News

Morning 9: Captain Els makes his picks | What makes a great captain’s pick? | Brutal DQ

Published

7 years ago

Nov 7, 2019

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt

Email me at [email protected] and find me at @benalberstadt on Instagram and golfwrxEIC on Twitter.

November 7, 2019

Good Thursday morning, golf fans.

**Just a reminder we’re looking for advertisers for 2020. Drop me a line if you’d like to talk about getting your message in front of the M9 readership.**

1. Els’ picks

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard on the International Team captain choosing age over experience…”Els named Joaquin Niemann and Sungjae Im – 20 and 21 years old, respectively – along with Jason Day and Adam Hadwin, 32, his four captain’s picks for this year’s International Presidents Cup team.”

“The four picks, which were announced Wednesday evening, round out what is the youngest International team with six rookies, but Els didn’t see that as a drawback following more than two decades of futility in the biennial matches for the International side.”

“I didn’t go looking for Joaquin who is 20, or Sungjae who is 21, but they made themselves a lock on this team,” Els said. “I definitely wasn’t that good at 20, 21, but these guys are world-class players and they’ve proven themselves. I’m excited by the new blood that’s coming in.”

Full piece.

2. The essential qualities of good captain’s picks

Shane Ryan, international team competition aficionado that he is, catalogs the crucial attributes of great captain’s picks.

Here are two…”Form…As strange as it might sound, a player’s form entering a match-play exhibition doesn’t matter as much as logic says it should. Yes, you can find examples of bad form persisting, as we famously saw with Webb Simpson in the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, but more often the cauldron of a Cup renders recent results less critical than many believe. The heightened pressure, along with the format change to match play and the addition of a team, tends to stop individual momentum.”

“Ferocity…Fear is a killer. We see it over and over again, and of the Ryder Cups I’ve covered, one of the most memorable one-offs came in 2014 at Gleneagles. Paul McGinley, in an otherwise perfect captaincy, made his lone “mistake” when he selected native Scotsman Stephen Gallacher as a captain’s pick and never played him after the first session when it became clear that the stage was too big for him. (I put “mistake” in quotes because from a diplomacy angle, McGinley had to pick a Scotsman to play on a team competing in Scotland.) But it was most prominent in 2016, when Darren Clarke’s English rookies-Chris Wood, Danny Willett, Andy Sullivan, and Matthew Fitzpatrick-looked like they wanted to dig a hole in the Minnesota earth and bury themselves. Meanwhile, fellow rookie Thomas Pieters dealt with the hostile environment by decimating almost every American who stood in his way, including another fairly tough rookie named Brooks Koepka. Why? Because Pieters is a badass, and his English teammates were not. It doesn’t mean he’ll have a better career than the English four, or even that he’s a better player-it means that when faced with high pressure and a mano-a-mano duel, he’s up for it. He even enjoys it.”

Full piece.

3. Brutal DQ

Alex Myers with the horror story…“At the second stage of Q school, Luis Gagne put himself in decent shape after an opening round 70 in Plantation, Fla. Or so he thought. Turns out, Gagne left the course without signing his scorecard and was disqualified. Thanks to Ryan French (Monday Q Info) for first noticing this unfortunate occurrence.”

“Monday Q Info…The rules of golf can be harsh at times…Luis Gagne who is at 2nd in Plantation forgot to sign his scorecard before leaving the scoring area, the penalty for doing so…Disqualification. He had shot a -1 70 before being DQ’d. Gagne was ranked 24th in WAGR before turning pro”

Full piece.

4. European Tour ROY race

Golfweek’s Alistair Tait…”The Race to Dubai isn’t the only sprint to the finish over the remaining three tournaments of the 2019 European Tour season. There’s a pretty good contest to see who’ll become the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year, too.”

“Kurt Kitayama, Robert MacIntyre, Adri Arnaus and Guido Migliozzi wouldn’t have featured on my list of possible contenders to follow in the footsteps of future stars like Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Martin Kaymer, Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn, Colin Montgomerie, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sandy Lyle and Nick Faldo.”

Full piece.

5. Lucy Li turns pro

Golf Digest’s Alex Myers…”The San Francisco Chronicle’s Ron Kroichick first reported the news on Wednesday after getting confirmation from Li’s mom. But it’s a move that surprised no one following Li’s T-72 at Stage 2 of LPGA Q School last month. Following that performance, which didn’t advance her to the final stage, but did earn her Symetra Tour status for next season, Li said the following”

“I’m excited to be playing here and really looking forward to the Symetra Tour next year, then hopefully take that jump to the next level.”

Full piece.

6. AJGA POY

Meet Max Moldovan, match play maestro and AJGA POY

Golfweek’s Julie Williams…“Maxwell Moldovan isn’t someone you’d want to meet on the other side of a match-play bracket. On his way to winning the Polo Golf Junior Classic at Liberty National this summer then helping the East Team win the Wyndham Cup, the 17-year-old Uniontown, Ohio, native compiled a 9-0-1 match-play record. For such strong play, Moldovan earned the American Junior Golf Association’s highest honor: Rolex Player of the Year.”

“I had a really good year … definitely the best of my career so far,” Moldovan said. “My goal was to finish in the top 15 in Invitationals and try to win an AJGA tournament. I won in 2016 and 2017, but not last year. I can’t thank God, my family and friends enough for all they’ve done in my life. My faith has led to great things and winning this award is a true honor that reflects God’s glory.”

Full piece for the rundown of first and second-teamers.

7. Colin Montgomerie: course designer

Simon Cambers of the New York Times talked with Monty, designer of this week’s European Tour venue in Turkey…”What does it mean to you, and to the club itself, for the Montgomerie Maxx Royal to be holding the Turkish Open again this year? It is a fantastic honor, having designed a course that I am very proud of and one that is hosting its fourth Rolex event, one of a number of premier European Tour events.”

“Marc Stein has covered Jordan. He’s covered Kobe. And LeBron vs. the Warriors. Go behind the N.B.A.’s curtain with basketball’s foremost expert.”

“How would you describe the challenges presented by the Montgomerie Maxx Royal?”…”It can be played by all types of golfers. I particularly like the par 3s, which are very challenging. All the par 5s are risk-reward, which tests even the best European Tour pros. The green designs are such that the pin positions can be in some quite difficult and challenging positions. Therefore, hitting the fairways is a must, to allow the player to attack the pins. I particularly like the 12th hole. It is a very strong par 4, one where you have to hit the fairway, and then your second shot is very demanding, played into an undulating green. But really, I am very proud of all 18 holes.”

Full piece.

8. Ever wondered what’s in Tiger Woods’ pockets on the golf course?

…no, this isn’t the start to a lewd joke, but rather…

Peter Morrice at Golf Digest...”In the final episode of “My Game: Tiger Woods,” you’ll go behind the scenes at the shoots and hear some of the small things that go into Tiger’s game. Here’s a fun one: What does Tiger carry on him when he plays?”

“In my right-front pocket, there’s always a quarter, a divot tool and at least three tees. In my left-front pocket, there’s my Chapstick,” Tiger says. “If it’s cool and damp, my glove is always in my front-left pocket. If it’s hot out, I’ll air it out in my back-left pocket. Other than that, I really don’t have any quirks [smiles].”

Full piece.

9. A most interesting morsel

From the Twitterverse…Interesting excavation of a mention of “advice seeking” in the form of peeking into another player’s bag in a 1953 newspaper article on Ben Hogan’s U.S. Open victory, pointed out by Jeff Martin on Twitter.

See it in the image below.

News

Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

12 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user is wondering how many birdies other players have had in a round while still failing to break par. @Lalan45, unfortunately, asked the question after a unique experience of their own.

They wrote:

“Today I managed 8 birdies but still shot even par, could have been a round to remember! What’s the most birdies you’ve made in a round and still didn’t break par?”

Our members in the forum shared their own experiences with successful rounds that still resulted in a score over par. 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.

kwcsports: “I’ve had 5 a few times, still shot 80+ haha.”
jda: “I played a course for the first time, had 8 birdies, 9 doubles and an eagle. The infamous no-par round. I kept the scorecard. Every shot had a creek that I did not know about, or I was within 8-10 feet for a birdie look. To this day, I have no idea if I should be really jacked up or mad about that performance.”
jvincent: “I think my record is either 5 or 6. Probably shot 75.”
Instron4204: “3 birdies and shot a 92…man I suck!”

Entire Thread: “Most Birdies Without Breaking Par.”

News

Best current stock shaft 2026 – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

12 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user is asking for thoughts on the best stock shafts offered in 2026. Stock shafts are the shafts included with a club when it’s purchased from retailers or OEMs.

@DTorres asked:

The last couple years has seen a lot of updates and additions to no upcharge stock shafts, which do you think is the best offering in 2026?

Im a bit of a shaft nerd and recently during my Members Testing with the Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond I found the updated Project X Denali Frost Black to be a fantastic stock shaft. I absolutely did not mesh well with the original Denali. Just curious what other people think are the current best Stock shaft offerings out with new models and stock Ventus options and LinQ options popping up here and there.

We were given the option for any stock shafts for our members review. I went with the 70g Black Frost 6.5 because it’s a shaft I don’t have, it’s an updated version of the original Denali and hear little about. I typically use a Diamana WB, GD VF or a HOF Raptor. I’m not saying it was neck and neck with any of those but it was a pleasant surprise I’m not accustomed to in stock shaft offerings.

Our members in the forum have been offering up their own thoughts on the best stock shafts available in 2026. 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.

rsballer10: “IMO – MCA Ka’ili White Darkwave, Tensei 1k Black/white, UST Lin-Q White. People are free to spend their money however they see fit, but for me personally the shaft catalogs these days have enough options that I don’t see the value of a $400 upcharge. I have never had a problem finding a no upcharge shaft that fits the bend profile and weight that I need. Whether the paint job is good enough or not is above my pay scale.”
bcflyguy1: “Project X Titan Black. I’ve had one in 60TX in my Quantum TD Max for several weeks now. Have to give Titlieist their flowers for finding a way to make it available as a featured option; very shrewd bit of business and one that I suspect will be duplicated by the other companies. TT/PX have a certified banger on their hands with Titan.”
CTG77: “Undoubtedly, it’s the Tensei 1K RIP shafts from Titleist. The Tensei line gives about 98% of the performance of a Ventus VeloCore+ shaft at a tiny fraction of the cost if you’re looking for a blue or red profile. The white is not an exact match for Ventus Black, but it’s closer to it than the non-VeloCore+ Ventus shafts that come from Callaway or formerly came from TaylorMade.”

Entire Thread: “Best current stock shaft 2026.”

News

GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

A reminder from your friends at GolfWRX: Father’s Day is June 21. And as we do every year, we’re rounding up the best gifts for dad.

As we say every year, there’s no better golf-related Father’s Day gift than a round of golf with pops. Be it a country club or your favorite muni, take the time to get together to play 18 if you can.

Let’s get to the gifts.

Ghost Golf Qualifier Diamond Polo

We like the new polos that Ghost is offering, as the fabric and fit are so good. These new Qualifier Collection polos breathe well, are lightweight, stretch with your swing, and of course look great. You can wear them on the course, in the office, or just out at a casual event and they will fit right in.

Buy here.

STR8-Strip Grip Tape Remover

If your dad is an equipment aficionado and tinkers with his clubs, this tool works wonders. Removing grip tape has never been easier, just put a little head on the tape and the STR8-Strip peals it right off the shaft without any damage.

Buy here.

Why Golf: Putting Thing

When it comes to practice, it is good to have a purpose. This “Putting Thing” sure does it. We know from personal experience how challenging it can be and how rewarding it is on the practice green. This also provides some competition for your kiddo to see who will unload the dishwasher or do the next chore around the house.

Buy here.

OluKai Lae‘ahi Men’s Breathable Slip-On Shoes

Riding to and from the course in style and comfort is always a good thing. If you’re in a hurry, it’s a nice feature to slide into your shoes and get to the tee time. For the post-game shoe, at your locker or while putting your clubs away in the car. Nice to slide into a shoe that looks good anywhere. Pair that with meeting the family for dinner, no need to change!

Buy here.

Therabody Theragun Relief

A little wellness goes a long way. Keeping loose is a good way to go when it comes to the weekend game or treatment during the week. If there is a little ache or pain, the Theragun is there to help out. Help loosen up the back for a pre-game warm-up or cool-down.

Buy here.

World Cup golf apparel

Something for the soccer dads. Embrace the World Cup fever this summer on the course with custom gear to support the nation of your choice.

Buy here.

FootJoy Pro SL spikeless golf shoes

Give the old man a break and save his feet with the Footjoy Pro SL Men’s Spikeless Golf Shoes for some added comfort on the course.

Buy here.

Bushnell Wingman 2 GPS speaker

Combine all the hits as well as some game improvement with the Wingman 2 Golf GPS Speaker by getting audible distance readings from 38,000+ courses worldwide through the Wingman 2 remote or speaker.

Buy here.

Personalized Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

The No. 1 ball in golf is a safe bet, and the Pro V1 fits the largest chunk of the bell curve if you don’t know what ball pops plays. Add personalization for a, well, personal touch!

Buy here.