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Showing posts from 2021

How Long Is a Par-5 Hole? (And More Par-5 Facts)

On the vast majority of golf courses, par-5 holes are the longest holes. Par-3 holes are the shortest, par-4 holes are in the middle, and par-5 holes are the longest. (A small percentage of golf courses have par-6 holes, which, where they exist, are longer than par-5s.) But how does being "the longest holes" translate into actual yardages?

U.S. Women's Open Golf Courses: Where They've Played

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Which golf courses have been the site of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament over the years? The tournament dates to 1946. Today, this major championship rotates around the United States to some of the most-famous courses in America.

PGA Tour Record: Oldest Golfer With a Top 10 Finish

The goal of every golfer in the field at a PGA Tour tournament is to win it, but, obviously, all but one of them won't. So the next-best thing is finishing as high as you can — that's why golf tours, golfers and golf fans pay attention to Top 10 finishes. Do you know who the oldest golfer to record a Top 10 finish on the PGA Tour is?

Profile of Golfer Sam Urzetta

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Sam Urzetta was a golfer who pulled off a major surprise in winning the U.S. Amateur. His attempt at playing the PGA Tour in the 1950s was, alas, surprisingly unsuccessful. But he was a local legend in the city where he was born, raised, lived and died.

'Bermuda Grass' in Golf: What It Is, How It Plays

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"Bermuda grass," or "Bermuda" for shorthand, is a common type of turfgrass used on golf courses. It is classified as a warm-season grass , so is most common in areas with hot summers and winters that don't typically get very cold. One region famous for its use of Bermuda grass on golf courses is the American South, particularly Florida, Georgia and South Texas.

How Long Is a Par-4 Hole? (And More Par-4 Facts)

Par-4 holes on a golf course can be thought of as the middle ground of golf holes: They are longer than par-3 holes, but shorter than par-5 holes. But what does that mean in terms of yardage?

George Gadd: Profile of English Golf Pro

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George Gadd was an English professional golfer who won tournaments in the 1910s and 1920s. He also was involved in the formative events of the Ryder Cup, including the very first competition.

The Skulled Shot in Golf: What It Is, How to Fix It

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A "skull shot" or "skulled shot" in golf happens when the golfer lifts the club up off the ground at impact, resulting in the leading edge of the clubface striking the golf ball above its equator. That leading edge is sometimes called the blade of the clubface, which is why skulls are sometimes called "bladed shots."

How to Play Sidehill Bunker Shots

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Many recreational golfers struggle with shots out of the sand, so when you add a sidehill lie on top of the basic bunker shot that just complicates things more. But playing sidehill bunker shots doesn't have to be hard!

How Long Is a Par-3 Hole? (And More Par-3 Facts)

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Par-3 holes are the shortest holes on a golf course — holes that expert golfers are expected to need three strokes to play. But when we say they are the shortest holes on the course, what do we mean? Are there guidelines for how long a par-3 hole should be?

Has a Golfer Ever Made 2 Aces in Same Round on PGA Tour?

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Making a hole-in-one is a thrill for even the best golfers in the world, such as those on the PGA Tour. And PGA Tour aces happen here and there throughout every tour season. But how about making two aces in the same round? Has any PGA Tour golfer made two holes-in-one in the same round of a tour event?

Blind Shots in Golf: What They Are, How to Play Them

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A "blind shot" in golf is one the golfer plays without being able to see the intended target. For example, if you are standing in the fairway but cannot see the putting green from your location, you are playing a blind shot into the green.

Helen Dettweiler: LPGA Founder, Major Winner

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Helen Dettweiler is best-remembered today as one of the 13 founders of the LPGA Tour. But she also won an LPGA major championship and was a famous golf instructor, and she led a remarkable life off the golf course, too.

Oakland Open, Former PGA Tour Golf Tournament

The Oakland Open was a golf tournament played on the PGA Tour for only seven years, but it played an important part in the early careers of Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Jim Ferrier.

Did Ben Hogan Really Fail to Notice His Partner's Ace?

There's a well-known tale in the golf world told to illustrate Ben Hogan's powers of concentration, a story about the time he was so focused on his own coming shot that he failed to even notice when his playing partner made a hole-in-one. It's a great story ... but is it true?

How to Plan a Golf Tournament: 10 Quick Tips for Success

Are you in charge of planning a golf tournament? Then you probably have questions about the best way to go about it.

Choosing Which Shot to Play Around the Green

When you are trying to get the ball up-and-down from off the green, there are four types of shots you can play: putt, chip, pitch, lob. And that is the order in which they should be favored,

Most Birdies in a PGA Tour Tournament: The All-Time Record

If you want to win a golf tournament, you better make some birdies. The PGA Tour golfers we discuss in this article made a lot of birdies: They are the record-holders and the runners-up in the category of most birdies in a 72-hole tournament on the PGA Tour.

Salvador Balbuena: Spanish Golfer Who Died Young

Salvador Balbuena was a Spanish golfer who made his mark in the 1970s, the early years of the European Tour. He won the first European Tour event he ever played outside of his home country. Unfortunately, what he is best known for is dying young.

18-Hole Record-Breakers: PGA Tour's First 62, 61, 60, 59 and 58 Scores

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How has the PGA Tour's 18-hole scoring record progressed over the years? That's the question the drove us to research this article.

Gold Mashie Tournament: Historic Amateur Golf Showcase

The Gold Mashie was a golf tournament for amateur golfers that was played in the 1920s. And for the brief period it was played, it was one of the top amateur tournaments in the world, won by several of the best American amateur golfers ever.

Longest Sudden-Death Playoffs in LPGA Tour History

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Which sudden-death playoff lasted the longest on the LPGA Tour, and how many holes did it go? The longest sudden-death playoff in LPGA history lasted a whopping 10 holes before the winner finally emerged.

How to Play the Cube Golf Bet

Have you ever heard of a golf bet called "Cube" or "the Cube"? The cube is an imaginary object that one golfer (in a one-vs.-one match) or one side (in a two-vs.-two match) gains control over, and then can use to double the amount of the bet — if doing so makes sense.

Al Brosch: Golfer Who Shot First 60 Ever on PGA Tour

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Al Brosch was a golf professional from the 1930s into the 1970s, and played on the PGA Tour. While he was the king of PGA Professional tournaments on Long Island, he never won on the PGA Tour. But he definitely made his mark: Brosch was the first golfer in PGA Tour history to record an 18-hole score of 60 during tournament play. And he held that scoring record for more than 25 years.

Youngest Winners in LPGA Tour History

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Who is the youngest golfer ever to win a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour? The golfer who holds that record was only 15 years old when she earned her first LPGA victory. That same golfer also dominates the list of those 18 years old and younger who've won on the LPGA Tour, a list that appears below.

Yearly Sand Save Leaders on the Champions Tour

Which golfers have led the Champions Tour in sand saves each year? That's what the list below shows for this statistical category on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.

All the Amateur Golfers Who've Won LPGA Tour Tournaments

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How many amateur golfers have won on the LPGA Tour? That number currently stands at five. But they won six tournaments between them, because one of those amateurs claimed two LPGA Tour events.

Yearly GIR Leaders on the Champions Tour

Which golfers have led the Champions Tour (today officially named the PGA Tour Champions) in GIR? That's what the list below shows: Every golfer on the senior circuit who has topped the tour in this statistical category, going back to 1988, the first year the tour officially kept this stat.

Ellsworth Vines: The Tennis Legend's Pro Golf Career

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In the 1930s, Ellsworth Vines built a career in tennis that caused some tennis observers to rank him among the best ever to play that sport. But then, before he turned 30, Vines changed careers: He became a pro golfer and joined the PGA Tour. In this profile, we'll explore the golf career of the tennis legend Ellsworth Vines.

Philadelphia Inquirer Open: 1940s PGA Tour Golf Tournament

The Philadelphia Inquirer Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that launched during wartime. It ended after only six years, but produced a series of notable champions.

The Eisenhower Tree at Augusta National Golf Club

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The first thing you need to know about the Eisenhower Tree at Augusta National Golf Club is that it no longer exists. But once upon a time, it was one of the best-known — one could argue it was the most-famous — tree on any golf course anywhere. And why is easy to see in our very first sentence above: Dwight Eisenhower and Augusta National.

Driving Accuracy Leaders By Year on Champions Tour

Hitting fairways? That's something a lot of "older" golfers are better at than younger golfers. At least on the golf courses that you and I play. What about at the pro level? Which golfers have led the Champions Tour in driving accuracy over the years?

Arnold Palmer's Holes-in-One: Career Total, Aces on Tour and More

How many holes-in-one did Arnold Palmer make over the course of his lifetime in golf? Quite a few! And some of them happened on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. Two of them even happened in back-to-back rounds of a pro tournament.

Champions Tour Putting Leaders By Year

Which golfers have been the best putters on the Champions Tour over that tour's history? One way of answering that question is to check the senior tour's putting statistical leaders. Below, you'll find the annual leaders in the Champions Tour's two main, traditional putting stats: putts per GIR, and putts per round.

George Von Elm: Bio of the Amateur Golf Champ

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George Von Elm was one of the great amateur golfers of the 1920s, a decade that was chock full of them. He beat Bobby Jones in a U.S. Amateur championship match, but lost to Jones in other big events including several professional majors. Von Elm turned pro in the 1930s and almost won a U.S. Open (it took 72 playoff holes for him to lose), but his pro career didn't live up to his amateur success.

Alcan Golfer of the Year Championship Tournament

The Alcan Golfer of the Year Championship was a limited-field golf tournament for the top men of the world golf tours. It was played only four times, at four different golf courses, including once as an official PGA Tour event.

Golfers Who Lost the Most Playoffs on the LPGA Tour

One of the greatest players in golf history also holds the LPGA Tour record for most times losing in playoffs. And the other golfers on the list of most LPGA playoff losses also happen to be greats.

Alister Mackenzie's 13 Principles of Golf Course Design

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What are the key features that a newly designed and built golf course needs to have? Opinions differ, of course, but wouldn't you like to go back in time, to the so-called "Golden Age of Golf Course Design," and ask one of the giants of golf course architecture that question? Turns out we can: We can know exactly how Alister Mackenzie answered that question because he included his answer in a book.

Why Do Golf Courses Have Frost Delays? 'Footprinting'

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If you've ever shown up at a golf course on a cold morning while the frost is still on the ground, then you know the frustration of waiting out a frost delay. Even if you are willing to tee off in the cold, the golf course staff won't let you until the frost has melted away. Why? What is it about frost that makes golf courses tell golfers, "You'll just have to wait until the frost disappears?"

Tiger Woods' Birthplace: Where Was the Golfer Born?

As an adult, since turning professional, Tiger Woods has always lived in Florida. But he was born and raised in California — Cypress, California, to be exact. But we can get even more exact than that, as we do below.

Norman Von Nida: Bio of the Australian Golfer

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Norman Von Nida was an Australian pro golfer who made a big mark on the British PGA circuit in the late 1940s. He also won dozens of top tournaments in his home country from the 1930s into the 1960s. He had a stellar short game and sometimes-abrasive personality.

LPGA Corona Championship Golf Tournament at Tres Marias

The Corona Championship, also remembered as the Tres Marias Championship, was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour that was played six times in the first decade of the 2000s. It was played in Mexico.

The Line Drill in Bunkers: Point-of-Entry Practice for Sand Shots

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If you want good results on bunker shots around the green, you need a consistent point-of-entry. That means being able to repeat, bunker shot after bunker shot, where your club enters the sand relative to your golf ball — having the club enter the sand at the same point on every shot during the forward swing. That's where the Line Drill comes in.

Jack Nicklaus' Holes-in-One: Total, First, PGA Tour and More

How many holes-in-one does an all-time great golfer like Jack Nicklaus make in his lifetime? Probably, but not necessarily, a lot. Even the all-time greats rely on a lot of luck for aces. In Nicklaus' case, his approach irons, combined with a little luck, have produced more than 20 career holes-in-one.

How to Hit Out of a Divot Hole

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Having to hit out of a divot is one of the more frustrating things that can happen to a golfer who is in the fairway. After all, you just knocked the ball right where you're supposed to hit it: in the fairway. But thanks to some rotten luck, your golf ball rolled into a divot hole. Now what?

2016 Women's World Golf Rankings: No. 1, Top 50 at End of Year

Which golfer finished the year 2016 at No. 1 in the women's world golf rankings? On this page we'll find out that answer, plus look at the season-ending Top 50 in the Rolex Rankings, the official world rankings of women's professional golf.

Ernie Vossler: Bio of the PGA Tour-Winning Golfer

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Ernie Vossler was a PGA Tour golfer who won several times in the late 1950s/early 1960s. His impact on the game was greater as a club pro, however, as he developed multiple famous golf courses.

Deutsche Bank Championship Golf Tournament (PGA Tour)

The Deutsche Bank Championship (called the Dell Technologies Championship during its final two years) was a PGA Tour golf tournament played in the first two decades of the 2000s. For most of that time it was part of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. It was played in a suburb of Boston as one of the final events on the tour schedule.

The Divot Tool (Ball Mark Tool) in Golf and How to Use It

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Fixing ball marks, also called pitch marks , on putting greens is something every golfer needs to know how to do. So most golfers, at least those who are properly brought into the game with an appreciation for good golf etiquette and caring for the course, are introduced very quickly to the small item known as a divot tool or ball mark tool.

2017 Women's World Golf Rankings: No. 1, Top 50 at End of Year

Which golfer finished the year 2017 at No. 1 in the women's world golf rankings? On this page we'll find out that answer, plus look at the season-ending Top 50 in the Rolex Rankings, the official world rankings of women's professional golf.

Tiger Woods' Holes-in-One: Career Total and PGA Tour Aces

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Tiger Woods holds a lot of PGA Tour and golf records , but does his hole-in-one total rank among those records? Not really. Woods has made a lot of holes-in-one in his life, but his total doesn't come close to the record. In this article, we'll talk about Tiger's milestone aces, his career total, and also tell you about — and show you most of them — every hole-in-one he's made on the PGA Tour.

2018 Women's World Golf Rankings: No. 1, Top 50 at End of Year

Which golfer finished the year 2018 at No. 1 in the women's world golf rankings? Let's find out, along with looking at the end-of-year Top 50 in the Rolex Rankings, the official world rankings of women's professional golf.

Hassan Hassanein: Profile of the Golfer

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Hassan Hassanein was one of the first golfers from Africa (other than South Africans) to make a mark on the international golf scene. He won multiple times in Europe, but died in a horrible accident inside his own house.

U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship

The U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship was, from 1977 through 2014, one of the annual USGA national championships staged by the United States Golf Association. The tournament was discontinued when the USGA decided to replace it with a fourball tournament.

2019 Women's World Golf Rankings: No. 1, Top 50 at End of Year

Which golfer in the world of women's golf finished the year 2019 at No. 1 in the rankings? Let's find out, along with looking at the end-of-year Top 50 in the Rolex Rankings, the official world rankings of women's professional golf.

U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Golf Tournament

The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship was, from 1922 through 2014, one of the USGA national championship tournaments conducted by the United States Golf Association. The USAPL was for male amateurs who did not belong to a private golf club — for public-course golfers, in other words.

The LPGA Golfer Who Saved a Boy's Life In the Middle of a Round

In 1988, Mary Bea Porter was a one-time LPGA Tour winner who was struggling to hold onto to her tour career. But in one moment, in the middle of a round, she became a hero who saved a young boy who was struggling to hold onto his life.

What Is the 'Publinx' in Golf?

"Publinx" is a word that serves as a short-hand way of referring to a "public links championship" golf tournament. Publinx comes from the combination of "public" and "links." But that leads to the follow-up question: what is a public links tournament?

Ok-Hee Ku: First Korean Women's Golf Star

Ok-Hee Ku was the first star on the LPGA of Korea Tour (KLPGA) during that tour's earliest years. She then became the first Korean to win on the LPGA of Japan Tour (JLPGA), and also the first golfer from South Korea to win on the American LPGA Tour.

2020 Women's World Golf Rankings: No. 1, Top 50 at End of Year

Who was the No. 1 player in women's golf at the end of 2020? Which golfers finished the year ranked the highest in the Rolex Rankings, the official world rankings of women's golf? Below is the year-end list of 2020's top-ranked golfers.

Who Was the First Korean Winner on the LPGA Tour?

Korean golfers have made a huge impact on the recent history of the U.S.-based LPGA Tour, the top-level women's professional golf tour in the world. But who was the first golfer from South Korea to win on the American LPGA Tour? If you answered Se Ri Pak, you're wrong.

How Old Was Tiger Woods When He Had His First Hole-in-One?

Tiger Woods accomplished a lot in golf at a very young age, including making his national television debut before the age of three. But how old was he when scored his first hole-in-one?

Defining the Snap Hook in Golf

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What is a "snap hook" in golf? A snap hook is a hook that goes even worse. It is a really bad hook shot. Even the best golfers in the world sometimes snap hook a shot. Here is Tiger Woods doing it on a drive:

How to Play the Lone Ranger Golf Format

Lone Ranger is the name of a golf tournament format for four-person teams. On each hole, one member of the team is designated as the Lone Ranger and plays the hole solo. The other three team members play the hole as a scramble. Those two scores are combined to create the team score.

Cyril Walker: U.S. Open Winner Who Died in a Jail Cell

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Cyril Walker was an England-born golfer who won on the very young PGA Tour in the 1920s, including a victory in the U.S. Open. He is remembered as one of the slowest players in golf history, so slow he was once literally hauled out of a tournament by police. After his playing days ended, Walker went into a downward spiral fueled by drinking and a loss of investments, and he died in a jail cell.

Consecutive Rounds in the 60s: The LPGA Tour Record

Who holds the record on the LPGA Tour for longest streak of rounds in the 60s? The record for consecutive sub-70 scores on the LPGA is 14 rounds, and it is shared by three golfers: Annika Sorenstam, So Yeon Ryu and Jin Young Ko.

AT&T Champions Classic (Ralphs Senior Classic) Golf Tournament

The AT&T Champions Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour that was played for 30 years. One of several other names it was known by through the years was Ralphs Senior Classic. It was always played in Southern California, either in Los Angeles or just north.

Has Anyone Shot 57 on a Pro Golf Tour?

You know that there are pro golfers who have scored 59 in tournaments played on major pro golf tours. You might also know that there have even been some 58s recorded on pro tours. What about the score of 57 for an 18-hole round? Has any pro golfer, on any major pro golf tour, shot 57?

The Honest John Game and Golf Handicap Explained

There are two versions of Honest John in golf: There is a golf game (or, really, a honey pot ) called Honest John, and there is a one-day handicap estimate for tournament use called Honest John. Let's break down both of them now.

All the Golfers Who've Shot 58 on Pro Golf Tours

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How many golfers have scored 58 on one of the world's major golf tours? So far, there are seven such rounds in golf history, all of them since 2001.

How to Play the Gruesomes Golf Game

When a golf game is named "Gruesomes," you have to figure that it involves making the golfers play some of their lesser shots, rather than their best shots. And Gruesomes does just that: The partners on a 2-person side both hit drives, then their opponents choose which drive they have to use.

Golfer Art Wall Jr.: Masters Champ, Hole-in-One Artist

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Art Wall was a good, consistent PGA Tour player and winner through much of the 1950s. He had one great year during which he won The Masters, and he continued winning into the 1960s and even the 1970s. For many years, Wall was regarded as the world record-holder for most lifetime holes-in-one.

Golf First: 58 on a Par-72 Course on a Pro Tour

There have been a handful of 58s scored in professional golf for 18 holes . Jim Furyk, for example, was the first to do it on the PGA Tour. But, until October 1, 2021, no pro golfer on any significant tour had ever shot 58 on a par-72 golf course.

The LPGA Golfer Who Won a Hole-in-One Prize — for Acing the Wrong Hole

During a tournament on the 1981 LPGA Tour, a golfer stepped up to the 16th hole, a par-3, and knocked her tee shot right into the hole. An ace. The crowd went wild, because that golfer just won the tournament's hole-in-one prize, a brand new car. Or so the fans thought. There was one problem, though: That golfer had aced the wrong hole.

The Golf Meaning of 'Flush' or 'Flush It'

When you hear golfers using the word "flush," they are probably not referring to what happens in the restroom. They are talking about making good contact when they hit the golf ball.

Tiger Woods' Record in Playoffs and All the Scores

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Has Tiger Woods be a good playoff player over his career? Yes — in fact, Woods has been great in playoffs. That probably doesn't surprise you. But the fact is, a golfer's overall greatness isn't necessarily an indicator of playoff success: Arnold Palmer's playoff record and Jack Nicklaus' playoff record are both good, but not great. And Ben Hogan had a losing record in playoffs .

Most Career Holes-in-One on Pro Golf Tours

Who holds the record for most career holes-in-one made on the PGA Tour? How about the LPGA Tour, the European Tour, the Champions Tour?

The Fairways & Greens Golf Game

"Fairways and Greens" is the name of a golf game that can be played by an group of golfers (foursome, threesome, twosome), but it is best played by golfers of similar skill levels. That's because it pays out to the golfer in the group who is best at hitting ... fairways and greens.

Biggest Team Blowouts in Ryder Cup History

Which teams (USA, Europe, Great Britain/Ireland) have posted the biggest blowout wins and suffered the worst losses in the history of the Ryder Cup? In the current era, the biggest blowout is by 10 points: a 10-point margin of victory for the winning side. But earlier in Ryder Cup history, when different formats were used, even bigger blowouts occurred.

Open de Baleares Golf Tournament (European Tour)

The Open de Baleares was a golf tournament on the European Tour from the late 1980s through the mid-1990s. It was played in the Balearic Islands of Spain, and a Spanish legend was the event's biggest winner.

Big Break X: Michigan Winner, Cast Members

Big Break X: Michigan was the name of the 10th season of the Golf Channel reality/competition television series. As with all other seasons of The Big Break franchise, golfers on the show competed in challenges and matches to advance to the final episode, where a winner was crowned. Or, in the case of Big Break X: Michigan , winners, plural.

Biggest Wins and Losses in Individual Ryder Cup Matches

Which golfers have pulled off the largest margins of victories (and suffered the biggest losing margins) in Ryder Cup matches? Asked another way, which golfers have had the biggest blowout wins and the worst losses in singles, foursomes and fourballs at the Ryder Cup?

What Is a 'Halve' or 'Halved Match' in Golf?

One of the words golfers use and golf fans sometimes hear in match play is "halve." Which, let's be honest, is a weird word! Not "half," but "halve." What does it mean? A halve is a tie.

Who Is the Ryder Cup Named After?

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Who put the "Ryder" in the Ryder Cup? Why is this every-other-year competition, one of the biggest events in golf, named the Ryder Cup? The namesake who seeded the idea of the Ryder Cup happens to have been a man who made his fortune selling ... seeds.

Golfer Fred Wampler: Purdue Great, PGA Tour Winner

Fred Wampler was a professional golfer whose PGA Tour playing career took place mostly in the 1950s. He won one tour event and had several other near-misses, but, before that, he was a record-setting college golfer.

Vardon Trophy for Low Scoring Average on the PGA Tour

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Every year, the golfer who leads the PGA Tour in scoring average receives (among other things) the Vardon Trophy. But the Vardon Trophy is not awarded by the PGA Tour — it is given out by a different organization. And it has slightly different qualifying criteria compared to the PGA Tour's own award for scoring average.

What Happens If the Ryder Cup Ends in a Tie?

Let's say Team Europe and Team USA are playing a hard-fought, very closely contested Ryder Cup. It comes down to the final match, and when that match ends, both teams have the same number of points. It's a tie score. What happens?

The 'Woof Handicap' or 'Boo Handicap' in Golf

In the golf game named Woof or Boo, two golfers are playing a match, with the less-accomplished of the two getting to use his handicap. But that golfer doesn't get his traditional handicap. No, instead he gets to distract his more-accomplished foe at critical moments in the match. He does this by invoking his "woof handicap" or "boo handicap" — literally by shouting "woof!" or "boo!" just as his opponent is about to strike the ball.

2023 Walker Cup Winner, Match Scores

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The Walker Cup is a biennial (every other year) competition for top amateur men golfers, one team representing Great Britain & Ireland, the other representing the United States. The 2023 Walker Cup was the 49th time the event was played. After Team USA's victory, the overall standings (the tournament dates to 1922) were 39 for the American side, nine wins for Team GB&I, with one tie.

Explaining the Meaning of Dormie in Golf

"Dormie" is a term used in match play in golf, and it means that the golfer or side that is leading the match is ahead by the same number of holes as remain to be played. A golfer who is 1-up with one hole to play, for example, is dormie.

2023 Ryder Cup Winner, Match Scores, Player Records

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The 2023 Ryder Cup was the 44th time this biennial competition was played. It matched a team of male professional golfers representing Europe against one representing the United States, in several forms of match play over three days. It was the first Ryder Cup played in Italy.

2022 Presidents Cup Results, Rosters, Player Records

The 2022 Presidents Cup is the 14th time this tournament has been played. Following the Team USA victory, the all-time standings are 12 wins for the U.S., one win for Team International, and one tie.

Beatrix Hoyt: Golfer Was First Multiple U.S. Women's Amateur Champ

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Beatrix Hoyt was the best woman golfer in America in the 1890s. But when the century turned, so did her golf success. Hoyt won three consecutive U.S. Women's Amateur Championships, but her entire golf record happened before she was 21, from age 16 to age 20.

The Bye Golf Bet Explained

Imagine you are playing a match with money on the line. But it hasn't been your day, and your opponent beats you, 6 and 5. The match is over, yet there are five holes on the golf course you haven't yet played. Do you just walk in to the clubhouse? Wouldn't you rather go ahead and play those remaining holes — and with a chance to win back at least part of the betting amount you just lost to the opponent who beat you 6 and 5?

Which Golfers Have Won the Most Matches in the Ryder Cup?

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Below is the list of golfers who were most successful in Ryder Cup play — at least as measured by their total number of matches won. So far in Ryder Cup history, there are nine golfers who have won 20 or more of their matches played.

Yearly Scrambling Leaders on the PGA Tour

Which golfers have led the PGA Tour's Scrambling statistic each year? The list is below. But first, let's explain what the Scrambling stat actually tracks.

Yearly 'Total Strokes Gained' Leaders on the PGA Tour

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Total Strokes Gained (officially named "Strokes Gained: Total") is a PGA Tour scoring statistic. It was introduced only in 2016, but has been calculated back to the 2004 season. The Tour's own definition of Total Strokes Gained is this:

Birdie Leaders on the PGA Tour

On this page, we'll look at the golfers on the PGA Tour who make the most birdies, but we'll consider that question in two different ways. Or, rather in two different PGA Tour statistical categories: Birdie Average and Total Birdies.

Golfer Bud Ward, 2-Time U.S. Amateur Champ

Marvin "Bud" Ward was an American golfer who won big amateur titles in the 1930s and 1940s, including two U.S. Amateur Championships. He later turned pro and won multiple state and regional pro tournaments, but never played on the PGA Tour. He was a legend in his time in his home region, the Pacific Northwest.

Which Golfers Have Won the Most Matches in the Solheim Cup?

In the history of the Solheim Cup, which golfer has won the most matches? Two golfers share the record, and those two are both from Team Europe.

Hennessy Ladies Cup, Early LET Golf Tournament

The Hennessy Ladies Cup was a top tournament on the Ladies European Tour in the first couple decades of that tour's existence. It was first played in France before moving to Germany.

What Is a 'Banana Ball' in Golf?

Hitting a "banana ball" is something no golfer wants to do. You might even say that the banana ball is a golf shot that is very, ahem (forgive us) una peel ing. That's because a banana ball is a very bad slice.

Golfers With the Most Singles Losses in Solheim Cup

Who holds the record for most losses in Solheim Cup singles matches? Which golfer has suffered the most singles defeats in the biennial Team USA vs. Team Europe competition?

Golfers With the Most Singles Wins in Solheim Cup

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Which golfer holds the record for most wins in singles matches at the Solheim Cup? The all-time Solheim Cup record for most wins in singles matches is six, and that record is shared by Juli Inkster (pictured above/Team USA) and Catriona Matthew (Team Europe).

Bio of English Golfer Charlie Ward

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Charlie Ward was an English golfer who began winning pro tournaments in the 1930s, and had his biggest wins from the mid-1940s through the early 1950s. He also represented Team Great Britain & Ireland in three Ryder Cups and was the first back-to-back winner of the Harry Vardon Trophy.

The Golfer Who Was Punished By the Military for Winning a Tournament

In 1945, British pro golfer Charlie Ward won a tournament. And for his efforts, he was punished by the Royal Air Force.

2022 Curtis Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 2022 Curtis Cup was the 42nd time this international, amateur team competition was played. A team of women amateurs representing Great Britain & Ireland plays a team of women amateurs representing the United States every two years in the Curtis Cup. The event is jointly run by the USGA and R&A. The all-time standings after the American sides' victory in 22 was 31 wins for Team USA, 8 wins for Team GB&I, plus three ties.

What 'All Square' Means in Golf Scoring

"All square," sometimes shortened to just "square," means that a golf match is tied. The term is used in match play, in which a golfer or team is playing against another golfer or team, rather than trying to achieve a lower stroke total than the full field of golfers (which is stroke play).

Tiger Woods' PGA Tour Finishes As An Amateur

Tiger Woods appeared in multiple PGA Tour tournaments before he turned pro, beginning when he was 16 years old. How did he do in those tournaments? Below, we list them — all the PGA Tour events Woods played as an amateur, including his scores and where he finished.

Solheim Cup Captains: Full List (Plus Assistants)

The list of Solheim Cup captains goes back to 1990, the year the competition was first played. It was launched that year to give the world's best women golfers a competition modeled after the Ryder Cup, with teams representing Europe and the United States.

Who Is the Curtis Cup Named After?

The Curtis Cup is the name of the biennial golf tournament that pits teams of women amateurs representing Great Britain & Ireland and the United States. It has been played since 1932. ( View the results of every Curtis Cup match ever played .) But who put the "Curtis" in Curtis Cup? Why is the competition named that?

Harvie Ward: Bio of the Amateur Golf Great

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Harvie Ward was one of the greatest amateur golfers of the 1950s, winning both the U.S. and British amateur championships. He played in the Walker Cup several times and posted a perfect record, and achieved Top 10 finishes in two of the four professional majors (he didn't play the other two). Ward also was one of the four golfers who played what has become one of the most-famous matches in golf history.

Mobile Bay LPGA Classic Golf Tournament

The Mobile Bay LPGA Classic (known by multiple names, including Airbus LPGA Classic in its last year) was an LPGA Tour golf tournament in Mobile, Alabama. It was played six times in the early years of the 2000s.

Explaining the 'Back It Up' Skins Game Variation

"Back It Up" is the name of a variation of a skins game in which a golfer who wins a hole can then double the value by winning the next hole as well — by, in other words, backing up the first win with a second.

Do Golf Courses Paint the Grass?

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Do golf courses paint their fairways and greens to make them that perfect shade of green? Some do! Many do, in fact, and it is a groundskeeping tactic that is growing in use.

PGA Tour Golfers Who Went the Longest Time Between Wins

Elsewhere, we've told you about those golfers with the longest time between their first and last wins on the PGA Tour . In this article, we're talking about the biggest gap between consecutive wins: Which golfers won a tournament, then won another tournament, and had the longest gap between those two wins?

Definition of 'Lunch Ball' in Golf

What is a "lunch ball"? It's a mulligan — a do-over. Yes, in golf, "lunch ball" is another term (one of many) for the mulligan, which is a stroke that a golfer replays without penalty when his or her group has agreed to allow it. But there are some interesting nuances to the lunch ball.

Golfer Al Watrous Biography

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Al Watrous was a professional golfer who won multiple PGA Tour tournaments in the 1920s and 1930s, and played in the first two Ryder Cups. He was a long-serving pro at a famous golf club, and continued winning as a senior golfer, including three senior majors.

Low Amateurs at the Women's British Open

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The Women's British Open dates to 1976, when the Ladies Golf Union created it to carry on what had previously been the Ladies Amateur Stroke Play Championship. There were only a handful of women professionals in Britain at the time, so amateurs had very strong showings (including a few wins) for years to come.

Golfers Who Won Both the U.S. Amateur and British Amateur Championships

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How many golfers have won both the U.S. Amateur Championship and the British Amateur Championship? Not many! It's tough to win just one of these prestigious amateur golf titles, after all, much less both of them. But 13 golfers have managed to pull off this feat. Some of those who did it are very big names in golf history, and others are ... not.

Most Top 10 Finishes in Single Season on the PGA Tour

What is the PGA Tour record for most Top 10 finishes by a golfer in a single season? That record is 31 — one golfer in PGA Tour history finished in the Top 10 in 31 tournament during a single season. And that golfer was named Jug.

The Real Story of Tommy Armour's Single-Hole Score of 23

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In the 1927 Shawnee Open golf tournament, played one week after he won the U.S. Open, Tommy Armour set a record that is still cited today. He made a score of 23 on a single hole. If you are a student of golf history or a fan of unusual golf records, you've probably heard about Armour's 23 many times. It's a score that shows up on lots of lists of the highest single-hole scores in PGA Tour history , usually regarded as the all-time record for that stat.

Shawnee Open, Early PGA Tour Golf Tournament

The Shawnee Open was part of the PGA Tour for a couple decades during the earliest years of the professional tour's existence. Its roster of winners includes many of the biggest names from that era in American golf.

DeWitt Weaver: Profile of PGA Tour, Champions Tour Winner

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DeWitt Weaver was a PGA Tour golfer primarily in the 1970s, then had a second career on the Champions Tour primarily in the 1990s. He was never a big winner, but did snag several tour wins and was particularly known as a strong match player.

How to Play the Rotation Golf Game

In the golf game named Rotation, a group of four golfers takes turns playing each stroke: Golfer A plays, then B, then C and D, then back to A. But there's a twist: Each golfer has only one club, and must use that club for every stroke played.

What Ever Happened to Briana Vega of 'The Big Break'?

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Where is Briana Vega today? Vega (who also goes today by her married name, Bri Vega Blakefield) was a competitor on two different seasons of the Golf Channel television series The Big Break . And she was the champion on one of those seasons, The Big Break VI: Trump National . Today, Vega is a PGA Professional at a golf club in Florida.

Defining the Private Course in Golf

What is a private course, or private golf course? If you said, "it's the opposite of a public course ," you are right. Private golf courses are those golf courses that are (mostly) inaccessible to the general public and are played (mostly) only by those who have paid money for membership and access privileges.

'Big Break VI: Trump National' Winner, Cast

The Big Break VI: Trump National was the sixth season of the Golf Channel's reality/competition television series, in which golfers competed in challenges and matches for prizes including money and exemptions into tour events. Big Break VI: Trump National , unlike earlier seasons of The Big Break franchise, featured a mixed cast of men and women, and also had the largest number of cast members.

Betty Hicks: Amateur Champ and Women's Pro Golf Trailblazer

Betty Hicks was an early professional in the women's game in the United States. But only after she had won a U.S. Women's Amateur Championship in the early 1940s, the biggest golf title available to women at that time in America.

Catalan Open Golf Tournament on the European Tour

The Catalan Open was a European Tour golf tournament that was played from the late 1980s into the mid-1990s. It took place at different golf courses in the Catalonia region of Spain.

Who Was the Last Golfer to Shoot His Age on the PGA Tour?

The last golfer to shoot his age on the PGA Tour was Arnold Palmer, and it happened in 2001. There is a good reason it's been so long since anyone did it: It is rare these days for golfers old enough to shoot their age to start in a PGA Tour event.

Who Was the First Golfer to Break 60 on the Champions Tour?

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Kevin Sutherland was the first golfer in Champions Tour history to shoot 59 in competition. The senior tour's first sub-60 round happened in 2014, 34 years after the tour was founded — and it was almost a 57.

Taking the Pain Out of Putting Practice

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If you want to become a great putter — or even just improve from bad to average — you'll have to spend time on the practice green, bent over your putter, making strokes. Developing feel and touch in putting requires plenty of practice, but the long hours standing in a bent-over position on the practice green can wreak havoc on your back, hips and neck. Most golfers understand the need to stretch and warm-up before hitting full swings on the practice range. But did you know that it is just as important to warm up and stretch before practicing putting?

What Is a Split Fairway in Golf?

A "split fairway" in golf is a fairway that, at some point on its route to the putting green, splits into two distinct fairways, offering the golfer the option to play to one side or the other. It's a way for golf course architects to provide some variety and some extra options for playing strokes off the tee and into greens.

Golfers With Most Losses in Ryder Cup Matches

Which golfers have suffered the most match losses in the Ryder Cup? The all-time record-holder is also one of the all-time great golfers, and the guy tied for second-most Ryder Cup defeats is, arguably, the best golfer ever.

U.S. Senior Women's Open Winners and Facts

The U.S. Senior Women's Open is a golf tournament conducted by the United States Golf Association (USGA) for top women golfers of ages 50 and over. It is one of 14 USGA championships.

PaineWebber Invitational (Home Depot Invitational) on Champions Tour

The tournament called the Home Depot Invitational at its end is perhaps better-remembered as the PaineWebber Invitational, a golf tournament on the Champions Tour. It was played for more than 30 years in North Carolina.

72-Hole, 18-Hole Evian Championship Scoring Records

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The Evian Championship is one of the five major championships of women's professional golf. It is the most-recently created, too, dating to 1994 — but only being recognized as a major since 2013. Which golfers hold the Evian Championship scoring records?

Fun Find: Newsreel Footage of 4-Year-Old Bob Rosburg in 1930

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Bob Rosburg was a longtime PGA Tour golfer, a successful one, and the 1959 PGA Championship winner. He later enjoyed a long career as an on-course analyst on ABC TV's golf broadcasts in the USA. Everyone called him "Rossie." But long before all that, Rosburg was a childhood golfing prodigy. And I just stumbled across the newsreel footage to prove it.

Sid Brews, South Africa's First International Golfer

Before there was Gary Player, before there was Bobby Locke, there was Sid Brews. Brews, although English by birth, became the first South African golfer to achieve international notice. He won more 30 tournaments in South Africa (mostly in the 1920s and '30s, but even into the 1950s), but also won in Europe and the United States.

Golfers Who Won the British Open in First Appearance

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Have any golfers won the British Open the very first time they played that major championship? Yes, it has happened multiple times — 10 times, in fact, including the very first* and the 2021 Open Championship.

2021 British Open Winner and Scores

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The 2021 British Open was the 149th time this tournament was played. A 24-year-old making just his eighth career start in a major won it.

Lowest Winning Scores in the British Open

What is the tournament record for lowest winning score in the British Open? That record was set in 2016, and the golfer who set it claimed not just the lowest stroke total record, but also the record for most strokes under par. In 2022, another golfer tied one of those marks.

Tiger Woods' Wins at Firestone and the WGC Bridgestone Invitational

Tiger Woods won the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club eight times, an amount that ties the PGA Tour record for most wins in the same tournament .

That Time a Husband and Wife Made Aces on Back-to-Back Shots

Would you believe a story told by a married couple who claimed that they not only both made holes-in-one, but that they:

What Was the First PGA Tour Tournament Tiger Woods Played?

The first PGA Tour tournament that Tiger Woods played was the 1992 Nissan Los Angeles Open at Riviera Country Club. Woods was 16 years old at the time, a sophomore in high school, and was given a sponsor's exemption into the field.

'Big Break II' Winner and Cast Members

The Big Break II was, as you can probably guess from the title, the second season of The Big Break television series that aired on the Golf Channel. Who can have guessed at the time this sequel premiered that the series would continue on for more than 20 more seasons.

Harry Bradshaw: Profile of Irish Golfer

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Harry Bradshaw was an Irish golfer who played on the British and European circuits in the middle parts of the 20th century. He was best-known in the 1950s, and made multiple Ryder Cup appearances in that decade.

U.S. Senior Open Scoring Records

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The U.S. Senior Open is the biggest tournament in men's senior golf (where "senior" is defined as 50-and-over). The tournament was founded by the United States Golf Association in 1980, when Roberto De Vicenzo became its first winner . Do you know which golfers have scored lowest in this senior major?

2024 British Open Dates, Golf Course

The 2024 British Open will be the 152nd time this golf tournament is played, its history dating all the way back to 1860. The Open Championship, as it is officially named , is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf.

Low Amateurs at the British Open: The Full List

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The British Open has been played since 1860, and below you'll find the full list of golfers who finished as low amateur in each of those Opens. Since 1949, the R&A has recognized the Open Championship low amateur by awarding the Silver Medal. But the list below goes all the way back to the beginning.

How to Play the 'Tin Whistle' Golf Game

The golf game named Tin Whistle is a format appropriate for any number of golfers playing stroke play, which means it can also be used for tournament play. Basically, it is form a Stableford scoring first used at Pinehurst Resort.

William Doleman: Scottish Golfer Who Was First in Canada?

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William Doleman was a Scottish golfer and one of the earliest amateurs to make an impact in the British Open. He began playing that tournament in the 1860s and still holds a record today relating to amateurs. Doleman might also be, some sources claim, the first person to play golf in Canada.

2023 British Open Tournament Winner and Scores

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The 2023 British Open was the 151st time this major championship tournament was played. Brian Harman took a five-stroke lead after scoring 65 in the second round, and was never challenged after that. He won by six strokes.

Southern Open Golf Tournament on the PGA Tour

The Southern Open, called the Buick Challenge over the last few years of its history, was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was played for more than 30 years, from the early 1970s to the early 2000s. It was always played in Georgia.

Explaining the 'Floater' Shot, or 'Floater Lie,' in Golf

Have you ever heard an announcer on a golf broadcast, or a fellow golfer during a round, say something along the lines of, "this one might be a floater," or "he'll have to be careful with that floater lie"? If you don't know what a "floater" is in golf, you might have been confused. So let us clear it up.

2022 British Open Winner and Scores

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The 2022 British Open was the 150th time this oldest major championship was played. The winner earned his victory by scoring 64 in the final round.

Youngest Winners of the British Open Championship

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Who is the youngest golfer ever to win the British Open? This major, the first professional golf tournament ever, dates all the way back to 1860. That's a long list of winners to consider.

Genevieve Hecker: Bio of Women's Golf Pioneer

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Genevieve Hecker was a two-time winner of the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship in the first decade of that tournament's history. She also won one of the few other big tournaments that existed for women in the early 1900s four times. And she has a notable place in the history of golf instruction.

The Longest Playoffs in PGA Tour History

What is the longest playoff in PGA Tour history? What we are talking about here are sudden-death playoffs. In earlier times, many (most) PGA Tour events scheduled 18-hole, next-day playoffs. Beginning in the late 1950s and especially in the early 1960s, nearly all tournaments that used those 18-hole, next-day playoffs switched to the sudden-death format.

Oldest Winners of the British Open Championship

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Who are the oldest golfers ever to win the British Open? Overall, the answer is a golfer who has "Old" right there in his very name — how appropriate!

The Meaning of 'Iffy Lie' in Golf

You play a stroke, then walk to up to see where your golf ball landed and how it is sitting. What you discover is that the lie is neither great, nor terrible. It's somewhere in-between. You have, in other words, an iffy lie.

Who Finished Second Most Often in the British Open?

We usually talk about winners in golf. But the runners-up can sometimes be just as interesting. For example, in major championships. Who finished second the most in the British Open? The two names on the list are two of the biggest in golf history.

Women's PGA Championship Scoring Records

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The Women's PGA Championship is one of the major championships of women's professional golf. Do you know which golfers have carded the lowest scores in the tournament's history? Some big names (no surprise) appear on the lists below for lowest 72-, 18- and 9-hole scores. But there are also some surprises.

Recalling the Addington Foursomes Golf Tournament

The Addington Foursomes was a team tournament played in London, England, in the 1930s. The tournament paired one pro with one top amateur golfer, and they played foursomes match play against other such teams.

Auguste Boyer: Bio of French Golfer

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Auguste Boyer was a French golfer who, from the late 1920s until the onset of World War II, wracked up more than a dozen national titles across European. While he never won the British Open, he was one of the best Continental golfers of that era.

2021 U.S. Open Winner, Scores

The 2021 U.S. Open was the 121st time this golf tournament was played. It produced the first Spanish winner in this tournament's history.

2025 U.S. Open Dates, Golf Course

The 2025 U.S. Open golf championship will be the 125th time this tournament is played. The U.S. Open, run by the United States Golf Association (USGA), is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf. It is the third major of the year, played after The Masters and PGA Championship and before the British Open.

What 'Horses for Courses' Means in Golf

Have you ever heard a golfer or golf broadcaster use the expression "horses for courses"? Do you know what it means when used in a golf context? It's an old expression that comes out of Great Britain and originally did emerge from the horse-racing scene.

2024 U.S. Open Dates, Golf Course

The 2024 U.S. Open golf championship will be the 124th time this major championship of men's professional golf is played, and it returns to one of America's best-known golf courses. That would be the No. 2 course at Pinehurst Resort.

How Many Golfers Won a Major Championship in Their Very First Try?

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How many golfers in the history of the major championships of men's professional golf have won the very first major they ever played? Not many! The total stands at six, but, really, it's more like four.

2023 U.S. Open Winner and Scores

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The 2023 U.S. Open golf championship was the 123rd time this major championship of men's professional was played. The winner was a first-time major champion.

Fred Herd: Golfer Won First 72-Hole U.S. Open

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Fred Herd is one of the least tournament-experienced winners in major championships: He played in only four of them. But he won one of those, and that U.S. Open win gives Herd his place in the game's history.

How to Play 'Putting Syndicate' or 'Putting Skins'

Have you ever heard of a golf game called "putting syndicate"? You can think of it as a skins game, but based only on the golfers' putts taken on each green. Take the fewest putts, win the hole.

LPGA Bluegrass Invitational Golf Tournament Winners, History

The Bluegrass Invitational was a women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour, played annually in Kentucky in the 1960s and 1970s. One of the biggest controversies in LPGA history began in this tournament.

James Foulis, Early U.S. Open Winner and Golf Influencer

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James Foulis was a golf professional from Scotland who had a large impact on American golf around the dawn of the 20th century, particularly in Chicago and the Midwest. He was a club pro, a course designer, a golf inventor, oh, and also a U.S. Open winner .

2022 U.S. Open Golf Tournament Winner and Scores

The 2022 U.S. Open golf championship was the 122nd time this major championship of men's professional golf was played. The winner claimed the trophy on the same golf course where, nine years earlier, he won the U.S. Amateur Championship.

What It Means to 'Get It Into the Clubhouse'

During a television broadcast once, Paul Azinger and Nick Faldo were discussing the 1987 British Open , won by Faldo and in which Azinger finished tied for second place. Azinger had a three-stroke lead with nine holes to play, and a one-stroke lead with two holes left. But, Faldo said of Azinger, "Somebody couldn't get it into the clubhouse."

2019 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2019 U.S. Women's Open was the 74th time this tournament was played. The winner was another first-timer — not just her first time winning this tournament, winning a major, but also her first LPGA Tour win.

Youngest, Oldest Golfers to Make the Cut in a U.S. Open

Who are the youngest and oldest golfers to make the cut in the U.S. Open golf championship? The list of golden oldies below includes nothing but legends. The list of young whippersnappers ... doesn't. Well, with one exception.

2018 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2018 U.S. Women's Open was the 73rd playing of this major championship. The USGA instituted a new playoff format this year, and it immediately came into play.

2017 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2017 U.S. Women's Open was the 72nd time this major championship was played. The winner was a young KLPGA standout earning her first victory outside her home country.

The Best Golfers Who Never Won the U.S. Women's Open

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The U.S. Women's Open is the biggest tournament in women's professional golf. And most of the biggest names in women's professional golf have won that tournament . But not all! In fact, you'll probably be surprised to learn that some of the greatest legends in LPGA Tour history never won the U.S. Women's Open.

2016 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2016 U.S. Women's Open was the 71st time this major championship was played. The winner was Brittany Lang, who came from two off the lead in the final round to force a playoff with Anna Nordqvist, then won that playoff.

Double Eagles in the U.S. Open Golf Tournament

How many double eagles (albatrosses) have been made in the U.S. Open? Three is the number recorded by the United States Golf Association, which runs the tournament that is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf.

2014 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2014 U.S. Women's Open was the 69th time this golf tournament was played. And this one is remembered as the site of Michelle Wie's first win in a major championship. She was the only golfer to finish under par, and won by two strokes.

The Meaning of 'Leader in the Clubhouse' in Golf

Do you know who the "leader in the clubhouse" is in a golf tournament? It's actually quite an easy term to understand: Among those golfers who have finished the round being played, the one who has the lowest score is called the leader in the clubhouse.

Stewart Gardner Bio: Obscure Golfer Holds Two U.S. Open Records

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Stewart Gardner was a Scotsman who immigrated to the United States around the turn of the 20th century, and later became an American citizen. Although Gardner never won a big golf tournament, he still holds two tournament records in the U.S. Open set in the first few years of the 1900s.

Yomiuri International Golf Tournament in Japan

The Yomiuri International was a 72-hole, men's golf tournament in Japan played in the years before the creation of the Japan Golf Tour. It took place 10 times from the early 1960s to the early 1970s, and typically featured a healthy contingent of international golfers.

Phil Mickelson's Second-Place Finishes in the U.S. Open

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Phil Mickelson has never won the U.S. Open golf tournament. But he does hold this tournament record: most times runner-up. Mickelson, who has wins in each of the other three major championships of men's professional golf, has finished second six times in the U.S. Open.

Ben Hogan's U.S. Open Wins, Yearly Scores, Superlatives

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Based only on his wins in the U.S. Open — he had four of them — Ben Hogan had an incredible record in this major championship. Consider that he played the tournament only 22 times, yet has those four wins, plus two runner-up finishes, and numerous other Top 10 finishes.

2023 PGA Championship Winner and Scores

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The 2023 PGA Championship was the 105th time this tournament was played. But it was the third time this major was won by Brooks Koepka.

What 'Yards to Cover' Means in Golf

Have you ever heard another golfer, or an announcer on a golf tournament broadcast, say something along the lines of "(Golfer X) needs 150 yards to cover"? Do you know what that expression means?

Profile: Irish Golfer Hugh Boyle

Hugh Boyle was an Irish golfer who won tournaments on the British pro circuit mostly in the late 1960s, as well as playing in the Far East and Africa. He has the distinction of being the first golfer from Britain or Ireland to win in Japan.

2021 PGA Championship Winner and Scores

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The 2021 PGA Championship was the 103rd time this tournament was played, but it produced a first: Phil Mickelson became the first golfer at least 50 years old to win a major championship.

2022 PGA Championship Winner and Scores

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The 2022 PGA Championship was the 104th time this tournament was played. The champion won this major for the second time, but he needed a playoff to do it.

Oldest Major Championship Winners in Men's Golf

Who is the oldest major championship winner in golf? Has anyone aged 50 and over won one of the men's majors? The answer to the second question was no — until 2021, when, for the first time ever, a golfer 50 or older did win a major. That golfer was nearly 51, in fact, and broke this record that had stood since 1968.

Defining the Public Course in Golf

A public course is a golf course that is open to the general public. Simple enough. But there are several more-specific types of golf courses that fall under the "public course" term.

Jim Barnes, 4-Time Major Winner, First PGA Champ

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Jim Barnes was an English golfer who lived most of his life in the United States, where he was one of the best pro golfers of the first quarter of the 1900s. He won big tournaments from the mid-1910s until the late 1930s. Along the way, Barnes won four major championships, including the PGA Championship the first two times it was played.

2025 Masters Tournament Dates and Schedule

The 2025 Masters Tournament will be the 89th time this tournament is played. The Masters Tournament is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf, and the first one played each year. It was first played in 1934, cofounded by Bobby Jones.

Explaining the Golf Game(s) Named 'Play It Again Sam'

"Play It Again Sam" is the name shared by two different golf formats — two formats that are close to being the opposite of one another. In one version, Play It Again Sam takes a golfer's handicap and converts it into mulligans that golfer can use during the round. In the other version, Play It Again Sam grants your opponents the ability to make you replay a stroke.

2024 Masters Tournament Dates, Schedule, Players

The 2024 Masters Tournament will be the 88th time this tournament is played. The Masters Tournament dates to 1934 and is the only one of the four major championships in men's professional golf that is played in the same location each year.

Explaining Hole-in-One Insurance in Golf

So your organization is staging a golf tournament to raise funds for charity, and you want to do something big. How about a million-dollar prize for the first golfer to make a hole-in-one? That's big! Only problem: You better have a million bucks stashed away just in case someone wins that big prize! And that's what hole-in-one insurance is for.

Champions Tour GTE Northwest Classic Tournament

The GTE Northwest Classic was a Champions Tour (senior tour) golf tournament played in the Seattle, Washington, area from the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s. It was 54 holes (three rounds) of stroke play.

The Golf Course Cart Path: Its History and Function

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The "cart path" is the designated route around a golf course that golf carts are expected, or in some cases required, to follow.

2023 Masters Tournament Winner and Scores

The 2023 Masters Tournament was the 87th playing of this golf tournament. Jon Rahm overcame Brooks Koepka on the final day to win his first Masters title and his second overall major.

Golf's Captain's Pick Defined

The term "captain's pick" refers to a golfer who failed to meet the criteria required for automatic membership on a team in a team golf competition, but who is added to that team at the discretion of the team's captain.

The Fort Lauderdale Golf Format Explained

You've signed up for the company golf tournament, or perhaps a charity tournament at your local club. The format, according to the sign-up sheet, is Fort Lauderdale. What does that mean?

2022 Masters Tournament Winner and Scores

The 2022 Masters Tournament was the 86th edition of this major championship. Scottie Scheffler was the winner, earning his fourth overall PGA Tour win and first major championship victory.

How to Play the '14 Clubs' Golf Format

The golf format called 14 Clubs is for four-person teams competing against other four-person teams. And the key to the format is right there in the name: Each quartet of golfers is only allowed 14 golf clubs. That's total — 14 clubs spread among four golfers.

Definition of 'Finishing Hole' in Golf

Golfers sometimes use the term "finishing hole," or we sometimes hear announcers on tournament broadcasts using it: "Tiger and Phil have reached the finishing hole." And the definition? It's mostly just what it sounds like: the hole that is the finish of the round.

Golfers Who Finished in Top 10 at All Four Men's Majors in the Same Year

Performance in major championships has outsized influence over how golf fans (and history) judge professional golfers. And winning majors is the goal, but playing great in majors — posting high finishes, Top 10 finishes — is also expected of great golfers.

The Dreaded Lip Out in Golf

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In golf, "lip out" refers to a putted ball that catches the edge, or lip, of the hole without falling in. The rim around the hole is also called its "lip," so a ball that catches the lip but stays out is a "lip out."

Johnnie Walker World Golf Championship

Before the World Golf Championships (WGC) arrived in the late 1990s, the Johnnie Walker World Golf Championship came on the golf scene in the early 1990s. It was played in Jamaica with a limited field of 24 golfers (based on world rankings).

Katherine Harley, Early 1900s Golf Champion

Katherine Harley was an American golfer in the early 1900s. Her claim to fame is two victories, separated by six years, in the biggest golf tournament available to American women of her era: the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship.

What Is the Tiger Slam in Golf?

"Tiger Slam" is a golf term that was invented in 2001 to describe an accomplishment by Tiger Woods — an accomplishment no other male golfer had ever pulled off. What did Woods do? He won four major championships in a row.

What Was the Prize Money at the First-Ever PGA Championship?

Millions of dollars — in some cases, tens of millions of dollars — are at stake in golf's major championships today. But how much was at stake in the beginning? The beginning of the PGA Championship was in 1916. How much money were the golfers playing for in that first PGA Championship? Very, very little by modern standards — but a lot by the standards of the time.

PGA Championship Playoff Results: All the Golfers and Winners

There have been many playoffs at the PGA Championship, one of the four majors of men's professional golf, over the years. The tournament dates to 1916, and for its first 40(ish) years was contested at match play. The PGA switched to stroke play for its major championship in the late 1950s.

Golf Courses That Have Hosted the Most PGA Championships

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In the history of the PGA Championship (which dates to 1916), which golf courses have been used as the host site most often? One golf course has been the site five times, one has been the site four times, and multiple other courses have hosted three times each.

The Golf Sportsmanship Incident That Inspired a Famous Poet to Write

Tommy Beck was an amateur golfer whose game never took him to the heights. Edgar Guest was a professional poet whose prowess with the pen made him, at one time, one of the most famous writers in the world. Their lives intersected at the 1954 U.S. Amateur Championship when Beck disqualified himself after breaking the rules, inspiring Guest to write a poem entitled Victory .

Frances Griscom, Early American Women's Golf Champ

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Frances Griscom was one of the earliest champions of women's golf in the United States. Her biggest achievement was winning a U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, one of the few (and by miles the biggest) women's golf events of her era. She also had a role in inspiring the Curtis Cup.

The Abbreviation 'cc' in Golf

The abbreviation "cc" stands for "cubic centimeters" and is used to let golfers know, primarily, the size of wood and wood-like hybrid clubheads.

The Hate 'Em Golf Game Explained

You know those holes on your home golf course, or any course you play regularly, that always seem to give you trouble? Those holes you know very well, but always seem to somehow mess up on? Don't you just hate those holes? Well, in the golf game named Hate 'Em, you'll like those holes — because you get to write down pars on them before the round even begins.

What Is a 'Come-Backer' in Golf?

No, a "come-backer" is not a golfer who comes back (comes from behind) to win a tournament. A come-backer is the putt you have left after running your previous putt past the hole.

Seattle Open Invitational (Former PGA Tour Tournament)

The Seattle Open Invitational was a PGA Tour golf tournament best-remembered for being the site of Jack Nicklaus' first "regular" tour win, and for being one of Byron Nelson's 18 wins in 1945.

Alfonso Angelini: Bio of the Italian Golfer

Alfonso Angelini was one of the "Three Musketeers" of post-World War II Italian golf. He won national opens across Europe in the pre-European Tour days of the continental golf circuit.

1987 World Golf Rankings: No. 1, Top 50 at End of Year

Who was the No. 1 player in men's golf at the end of 1987? Which golfers finished the year ranked the highest in the Official World Golf Ranking? Below is the year-end list of 1987's top-ranked golfers.

Ben Hogan's Record in Playoffs and All the Scores

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Quick: Do you think Ben Hogan had a great record in playoffs? Almost everyone will answer yes to that question. It only makes sense, given that Hogan is one of the greatest ever to play the game and has a historical reputation as a finisher and an intimidator. But, surprisingly, the correct answer is no: Ben Hogan had a losing record in playoffs, including in major championship playoffs.