golfers – Golfing Agency

Stenson among a dozen LIV golfers set to tee it up in Abu Dhabi

detlef32 — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 12:41:04 +0000

First choice 2023 Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson heads a cast list of 12 players that have played in at least one LIV Golf event who are due to take part in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the first Rolex Series event of the DP World Tour’s 2022-23 season, which gets under way on January 19.

Stenson, who was forced to give up the captaincy as soon as the he announced his defection to the LIV Golf series, will be among a large contingent from the breakaway tour that will be teeing it up at Yas Links in the United Arab Emirates, which will cause a great deal of consternation in the corridors of power on Europe’s top tier tour.

LIV golfers are still eligible to compete in DP World Tour events, but that may change after an independent arbitration panel presided over by Sport Resolutions UK meets in London next month to rule on whether they will be able to do so in the future. That impending deadline has no doubt led to the rush of entries to upcoming DP World Tour events from members of the Saudi-backed tour, along with a run of events in the Middle East that will conclude with the Asian Tour’s Saudi Invitational, to which LIV golfers will be welcomed with open arms, as it is funded by the Saudi PIF, which is also funding the LIV series.

In addition to Stenson, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Patrick Reed, Bernd Wiesberger and Adrian Otaegui are among those who have played on the LIV tour whose names are on the entry list for Abu Dhabi, where the DP World Tour begins its 2023 season. Luke Donald, the man brought into replace Stenson as Ryder Cup captain in Rome, is also on the entry list. It is unlikely that he will be paired with his predecessor, although it would be fun to watch the social dynamics on the first tee if they were.

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2023 Masters expands field to 80 golfers with special invitations accepted by NCAA champion, Japanese star

detlef32 — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 18:19:15 +0000

Getty Images

Augusta National Golf Club announced Thursday that it extended a pair of special invitations to the 2023 Masters that have been accepted by Gordon Sargent, the 2022 NCAA champion, and Japanese golfer Kazuki Higa. This bumps the Masters field to 80 golfers with three months until the tournament.

“The Masters Tournament prioritizes opportunities to elevate both amateur and professional golf around the world,” Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said in a statement. “Thus, we have extended invitations to two deserving players not otherwise qualified. Whether on the international stage or at the elite amateur level, each player has showcased their talent in the past year. We look forward to hosting them at Augusta National in April.”

Sargent, a 19-year-old sophomore at Vanderbilt who was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 2022, is currently ranked No. 3 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and projects well at the PGA Tour level because of his swing speed and length off the tee. He is the first amateur to receive and accept a special invitation to the Masters since 2000 and the sixth amateur joining the field in 2023.

Though the Masters does not normally invite the NCAA champion to play in its event — although the U.S. Amateur winner and runner-up are both invited — it has made special exemptions in the past for a number of different players. If such exemptions are made, they are generally doled out closer to the tournament in April.

Higa is less well-known, but he has compiled six wins on the Japan Golf Tour and is ranked No. 68 in the world. He also won the Japan Golf Tour’s order of merit in 2022. Higa has played in one major championship before, missing the cut at The Open Championship last July at St. Andrews by five strokes.

It’s difficult to not contrast this news of the Masters spreading invites to global players and amateurs with its recent statement regarding the eligibility of golfers playing for LIV Golf. Such golfers are still invited to the Masters while eligible, but it’s clear that Augusta National prefers one path over the other.

Professional golfers will still be able to qualify for the Masters the next three months by either winning a PGA Tour event or playing their way inside the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings by the week before the tournament.

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LIV golfers see rankings tumble as year draws to a close

detlef32 — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 11:47:13 +0000

The release of the final official world ranking for men’s golf for 2022 revealed some hard evidence about the impact joining the LIV Golf Series has had on some of the world’s top players in terms of their place in the global game.

Only seven golfers currently playing on the Saudi-backed tour are now inside the top 50 in the world. Cameron Smith, who only joined LIV Golf in August, and some of the other latecomers, are yet to feel impact of their PGA Tour ban and the lack of world rankings points for LIV Golf events, but those who were on board from the very beginning, including the likes of Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood, have seen their world ranking take a huge hit.

Fromer world no.1 Dustin Johnson has dropped to 41 in the world rankings since joining LIV Golf

Johnson has dropped 26 spots in the OWGR, from 15 to 41, in the space of just seven months, but on the flip side, as LIV Golf’s most successful player in 2022, he has earned $35.6 million in prize money since June and banked probably several times more than that in signing-on fees.

Cam Smith has dropped just one place in the rankings – from 3 to 2 – since joining LIV Golf after his Open Championship success, and it will take some time to dislodge him from the world’s top 10, but other leading names have taken far bigger hits, with Paul Casey dropping 27 places to 58, Westwood plummeting 86 places to 164, while Mickelson is now a lowly 213rd in the rankings, having dropped 141 places after being one of the first to sign to LIV Golf.

Among the other the other major winners competing on the Saudi-backed tour, Brooks Koepka has dropped out of the world’s top 50 and is now 52^nd after slipping 29 places; Louis Oosthuizen has seen his ranking decline by the same number and is now 50th; while Sergio Garcia is now ranked 113, having been 57th.

With the organisers of the four majors so far resisting any moves to bar LIV Golf from competing in next year’s events, those LIV Golfers already qualified for the Masters, US PGA, US Open and The Open in 2023 by dint of their past performances or world ranking will still be able to tee it up in golf’s marquee tournaments. However, it remains to be seen whether LIV Golf will be able to convince the organisers of the OWGR that their events should qualify for ranking points going forward, so the full impact of the lack of points won’t start to fully unravel until midway through next season.

LIV Golf has already lobbied the OWGR for its members to be given ranking points for its events, but with the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour among those with positions on the OWGR Board, it remains unlikely that they will be offered an olive branch any time soon – although the request is currently ‘under consideration’.

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LIV golfers to receive Masters invitations

detlef32 — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 11:34:13 +0000

Players competing on the LIV Golf Invitational Series will be allowed to take part in The Masters in 2023, organisers at Augusta National have confirmed.

Masters chairman Fred Ridley said that their ultimate focus is to bring together ‘a pre-eminent field of golfers’ and they will invite players who are eligible under their current criteria.

Phil Mickelson is of six past Masters champions currently competing in the LIV Golf Series

It means previous champions such as Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel and Phil Mickelson will be at The Masters in April. Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka are among the LIV players who will also qualify as a result of winning a major championship in the last five years.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Masters chairman Fred Ridley said: “From its inception in 1934, the purpose of the Masters Tournament has been to benefit the game of golf. Each April, the Masters assembles the world’s leading golfers to compete for the Green Jacket and a place in history. It provides a stage for fans to experience dramatic moments of competition at the highest level and promotes the sport domestically and abroad.

“Through the years, legends of the game have competed and won at Augusta National Golf Club. Champions like Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have become heroes to golfers of all ages. They have inspired some to follow in their footsteps and so many others to play and enjoy the game. They have supported the sport and, thus, all who benefit from it. They have shown respect for those who came before them and blazed a trail for future generations. Golf is better because of them.

“Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it. Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honour the tradition of bringing together a pre-eminent field of golfers this coming April. Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament. As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect of the Tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future Tournaments will be announced in April.”

Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A, said in July that there were no plans to ban LIV golfers from competing in the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, although, like Ridley, he said that qualification rules were constantly under review, and did not rule out future changes.

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Sungjae Im, Aaron Wise, Jon Rahm among most underrated golfers in the world heading into 2023

detlef32 — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 19:55:07 +0000

The 2023 golf year is just around the corner, and it’s time to evaluate where the best players in the world stand going as the new season unfolds. Depending on where you look, most players are properly rated, but there are always those who are either a bit overrated because of recent conquests or a bit underrated because it’s been a while since they raised a trophy (or perhaps for other reasons).

I put together a list of players underrated by the golf community heading into 2023. It includes some serial candidates (Keith Mitchell and Sungjae Im) but also some surprises (Collin Morikawa and Jon Rahm). This is not meant to be a list of players who have an equal chance of doing something great in 2023 but rather a list of players I believe will, over the next 12 months, perform at a level beyond the current expectations folks have for them.

Here’s a look at seven golfers I pinpointed with evidence for why they are currently being underrated and have a chance to thrive in 2023.

1. Sungjae Im

Arguably the best player in the world who didn’t win anywhere in 2022. Im put together three runner-up finishes, six other top-12 finishes and had the best strokes gained number (1.6) of any golfer who did not have a victory in 2022. At just 24, he still has room to grow, too. He’s improved statistically in six of his last seven seasons, and I think he wins one-to-three times in 2023 and contends for at least one major championship.

2. Aaron Wise

He’s been a sexy “this guy could be on the U.S. Ryder Cup team next year” pick over the last few months, but there is plenty of evidence to back that up. Wise is a tremendous ball-striker, who seemingly solved his putting woes in 2022. It resulted in five top-15 finishes, including at big boy events like the CJ Cup and the Memorial. Similar to Im, he’s improved statistically in three of his last five seasons, and a 2023 in which he wins a few times and gets himself to Rome is not out of the question.

3. Keith Mitchell

You can count the number of drivers that are better than Mitchell on one hand. It’s Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young, Im and that’s about it. Obviously driving doesn’t lead to victories, but with all the focus on distance in the modern PGA Tour game, it’s a skill that, if you’re better than nearly everyone in the world at, you’re going to contend for some golf tournaments. Mitchell put up six top 12s in 2022 and improved his tee-to-green game overall. If that happens again in 2023, he’s going to snag a victory.

4. Collin Morikawa

This a strange name to have on this list considering he’s a two-time major champion and one of the most prolific early-career winners on the PGA Tour in its history. Still, there was some angst during the back half of 2022 about Morikawa’s lack of wins. This happens often when top players come into a given year off an incredible run and fail to win a tournament. Still, there should not be panic for Morikawa. Consider that he ranked sixth in the world in ball-striking in 2022, and the two players below him and five above him combined for 18 wins. The adulation for Morikawa probably went a bit too far in 2021, but now it has completely swung the other way to the point that he’s one of the more underrated players in the world going into 2023.

5. Will Zalatoris

Again, I’m not sure the No. 7 player in the world can be considered underrated, but Zalatoris’ ball-striking has been so good (No. 1 in the world in 2022) and he’s had so many near-misses (nine top fives in 2021-2022 but just one victory) that he has to be on this list. He could win three times in 2023, and nobody would be surprised.

6. Matt Fitzpatrick

Perhaps my favorite stat in golf is that Fitzpatrick has improved his strokes gained in each of his last 11 seasons. That is remarkable and not something I imagine has happened very often. The result is that he has turned into — along with Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele — one of the most complete players in the world. He gained at least 0.38 strokes per round in each of the four major categories last season and is the caliber of ball-striker now that results in becoming the No. 1 player in the world.

7. Jon Rahm

Another strange name to have on this list, but I’m not positive everyone understands just how elite Rahm is. He basically wins three times a year every year without fail, and his strokes gained numbers are astonishingly consistent (between 2.0-2.4 in five of the last six seasons). One of these years, the luck will fall his way a bit, and he’ll win five times including a major or two. I don’t know if that will happen in 2023, but his statistical profile suggests that it will at some point, and whenever it does it’s almost certain that Rahm is going to have one of the great seasons in the modern era.

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2023 Masters qualifying criteria allows all eligible golfers to compete, including some LIV Golf members

detlef32 — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 16:31:49 +0000

Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley announced Tuesday that no changes will be made to the organization’s qualifying criteria ahead of the 2023 Masters as invitations to next year’s tournament are in the process of being made. As such, all eligible golfers will be allowed to compete in the Masters, regardless of professional affiliation.

“Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament. As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect of the Tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future Tournaments will be announced in April.”

While not specified in print, Ridley here is largely referring the eligibility of those who presently compete for LIV Golf. In total, 16 LIV Golf players have qualified for the Masters through its established criteria: past champions, major championship exemptions and/or ranking inside the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings by year end.

This is the same criteria Augusta National has used for years, and LIV members were similarly eligible to play in the Masters last season.

Past Masters champions that currently play for LIV include Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel and Sergio Garcia; all are granted lifetime exemptions. Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka also qualify for the next handful of years based on recent major championship victories. However, for the other seven golfers — including young players like Joaquin Niemann — future qualification will only become more difficult as LIV does not receive OWGR points for its events.

As such, qualified LIV golfers may play in dwindling numbers as years pass unless eligibility criteria changes or LIV is granted OWGR points. Similarly, it will be difficult for additional members of the LIV circuit to successfully qualify in the future. For those currently in the field, a victory will grant them a lifetime invitation, but a more attainable accomplishment may be a top-12 finish, which has historically come with an invitation into the following year’s championship.

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These seven Korn Ferry Tour golfers could emerge as breakout superstars on PGA Tour in 2023

detlef32 — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 20:58:51 +0000

January does not mark the start of a new golf season, but it does represent the time and place where golf really begins in earnest for 2023. Most of the best players in the world will be on hand for the Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii, and plenty of the next generation of stars and superstars will not be with them.

That’s because next year’s major winners and 2027’s Ryder Cuppers — at least some of them — were toiling on the Korn Ferry Tour last year with no chance of earning the win needed to get to Kapalua. Some of those golfers who earned their PGA Tour cards made their way to the big boy circuit in the fall, and some of them even played quite well.

There will always be intrigue surrounding the top players in the world — the Rory McIlroys, Jordan Spieths and Collin Morikawas. But sport is often built on hope for the future, too. While that’s not as rabid in golf as it is some other team sports, it’s still pertinent and matters for the future. So while we will give plenty of time and energy to the Tournament of Champions when it rolls around, today we’re going to look at a handful of players who were in the minor leagues last year but could have significant years on the PGA Tour starting after the TOC.

1. Justin Suh

I’ve written about Suh extensively, but I remain fascinated by him. He won the Korn Ferry Tour championship in September and was named Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year in November. If you’re looking for some pushback, his best PGA Tour start in seven fall events was a T29 at the CJ Cup, and he only gained strokes ball-striking in one of them (also the CJ Cup). Still, if you look at the list of past Korn Ferry Tour Players of the Year, you’re going to find some absolute studs.

2020-21: Stephan Jager
2019: Scottie Scheffler
2018: Sungjae Im
2017: Chesson Hadley
2016: Wesley Bryan
2015: Patton Kizzire
2014: Carlos Ortiz

That’s a lot of PGA Tour champions. The only question for me is whether Suh is going to be, say, Scheffler or Kizzire. One is a nice PGA Tour player who has won at that level before. The other is a major champion and a former No. 1 player in the world.

2. Taylor Montgomery

His run of play from the middle of April to the end of the season was ridiculous. Eight top 10s in 10 Korn Ferry stars fowllowed by six top 15s in seven PGA Tour stars in the fall. His game, at least statistically, doesn’t scream PGA Tour star, but overall Data Golf has him as the highest-rated player in the world (currently No. 28, ahead of Shane Lowry and Hideki Matsuyama and just behind Jordan Spieth) who also recently played on the KFT.

3. Nick Hardy

The former Illinois golfer finished T14 at the U.S. Open in June and had three top 25s on the PGA Tour in June. He has incrementally improved each of the last three years, and a fourth could put him as a top 50 or top 75 player in the world.

4. Carl Yuan

He finished second on the Korn Ferry Tour points list behind Suh. He doesn’t project as strongly as Suh (or, to me, even Hardy), but from a production standpoint, he’s impossible to ignore. In his last 25 Korn Ferry Tour starts, Yuan has a victory and five other top-five finishes.

5. Will Gordon

Gordon finished off his Korn Ferry Tour year with three top fives in his last five starts and finished second in Korn Ferry Tour Finals points behind Suh. He nearly won the 2020 Travelers Championship, and has had some success on the PGA Tour circuit. At 26, he’s certainly not the youngest guy on this list, but he’s quite long off the tee, hits the ball well and his Data Golf ranking (No. 84) suggests that his Official World Golf Ranking (No. 134) has some catching up to do.

6. Austin Eckroat

A fellow Oklahoma Stater, Eckroat thrived as the Korn Ferry Tour season played out. He finished fifth in Korn Ferry Tour Finals points, and Data Golf quietly has him as a top-200 player in the world. Similarly to his former teammate, Viktor Hovland, Eckroat can struggle with his short game but is a tremendous hitter of the golf ball, which — thankfully for him — is the skill the PGA Tour rewards the most.

7. Davis Thompson

You may remember Thompson as somebody who popped briefly at the 2020 U.S. Open when he was still an amateur at Georgia, but his professional career on the Korn Ferry Tour has been impressive. He finished 18th in points but won in June and then had some nice starts on the PGA Tour in the fall (two top 12s). The pedigree is immense, too. Thompson was a two-time All-American at Georgia, is a former SEC Player of the Year and a former No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

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LOOK: Augusta National lengthens iconic No. 13 hole with big change ahead for golfers at 2023 Masters

detlef32 — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 17:55:51 +0000

One of the loneliest spots on the course at Augusta National is about to get even lonelier as a big change is coming to the 2023 Masters. The governing bodies in golf have not yet decided to roll the ball back or change equipment regulations, so Augusta National took matters into its own hands with its course and lengthened the iconic 13th hole.

This move had been rumored for years, of course, and talk only heated up after Augusta National purchased land from the adjacent Augusta Country Club that would allow it to push its tee box back up.

The 510-yard hole has come under much scrutiny over the last decade as several golfers have attempted — successfully, in most cases — to turn it into a drive-and-pitch play off the tee. Historically, the 13th has been one of the great risk-reward holes in the sport, offering golfers who were willing to take on the creek running in front of the green a look at eagle but wreaking havoc for those whose approach shots came up short. That dramatic risk-reward option, with the first major of the year on the line, hasn’t really presented itself many years.

In April, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley was asked about whether one of the most famous holes in golf would ever change.

“There’s no timetable,” said Ridley. “Nothing to announce at this time. That’s something that certainly we have considered and will continue to consider. Admittedly, and I’ve said this before, the 13th hole does not have the same challenges that it has historically. I can just remember as a young guy watching the Masters, you know, some of the triumphs and tragedies. And while we still have those, the fact that players are hitting middle to short irons into that hole is not really how it was designed.

“My reluctance to date has been that it’s such an iconic hole,” Ridley added. Probably along with 11 — or 12 rather, and maybe 15. I mean, probably the three holes where the most history has been made at Augusta National.  So that probably, you know, has been sort of a counter to doing anything. At some point in time, it’s something that we likely will do. We just don’t have anything to say about it right now. ”

Things have changed since April, apparently, as satellite photos show that the tee box has been moved and trees have been planted in surrounding areas. This will, in most cases, make it difficult for most of next year’s Masters competitors to put themselves in a position off the tee where reaching the green with a wedge or short iron is simple and straightforward.

The unfortunate part about all of this is that it could be avoided by regulating equipment. Perhaps that doesn’t pose a challenge to Augusta National given its resourcefulness and position in the game, but not every club or course can spend millions for an extra 40-60 yards of distance on every hole.

“We won’t know [if equipment changes are coming] for some time because there’s sort of a process that sort of everyone has agreed to as to how any equipment changes such as this are going to take place,” said Ridley in April.

“So we really can’t make any predictions as to what’s going to happen, but I think if there are some marginal modifications to the equipment rules, from what I have observed over the past few years with the players and their athleticism, their strength, their size, the efficiency of their golf swings, I don’t think that we are going to see courses being shortened.  

“So perhaps the two sort of factors might converge, but I don’t think that what the governing bodies do is going to have a direct impact on what we might do at 13 or any other hole on the golf course.”

That’s an interesting admission from somebody in the know. He’s essentially saying that even if the ball is rolled back or driver neutralized, the effects probably will not be so great that moving the tee back on No. 13 — which ANGC has now done — wouldn’t be necessary.

As for the move itself, it’s going to be one of the big stories at the 2023 Masters. Just as No. 15 was lengthened ahead of the 2022 Masters (a move that led to no eagles being made for the first time since 1966), this change to No. 13 will affect the outcome of the golf tournament. While 50 or so yards (it’s tough to tell in the photo above) is not a massive shift, perhaps the bigger problem for players will be that they are not as able to cut the corner up the left side because some of the overhanging trees block that ball flight.

Some players like Tony Finau, Bubba Watson, Cam Young and Rory McIlroy may still attempt a line way out to the left, but the hole is certainly going to engender a wide array of strategies than it has in the past. More and different strategy is what you want when you’re watching and experiencing championship golf. While the path to get to this point (lack of equipment regulation) has been frustrating, this is ultimately a good decision and should be a net positive both for ANGC as well as the Masters.

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The Best American Cities for Golfers

detlef32 — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 01:57:46 +0000

When asked to name the best locations for golf in the U.S., golf obsessives might point to resort towns like Palm Desert, Hilton Head, or Naples, or perhaps to bigger cities packed with courses like Scottsdale or Las Vegas. Many serious golfers dream of playing their way through the dozens of courses that each of these locales offer. But while few communities can stack up against the bounty of top courses in these golf-loving cities, golfers can still find excellent places to play throughout the country.

Having golf-friendly locations throughout the U.S. is important for generating and maintaining widespread interest in the sport—and lately, this interest has been growing quickly. Golf experienced a nationwide increase in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and hasn’t slowed down since. According to the National Golf Foundation, rounds played in 2021 were up 5% over 2020 and 19% over the three-year average from 2017 to 2019. A record 3.2 million people played for the first time in 2021.

This increase in popularity has come despite the costs associated with golf, which can be a major barrier to entry, from equipment to greens fees to club dues. Golf can already be an expensive hobby, but recent data suggests that costs are also rising. Membership fees and dues are up by more than 40% in the last 15 years, while greens and guest fees are up by nearly 25% over the same span. Even the cost of a beer or lunch at the snack bar after a round is getting more expensive, as costs from food and beverage sales are up by more than a third since 2006.

Beyond cost, however, a number of other local conditions can affect how easy it is for people to keep up with their golf hobby. A person who lives in an area that is not accommodating for golfers will be far less likely to try out or stick with the sport.

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Above anything, golfers need a place to play, and not every part of the U.S. offers equal access to golf courses and country clubs. The number of courses in a state is often correlated with its population, but some states punch above their weight on this measure. For example, Michigan ranks 4th in the number of courses but just 10th in population, while neighboring Wisconsin has the 10th-highest number of courses despite being 20th in population. Of all states, Florida boasts the most courses, a figure that outpaces more populous states like California and Texas.

Having a high number of courses is just one factor that indicates how welcoming a location is for golf enthusiasts. Arguably, weather is the single most important factor in making golf more enjoyable for longer portions of the year, with temperate, dry climates being preferable to places that are too hot, cold, wet, or windy. When it comes to weather, it’s the Southwest and West Coast that are most conducive to golfing year round. California and Arizona take the top spots, followed by New Mexico, Texas, and Nevada.

Golf Workout Program combined these and other factors to evaluate the best states and cities for golfers. At the state level, well-known golf destinations like Arizona, California, and Florida ranked highly, boosted by good weather, plenty of courses, and frequent professional events. But perhaps surprisingly, some of the top states in this composite score are small Midwestern locations like Michigan and South Dakota, both of which regularly host professional events and have high concentrations of courses relative to their small populations. Similar trends hold at the local level, where cities in Arizona, California, and Florida stand out. But there are plenty of other locations outside of these golf-centric states that should be on any golfer’s radar.

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The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Census Bureau, NOAA, and the PGA Tour. To determine the best locations for golfers, researchers at Golf Workout Program calculated a composite score based on local weather (mild temperatures and low precipitation), total PGA Tour events in the past five years, golf courses and country clubs per capita, and sporting goods stores per capita. Only areas in the contiguous United States were considered for the analysis.

Here are the best U.S. metropolitan areas for golfers.

The Best Large U.S. Metros for Golfers

15. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA

Composite score: 57.1
Weather score: 49.0
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 9
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 1.9
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 4.1

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14. Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI

Composite score: 59.8
Weather score: 40.4
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 5
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 4.1
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 7.3

13. Richmond, VA

Composite score: 61.4
Weather score: 44.9
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 5
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 3.3
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 5.1

12. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

Composite score: 62.1
Weather score: 63.6
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 11
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 1.4
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 4.2

11. Raleigh-Cary, NC

Composite score: 62.5
Weather score: 48.1
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 5
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 2.7
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 5.2

10. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

Composite score: 62.7
Weather score: 50.8
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 8
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 2.1
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 6.6

9. St. Louis, MO-IL

Composite score: 64.6
Weather score: 47.2
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 3
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 3.4
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 5.3

8. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

Composite score: 68.1
Weather score: 56.2
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 12
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 2.2
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 6.1

7. Jacksonville, FL

Composite score: 69.1
Weather score: 59.7
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 7
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 2.3
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 6.4

6. Rochester, NY

Composite score: 70.0
Weather score: 46.0
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 1
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 5.7
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 5.9

5. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

Composite score: 70.4
Weather score: 97.5
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 9
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 1.1
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 4.7

GIVE IT A TRY

For many golfers, the draw remains an unattainable goal. You’ve done all the research, practiced the drills, but it just isn’t happening. Fortunately, we’ve nailed down the 8 proven steps that will finally teach you how to hit a draw.

4. Tulsa, OK

Composite score: 72.3
Weather score: 52.9
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 2
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 3.6
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 6.2

3. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

Composite score: 72.4
Weather score: 83.6
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 10
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 2.1
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 3.8

2. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

Composite score: 79.0
Weather score: 79.5
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 12
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 2.9
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 5.1

1. Tucson, AZ

Composite score: 79.4
Weather score: 84.3
Total PGA Tour events in the last 5 years: 5
Golf courses and country clubs per 100k residents: 2.9
Sporting goods stores per 100k residents: 5.8

Detailed Findings & Methodology

The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns, NOAA’s National Centers for Environment Information, and the PGA Tour’s Tournament Schedule. To determine the best locations for golfers, researchers at Golf Workout Program calculated a composite score based on the following factors and weights:

Local weather (40%)
Total PGA Tour events in the past five years (30%)
Golf courses and country clubs per 100,000 residents (25%)
Sporting goods stores per 100,000 residents (5%)

The weather score is also a composite measure that optimizes for both mild temperatures and low precipitation. In the event of a tie, the location with more golf courses and country clubs per capita was ranked higher. To improve relevance, only metropolitan areas with at least 100,000 residents were included. Additionally, metros were grouped into cohorts based on population size: small (100,000–349,999), midsize (350,000–999,999), and large (1,000,000 or more). Only areas in the contiguous United States were considered for the analysis.

August Noble

August Noble was first introduced to golf at 7 years old. In 2013 he started seriously working on his game and was able to reduce his handicap from 19 to 3.4 in less than two years. He’s been helping other golfers do the same ever since.

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10 Pro Golfers Share Their Top Tips on How to Hit a 3 Iron

detlef32 — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 17:02:26 +0000

A 3-iron is my favorite golf club in the bag because it is a utility iron. That means I can use it in multiple scenarios.

That is not a statement you hear amateur golfers make. That is because they struggle to consistently launch the stronger lofted and longer shafted iron. In this article, I am sharing the tips from 10 Pro Golfers on how to hit a 3 iron.

This iron has fallen out of favor so much that manufacturers do not include them in most game improvement iron sets. It is a pity because a 3-iron produces low spin and launch, for optimal yardage.

There are several reasons why you may struggle to hit a 3-iron. These include excessively stiff or heavy shafts, an imbalance rhythm, or positioning the ball too far forward in your stance. Instead of dwelling on the problem, let’s see how the Pro’s suggest you solve it.

Tip #1: Shoulder Width Stance – Dave Myers Tour Academy TPC Sawgrass

PGA Tour Academy coach Dave Myers recommends setting up with your feet shoulder-width apart. This position maximizes your stability to help you optimize rotation and coil during your golf swing.

He further advises that you keep your head still during the swing. If you position the ball correctly and strike it cleanly, you enjoy superior control at the low point of the swing. Inducing clean contact.

Tip #2: Center Ball Position – Dave Myers

Myers finds the biggest mistake an average golfer makes with long irons is their ball position. The marginally longer shaft causes many amateurs to position the ball too forward in their stance.

Myers says he often sees the ball placed parallel to the front heel of a player. That gives you no chance of catching the ball cleanly off the clubface. When the ball is excessively forward, you will likely strike it low off the face leading to a low launch, loss of carry distance, and stinging hands.

He recommends setting up with the ball in the middle of your stance as if you were swinging a 6-iron or 8-iron. If you feel that is too far back, move it towards your front foot by no more than two balls.

Tip #3: Back Ball Position For A Low Shot – Billy Horschel

Billy Horschel was among the top ten best PGA Tour Players in 2021 and knows how to strike a long iron. The advice he shares pertains to your ball flight.

To hit a low launching 3-iron that gathers forward momentum and releases upon landing, position the ball further back in your stance than usual. Billy recommends placing your golf ball, a ball, and a half back.

Placing the ball back in his stance causes the clubface to catch the ball with less loft than usual, generating a low flying shot.

Horschel finds that this shot offers the most value off the tee when you need the ball to run on the fairway.

Tip #4: Forward Ball Position For High Shots – Billy Horschel

Billy also explains how you can increase your ball flight when striking a 3-iron. For starters, he says the golf ball should be placed half-a-ball to a ball forward from your usual setup.

Next, he advises that you get your hands to finish as high as possible on your follow-through. Striking the ball just before commencing your upswing enables you to weaken the loft of the face and produce high-flying shots.

This shot is ideal for playing long par 3s when you need to send the ball long and get it to land it quickly.

Horschel cautions that the average golfer may struggle with this shot if you position the ball excessively forward.

Tip #5: Ball Position – John Parry

European Tour Professional John Parry recommends placing the ball slightly forward of center in your stance to consistently launch a 3-iron. He says if you intend on hitting a consistent fade with the 3-iron, you will want to open your face at impact to generate left to right sidespin to encourage the cut.

Sean Foley knows how to develop champions. Lydia Ko, Justin Rose, and Hunter Mahan are a few of the golfers he has guided to success. Foley recommends opening your back foot slightly so that your toes are pointed in the opposite direction of your target.

This position helps you maximize your rotation and build up immense energy at the top of your iron swing. Then transition your weight to your leading leg and shift the energy from the clubface to your ball. That results in a powerful launch and optimal distance.

Tip #7: Take It Back Low – Geoff Ogilvy

Ogilvy suggests that the secret to striking consistent 3-iron shots is to keep the club low on takeaway. He takes the club back low and slow for the first couple of feet, with the shaft aiming along your target line and the toe of the club halfway to the top of your swing.

Getting into this position enables you to produce a sweeping motion that catches the ball cleanly and lifts it off the ground.

Tip #8: Right Arm Straight On Takeaway – Annika Sorenstam

The number one all-time earner on the LPGA Career Money List suggests keeping your right arm relatively straight on takeaway. Sorenstam says that the straight arm encourages her to rotate her upper body and not lift the arms.

When she gets to the top of her backswing, she pushes off her right foot and shifts the weight to the left. When the weight is on her left, she clears her hips to allow the arms to drop the clubhead into place at impact.

Tip #9: Shorten Your Swing – Dave Myers

Sticking with the advice of Dave Myers, we turn to your swing. Often, when we swing our long irons, we take the clubhead back excessively to accelerate our clubhead speed. We fear that the ball will not get airborne, so we wind up, ready to accelerate on the downswing.

I know this feeling well and have been guilty of it. The truth is, the further back you take the club, the higher the possibility that it could veer off the path and wreak havoc to your long iron shot. The compact profile of these irons provides minimal forgiveness, which is why you need to get the face square at impact and strike it in the sweet spot.

Myers’ advice is to produce a compact backswing to produce consistent contact with the ball and optimize your rotation. The shorter your backswing is, the more it forces you to rely on coiling to maximize energy transition from the clubface to the ball at impact.

Tip #10: Sweeping Swing – Tom Watson

Adding to Geoff Ogilvy’s advice on a sweeping swing is Tour Champions legend, Tom Watson.

He says that you should position your ball slightly forward of center in your stance to sweep the ball into the air on the up.

To achieve this, Watson recommends employing a shallow swing arc. He also suggests employing this long iron drill on the range without a ball. Place a marker where your ball would be, and practice hitting the marker consistently to get used to the motion.

Tip #11: Pretend It Is A 7-Iron – Greg Norman

Greg “The Shark” Norman says the best advice for an amateur hitting a 3-iron is to picture it like a 7-iron. Then he says that you should envision that you are only a 7-iron from your target and make a smooth, easy swing. A smooth, controlled tempo will allow the rotation of your body to generate the power for a long iron shot.

Tip #12: Control The Attack Angle – Chris Ryan, Director Of Coaching At HIT Golf Academy

Chris Ryan finds that one of the main reasons amateurs struggle to launch long irons is because of their attack angle. He says that often students will set up to play a lofted club, the same way they would their short irons, leading to a steep angle of attack.

In the video, Chris uses a 2-iron, but the principle is practically the same as you would employ with your 3-iron.

Ryan recommends that you position the ball marginally towards your front foot, adding just over half of your weight to your lead leg. He says that setup prompts you to catch the ball on a descending angle, resulting in optimal compression, launch, and distance.

Tip #13: The Stinger – Tiger Woods

Before I relay Tiger’s advice on the stinger, I must say this shot is difficult to pull off. Therefore, I only recommend trying it in certain situations. However, if you know how to hit a 3 iron stinger, it can boost your game in windy conditions.

I learned to play the stinger while living in Cape Town for 10-years. I did not play one round where there was no wind. As a result, the stinger kept me in the game.

For starters, you need to place your golf ball, one ball back in your stance, to help strike it with precision.

Woods explains that this shot is all about the braking mechanism, post-impact to lower your flight. He achieves this by softening his arms and speeding up his hips to help stop his hands as soon as possible after impact. Ultimately, he brings his hands to a halt around shoulder height.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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