Opinion & Analysis

Stronger iron lofts don’t always create more distance

Published

11 years ago

Oct 16, 2013

The most common complaint I hear from golfers looking for new irons is that all the lofts are “jacked strong.” If someone is playing an iron set, for instance, from the late 1990’s or earlier they will most likely find their irons to be 2-to-3 degrees weaker than today’s game-improvement irons, and even some players irons. So the assumption is that the loft alone is what is creating more distance with the new irons. But there is a lot more to it than that.

In the fittings I do on a golf radar, I see all types of swings and golfers of different ability levels, so the variances in fittings can be dramatic. But the end result for an iron fitting is the same: I want the customer to leave with a set of irons that produce the best possible launch conditions for them. So it doesn’t matter to me what loft a golfer’s 6 iron is, as long as that loft allows a golfer to launch and spin the ball in a way that’s ideal for their swing.

It is common for the golfers I fit to hit todays irons, which average about 2 degrees less loft per club, as high as their current set (if not higher). The reason this happens has to do with an iron’s center of gravity (COG), because when you lower an iron’s COG you add a lot of potential height to a golf shot.

Let’s assume that the launch angle with a modern-lofted set of irons is ideal. As long as the spin rate is acceptable, the new irons, because of their lower center of gravity, are going to produce more speed off the face (due to the lower loft and lower COG) and more distance. But they will still land on the green as soft as an older set of irons (if not softer). Add in the added forgiveness of modern irons, and you have a winning combination.

Another reason why stronger lofts don’t always mean more distance is something I do frequently to help golfers hit the ball farther — weaken lofts. It is common for a golfer with a swing speed of 70-to-80 mph or less to hit the ball with a lower trajectory than what is considered ideal. Fitters have to find some way to raise their ball flight, because those golfers lack the speed necessary to get the best results from many modern iron heads.

Step 1 for those golfers is to increase ball speed. More ball speed helps them keep the ball in the air longer, which raises their maximum height. If the added ball speed of modern irons is not enough to achieve an ideal landing angle, I have to add loft. That’s why I custom order iron sets with lofts that are 1-to-2 degrees weaker than standard about 40 percent of the time.

By adding loft, those golfers achieve more ideal launch conditions, which means they carry shots farther and stop the ball faster on the green. Think about how much this could help golfers from the rough as well. Golfers can see their spin rate drop thousands of RPM’s from the rough (depending on the rough and type of lie), so being able to keep their shots in the air with enough spin to stop the ball on the green can be a huge part of helping them shoot lower scores.

It is hard for some golfers to understand how irons with more loft can help them hit the ball farther, and this is understandable. But when I show them the results on golf radar, which can be as much as 5-to-10 yards more carry distance, they start to get it.

Golfers should liken their iron fittings to that of a driver. They won’t question a fitter who recommends that they switch to a 10.5-degree driver instead of an 8.5 or 9.5, because those are established as acceptable driver lofts. But bending an iron weak is not as well understood by many golfers, so they are more hesitant.

Golfers can talk about shafts until they are blue in the face, and different shafts will make a difference in control, feel and sometimes launch and spin. But loft is a much more important factor in fitting.

That’s why I recommend that golfers get fit for irons on golf radar by a certified fitter who understands how loft and COG work together in iron design. You’ll be amazed at the difference a properly fit set of irons can make to your game.

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Nick Morrow

Nick is a Certified Performance Club Fitter at Carl's Golfland in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. He is also 1 of 33 TrackMan Masters in the world, and has completed thousands of successful fittings using TrackMan.

38 Comments

Mccance79

Oct 26, 2014 at 2:09 pm

Great point… I am a low ball hitter looking for more distance especially in my high irons. The concern is that all the fitting carts only have 6 irons and with the gaping on the 3, 4 and 5 irons lonely being 3* I am concerned on irons would react to my adjustments.

Reply Report comment
Frank Garrett

Dec 11, 2013 at 7:32 pm

Add loft for distance?????? I tried it today but I can still hit my 6i farther than my 64 degree lw…. Guess I don’t get it

Reply Report comment
mwb

Oct 29, 2013 at 7:16 am

I am purchasing new irons and am seriously considering getting the lofts 2* weak to create a 48* PW and 4* loft spacing. I’m also adding a 5 wood to the bag and changing to a 54/60 wedge set-up.

The new era of stronger lofts is all about how far to hit 7 iron vs how close to hit 7 iron and more accurate. Today’s golf ball travels farther than ever before and I don’t see any need to jack up the short iron lofts. Tiger Woods plays his irons in weaker lofts and he doesn’t seem to have any distance issues!

Reply Report comment
Freddy V.

Oct 24, 2013 at 11:40 pm

So glad this was posted. “people hit it further because of stronger lofts” is such a wifes tale. Ball speed from the new irons is what is creating the distance. With added ball speed comes more launch. Loft is used to get the irons back to the proper launch window…

Reply Report comment
Rick Zarlengo

Oct 21, 2013 at 3:30 pm

What I haven’t seen mentioned is that iron shafts have changed a great deal and offer more low kick (higher launch/spin) options to be able to match with those lofts. It is a combination of those factors to get consistent results.

Thankfully gone are the days of everyone demanding s300 S or X when they don’t have the swing speed to support them.

Reply Report comment
Gio

Oct 21, 2013 at 9:50 am

there comes a time when too much ‘loft jacking’ is too much. I know for people with slower swing speeds these crazy lofted, ultimate SGI irons are perfect. for the ‘better’ golfer, these lofts leave nothing at the bottom of the bag. (others have mentioned) I went to GG with my pops and hit the speedblade 9i for sheets and was hitting them 165-170…why? i don’t need that. traditional lofts ftw (let the ‘technology’ be what determines added length/distance, not loft changes)

Reply Report comment
- Freddy V.
  
  Oct 24, 2013 at 11:42 pm
  
  Its ball speed not loft that is increasing distance. Guaranteed that if you looked at your ball speed it was dramatically higher.
  
  Reply Report comment
SV

Oct 19, 2013 at 3:58 pm

I am in favor of weaker lofts. I don’t pretend to be an expert, or even close. But, as lofts are strengthened the gaps become compressed on the long end and widened on the short. When you get 2* gaps on the long end there is almost no difference between clubs. On the short end, as the pitching wedge loft gets stronger you end up with wider gaps in the scoring clubs. If this continues we’ll end up with 25* 7 irons and carry 6 or 7 “gap” wedges.

After this long introduction, Nick keep preaching this gospel. Maybe manufacturers will take note (I doubt it, but keep trying.

Reply Report comment
Phil E

Oct 18, 2013 at 10:45 am

Not a dispute with the OP, maybe even validation, but what about head style?

In my experience I have seen guys in the 8-14 handicap range with moderate ball speed try X Hot irons, and see much better results with the Rocketbladez. Typical launch angle would improve from 13-14* to 17-18*. In turn creating around 12 more yds. of distance, and more playable iron trajectories.

Idk CG specifics on those models, but I have seen similar results with I20, and G25.

Reply Report comment
- Nick Morrow
  
  Oct 18, 2013 at 1:11 pm
  
  I completely agree Phil E.
  
  It is amazing how much higher/lower similar irons can perform, in terms of player level. And you are right about the irons listed, X Hot is a shockingly low launching iron and the G25 would be the exact opposite, with Rocketbladez mixed in the middle. We have seen significant distance improvements with all 3 of these irons, it just needs to match up with how you launch the ball. That is why getting the numbers is so important.
  
  Reply Report comment
Zachary Yaz

Oct 18, 2013 at 9:13 am

Thank you for such an eye opening article. Will keep that in mind from now on

Reply Report comment
8thehardway

Oct 18, 2013 at 8:38 am

“It is hard for some golfers to understand how irons with more loft can help them hit the ball farther,”

Maybe it’s conceptually challenging but when all sets came 3-PW with heads the size of your pinky-toe, golfers either left their 3 iron home or just used it for low punch shots back to the fairway; back then, a well-hit 6 iron would outdistance an over-muscled 3 iron seven times out of 10. If experience still trumps explanations, simulations and printouts, print out some ebay listings – there are lots of older sets with ‘barely used’ 3 irons.

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Craig

Oct 18, 2013 at 8:12 am

Hi Nick,

I know its different for each golfer depending on their individual characteristics but do you have rough numbers (for iron set) to be looking for in terms of launch angle, spin rate etc. I am 2 handicap, playing Scottish Links golf, smooth tempo, 80-90mph, pretty straight flight, shallow divot.

Cheers

Reply Report comment
- Nick Morrow
  
  Oct 18, 2013 at 9:51 am
  
  Craig,
  Good question. Assuming you are not altering the trajectory due to the conditions. An ideal Launch Angle and Spin Rate for a Ball Speed with a 6 iron of 115 MPH would be right about 15-16* and 6000 RPM’s respectively.
  
  If your Ball Speed was higher than that, say up to 125, which is a few MPH slower than PGA Tour average, you would want spin to stay within 200-300 RPM’s higher, and Launch Angle to come down to about 14*. And the opposite is true as the speed drops.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Jeff
    
    Oct 21, 2013 at 2:57 pm
    
    So what makes 15-16° and 6000 RPM “ideal”? Does that create the maximum distance for that ball speed? What if I get those numbers with a 7-iron, or a 5-iron? Would they still be “ideal”?
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Nick Morrow
      
      Oct 21, 2013 at 6:06 pm
      
      Yes for that particular Ball Speed, the ball can not carry any further with a better stopping power than with those conditions. If you want to simply hit the ball further, find an iron that launches really high and spins really low, you will knuckle ball the shot a long ways, but odds are you will not be able to control yardages or stop the ball under most conditions.
      
      I am not sure exactly what you are asking with the final 2 questions, are you asking should the 5 and 7 iron have the same launch conditions as the 6 iron, or would there be any issues if your 5 iron or the 7 iron launched like the “ideal” conditions for the 6 iron?
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Jeff
        
        Oct 28, 2013 at 6:11 pm
        
        Yes, that’s essentially what I’m asking. I know some pros naturally hit it higher, and some lower. Some get more spin, some less. I realize this can be affected by angle of attack, swing speed, iron/shaft design, and ball design. But if a “high spin” player gets a 15° launch and 6000 RPM with a 115 MPH ball speed with a 5-iron, then what’s wrong with that? If the launch conditions work, what matter the number on the club? Surely getting consistent results and regular yardage gaps between clubs is more important than shooting for some “ideal” stats that may go against your natural swing? Some people prefer a higher or lower, high- or low-spin ball flight for strategic purposes. Or if you’re playing in firm conditions, you might want more spin and a higher launch. The idea of one ideal spin rate and launch angle for each iron doesn’t really make sense to me.
        
        As far as lofts for amateurs go, I feel like long irons have to little difference between them. Since such a precise hit is needed to take advantage of the lower loft, the “average” distance each club hits the ball tends to converge at lower lofts for less-skilled players. Including me. I have a 17-degree 4-wood, a 21-degree hybrid, a 26-degree hybrid, and a 29-degree iron as my longer (non-driver) clubs. This also gives me room for more wedges.
        
        Reply Report comment
yo!

Oct 17, 2013 at 5:46 pm

For you lower swing speed players, go to blades with weaker lofts or better yet go to an old vintage blades with the pitching wedge 52 degrees, and you can hit the ball farther … hehe.

Reply Report comment
kloyd0306

Oct 17, 2013 at 4:50 pm

The industry is run by marketing divisions, who are responsible for stronger lofted irons, in the mistaken belief that lower loft equals more distance. The fact remains that only stronger, faster swings can support lower lofts.

So, I am now waiting for a major brand to market and advertise that their new, weaker lofts will add distance for most golfers.

I suspect I’ll be waiting a very long time………

Reply Report comment
mitch

Oct 17, 2013 at 4:29 pm

Amen, finally some one with great insight. Like most things in life, the real answer is “it all depends”, golf is probably the only sport where they use generalization to describe something that is quite complicated. examples, keep you head down, hit down on the ball, you gotta swing inside out…

Reply Report comment
mr_divots

Oct 17, 2013 at 3:16 pm

Good info to pass along regarding COG. Seems that the article could have suggested that for higher swing speed players, the stronger lofts and COG location is necessary to not have the ball shoot straight up. The new grooves should also be mentioned as allowing the ball to slide up the face a little more compared to the older grooves.

Another point regarding GI/SGI clubs that I would love to see a fitter touch on is shaft length. Routinely, I notice longer than standard 85g shafts with these sets. Perhaps the lighter weight is good, but how many people fit into these longer lengths? I’m 6’2″ and most GI clubs are too long even for me in their stock iteration with this “progressive” shaft lengths concept. The “lightweight speed” designs don’t seem to help the everyday golfer from the examples I see out on the course. That said, people will usually launch clubs higher with a longer shaft length as well, (mechanical advantage/physics) so again, it kind of goes hand in hand with the stronger lofts.

Reply Report comment
- Nick Morrow
  
  Oct 17, 2013 at 4:41 pm
  
  Mr Divots, good point on the higher swing speeds, but like anything else we still see higher speed guys still launch the ball too low, it just is not as common as the low swing speed player.
  
  I am glad you mentioned shaft length, static lengths for GI clubs, how it impacts flight, etc. These are topics that have been kicked around and that are important in today’s market, so articles will most likely be touching on them in the future.
  
  Thank you for the comment and ideas.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Joe Golfer
  
  Oct 18, 2013 at 5:50 am
  
  Good point.
  Plus, those superlight steel shafts in the 85-90 gram range feel like a softer flex than what is listed, probably due to the thinner steel in the shaft.
  KBS even notes it in the swing speed recommendations for their different model shafts, as their very lightweight steel shafts are about a full flex softer frequency than the standard weight counterpart.
  
  Reply Report comment
Drew

Oct 17, 2013 at 1:12 pm

But what I don’t understand is why you would need to weaken the loft of irons 2-3* when the gap between irons is 3-4*. Say you have a modern set that is 3-PW, 19*-45*. Why would you weaken the lofts of every club and increase the bounce angle by a proportionate amount if you could just get rid of the 3 iron and add a gap wedge? That’s basically what companies are doing anyway. 4-AW with juiced lofts is the same set as an old 3-PW that would probably be 22*-48*. If the customer can’t get the 4 iron in the air, pull that too and give them a hybrid that will get in the air. Weakening lofts makes zero sense to me. On a driver? Sure. But I’m not sure what’s being accomplished with weakening irons. Even if you want to say a weakened 4 iron is longer in length than a 5 iron of the same loft and therefore goes farther, your gaps in your set will still be equally proportionate. You get to replace the 4 iron that’s gone with something you can get in the air. It’s like that distance is just not filled. There only seems to be one logical reason to do this and that’s just in the odd situation where someone needs more bounce.

Reply Report comment
- Nick Morrow
  
  Oct 17, 2013 at 2:57 pm
  
  I do not disagree with you on the long irons Drew, we have hybrids to replace those. But what about the mid and low irons, yes I understand some companies make 6/7 hybrids (7 and up is very rare), but you can not really replace an 8 iron with a true hybrid. So to get the most performance out of each iron, for these low ball hitters, we need to add loft. And yes it is common to not have an iron longer than 6 or 5 for some of these guys because they carry them all the same distance, and then hybrids come into play. We also see these players having gapping issues with a mid iron, not just 4 and 5 like your example, so adding loft achieves better gapping as well.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Drew
    
    Oct 17, 2013 at 3:02 pm
    
    Well gee, I guess if you can’t get a 7 iron in the air, you really do need some help haha.
    
    Reply Report comment
Conrad

Oct 17, 2013 at 1:10 pm

well unfortunately people buy clubs based on their ego and the club manufactures feed it. Everyone tries to boast yardage, not consistency and accuracy. most amateurs like to hit the long ball not the low score.

Reply Report comment
chris Steele

Oct 17, 2013 at 11:49 am

Bravo, As a club fitter who deals with players that purchase equipment based on what their ego tells them they need verses the facts this is a breath of fresh air!

Reply Report comment
AJ Jensen

Oct 17, 2013 at 11:17 am

OK, quick question. I’m contemplating a set of Mizuno MP-53 irons. Currently I play a set of old-school Ping Eye 2’s, which I love, but I want the benefits of modern irons and forged heads. I know my distances with the Ping set too well and I don’t want to go through a whole season of trial-and-error with new irons, so would it make sense to have my new Mizuno irons bent to the old Ping specs?

Reply Report comment
Drew Farron

Oct 17, 2013 at 10:01 am

Brilliant information ! More is not always better, but I would expect nothing less from a fitter at Carl’s Golfland…

Reply Report comment
Ryan

Oct 17, 2013 at 6:17 am

About time someone who knows what they’re talking about said what the the real deal is with loft and modern clubs. LOWER COG IN NEW IRONS REQUIRES LESS LOFT A LOT OF THE TIME TO GET THE SAME DISTANCE OF OLDER CLUBS WITH A HIGHER COG. The golfwrx wannabe touring pro’s will argue otherwise..

Reply Report comment
Mikko U

Oct 17, 2013 at 5:34 am

After reading the headline I was expecting a slightly different subject discussed but this topic is something I’ve been wondering about myself.

The GI/SGI clubs are basically directed to help players with lesser abilities to hit the golf ball, usually that also means lower swing speeds. They’re selling the clubs by saying that you will hit them longer, yet like you said, many of those who’d need the help aren’t really hitting at least the longer irons any longer.

What I was hoping from this article was proof for that a current 46* MB/CB PW doesn’t go any further than the 47/48* PWs of the past. I guess I’ll need to have my next irons bent weaker leaving some marks on the blade and hosel.

Reply Report comment
birly-shirly

Oct 17, 2013 at 5:12 am

Nick – so, how much difference can CoG location make to the “optimum” loft?

Say you start with a classic blade 7 iron with 40* static loft – by how much could you reduce the loft in conjunction with a GI head design without launching the ball lower?

Reply Report comment
- Pete Farner
  
  Oct 17, 2013 at 11:06 am
  
  That would depend on what GI head design you have and to be quite honest the only way to be sure would be to test these irons on a golf radar. Each player is different and because of this each iron plays different for each player.
  
  Reply Report comment
KK

Oct 17, 2013 at 1:21 am

It’s not about research or information, it’s about ego and emotion. Humans think they’re logical but when it comes down to it (when the wallet hits the counter), they are controlled by feelings, who they wish they could play like and what company has qualities that match their identity. As club fitters, you have to find the balance between measurable results and what the customer THINKS is happening. Good luck!

Reply Report comment
Pooch

Oct 17, 2013 at 12:07 am

Great article. I am a club fitter also and see this every day. I have to explain that the design allows the iron to have a stronger loft. What still kills me are the guys coming in and demanding a lower lofted driver thinking it will give them more distance. I even fitted a customer with a new SLDR and put him in a 12 degree head with a TP shaft. I showed him all the stats on the monitor and he was in agreement but when it came to buying the actual driver he insisted on buying the 9.5 head with the TP after all the work on the launch monitor. I truly wish customers would do their do diligence before getting fit.

Reply Report comment
Chris

Oct 16, 2013 at 11:53 pm

I completely agree with this! I just switched from Wilson Ci9 to Taylormade TP MC, and I’ve gained almost 15 yards despite the lofts being higher. Great article!

Reply Report comment
- [email protected]
  
  Oct 18, 2013 at 8:44 am
  
  Yup…been there done that. Agreed.
  
  Reply Report comment

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Memorial Tournament betting preview: Collin Morikawa to reign supreme at Jack’s place

Published

3 days ago

Jun 3, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

The PGA Tour heads to Jack’s place to play the 2024 edition of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. The Memorial is regarded as one of the most prestigious non-majors of the PGA Tour season, and for the second consecutive year the tournament will be a “Signature Event”.

Muirfield Village Golf Club is a 7,571-yard par-72 located in Dublin, Ohio that features Bentgrass greens. A Jack Nicklaus design, the course was built in 1974 and redesigned by Nicklaus in 2020. The course can play extremely difficult due to its long rough and lightning-fast greens.

The Memorial Tournament will play host to 80 golfers this week, which is down from 120 last year. The top 50 and ties will make the cut. Being a designated event, the field is predictably stacked and will feature most of the biggest stars on Tour. All eligible players have committed to the event in addition to sponsor’s exemptions Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker and Billy Horschel.

Past Winners at the Memorial Tournament

2023: Viktor Hovland (-7)
2022: Billy Horschel (-13)
2021: Patrick Cantlay (-13)
2020: Jon Rahm (-9)
2019: Patrick Cantlay (-19)
2018: Bryson DeChambeau (-15)
2017: Jason Dufner (-13)
2016: William McGirt (-15)

Key Stats for Muirfield Village

Let’s take a look at five key metrics for Muirfield Village to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

Jack Nicklaus designs all have one thing in common: They reward the best iron players on Tour. When designing Muirfield Village, Jack created a second-shot golf course that strongly benefited golfers who could really dial in their approach shots. With that in mind, does it surprise anyone that Tiger Woods won this event five times?

Strokes Gained: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

Scottie Scheffler (+1.37)
Corey Conners (+1.14)
Xander Schauffele (+1.14)
Sepp Straka (+0.88)
Rory McIlroy (+0.88)

2. Strokes Gained: Ball Striking

Strokes Gained: Ball Striking does include approach, but if there is any week to overemphasize Strokes Gained: Approach, this is the week. The statistic also incorporates Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, which will be important considering the rough at Muirfield Village can be exceedingly penal.

Strokes Gained: Ball Striking Over Past 24 Rounds

Scottie Scheffler (+2.48)
Xander Schauffele (+1.88)
Rory McIlroy (+1.60)
Ludvig Aberg (+1.56)
Corey Conners (+1.42)

3. Good Drive %

Driving the ball well will be an important factor. Bombing it off the tee is not a requirement at Muirfield Village, but distance always helps. The rough can get very long, and golfers who can’t put the ball in the fairway will fall out of contention quickly. Balanced and consistent drivers of the golf ball should be the targets this week.

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

Collin Morikawa (+88.1%)
Tom Hoge (86.1%)
Sepp Straka (+85.9%)
Scottie Scheffler (+85.8%)
Alex Noren (+85.8%)

4. Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass – Fast)

The Bentgrass greens at Muirfield are lightning quick. Whoever can master these difficult putting surfaces has a major advantage at Jack’s place.

Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass+Fast) Over Past 24 Rounds:

Justin Rose (+1.43)
Thomas Detry (+0.88)
Sahith Theegala (+0.77)
Harris English (+0.74)
Denny McCarthy (+0.73)

5. Strokes Gained: Nicklaus Designs

We often see similar leaderboards when events are hosted by Jack Nicklaus designed courses. The model this week will look to incorporate those golfers.

Strokes Gained: Nicklaus Designs (per round, min. 4 rounds) Over Past 36 Rounds:

Scottie Scheffler (+2.49)
Patrick Cantlay (+2.32)
Collin Morikawa (+1.99)
Shane Lowry (+1.74)
Austin Eckroat (+1.67)

6. Course History

We often see similar leaderboards when events are hosted by Jack Nicklaus designed courses. The model this week will look to incorporate those golfers.

Course History (Strokes Gained: Total (per round, min. 4 rounds) Over Past 36 Rounds:

Scottie Scheffler (+2.75)
Patrick Cantlay (+2.54)
Justin Rose (+2.17)
Collin Morikawa (+1.77)
Jordan Spieth (+1.66)

The Memorial Tournament Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: BS (18%), Good Drive % (16%), SG: Putting Bentgrass – Fast (13%), Course History (13%) and SG: Total Nicklaus Designs (13%).

Scottie Scheffler
Xander Schauffele
Shane Lowry
Alex Noren
Sahith Theegala
Collin Morikawa
Rory McIlroy
Tony Finau
Keegan Bradley
Sepp Straka
Corey Conners
Viktor Hovland
Russell Henley
Si Woo Kim
Justin Thomas

2024 Memorial Tournament Picks

Collin Morikawa +1800 (Fanatics)

Collin Morikawa has consistently shown up in the biggest events over the past few months. He finished in a tie for 3rd at The Masters, 9th at the RBC Heritage, a tie for 16th at the Wells Fargo Championship and a tie for 4th at the PGA Championship. He also finished 4th in his most recent start at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Iron play is always a strong indication of where Morikawa’s game is trending, and his Strokes Gained: Approach numbers have seen a recent uptick. The two-time major champion has gained an average of 4.0 strokes on approach over his last two starts, which despite not being as good as his peak approach numbers, are a major improvement over the past year or so.

Morikawa has played some great golf at Muirfield Village throughout his career. He won the Workday Charity Open in 2020 and lost in a playoff at The Memorial Tournament in 2021. His two most recent starts at the course have ended in a withdraw and a missed cut, but his current form is much better than it was over the past few seasons coming into the event.

In addition to the strong iron play, the ability to keep the ball in the fairway will be a major advantage for a Memorial Tournament that I anticipate will play relatively difficult. Morikawa has gained strokes off the tee in eight consecutive starts, including 3.8 strokes at the PGA Championship and 4.0 strokes at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

The American has been fantastic at Nicklaus Courses since he burst onto the scene on the PGA Tour, and that was once again on full display at Valhalla last month. In his last 36 rounds, Collin ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Total on Nicklaus designs. He also ranked 1st in the field in Good Drive %, which will be a key this week.

It’s been a while since the 27-year-old has won a big event on Tour, but that could very well change this week at Jack’s place.

Justin Thomas +2500 (BetMGM)

Justin Thomas is winless in last 43 professional starts, dating back to the 2022 PGA Championship. For a player with 17 professional wins and in the prime of his career, that’s a long time.

Other than being “due”, Thomas has shown signs that is just about all the way back from his two-year slump. He has four top-ten finishes this season, with three of those being at a “signature” event or a major. Most recently, he’s finished in a tie for 5th at the RBC Heritage, a tie for 21st at the Wells Fargo Championship and a tie for 8th at the PGA Championship.

JT has loved Nicklaus designs throughout his career. He finished 2nd at the 2020 Workday at Muirfield Village, losing in a playoff to Collin Morikawa. In his last 30 rounds at the course, he ranks 6th in Strokes Gained: Total.

In addition to the obvious course fit, Thomas’ ball striking numbers have come to life of late. He gained 4.1 strokes on approach at the PGA Championship to go along with 4.6 strokes off the tee. Valhalla another Jack Nicklaus design so it’s encouraging to see that’s where he had arguably his best ball striking week of the season. The key for Thomas will be keeping the ball on the fairways this week and he’s improved his SG: OTT performance in four consecutive starts.

Thomas is finally in form and ready to get back in the winner’s circle at Muirfield Village.

Byeong Hun An +5000 (DraftKings)

Byeong Hun An is playing the best golf of his career. This season, the 32-year-old has finished T16 at the Genesis Invitational, T16 at The Masters, T8 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and 3rd at the Wells Fargo Championship.

The South Korean’s ball striking has been fantastic this year. He’s gained strokes both off the tee and on approach in six consecutive events. An will now head back to a course where he’s had plenty of success. Back in 2018, he lost in a playoff to a surging superstar named Bryson DeChambeau. Ben has five top-25 finishes in eight starts at the course. The few times he missed the cut were in 2020 and 2021 when he was really struggling with his game.

An has had some close calls of late and I believe we need to stick with him for one more week.

Corey Conners +6000 (DraftKings)

Corey Conners is absolutely striping the ball right now. In his past 24 rounds, the Canadian ranks 2nd in Strokes Gained: Approach, 5th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 22nd in Good Drive %.

At last week’s Canadian Open, Conners ranked 4th for the week in approach and finished in 6th place. In his previous two starts, Conners ranked 2nd in Strokes Gained: Approach at the Wells Fargo Championship and 4th at the PGA Championship. There are very few players on the planet that are currently hotter with their irons than Corey Conners.

Conners has a solid history at Muirfield Village with mixed results. His best finish came in 2022, when he finished T13 and also finished T22 back in 2020. While putting is typically Conners’ greatest weakness, he’s gained strokes on the greens in three of his six starts at the course and ranks 30th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting on fast Bentgrass, so there’s hope that the 32-year-old can putt to field average this week.

Conners’ ability to hit fairways and dial in his mid-irons can propel him to the top of the leaderboard this week at a course that favors ball strikers.

Will Zalatoris +8000 (DraftKings)

I’m not entirely sure if Will Zalatoris is fully healthy based on his recent struggles, but there are enough positive signs for a player of his talent at this number.

Zalatoris made a Friday charge in his most recent start at the PGA Championship, which enabled him to sneak through the cut line. For the week, he gained 3.56 strokes on approach and has gained on approach in nine of his past ten starts.

Although he’s struggled at times, Zalatoris still has some strong finishes in big events this year. He finished in a tie for 9th at the Masters, a tie for 4th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and a tie foe 2nd at the Genesis Invitational.

If Zalatoris is feeling fit, Muirfield Village is a perfect course to showcase his strengths. He’s one of the best iron players in the world and already has a 5th place finish in his most recent start at the course (2022).

This is a buy low opportunity on a world class player that has win equity.

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Opinion & Analysis

Saso says so! Yuka Saso survives for second U.S. Open title

Published

4 days ago

Jun 3, 2024

Ronald Montesano

One of my favorite golf writers was the late Ron Balicki, and not just for the shared first name. Balicki was called, and enjoyed, the nickname “Wrong Ron,” because whoever he chose to win, was guaranteed to do not that. I might have inherited the moniker, sadly, and if you read yesterday’s update, this week goes miles to secure that designation. Four amateurs made the cut, and three of them tied for low amateur at 12-over par. I picked the one that did not make that number. Hilarious, no? As for the tournament proper, the new “Wrong Ron” guessed the correct country, but the wrong golfer. I went with Hinako Shibuno, and it was the other pride of Japan, Yuka Saso, who stole the show. Alas!

For a healthy portion of the day, odds were in the favor of a player earning a second Open title. Important note: her name was not Yuka Saso. As golfers around her crumbled, Minjee Lee held steady at +1 on the day, and -4 on the week. Arpichya Yubol from Thailand had made the big move of the day. She reached -3 on the day an -1 for the week, before two late bogies dropped her to solo fifth position, a remarkable achievement. The round of the day came from Ally Ewing, who posted four birdies against zero bogeys for 66 and a tie for third spot.

DIALED IN ??

2021 champion Yuka Saso with another birdie, now 2 clear of the field.#USWomensOpen | @Ally pic.twitter.com/B2TslN56re

— U.S. Women’s Open (@uswomensopen) June 2, 2024

As for Minjee, the round’s thread began to unravel at the 9th. A missed fairway led to bogey, and she followed with a three-putt for another at the tenth hole. Double bogeys at 12 and 14 took her out of the running for the title, and opened the chase to a new segment of the field. Hinako Shibuno would ultimately finish in solo second, one of two golfers to finish under par on the week. Shibuno was never a threat for the title, but when others lost their momentum, she found herself positioned for a runner-up finish.

A GOLF SHOT clinic!

Yuka Saso has this left for eagle on the short par-4 16th.#USWomensOpen | @Ally pic.twitter.com/OGn5Auv2Nj

— U.S. Women’s Open (@uswomensopen) June 2, 2024

It was Yuka Saso who turned in the day’s memorable performance. Saso turned in even par on the day, preserving her position at one-under par. Andrea Lee (+5) and Wichanee Meechai (+7) fell away from their place atop the third-round chart, as did Minjee Lee. Suddenly, Saso had posted four birdies in five holes on the inward half. She finished at two under on the day, four under on the week, and earned a three-shot win over Shibuno.

In her post-0round comments, Saso revealed that she had doubts that she would win again, especially a major title. She discussed the addition of a new putter to her bag, and her extraordinary confidence in her driver. Finally, Saso revealed how important the first cut of rough was to the resolution of the tournament. That wee bit of playable grass made all the difference in her mind.

TWICE AS NICE! ??

Yuka Saso has won the U.S. Women’s Open for the second time!#USWomensOpen | @Ally pic.twitter.com/TIIMUIvhfd

— U.S. Women’s Open (@uswomensopen) June 2, 2024

With the refreshing transparency that all writers desire, Yuka Saso won for a second time on Sunday. We’ll forgive her if she values the US Open silver a bit more.

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19th Hole

5 examples of how Lexi Thompson has been treated harsher than any of her peers

Published

7 days ago

May 31, 2024

Gianni Magliocco

*Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on GolfWRX in September 2023*

Related: Lexi Thompson announces retirement from golf

Following Lexi Thompson’s Solheim Cup post-round presser on Friday evening, the 28-year-old has been the topic of much discussion.

Golf pundits and fans alike have been weighing in with their takes after this exchange with a reporter surrounding an untimely shank on Friday afternoon went viral:

Confounding answer from Lexi and subsequent reaction from the US side. It was one of the pivotal moments of the entire day and somehow that's off limits? pic.twitter.com/9std3LFlmN

— Tron Carter (@TronCarterNLU) September 23, 2023

After the incident, LPGA Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez said that Lexi has “been picked on and drug through negative comments. She is tired of it”

So has the criticism of Lexi Thompson been justified, or is this yet another example of her being unfairly treated?

Well, here are five times, in my opinion, that Lexi has been scrutinized far differently over the years than her peers.

2022 KPMG PGA Championship

At the 2022 KPMG PGA Championship, Lexi Thompson held a two-stroke lead with three holes to play. She couldn’t close the deal and lost the tournament.

Afterwards, she was fined $2k (as were the rest of the group) for slow play.

Lexi declined to speak to the media and got hammered on social media for doing so…

Lexi Thompson has declined to speak with the media here at Congressional.

Not a great look?

— Zephyr Melton (@zephyrmelton) June 26, 2022

Almost every golfer at some point has skipped a media session following disappointment on the course, and nobody has really batted an eyelid.

Tiger skipped back-to-back post-round media briefings at the 2019 WGC Mexico after being frustrated with his putting. Remember the backlash over that? Nah, me neither.

Donald Trump

@TheWhiteHouse

Every (or nearly every) big-name golfer under the sun has played golf with Donald Trump. Tiger Woods, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy etc. Nobody really cared.

For whatever reason, when Lexi Thompson did, it was a story, and she took herself off social media soon after the photo was posted.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lexi Thompson (@lexi)

2021 U.S. Women’s Open

In the final round of the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open, Lexi Thompson had a 6-foot eagle on her opening hole. She missed and made birdie to lead by five.

She then lost the tournament.

Following the round, Brandel Chamblee said on ‘Live From’:

“She’s got 6 feet away. Now professional golfers don’t miss the center of the face by a pinhead. Look where she hits this putt on the very 1st hole. Look where this putt comes off the face. She would have missed the center of the putter there by a half an inch. I have never — I have never — seen a professional golfer miss the center of the putter by a wider margin than that. That was at the 1st hole. “

Honest? Absolutely. Correct? Brandel usually is. Has any other LPGA golfer been handed the full-on Chamblee treatment? Not to my knowledge.

2023 Solheim Cup

Lexi Thompson spoke the words, “I don’t need to comment on that” when a reporter asked her about a failed shot, and the golf community collectively lost their minds.

Lost on many people is the fact that she literally answered the question instantly after.

Jessica Korda described the reporting of the awkward exchange with the media member as yet another example of the golf media shredding Lexi, but in reality, it was really just golf media covering the furore created by golf fans reacting to the viral clip.

So sad seeing golf media , yet again, shred Lexi. It’s easy writing about other people’s mistakes. It’s
Golf, bad shots happen- give the girl a break. She grows the game more than anyone on tour… And she’s a great player!!

— Jessica Korda (@Thejessicakorda) September 23, 2023

Lexi then won her next two matches, collecting 3 points from 4 for the U.S. team. But nobody seems to care about that.

Instagram

‘yOu ShoUlD PrAcTIce puTTinG’

There’s very few golfers that have been plagued with such inane posts on their Instagram page as Lexi Thompson has.

I’ve tracked golfer’s social media accounts over the past few years (job requirement, sort of?). I can categorically say that Lexi gets some of the angriest and most aggressive responses to her posts of any golfer. Male or female. (She also gets some very nice ones too).

Despite countless posts of Thompson relentlessly practising her putting, the number of comments from dummies accusing her of neglecting that area of her game is both bizarre and alarming. Notice how the comments have been disabled on the post below? Probably not a coincidence.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lexi Thompson (@lexi)

Go on any other golfer’s social account, and it will be hard to find the same dynamic.

Throw in the scandalous rules decision at the 2017 ANA Inspiration that cost her a second major title and spawned the “Lexi rule,” and it’s hard not to think Lexi has had a bit of a raw deal at times.

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