of last-minute players. Business travellers with a long layover or late flight often find themselves with extra time—and they head to one of our courses.
We’ll provide rental clubs, and they’ll be playing under the lights at Al Hamra or The Track at Meydan before hopping on a plane. That’s a pretty unique experience!
What does the future of golf in the region look like? And can we expect Troon to expand? Yes, if I do my job right!
There are some exciting new projects coming, and the region is ready for it. Growth is happening from both ends—domestically and through tourism—and it’s being done responsibly.
As long as we maintain that balance, new clubs will succeed, and the region will continue to thrive as a global golf destination.
Finally, how would you describe the Troon Golf experience?
We want every guest to feel like a member for a day. Dana Garmany’s vision back in 1990 was a private-club-level experience for everyone. We bring that to life by personalizing the experience—putting your name on your cart and locker, using your name throughout your visit, and delivering consistent quality from the course to the food and beverage. Our team is fanatical about standards and service. With 940+ properties worldwide, no one wants to be the weak link. That commitment is what defines the Troon experience.
THE UAE ISN’T A BUDGET DESTINATION—AND THAT’S OKAY. GOLF TOURISTS TEND TO BE HIGH-NET-WORTH INDIVIDUALS.
RIGHT
The Allegria Golf Club BELOW
Al Zorah Golf Club
MY INSIDE-THE-ROPES VIEW OF MCILROY MAKING HISTORY AT THE MASTERS
BY DOTTIE PEPPER WITH GUY YOCOM
PHOTOGRAPHS BY
STEPHEN DENTON & J.D. CUBAN
EPORTING FROM INSIDE THE ROPES AT
The M asters is the greatest professional privilege in televised golf. CBS began the practice only this decade. Even as a professional on the LPGA Tour for 17 years—I played on six U.S. Solheim Cup teams and won 17 tournaments, including the Dinah Shore twice—the things I see at the Masters astonish me, and none of the 10 Masters I’ve worked as a CBS announcer quite compares to the one we just saw. The 2025 Sunday matchup of Rory McIlroy vs. Bryson DeChambeau, the great supporting cast who had chances until late and all the chaotic ups and downs made it the most thrilling Masters I’ve been to. A friend irreverently referred to it as “bipolar golf,” while I called it the “Rorycoaster.” Neither of us were wrong.
On Sunday at the Masters, first impressions matter. When Rory and Bryson arrived at the first tee, their countenances were very different. Bryson made a gladiator entrance, exuberant. He was trying to create an atmosphere he could feed off. Rory was tighter, more serious, a little edgy. On the first hole Saturday, McIlroy carried his tee
shot 343 yards and cleared the fairway bunker by a good 15 yards. On Sunday, he failed to clear the bunker by a yard, a clubhead speed difference of maybe four miles per hour. You could sense his concern and determination to find his game.
How do Rory and Bryson differ as golfers? Rory hits it high and naturally right to left, while Bryson will occassionally surprise with a low, penetrating bullet. Both hit it forever, but I think Rory has an extra gear of power that neither Bryson nor anyone else has. Rory is a more organic golfer, more artistic in his approach. He’s also more emotional in the sense that what he feels in his heart he transfers to the club. He flights the ball more impressively and in creative ways that again, I think, come directly from his soul. This emotional quality can sometimes cut both ways. After all, he had to win this Masters while making four double bogeys. I’m not diminishing Bryson at all. When Bryson is on-point and executing, he’s capable of anything and is completely unafraid, but on balance, I’d give the nod to Rory.
After two holes, Rory had gone from two strokes ahead to one behind. At the par-4 third, I saw a quality in him I’d never seen before: anger—not frustration or fear, just downright anger and defiance. It’s not his normal way. On the third hole his plan was to lay up for position. That strategy went out the window. He smoked his drive to an ideal position just shy of the green, then, with the same angry air, hit a lovely little pitch and made a birdie to Bryson’s bogey. Then came Rory’s beautiful tee shot at the fourth and another birdie to Bryson’s bogey. Of course, so much craziness would transpire, but to me the tournament flipped at the fourth hole.
Rory is human and imperfect, which is one reason I think the patrons fell in love with him all over again. He has the best laugh in golf—though Scottie Scheffler’s is close—and has a mischievous Northern Irish twinkle in his eye. He likes to needle a little and can take it, too. There’s a kindness and openness about him that appeals to the average Joes and Janes out there.
An arresting thing about Rory is that he’s not very big—just 5-9. His hands aren’t large, and he doesn’t have Popeye forearms, but he’s deceptively thick around the shoulders. When you give him a friendly pat on the back, it’s like hitting rock, and his core is like iron. Then there’s his flexibility, quickness and flash speed, which you can’t teach and are off the charts.
AUGUSTA NATIONAL REWARDS POWER , no doubt about that, but it’s still largely about finesse. Distance control with short irons and wedges around the green are still enormously important. The golfer with the advantage is the one who chooses “high lines.” That means playing more break on putts than usual and allowing longer iron shots to follow green contours more generously. Rory aims drives on the high side of the fairways and “paints”
RORY AIMS DRIVES ON THE HIGH SIDE OF THE FAIRWAYS AND “PAINTS” THE BALL AROUND [AUGUSTA NATIONAL].
SUNDAY SCARIES
McIlroy’s first tee shot didn’t carry the bunker, evidence of his nerves.
the ball around that course. When guys attack Augusta in a more head-on fashion, they’ll start to bleed strokes, and disasters can happen.
THE ROOTING INTERESTS WERE FASCINATING to observe, especially the way they shifted. Bryson had the “bro” crowd with him, louder and brash with a lot of chirping. Rory seemed to appeal more to traditionalists. By the ninth hole, after Rory had gotten on track and Bryson wasn’t responding, the bro crowd became more subdued. Bryson wasn’t out of it by any means, but the sentiment had shifted permanently in Rory’s favour. The most telling moment came after Rory hit that great tee shot to the 16th green. The roar was tremendous, but then the scoreboard suddenly registered Justin Rose’s birdie on 18 to get to 11 under to tie him with Rory. The patrons groaned. It wasn’t a boo—Rose is popular and respected—but a dismaying sound that suggested this Masters may be slipping from Rory’s grasp. The patrons wanted Rory to win.
Rory did something on the 17th hole that only great players do. As he prepared to hit his approach, a whisper of wind came up. It was very slight, barely perceptible. Rory, even with his
adrenaline flowing, noticed it, stepped away and waited for the air to settle. That second shot requires tremendous precision, and most players amid the excitement would be oblivious to something so small. His poise there showed one of many reasons he’s a generational player.
It wasn’t all about Rory, Bryson and Justin Rose, of course. Don’t forget, Ludvig Aberg was on the periphery until the last two holes. I’m huge on that young man and predict he’ll win multiple majors before he’s done. After he finished with a triplebogey 7 on the final hole, it occurred to me that the disaster cost him something like $500k. I also thought about something Lee Trevino said years ago. “Forget about it and keep going,” he said. “It was never your money to begin with.”
HOW DO WE ANNOUNCERS KNOW WHAT CLUBS the players are hitting? I have an assistant, Wayne Richardson, who has been my spotter for 10 years, and he helps catch the signals from the caddies— in this case, Harry Diamond for Rory, Greg Bodine for Bryson. It’s all with one hand. If a 5-iron or longer, they flash that number of fingers, pointing up. If it’s shorter than a 5-iron, they will flash the fingers, pointing down, off a base of five, so a 6-iron is one finger pointed down. A pitching wedge is a fist. A gap wedge is touching the bill of the cap with two fingers. For an ordinary sand wedge, they trace the letter S in the sky with their finger. For a
EVEN WITH MY 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A PLAYER AND 22 MORE AS AN ANALYST, I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED.
THE CONTENDERS
Ludvig Aberg (left) and Justin Rose challenged late. Rose reacts after his 72nd-hole birdie that would force a playoff.
lob wedge, they make an L, like the “loser” sign.
The loudest Sunday roar came at an unlikely place. Usually, the biggest roar occurs on No. 16 because of the way sound reverberates though the corridor there, but the roar that followed Rory’s amazing second-shot approach to the 15th is the loudest I’ve ever heard in my life. It travelled from the green up the hill and hit me like a truck. Only at Augusta do roars like this happen.
The loudness of the roar was due partly to the loss of trees in that area from Hurricane Helene. Trees dampen noise, and now there are fewer of them. There was nothing divine about that hurricane, but I think it had some unexpected results.
It’s changed how much shadows are cast. Certainly, it can affect the way wind circulates. From the drive zone on No. 5, you now can see across the par-3 sixth hole, No. 16 and up the hill on No. 15. With the azaleas blooming, it’s just a bath of colour and more beautiful than ever, the rolling land similar to the way Bobby Jones first saw it in 1930.
Even announcers can choke, or struggle to describe what they’ve just witnessed. When Rory hit his third shot at the par-5 13th into a tributary of Rae’s Creek, I was speechless for a moment. He’d played the hole brilliantly, 3-wood off the tee and then a 7-iron layup to his pet distance of roughly 80 yards. I had my eyes trained on a window I expected the ball to be projected into. I know Rory’s launch angles well. But then the ball didn’t appear. Instead, it fluttered and then tumbled into the water. At that moment I had one job: Explain what just happened. Even with my 50 years of experience as a player and 22 more as an analyst, I didn’t know what the heck happened. There was some deceleration, for sure, but what else? An imperceptible mini-shank, maybe? A horrible push? A weak mis-hit off the toe? A complete breakdown of timing and rhythm? It didn’t come to me, and I don’t think it came to my colleague Ian BakerFinch either, and he also had a good view from the tower at No. 13. After some hesitation I said, simply, “That’s inexplicable.” I can live with that line because even after watching the rerun umpteen times, I’m still not sure what caused it.
On No. 14 Rory’s tee shot over-cut to the right into pine straw. I got there and saw a window—a low one. It was obvious he was going to punch it
SPACE AFTER A MISTAKE
Caddie Harry Diamond trails Rory after he hit a lob wedge into the water from 82 yards at No. 13.
low because the terrain will feed the ball toward the green. Instead he hit it high, a towering shot that stopped just short of the green, with a huge mound between him and the hole. It was a truly great, near-impossible shot, and had it clipped a tree, it could have been game over right then. As it was, he made bogey but survived it. It sure was a chaotic and bizarre 15 minutes.
I WON’T LIE—PHYSICALLY THIS MASTERS WAS a workout. I don’t wear a fitness tracker, but between following groups in early coverage and
the afternoons, I suppose it comes to about nine miles of walking daily. It demands that I be in good shape because announcers sounding winded onair is bad television. I pedal about four miles on the exercise bike at our rental home before I leave for the course, so I’m warmed up when I get there— not bad for a woman who had a partial right-knee replacement in December. I’m in decent shape and don’t regard the physical aspect as a strain. As for the obvious question about visiting the restroom, I don’t. It’s called water management. I carry just enough water to replace most of what I feel I’m losing. On a typical 70-degree afternoon, that’s about 24 ounces, and not one drop more. The mental part is another story. Every shot is so dear. My concentration is intense because I don’t want to miss a word of what’s coming through my headset, and the words never stop. You ask if I had any interaction with the patrons, and I’m afraid the answer is almost none.
WITH THAT, ONE OF THE COOL THINGS ABOUT the walks is seeing patrons who return year after year. One person in particular stands out to me. She’s a blonde woman, roughly my age, always wearing sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat
I ONLY OFFERED HIM MY HAND TO SHAKE, WHICH HE DID. NO HUGGING, NOT IN THAT MOMENT AND NOT IN MY CAPACITY.
PLAYOFF PAYOFF McIlroy moments after sinking a three-foot birdie set up by a 125yard gap wedge approach.
who sits in a chair behind the 16th tee. Although I’m sure she’s there with friends, she’s always by herself when I pass through. People like her, who I’ve never met personally, and likely never will, strangely have become something like family to me, distant cousins you never get to know but are familiar and strike you as fine people.
I did have an interaction with Rory, though. On Saturday at the par-4 seventh, he drove it into the trees on the right. When I got there, I saw a
PLAYING WITHOUT LIMITS
BY DR. BOB ROTELLA
Rory and I never talked about winning the Masters. No, we talked about all the things you need to do to win the Masters. Really, we spent our time talking about what you must do to find out how good you can get. That type of self-belief is what makes a great and unique player like Rory unflappable in the most trying moments.
Because he is as exceptional a competitor as he is a person, Rory embraced what the game was asking of him, what others were expecting of him, but mostly, what he was expecting from himself. One of the early things we talked about was how golf is not about playing perfectly. You must love that golf is a game of mistakes, but those mistakes can’t be the focus
or define your day. Instead, you must embrace how you respond to those mistakes. You must own how you respond to all of it—the expectations, the disappointments, the moment. To have free will means you get to choose how you think about yourself and your golf game.
Frankly, I thought Rory won the tournament on Friday morning. He had a choice after the poor way his Thursday round finished with double bogeys on two of the last four holes. He could have felt sorry for himself. He could have said, “I guess it’s never going to happen for me. I can’t get a break. Nothing ever goes my way with this tournament.”
Instead, he got more decisive, more determined to bounce back and come back stronger. We sat down that morning in the caddie
room just o the practice range and talked about how there’s still time. Let’s turn this into a great comeback story. That’s a choice he made, how he owns his mind at every step of the journey.
Every time we’ve talked, we’ve talked about patience and acceptance. The reality is guys don’t win majors the way they dream it up. In most people’s dream, they just pure every shot, hit it to a foot. While Rory may have won a few tournaments early in his career almost that easily, he had to realise that wasn’t normal. He had to be willing to say, “I have no idea how this is going to unfold,” but also have the peace of mind, the blind faith, to fully believe that it’s going to happen. That belief carried him through Sunday when he lost his lead not once, not twice, but three times.
Rory has faced incredible scrutiny few prodigies in any sport have ever faced. It’s dramatically more di cult for someone that gifted to accept mistakes, so he must have an even stronger mind and better attitude. Rory has learned how to cherish his potential. I said, “Let’s have a ball and see how far you can go with the gift you have.” In the end, for Rory and anyone else, it comes down to playing without putting any limits on what you can do. Now that Rory has won the Masters to complete the Grand Slam, it’s almost like the world thinks, “It’s over, he did it, he can rest now.” No, it starts all over again next week. The great thing about Rory is he’s excited about whatever the game throws at him. I am, too.
—WITH MIKE STACHURA
small opening, and, sure enough, he pulled off a semi-miracle shot that led to a par. He saw me and smiled. On Sunday, he missed big again on No. 7, this time to the left. Again, I saw a tiny opening— much smaller than the one on Saturday—and this time he hit it close. It was beyond gutsy, and he caught me shaking my head out of the corner of his eye. I guess my facial expression struck him as hilarious because that was the moment when TV viewers saw him laugh uproariously.
When I was with NBC, Roger Maltbie warned me to never suggest Tiger Woods was dead when he hit it into trouble. “Don’t do it because more often than not he will hit a recovery that will make you look like a damned fool,” Maltbie said. Today I apply that same advice to Rory. It’s a combination of strength, outrageous clubhead speed, an ability to create a swing and sheer determination. Tiger and Rory stand alone as trouble-shot maestros.
IN THE AFTERMATH OF RORY’S VICTORY, I was standing in the walkway behind the 18th green. When Rory exited, he hugged several people with great emotion. When he got to me, I briefly felt a temptation to hug him, too, because we know and like each other, and I appreciated his struggle to complete the career Grand Slam. But I only offered my hand for him to shake, which he did. No hugging, not in that moment and not in my capacity. Within an hour my phone lit up with texts from colleagues and professionals all over the industry. The messages essentially were the same: “I’m so glad you didn’t hug. What a pro you are.” My instincts turned out to be good. This was the Masters, after all.
The variety of flowers and green plants at Augusta National are, of course, something else. Gardening is my great love, and in 2024 the club allowed us access to the greenhouses and potting buildings that are to the left of the 11th hole for a piece on CBS. These places are breathtaking. Inside are all manner of flowers and green plants. One source of amazement was the “backup azaleas” to ensure we see healthy examples during the tournament. The number of people who caretake these plants is remarkable, and the woman who manages what Augusta National titles their “Plant Health Care Operation,” Abigail Gleixner, is a genius and one of the people I admire most outside of golf.
SWEET MOMENTS
Rory with wife, Erica, and their daughter, Poppy. (Below) The champion is greeted by the author.
Naturally, I purchased a couple of souvenirs from the merchandise shop. I always get the same thing: Six coffee mugs for a group of my favourite gal pals back home. They invade our back yard during tournament week with the mugs, and they frequently fill them with something other than coffee. Last year, one of our besties, a woman I have known since middle school, passed away, so this year, I got only two mugs, one for me and one for my bestie’s husband. Our group gathered at her gravesite just prior to the first round with the mugs. Loyal friends are so important.
On Sunday evening, my housemates, Jeff Sluman and Billy Kratzert, had left town. I was in the house by myself and made something to eat. As I sat over my Bolognese and halibut, I unexpectedly broke into a short cry. It was a happy cry, I suppose, kind of a release after being “on” for a long period of time doing my best for an event that means so much to so many people, me included. Come next April, I hope to cry again.
THE GREATEST
GREATEST GIG
STEVE WILLIAMS SHARES HOW HE STARTED CADDIEING FOR TIGER
Considering all the time Tiger Woods and Steve Williams spent together during a dominant dozen years, it’s stunning how little they’ve communicated in the 14 years since their highly publicised breakup. That’s one of the lasting impressions one gets when reading Williams’ new book, Together
We Roared, which is written in the third person with coauthor Evin Priest. At long last, Williams opens up about one of the most successful partnerships in sports history. The New Zealander caddied for Woods from 1999 to 2011, playing an important role in 13 of Tiger’s 15 career major championship titles. Williams was Woods’ literal shoulder to cry on at one of those majors, the 2006 Open Championship, when Woods won for the first time since his father, Earl, died. They shared a strong bond that extended well beyond the golf course with Woods serving as the best man in Williams’ wedding. However, they didn’t end on good terms with Woods firing Williams, primarily for going against his wishes by continuing to caddie for Adam Scott while Woods was injured. Williams made the situation worse with a racist remark a few months later at an awards dinner. Williams apologised, but that was pretty much the end of their relationship. Now with so much time having passed, Williams fondly looks back at what was overall a magical journey alongside one of the game’s greatest. Here are five select passages from the book’s first chapter that detail the duo’s early days together.
– ALEX MYERS
THE PHONE CALL
The hotel room phone rang around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2, 1999, in Miami Beach, Florida. Its tinny, high-pitched buzz was particularly annoying for veteran golf caddie Steve Williams, an early riser who didn’t appreciate late-night calls at the best of times, certainly not the day after he’d landed from a 20-hour, 8,000-mile journey from Auckland, New Zealand. Williams was slumped over the bed, half asleep but trying to stay awake until nine in an attempt to thwart jet lag. Normally, he’d stay at the house of his boss, golf star Raymond Floyd, in nearby Indian Creek Island, but it was full of guests. They were in town to watch Floyd play his home event, the PGA Tour’s prestigious DoralRyder Open.
Reluctantly, Williams picked up the phone. After all, it could be important.
“Steve . . . Hey, it’s Tiger Woods!” an excited, young voice said.
FLAG WAVING Woods topped Chris DiMarco on the first playoff hole at the 2005 Masters.
“Bob, go away, mate. I’m going to bed,” Williams responded. Annoyed, but chuckling at the accuracy of the imitation, Williams hung up. He thought it was a prank call by his friend in Oregon, Bob Garza. Williams had a house in the SunRiver Golf Club community in central Oregon, where Garza was one of the club’s golf professionals. He did an outstanding Woods impression.
The phone rang again. “Steve, it really is Tiger. You got a minute?”
Crunch. Williams slammed the phone down again, more forcefully.
It rang a third time.
“Steve, it’s Tiger! Please don’t hang up!” the exasperated voice said. “I’ve split with my caddie. I’d love to talk to you about possibly working for me.”
Williams’ stomach sank; maybe it wasn’t Garza. Maybe it was Woods. Feeling silly about hanging up twice on the world’s No. 1 golfer, Williams apologised instantly and arranged to meet Woods as soon as the Doral tournament was finished. (Years later, Woods would remember the awkward phone calls when he met Garza face-to-face during a practice round at the 2002 New Zealand Open. Williams had arranged for Garza to play a practice round with Woods, who said to a starstruck Garza, “So you’re the guy who can take off my voice?”)
THE FIRST MEETING
On Monday, March 8, Williams drove three and a half hours north up I-95 to Woods’ house in Orlando. At the entrance to Isleworth Country Club, a gated community within Windermere, 14 miles southwest of Orlando, Williams was asked to show his driver’s license to security. He weaved through streets of multimillion-dollar homes en route to
Woods’ house: a gorgeous, oak-lined property on a cove on Lake Bessie. Woods’ neighbours included baseball legend Ken Griffey, Jr., Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal and Hollywood star Wesley Snipes.
Williams felt the drive into Isleworth had a sense of both grandeur and seriousness, but he had to suppress a laugh moments later when Woods, 23, answered the door in Nike gym apparel and
“STEVE, IT’S TIGER! PLEASE DON’T HANG UP!” THE EXASPERATED VOICE SAID.
“I’VE SPLIT WITH MY CADDIE.”
invited Williams inside but said he was finishing a war mission on a video game.
LIKEMINDED COMPETITORS
Williams raced stock cars at the highest level in New Zealand.
Williams sat quietly for five minutes on the golfer’s couch, thinking how strange the situation was. He was about to be interviewed for a job with an athlete many were predicting would single-handedly change the game of golf and become a cultural force unto himself. That much seemed likely when he’d won the 1997 Masters by 12 shots and broken down everything from scoring records to racial barriers in a globally celebrated moment. But here that superstar was, leaning half off the couch and tapping away furiously on a controller during a first-person shooter game. Williams, 35, had been an amateur caddie since childhood and a globe-trotting professional bagman since 1978. But he hadn’t seen anything like this. Williams was fascinated that Woods, young, famous and as talented as a golfer could be, was playing video games. One link Williams could make between the video games and golf was the intensity Woods was showing the TV; his small
“STEVE WAS A PERFECTIONIST, SO WAS TIGER ... THEY WERE A GREAT MATCH.” ~MARK O’MEARA
Williams says. That day, the two started a joke that would last for years. Because Woods had played poorly at Bay Hill, where Williams called him overrated, he joked to his caddie, “If I don’t get my stuff together, you’ll be working for me at TW’s Car Wash. I need to get my butt into gear, and you do, too.” That line came after every bad round.
talk could not break Woods’ focus. Woods eventually turned the TV off and explained to Williams that he was looking for a new, full-time caddie.
“Tiger said, in no uncertain terms, that he was going to break Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major wins, and he needed a caddie who was willing to work as hard as he would to help him achieve that goal,” Williams recalls.
WASHING CARS
On the Monday after the Bay Hill Invitational (Their first tournament together produced an inauspicious T-56), Williams stayed at Woods’ house, and the pair took their minds off the previous week by washing Woods’ cars. Woods, prior to signing a deal with Buick in December 1999, was a fan of the Cadillac Escalade, a large SUV. He had several models along with a Porsche in his Isleworth garage.
“We really bonded because I took immense pride in washing my cars; it’s therapeutic to me because you see a car dirty, then you see it clean,”
PARTNERS IN PRIME
Williams caddied for Woods in 13 of his 15 major victories.
[Mark] O’Meara, though, saw a little more meaning in the hobby; washing one’s car indicated you were a stickler for perfection, and if you wanted something done properly, you did it yourself. One day in 1999, he drove by Woods’ house and saw him and Williams soaping up Woods’ vehicles.
“He had this incredible, mid-engine Porsche,” O’Meara recalls. “Steve was a perfectionist, so was Tiger. To be successful at anything in life, you have to be a perfectionist. They were a great match.”
DAWN-THIRTY
Williams knew, over decades looping on tours, that it was critical in the early stages of caddieing with a new player to develop a rapport and banter with that person. “In the player-caddie dynamic, there are never any guarantees it’s going to work out, and you spend a lot of time together,” Williams says.
Woods and Williams showed early signs of a special bond. His next tournament was the elite Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass near Jacksonville, Florida. Over dinner on Monday, March 22, Williams and Woods discussed what time to meet at TPC Sawgrass for a practice round the fol-
lowing morning. One of the most important disciplines for a caddie was punctuality, specifically, being at the course well before his boss arrived.
“Let’s meet at ‘dawn thirty,’” Woods said.
Williams had never heard of the term. “I’m guessing that means 30 minutes after dawn?”
“Exactly,” Woods grinned.
Woods relished practice rounds at Sawgrass without thousands of fans asking for autographs and taking photos of him walking between greens and tee boxes. He could conserve energy. Williams also got a good look at the course when nobody was around; he and Woods could see the entirety of each hole and its landscape without crowds. Williams found it soothingly peaceful; there was often mist in the air and fog coming off ponds on golf courses early in the morning.
There was a fly in the ointment, though. Often, Woods would play practice rounds before the superintendents, who already woke at the crack of dawn, had started work. “We’d have to wait on each hole as they cut the fairways or greens,” Williams says.
THE GATEKEEPER
One of Williams’ duties was to create a bubble around Woods, so he could get in quality practice on the range. Woods was rigorously disciplined, and the range was his office. His looper needed to keep people away politely, regardless of who wanted to chit- chat.
“Tiger had a signal; he would take a slight peek out of his peripherals to see who it was, and he would flick his head to indicate he wanted me to ask them to leave but in a friendly manner,” Williams says. He would tell that person Woods was
WILLIAMS HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE TERM. “I’M GUESSING THAT MEANS 30 MINUTES AFTER DAWN?”
working on something in his swing and ask them to come back later or when he was finished practicing. Constantly, fans, volunteers and officials would tell Woods random stories—they’d played with him in the pro-am the previous year or they’d watched one of his victories in person—or a tournament director would want to greet the event’s draw card. “If Tiger talked to everyone, he wouldn’t have time to hit a single golf ball,” Williams says. “He was the ultimate professional. He was there to get work done.”
Woods also had a deeply ingrained pet peeve: the click of a camera’s shutter going off during his swing. Williams needed to be on constant alert for photographers attempting to take swing sequence photos for newspapers and magazines. “Sometimes guys would be hiding in the distance taking photos, and I’d have to be very quick to hear and locate where that was coming from,” Williams says. Woods also became frustrated if a path he was taking at a tournament became obstructed by swaths of fans. As well, he’d often exit a car and a crowd of people would be waiting in the parking lot for pictures and signatures. “The smoother you could make the journey from A to B for him, the better it was going to be for everybody,” Williams says. “It was stressful, but it was also the job I signed up for, no question.”
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Joshua Vardy Order of Merit Winner 2024-25 Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club
