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Showing posts from 2023

2023 World Golf Rankings: No. 1, Top 50 at End of Year

Which golfers finished the year 2023 in the Top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking? Who was No. 1? Below is the year-end list of 2023's top-ranked golfers.

Lowest Score After 3 Rounds in The Masters

What is the Masters Tournament record for lowest score after three rounds, or 54 holes? That record is 200 strokes, and the mark is currently shared by two golfers.

2023 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 2023? 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 2023's top-ranked golfers.

Do Golfers Who Miss the PGA Championship Cut Get Paid?

The PGA Championship is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf. And like the other three majors, it features a cut after the second round. Golfers who do well in the PGA Championship make a lot of money. But what about those golfers who miss the cut? Do they get a lot — or any — money?

Golf Joke: The Lost City

The team of archeologists had been toiling deep in the Amazon jungle for months and months, clearing choking undergrowth away from the faint traces of the great Lost City.

Looking Back: CJ Cup on PGA Tour

The CJ Cup was a pro golf tournament on the PGA Tour from the mid-2010s into the early 2020s. It was played during the fall portion of the schedule, typically in October. The tournament took place in South Korea the first half of its run, and in the United States as it wound down.

20+ Other Terms Golfers Have for the Mulligan

Do you call a mulligan a mulligan, or does your group of golf buddies have a different name for this feature of recreational golf? We golfers have our own slang, in this case starting with "mulligan" itself. Here we'll list many other terms golfers use to mean the same thing.

The Lucky Sevens Golf Format Explained

The format named Lucky Sevens is played by teams of four. It is usually played as an association playday format or a charity tournament or company outing format. Lucky Sevens requires the use of playing cards to determine which scores to count on each hole.

Bruce Fleisher: Won National Championships As Amateur, Senior

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Bruce Fleisher was a golfer who won big when he was young, went many years without winning, then won even bigger as a senior tour golfer. A two-time USGA national champion, Fleisher's PGA Tour career didn't live up to expectations after a U.S. Amateur title that came before he turned 20. But he made up for it in a highly successful, lucrative Champions Tour career.

Lowest Back-to-Back Rounds in The Masters Tournament

What is the Masters Tournament record for lowest score in back-to-back rounds? That record is 130. So far, only one player in the tournament's history has gone that low over consecutive rounds.

Explaining the ABCD Tournament Format

ABCD is a tournament format for teams of four golfers, and it requires the use of handicaps. That's because the tournament begins with organizers sorting golfers into A-, B-, C- and D-level players (A's being the lowest handicappers, D's being the highest). Each team consists of one player from each level. This is a very common way of assembling teams for charity tournaments, company events, association playdays and the like. But if the tournament is named an ABCD Tournament, it might progress in one of the following ways.

Golf Joke: Cardinal Mickelson

(For this joke, you can substitute the name(s) of any pro golfer(s) you wish.) The Pope met with his cardinals to discuss a proposal from the prime minister of Israel.

Do Golfers Who Miss the Cut at the British Open Get Paid?

The cut rule at the British Open usually sends more than 70 golfers into the third and fourth rounds. The players who miss that cut go home. But do they go home with a paycheck in their pockets? When a golfer misses the cut in the Open Championship, do they get paid?

Jack Fleck: The Underdog Who Beat Hogan for U.S. Open

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Jack Fleck is remembered in golf history as the giant-slayer, the massive underdog who pulled off one of the greatest surprise wins ever. That win was a U.S. Open, and the giant Fleck had to beat in a playoff to get that win was Ben Hogan. Fleck was not a one-hit wonder, however. He won a couple more times on the PGA Tour afterward. Later, he added a big senior championship. And all of those wins happened in playoffs.

The Stymies Putting Game Explained

Want to have some fun — and put some money on the line — before or after your round of golf? The putting game called Stymies, played on the practice putting green, might fit the bill.

Golf Joke: The Ravine

Jose and Johnny are playing a spectacular new golf course built on very scenic terrain — cliffsides and gulleys and ravines. They reach the 6th hole, where Jose slices a ball into a thickly wooded, deep ravine.

Record for Most Times Playing the Masters Tournament

Which golfer holds the record for playing in the most Masters tournaments? How many golfers have played this major championship 40 or more times? Gary Player is the answer to the first question, and all the golfers with 40 or more Masters appearances are listed below.

How to Play the Flagsticks Golf Game

In the golf game known as Flagsticks, golfers are using the flagstick on each green as a unit of measurement. Winning a "stick" in this game means the golfer has accomplished one of two things:

Wiffi Smith: LPGA Star's Career Ended Too Soon

Wiffi Smith's story is a great what-if in LPGA history. After a stellar amateur career during which her personality and booming drives made her a star, Smith was expected to become a big star at the pro level, too. And she did: Over four seasons on the LPGA Tour in the late 1950s to 1960, Smith had eight wins and challenged in multiple majors. Her on- and off-course personality endeared her to fans and led one LPGA Hall of Famer to call her "a daring, mischievous angel." But at age 24, her career was ended by injury.

LPGA Volunteers of America Classic Golf Tournament

The Volunteers of America Classic was an LPGA Tour golf tournament that was played in the Dallas, Texas, area 11 times from the early 2010s into the early 2020s. The tournament name often included "Texas Shootout" or "North Texas Shootout," and sometimes was shortened by fans and media to "VOA Classic."

Lowest Final-Round Scores in Masters History

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The 18-hole scoring record in The Masters is 63. But, so far, nobody has scored a 63 in the fourth and final round of the tournament. A score of 64 is the best-ever in the tournament's final round.

Golf Joke: Not Trying That Shot Again!

Barney and his friend Hector were playing a round of golf with their wives early on a Sunday. It was a four-ball, better-ball format with a little bit of cash on the line.

Brothers Who Won Major Championships in Golf

Have there been any pairs of brothers in golf history who both won major championships? Yes, there have been several. But they are all in the distant past: The most-recent brothers to join the following list did so in 1960.

How Much Money Does the Masters Winner Get?

Winning The Masters Tournament mean writing one's name in golf's record books. It means the winner's name goes down in history. It also mean someone just banked a whole lot of money.

Johnny Fischer: Profile of Prominent Golfer

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Johnny Fischer was a prominent amateur golfer in the 1930s whose biggest victory was in the U.S. Amateur. He was famous for pulling off come-from-behind victories. Fischer was also one of the first golfers to win both the NCAA and U.S. Amateur championships, and he was one of the last golfers to win a big tournament playing clubs with wooden shafts.

Do Golfers Who Miss the U.S. Open Cut Get Paid?

The U.S. Open is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf. And like all of those majors, it has a cut at the midway point — following the second of four rounds. The golfers who contend in the U.S. Open make a lot of money. But what about the golfers who miss the cut? Do they receive any payout from the U.S. Open prize fund? If so, how much?

Lowest Total Score in 72-Hole PGA Tour Tournament

What is the lowest stroke total ever scored in a golf tournament on the PGA Tour? That record currently stands at 253, shared by two golfers. The first golfer to record a 253 for 72 holes on the PGA Tour did so in 2017; the most-recent golfer to do so did it in 2023.

Dow Finsterwald: Major Champion Made Impact on PGA Tour

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Dow Finsterwald had a relatively brief period at the top of his game, from the mid-1950s to early 1960s, but he packed a lot of accomplishments into that period. He was the runner-up at the last match-play PGA Championship, and the winner of the first stroke-play PGA Championship. He recorded the first 61 in PGA Tour history — while still an amateur. He won 12 tournaments and finished second more than twice as many times. He played in four Ryder Cups and captained in another.

Southgate Ladies Open, Former LPGA Tour Event

The Southgate Ladies Open was a professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour played from the late 1960s into the mid-1970s. It took place in Kansas, always in August or September. Half of the tournaments played were won by Kathy Whitworth.

Do Golfers Who Miss the Cut in The Masters Get Paid?

Making it into the field at The Masters Tournament is a routine thing for the best golfers, and the thrill of a career for many others. But for all of them, big money awaits for a victory or high finish. But what about for those golfers who miss the cut? Do they get paid? What is the Masters payout, if any, for golfers who miss the cut?

Winners of the Charlie Sifford Award

The Charlie Sifford Award is an honor bestowed annually by the World Golf Hall of Fame to recognize the recipients' "spirit in advancing diversity in golf."

Most Consecutive Years Making the Cut in The Masters

What is the Masters Tournament record for most years in a row making the cut? That record is 23 consecutive years, and three golfers share the mark. One of them, though, is currently active — and so is his streak.

Jim Ferree: Profile of Stylish Golfer

Jim Ferree was a golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s, and then on the Senior Tour from its earliest seasons in the 1980s into the 1990s. He won on both tours, and also served as the model for an early version of the Senior Tour's logo.

Constellation Energy Classic on Champions Tour

The Constellation Energy Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour that was played in the Baltimore, Maryland, area in the late 1990s into the mid-2000-aughts. It was a 54-hole tournament that might also be recalled under its original name, State Farm Senior Classic.

Most Career Cuts Made in Masters Tournament

Which golfer holds the record for making the most cuts in The Masters Tournament? Jack Nicklaus, which is probably no surprise to anyone reading.

Golf Joke: Greenside Manner

A married couple is out for their weekly round of golf, enjoying a great day and great play. But on the ninth green, something terrible happens. The wife screams in agony and collapses to the green.

Old Golf Term: 'Break-Club' Explained

"Break-club" is an old — very old — golf term. So old that it appears in the original written rules of golf , 13 rules set down in 1744 by the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith. The fourth of those 13 rules was this:

LPGA Record for Fewest Putts Over 18 Holes

What is the lowest number of putts a golfer has ever needed to complete an 18-hole round on the LPGA Tour? One golfer in LPGA history played an official tournament round taking one fewer putt than there are holes in a round. The record is 17 putts, and to set that record the golfer who holds it needed a few hole-outs from off the green.

Judy Kimball: Golfer Was LPGA Major Winner

Judy Kimball won a major championship on the LPGA Tour in 1962, and played the tour for approximately two decades. Her final wins were in 1971. She was an outstanding putter and twice set all-time LPGA Tour records for fewest putts in a round.

Regular and Senior Majors: Most Combined Wins

Which golfers have won the most major championships combined between the PGA Tour and Champions Tour? The golfer with the highest combined total of regular majors and senior majors is, no surprise, Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus is the only golfer so far to reach 20 combined victories, and his total is in the mid-20s.

Golfers With the Most Playoff Wins on PGA Tour

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Which golfer holds the record for most wins via playoff in PGA Tour history? Two golfers share that record, they were friends and rivals, and they were two of the greatest golfers in tour history.

Golf Joke: No Advice

A young man, his father and his grandfather were about to tee off to start their round when an incredibly good-looking woman walked up to the tee box.

Can You Use a Tee to Repair Pitch Marks?

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You reach the putting green and discover your approach shot has left a nice, deep pitch mark on the soft surface. You reach into your pocket for your trusty, two-pronged divot tool (a k a pitch tool, ball mark tool) only to discover you don't have it. But you do have a golf tee. Can you use the tee to fix that pitch mark?

Most Wins in a Single Season on the European Tour

Which golfer holds the all-time record for most wins in a single season on the European Tour? That record-holder is Seve Ballesteros , which is not surprising given that Ballesteros won more European Tour tournaments overall than anyone else.

Denny Shute: Golfer Was 3-Time Major Champion

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Denny Shute was a PGA Tour golfer whose professional victories ranged from the late 1920s through the late 1930s. Those pro wins included three majors championships: one British Open and two PGA Championships. Shute was a golfer who was reserved on the course. A short-hitter, he relied on a stellar short game. He also played on three American teams in the Ryder Cup.

Women's Winners of the McCormack Medal for Amateur Golfers

The women's McCormack Medal is awarded annually by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (the R&A) to the golfer ranked No. 1 in the women's World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) following the last elite amateur tournament of the year.

Men's Winners of the McCormack Medal for Amateur Golfers

The McCormack Medal is awarded annually by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (the R&A) to the golfer ranked No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) following the last elite amateur tournament of the year.

Golf Joke: Did I Do That?

Chuck was a popular member at the golf club, but he just finished a terrible round of golf and wasn't in a mood to visit the clubhouse after walking off the 18th green. So he headed straight out to the parking lot and started changing his shoes.

Course Profile: Nairn Golf Club in Scotland

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Nairn Golf Club is in the town of Nairn, against the Moray Firth, in northern Scotland. Nairn is roughly 17 miles northeast of Inverness and 90 miles northwest of Aberdeen. The club has 27 holes of golf and 1,500 members.

How to Play 'The Clock' (or 'Clock Golf') Putting Game

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There is a whole segment of golf putting drills that involve going around the hole in a circle, repetitively sinking putts, from close range at first and then longer. Such circular putting drills can also be modified into a putting game — one that should help improve your putting over time, too, in addition to giving you a shot at winning some of your friends' money.

Golfer George Dunlap: Brief But Bright Amateur Career

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George Dunlap was an American amateur golfer who was one of the best during a very brief career that mostly took place in the 1930s. He won a U.S. Amateur Championship and played in the Walker Cup three times. Strongly associated with Pinehurst, Dunlap won the prestigious North and South Amateur there seven times.

Most PGA Tour Wins Before Winning a Major

Golf fans and media sometimes debate the "best golfer without a major" — those golfers who've won a lot but have not yet claimed a major championship. And on GolfCompendium.com, we have the list of golfers who won the most all-time on the PGA Tour but never won a major . But sometimes, most of the time probably, frequent tour winners eventually do win a major. And that's what this article is about: The golfers who won a lot on the PGA Tour before winning a major.

Golf Joke: The Voice from the Clubhouse

It was a sunny Saturday morning, a little before 8 a.m. I was on the first hole at Tall Maples National Golf Club and beginning my pre-shot routine, when a piercing voice came over the clubhouse loudspeaker:

Definition: 'Stadium Course'

What is a "stadium course" or "stadium golf course"? It is a golf course that was designed to host spectator events, was designed with the expectation of hosting spectator events, and, therefore, incorporates design elements intended to make it easier for fans to watch golf there.

What Is the 'Signature Hole' at a Golf Course?

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The term "signature hole" is heard often in the golf world, used both by rank-and-file golfers and by those who are in the business of golf (golf course managers, developers, realtors, marketers). The meaning of the term is a bit different depending on which of those two camps is using it. But, in general, "signature hole" refers to a golf course's best or most-memorable hole.

Highest Scores on a Single Hole in PGA Tour History

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What is the worst score ever made on a single hole during a PGA Tour tournament? The answer is 19, and that record is shared by three golfers.

Dale Douglass: Golfer Set Records on Senior Tour

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Dale Douglass was a PGA Tour golfer from the mid-1960s into the 1980s, winning several times. But his career really bloomed after he turned 50 and joined the Champions Tour. He became one of the most successful golfers in the early history of the senior circuit, including winning the U.S. Senior Open in 1986.

Looking Back: LPGA Konica San Jose Classic

The San Jose Classic, known for most of its brief history as the Konica San Jose Classic, was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour in the 1980s. It took place in California as one of the late-season tournaments on the LPGA schedule.

PGA Tour Golfers Who Played the Most Playoffs in a Single Year

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What is the highest number of playoffs one golfer has played on the PGA Tour in a single season? The answer is four, and two Hall of Famers share that record. And in both cases, the two record-holders each played in one sudden-death playoff, but three 18-hole playoffs.

Multiple Wins Before Age 21 on PGA Tour

The PGA Tour dates to 1916, and the history of some of the major championships goes back farther. And in that long history, winners who are not yet 21 years old are hard to find. There have been only a handful of them — and even fewer who won multiple PGA Tour titles before reaching the age of 21.

Horton Smith: Golfer Was Young Phenom and Masters Champ

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Horton Smith was a PGA Tour golfer who burst on the scene in the late 1920s with one of the best initial runs in tour history: After winning twice in his rookie year of 1928, Smith had eight wins in 1929. Most of those wins happened before he turned 21 year old. Smith eventually became one of the first tour golfers to achieve at least 30 career wins. He won the very first Masters Tournament and was also The Masters' first double-champion .

Golf Joke: A Cheater and a Liar

Wayne and Wanda head out to the golf course for a quick nine holes. On the first tee, Wayne turns to Wanda and says, "What do you say we make this time worth something. Play you for $5?" Wanda agrees, and they start their rounds.

Explaining the Golf Expression 'Quail-High'

What is a "quail-high" shot in golf? It is one in which the ball flies low and on a flat trajectory — a shot where the golf ball never gets too high off the ground.

Most PGA Tour Victories Without Winning a Major

Which golfers won the most tournaments on the PGA Tour but never won a major championship? The list is below, and it is topped by a Hall of Fame golfer who won almost 30 times on the PGA Tour.

Golf Joke: Terrible Weather Out There

Danny was a religious golfer. Every Sunday morning, he headed to the golf course. It didn't matter what the weather was like. It could be raining and 45 degrees, but Danny didn't care. It was off to the course. Every single Sunday morning for years.

Most Wins Without a Major in Golf (Men, Women, Seniors)

Winning a lot of pro tournaments is a hard thing to do in golf. Winning a major championship in pro golf is the thing to do to etch your name in the record books. But are there any golfers who've won a lot of tournament without winning any major championships? Of course! And here we are going to take a look at the all-time leaders plus the active leaders in wins who never won (or haven't yet won) a major.

Golf's Ringer Tournament Explained

A Ringer Tournament is played over multiple rounds, usually over multiple days. At the end of the designated time period, golfers partcipating in the tournament compare their scores in each round played, taking their lowest score from each hole to create a new, single, 18-hole score.

Macdonald Smith: Profile of the Golf Legend

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Macdonald Smith was a Scotland-born, American-naturalized golf star whose tournament wins stretch from the early 1910s to the mid-1930s. And there were a lot of tournament wins: Smith has the second-highest total of official PGA Tour victories of any golfer who did not win a major championship , and the highest total of any golfer not yet in the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Tournament Players Championship (Haig Whisky TPC)

This Tournament Players Championship should not be confused with the U.S. PGA Tour's Players Championship, which used the "Tournament Players Championship" name in its early years. The tournament we're writing about here was on the European Tour in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After its first two years, the tournament carried title sponsors, and its best-remembered name during those years is Haig Whisky TPC.

What Is the Golf Score Called a Dodo?

"Dodo" is — make that was — a term used for a score of 3-under-par on a given golf hole. But just like the flightless bird the score is named after, the golf usage of "dodo" eventually went extinct.

Explaining the 'Ringer Score' ('Ringer Round')

Do you have a favorite golf course that you love to play as often as you can? Do you know what your "ringer score" is on that course? A ringer score, also called a "ringer round," is the total score a golfer makes counting only his lowest scores on each hole of a golf course that is played multiple times within a given time period.

Golfers With Most Ryder Cups and Matches Played

Which golfer has played in the most Ryder Cups? And which golfer has played the most matches in his Ryder Cup appearances? Phil Mickelson holds one of those records and shares the other.

Johnny Revolta: Profile of 1930s PGA Tour Star

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Johnny Revolta was a PGA Tour golfer who was a consistent winner through the 1930s. He won enough to rank among that decade's best, and those victories included a PGA Championship. He later became a top instructor, called a "genius of the short game" by Ben Hogan, and wrote multiple books with his teachings.

Looking Back: Inverness Invitational Four-Ball (PGA Tour)

The Inverness Invitational Four-Ball was a tournament on the PGA Tour during the 1930s to 1950s. It was a short-field, 2-man team event, with golfers in the field playing after receiving invitations in the mail from the host club, Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.

Definition of 'Pitch Mark' in Golf

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The golf term "pitch mark" most commonly refers to a small depression in the surface of the putting green that is sometimes made by a golf ball as it strikes the green. "Pitch mark" can also refer to a depression in the sand within a bunker, also made by a descending golf ball.

Golfers With Most Solheim Cups and Matches Played

In the history of the Solheim Cup, which golfer has made the most appearances as a player? And which golfer has played in the most combined singles, fourballs and foursomes matches? In both cases, the record-holder is Laura Davies.

Most Career Wins on the Ladies European Tour

Who has the most career wins on the Ladies European Tour? That golfer who is No. 1 on the list below is Laura Davies, and she has more than twice at many LET victories as the golfer in second place.

Mickey Walker: Golf's Only 4-Time Solheim Cup Captain

Mickey Walker is an English golfer who was one of the most prominent members of the Ladies European Tour in the years immediately after that tour's founding in the late 1970s. Before that, Walker had a brief but spectacular amateur career, including reaching the championship match three years running in the British Women's Amateur and winning two of them. After her LET success, Walker was selected as the captain for Team Europe in each of the first four Solheim Cups.

British Women's Matchplay (Original LET Tourney)

The British Women's Matchplay Championship was a golf tournament in the early years of the Ladies European Tour. In fact, the tournament debuted in the LET's very first season.

Explaining the Umbrella Game in Golf

"Umbrella" is the name of golf game or side bet played within a quartet of golfers who have paired off into 2-person teams. In the Umbrella Game, there are points at stake on each hole for achieving one of five goals. How many points depends on the hole being played, because in Umbrella the points match the hole number.

Golf Joke: The Heifer

Brandon staggered into a hospital emergency room, badly battered and bruised. A nurse and a doctor rushed over to help him to an examining room.

How Many Holes-in-One Have Happened in the Solheim Cup?

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The Solheim Cup was first played in 1990. Since then, how many holes-in-one have been scored in the biennial competition? Through 2021, there had been exactly one. But in the 2023 Solheim Cup, another player finally holed out for an ace, too. The very first Solheim Cup ace was made by Anna Nordqvist, and here it is:

Golf Joke: The Tee Time

Tom was a man of faith, and a man of the golf course. He played golf every Sunday religiously, but only after attending church services. Tom was getting on in years, and one day after feeling ill, he said to his wife, "I sure hope there is golf in the afterlife. I feel terrible!"

Golfer Abe Mitchell: British Powerhouse, Ryder Cup Model

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Abe Mitchell never won the British Open, but that was about the only thing missing from this English golfer's career. Mitchell arrived on the scene in the 1910s, and his career flourished in the 1920s and into the 1930s. In the generation after the " Great Triumvirate ," Mitchell formed another "Big 3," of a sort, in British golf with George Duncan and Archie Compston . Great Triumvirate member J.H. Taylor once called Mitchell, "the finest player who never won an Open Championship."

How to Play the 3-Putt Poker Golf Game

Three-Putt Poker is a golf betting game that combines an element of poker with the golfers' performance on the greens. Specifically, in 3-Putt Poker (just as in "regular" golf) golfers want to avoid three-putts and accrue one-putts. A 3-putt in this game will literally cost you money, while a 1-putt will increase your odds of winning the game pot.

Who Are the Oldest Golfers to Play the Solheim Cup?

In the history of the Solheim Cup, only one golfer aged 50 or older has played. The recordholder for oldest Solheim Cup golfer is Juli Inkster, who was 51 years, 2 months and 30 days old when she played in the 2011 Solheim Cup .

Who Are the Youngest Golfers to Play the Solheim Cup?

The youngest golfer ever to play in the Solheim Cup was just 17 years old when she set the record during the 2013 Solheim Cup . And that same year, there was an 18-year-old on the other team who became the second-youngest Solheim Cup player.

Golfers Who Won the Most Points in the Ryder Cup

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Which golfer has won the most points for his team in the Ryder Cup? The all-time Ryder Cup points leader is Sergio Garcia, who earned nearly 30 points for Team Europe over his Ryder Cup career.

Herbert Jolly: Beat Hagen, Played in First Ryder Cup

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Herbert Jolly was a professional golfer from the Channel Islands who won tournaments in Britain in the 1920s and 1930s. He is best-known today for being a part of the very first Great Britain team in the inaugural Ryder Cup. Jolly's other claim to fame is beating the legend Walter Hagen in the championship of a match-play tournament.

Ryder Cup Aces: How Many Holes-in-One Have Been Made?

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The history of the Ryder Cup dates to 1927, and in that time there have only been six holes-in-one made during the match-play competition. The first Ryder Cup ace was in 1973, the most-recent in 2006. And only one of the six was by a golfer from Team USA.

2025 Walker Cup Dates, Golf Course

The 2025 Walker Cup will be the 50th time this competition, which dates to 1922, is played. The Walker Cup is played every two years between teams of amateur male golfers, one team representing Great Britain & Ireland, the other representing the United States.

How Much Are Solheim Cup Golfers Paid?

Women's professional golf tournaments on the LPGA Tour can offer prize funds of a couple million dollars or more. Payouts to the winner from such a tournament purse top several hundred thousand dollars and go up, with payouts descending based on place of finish. So how much money do the players on the winning and losing teams in the Solheim Cup earn? The answer is the same: None.

Which Players Have Won the Most Solheim Cup Points?

The history of the Solheim Cup, the biennial competition between Team Europe and Team USA, dates to 1990. In that time, which golfer has earned the most points for her team? The record-holder is Laura Davies, with 25 points won. Davies barely beats out Annika Sorenstam for this record.

Do Ryder Cup Players (and Captains) Get Paid?

The Ryder Cup is one of the highest-profile events in professional golf. Every other year, 24 golfers (12 per team) plus two team captains and several more assistant captains per side gather for three days of intense, gritty golf. Do any of them get paid? Is there prize money at the Ryder Cup? The answer is no.

Oldest Players Ever in the Ryder Cup

Who is the oldest golfer to play in the Ryder Cup? In the event's history, which dates to 1927, there have been three golfers aged 50 or over who've played. The oldest of them all was 51-year-old Raymond Floyd.

Charles Whitcombe: British Golf Champ of 1920s, 1930s

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Charles Whitcombe was an English golfer with professional victories stretching from the early 1920s to the late 1930s. He never won The Open Championship, but was considered among the best of his era and was a prominent figure in the early history of the Ryder Cup. In his time, he was the best-known of the three Whitcombe brothers, who all posted multiple tournament victories and played in the Ryder Cup.

Youngest Players Ever in the Ryder Cup

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Who is the youngest golfer ever named to a Ryder Cup team? That golfer is Sergio Garcia, and he is also the only teenager to play in the prestigious biennial competition. But there have been a handful of other players younger than 21 in the tournament.

Who Is the Walker Cup Named For?

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The namesake of the Walker Cup is George Herbert Walker. And the Walker Cup is just the third-most-famous thing named after him: His grandson and great-grandson were both named for him, and were both Presidents of the United States.

The 'Shootout' in Golf: 3 Different Versions

Do you know how to play the Shootout game? We should probably say "games," rather than "game," because there are several different formats golfers play or might encounter that go by the name Shootout. We explain three of them in this article.

Youngest and Oldest Walker Cup Golfers

The oldest golfer ever to play in the Walker Cup was in his mid-50s, and the youngest-ever Walker Cup golfer wasn't yet 17 years old.

Profile of LPGA Golfer Joyce Ziske

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Joyce Ziske was a professional golfer in the first decade of the LPGA Tour's history. Despite only playing from 1955-60, she compiled multiple wins including a major, and had a strong record overall in LPGA major championships . But she retired at the age of 26.

Hershey Open Golf Tournament (PGA Tour)

The Hershey Open was a pro golf tournaments in the 1930 and early 1940s that was part of the PGA circuit of the time and is today recognized as a PGA Tour event. It is most-famous as the site of Ben Hogan's first PGA Tour victory.

Golfers Who Won Both the U.S. Amateur, NCAA Championship

How many golfers have won both the U.S. Amateur Championship and the individual championship in the men's NCAA Division I tournament? That number currently stands at 14 golfers. But within that group of 14 there is a smaller set, just five, who won both those prestigious tournaments in the same year.

Back-to-Back Winners of the U.S. Amateur

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How many golfers have won the U.S. Amateur Championship back-to-back? That number currently stands at nine, although no golfer has done it since the mid-1990s. Only one golfer, though, has won the U.S. Amateur back-to-back- to-back : Tiger Woods.

How to Play the Round Robin Golf Format

Round Robin is the name of a golf game for a group of four golfers in which the golfers pair off on each hole to play 2-vs.-2. Who plays with who? That's the fun part of the game: Partners change every six holes, so that over the course of the 18 holes all four golfers get to partner each of the other three in the quartet.

Largest Playoffs in PGA Tour History

What is the largest number of golfers ever to take part in a playoff at a PGA Tour tournament? The record is six golfers — a 6-man playoff has happened three times in PGA Tour history. Surprisingly, none of those three, 6-player, sudden-death playoffs lasted more than two holes.

Golfer Jim Simons: Profile of 1970s-80s PGA Tour Winner

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Jim Simons was a PGA Tour player in the 1970s and 1980s who won several tournaments. He is best-remembered for two other things: He nearly won a U.S. Open while still an amateur; and he played a big part in popularizing metal woods when those clubs were still struggling to find a place in golfers' bags.

Golfers Who Won the NCAA and U.S. Women's Amateur Championships

A golfer who wins one or the other of the U.S. Women's Amateur and the NCAA Division I Women's Championship is claiming one of the two biggest titles in American amateur women's golf. But a golfer who wins both? She earns a place on a very short list of golfers who've achieved that distinction.

Definition: The Forced Carry

In golf, "forced carry" is the term for when a golfer must play a stroke over an intervening penalty area (such as a body of water), bunker or other potential hazard in order to advance toward the green. There is no option to roll the ball through such a shot, or play around the problem area. In other words, the golfer is forced to carry the danger area in order to advance his or her golf ball.

The Chicago Golf Format Explained

The Chicago golf format starts each golfer with a negative amount of points, then awards points for positive achievements during the round. The object is to move from negative points into positive points (known as "clearing your hurdle") and the golfer (or team) who gets farthest into positive territory is the winner.

Largest Margin of Victory in the Women's British Open

What is the largest margin by which any champion has won the Women's British Open? The overall record is 11 strokes, but the largest margin of victory during the tournament's major championship era is nine strokes.

Most Wins in One Year on the LPGA Tour

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The LPGA Tour record for most wins in a single season is 13, and the golfer who won those 13 tournaments in 1963 is Mickey Wright. In the LPGA's history, only a handful of golfers have reached double-digit victories in a single season.

Bio of Spanish Golfer Ramon Sota

Ramon Sota was from the generation of Spanish golfers that preceded Seve Ballesteros' arrival on the world scene. And, in fact, he was Seve's uncle. That's probably how he is most-remembered today, but Sota won multiple national opens on the European circuit that preceded the modern European Tour, and in some years was considered the best golfer from Continental Europe.

Long Island Classic (Tournament on Champions Tour)

The Long Island Classic (also called the Commerce Bank Championship) was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour, the PGA Tour-owned senior circuit for golfers ages 50-and-over. It was played for two decades in the summer, typically coming in June or July on the senior tour schedule. The tournament was always played on Long Island in New York. It was the site of Gary Player's final win on the Champions Tour.

The Barranca: What It Is on a Golf Course

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On a golf course, a "barranca" is a (usually) dry ditch, gully or ravine that is (often) littered with rocks and/or desert-type vegetation.

18-Hole Scoring Record on the PGA Tour

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What are the lowest scores for a single, 18-hole round in the history of the PGA Tour? The current 18-hole scoring record is 58, and only one golfer so far has posted that score for an official PGA Tour round. There have also been 11 59s on the PGA Tour, for a total of 12 sub-60 scores.

Explaining the Bowmaker Format for Tournament Play

"Bowmaker" is the name of a golf tournament format, a name that is much more commonly used in the U.K. than in the U.S. But golfers outside Britain probably are familiar with format, just under a different name.

9-Hole Scoring Record on PGA Tour

What is the lowest score for nine holes in the history of the PGA Tour? The all-time record is 26, an average of less than three strokes per hole. And only one golfer so far has gone that low.

Mike Souchak: Bio of PGA Tour Record-Setter

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Mike Souchak was a PGA Tour golfer who won 15 times on the tour in the 10-year span of 1955-64. He never won a major, but did come close multiple times in the U.S. Open. Souchak's name was part of the PGA Tour record book for decades after his career ended thanks to multiple scoring records he set in the 1955 Texas Open. He also made the American Ryder Cup team twice.

Agua Caliente Open: Former PGA Tour Tournament in Mexico

The Agua Caliente Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was played in Mexico. It was played over a 30-year span, but with a long hiatus so that only nine tournaments took place in those years.

Walker Cup Golfers Undefeated in Singles Matches

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Who are the best singles match players in the history of the Walker Cup? The list you'll find below includes some big names, and they are the names of golfers who went unbeaten in singles matches over a minimum of four matches played.

Golfers Who Won Both the British Open and Senior British Open

How many golfers, over the course of a career, have won both the British Open and the Senior British Open? Not many! The current count stands at four.

How a Blind Bogey Golf Tournament Works

"Blind Bogey" is the name of a golf tournament format. Or, rather, it's a name used for several different formats. We'll go over the most-common version of Blind Bogey and also explain two other formats that also use the name.

Lowest 18-Hole Scores in the Women's British Open

What are the best rounds in the history of the Women's British Open? There have been only a handful of scores as low as 63 in this major championship of women's golf. But 62 is the tournament record.

Largest 54-Hole Lead Lost in the British Open

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What is the biggest blown lead after 54 holes in the British Open? Two golfers share this record, it's just one of those record nobody wants. The biggest lead after three rounds by any golfer who failed to win is five strokes. The two golfers who share the record are Macdonald Smith and Jean Van de Velde.

How to Play the Bisque Format/Game

The Bisque format is a golf game or competition format in which handicap strokes are used, but with a twist. In the Bisque game, golfers do not apply their handicap strokes in the normal manner (using them according to the ranking of handicap holes listed on the scorecard). Rather, they can use their handicap strokes on any holes they wish — so long as they announce it before teeing off on a given hole.

2026 British Open Dates, Golf Course

The 2026 British Open will be the 154th edition of this major championship of men's professional golf. Officially named The Open Championship, this tournament dates to 1860. It is run by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (the R&A).

When Was the Last 18-Hole Playoff on the PGA Tour?

Today, all PGA Tour playoffs (except majors and The Players Championship) use the sudden-death format . But once upon a time, 18-hole playoffs were the standard. The last 18-hole playoff of any kind on the PGA Tour was in a major championship, but what about at non-major tour events? What was the last 18-hole playoff at a non-major?

Lowest Winning Scores in Women's British Open

What is the 72-hole scoring record in the Women's British Open? It currently stands at 269, shared by two golfers who won with that score at the same golf course seven years apart.

Golfer Carole Jo Kabler: USGA, LPGA Champion

Carole Jo Kabler (who played under the name Carole Jo Skala during her competitive peak on the LPGA Tour) was both a USGA champion and an LPGA champion. She won the U.S. Girls' Junior title in the 1950s, and won multiple times on the LPGA Tour in the 1970s.

Looking Back: Desert Inn Classic (Sealy LPGA Classic)

The Desert Inn Classic, originally called the Sealy LPGA Classic, was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour. It was played in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the early 1970s.

What Is the Playoff Format for PGA Tour Tournaments?

Do you know what the playoff format is on the PGA Tour? We're talking about "regular" PGA Tour tournaments, the non-majors and non-special events. Putting those majors/specials aside, the playoff format at all other PGA Tour tournaments is sudden death.

Has An Amateur Golfer Ever Won the British Open?

Yes, there are multiple amateur golfers who won the British Open — but not many, and not for a long time. A total of six Opens have been won by amateurs, but only three golfers account for those six victories. And that last win by amateur in the Open Championship was in 1930.

One-Person Captain's Choice Format Explained

When the term "captain's choice" is included in a format's name, it usually is a synonym for "scramble." Does that mean that a golf tournament or competition format called a 1-Person Captain's Choice is just another name for a one-man scramble? Yes. Now let's explain what that means.

Golfers Who Won The Masters and British Open in Same Year

Today, The Masters Tournament is the first major championship on the men's golf calender each year, and the British Open is, at least in recent years, the last. These two majors bracket the major championship season. And winning both in the same calendar year is something that only a handful of golfers have done.

Golfer Earl Stewart: Tour Winner, Hall of Fame Coach

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Earl Stewart Jr. won on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and then became a club pro. But he had one more victory in him, a win that made him the only host professional to win a PGA Tour tournament at his own club. He became renown as an instructor and a college golf coach, his pupils including Mickey Wright and Payne Stewart. And he also played a role in creating what came to be known as Q-School.

2025 U.S. Women's Open Dates, Golf Course

The 2025 U.S. Women's Open will be the 80th time this tournament is played. Run by the United States Golf Association (USGA), the USWO dates to 1946. It is the oldest pro tournament in women's golf and the most-prestigious of the five LPGA major championships.

Back-to-Back Winners in the British Open

How many golfers have won the Open Championship in successive years? Since the tournament began in 1860, there are 16 golfers who have won this oldest of the major championships back-to-back. Actually, three of those won it back-to-back- to-back . And one of them won it four years in a row.

What Is the U.S. Women's Open Playoff Format?

What happens if the U.S. Women's Open is tied at the end of the final round? We have a playoff. And what form does that playoff take?

The Cut Rule at the U.S. Women's Open Explained

What is the cut rule at the U.S. Women's Open — how many golfers make the cut? The cut at this major championship is to 60 golfers plus ties.

2000 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2000 U.S. Women's Open was the 55th time this major championship was played. Karrie Webb pulled away for a 5-stroke victory.

Most Wins in the British Open (Plus All Multiple Champions)

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There have been a lot of multiple winners in the British Open, many more than in the other majors. And that makes sense, since The Open is the oldest of the professional majors. It dates to 1860. Below you'll find all those golfers who won this major two or more times. Plus the answer to the question: Who won the most British Open championships?

2001 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2001 U.S. Women's Open was the 56th time the tournament was played. But it was the second consecutive year that the champion was Karrie Webb.

Golfer Alf Padgham: Profile of Open Champion

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Alf Padgham was an English golfer who won multiple tournaments on the British and European circuits in multiple years of the 1930s. He was particularly successful from 1934 through 1936, culminating in victory at the Open Championship.

2002 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2002 U.S. Women's Open was the 57th time the tournament was played. Juli Inkster caught and passed Annika Sorenstam for the win.

2003 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2003 U.S. Women's Open was the 58th time this major championship was played. The winner, after a 3-way, 18-hole playoff, was one of the unlikeliest major championship winners of all-time.

2004 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2004 U.S. Women's Open was the 59th time this major championship was played. Meg Mallon outduelled Annika Sorenstam in the final round for the win.

8 Golfers Who Won Both the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open

Winning the U.S. Open is hard. Winning the U.S. Senior Open is also hard. Winning them both over the course of one's career? That's something only eight golfers so far have done.

2005 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2005 U.S. Women's Open was the 60th time this major championship was played. It ended with a dramatic hole-out on the last hole and two amateurs tied for second place.

Golfers Who Played in Most British Opens

What is the Open Championship tournament record for most appearances — most times playing this major championship? That record is 46. And the golfer who holds that record is a three-time winner of the tournament.

2006 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2006 U.S. Women's Open was the 61st time this major championship was played. Annika Sorenstam won it, but had to go an extra 18 holes to do so.

Largest Margins of Victory in the U.S. Women's Open

What is the U.S. Women's Open tournament record for biggest victory? We're talking about the widest gap between first and second place — the largest margins of victory. That is a whopping 14 strokes, a record set in a USWO that was played before the LPGA Tour even existed, before the USGA even ran the tournament.

2007 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2007 U.S. Women's Open was the 62nd time this major championship was played. Cristie Kerr outlasted several pursuers to claim her first major title.

2008 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2008 U.S. Women's Open was the 63rd time this major championship was played. The victor was the youngest winner to this point in the tournament's history.

Profile of Golfer Kathy Cornelius

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Kathy Cornelius was an LPGA Tour golfer from the 1950s into the 1980s. She recorded multiple wins, but the biggest of them was a victory in the U.S. Women's Open. She also is part of the first-ever mother-and-daugher pair to both win USGA championships.

2010 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2010 U.S. Women's Open was the 65th time this major championship was played. Paula Creamer overcame a thumb injury and a tough golf course to win.

2009 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 2009 U.S. Women's Open was the 64th time the tournament was played. The winner closed out her victory with a birdie putt on the final green.

Back-to-Back Winners of the U.S. Women's Open

How many times has a golfer won two consecutive U.S. Women's Opens? Back-to-back victories in this, the biggest of the women's majors , aren't common — but they aren't especially rare, either.

1999 U.S. Women's Open Winner and Scores

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The 1999 U.S. Women's Open was the 54th time this major championship was played. It was 20th time Juli Inkster played it — but the first time Inkster won it.

18-Hole Scoring Record in the U.S. Women's Open

In the history of the U.S. Women's Open, what is the lowest score for any round played? That record is 63, and exactly one golfer has gone that low in the USWO.

Largest Winning Margins in Women's PGA Championship

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Below are the six golfers who have recorded the largest margins of victory in winning the Women's PGA Championship. All six of them are big names in LPGA history and multiple-major championship winners.

Murle (Lindstrom) Breer: LPGA Golfer, U.S. Women's Open Winner

Murle (Lindstrom) Breer was a U.S. Women's Open champion in the early 1960s. Her LPGA Tour career was interrupted by family concerns, but she returned to win a couple more times in the late 1960s. Her LPGA Tour career stretched from the 1950s into the 1980s.

Golfers Who Won the U.S. Open and British Open in Same Year

The national opens of Great Britain and the United States — the British Open and U.S. Open — are the two oldest tournaments in major championship golf. Winning them both over the course of one's career is a strong indicator of a Hall-of-Fame career. Winning them both in the same year? That is something that has happened only seven times in golf history.

How to Play the Defender Golf Game

Defender is the name of a golf game for a group of four golfers or a group of three golfers (it actually works a little better with threesomes). On each hole, one golfer is the "defender of the hole" — his job is to beat, or at least tie, the scores of any of the other golfers in the group.

Oldest Winners of the Women's PGA Championship

In the history of the Women's PGA Championship (which dates to 1955), only two golfers age 40-and-over have won the tournament. And only three golfers 39 or older have won it.

Youngest Winners of the Women's PGA Championship

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The Women's PGA Championship is second only to the U.S. Women's Open in seniority among the major championships of women's professional golf . It was first played in 1955 and run by the LPGA through 2014 (as the LPGA Championship) before the PGA of America took over the tournament and renamed it in 2015.

Sam Parks Jr.: Bio of U.S. Open-Winning Golfer

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Sam Parks Jr. was a U.S. Open winner in the 1930s. He was not well-known to the general golfing public at that time, and he remains today one of the lesser-known major championship winners. In fact, his U.S. Open title is the only PGA Tour title to his credit. Be he also played in a Ryder Cup for Team USA, and the way he prepared before winning that U.S. Open still gets attention.

Most Wins in One Season on Champions Tour

Which golfer holds the record for the most wins in a single season on the Champions Tour? No golfer in the history of "the Senior Tour" has yet reached double-digit (10 or more) victories in a single season. But two have come close: The senior tour record for wins in a year is nine.

2027 U.S. Open Dates, Golf Course

The 2027 U.S. Open golf championship will be the 127th time this tournament is played. The U.S. Open is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf and is run by the United States Golf Association. Dating to 1895, it is the oldest golf tournament in America, and the second-oldest (after the British Open) of the majors.

Has a Golfer Ever Won a Tournament By Acing the Last Hole?

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Imagine a golfer reaching the last hole of a tournament trailing the leader and, seemingly, out of it: His only chance to win is by making a hole-in-one. But then the golfer does exactly that! He aces the very last hole to win the tournament. Has it ever happened?

Biggest Final-Round Comebacks to Win U.S. Women's Open

What is the largest comeback after 54 holes to win the U.S. Women's Open? In the major championship's history, there are multiple golfers who began the final round five strokes off the lead, then rallied to win the tournament.

2024 Solheim Cup: Dates, Golf Course

The 2024 Solheim Cup will be the 19th time this three-day, United States-vs.-Europe team competition is played. Featuring top women professional golfers from the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour, the Solheim Cup is played every other year. Except in 2024, when it takes place just one year after the 2023 Solheim Cup .

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

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The U.S. Open is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf. Hosting a U.S. Open is a big deal — a feather in the cap — for any golf course chosen to do so.

Willie Macfarlane: Golfer Won 20+ Times on PGA Tour in 1920s, '30s

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Willie Macfarlane was a Scottish golfer who went to the United States in the early 20th century as a club professional. From the 19-teens into the 1930s, he won more than 20 tournaments on the pro circuit, a total that still lands him on the list of golfers with the most PGA Tour wins. Macfarlane also beat Bobby Jones in a 36-hole playoff to win a U.S. Open championship.

Most Strokes Under Par (72 Holes) in a U.S. Open

What is the farthest below par any golfer has gotten to win the U.S. Open golf tournament? The record for lowest winning score in relation to par is 16-under-par, and two golfers share that record.

Lingo: Golf Clubs Are 'Sticks'

Hey, buddy, have you seen my new sticks? Those are some nice sticks you got there, friend. In golf, "sticks" is a slang term for golf clubs.

Who Has the Most Wins in the Women's PGA Championship?

One golfer in the history of the Women's PGA Championship (originally named the LPGA Championship) won it four times. Six other golfers posted three wins each in this major championship of women's professional golf . And a handful of other golfers also reached multiple victories.

Who Was the First American Winner of the U.S. Open?

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The early history of the U.S. Open golf tournament was dominated by British golfers. The tournament was first played in 1895, but it wasn't until 1911 that an American golfer won it. That first American winner of the U.S. Open was Johnny McDermott.

2026 U.S. Open: Tournament Dates, Golf Course

The 2026 U.S. Open golf championship will be the 126th time this tournament is played. The U.S. Open, run by the United States Golf Association (USGA), dates to 1895. It is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf, and the second-oldest (after the British Open).

Alex Smith: Golfer Won 2 Early U.S. Opens

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Alex Smith was one of a trio of famous golfing brothers from Scotland who made their names as pros in America. In the early 1900s, Smith compiled one of the most-impressive U.S. Open records, including winning that major championship twice. He had other big wins, and also became famous as an instructor: Three of his pupils later joined the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Biggest Final-Round Comebacks to Win the U.S. Open

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What is the largest-ever come-from-behind win in the U.S. Open? If we qualify that to mean that most strokes made up by a golfer in the final round, the answer is seven strokes. And one of the giants of the game set the record.

2024 U.S. Women's Open Dates, Golf Course

The 2024 U.S. Women's Open will be the 79th time this major championship is played. The tournament, run by the United States Golf Association (USGA), is the pre-eminent tournament in women's professional golf. It was first played in 1946.

How Golfers Qualify to Play in the U.S. Open

There are 156 golfers in the field at the U.S. Open each year. But how do those players make the field? Some of them qualify automatically by meeting selection criteria (such as winning majors, ranking high in the world rankings, and so on). Others play their way in through qualifier tournaments.

Back-to-Back Winners of the U.S. Open

How many golfers have won back-to-back U.S. Open titles? So far the number is seven. Neither Jack Nicklaus nor Tiger Woods did it, but there is one golfer who won this tournament three times in a row.

Golfer Ken Still: 1960s-70s PGA Tour Winner

Ken Still was a professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s. All of his PGA Tour wins, though, happened in the two-year stretch of 1969 and 1970. He also made the American Ryder Cup team during that time.

Golfers Who Won the British Open and PGA Championship in Same Year

The PGA Championship and the British Open (Open Championship) are two of the four "major championships" in men's professional golf. That makes them two of the most important tournaments on the schedule every year. Winning just one of them earns a golfer a place in history. Winning them both? That is an uncommon achievement. Winning them both in the same calendar year? That's something that has happened well under 10 times in golf history.

2026 PGA Championship Dates, Golf Course

The 2026 PGA Championship will be the 108th time this golf tournament is played. The PGA Championship was first played in 1916. It is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf and is run by the PGA of America.

2025 Ryder Cup: Dates, Golf Course, Schedule

The 2025 Ryder Cup will be the 45th time this competition is played. One of the most-watched golf tournaments of the year in the years it is played (it is an every-other-year competition), the Ryder Cup pits teams representing Europe and the United States. The teams are comprised of the top male professional golfers from each region.

2025 PGA Championship Dates, Golf Course

Thw 2025 PGA Championship will be the 107th time this golf tournament is played. The PGA Championship, run by the PGA of America, is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf. It was first played in 1916.

54-Hole Scoring Record (Fewest Strokes) on LPGA Tour

What is the best score in LPGA Tour history for 54 holes? Multiple golfers have recorded a total of 192 over three rounds of tournament play to share that record. But Annika Sorenstam was the first to do it.

Jay Hebert: PGA Championship Winner, Ryder Cup Captain

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Jay Hebert had a short period of PGA Tour success, but it was productive: From 1957-61, he won seven tournaments, including a PGA Championship. His brother was also on tour at that time, and the Heberts were one of the most-successful brother duos in PGA Tour history. Jay played in two Ryder Cups and also served as a captain of Team USA.

LPGA Scoring Record for Lowest 72-Hole Stroke Total

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What is the lowest stroke in LPGA Tour history for a four-round, 72-hole tournament? That record is 257, established by a golfer who played four rounds of 65 and lower to win her tournament.

How to Play the Murphy Golf Game

In golf, "Murphy" is the name of a side bet that can be invoked by a golfer who is chipping to the green. When a group of golfers agrees to play Murphys, any golfer who declares a "Murphy" is betting that he can get up and down (get her ball into the hole in two or fewer strokes) when chipping from off the green.

Youngest Winners on the Epson Tour

The youngest-ever winner on the Epson Tour was 16 years old at the time, and she is the only golfer younger than 17 to win on that tour. Several other golfers won at the age of 17, and three of the golfers on the list below were amateurs at the times of their victories.

Big Break Florida Winner and Cast Members

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Big Break Florida was the 21st season of the Golf Channel reality/competition series The Big Break . As with several earlier seasons of The Big Break , this series featured an all-women cast of golfers. It aired weekly beginning on Monday, February 24, 2014.

Lionel Hebert: Bio of Major-Winning Pro Golfer

Lionel Hebert was a PGA Tour winner in the 1950s and 1960s who also played in the Ryder Cup. He won one major championship, and his older brother won the same major several years later.

500 Festival Open Invitation (PGA Tour Tournament)

The 500 Festival Open Invitation was a golf tournament in Indiana that was part of the PGA Tour for much of the 1960s. It had some big-name winners. The tournament promoted the Indianapolis 500 auto race and was played on the Speedway Golf Course, which, at that time, had nine holes inside the race track. (The tournament is sometimes referred to as the Indianapolis 500 Festival Open.)

Most Strokes Under Par in a PGA Championship

What is the PGA Championship tournament record for lowest winning score in relation to par? That record is 20-under-par and it was set at the 2015 PGA Championship played at Whistling Straits.

All of Arnold Palmer's Scores, Finishes in PGA Championship

Arnold Palmer first played in the PGA Championship in 1958, and last played in this major in 1994. He played in the PGA Championship a total of 37 times. And while Palmer recorded good finishes in the PGA, it is the only one of the four professional major championships that he never won.

Golf Joke: The Cursing Nun

A nun was sitting with her Mother Superior, chatting, when she felt the need to unburden herself: "I used some horrible language this week and feel absolutely terrible about it," the nun said.

Rocky Thompson: Pro Golfer Who Waited Decades for First Tour Win

Rocky Thompson was a PGA Tour player in the 1960s and 1970s who was particularly skilled at playing his way into events through qualifiers. In fact, that's the only way he got into tournaments: He was never exempt. And Thompson never won ... until joining the Champions Tour, where he not only won multiple tournaments but also set some senior tour records.

Most 2nd-Place Finishes in the PGA Championship

Which golfers have finished second the most times in the PGA Championship? So far, there are five golfers with three runners-up finishes each. But the PGA Championship tournament record for most seconds is four.

How to Play the Dunce Cap Golf Game

Dunce Cap is the name of a game for a group of golf buddies who love giving each other the needle. Because in Dunce Cap, one of your group is likely to suffer a little embarrassment on each hole.

What Is a 'Wire-to-Wire' Winner in Golf?

A "wire-to-wire winner" is a golfer who wins a tournament by holding the lead following each round of play. Winning a tournament wire-to-wire is considered an impressive achievement in the golf world.

All of Ben Hogan's Scores, Results in PGA Championship

Ben Hogan played in the PGA Championship only 10 times in his career. Why so few? The after-effects of his near-fatal car crash early in 1949. But he did win the PGA Championship twice before that accident.

How Golfers Qualify to Play in the PGA Championship

How do golfers qualify to play in the PGA Championship? By meeting one of 13 "exemption criteria." The PGA of America, which runs this men's major championship, sets down the qualification requirements that golfers must meet to earn a spot in the tournament field.

Golfer Jimmy Thomson: Huge-Hitter and PGA Tour Winner

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Jimmy Thomson was a pro golfer who played on the PGA Tour from the late 1920s into the 1940s. But he was famous for longer than that because of his huge drives. Thomson is often considered among the longest-drivers in PGA Tour history, and was arguably the biggest hitter of the first half of the 1900s.

Bell Atlantic Classic (Instinet Classic) on Champions Tour

The Bell Atlantic Classic, also known as The Instinet Classic among other names, was a professional golf tournament on the Champions Tour. Fifty-four holes in length, it was played from the mid-1980s into the early 2000s mostly in Pennsylvania.

Golfers Who Won the PGA Championship and U.S. Open in Same Year

The U.S. Open dates to the late 19th century and the PGA Championship to the early 20th century. Since 1916 it has been possible for a golfer to win them both in the same calendar year. But how many golfers have actually pulled off that feat?

How to Play 'Three Club Monte' (3-Club Challenge) in Golf

Three Club Monte is a golf format that requires golfers to pick just three golf clubs to use during their round. That's it: Three clubs (with one typical exception—more on that below) is all you can carry.

Definition: Fly the Green/Flew the Green

Many recreational golfers tend to share a certain phobia when playing approach shots: the fear of flying the green. And because of that — also because the terms are used often during television and streaming broadcasts of golf tournaments — most golfers quickly become familiar with the phrases "fly the green," "flew the green," and "flying the green."

Golfer Fay Crocker: Achieved LPGA Firsts, Records in 1950s

Fay Crocker was a South American golfer who, in the 1950s, was the first star on the LPGA Tour not born in the United States. She had a brief LPGA career — just seven years — because she was already 39 years old by the time she arrived on the LPGA scene. But Crocker made the most of that short span:

Most Career Cuts Made on the PGA Tour

Which golfer holds the record for making the most cuts on the PGA Tour? The answer is Jay Haas, and Haas made the cut in more tournaments than Sam Snead or Jack Nicklaus even played in.

Golfers Who Won The Masters and U.S. Open in Same Year

The Masters and the U.S. Open are two of the four major championships in men's professional golf. Winning just one of them in a given year makes that a great year for any golfer. But how many times has a golfer won them both in the same year?

Explaining the Automatic 2-Putt Rule

Sometimes a golf course or golf tournament will let players know that something called an "automatic 2-putt rule" is in place. It can also be called an "auto 2-putt." If you encounter the auto 2-putt, what does that mean for you on the greens? It essentially means that you will actually be stroking only one putt per green, and adding a maximum of two putts to your score for the hole.

Golfers Who Won The Masters and PGA Championship in the Same Year

How many times has a golfer won both The Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship in the same calendar year? That double-major combo has been achieved only four times.

How to Play a Get Out Scramble

Have you heard of the team golf tournament format called Get Out? Get Out is a type of scramble in which teams that fail to meet the scoring standard are told to get out of the tournament.

Golfer Bill Nary: Set PGA Tour Records That Stood for Decades

Bill Nary was a professional golfer from California who played on the PGA Tour from the early 1940s into the mid-to-late 1950s. He then spent decades as a teaching pro, working with pupils into his 90s. Nary never won a PGA Tour tournament. But he did play one historic round in a tour event in 1952 in which he set multiple, all-time PGA Tour records — one of which stood for 50 years.

Wire-to-Wire Winners of the PGA Championship

How many golfers have won the PGA Championship wire-to-wire? A " wire-to-wire win " is one is which the golfer holds the lead after each round of the tournament (is the first-round leader, second-round leader, third-round leader and winner). In the history of the PGA Championship, only five golfers are on the list of wire-to-wire champs.

Back-to-Back Winners of the PGA Championship

How many golfers, in the history of the PGA Championship, have repeated as winners in consecutive years? Since the tournament switched to stroke play, only two golfers have been back-to-back PGA Championship winners.

2027 Masters Tournament Dates and Schedule

The 2027 Masters Tournament will be the 91st time this golf tournament is played. The Masters is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf (along with the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and British Open). It is the first of the four played each year, and the only one played at the same golf course every year. In 2027, The Masters will take place April 8-11.

What Is a Pro Golfer's "A-Game"?

When a pro golfer (or any golfer, for that matter) refers to his "A-game," he or she simply means "playing the best I can play." In other words, the golfer is saying that on the A-B-C-D-F grading scale used in many schools, his or her game, that day, deserved an A.

2026 Masters Tournament Dates and Schedule

The 2026 Masters Tournament will be the 90th time this golf tournament is played. The tournament dates to 1934 and is one of the four major championships of men's professional golf — the first one played each year. In 2026, The Masters will take place April 9-12.

Golfer Cyril Tolley: Profile of 1920s British Amateur Champ

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Cyril Tolley was an English amateur golfer who won multiple big titles in the 1920s. His first really big win was the British Amateur, and his last really big win was the British Amateur. In-between, he also won a pair of national opens against the pros, and gave Bobby Jones one of the toughest tests of Jones' Grand Slam year.

Fewest Putts for 18 Holes on the PGA Tour: All-Time Record

What is the fewest putts any golfer has needed to play a round in a PGA Tour tournament? That PGA Tour record is 18 — just 18 putts to finish 18 holes. And who holds that record? Quite a few golfers.

What Do You Call a Mulligan for a Mulligan?

Sometimes in golf (well, often, actually), things don't go as planned. Such as when, with your golf buddies watching, you hit a terrible opening drive to the round. Luckily, in your group, mulligans are allowed off the first tee. So you hit your do-over. But, yikes, that one is terrible, too! Now what?

Rainbow Foods LPGA Classic (Northgate Classic)

The Rainbow Foods LPGA Classic, as it was named when it was last played (it was the Northgate Classic at the beginning), was an LPGA Tour golf tournament during the 1990s. It was 54 holes of stroke play, and it was played in Minnesota.

Most Wins in WGC Tournaments (And All of Tiger's WGC Wins)

The golfer who holds the record for most wins in WGC tournaments is, no surprise, Tiger Woods. But you might be at least a little surprised at just how far out ahead of all other golfers he is.

Golfer Mike Fetchick: Set 'Old' Champions Tour Record

Mike Fetchick played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s, winning several tournaments including a playoff victory in one of the biggest non-majors. Decades later, he played the Champions Tour and set an age-related tour record that stood for more than 35 years.

How to Play the Trifecta Golf Game

Hitting the trifecta at the race track pays off for the bettor, and hitting the trifecta in the golf game named Trifecta pays off for the golfer. This is a game for golfers in a group in which three points are at stake for each on each hole of the game — and a golfer who earns all three points (who hits the trifecta) earns a bonus point.

WPGA Championship of Europe/Wales Ladies Championship

The WPGA Championship of Europe, also called the Wales Ladies Championship of Europe, was a golf tournament played on the Ladies European Tour for about 15 years starting from the mid-1990s. (The tournament is also sometimes referred to as the Wales Ladies Open, although it never officially had that title.) Its roster of champions includes some of the LET's star golfers.

Wire-to-Wire Winners of The Masters Tournament

How many golfers have won The Masters Tournament wire-to-wire? That is, won it by leading after the first round, second round, third round and at the end? Not many! So far, only five golfers have won wire-to-wire in The Masters.

Do You Know What a Shiperio Is In Golf?

Don't worry, if the answer is no, you are not alone. There are many golfers who've never heard of the shiperio, either. What is it? Something related to a mulligan — or you can think of it as a type of mulligan, a mulligan with options.

PGA Tour Record for Fewest Putts, 72 Holes

If a golfer takes 25 putts in a round, that's a pretty good day on the greens. Four rounds of 25 putts is 100 putts. But the PGA Tour record for fewest putts in a 72-hole tournament is quite a bit lower than that. One golfer once played a PGA Tour event in just 92 putts.

Golfer Felice Torza: Club Pro Almost Won a Major

Felice Torza was a professional golfer who rarely played in tour events, dedicating most of his career to the club pro life. But he did come close once to winning a major championship, making it to the title match of a PGA Championship during that major's match-play era.

Back-to-Back Winners of The Masters Tournament

Has any golfer won consecutive Masters Tournaments? Yes, so far there have been three back-to-back winners (none of whom made it to three in a row). Not surprisingly, they are three of the best Masters players ever. But the first back-to-back Masters champion didn't happen until the tournament had been around for more than 30 years.

Gleneagles Hotel Foursomes Golf Tournament

The Gleneagles Hotel Foursomes tournament was a match-play golf tournament in Scotland from the early 1950s through the mid-1960s. It paired a professional tour golfer with a top amateur player.

What Is a 'Plus Handicap' or 'Plus Golfer'?

The terms "plus handicap" and "plus golfer" are ones that apply to very few golfers around the world — golfers who are so good and have handicap indexes so low that they have to give strokes even to a scratch golfer. A plus-handicapper or plus-golfer is a golfer whose handicap index is lower than zero.

Brothers-Sisters, Husbands-Wives Who Played Walker Cup/Curtis Cup

The Walker Cup and Curtis Cup are, by far, the highest-profile competitions for male and female amateur golfers, respectively, in the golf world. Have a brother and sister ever both played in them? What about a husband and wife — are there any married couples in which the husband was a Walker Cup player and the wife was a Curtis Cup player? In both cases, the answer is yes.