SOUTH KOREA: LIFE, LINKS & LUXURY IN THE WORLD’S GOLFIEST

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Y O U R L I F E , W E L L P L AY E D S E P T - O C T 2 0 2 4 / G O L F. C O M

In our Exclusive
Interview, American Icon
LEXI
THOMPSON
Shares Why She’s Stepping
Away from Full-Time
Golf. One Thing’s for
Sure—We’ll Miss Her.
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THE RIGHT
FIT
MAT TERS
BIG SHOTS 44
Lexi. Onward.
She’s not putting
G O L F. C O M professional golf entirely
in the rearview mirror,
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2024 / VOLUME 66, ISSUE 7
but Lexi Thompson’s
decision to retire opens
the door for her to
experience a normal
life for the first time
ever. This girl is ready.

South Korea’s 52

Cover and this page, top: Photographs by Michael Schwartz; Hair and makeup: Gina Simone for Creative Management; Wardrobe stylist: Thays Vick; Bottom: Gary Lisbon
Nine Bridges GC,
a GOLF magazine
K-Golf Nation
Top 100 course, From courses to culture
epitomizes the to couture, South
country’s passion Koreans are crazy for
for the game and the game. Josh Sens ex-
how it’s influenc- plores how and why golf
ing the way it’s became their obsession.
taught and
enjoyed world-
wide. See page 52. 70
The Cup Runneth
Back on home soil, the
Americans look to
prevent a Euro four-peat.
Here’s the ultimate
Solheim Cup primer.

Spotlight: PXG Premiers Their New Black Ops Game Improvement Irons 14

ICYMI: Woody Austin Takes the Plunge 16

Up Close with Charley Hull / Dylan Dethier 19

Kostis & McCord Discuss the Pros and Cons of Online Lessons 27

Stuff Golfers Should Know: Reading Your Launch Monitor 30

COVER: LEXI THOMPSON’S BREAK FROM PRO GOLF IS NOT SO MUCH A FINAL GOODBYE BUT MORE LIKE A LIFESTYLE SABBATICAL. MORE
TIME FOR FAMILY, MORE TIME FOR SPONTANEITY, MORE TIME FOR SLEEP. LORD KNOWS SHE’S EARNED IT.

6 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 Entrepreneur.
Tech enthusiast .
Science tutor.

Your unique life, planned.

A successful tech entrepreneur decides to pay the generosity of his own mentors forward by starting
a STEM tutoring program at his former middle school. Backed by sophisticated resources and a team
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everything that makes your life uniquely complex. That’s Life Well Planned.
TAP-INS
G O L F. C O M
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2024 / VOLUME 66, ISSUE 7

19 33 83
CLUBHOUSE GEAR LESSONS

83

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PREVIOUS PAGE: THE ISLAND 18TH AT NINE BRIDGES IS ONE OF THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED—AND TOUGHEST—GREENS IN SOUTH KOREA.

8 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 P U B L I S H E R H OWA R D M I LST E I N

E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F DAV I D D EN U N Z I O

EDITORIAL
Executive Editor JOHN MCALLEY
Managing Editor JOHN LEDESMA Managing Editor JONATHAN WALL (EQUIPMENT)
Senior Writers MICHAEL BAMBERGER, JOSH SENS
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Contributing Writers MICHAEL CORCORAN, EVAN ROTHMAN
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THE TOP 100 TEACHERS IN AMERICA

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 From the Editor

“Originals” with
Michael Bamberger
“The important thing
in your routine is the
end of it, not the start
of it. I don’t like people
standing over the ball.
That’s the worst thing
you can do. I want
movement.”
—Hall-of-Famer
Padraig Harrington on
the July episode

“GOLF Originals” airs

monthly on GOLF.
com and GOLF.com’s
YouTube channel

Early Risers “SubPar,” hosted by

Colt Knost and Drew
Stoltz
Alexa Pano knows something about being a kid in the spotlight. The 20-year-old, who, in just her second “I was sitting there and
was like, You make this
season on the circuit, is already an LPGA Tour winner, first emerged as a seven-year-old phenom in and you change your life
the must-see, Justin Timberlake–produced 2013 documentary The Short Game (Netflix). So, when forever.”
GOLF Senior Writer Dylan Dethier caught up with Pano in August at the Portland Classic in Oregon, —Xander Schauffele
on his winning putt
she was the perfect person to share some thoughts on Lexi Thompson (p. 44), arguably American
at the 2024 PGA
golf’s ultimate child prodigy, and her surprise decision to pull back from full-time golf at the end Championship
of this season. Pano wasn’t the only LPGA pro whose tribute to Thompson that day flowed with
affection and admiration, but hers might have been the most personal. “SubPar” airs each
Tuesday on audio
“I’d consider us friends,” Pano told Dethier. “I’ve known Lexi since I was five years old, when she platforms and
actually came out and played a round of golf with me. She’s just someone I’ve always looked up to, YouTube
and getting to be around her on tour these past few years has been an honor. Lexi doesn’t really
have an ego, and you never feel like she’s acting better than you. She’s really easy to get along with,
and I think that’s why everyone who meets her loves and respects her so much.”
Lexi competed in her first U.S. Women’s Open at age 12. That unusually early start came with
extraordinary pressure and led to even more extraordinary sacrifice in the years that followed.
But it also led to a life that, despite the now-29-year-old superstar’s well-documented struggles
and obvious hurt, includes surprisingly little regret.
If there’s a cautionary tale in Lexi’s singular, lifelong focus on the game—and I’m not sure there “The Scoop” with
is—it would be lost on the young golfers who put it all on the line, for themselves and their families, Claire Rogers
“I won the 2021 Open
in South Korea (p. 52). The country is absolutely golf-obsessed and prolific in the number of PGA Championship because
and LPGA players it produces—from Se-Ri Pak and Y.E. Yang to Inbee Park and Si Woo Kim and I bought a laptop and
dozens of others. Senior Writer Josh Sens recently traveled to Seoul to suss out the scene, which I brought Call of Duty
hums with energy at high-tech simulator bars, multitiered driving ranges and elite golf courses— with me.”
—Collin Morikawa
and echoes with the sound of eager teens in packed academies banging balls into a future they dishing on the
dream might someday approximate the life, accomplishments and class of Lexi Thompson. unexpected secret to
Should these kids keep swinging away? Read on. And you decide what Lexi would say. his second major win

With “The Scoop,”

GOLF’s Claire Rogers
brings you the
Matthew Salacuse

sweetest stories in
golf, all over a scoop
of ice cream. Episodes
are posted monthly
on GOLF’s YouTube
channel.
David DeNunzio Editor-in-Chief

11
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 In Case You Missed It...

The Royal Montreal GC, host of this year’s the four-time Tour winner wasn’t in on
Presidents Cup, has a lofty and very long the joke. Forty-eight hours after his bath,

Getty Images: Scott Halleran and Timothy A. Clary/AFP

history. That figures given its stature as during his Sunday singles showdown with

Taking
the oldest golf club (151 years) in North Angel Cabrera, Austin exited the 14th tee
America. Less fathomable is the fact that rocking a blue scuba mask.
its most memorable historical highlight “I just wish,” he said, looking back at
is a lowlight of such comic magnitude it

One for the

the rinsing, “[that people] remembered
almost certainly would have caused Jim that I birdied the last three holes and we
Carrey—Canadian!—to lose his Molson. halved our match after I fell in the water.”
On the 14th hole of a Friday four-ball At this year’s gathering (September

Team
match in 2007, the last time the Presidents 24 to 29), captains Jim Furyk (U.S.) and
Cup was competed at Royal Montreal, Mike Weir (Internationals) are hoping for a
Woody Austin—at age 43, the most senior similarly viral if less soggy Presidents Cup
member of Team U.S.A.—made the well- moment for their squads. The Americans
The Presidents Cup intentioned yet wildly misjudged decision lead the series 12-1-1. Now that’s splashy.
September 27 to 30, 2007 to play his errant tee shot out of a knee-
deep greenside pond. The subsequent
The Royal Montreal Golf Club splash earned Austin the to-this-day-
Opposite: The misbegotten swat that caused a
TV broadcaster to bellow, “Austin overboard!”
Montreal, Quebec, Canada unshakable nickname Aquaman. Not that Above: For the win, the Sunday goggles gag.

16 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
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 G O L F. C O M / S M A R T G O L F S TA R T S H E R E / S E P T E M B E R - O C T O B E R 2 0 2 4

Up Close with
Dylan Dethier

Charley
Hull
Heading into this
year’s Solheim Cup,
the 28-year-old
Brit is just about
as brassy—and
somehow still super
chill—as golfers get
on the LPGA

CALLING FROM FOXHILLS CC

IN SURREY, ENGLAND, CAPPING
OFF A PRACTICE SESSION

Dylan Dethier: You grew up

in a small town a couple hours
north of London. What’s your
first golfing memory?
Charley Hull: When I was,
like, three, I’d play with my
dad down at his golf course,
Kettering Golf Club. I used
to just walk around with
him at first. Then we’d play.
DD: Did you play other
sports or was it always golf ?
CH: I did play [soccer] and
Steph Chambers/Getty Images

stuff like that, but I spent

every day at the golf course.
DD: And were you good at
the game right away?
CH: Yeah. Everyone used
to say I always had that
“natural talent.”
DD: What’s the first time

19
 Clubhouse

“I actually somewhat prefer playing

you remember being clearly good in a
way that was different from everyone else? Solheim Cup in America. I like it
CH: When I was seven years old,
I beat a 17-year-old boy, and I think when the crowd’s a bit against you.”
that’s when people started saying,
“Ooh, she’s pretty good.”
DD: What was his reaction?
CH: He was mad. After I beat him, he At this year’s U.S. Women’s
just said, “F---ing girls.” Open at Lancaster CC, Hull lit
it up—and went viral.
DD: Did you really love the game or was
it just, you know, part of your life?
CH: I loved it. It was all I knew, really,
so I didn’t think about it. But I just
loved being on the golf course.
DD: Now you’ve been a pro for over a
decade. Do you have the same relation-
ship with the sport?
CH: I don’t know. It’s something that’s
been in my life—well, I’m 28, so for,
like, 26 years. So I’m just so used to it.
It’s my routine. When I don’t have it,
I feel lost.
DD: When you made the 2013 Solheim
Cup team, you were the youngest Cupper
in history. What do you remember from
that week?
CH: So, my first Solheim Cup came
when I was 17, and in singles I played
Paula Creamer, who was one of my
idols, and I beat her 5 and 4 and got her
autograph afterward. I wasn’t trying to
be like, “Oh, I got the autograph of the world. And growing up playing golf, this year. She’s a good friend, and
golfer I beat.” My friend had asked me I missed out on a lot of things—nor- we’ll go out there and have fun.
to get it and so I did. mal things that most kids would do as DD: That all sounds really laid-back. I
DD: Do you remember Solheim feeling part of their childhood. So I really was mean, do you ever get nervous out there?
different than a typical event? sad to miss it. But I guess, in the end, CH: I’m weird. Like, I get more ner-
CH: I wasn’t nervous. The truth is— it’s worked out pretty well. vous playing pro-ams, when we’re
it’s the funniest thing—I got selected DD: Now that you’ve been on six of these playing with amateurs who are
to the team at the 2013 British Open at teams, what’s different about the Sol- expecting you to be unbelievable. And
St. Andrews and I remember hearing heim Cup? What makes it a special event then if you don’t hit a good shot, like,
the news and I was gutted. I had my compared to the rest of the calendar? they judge you. But when I’m on a golf
friend’s birthday party that was that CH: It brings everyone together. course in a tournament, I never really
same week as the Solheim. So when I mean, I play for my country every get nervous.
I got selected for the team, I was abso- week, but it’s different the way we’re DD: By now, you’ve seen it all at the
lutely gutted. I was like, “Oh, I can’t playing for Europe. It’s just a fun Solheim. Is there anything about this
go to my friend’s birthday party!” event, a week to go out there and have one in 2024, down in Virginia, that you
Looking back now it seems silly, but a laugh with your mates. I don’t really think will feel different?
I didn’t realize how big the Cup is. get that nervous for Solheim, but CH: Mostly it’ll be more of the same,
In fairness, your friends only turn 17 I really look forward to it. And hope- which is good. But I actually somewhat
once, 18 once. It feels like the whole fully I’ll get paired with Georgia Hall prefer playing Solheim Cup in Amer-

20 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 ica. I like it when the crowd’s a little bit ON THE NUMBERS: PHENOM EDITION
against you. I don’t understand when There’s data behind every swing. We crunch it so you don’t have to.
people say, “Oh, you’ve got the upper
hand on home soil.” I play better when
people are against me, because I want
to prove them wrong.
DD: Obviously, you’ve been a really
well-known golfer for a long time, but
this summer you experienced a new wave
of popularity. You were in contention
The number of days after his 20th
at a few big events and found yourself birthday that Nick Dunlap captured
Left: Sarah Stier/Getty Images; Right: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images; Tim Heitman/Getty Images; Gregory Shamus/Getty Images; Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images

in the spotlight. the American Express title, making him

CH: I really have been playing good the eighth-youngest PGA Tour winner
golf this year. I’ve had some really of all time and the second youngest
in the modern era after Jordan Spieth
strong weeks, top 25s in the majors, (2013 John Deere Classic; age 19).
except the Evian, where I was hurt.
It’s been a fun year; I’m looking for-
ward to the end of summer and fall.
DD: You had a couple viral moments
as well, most memorably images of you
smoking at the U.S. Women’s Open. But
66
Y E A R S T H AT
you said you’d left social media a few PA S S E D B E T W E E N

months ago. Is that still the case? B I L LY J O E P A T T O N

BECOMING THE
CH: Oh, yeah. I haven’t been on social F I R S T A M AT E U R
media now since March. I just thought ars of Kyle Supp
Age in years Suppa
pa
p TO FINISH TOP 10

about it, and I know if I wasn’t a golfer when he made the cut at the
IN CONSECUTIVE
T O U R S TA R T S A N D
I would never have social media. A 2015 Sony Open, making him
LUKE CLANTON
the youngest ever to play on a
few years ago, I went a full month M AT C H I N G T H E
PGA Tour weekend. Recently,ntly, F E AT AT T H E
without having a phone, and I loved two other sweet-16ers haveave 2024 ROCKET
that. So I have a couple of people who done it: Kris Kim (2024 CJ MORTGAGE
do all my social media stuff for me. Cup) and Blades Brown (2024024 CLASSIC AND 2024
Myrtle Beach Classic). JOHN DEERE.
I’ll just send them some swing videos
or pictures every day to put up on my
Instagram or some stuff to post on my
story. I just thought, If I don’t have to G O L F E R S T O F I N I S H A S L O W A M AT E U R AT B O T H T H E U . S .

look at anything, why do it?

DD: And for people who are getting to
10 OPEN AND THE MASTERS IN THE SAME SEASON. THIS YEAR,
NEAL SHIPLEY BECAME THE FIRST TO DO IT SINCE VIKTOR
H OV L A N D I N 2 0 1 9 —A N D J U ST T H E S EC O N D T H I S C E N T U RY .

know you for the first time, what do you

want them to know about you?
CH: Hmm. I just live life the best
I can. Like, just enjoy it. Enjoy every
minute. You’re not promised tomor-
row. Just go out there and have fun.
Just literally get the most out of life.
[Noise in the background] Sorry, I’ve
met up with some friends.
DD: Go live it up. Last thing: How would Age of Miles Russell in years, months
and days when he made the cut at the
your friends describe you?
Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast
CH: Let me ask. [Turns to a friend.] Classic, breaking the record for
“Funny,” one says. “Smart and caring youngest to do so in that tour’s history.
and a little bit crazy.” I think that’s
about right.
RESEARCH BY JACK HIRSH
 Clubhouse

Worth a Shot

Check Your
Delivery
How you position your body and club
as you approach impact is key—and actually
holds the secret to perfecting your grip
By Top 100 Teacher Martin Chuck

IF YOU WATCH a lot of pro swings

online, either face-on or down-
the-line like I’m pictured, you’ll realize—
or at least I have—that they all reach the
same delivery position, or the moment
just before the club accelerates into the
ball. It’s something you should practice.
Make a slow-motion swing, then
stop right about where you see me here.

Left: Scully/d2prod.com; Right: Joe Lingeman; Food and prop styling: Anna Stockwell
Three things to look for: 1) Your hands
are slightly in front of your trail leg,
2) the shaft is parallel to the ground and
3) the face of the club is slightly closed.
Find a grip that Nailing these three pro-proven delivery
makes it easy to
achieve a delivery elements are what allow you to unwind
position where the freely and produce shaft lean at impact,
shaft sits parallel
to the ground and which is the secret to compressing the
the face is slightly
closed. From here,
ball. If you stop your downswing and
you can’t miss. notice that any of these elements are
missing, work your way into them, even
if it means adjusting how you’re hold-
ing the handle.
Once you can copy what you see here,
go back to address without moving your
hands. This is your new setup, one that
may feel a little uncomfortable at first,
but will produce that crisp, ball-first con-
tact previously reserved for Tour pros.
Martin Chuck runs the Tour Striker Golf
Academy at Raven GC in Phoenix.

22 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 Chance Cozby’s
Smoked Queso Dip
>2 lbs Velveeta >2 tbsp barbecue
Queso Blanco (or rub (I use Meat
regular Velveeta Church Holy
works as well), Voo Doo.)
cubed >½ cup fire-roast-
For more
>8 oz pepper jack ed green chiles
recipes from
cheese, cubed (for some added
Cozby, visit
>3 jalapeños, diced flavor)
GOLF.com/
and seeded
clubhouse+eats.
>2 cans Rotel Place ingredients in
(original, fire- a large Dutch oven
roasted or hot— and put in a smoker
whatever you at 250 degrees for
prefer) 1½ hours, stirring
>1 can cream of ja- every 30 minutes.
lapeño soup (Sub You can also pre-
in cream of chick- pare this dish in a
en if jalapeño is slow cooker. Serve
not available in with tortilla chips
your region.) or Fritos.

Cozby’s dip delivers a spicy kick,

thanks to generous portions of pep-
per jack, jalapeños and barbecue rub.
While adding protein like chicken or
beef is an option, Cozby opts to go
without, because the mix of cheeses
is heavy enough.
“Growing up in Oklahoma, queso
was just a way of life on game day,”
he says. “The mix of melted cheese,
fire-roasted Rotel, jalapeños and
spices on a Frito Scoop or tortilla
chip fills you up and gets you ready
Eats for kickoff.”
The secret that elevates Coz-

Game Changer by’s dip is the Velveeta, thanks to

its smooth and creamy texture. He
also loves this recipe because it’s
This spicy, heavenly vat of cheesy goodness is destined
easily portable in a slow cooker or
to be the MVP of your next tailgate
foil pan, making it a crowd-pleasing
companion at tailgates and any other
outdoor gathering.
I F YO U ’ R E LO O K I N G for an easy way to make new “You can also put this in an oven-safe container on a low-
friends—or simply to impress the ones you already heat grill to keep it warm,” Cozby says.
have—doling out a generous serving of Chance Cozby’s Of course, no tailgate dip is complete without a frosty bev-
delectable smoked queso dip at your next gathering is a slam- erage. For Cozby, that means a chilly cerveza like Coors Light
dunk strategy. or Miller Lite, but he concedes that any cold beer will do.
Cozby, whose food-focused social media accounts “On game day we keep it simple,” he says. “Queso and
(@3PiecesofPecan) boast more than 1.5 million followers, cold beer.”
counts this easy-to-make concoction among his popular park- So, whether you’re getting ready to watch football or the
ing lot go-tos. “This is not the time to think about healthy PGA Tour’s Fall Series, make sure this dip is in the mix. You
options,” he says. “Game-day food should be hearty and might consider making a double batch because a pre-gamer
something everyone will enjoy. For me, that means making this delicious will likely be gone before halftime (or the back
a killer queso with all my favorite ingredients.” nine). —Jessica Marksbury

23
 Clubhouse

2 3 4

24 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 5

Access

Om Sweet Om
Book the Arsham Cabin at Destination Kohler
and bliss is just beyond the threshold

IN THE LATE 1980S, WHEN HERB KOHLER first brought golf to the Wiscon-
sin village that bears his family name, he called upon the expertise of Pete
Dye. The partnership between the bathroom-fixture mogul and the famed course
architect gave rise to a resort that ranks among the game’s most enduring draws.
And though both men have since passed, their collaborative spirit lives on.
Under the direction of Herb’s son, David, Destination Kohler has unveiled a proj-
ect carried out in tandem with the artist and sculptor Daniel Arsham. One of its cen-
tral features is a luxury guest cabin that marries Arsham’s modern aesthetic with a
distinctive sense of place. Situated on the bluffs of Lake Michigan, a quick skip south
of Whistling Straits, Kohler’s major championship venue and Ryder Cup host course,
the secluded-feeling Arsham Cabin has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a wrap-
around porch that gives way to arresting views of water and woodlands. The interior
is a striking sight as well, adorned with furniture, artwork and whimsical accesso-
ries, all from Arsham’s portfolio. The aim, David Kohler says, is to integrate his com-
1. The Arsham Cabin, as a pterodactyl
one of five luxe cabins lamp and a “broken”
pany’s legacy of “iconic design with Arsham’s unprecedented creative expression.”
for rent at Kohler, is a mirror, are akin to The two have more in common than meets the eye. A lifelong golfer, Arsham
10-minute drive from what Arsham has
the American Club in his New York grew up playing the game in the Midwest, enchanted by its challenge but also by
hotel. 2. Arsham, who home. 4. In a cap its courses, which brought to mind for him large art installations. Kohler, for his
began playing the tip to the Kohler
game as a kid in Ohio, family business, the part, has a business background balanced by a love of nature and design. The two
was smitten by its cabin boasts a new
aesthetics. “There’s Arsham-designed
first worked together several years ago, when Arsham was brought in to help Kohler
an artistic-sculptural- bathroom collection create a 3D-printed sink, a product that sold out almost overnight.
Courtesy Kohler Co.

architectural propo- called Landshapes.

sition where you end 5. A Zen garden, As part of their latest collaboration, Arsham created six large sculptures that have
up playing against the blooming with art, been placed around the grounds of the resort. Several of the pieces grace a Zen garden
creator of the course was inspired by a
itself,” he says. dream David Kohler just beyond the cabin’s doorstep. The cabin accommodates four guests and comes
3. Many of the idio- had to incorporate
syncratic furnishings sculpture into a golf
with access to such amenities as a sports and racquet club and a 500-acre wilderness
and fixtures, such landscape. preserve for hiking, fishing and other seasonal activities. —Josh Sens

25
 Clubhouse

Scan this code YOUR BURNING SHORT-GAME

for 20% off
the monthly
QUESTIONS—ANSWERED
membership
price of Parker “Hey, Chef! I’ve officially
McLachlin’s
online video got the chipping yips
lessons
(shortgamechef. and have no confidence
com).
holding a wedge. Help
me!” —Phil G., Columbus, Ohio

Short Game Chef It happens to the best of us, Phil.

Darn You, Divot!

Don’t despair—the yips are curable.
The best advice is ditch whatever
you’re doing now and revisit your
chip basics, starting with the setup.
By Tour Short-Game Coach Parker McLachlin
Find a video online of a Tour player’s
stock pitch shot. Pause the reel at
setup and take a screenshot. Grab
a wedge and have a buddy take
FINDING YOUR BALL IN A DIVOT is about the worst bit of luck you can imag- a pic of you in the same position.
ine. Relax—you can do this! First things first: Check how much green you (Both from face on, by the way.)
have to work with. If it’s ample, throttle down to your gap wedge, position the ball a Spot the differences and make
whatever posture and club position
bit farther back in your stance, set the majority of your weight over your front foot changes you need to make your
and lean the shaft toward the target. These setup changes will almost ensure ball- pic look like the pro’s. Once you’re
first contact and negate any problems with the ball sitting down in a divot. The ball adjusted, try 10-yard pitches using
will come out low and fast but with enough backspin to hold the green. If, however, your 7-iron—carry the ball just
three yards and let it roll out. Once
you’re short-sided, opt for your sand or even lob wedge. Stand closer to the ball, keep you nail these, go back to your
the shaft more upright, open the face and make more of a “cut” stroke. Job done. wedges. Your new foundation is
Learn more from McLachlin at shortgamechef.com. bound to pay dividends.

26 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 Kostis + McCord

Internet instruction is all the rage,

but is it the best place to learn? As
our podcast legends agree, the rabbit
hole is worth exploring. (Maybe.)
Gary McCord: Peter, some- Snead [pictured] sequences
thing insane is happening in on my phone. I love his swing.
golf: YouTube instruction vid- Looking at swings is a great way
eos. Once you start watching, to learn. While you can’t really
you can’t stop. It’s a rabbit hole. copy them, I think it’s good to
Peter Kostis: At one time, mimic their flow, rhythm and
teachers made a living giving effortlessness. Just absorb. If
real lessons. Now, there are new you improve the rhythm of your
methods, basically fueled by swing, you can improve a lot of
marketing and money. And different things. That’s where
because people are making I think the internet really does
money, they’re putting random the most good for the average
tips out there, yet the average golfer. Watch Nicklaus. Weis-
golfer has got a 0.002 percent kopf. Hogan.
Left: Scully/d2prod.com; Bradley Meinz; Right: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

chance of picking the right tip GM: Agree.

for their problem. PK: Anybody can tell you what
GM: Yep. you’re doing wrong. Only a few
PK: Gary, I do go online, generally with become gain 20 yards tomorrow. Gosh, people can tell you what to do that’s
a glass of red wine and at night, and look if I could do that, I’d be playing on Tour, right. That’s what makes a great teacher.
at this stuff. I’m going to say it right now: even at my age! If YouTube learning is your thing, at least
10 percent of it is good, 10 percent of it GM: One thing that I did get from You- ask around to sort out what’s good and
is quite good and 30 percent probably Tube golf lessons—and helped me actu- what’s not.
won’t do anyone any harm. The rest? Just ally restructure my swing—was the stuff GM: It’s a new world. In the meantime,
miserable. You end up getting a glim- from Mac O’Grady. That’s good stuff. I’ll continue down the YouTube rabbit
mer of hope until you go out there and PK: There are multiple ways to learn hole. I’m hooked.
hit balls and then you realize this stuff a motor skill, like swinging a golf club. PK: I’ll be right behind you.
doesn’t work. Two primary ones are visual and kines-
GM: So where does it go from here? thetic. Looking, watching and feeling.
Are we stuck in a “quick fix” mental- And that’s how you play golf primarily, PGA TOUR COACH PETER KOSTIS AND FORMER
ity for good? right? You use your eyes and your feel TOUR PLAYER AND GOLF PERSONALITY
GARY MCCORD RIFF ON ALL THINGS GOLF IN
PK: It’s like those ads that say you can and off you go. So I have no problem with THEIR NEW PODCAST “OFF THEIR ROCKERS.”
SUBSCRIBE AND WATCH FOR FREE
lose 20 pounds next week. In golf, it’s people looking. I have a bunch of Sam AT YOUTUBE.COM/@KOSTISMCCORD.

27
 Mornings on the links.
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ʼnĸŁļŁņĴŅłňŁķŇĻĸŇĴĵĿĸт
THAT’S THE RHYTHM OF REYNOLDS.

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 Just east of Atlanta, Reynolds Lake Oconee is a private community
with a cadence all its own. Home to one of the world's only lakefront
Ritz-Carlton® resorts, Members also enjoy seven golf courses,
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arketing or sale of properties owned by third-parties. This is not intended to be an offer to sell nor a solicitation
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 Clubhouse

is optimally fit for a player. Also

HEAD SPEED SMASH
critical is the axis on which the ball
rotates, so pay attention to that.
A consistent spin axis measure-
ment is evidence of a repeatable
ballflight, regardless if it’s straight,
fading or drawing.

Smash Factor
This value is basically a swing effi-
ciency measurement: ball speed
divided by clubhead speed. An
optimal smash factor for a driver
is approximately 1.48 to 1.51; your
FAC E A N G L E
goal with, say, a 6-iron should be
around 1.35 to 1.4. Smash indicates
how solid you’re catching the ball
and, more important, if contact is
around the sweet spot.

Dispersion
When you consider that the aver-
age fairway is 40 yards wide, you
Stuff Golfers Should Know
need this value to be within 25

Do a Number on yards (left or right) with a driver.

Anything more and you’ll risk
hitting into hazards or even out

Your Swing of bounds.

Carry Distance
Digital swing meters tell you more about Carry is the true measure of dis-
your technique than ever before. Here are the tance potential and elevated course
measurements that matter most. management. For a lower club-
head speed golfer, carry distance
helps you understand the differ-
ence between the total distance of

Left: Courtesy Foresight Sports; Right: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

THERE ISN’T A TOUR PLAYER alive who doesn’t know a shot, including rollout, compared to how far the ball flew in
his swing measurements by heart. Following their the air—critical on holes that require you to navigate hazards.
lead could be the next big step you make in your search for Higher swing speed players should look at carry data across
lower scores. The trick: making sense of the numbers so you all shots, including maximums and minimums. When you
know what’s working and what isn’t. Focus on the following: know your range, you know when to go for it or throttle down.

Clubhead Speed Face Angle

This is largely considered one of the primary indica- Most modern research studies show that where the
tors of a golfer’s true potential. Whether you want to clubface points at impact is the ultimate factor deter-
curve the ball, make it stop on a dime or hit the liv- mining the success of most shots. In my opinion,
ing daylights out of it, you need speed. Obviously, it’s the king of all measurements. If you’re having
the more mph the better. difficulty keeping the ball in play, this number is
Visit GOLF.com the first one you should look to improve. Even an
and search “Stuff
Ball Spin Golfers Should error of just 2 degrees (open or closed) can wreak
Know” to learn
Spin values say a lot about the quality of your strike. more ways to
havoc on your game. —Tim Briand, director of busi-
They’re also primary parameters to consider if a club boost your game. ness development, Foresight Sports

30 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
Ask The Rules Guy

Is a putter allowed Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

to have a lie angle Browse our library

of rulings and out-
of-this-world decisions
at GOLF.com/rules.

more perpendicular
than 80 degrees? Q: During a stroke-play match, one player
chipped up to tap-in range. The green was
Bryson DeChambeau’s still wet from a recent rain, and, to avoid
getting the grip damp, he leaned his wedge

putter appears to be against the flagstick (which was still in the

hole) while holing out with his putter. Legal?

closer to 90 degrees. —Todd Cain, Syracuse, N.Y.

A: Todd, please see the previous answer,

—Jim Morrissey, South Bend, Ind.
with the caveats that the wedge
can’t be used for aiming and, with
A: Please rest assured, Jim, that it on the ground, there’s more
our reigning national champion potential for affecting the stroke
does things by the book—espe- and causing a replay. Here’s a
cially the cult classic, The Golfing thought: Leave the stick in peace!
Machine, by Homer Kelley. BDC
is an innovator but not a scofflaw; Q: My ball came to rest within an
there’s no question his equipment inch of a mole track—the mounded-
hews to the relevant standards. up soil left by a burrowing mole—so
For your edification, the perti- I couldn’t hit the next shot without
nent portion of the Equipment striking the mound. Free relief?
Rules, Part 2, 1d, reads: “(i) the —Gary Schlotterer, Durham, N.C.
projection of the straight part of
the shaft on to the vertical plane A: We appreciate you invoking
through the toe and heel must the mole, which is not a varmint in
diverge from the vertical by at our book, rather than the clichéd
least 10 degrees…. If the overall gopher. To your query, ground
design of the club is such that the pushed up resulting from an ani-
player can effectively use the club Though it looks a little too straight, BDC is playing it straight. mal digging a hole underground
in a vertical or close-to vertical gets treated the same way as a
position, the shaft may be required to A: Rules Guy’s beloved aunt, Style Lady, hole itself, namely, an abnormal course
diverge from the vertical in this plane informs us that it is permissible should condition. Free relief is allowed if the
by as much as 25 degrees.” the pullover’s color not clash with the pushed-up ground interferes with your
flag’s. From a Rules perspective, the only lie, stance or swing, unless the Com-
Q: My buddy and I were playing an early- potential penalty we can think of would mittee has limited relief to only lie and
morning round. We each wore a pullover to be intent-based—say, your buddy delib- swing by local rule. Please see Rule 16.1
combat the chill. On the 7th hole, he took erately did so to move the flagstick to a and Definition of Animal Hole.
off his pullover and, because his bag was position other than centered or to cast a
across the green, draped it atop the flag- shadow to aim at. Failing a desire to assist
stick as he putted with the pin in. Neither his play, there wouldn’t be a problem with GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE RULES?
ASK THE RULES GUY! SEND YOUR QUERIES,
of us knew if this was permitted. treating the flagstick as a clothes hanger, CONFUSIONS AND COMMENTS TO
[email protected]. WE PROMISE HE WON’T
—Bruce Reeder, Seattle although it feels a tad presumptuous. THROW THE BOOK AT YOU.

31
 G O L F.C O M / T H E B E S T S T U F F I N T H E G A M E

ALL IT
DOES IS
WIN
TaylorMade’s Spider is—dare we
say—an iconic flatstick deserving
of a spot on the Mount Rushmore
Courtesy TaylorMade

of putters. It’s a game-changing

mallet that’s helped usher in a
seismic shift on Tour, where big is
beautiful and forgiveness is king.
BY JONATHAN WALL

33
GEAR

THE WINNINGEST PUTTER on the PGA up the stability. Look at today’s Spider
Tour this season isn’t some newfangled Tour and you’ll notice it still shares

From left: David Cannon/Getty Images; Michael Reaves/Getty Images; Courtesy TaylorMade (2)
wand loaded with the latest technology. some similarities with the OG Spiders
TaylorMade’s Spider has been around of the past.
the block for 15-plus years, which is the What started as a slow burn even-
definition of staying power in an indus- tually turned into a full-blown frenzy
try that’s rapidly evolving with each when TaylorMade released Spider Tour
product cycle. Red and Black in 2017. From that point
For decades, Anser-style blades forward, Spiders seemed to be every-
remained the putter of choice for where you looked—from the elite to the
golf ’s elite, mostly because they didn’t grassroots level. Success eventually led
have many options. Oversize versions TaylorMade to face a dilemma every
like Jack Nicklaus’ famed MacGregor manufacturer hopes to tackle in their those Spiders but felt it was important
Response ZT 615 putter—best known lifetime: How do you make an iconic with this one to go back to more iconic
as the 1986 Masters-winning putter— product even better? shapes for inspiration. If you look at
came and went, and it wasn’t until Y2K In the case of Spider, TaylorMade the success of those 2017 putters and
that pros and amateurs alike started to tried multi-material designs and mov- how many we still have in play across
take the beefy behemoths seriously. able weights to elevate the product line the global tours, we knew we needed
The original Monza Spider, released in recent years, but nothing seemed to to get those back in the lineup.”
in 2008, was one of the mallets that take hold like the older versions. Judging by the success TaylorMade’s
helped flip the script. The steel frame “For a few years there, we deviated current Spider line has enjoyed this
and aluminum core allowed weight to a little from where we’d been,” says season, going back to a tried-and-true
be repositioned along the perimeter in TaylorMade Tour rep Bucky Coe. “We playbook has paid off in a big way. After
a smart and stylish manner. Two “legs” tried some different looks and shaping. losing traction on Tour in previous years,
housed additional weighting to ratchet We had small successes with some of the latest Spider Tour—a lineup consist-

34 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
ing of four distinct head shapes—has the greens overnight also doesn’t hurt. gained more than four shots on the field
become one of the Tour’s hottest putters Before this year’s Arnold Palmer Invi- with the putter.
behind continued success from Scottie tational, Scheffler struggled to find a “This wasn’t a one-hit wonder,”
Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Robert Mac- putter that evoked confidence on the TaylorMade Tour rep Adrian Rietveld
Intyre and Shane Lowry. (To date, the green for long stretches. Then along says of the putter change. “We didn’t just
Spider family has logged 12 Tour wins came Spider Tour X. get lucky. When Scottie turned up at Bay
this season and an Olympic gold medal.) Extensive testing at home, and some Hill, he was set. It just so happened to
“We believe so much in the technol- prodding from putting coach Phil Ken- be the putter you can buy off the shelf.”
ogy of these putters,” Coe says. “They yon, eventually led Scheffler to give Since that dream week in Orlando,
have commonalities with all the Spiders Spider Tour X a shot. (He tried out a Scheffler has logged six additional wins,
we’ve made over the last 17 years. We prototype version with forward weight- including a dominant performance at
believe in that product. We want golf- ing during the 2023 FedEx Cup play- the Masters that made the golf world
ers to try it, and that’s all it takes some- offs that never stuck.) By the end of the stand up and take notice of the impact-
times—just getting someone’s foot in week, the chatter around Scheffler’s ful gear change.
the door to test it thoroughly.” putting woes had all but disappeared “I was with him that whole week and
Having one of the best players in following a five-shot win on a demand- he didn’t make one adjustment [to the
the world turn into a world-beater on ing Bay Hill layout where World No. 1 putter],” Rietveld says. “He was ready
to go the moment he stepped foot on the
grounds. I remember watching him putt
“We want golfers to try it, and that’s all [with the Spider Tour X Proto] during
last year’s playoffs and picking up on
it takes sometimes—just getting how good he was at reading putts. I had
no doubt he had it in him. It was simply
someone’s foot in the door to test it.” finding a mallet that worked.”
Scheffler’s success has led others to
give Spider a closer look. The momen-
tum TaylorMade once experienced with
Spider Tour Red and Tour Black has
returned.
“People come out of the woodwork,”
Coe says. “Maybe they weren’t as open
to it before, but now they are. The expo-
sure Scottie gave Spider helped, but
I think it’s a combination of success
and work that went into making Spider
sound and feel even better. Adding ele-
ments like HYBRAR to the back pocket
helped elevate both of those aspects.
Guys have felt and heard the difference
in the putters. This is not to say those
old putters are bad, but, if we’re going
to relaunch it, we need to make it bet-
ter. This lineup checks all of the boxes
for a wide range of golfers.”
Based on the success Spider has
enjoyed this season on Tour and in retail,
it’s safe to say TaylorMade aced its lat-
est mallet design.

Counterclockwise from top left: McIlroy and

Scheffler helped kick-start Spider’s resur-
gence; TaylorMade’s white True Path can help
with alignment issues; Scheffler’s magic wand.

35
GEAR

Discover tons
of comprehensive
coverage on all
things equipment
when you head to
GOLF.com/gear.

1 2 3 4

Build Shop

RIP IT AND GRIP IT

Grips do have a shelf life, and it’s probably shorter than you

Left: Mark Peterman; Right: Jeffrey Westbrook

think. Are you handy enough to replace your own handles?

YOUR GRIPS ARE the only connection you have between you and your
golf clubs, and, once they start losing traction, it is time to rejuve-
nate your set with some fresh grips to make those clubs feel like new
again. 1. Using a sharp hook blade, hold the grip end away from your
body. Slide the blade under the grip and along the shaft. 2. Peel off
the old grip and remove the tape underneath to reveal the shaft. Use
a hairdryer to help loosen the tape and make it easier to remove.
3. Secure a new piece of two-sided tape to the shaft and seal the end
by twisting it. 4. Coat the inside of the grip with grip solvent, then
pour some extra over the tape. Slide the grip on, align, wait to dry.
Now you’re ready to go. —Ryan Barath

36 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
O n To u r

BALLS
THAT
PERFORM
THE PREMIUM golf ball market is full of
options designed to fit any level of golfer
at any swing speed. These golf balls are all
engineered with urethane covers, multi-
layer core construction and unique dimple
patterns, offering distinct attributes from
the driver down to wedges and even the
putter. So, maybe you’re looking to max-
imize short-game spin, control and feel.
Or perhaps you’d like to lower long-game
spin to squeeze out every last yard of dis-
tance. You’re sure to find the combination
that fits among these top options used by
the best players in the world. —R.B.

PLAYED BY THE PROS

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER Titleist Pro V1

XANDER SCHAUFFELE Callaway

Tour Chrome

RORY MCILROY TaylorMade TP5x

LUDVIG ÅBERG Titleist Pro V1X

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU Titleist Pro V1X

(Left Dash)

SHANE LOWRY Srixon Z-Star XV

JASON DAY Bridgestone Tour B X

ROSE ZHANG Callaway Chrome Tour X

NELLY KORDA TaylorMade TP5

GEAR

This Just In

FUJIKURA ’24 VENTUS

FUJIKURA’S VENTUS VELOCORE+ BLUE was never going to be an only child for very
long. Early success and acceptance on Tour—Scottie Scheffler swears by the shaft—
eventually gave way to the introduction of two new profiles that are already mak-
ing waves: VeloCore+ Red and Black ($350 each). Arguably the most popular driver
and fairway wood shaft in the marketplace, Ventus’ newest profiles aim to bene-
fit golfers who require specific launch and spin windows. The Red is designed for
golfers looking to add height through a stable spin profile, while the Black is geared
for faster swing speeds seeking a robust low launch and spin package. While the
profiles are decidedly different, both incorporate Fujikura’s proprietary VeloCore+
technology, which promotes greater energy transfer through a multi-material bias
core leading to more consistent ball speeds and center-face contact without sacri-
ficing accuracy and control. —J.W.

Leave it to Fujikura to reengineer the most popular shaft on Tour. VeloCore+ tech delivers.

38 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 Now Playing

OUTSIDE CLEVELAND HY-WOOD

THE BOX With the Hy-wood,

Cleveland designers
have created a best-of-
both-worlds option for
MODERN AEROSPACE manufacturing golfers in need of a club
techniques, data analysis and clubfit- to fit between their fair-
ting tools have allowed equipment man- way woods and hybrids.
By combining a hybrid
ufacturers to push the boundaries of
length shaft with a
design in every category of club. These slightly larger FW-style
advancements help golfers of all skill head (plus sole rails for
levels hit longer, higher and straighter better turf interaction)
golfers get the height
more often. As a result, they’re able to
and distance of a fair-
enjoy the game to a greater degree. way wood in a club that’s
Whether it’s through the use of rapid much easier to hit.
prototyping and 3D printing or a better
understanding of how to help golfers
save shots by using A.I. to refine face
geometry, ever-evolving tech in club
design continues to provide golfers an
edge on every shot. These clubs are best
in class. —R.B.

PING G430 MAX 10K

As the name suggests,
the PING G430 Max 10k
Left: Jeffrey Westbrook; Right: Courtesy the manufacturers

pushes the limits of club

head MOI (a measure-
ment of forgiveness) to
a combined 10,000. For
golfers, this means more
consistent distance and
control on shots missed
around the face. COBRA LIMITED
As the first consumer
3D-printed irons on the
market, the Cobra Lim-
ited represents a seis-
mic shift in iron design.
The additive manufac-
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engineers to build a new
lightweight internal
structure that not only
saves mass but also cre-
ates a reinforcement
framework that can be
tuned to feel like a blade
but perform like a game
improvement club.
GEAR

Left: Courtesy TaylorMade: Right: Courtesy Dormie Golf Workshop; Stuart Franklin/R&A/Getty Images
Scan this code
to discover
more about this
Tour-tested
driver at
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and buy one for
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C l u b Te s t

NUMBERS DON’T LIE

ONE LOOK AT THE DRIVING ACCURACY NUMBERS on the PGA Tour confirms some-
thing GOLF’s gear team has known for months: TaylorMade’s Qi10 drivers are
impossibly good. Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Rory McIlroy all improved
their accuracy by 16-plus percent since switching to Qi10.
The improvement data isn’t a typo. According to robotic testing insights from
GOLF’s partnership with Golf Laboratories, few drivers retained ball speeds across
the entire face as well as Qi10. Several models, particularly Qi10 and Qi10 Max, saw
little to no distance loss on high toe misses. Along with providing superior ball speed
protection on high toe misses, the 12-degree Qi10, Qi10 Max and 10.5-degree Qi10
saw distance decrease by six yards or less across all nine points on the face at 95 mph.
So, why are these numbers so important? If you can miss anywhere on the face
and see a minimal carry distance loss, it stands to reason that wild misses won’t be
so wild. It’s a winning recipe for tighter dispersions and lower scores for all. —J.W.

40 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 Bag Spy

VIKTOR HOVLAND
PING’s s159 wedges received feedback from a number of
influential voices, including a world-class Norwegian

VIKTOR HOVLAND HAS NEVER been one to make rash equipment deci-
sions. Sift through his bag and you’ll find that nearly every PING club
is several years old, including a Glide 2.0 lob wedge from 2017. Only
this isn’t your everyday Glide 2.0. The sole geometry and turf inter-
action is actually designed to mimic what’s currently found on PING’s
s159 scoring tools. Talk about hiding in plain sight.
As the story goes, Hovland started to see a noticeable uptick in
his short-game performance and asked PING Tour reps for a true
60 degree to replace the low-bounce 58TS (Thin Sole), which was bent
2 degrees weak, for more versatility around the green. The wedge
stuck and played a part in his torrid finish to the season that culmi-
nated in a one-year PGA Tour record for earnings ($34.5 million).
“Now he’s playing a true 60-degree wedge that’s more versatile,”
says PING rep Kenton Oates. “It sits lower to the ground due to hav-
ing less bounce, but it’s also going to require more skill. Ever since he
changed, his stats have slowly gotten better and he’s never asked to
go back [to the 58 degree]. That shows the work he’s put in learning
how to expose that bounce and hit those shots a little bit cleaner.”
Accessories Even if his doesn’t say s159 on the head, be assured PING’s latest

PLAY
lobber is most definitely Hovland-approved. —J.W.

BALL!
TO SPORTS FANS, fall means two things:
Get in more golf before it gets too cold,
and the MLB playoffs are heating up.
Dormie has the perfect headcover
option for all baseball-loving golfers.
The Designated Hitter driver
sheath ($195, above) is constructed of
hand-laced, distressed leather. Think
of it as a catcher’s mitt for your big stick.
Dormie also offers baseball headcov-
ers for your fairway wood (Pinch Hitter),
hybrids (Switch Hitter), blade (Bullpen
XL) and mallet (Closer and Walk Off ).
These Cooperstown-worthy covers
are meticulously constructed by Dormie
Workshop craftsmen in Canada. And
while the Blue Jays haven’t been to the
World Series in 30 years, their passion
for the game remains. —John Ledesma

Scan here to visit Fairway

Jockey, where you can step
up to the plate and get your
own handsome headcover.

41
 GEAR

1 2

Style
sea change, igniting a boom in apparel activity and spending.

LOOKS ARE It also affected design. With millennials and Gen-Z golfers
suddenly flocking to the game during Covid-19, looks from

EVERYTHING

Clockwise from top left: Malbon Korea; PXG Korea (2); TaylorMade; A.P.C.; XexyMix; A.P.C.; Titleist Korea
trendy brands such as G/FORE, Malbon and PXG started
flying off the shelves, thanks to the younger population’s
preference for wearing golf togs wherever and whenever—
DO CLOTHES MAKE THE PLAYER? The golf-obsessed coun- not just on the course or at the range. As you can see from
try of South Korea (see p. 52) seems to think so and, through the photos on these pages, a legitimate blurring of the lines
the pandemic to today, has backed up the belief with their between golf and fashion now reigns in South Korea. The
wallets. While specific numbers are difficult to track, it’s esti- success seen in the lifestyle market has influenced even the
mated that golfers worldwide spend around $9 billion on golf most premium of fashion brands, including A.P.C., Lanvin
apparel each year—and 45 percent of that is spent by South and Philipp Plein, to launch golf apparel lines in South Korea.
Koreans. (For those keeping score, the U.S. consumers’ share Nike Golf—as you’d expect—also has a concrete fan base in
is around 25 percent of the global fashion pie.) What South South Korea, thanks to its more reasonable prices and the long-
Koreans buy is youthful, trendy and, most times, expensive, standing Korean perception that Nike is a quality brand for
and, with more and more luxury brands sports in general. But make no mistake—
entering the space, golfers in the Land of golfers south of the 38th parallel love their
the Morning Calm often drop more than 3 athleisure. Number one in this category is
$700 dollars (U.S.) for just a pair of trou- the Korean-born brand XexyMix, which
sers and a polo. has found a way to appease Gens X through
Traditional looks in Korea still indeed Z in equal amounts. Acceptable for work,
hold sway, thanks to stalwart apparel then a hop to a screen-golf facility once
players like Titleist, Golden Bear, Taylor- the whistle blows.
Made and Callaway. Other brands, such There’s an old adage that golf usually
as Master Bunny Edition, Pearly Gates, takes its cues from the U.S. and Japan. You
St. Andrews and Amazing Cre, continue can argue that Korea now holds that position
to see success with consumers in their 30s in the wardrobe space. What you see here
through 50s, especially the “business- might be what you’ll be wearing very soon.
man” set. But with the pandemic came a —Evelyn Suh, Editor at GOLF Korea

42 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 GOLF + SOUTH KOREA

Fresh threads from

Malbon Golf (1), PXG (2, 4)
Titleist (3), TaylorMade
(5), XexyMix (8) and A.P.C.
(6, 7) help fuel South
Korea’s nearly $4.5 billion
golf apparel market.
A rush in spending by
younger golfers who
flocked to the game
during the pandemic sent
sales and design efforts
soaring, with less-tradi-
tional looks finding favor
with all but the oldest
generation of players.
Helping the boom is a
long-standing cultural
tendency to “look the
part” when doing things
considered luxurious,
such as playing golf. The
price tags are often high.
4 5 6 The looks? Très chic.

7 8
 “I’ve gotten to experience
a life that people dream of,
so I’m grateful for that.”
The
GOLF
Magazine By Jessica Marksbury

Interview Photographs by Michael Schwartz

As LEXI THOMPSON bids farewell to the LPGA Tour, the beloved American star
revisits the highs and lows of a golf life lived absolutely in full

45
It’s 8:45 a.m.
on a Tuesday in
August at
Panther National—
a luxe, newly constructed private enclave Thompson’s yearning for a break from
in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., with a the isolating grind of pro golf is under-
championship course codesigned by standable. She first entered the public
Justin Thomas and Jack Nicklaus—and consciousness as a prodigious 12-year-
Lexi Thompson is already seated in the old qualifier at the 2007 U.S. Women’s
hair and makeup chair, prepping for a full Open, and she hasn’t missed a national
day of shooting portraits, videos and sit- championship since. At 16, she won her
ting for a lengthy interview. first LPGA title and successfully peti-
The occasion? A celebration—and tioned the LPGA for membership. More
retrospective—of a career well played. wins followed, including her first and, to
The 29-year-old, who lives 45 minutes date, only major championship: the Kraft
southeast, in Delray Beach, and is among Nabisco Championship (now the Chev-
a handful of top-tier pros to hold a mem- ron Championship) in 2014.
bership at Panther, is calling it a career at Thompson—who grew up in nearby
the end of the 2024 LPGA season. Coral Springs in a household of competi-
Why would one of America’s brightest tive golfers (both of her brothers, Nicholas
stars hang up her cleats at an age when and Curtis, have had modest pro careers)
many of the world’s best players are only shepherded by her parents, Scott and
just entering their competitive prime? Judy—was an American darling from
“I don’t think there’s anything really the moment she entered the pro scene,
for me to prove,” Thompson says. “I’m inspiring legions of young fans with her
forever grateful for being able to play golf dazzling looks, bombs off the tee and a
for a living. But a lot of people don’t see seemingly infinite willingness to sign
the lonely times—going through the air- autographs and engage with fans.
port alone, going to the hotel alone with “I’ve always just wanted to be able to
four or five bags and performing, then give back to the game, to leave it in a bet-
being alone. Good or bad, you don’t have ter place,” she says. “And that’s hopefully Lexi Thompson photographed
at Panther National in Palm Beach
someone to share it with most of the time.” what people look to me as—not only a Gardens, Fla., on August 6, 2024.

The Lexi Effect I mean, what she did Michelle Wie West Solheim Cup team.
How much impact can one player have on the at Solheim last year “Back in 2021 at the The date had been set
sport—and on her peers? Ask them. was amazing. She was U.S. Open at Olympic for a long time, but
playing poorly that Club, Lexi had a no one was expecting
year, but I put her huge lead heading her to show up after
Stacy Lewis to help our tour. There out there in the first into the back nine of what had happened.
“I think Lexi has done was no, ‘I’m a star. match. I put her last the final round. She No one really wants to
a tremendous amount I don’t need to do this in the Sunday singles. ended up losing in be around people after
for women’s golf. I look kind of stuff.’ For me, I put her in pressure pretty heartbreaking something like that.
back to when she came some of it’s also the situations, and she fashion and was, But that night she was
out and the LPGA heartbreak. That’s a crushed it. We need to understandably, one of the first people
was probably at its part of Lexi’s story. continue to celebrate upset. We had a dinner to show up. She stayed
lowest of lows. She did But it’s her bounce- Lexi. She’s helped us planned that night for the entire night and
everything she could back that amazes me. get to where we are.” the potential American had a great attitude.

46 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
I was so impressed with her…. Lexi is so Nelly Korda an LPGA professional. impressive. To watch
by the example she big, so strong and “She really dedicated She embodies all of it. her grow up and
set for the younger so dedicated to her her time to growing To get on the course grow into who she’s
players on that team. game…. That this is the game, [so] it’s sad and be one of the top become, it’s been
I thought it was really her final year, yes, it’s to see that she’s… not competitors ever; great personally, great
cool of her to be a bittersweet for all going to be out here to be able to use her for American golf and
leader in that way.” the players out here, with us anymore…. But energy to interact great for the LPGA.”
all the fans, but… I wish her the best in with people, the —Reporting by
Rose Zhang I couldn’t be happier this new chapter of fans, and then use a Dylan Dethier and
“Honestly, it’s so for her. She seems a lot her life.”* completely different Zephyr Melton
amazing to really more free. She’ll just, type of energy to
see her and to be I guess, live life a little Angela Stanford get out on the golf
able to watch her a bit more, which I’m “I think Lexi embraced course, shut it down *From a 2024 U.S.
Women’s Open press
little bit while playing excited to see her do.”* what it meant to be and get focused, it’s conference

47
“It’s time to be able to go to bed at night and not
going to perform and how I’m going to feel—or
golfer but a great person that has given back weeks. Just taking a little time away travel, getting to see places and enjoy life
back, good or bad day.” from the game and making more time for more. I’ve known golf my whole life—
Even in the wake of devastating heart- myself and my family and my loved ones. I started tournaments when I was seven.
breaks at major championships—a four- Q: How have you felt since making that And training my whole life, too, so I’ve
shot penalty that derailed her during the announcement? really not known any different. So, to be
final round of the 2017 ANA Inspiration, A: A mix of emotions. It’s been on my able to give myself the relief that there is
a five-shot lead evaporating on the back mind for quite some time, but to have light at the end of the tunnel… Of course,
nine of the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open, four it out there in the open that week was I’ve enjoyed every bit of it, but there’s
back-nine bogeys to come up short at the very special. And I had my family there been a lot of downs. There’s been a lot
2022 KPMG—Thompson never lost sight to support me. It was a lot of tears, a lot of things that have been thrown at me
of her personal mission to serve her fans of emotions. But I’ve felt the love from on the golf course that I never thought
and to help elevate the women’s game. everybody around me—my fans, family, would [have been], and it’s hurt. It’s put
In our wide-ranging chat, she plumbs friends—so it’s meant the world. me through some really down times that
the depths of her disappointments and Q: You’re 29 years old. You’ve been compet- I never thought I would experience and
delivers a candid assessment of the joys ing on the LPGA Tour as a pro since you were [did] not know how to deal with. But
and difficulties she’s endured in her life 16. Has retirement been something you’ve whether it’s in sports or not, we all have
and career. But even as Thompson’s been thinking about for a long time? Did you our things that we go through.
LPGA career winds down, a new chap- always have an end date in mind? Q: There are still a few months left in this
ter awaits. And the future is bright indeed. A: As an athlete starting your career, LPGA season. Would winning again change
you never think about the end. You never your mind or make any difference at all?
Q: At the U.S. Women’s Open in May, you want to put a dead timeline on something. A: It wouldn’t make a difference. But,
announced that the 2024 LPGA season You’re just enjoying the process of learn- like I said, I’m just stepping away from
would be your last full season. Is this a true ing and experiencing the journey. But a full-time schedule. I might tee it up a
retirement or just scaling back? I would say I’ve thought about it for a few more times next year, but I’m going
A: I’m definitely stepping away from few years now. It’s definitely been on my to take time for myself, time away and,
a full-time golf schedule, so I won’t be mind, seeing that there’s more to life— if I feel good about it, a lot more life to be
out there every single week or back-to- having a family, getting to experience lived. And if I don’t, and I still want to tee

From left: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images; David Cannon/Getty Images (2)

48 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
worry about the next day and how I’m
how people are going to see me—because of it.”
it up and play in front of my fans, I will. do you feel you missed out on anything? incidents, I’m like, Why do I deserve this?
Q: What does taking time for yourself A: I’ve gotten that question quite a bit, I’m out here busting my butt, trying to
look like? and it’s tough because I don’t feel that win these tournaments and come out on
A: Just having quality time with my fam- I’ve missed out because I also feel like the top, with all the training and practic-
ily, my spouse, and just enjoying that time I’ve gained so much experience, whether ing I’ve done. And to not be able to either
for me—getting to experience life, travel, it’s from meeting people, getting to travel come down the stretch with a win—and
take up another sport or another hobby. the world at 14, 15 years old. I’ve gotten to hear the things people say—it’s just,
It’s time to be able to go to bed at night to experience a life that people dream nobody deserves it. I struggle with it to
and not worry about the next day and how of, so I’m grateful for that. Do I feel like this day, and I’ve [sought] a lot of help
I’m going to perform and how I’m going I’ve missed out on the college experience for it, which I think everybody should
to feel—or how people are going to see and going to high school? Of course, yes. do because, in the moment, sometimes
me—because of it. Just giving my mind But, big picture, no. I knew golf is what you’re like, Oh, I just want to deal with it
that mental shutdown and feeling okay I wanted to do at the age of 12, and I knew alone. But it’s probably the worst thing
with myself; not having to perform and the only way I could play against the best you can do. You have to surround your-
be this perfect person—that’s what I’m was if I sacrificed going to school. self with the people that love you and have
probably looking forward to the most. Q: You mentioned how glamorous your life their support to get through those tough
Q: Are you married? can look from the outside and how difficult times, because going through it alone is
A: No. I’m not married. it can be in the behind-the-scenes moments. the worst possible thing. A lot of the time
Q: Just checking. Thought there might be a And you’ve endured some agonizing defeats I do. I struggle alone.
secret marriage to reveal. at the majors in recent years: the ANA in Q: Who do you turn to in those times? What
A: No, no, no. I am in a relationship but 2017, the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open at Olym- ultimately pulls you from the abyss?
not married. Hopefully, one day. pic, the 2022 KPMG at Congressional. How A: Usually family. I always go back to my
Q: Let’s do a quick résumé recap. You have did those experiences shape you? family, because they’ve been with me
11 LPGA wins, including a major. Six Sol- A: I still think about them quite a bit from the start, there to [tell me] that they
heim Cup appearances, two Olympics. You because they were huge moments in my love me no matter what happens, and
recently competed on the PGA Tour, com- career. I learned a lot about myself and to be there for me through those down
ing this close to making the cut. Do you feel how strong I am to be able to get through times. But it’s hard to hear sometimes,
satisfied with that list of accomplishments? those things. But, yeah, I’m not going to because you feel so down that you don’t
A: I definitely do. Of course, with the sit here and say, “Oh, I learned so much,” know how to let anybody in. I think it’s
amount of time and training I’ve put into and that’s all. They hurt, especially ANA. what I struggle with even to this day—
my life and my career, I always feel like [Ed. note: After holding a two-shot lead with putting up a front that I am okay and that
I should accomplish more. But I always six holes to play in the final round, Thomp- I’m this perfect person. But even behind
have to remind myself to read that list, son was assessed a four-shot penalty for my smile, sometimes I’m in so much pain
because, being an athlete, sometimes you incorrectly replacing her ball during the that nobody ever sees, because of those
never think you’re good enough because, third round—an infraction that was called down times and not getting the results
in golf, you lose more than you win. in by a TV viewer. She ultimately lost the I want. It’s sad, [because] it’s just a game.
Q: You mentioned how much more to life tournament in a playoff.] I think I locked But, in reality, it’s been my life.
there is than golf. You were homeschooled myself in the room after it happened. Q: You’ve been open about dealing with
after elementary school, and you didn’t go to I cried the whole night. I didn’t want any- things like body-image issues, social media
college. You played your first U.S. Women’s body near me. It was like my dream was bullying, the despair of tournament disap-
Open at age 12, and you were playing as a just ripped right from my hands, because pointments. You’ve said that words hurt and
professional at age 16. When you look back, that was a tournament I always imagined can be hard to ignore. Do you sometimes
I would win. So, to have that taken away wish that social media just didn’t exist?
Opposite (from left): 12-year-old Lexi with her for something that I didn’t even realize [I A: One hundred percent. I love reach-
dad, Scott, on the bag at her first U.S. Women’s
Open; triumphant after her lone major win; and
did], that I would never do, and then to be ing out to my little fans [through social
in tears after a crushing loss at the 2017 ANA. called a cheater and a choker for all these media], to girls that want to play the

49
Lexi:
A Life in
Numbers*
Qualified for her first
U.S. Women’s Open:
2007 (at age 12)

Turned professional:
2010 (at age 15)

Became an LPGA
member: 2012 season
(at age 17)

LPGA events
played**: 273

LPGA cuts
made**: 225

LPGA wins**: 11

LPGA top 10s**: 91

Other professional
wins: 4

Major wins: 1
(2014 Kraft Nabisco
Championship aka
the Chevron
Championship)

Second place
finishes in the
majors: 4

Top 10s in the

majors: 20

Best season
scoring average:
69.11 (2017)

Peak world
ranking: 2nd
(in 2017, ’18 and ’19)

Olympic
appearances: 2

Solheim Cup
appearances: 6

Solheim Cup
record: 9-7-7
(in 23 matches)

Official career
earnings:
$14,548,540

*Through the 2024

CPKC Women’s Open
**Since 2007

Scan here to see

the full video inter-
view between Lexi
and GOLF Senior
Editor Jessica
Marksbury, watch
Lexi give Marks-
bury a swing lesson
and get three top
driving tips from
the legend herself.
 “Family’s such a huge part of my life,
and that’s always been something that I’ve
wanted. So that’s at the top of my list.”
game, but for everything else, it’s sad. it off as much as you can, but it’s tough. graphs is, good or bad day—those people
I wish it never existed. Q: Could you empathize a bit with Rory came out to support me. Good or bad day,
Q: How do you ignore it? McIlroy, given the criticism he endured over they came out to take five, six hours of
A: I don’t. That’s the problem. I do see the short putts he missed at the U.S. Open? their day to come out and watch me golf.
the comments, and if something bad hap- A: Yeah. It’s brutal. I didn’t get to watch The least I can do is sign an autograph,
pens at a tournament it’s, like, that’s all that live, but I heard about it, and then take a picture. Sometimes I have had
they post because that’s all they want to that’s all my social was. And I’m like, Are tears rolling down my face, and they see
see. So, yeah, I like to take a break from it. you serious? This guy is one of the best in the that. I’m not afraid to show that, because
When I can go on vacation and just turn world. And to focus on these two putts? Give that’s me. That’s me hurting. But, also,
off my phone I’m like, See you. the guy a break. it’s me smiling and signing autographs
Q: Athletes are starting to talk about the Q: Has golf always been enjoyable for you? too. I want to make people’s day. I know
importance of mental health a lot more. Obviously, we’re talking about some tough it goes a long way in their hearts.
You were one of the first golfers to vocalize times, but, in the scheme of things, has the Q: Let’s pretend we can look five years into
your need for a break from social media. enjoyment outweighed the grind? Or is that the future. What do you see yourself doing?
A: I think people see mental health and part of why this is your final year? A: At 34, I would definitely like to be set-
think, Oh, if you’re struggling, that’s a weak- A: Yes, definitely that last part. I think tled down, married and probably have a
ness. I struggled with that as well. I was it was a lot more enjoyable when I was kid. That’s my number one. Family’s such
like, I don’t want people to think that I’m younger, because it’s new to me, right? a huge part of my life, and that’s always
hurting. Or, They’re going to say that I’m It’s what I grew up doing, and what I’ve been something that I’ve wanted. So
weak. But there’s only so much you can wanted to do. To go out there, practice, that’s at the top of my list. Other than
deal with. You have to be able to share have a group of friends, have my brothers that, I’m about to launch my Lexi Fitness
those emotions, whether it’s with family, out there—it’s fun. In professional golf, app. Fitness is a huge passion of mine, so
Hair and makeup: Gina Simone for Creative Management; Wardrobe stylist: Thays Vick

friends or somebody you seek help with. you’re a lone survivor, and it’s your job, to give people an idea of the workouts
It’s so important, and it’s not a weakness; right? We’re 130, 140 women out there I go through might help them. Hopefully,
it’s a sign of strength that you go and get playing to win every week. And it’s as we’ll branch out into the golf side of things
this help, that you want to be better and competitive as any industry is. Some days on the app too. Maybe that’ll open up a
you want to live your best life. are more enjoyable than others, but, yeah, door for opening up my own gym one
Q: One of the criticisms you’ve had to face it’s a lot doing it day in, day out ever since day to keep me busy. I still may do char-
over the course of your career is how you deal you were seven. ity golf outings, but who knows. I’ve just
with pressure. Has that been fair? Q: What brings you the most joy in life? got to take it day by day.
A: With the amount that all of us [pro A: Time with my family—when I get to go Q: Are you most excited about anything
golfers] go through, and what we’ve given home and be around them, put my sweats in this next chapter? Sleeping in, maybe?
and sacrificed for the sport, I don’t think on, put my baggy shirt on, no makeup, A: Yes, please. I’m looking forward to that
it’s fair for anybody who can’t do it them- hair up. That’s the time I enjoy the most the most, not having to be somewhere
selves to question us. We’re out there put- because they know the real me. every time I wake up; just to be able to
ting ourselves in that position willingly. Q: You’ve been a fan favorite since you go through my days with whatever I want
We don’t deserve any criticism. burst on the pro golf scene. You’ve always to do. I’ve known nothing but, All right,
Q: Is there a time that you felt the pressure made signing autographs and engaging with wake up at 6:00 a.m., train by 6:30 a.m.,
was too much for you? your fans a priority. Even in dark moments, be there for an hour, go to the golf course for
A: Not a particular time. I feel like proba- with tears streaming down your face, you’ve four or five hours. I’m just looking forward
bly more [when] I was ranked the highest signed. Where does that come from? to not having to rush to be somewhere or
in my career, just being a top American. A: My parents raising me the way they to answer to somebody. Just living a nor-
It’s a lot of pressure to deal with. You shut did. The way I look at it, signing auto- mal, laid-back life.

51
 GOLF + SOUTH KOREA

The Golf
FIX(ATION)
PRACTICALLY NOTHING IN
SOUTH KOREA IS UNTOUCHED
BY THE COUNTRY’S OBSESSIVE
LOVE OF THE GAME.
(EVEN THIS STUNNING PLACE.)

52 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
Left: The watery wonders of
Haesley, in the city of Yeoju-si.

SEOUL
DEEP
In South Korea’s capital
city you can barely walk a
block without running into
a neon-lit driving range,
a jam-packed simulator
joint or a sign—in fashion,
in business, in culture, in
the pro ranks—that this
golf-mad nation will ever
stop swinging for... the nets.
BY JOSH SENS

On
a sweltering afternoon in Seoul’s
Gangnam district, the most expensive
zip code in South Korea, I’m standing
outside Pastel Golf Club when a Mase-
rati pulls up to the bag drop, easing to
a stop behind a Lamborghini. A young
man in neon golf attire hops out.
An attendant grabs his sticks—gold-
plated PXGs, custom Scotty Cameron
putter—while another staffer bows and
grabs the clubhouse door. It’s a grand
entrance for a guy who’s come to hit balls
off a mat into a net.
“As you can see,” Jin-Woo Kim tells
me through a translator as the man walks
by, “this is a premium experience.”
Slender and dapper in a dark black
suit, Kim is the general manager of

53
 GOLF + SOUTH KOREA

Pastel GC, which, despite its name,

is not a golf club. It’s a driving range
squeezed into a neighborhood of high-
end department stores and luxury tow-
ers. Through the clubhouse lobby, Kim
leads me past a restaurant and a pro
shop to a practice complex, where
indoor putting greens and simulator
stations look out on triple-decker hit-
ting bays. Each stall is outfitted with
stat-tracking technology, and all are
occupied. Balls pop up automatically on
rubber tees. Drives max out, mid-flight,
inside a meshed enclosure before drop-
ping to a tarp that protects the showy
cars parked in the lot below.
“We are busy like this almost all day
and night,” Kim says.
There are many ways to measure
golf ’s prominence in South Korea. One
is to tally the number of LPGA Tour win-
ners the country has produced (49).
Another is to tick off economic stats.
South Korean companies spend lavishly
on golf. They own such leading brands as
TaylorMade and Titleist and provide title

The
Etiquetteist:
sponsorship to several PGA Tour events. No single metric, though, conveys the
Previous page: Gary Lisbon

South Korea
Edition, No. 1 South Korean consumers punch above full story. The game’s impact across the
At the country’s high-end golf courses, their weight as well, shelling out more country is cultural and economic (p. 67).
caddies are de rigueur and, generally, female. per capita on gear and apparel than their It rounds out business deals, influences
Four bags are strapped along the back of a
large cart, which carries all four golfers and counterparts anywhere else. It all adds fashion (p. 42), gives shape to retail and
typically stays on the cart path. Your caddie
runs back and forth to retrieve whatever
up to the third-largest golf market in the recreation trends. In the wealthiest cor-
clubs you and your playing partners need. world, after the United States and Japan. ners, it informs the rhythms of daily life.

54 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 The
Etiquetteist:
South Korea
Edition, No. 2
In most cases, it’s mandatory to book a
foursome, and if you can only muster three
players, you still pay for four.

Given the time and cost involved in

getting out, a lot of golfers wind up stay-
ing in instead, hitting balls into nets and
screens. Nowhere in the world are alter-
native forms of the game more popu-
lar. And nowhere is that popularity
more apparent than in Seoul, the capi-
tal, where covered ranges rise like scaf-
folding on the skyline and simulator
venues are as common as karaoke joints.

They serve a karaoke-like function

too. In Korean, the word bang means
room, and it is widely used in reference
to themed-entertainment venues where
people come to party and pursue a pas-
time, often in that order. A noraebang, for
instance, is a singing room, while a PC
bang is an internet café that draws a fair
share of avid gamers. Screen-golf bangs
in South Korea started gaining steam in
the early aughts, propelled by a company
called Golfzon, an industry disruptor that
has grown into an establishment force,
commanding around 60 per-
From far left: cent of a domestic screen-golf
A Golfzon-
hosted GTour market that generates an esti-
event played
in front of a
mated $1.6 billion in annual
live audience; revenue.
instructor
Austin Na Today, Golfzon has more
(Kevin’s bro)
with students
than 8,700 locations around
at the Team the country and another 1,050
Na Golf Acad-
emy in Yongin, around the world, including
a suburb of 160 in the U.S. These venues
Seoul.
range in size and swankiness
but all revolve around rooms for sip-
ping, snacking and smacking shots into
Out of a population of 51 million, about ber of green-grass layouts in the coun- screens. According to the company, some
one in 10 South Koreans plays golf. (In try has nearly doubled, from around 250 94 million rounds were logged on Golf-
the U.S., that figure is closer to one in 13.) to upward of 500. Many, though, are pri- zon simulators in South Korea last year,
How they play is another matter. Mostly, vate, with initiation dues north of $1 mil- nearly twice the number of traditional
they don’t play on real courses. But it’s lion. And nearly all are situated far from rounds played nationwide.
not that South Korea lacks these options major cities, accessible by roads that back “I fell in love with the game in a place
(p. 64). In the past 20 years, the num- up like rush-hour freeways in L.A. like this,” Taehyun Kong says.

55
 GOLF + SOUTH KOREA

From left: A typical simulator bay at Golfzon

It’s another sauna of a day, hot and more than 200 tournaments and given in Seoul’s Gangnam neighborhood; the
muggy. But we’re in an air-conditioned out nearly $12 million in prize money. trippy interior at ShowGolf, a magnet for
South Korea’s younger golfers; Joseph Cho,
suite in an office high-rise: Golfzon’s Its events are staged in a screen-golf ShowGolf’s CEO; and Golfzon Zoimaru, the
largest location in the capital. Kong, stadium at Golfzon Zoimaru, a sprawl- epic and arty theme park in Daejeon.

an effervescent 31-year-old with the ing theme park about three hours from
broad-shouldered build of the base- Seoul, and broadcast live on national TV. fetch 10 times that much—and a gen-
ball standout he used to be, is stand- Not even the most ardent screen- tler learning curve.
ing on an artificial-turf tee, waggling a golf lovers would argue that simulated “No wind or rain,” Kong says. “It’s
driver, taking aim at a simulated fairway. golf and real golf are the same. But just easier to play.”
When Kong was growing up, no one in they might call them complementary Still, the skills are transferable.

Previous page: Courtesy Golfzon; Choongyul Park

his family played golf. He didn’t touch a while pointing to statistical correlations This past July, the GTour golfer Hong-
club until he was 15, when an injury side- between the two. Surveys show that 64 taek Kim, nicknamed “the King of the
lined him from the diamond and friends percent of golfers in South Korea play Screen” for his 12 wins on the circuit,
invited him on a screen-golf outing. both forms of the game, and indus- claimed a green-grass victory on the
“It was so much fun,” Kong says. “I try studies indicate that, over the past Korean PGA Tour. (Many GTour golf-
was hooked right away.” decade, the two sectors have grown hand ers play the KPGA as well; others supple-
Though Kong still plays on simulators in hand. ment their income as golf instructors and
for kicks, his passion has become his pro- Screen golf, of course, is an easier way social-media influencers.) And he’s not
fession. He’s among the stalwarts on the to get started, with lower costs—some the only screen golfer whose game can
GTour, the world’s first and largest pro- $20 per round to rent a simulator room, travel. Kong himself gets it around nicely
fessional screen-golf circuit. Launched depending on the time of day and loca- on real courses. He’s a member of the
by Golfzon in 2012, the GTour has held tion, compared to green fees that can Korean national golf team and a former

K-POP
1988 five majors among 25 2002
Ok-Hee Ku captures the LPGA titles. Of the past 27 Choi wins the Zurich Clas-
Standard Register Tur- USWO champions, 11 have sic for the first of his eight
quoise Classic to become been from South Korea. PGA Tour titles.
Forget music: South Korea has produced a fleet the first Korean winner on
the LPGA Tour. 1999 2006
of golf stars in its relatively short time in the K.J. Choi, the son of South Y.E. Yang wins the HSBC
spotlight. Here’s a look at accomplishments linked 1998 Korean farmers, makes Championship at China’s
to the Land of the Morning Calm in less than a Se-Ri Pak becomes the it through Q-School to Sheshan GC over World
first Korean major cham- become the first Korean No. 1 Tiger Woods and
half century since it first stormed the stage. pion at the U.S. Women’s to play full time on the World No. 2 Jim Furyk.
By Evan Rothman Open, eventually capturing PGA Tour.

56 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 semifinalist in the Asian Games, with a demographic. Golfzon is the biggie took a job in the Democratic Republic
sturdy swing that he’s getting ready to in the screen-golf sector, but its main of Congo as a security guard for a dia-
show off now. competition comes from the internet mond dealer. There, in his off-hours,
His waggle finished, Kong takes a conglomerate Kakao, a relative new- he was introduced to golf on a ram-
mighty lash, launching a ball into the bie to the space, whose golf simulators shackle course.
screen. He grins and flexes playfully. feature colorful animated characters. From Africa, Cho moved to Califor-
“Bryson DeChambeau!” he says, as his Grandpa is clearly not the target mar- nia, where he worked as a janitor in a
drive soars through a digitized sky, land- ket. On the outskirts of Seoul, mean- sports stadium and a burger flipper in
This page, from left: Choongyul Park (3); Courtesy Golfzon

ing more than 300 simulated yards away. while, where land is less expensive than a fast-food joint, before returning to his
it is in the city center, tricked-out driv- home country in the early 2000s, right
ing ranges cater to Gen Y and Zers with around the time that a course-construc-
Though South Korea has a fledgling everything from music and glow balls tion boom was getting underway. Seeing
First Tee program, it is not a country rich to laser shows.
in grassroots golf. Very few people speak Among the most impressive of these
of “growing the game.” At most courses, youthful concepts is ShowGolf, which, The
kids aren’t allowed to play. Even elite fittingly, was founded by a golf indus- Etiquetteist:
South Korea
juniors strike the bulk of their shots at try outsider, an up-from-nothing entre- Edition, No. 3
academy practice ranges (p. 61). preneur named Joseph Cho. Born to
That’s where the alt-golf market a working-class family in Seoul, Cho Caddies are often quite animated, and they
genuinely cheer you on. They celebrate birdies,
comes in. In recent years, nontradi- had no contact with the game until sometimes by placing a gold star on your
tional golf venues have been going his early 20s, when, after military ser- scorecard, sometimes by attaching small,
inexpensive charms—a butterfly, maybe, or a
to greater lengths to reach a younger vice in South Korea’s special forces, he heart—to your driver headcover.

2007 2009 at TPC San Antonio during Ricoh Women’s British round in a major, en route
Choi wins the Memorial Yang wins the Honda for the Valero Texas Open. Open, held at The Old to winning the Evian in her
Tournament in front of his first Tour victory, then Five PGA Tour titles still Course at St. Andrews. first major-championship
host Jack Nicklaus, whose ends Woods’ 14-for-14 gave Na the last laugh appearance.
book Golf My Way helped success streak when lead- before he departed for LIV Sang-Moon Bae wins the
teach him the game. ing majors after 54 holes in 2022. first of two PGA Tour On the men’s circuit,
by winning the PGA Cham- titles at the HP Byron Seung-Yul Noh wins the
Pak becomes the first pionship at Hazeltine. 2013 Nelson Championship. Zurich Classic.
Korean and youngest- Inbee Park wins the
ever player to qualify for 2011 season’s first three LPGA 2014 2015
the World Golf Hall of Korean-born Kevin Na majors before her Grand Teenager Hyo Joo Kim In Gee Chun wins the 2015
Fame. makes a 16 on the 9th hole Slam bid is derailed at the shoots 61, the lowest-ever U.S. Women’s Open at

57
 GOLF + SOUTH KOREA

an opportunity, Cho launched a tee-time from rock to K-pop to R&B. Kids are wel-
booking service. come. Pets are too. Operating hours are
“I spent years cold-calling courses,” from midmorning to 2 a.m. Others feel the opposite. “I might play
Cho says. “Nobody knew me. Nobody “I’m trying to make it easy for every- screen golf if my tee time gets rained
wanted to hear from me. It took me one,” Cho says. out,” Tyler Kwon says. “But otherwise,
years, but I finally broke through.” ShowGolf now has five locations, and never, really.”
The business made Cho a wealthy Cho has become an industry insider. It’s early morning, midweek, and
man while opening his eyes to other He runs one of the country’s largest Kwon is at the wheel of his white Mer-
golf-related prospects. golf-merchandise shows and recently cedes, navigating outbound traffic on
“Golf in Korea is a rich person’s bought a golf resort in Japan. Though his way to play the game as he prefers
sport,” he says. “But other people should he’s not a member of any fancy club, to play it. His destination is Bear Creek
have a chance to play it too.” he has friends in high places and gets Golf Club, one of his favorite courses,
In 2019, he unveiled his first Show- invited to outings often. about an hour from Seoul.
Golf, a multitiered, high-tech driving His participation is conditional. “I’ll A lushly maintained, water-laden lay-
range that is something like a Topgolf play if someone else is treating,” he says. out with ample elevation changes, Bear
with a street-punk tinge. The walls are “But I’m not going to pay that kind of Creek reflects the pervading course aes-
covered in graffiti. The soundtrack spans money to play golf.” thetic in South Korea, where the rustic

Lancaster (Pa.) CC—and 2016 2017 Open at Kingsbarns. 114 holes without a bogey,
starts a foundation that Park qualifies for the Sung Hyun Park becomes breaking Tiger Woods’
awards educational schol- World Golf Hall of Fame the first player since On the PGA Tour, Si Woo professional record.
arships to members of the and captures the gold Nancy Lopez to win LPGA Kim, 21, becomes the
Lancaster community. medal at the Summer Rookie of the Year and youngest-ever Players Smooth-swinging Sung-
Olympics. Player of the Year in the champion at TPC Saw- Jae Im wins PGA Tour
South Korea hosts its first same season—winning the grass, the second of four Rookie of the Year.
Presidents Cup, with an Pak retires from the game U.S. Women’s Open along Tour titles to date.
International team that after a tournament the way, naturally. In his 159th start, Sung
includes homegrown stars round back home in South 2019 Kang captures the AT&T
Choi, Bae and Korean- Korea. In-Kyung Kim wins the Fifteen-time LPGA Tour Byron Nelson for his first
born Kiwi Danny Lee. Ricoh Women’s British winner Jin Young Ko goes PGA Tour victory.

58 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 elements of modern minimalism hold without exception, courses require that The
little sway. This is partly due to the ter- tee times be booked for four and charge Etiquetteist:
South Korea
rain; much of South Korea is mountain- full freight no matter how many people Edition, No. 4
ous and rocky, ill-suited to links-inspired wind up playing. Groups, consequently,
designs. But it’s also a matter of con- get filled out in advance. The sight of a Wagering is standard—sometimes only for
caddie fees, but not many matches are played
sumer taste. As is true in much of Asia, single on the putting green, waiting to for pride or score alone.
browned-out and bouncy are not pre- be paired with strangers, is as rare as
ferred conditions. Augusta-green is the an albatross.
favored look. On this morning, two of Kwon’s play- ern California, immersed in the game.
A construction company owns Bear ing partners have beaten us to Bear “But it was pretty obvious from an
Creek, which hints at something else Creek. They’re sitting in the club- early age that Kevin had more compet-
about the game in South Korea: Munici- house when we arrive. One is Austin itive drive,” Na says. “He was also just
pal golf is close to nonexistent. The vast Na, older brother of the PGA Tour vet- better at golf than me, so my parents
majority of clubs are privately owned. eran-turned-LIV-golfer Kevin. Like his basically said, Okay, Kevin’s going to be
Quite a few belong to the country’s larg- younger sibling, Austin grew up in South- the golfer, you focus on school.”
est conglomerates, including Samsung, A fine player in his own right, Na
Hyundai and CJ Group (p. 68). Corpo- Opposite: Many of Seoul’s driving ranges and wound up carving out a different place
rate memberships abound. simulator bars put the accent on high energy,
others, like the high-end Club D, on elegance.
in the industry, as a TV commentator
Such arrangements are a natural Below: A puzzle-piece par 3 at Bear Creek GC. for South Korea’s version of Golf Chan-
extension of a culture in which golf
and business flow seamlessly together.
Unlike in the U.S., where on-course
wheeling and dealing is often frowned
upon, talking shop at the club is stan-
dard practice in South Korea, expected
and respected.
“If you look at the foursome ahead of
From left: Courtesy Club D (2) ; Courtesy Bear Creek

you,” Kwon says, “there’s a good chance

it’s a CEO playing with three clients or
colleagues.”
Kwon is well-connected in those cir-
cles. Born in the U.S. to Korean parents,
he grew up in New York and worked on
Wall Street after college before moving
on to a finance job in China. Now in his
early 40s, he heads his own Seoul-based
private equity firm. Most weeks, he gets
out at least once, playing with a small,
rotating group of friends. In South Korea,
it helps to have a reliable cohort. Almost

2020 winner since World War OUT OF A POPULATION OF

51 MILLION, ABOUT ONE IN
Mirim Lee chips in for II, shooting a Sunday 61
eagle on the 72nd hole to capture the Wyndham
at the ANA Inspiration, Championship—the first of
setting up a playoff, which
she wins with a birdie on
the first extra hole for her
three Tour titles to date.
10 SOUTH KOREANS PLAY
GOLF. HOW THEY PLAY IS
2024
first major title. After 21 top 10s in 74 prior
major starts, Amy Yang
2022
At 20, Tom Kim becomes
breaks through for her first
Slam title at the Women’s ANOTHER MATTER. MOSTLY,
the second-youngest Tour PGA Championship.
IT’S NOT ON REAL COURSES.

59
 GOLF + SOUTH KOREA

nel and as one of the country’s most be remote-controlled and never leaves
sought-after instructors, whose stable the path. Long walks from ball to buggy
of students includes top players on the are part of the deal. Because gambling
KLPGA and KPGA tours. is standard, grinding is too. If you’re
As it happens, a KLPGA tournament stuck behind slowpokes, so be it. Play-
is beaming from a TV in the Bear Creek ing through is not permitted.
clubhouse. That’s usually the case at “Things are definitely more formal
almost any course on any given day in than in the States,” Kwon says.
South Korea. Dominant on the global It’s a shade past noon, and he and his
stage, South Korean women rule the group are more than midway through
domestic market too. Their tour holds the back nine and about four hours into
more events than the men’s circuit, pays their round. They’ve been doing some
bigger purses and draws greater media waiting, but no one seems to mind. The
attention. Its players attract more spon- mood is light. Though they’re playing
sors too. a match, the stakes are low, with little
Male or female, though, nearly all more than bragging rights on the line.
elite golfers in South Korea have some- Not that things couldn’t suddenly get
thing in common: They start young and expensive. Make a hole in one in South
follow a prescribed path that calls for Korea and you aren’t just buying drinks.
single-minded focus. You’re tipping the caddie (“anywhere
“It’s not like in the States where you from $500 to $1,000,” Kwon says) and
can pick up the game by maybe going to treating your playing partners to a big
the driving range with your parents or night out. “And when I say big, I mean
playing the par 3s, and after a few years, big,” Kwon says. “We’re talking $5,000
if you’re really good at it, you might con- to $10,000 or more.”
sider taking it further,” Na says. “In It could be worse. In past generations,
Korea, you don’t see casual junior golf- tradition called for the lucky golfer to
ers. The game is too expensive and takes outfit each of his playing partners with
so many resources, your parents aren’t tailored suits.
going to just let you pick it up as a hobby. The 18th hole arrives at Bear Creek,
From the get-go, it’s all-in.” and no one has made an ace. But with
Playing recreationally requires com- his final putt, Kwon makes birdie, which
mitment, too, and not just because of the he uses as an excuse to needle Na.
commute. Few rounds in South Korea “Maybe I should be doing the teach-
break land-speed records. Even breezy ing,” he says.
outings routinely take five hours and In Korean, giving someone grief
include a light sit-down lunch or snack at is known as giving someone “Gucci.”
the turn, an interlude that lasts some 20 On the course, even smack talk has a
to 30 minutes. Every foursome is accom- luxe tilt.
panied by a caddie, who drives the group The banter continues over post-round
around in a five-person cart that can also drinks. Wisecracks. Ribbing. In between
laughs, Kwon checks his phone.
“Uh oh,” he says. “We should get
SOME RANGES going.”
There is now an obstacle that no golfer
CATER TO in South Korea, no matter how skilled or
The
Etiquetteist:
GEN Y AND ZERS well-connected or obsessively invested
in the game, could overcome without a
South Korea
Edition, No. 5
WITH GLOW helicopter. The traffic has turned. The
BALLS AND
Between nines, there’s a customary 20-
same drive that took less than an hour to 30-minute break for a light sit-down
in the morning is going to eat up more lunch and (usually) a beer. It’s not the

LASER SHOWS. than double that in reverse.

prolonged mid-round meal you find
in Japan, but it’s not a quick turn either.

60 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 At Chris Mayson’s
World Golf Perfor-
mance academy,
instructor Kenny Kim
(near left) elevates
his students’ games.

Here, Life Is About

LESSONS
Choongyul Park

Pressure to reach the game’s upper echelons is so full-on for young

Koreans that “Drills, baby, drills!” doesn’t capture the half of it. BY NICK DIMENGO

61
 GOLF + SOUTH KOREA

each know the moment we fell in love

with the game. Many of us around my
age (40) summon the image of 21-year-
old Tiger Woods walking off No. 18 at
Augusta National after his runaway win
at the 1997 Masters. It wasn’t just the
fiery uppercut after holing out, it was
Woods’ embrace of his father, Earl, that
forever fused the emotion, exhilaration
and inspirational power of the sport.
What was that collective moment—
or who was that galvanizing hero—for
the people of South Korea?
“Easy answer: Se-Ri Pak,” says GOLF instruction. But unlike in the States, the “A lot of times, when a student shows
Top 100 Teacher Brian Mogg, who’s run experience is more than just a few hours up for their lessons, the family comes as
an academy in the country since 2009. a week between student and teacher. well,” he says. “The family’s buying into
“Some of the kids who are 20 or 22 years It’s a lifestyle commitment that, often, the dream, and it’s the family’s dream to
old, we ask them how they got here, what involves the focus of a player’s entire have this child raise them to a higher level.
their reason for playing is. They all say family. Mogg understood this early on It’s bigger than just going pro. These kids
the same thing: ‘When I was three years and employed former LPGA players to are expected to be the next superstar.”
old, I saw Se-Ri on TV holding up a tro- serve as coaches at his academy in Seoul. Perhaps for good reason. Children
phy and I wanted to be like her.’ ” These aren’t just instructors; they pur- don’t play casual golf in Korea. They’re
To truly understand why Pak—a posefully play the role of parental fig- not even allowed on most courses. They
25-time winner on the LPGA Tour and ure for many of the students. are either on a competitive path or not,
2007 inductee into the World Golf Hall “They’re a big part of my success,” in part because instruction in the coun-
of Fame—remains a cult icon in South Mogg says. try is crazy expensive—about ten grand
Korea, you first have to familiarize your- Even with the encompassing support a month at a typical academy. That pres-
self with a culture that puts powerful provided by Mogg’s team, parents are
emphasis on pride, discipline, compet- still heavily involved in every aspect of a
The
itiveness and respect. Ask any profes- player’s progress. Mogg remembers the Etiquetteist:
sional golfer what it takes to excel and all-in experience of one of his former stu- South Korea
those same words might surface. dents who eventually turned pro and, as Edition, No. 6
It’s that attention to detail that has is not uncommon in Korea, was counted Jumping ahead of a group is pretty much
made South Korea a hotbed of golf on to increase the family’s fortunes. forbidden, even if they lag at the turn.

62 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 “WHEN A STUDENT SHOWS UP FOR THEIR
LESSONS, THE FAMILY COMES AS WELL. IT’S THE
FAMILY’S DREAM TO HAVE THIS CHILD RAISE
THEM TO A HIGHER LEVEL.”

sure rolls back on the player if they are

lucky enough to make it on the pro circuit.
And, remarkably, many do. In the current
Rolex rankings, 30 of the top 100 female
golfers in the world hail from Korea.

Brian Mogg isn’t the only instructor

struck by the intense commitment of
young Koreans. Kenny Kim, a former U.C.
Irvine collegian and pro who’s one of two
Korea-based instructors at an academy
owned by GOLF Top 100 Teacher Chris
Mayson, grew up in Korea before moving
to the U.S. at age 11 to pursue the game
under the influence of his parents, who
This page, from left: Courtesy Brian Mogg (2); Next page: Courtesy Haesley; Joann Dost; Courtesy Nine Bridges

figured the States would better prepare

him for a career in the sport.
After his playing days ended at age Opposite and above: GOLF Top 100 Teacher Brian Mogg with some of his South Korean mentees.
Mogg’s instruction wins in the country date back to 2009—and include a major with Y.E. Yang.
29, Kim returned to Korea to focus on
helping young golfers learn the game,
using his own upbringing as a blueprint
to connect with their values and hard if they can start the ball dead straight.” Still, Mogg finds teaching in the coun-
work. His students work relentlessly. There’s a widespread perception that try to be tremendously rewarding. He
“It’s Monday through Friday or Satur- Korean golfers spring from a rigid, assem- had the honor of coaching the first-ever
day,” he says. “These kids are here all day, bly line system that stamps out robotic major champion born in Asia, Y.E. Yang,
every day. I know they’re committed.” clones. In fact, that system not only allows who surged from behind to defeat Tiger
Everything, Kim says, is about compe- for individualism, it encourages it. Woods at the 2009 PGA Championship.
tition. “[In Korea], kids will tell me how That’s another unique adjustment The memory is still fresh. “After Y.E.
they need to shoot 80 to beat another kid. Mogg has had to make. Method teach- won the PGA, we landed in Seoul at
I’m like, ‘No, you just need to get better.’ ” ing—in which you commit to just one 4:30 in the morning,” Mogg says. “Y.E.
Another big difference between style of instruction—isn’t considered is holding the Wanamaker Trophy and
instruction in Korea versus the States? acceptable in Korea. The most successful we walk out of this little baggage claim
“We work on drills,” says Kim, “but we instructors take an approach that care- area, turn the corner, and it had to be
don’t really have access to golf courses.” fully caters to each student. the equivalent of The Beatles coming to
Mogg echoes that, describing small “While the Korean style of learning is America—the hero returned home and
side rooms in which students, with put- more left-brained and technical,” Mogg all of Seoul was in the waiting room to
ting mats and eyeline mirrors, will spend says, “you still have to work with each greet and celebrate him.”
hours practicing their stroke. person, to treat them as an individual No doubt, somewhere in Seoul, a young
“An American player would literally and to make sure your lessons are being Korean had eyes on Yang and his gargan-
spend 90 seconds there each day,” he conveyed that way. I have to fight my nat- tuan trophy, maybe saw themselves in
says, “but these kids will put in an hour ural instincts and [adapt] to how natu- him and fell in love with the game.
on a two- or three-foot putt, trying to see rally they learn the best.” We all have that singular moment.

63
 GOLF + SOUTH KOREA

FAR, FAR
AWAY
Real estate is so
tight in golf-crazed
Seoul that many of
South Korea’s most
spectacular courses
are, of necessity,
located in distant
places. Think
of the country’s
course design this
way: unique, a little
elusive and very,
very exclusive.
BY RAN MORRISSETT
Architecture Editor

the 1950s, South Korea

was one of the poorest
countries in the world— Haesley
and now it’s one of the
wealthiest. That speaks to
the hardworking nature of
its people. Whatever they
set their minds to, quality
inevitably follows with a islands, 70 percent of its Korean tracks are typically
distinctive South Korean terrain is mountainous. Yet at a distance from Seoul,
it’s home to 51 million people and they capitalize on the
twist. To grasp how that
has manifested itself in golf and about 500 golf courses. country’s uncommon beauty
course design, you first (Indiana, with a population and natural features.
of just 7 million, has a little Take members-only Nine
need to know a bit about the
country’s geography. over 400 courses.) Against Bridges, the top-rated
South Korea is roughly that backdrop, you can course in South Korea
appreciate that land is (and No. 87 on our list of
the size of Indiana, and,
although it’s comprised of at a premium. For space the Top 100 Courses in the
3,400 mostly uninhabited reasons, the best South World), which is set on an

64 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 The
Etiquetteist:
South Korea
Edition, No. 7
At one ultra-high-end course, eagles are commemorated with a
personalized certificate, which is presented mere minutes after
putting out on 18.

Nine Bridges

Whistling Rock

expansive property on Jeju “The risk-reward par-5 3rd 11th is both tempting and
Island, south of the Korean sets the tone for the round, challenging, where birdies
peninsula. One of GOLF’s and the center-line bunkers and double bogeys—is there
course-rating panelists, on the 6th create thrilling any greater complement?—
Adam Messix, paints a vivid options off the tee. The 8th come in equal numbers.
picture of the place. is an amazing, short par 4 The finishing hole is option
“Nestled on a beautiful with a cleverly designed laden, with multiple places
mountain plateau above Jeju green complex that proves to position your second
City, Ron Fream and David tricky for the Tour players shot and the potential of a
Dale’s design has standout at the annual CJ Cup. The heroic long carry to set up
holes throughout,” he says. angled tee shot on the eagle on the picturesque
 GOLF + SOUTH KOREA

island green. Strategic, Even when land isn’t South Korea’s upper-end Example: CJ Group’s
photogenic, challenging and easily available, South courses—which, by design, support of Nine Bridges
fun, Nine Bridges strikes all Koreans find a way. That’s are breathtaking and highly and the equally impressive
the right chords.” what happened at the exclusive—include massive, Haesley.
Situated off the country’s mainland’s Jack Nicklaus architecturally stunning The experience of playing
southeast coast, South Golf Club Korea, where clubhouses of the sort not golf at the country’s best
Cape Owners Club offers property was reclaimed found anywhere else. Most courses—which also include
dream golf along its rugged from the sea to build a of the world’s clubs would Pine Beach and Robert
cliff shoreline, with sea course that hosted the crack under the expense of Trent Jones Jr.’s Anyang
views from every hole. 2015 Presidents Cup. It’s these places. Initiation fees CC—is a celebration of
American architect Kyle a true urban course with can run well over $1 million. South Korea’s beauty
Phillips produced this skyscrapers, luxury condos But South Korea’s elite and prosperity. On the
masterpiece—a gorgeous and a bridge serving as courses are often linked public front, the pickings
routing with dramatic distinctive backdrops. to mighty corporations. are slimmer. American
moments on both nines that
have you hitting over and
beside the ocean several
times. Fashion magnet J.B.
Chung was the visionary
behind the ultra-luxe
resort’s creation, and his
custom music room is the
perfect place for post-
round chill-outs.
Located northeast of
Seoul, Whistling Rock is
nestled into the mountains,
with interrelated rushing
streams and ponds serving
to accent the hilly terrain.
It’s worth noting that the
name Korea stems from
Koryo, the dynasty that ruled
for nearly four centuries.
Loosely translated, it means

Clockwise from left: Courtesy Jack Nicklaus GC Korea; Courtesy Anyang; Courtesy Pine Beach
“land of high mountains
and sparkling streams.”
When the South Korean
conglomerate Taekwang
Group decided to develop a
private golf club in 2006, its
chairman’s marching orders
were to create a place that
achieved the “harmony of
art and nature.” Americans
Ted Robinson Sr. and Jr.
designed the initial 27 holes
and Eric Iverson later refined
it with some fabulous greens
and artful bunkering.
Like at Nine Bridges and
South Cape, tea rooms—
what Americans think of
as halfway houses—adjoin
Whistling Rocks’ three
nines and provide a quiet
moment of reflection. Also
at Whistling Rock, look for
the luminous reflective
“Balls,” art pieces that dot
the property: seven of them
the colors of nature and
representing “life,” one of
them silver and another one Jack Nicklaus GC Korea
gold, representing “afterlife.”

66 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
architects, including Kyle
Phillips and Jim Engh, have
built public-access courses,
but public golf is still costly.
BUSINESS
Remedying that situation
isn’t easy. For now, a lot of
the golf in South Korea is,
as my colleague Josh Sens
Not as Usual
has described, found at Not only do its citizens spend money on golf like
multilevel driving ranges and
the thriving sim scene.
mad, South Korea’s corporations seem to have ever
Like we said, South deepening pockets for the space. Take it as good news.
Koreans are irrepressibly BY MICHAEL CROLEY
industrious.

these pages have already made abun-

dantly clear, South Korea has soared
Anyang
to become one of the golfiest nations
on earth, rivaling even the U.S. Its resi-
dents’ almost viral infatuation with bird-
ies and bogeys, however, is only half the
story. Here, business, sponsorship and
investment is booming.
It’s a rags-to-riches tale: South Korea,
since its war against the north, has cat-
apulted its way from being a very poor
country to one of great wealth and pros-
perity. In fact, in 2022, its GDP hit $1.65
trillion, making it the 13th largest econ-
omy in the world. A chunk of that money
has been funneled into the golf space.
South Korea–based companies
have become some of the game’s most
important corporate sponsors. Upscale
auto manufacturer Genesis, a subsidy
of Seoul-based Hyundai, sponsors two
events on the calendar, including the
Pine Beach Genesis Invitational, hosted by Tiger
Woods, and the former Los Angeles Open,

67
 GOLF + SOUTH KOREA

which has been a Tour stop since 1926. the league’s first founding partner. TGL,
That early-season tune-up event is but- with its city-based club teams, will seek
tressed by July’s Scottish Open at Renais- to replicate some of the Korean screen-
sance Club the week before the Open. golf competition. “Korean brands like
Genesis says golf is a reflection of its Genesis already embrace our three pillar
values (“respect, integrity and excel- goals: incorporating technology, lever-
lence”) but that sponsoring events goes aging quality celebrities in the sport and
well beyond just hitting a key demo- providing a unique experience for the
graphic in countries around the world. fan,” says Katy Mollica, head of global
It embodies the country’s corporate partnerships at TMRW Sport.
hospitality model for esteemed guests, The premium ball manufacturer
referred to in Korean as Son-Nim, an hon- Volvik is based in South Korea. This
orific title for customers. spring, TaylorMade Golf, based in
Earlier this year, another venerable Carlsbad, Calif., moved production of
PGA Tour stop, the Byron Nelson Classic, some its more popular and Tour models
was rebranded as the CJ Cup Byron Nel- to a plant just a few hours south of Seoul.
son, reflecting Korean conglomerate CJ Private equity and real estate firm Cen-
Group’s deep inroads to the sport, which troid Investment Partners actually owns
began with its sponsorship of Se-Ri Pak TaylorMade, having acquired the gear
in 2001. Yong Han, in CJ’s sport market- manufacturing giant in 2011. (Centroid
ing division, says, “We started with Se-Ri also invests in TM staffer Tiger Woods’
and that was the company’s first interna- Popstroke and Sun Day Red ventures.)
tional or global marketing campaign.” “TaylorMade believes that the Korean
The company realized, after sup- marketplace is ripe with potential for
porting women golfers for so long, that growth,” says David Abeles, CEO of
it needed to help grow the men’s game as the equipment company. “Korea is the
well. They started with sponsoring indi- third largest golf market in the world, and
vidual players before hosting the CJ Cup our business is strong there, but we felt,
at Nine Bridges in 2017. “We’re trying to through an alliance with Korean inves-
connect the Korean lifestyle and food tors, we can further enhance and grow
within the tournament,” Han says. “So our business in a meaningful way glob-
we’re bringing our flavors to a sports plat- ally. And that certainly has happened.”
form by providing the best food they can Twenty-three years ago, Titleist was
have at the golf tournament. We brought brought under the umbrella of FILA
14 chefs to the tournament last year to do Korea, though it is still owned and oper-
player dining.” The tournament sponsor- ated by the Acushnet company in Fair-
ships are “there to amplify our marketing haven, Mass. As late as this past July,
strategy but also to bring the lifestyle of rumors in business circles were swirl-
fun, ease and an enjoyable atmosphere at ing that yet another Korean firm was set
the same time.” (For more on CJ Group’s up to acquire another one of America’s
goodwill efforts, see opposite.) big five manufacturing giants.
The vibrant golf-simulator scene in The Pacific Basin, in general, rep-
Seoul (p. 52) is dominated by Golfzon, resents two of the largest golf markets, BRIDGING
but another Korea-based sim manufac-
turer, Uneekor, is moving a lot of prod-
Japan and South Korea, and penetrat-
ing both of these, from a business per-
THE GAP
uct in the States with both top-of-the-line spective, is really to penetrate the entire Seoul-based CJ Group
sims and those most golfers can afford. world. With golf ’s continued popularity, is a force in sponsoring
Companies like Uneekor and others it only makes sense that Korean compa- the pro game. It’s also
(along with a slew of investor support) nies are seeing big opportunities on the keen on growing elite
have helped launch the Tiger Woods and game’s biggest stages. They’re looking
Rory McIlroy TMRW Sport venture TGL, to make inroads into the larger Ameri-
amateur competition.
set to debut in January with Genesis as can and European markets. Stay tuned. Enter the Bridges Cup.

68 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 The
Etiquetteist:
South Korea
Edition, No. 8
While birdies and eagles are justly
celebrated, holes in one will cost
you. More than post-round drinks
are on the line; elaborate meals
and perhaps even a night on the
town are as well.

lead Team U.S.A. against

the Europeans. “Make no
mistake,” Fujimoto says,
“both sides field very
strong players, and the
name couldn’t be more
appropriate. This event
bridges new relationships
from around the world.
Though we’re just three
years in, lifetime friendships
have already been forged
through this event.”
Simon Holt, a North
property, located southeast Berwick member who
of Seoul. Each of the 32 operates 8AM’s new luxury
competitors are selected travel business, will captain
based on their robust golf the European squad.
résumés—we’re talking Need more gravitas? The
USGA champions and Americans have procured
players who have competed the services of Kevin Turner,
in golf’s four majors. Teams former COO of Microsoft,
are handpicked by each and all-time Olympic medal
side’s captain. winner Michael Phelps as
8AM president Hoyt vice captains. The 2024
McGarity was a driving Bridges Cup starts October
force in bringing the world- 11, with daily coverage of the
class event to life with CJ. event on GOLF.com.
“Working with CJ Group
has been a thrill,” McGarity
says. “We all know what CJ
Group has done for the PGA
Tour, and it’s no surprise
how they’ve brought that
CJ Group, a South Korean deeper than supporting the same level of passion to the
conglomerate whose pro game. In 2022, CJ, in amateur game. I’ve been to
market cap has reached partnership with 8AM Golf, a lot of ams and mid-ams,
nearly $4 trillion (not a launched the Bridges Cup, and this is one of the most
typo), has its hands in all a Ryder Cup–style series of premier events I’ve been a
kinds of business, from matches pitting elite mid- part of.”
food to biotech. It also loves amateurs from exclusive In a golf-crazed country
golf. You’ve likely seen the clubs in the States against like South Korea, where
multicolored CJ logo on the those from Europe. The how you look is almost as
hats and shirts of world- inaugural cup was held at important as how you play,
class Korean players (Sung- the CJ-owned Nine Bridges CJ spares no expense in
Courtesy the Bridges Cup

Jae Im, Byeong-Hun An and (No. 87 in GOLF’s world hosting the competitors at
Si Woo Kim, to name a few), ranking) on Jeju Island, the Bridges Cup—the perks
and the company recently with Les Bordes (No. 83) are off the charts.
inked a deal to sponsor the in France hosting the 2023 As he did last year, Jeff Players, from left: Drew Stoltz,
PGA Tour event formerly iteration. The Americans Fujimoto, a member at Charlie Grace and Taylor Wood
Whisper Rock GC in Arizona (U.S.A.); Top: U.S.A. captain Jeff
known as the Byron Nelson will look for a three-peat
Fujimoto (center right) and Euro-
Classic for the next decade. this year at Haesley (p. 53), with strong ties to both the pean captain Simon Holt (center
But CJ’s passion runs way another CJ-owned amateur and pro game, will left) with their 2023 squads.

69
 ALL SQUARE Town and
Country
The always exciting, usually biennial Solheim Cup returns Since 1990, 14 different
countries have been
just 12 months after its last showdown at Finca Cortesin represented on Team
in Spain. The goal is to get the Cup back to its traditional Europe, with the most
even-numbered years—and positioned in alternate years to players coming from
England and Sweden. In the
the Ryder Cup. In preparation for the ’24 playing at Virginia’s United States, California
Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, we paired bits with bobs as and Florida (no surprise)
account for a substantial
the best women pros from the States try (again) to retake the number of our Cuppers.
Cup from their European nemeses. By Evan Rothman Geography may or may not
be destiny, but here’s a look
at how different players
Ping-Pong from different places have
fared in the Solheim Cup
Unlike the Ryder Cup, the Solheim Cup has, since its start in 1990, been back-and-forth to date. Scotland versus
competitive, with the U.S. leading the series 10-8 (including a tie with the Cup retained by Florida, anyone?
Europe). In ’24, Europe will seek to be the first side to keep the Cup four straight times.

YE AR WINNER M AR G IN VE N U E

1990 USA 11½ — 4½ Lake Nona G&CC, Florida

1992 Europe 11½ — 6½ Dalmahoy CC, Scotland
Team Europe
1994 USA 13 — 7 The Greenbrier, West Virginia
1996 USA 17 — 11 St. Pierre G&CC, Wales
1998 USA 16 — 12 Muirfield Village, Ohio
2000 Europe 14½ — 11½ Loch Lomond GC, Scotland
2002 USA 15½ — 12½ Interlachan CC, Minnesota
2003 Europe 17½ — 10½ Barsebäck G&CC, Sweden
2005 USA 15½ — 12½ Crooked Stick GC, Indiana
2007 USA 16 — 12 Halmstad GC, Sweden
2009 USA 16 — 12 Rich Harvest Farms, Illinois
2011 Europe 15 — 13 Killeen Castle, Ireland
ENGLAND
2013 Europe 18 — 10 Colorado GC, Colorado Competitors: 14
Win percentage
2015 USA 14½ — 13½ Golf Club St. Leon-Rot, Germany
(all matches): 42%
2017 USA 16½ — 11½ Des Moines G&CC, Iowa Clutch players (points
won/matches played;
2019 Europe 14½ — 13½ Gleneagles, Scotland
win percentage):
2021 Europe 15 — 13 Inverness Club, Ohio Laura Davies (25/46; 54%),
Charley Hull (13.5/22; 61%)
2023 Europe 14 — 14 (tie) Finca Cortesin, Spain
SWEDEN
Competitors: 14
U.S.A. EUROPE
Percentage Win percentage: 52%
Players Dottie Pepper Janice Moodie
Clutch players: Caroline
VS.
Hedwall (9.5/17; 56%),
If you were assembling a (Career Cup record: (7-2-2)
Carin Koch (11.5/16; 72%),
fantasy foursome or 13-5-2) Carin Koch
Anna Nordqvist (16.5/31;
four-ball match, here Christina Kim (10-3-3)
53%), Annika Sörenstam
are the dream teams: (6-2-2)
(24/37; 65%)

70 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 Team U.S.A.

SCOTLAND
Competitors: 7 MASSACHUSETTS SOUTH CAROLINA
Win percentage: 54% Competitors: 4 Competitors: 3
Clutch players: Catriona
Clockwise from left: Andy Lyons/Getty Images; R. Gino Santa Maria/stock.adobe.com; Mark Runnacles/Getty Images; Stuart Franklin/Getty Images; Amy Lemus/

Win percentage: 53% Win percentage: 47%

Matthew (22/37; 59%), Clutch players: Brittany Clutch players):
Janice Moodie (8/11; 73%) Altomare (4.5/8; 56%), Beth Daniel (13.5/26; 52%)
NurPhoto/Getty Images; Ola Torkelsson/AFP/Getty Images; David Cannon/Getty Images; Michael Reaves/Getty Images; Stuart Franklin/Getty Images (2)

Meg Mallon (16.5/29; 57%)

CALIFORNIA
Competitors: 21
Win percentage: 53% A Cup Above
Clutch players: Paula In terms of actual
Creamer (19.5/31; 63%), weight, at least,
Pat Hurst (11.5/20; 58%), Solheim absolutely
edges Sam Ryder.
Christina Kim (7/10; 70%),
Angel Yin (5.5/9; 61%) Solheim Cup
Year: 1990
Commissioned by:
FLORIDA
Karsten Solheim,
Competitors: 8 Norwegian-
SPAIN Win percentage: 57% American golf club
Competitors: 7 Clutch players: Cristie manufacturer
Designer: Billy Briggs
Win percentage: 46% Kerr (21/38; 55%), Nelly Material: Cut-glass
Clutch players: Korda (7.5/12; 63%), Morgan Irish Waterford
Carlota Ciganda (13/23; Pressel (12.5/22; 57%), Lexi crystal, mahogany
base
57%), Beatriz Recari Thompson (12.5/23; 54%) Weight: Approxi-
(3/4; 75%) mately 20 lbs
Height: 19 inches
Base diameter:
8 inches

Ryder Cup
Year: 1927
Commissioned by:
Samuel A. Ryder,
English seed
merchant
Designer:
Mappin & Webb Co.
Material: Gold
Weight: 4 lbs
Height: 17 inches
Width: 9 inches

TEXAS
FRANCE Competitors: 6
Competitors: 6 Win percentage: 35%
Win percentage: 49% Clutch players: Cheyenne
Clutch players: Céline
Boutier (5.5/10; 55%),
Knight (2.5/3; 83%), The “I” Team U.S.A. Americans have
excelled in singles
Brittany Lang (8.5/17; 50%) has won 208
Gwladys Nocera (7/12; 58%)
in Team (record: 102-76-30),
matches while the Europeans
NEW YORK There have been have the edge in four-
(44%), somes (61-55-17) and
GERMANY Competitors: 5 472 individual Europe has four-balls (56-51-24).
Competitors: 5 Win percentage: 57% matches
won 193 (41%),
Win percentage: 31 Clutch players: Laura Diaz contested across
Clutch players: Sandra Gal the previous 18
with 71 halved
(6.5/13; 50%), Dottie Pepper
(3/7; 43%) (14/20; 70%) Solheim Cups. (15%).
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at the McLemore Club and Resort in Lookout to the valley floor or seeing a falcon, eagle significantly off a cliff toward McLemore
Mountain, Ga., it’s literally a way of life or another bird of prey soaring below—not Cove, providing jaw-dropping views of the
and leisure. above—as you’re teeing off. surrounding landscape. The other 17 holes on
the Highlands Course are no slouches either,
Perched atop Lookout Mountain and just a Membership has its privileges at McLemore, which is why it is often in the conversation
short drive from Chattanooga, Tenn., and no matter if you’re a resident or traveling for the top public golf course in Georgia. In
Atlanta, McLemore Resort is a premier private golfer. The club offers incredible amenities addition to the 18-hole routing, McLemore
The Keep, a walkable mountain course, will soon join Cloudland as McLemore’s spectacular 2024 debutants.

also features a six-hole short course, the Cairn, feet above sea level. A Curio Collection by in the golf world buzzing with excitement.
which is ideal for those wanting to hone their Hilton property, Cloudland opened earlier this The Keep is a Bergin–Jones golf course set
game or satisfy their golf fix with a beverage year and boasts 245 hotel rooms (including 19 entirely atop Lookout Mountain. The design
in hand. suites), a library with more than 700 curated is walkable and features awe-inspiring views
titles, a 20,000-square-foot conference center, from nearly every hole on the course. Golfers
McLemore Resort features well-appointed golf spa, fitness center (with a Peloton studio) and will be talking about several holes for many
cottages ideal for stay-and-play opportunities a cliff-edge infinity pool. rounds to come, especially the five cliff-edge
as well as distinctly designed, laid-back luxury holes. Jones has touted the Keep as a course
residences set among thousands of acres of In terms of dining, Cloudland offers four that could host a major championship, and
surrounding parks and preserves that serve as options to satisfy any craving. The Pocket Cafe those who have toured and walked the layout
the welcoming backdrop for any family’s next provides morning grab-and-go items as well as consider it a contender for future Best New
great adventure. Even though the residences afternoon beer and wine service. Croft offers Course honors.
are secluded among the tall trees inside the simple, fresh food throughout the day, while
gates, they are a short drive from the golf Auld Alliance is an elegant dining experience High expectations, for sure—but living the high
course, clubhouse and McLemore’s worthy unlike any other, with a menu designed around life is just another day at the McLemore Resort.
dining establishment, the Creag. a blend of French and Scottish cuisines. For
poolside snacks or happy hour, a visit to the
Also among the serene mountaintop cliff-edge bar Skyside is an absolute must. F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N
community is the Cloudland at McLemore VISIT T H E M C L E M O R E . C O M
Resort—an elegant luxury resort and Another unmissable amenity at McLemore CALL 8 0 0 - 3 2 9 - 8 1 5 4
conference center perched more than 2,000 Resort is set to open later this fall and has many
CLOUDLAND LODGE

Cloudland Lodge at McLemore Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton sits 2,300 feet above sea level atop Lookout Mountain, Georgia;
an easy two-hour drive from Atlanta, Nashville, Birmingham, Knoxville, and Huntsville. Come see why HGTV.com says McLemore
is “one of the best Mountain Town Resorts in America” and what Golf Digest says is “golf’s next emerging destination.”

Visit StayCloudland.com or call (888) 391-1148.

 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The 2nd hole of Tom Doak’s new Pinehurst No. 10, which debuted in April.

PINEHURST RESORT Crenshaw. From there, the march was on.

The Deuce pub opened in 2016 in the main
clubhouse, overlooking the 18th green of
Pinehurst, North Carolina No. 2. A year later, renowned architect Gil
Hanse crafted the Cradle, Pinehurst’s now
wildly popular par-3 short course. In 2018,
In April, Pinehurst opened its first original Hanse redesigned Pinehurst No. 4, helping

W
HEN MICHELLE WIE WEST
hoisted the trophy following course in nearly three decades after tapping one of the resort’s nine championship layouts
her 2014 U.S. Women’s Open one of the era’s greatest architects, Tom vault back onto numerous top 100 course
triumph, it closed a never- Doak, to build Pinehurst No. 10 on a slice rankings. That same year, Pinehurst Brewing
been-seen fortnight of golf. of 900 acres the resort acquired south of its Co. debuted to great acclaim among guests
A week before, Wie West was in the gallery on main clubhouse. The site features dramatic and locals alike.
the very same course, joining other LPGA Tour elevation changes, natural sandy areas, three
stars following Martin Kaymer as he cruised to lakes and dramatic remnants of an early-20th- Pinehurst continues to invest in its present
victory in the U.S. Open, his second major title. century sand-mining operation. and future, completing a two-year process
Both championships were played on venerable to renovate the guest rooms and lobby of
Pinehurst No. 2 in consecutive weeks, a feat “No. 10 starts fairly gentle, then it goes into its flagship hotel, the Carolina. And, soon
never attempted before and one, though wildly the old quarry works where it gets downright enough, the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s
successful, not repeated since. crazy for a little bit, then the course gets up Open will return in 2029. At Pinehurst, there
on the hill and there’s a beautiful, sweeping is always more to come.
Yet Pinehurst Resort’s growth in the 10 years view,” Doak says. “All of the holes coming in
since might be even more impressive—all are challenging, even when you move down
before the U.S. Open returned to No. 2 for into the gentler terrain. It’s a dramatic golf
F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N
the fourth time in its history this past June. course—more than I originally thought.”
VISIT P I N E H U R S T. C O M
For a place that has hosted more single golf
CALL 855-235-8507
championships than any site in America, Pinehurst’s new golden age began with the
Pinehurst refuses to rest on its laurels. restoration of No. 2 by Bill Coore and Ben
“Pinehurst No. 10, could one day turn out to be
the most spectacular and interesting to play of
all the resort’s layouts.”
- Sports Illustrated

NOW OPEN

PINEHURST.COM
 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The 10th hole at Bayside Resort GC, a Jack Nicklaus Signature design with an Ocean City backdrop.

OCEAN CITY GOLF GETAWAY

Ocean City, Maryland

Ocean City has a tremendous golf menu for down-home restaurants, and nightlife here

O
C E A N C I T Y, M A R Y L A N D ,
offers pretty much everything a wonderfully compact destination, with 17 is equally hopping. When it’s time to call it
for every vacationer—and that championship courses from a host of A-list a night, it will be at exactly the kind of place
very much includes golfers. This design talent. A Jack Nicklaus Signature you want, whether that’s first-class oceanfront
iconic mid-Atlantic resort town design, Bayside Resort, has earned its place accommodations—condos or five-star luxury
provides an ideal mix of coastal sun and fun, on the “Top 100 You Can Play” list, as has hotels where you’re lulled to sleep by gentle
rich history and activities galore. Golf is at Arthur Hills’ Links at Lighthouse Sound GC. waves—or something more budget-centric.
the forefront, with a fantastic array of highly Pete and P.B. Dye, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Dr.
regarded championship golf at remarkably Michael Hurdzan and Jim Furyk are among The interactive OceanCityGolf.com website
reasonable prices. Outdoor options abound the other leading names to have made their makes planning and booking this delightful
beyond the fairways, including world-class mark in Ocean City, with many of the local golf getaway as easy as an ocean breeze.
fishing in the “White Marlin Capital of the layouts established fixtures in “best in state” There you’ll find spring and fall stay-and-play
World.” Surfing, crabbing, boating, water rankings. Longtime OC visitors know, and packages that include two nights’ stay and
sports—it’s all here. first-timers will find, that excellent course three rounds of golf starting at only $219 per
conditions come with the territory. person on weekdays and $239 on weekends.
Dining options are no less varied, and the Superior quality and variety on and off the
wealth of accommodations can likewise meet Ocean City’s longtime tagline is “Great golf is course plus superior value: Ocean City truly
any need, want or budget. Temperate weather just the beginning,” and it’s true: There are a has it all for golfers.
means that Ocean City, while famously a myriad of things to do and see before or after
summertime mecca, can be enjoyed year- your round. A world-renowned three-mile
F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N
round—the OC welcomes more than 8 million boardwalk flush with year-round activities
VISIT O C E A N C I T YG O L F. C O M
visitors each year. All this and Ocean City is and events highlights Ocean City’s 10 miles
CALL 800-4-OC-GOLF (462-4653)
a tap-in to get to, just a half-day’s drive from of glorious sandy beach. The vibrant food
many major Northeast locales. scene features a great mix of upscale and
 Where Cloud 9 is 18 holes.
Swing into seaside golf in Ocean City, Maryland. Play like a pro at 17 championship golf courses designed by legends
of the game. Whether you’re sneaking in a quick round on family vacation or going all-in, our elevated dining,
beautiful beaches and buzzing boardwalk will keep the whole crew entertained. Only in Ocean City, Maryland -
Somewhere to Smile About.

ococean.com
ÇÇxä->`Þ,`}i ÀÛi | ,iÕ]Î{Ç{Ç | nÇÇ {xn nn{Ó | BearsDenOrlando.com
 T H I N K / P L AY / L I V E : T H E E N L I G H T E N E D G A M E

in

SIMPLE SHOTMAKING

CARVE OUT
PERFECT IRONS
By T op 1 00 Te ac h er B re c h S pr a dl e y

MOST WEEKEND PLAYERS tend to hang

back at impact, or “dump” the club too
early. The culprits: not enough body turn
or weight shift on the downswing.
Copy this drill
to train the Try this: Make a swing, carving out a
sequence of
your body, arms
divot near your trail foot. Yes, your trail
and hands for foot. Make another swing, digging out an-
great impact
alignments. other divot just in front of the first. Keep
Working on a doing this for six more swings, produc-
spectrum of “too
little” to “too ing a divot slightly in front of the last in
much” until you
find the right
a semicircle pattern, mimicking proper
feels is very swing path, like you see pictured.
effective. Low
point control is Naturally, you’ll learn how to orient
one of the major
skills in improving
your downswing sequence and body
your ball striking. movement to get each divot in the right
If you’re on a mat,
you can re-create spot. Sure, it’s overdoing things a bit, but
the circles by this drill gives you all the right feels to pro-
placing tees in a
semicircle and try duce high-compression impact without
to clip each one
in succession.
hanging back. Now, pass the divot seed.
Brech Spradley is the owner and director
of instruction at Barton Creek Golf Acad-
emy in Austin.
Scully/d2prod.com

83
LESSONS: SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2024

BACK TO BASICS 2

Can You Hit Your “Finish Window?”

By GO LF To p 100 Te acher E .A. Tisch le r

“Hold your finish.” bring your arms back up parallel to my body.

You’ve heard that one in front of your torso, Some people’s window
before, but what most keeping them straight will point to the left
people think is a finish and stopping when your or right, depending on
is actually just a full hands reach shoulder the shot they’re trying
follow-through. There’s height [4]. This allows to play or their typical
more to it than that, you to create what I call ballflight. Regardless of
and a real finish can a Finish Window. Look shot shape or what your
actually help your aim through your window: final target is, perform
at address. I’ll walk you Did the ball end up this drill as part of your
through it. within the pane? If it did, setup routine, and make
Make a swing all the that’s confirmation that sure—after you recoil,
way to a full follow- you played a good shot. drop and bring your
through [1]. Without The more consistent arms up—that your
stopping, recoil and get you land the ball in your window is pointing in
your arms back in front window, the better the right direction. Now,
of you [2]. This is the you’ll score. swing for the fences. 3
true finish position. But In the photos here, E.A. Tischler is director
there’s more. As you it’s obvious I planned of instruction at Olympia
track the ball, let your on playing a straight Fields GC in Olympia
arms drop [3]. Finally, shot. My window runs Fields, Ill.

What golfers
think is a finish is
actually just a full
follow-through.
Creating a true
finish not only
helps you better
assess the quality
of your shots,
but it will also
improve your aim
at address.

84 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
 T H I N K / P L AY / L I V E

PLAY SMART
A D J U ST YO U R
A I M O N PA R 3 S

You might think

hitting toward the
pin on a par 3 yields
the best results,
but oftentimes
that only invites
trouble. Instead,
you need to play the
percentages, broken
down to two easy
steps with the help
of a rangefinder.

1. If there’s a hazard
between you and
the flag, shoot the
yardage to cover
that obstacle.

2. Next, consider the

Hit chips over
distance to the back
your bag using a
of the green. This
9-iron, letting your
value is the maximum
hands release so
you want the shot
the shaft is fairly
to travel. Then
vertical at impact.
select a club that
This creates ideal
From left: Scully/d2prod.com; David Madison/Getty Images; Scully/d2prod.com

will get you between

turf interaction
that hazard-carry
with zero dig.
yardage and the
max.

Getting that range

between the front
and back gives you a YOUR SHORT GAME
much larger target
area to aim for. If
you can consistently
HOW TO GET REALLY GOOD AT CHIPPING
hit in that zone,
you’ll give yourself a By GOL F Top 1 00 Te ac her J eff Wa rne
lot more birdie looks.
—GOLF Teacher THE GREAT HARVEY PENICK used to ask his stu- So, instead of chipping under a bench, prac-
to Watch Christy
Longfield dents to practice their short games by hitting tice chipping over your bag. And make it a chal-
chips under a bench. Classic stuff that can help lenge: Use your 9-iron and not one of your
you learn how to lead with your hands through wedges. Play the ball a few feet behind the bag
impact. Sometimes, however, you can overdo as shown above and swing. Let the club release a
it and you end up digging into the turf with the bit through impact, and try to “paint” the ground
leading edge. This problem, and considering with the bottom of your club. Over time, your
the modern grinds on today’s wedges, means end goal is to find a happy medium between
Visit GOLF.com/
etiquette to learn you actually need less shaft lean on short-game these two techniques.
how to be your best
golfing self on
shots so you can better activate the bounce of Jeff Warne is the director of golf at The Bridge in
and off the course. the club and avoid the digs. Bridgehampton, N.Y.

85
LESSONS: SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2024

T I M E L E S S T I P S : V I J AY ’ S T H R E E K E Y S F O R M O R E S P E E D ( O C T O B E R 2 0 0 4 )

1. Widen your arc 2. Get to the top 3. Let it all go For more Timeless
As you shift to your I swing at about There’s too many arm- Tips, become an Inside
back side going back, 80 percent effort swingers out there. As Golf member. One of
push against the grip but always make a you release the club, the many perks is full
with your trail hand. good upper-body include your torso, access to more than
You’ll extend your arms windup. I see a lot of hips and legs so that 700 back issues of Golf
and move the clubhead amateurs cut off their everything moves magazine, complete
as far away as possible, backswings and rush through together. Get with all the tips. Visit
setting up a powerful the club down to the it right and you’ll hit GOLF.com for details
downswing. ball. Don’t. the ball hard. and to register.

POWER PLAY 1 2

Four Steps to a
Freer Swing
B y T o p 100 T eache r
Sc o tt Mun r oe

Owning a pre-shot routine

is the best way to guarantee
success off the tee. Here’s
what I recommend:
[1] Stand behind the ball
and visualize the shot you
want to hit, be it a fade,
draw, whatever. If you’re not
good at visualizing, focus on
your target, lining up your
club to where you want the
ball to land. [2] Tap the club
on the ground (a dynamic
move that tells you it’s go
time) and start walking to
the ball, keeping your eye
on the target the whole
time. (Speaking of targets,
all-time major winner Jack 3 4
Nicklaus used to choose
four: one three inches behind
the ball, one three inches in

From top left: A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images; Scully/d2prod.com

front, one 20 yards out and
the actual target—all in a
line. Worth a try.) [3] As you
get into address position,
make sure to align your
clubface to the target first
before aligning your body.
Most weekend players get
this backward. [4] Take one
last look at the target, inhale
and exhale, then waggle the
club—an important move
to keep you from freezing.
Once your pre-shot routine
is complete, focus on one
swing thought and go.
Scott Munroe teaches
at the Boca Raton Club
in Boca Raton, Fla.,
and Nantucket GC in
Siasconset, Mass.

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 T H I N K / P L AY / L I V E

HIT BETTER IRONS

Hitting the ball STOP COMING

while avoiding a
second one placed
a few clubhead
OVER THE TOP
widths in front of
it is a good way By GOL F Top 1 0 0 Tea c he r
to beat an overly J as on Birn ba um
steep, over-the-
top swing. It should
YOUR DOWNSWING IS TOO STEEP and
feel like the handle
is moving up as you to the left. How do you know? You hit
strike the ball.
wicked pulls, pull hooks and slices,
depending on what the clubface is doing
at impact. You need to groove a bit more
of a flatter swing. Here’s a simple drill
that’ll help fix the problem with just a
few repetitions.
Set up like normal but with a second
ball placed roughly two clubhead widths
in front of the one you’re actually going
to hit. The goal here, as you can prob-
ably imagine, is to hit the first ball and
miss the second, something that’ll be
difficult to do if you swing over the top.
Before you start, reach down and touch
your trail leg (below) as a reminder to
hang back on your trail side longer as you
start down from the top. When you actu-
ally swing, think, Flat through impact, not
steep, feeling just a touch of hang-back
(left) and that the club is moving up. Keep
in mind that these are indeed feels—i.e.,
you never want to “hang back” when hit-
ting an iron. Sometimes you learn faster
when making exaggerated swings. Try it.
Jason Birnbaum is the director of instruc-
tion at Manhattan Woods Golf Academy
in West Nyack, N.Y.

87
 Last Off

Steve Young
THE LONGTIME NINERS QB AND THREE-TIME SUPER BOWL CHAMP WAS NEVER CONFUSED
ABOUT WHICH SIDE OF THE BALL TO PLAY ON—UNTIL HE PICKED UP A CLUB
By Josh Sens

G: How’s your game? I had some expertise in

SY: I think I’ve finally football, but you put me
unraveled it. on a stage where I don’t
G: It was tangled? have that confidence,
SY: I grew up on the mean that’s another level of
streets of Greenwich, stress. The key, to me, is
Connecticut. I caddied you have to have played
but I didn’t play much. competitive golf as a kid.
I just grabbed my dad’s G: It’s like a language—
righty clubs and started learn too late and you
whaling away. But when always have an accent.
you’re left-handed play- SY: No doubt. Jerry Rice
ing righty, you have some picked golf up later in life
fundamental problems. and wanted to go pro. I
G: So you play lefty now? said, “Jerry, that’s impos-
SY: My wife wants me sible.” He said, “I can do
to do that. She said, “If it.” And then finally he
you’re going to suck this said, “You’re right.”
badly, you should switch G: Any particular course
to lefty.” But I said, No, I you’re dying to play?
can fix this. I finally capit- SY: Augusta is one. I’ve
ulated and asked for help. had many invitations but
G: Who’s your guru? haven’t done that yet.
SY: [Former Tour player] G: That’s not something I’d
Keith Clearwater is a say around other golfers.
buddy. I send him videos. SY: I know. No sympathy.
We go back and forth. G: What’s the strength of
The problem with golf your game?
is you’re never doing what you think you’re doing. I look at SY: Everything is relative, but I’ve been driving it pretty
my swing and I go, What? No frickin’ way! well. If I’m going to have my name on a board at a celebrity
G: Where’s the fix? event, I’ve got to keep getting better.
SY: At the American Century tournament in Tahoe, I show G: Or at least beat Larry the Cable Guy.
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

up and I get a tip from Annika Sörenstam, so I try that. Then SY: Exactly. I’ve been thinking that I should start playing
Peter Jacobsen tells me, “It’s not a pendulum game. It’s an both ways, with lefty and righty clubs in the bag. Maybe
around game. You’ve got to swing around.” And I try that. that becomes my shtick. You’re allowed to do that, right?
G: What’s more stressful: playing golf in front of a crowd or a G: Who am I to say no? Then you challenge Tony Romo in that
blind-side blitz? format and see who wins.
SY: When you’re an expert in something, the stress levels SY: I like your thinking. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll just go
are lower, even if you’ve got Reggie White coming at you. to lefty, like my wife says.

88 GOLF.COM / S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4