Opinion & Analysis

The numbers behind Jim Furyk’s 58

Published

10 years ago

Aug 8, 2016

On Sunday of the Travelers Championship, Jim Furyk set a PGA Tour record with a score of 58 at TPC River Highlands. Furyk’s 58 will overshadow his 59 in the 2nd round of the BMW Championship in 2013, however, I could argue that it shouldn’t when you look at the average score for the field in the 2nd round of the BMW Championship.

Most people will only remember the 58, though, since it is the Tour’s new official record. It was also done in the final round, which is even more remarkable as the overwhelming majority of low scores in PGA Tour events occur in the first and second rounds.

The usual thinking about a player “going low” is that they do it through incredible putting. On Tour, however, go-low rounds feature incredible ball striking. There is some debate for amateurs, as the average amateur that has his or her career low round is more likely to putt substantially better. For example, a 10-handicap who shoots an even-par 72 may putt substantially better than normal compared to how well he or she strikes the ball. But when you’re talking about the PGA Tour, particularly with a player shooting 58, a player’s ball striking has to be off the charts in order to accomplish the feat.

Going a step further, good ball striking is far more than hitting greens in regulation and Furyk’s round illustrates that point. While Furyk did hit all 18 greens, it was how close he hit those approach shots that gave him the opportunity to shoot 58.

It all started with Furyk’s performance off the tee, as he missed only one fairway (the par-4, 7th hole). One reader noted that out of all of the players who shot 59 on Tour (Al Geiberger, Chip Beck, David Duval, Paul Goydos, Stuart Appleby and Furyk), only Duval would be considered to be long off the tee. This is an interesting point, but I believe the reason is that in order to reach the level of shooting 59 on Tour, a golfer has to be hitting great approach shots from the fairway. And not to take anything away from Duval’s round, but that was at a low-scoring course where the rough has traditionally been almost non-existent. The ability to get the spin needed from the fairway appears to be paramount to shooting a ridiculous score like a 59.

Here’s a look at Furyk’s approach shot data per hole.

One common myth in golf is the Green Zone (75-125 yards) is vital to great golf. In this round, however, Furyk only had two shots from the Green Zone and he hit them to an average of 24.2 feet. The Tour average proximity to the cup from 75-100 yards from the fairway this year is 17.6 feet, so he was actually below average from that range.

Here’s how Furyk performed from certain distance ranges versus the Tour average.

Obviously, Furyk did most of his damage from 125-150 yards. Not only did he hit those shots incredibly close to the hole (and knocked one in for eagle from 135 yards on the 3rd hole), but the highest frequency of shots came from the 125-150 yard range. With that being said, if Furyk does not hit those three shots from 200-225 yards as close as he did, he does not shoot 58.

Did Furyk putt well? Sure, he gained +3.313 strokes on the putting green, but it was not like he was making “bombs” out there.

The longest putt Furyk made was from 23.7 feet. He did make four putts from 14.1 to 16.8 feet, but also missed a 10.3-foot putt on No. 14 and a 7.6 foot putt on No. 15. However, a little luck is involved, as three of those four putts from 14.1 to 16.8 feet were uphill and the other putt was straight and downhill. His misses on Nos. 14 and 15 came from the 10 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions on the fall line, bigger-breaking putts that are more difficult to make.

As the Tour slogan says, “These Guys Are Good,” and Furyk’s performance in every facet of the game was downright exception on Sunday… but it was his phenomenal ball striking allowed him to set a Tour scoring record.

Opinion & Analysis

Have you ever played a golf course that felt like another planet?

Published

9 hours ago

Jul 15, 2026

Brendon Elliott

In our forums, GolfWRX members are naming courses that felt less like traditional golf and more like a trip to another world.

@Birdman62 framed the question around extreme elevation, sculpted bunkers, water hazards, split fairways and unusually shaped greens. The responses moved quickly from desert cliffs to jungle corridors and volcanic carries.

@jda chose Wolf Creek in Mesquite, remembering how unbelievable the construction looked when he first saw it, while also criticizing its current condition and price.
@caniac6 nominated Tobacco Road, a predictable fit for any discussion built around visual deception and unconventional landforms.
@Golf Pig selected Tobiano in Kamloops, British Columbia.
@FlyingLaw1 called Royal Hawaiian on Oahu a round in the jungle, while sleekmr3 compared the setting to Jurassic Park.
@Mike_C pointed to Black Mesa in New Mexico and its uphill par-5 16th, while Nard_S described a course on Nevis with volcanic terrain, heavy wind and a daunting cliff carry.

The thread shows that ‘surreal’ is not one architectural style. It can come from scale, geology, vegetation, elevation or simply the feeling that the course could not have been built anywhere else. Those are often the rounds that stay vivid long after the score is forgotten.

Entire Thread: Most surreal and otherworldly course you’ve ever played?

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Opinion & Analysis

In the GolfWRX forums: Did working from home help fuel golf’s boom?

Published

9 hours ago

Jul 15, 2026

Brendon Elliott

In our forums, GolfWRX members are debating whether the rise of remote work helped drive golf’s post-2019 participation boom.

@ChaosTheory suggested that work-from-home flexibility may be one of the biggest factors and wondered how many weekday golfers are playing while technically on the clock. The replies split between members who see a major connection and others who think the theory overstates how modern remote work operates.

@2bGood said schedule flexibility matters, but argued that the rediscovery of outdoor activities during the pandemic and golf’s ability to retain new players were larger forces.
@bcjim said remote work can create room in the day, especially for salaried employees measured by productivity rather than fixed hours.
@dropkicked called the effect significant and said he knows younger players who began during the boom and have taken work calls from the course.
@Springsteennut questioned how common that is because many remote workers are monitored closely.
@jwacky pushed back on the broad ‘on the clock’ framing and said flexible schedules and paid time off are more relevant than simply working from home.

The thread does not settle the cause of the boom, but it does identify an important distinction. Remote work did not give every golfer a free afternoon. For some, though, it removed commuting time and made a nine-hole window easier to find. In a game that depends heavily on available time, that difference matters.

Entire thread: The golf boom and working from home

Opinion & Analysis

What’s the earliest you’ll get up for golf? — GolfWRXers discuss

Published

9 hours ago

Jul 15, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user is asking for other forum members to share how early they’ll get up in the morning for a round of golf.

@unskinnybop99 wrote:

“Lately, I’ve been getting out of bed at 4:30am for the 6:30-7am tee time (I’ll have a full breakfast and hit the range before tee off). This is nuts. I’m retired and couldn’t wait to sleep in every day. No way I would get up at 4:30am for work….screw that…lol. However….this is golf. My course is getting busy and I don’t feel like waiting on every hole. What time is everyone getting up for golf?”

Our members in the forum shared their own thoughts on getting up at unreasonably early hours just to get in a round of golf. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

Nickb333: “Retired for quite awhile. There are currently just a few things I’ll get up for while it’s dark. Golf, hunting, fishing.In my much younger days, we didn’t get up early for golf. We just didn’t go to bed.”
596: “I’m up at 6am only because my back is screaming by then and I’m forced to get up.I don’t play until 11:30. At the course by 10:30 for range and putting time. I wait for the leagues to go off, then follow about an hour later so I don’t have to stand in the fairway waiting on every shot.No way I’m getting out of bed when I’m retired just to go play golf. I don’t even get up early for 30 mile bicycle rides. I leave the house around 10am when I’m off to ride.”
Strategery: “4:00am to tee off at 6:00am. Breakfast, surf news, shower/shave, dogs out to pee if they get up. Leaves a few min at course to chip & putt. It’s absolutely my preferred routine. Just watch that last glass of wine.”
cbrwn425: “Typically the earliest tee time I can get is 730 at my course, I’ll wake up around 6 and get there between 630 and 645. It’s less than a 10 minute drive so I don’t have to wake up that early to get there with plenty of time to warm up. If earlier times were ever available I’d get up as early as 5am if needed. ”

Entire thread: “Earliest you’ll get up for golf?”

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