News

First PGA Tour leader of 2020: Joaquin Niemann | Tiger’s PR man out | Shackelford on schedule squeeze | Pineapple Rickie

Published

6 years ago

Jan 3, 2020

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt

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

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January 3, 2020

Good Friday morning, golf fans. We’re heading back to the clubhouse after 8 holes this morning. Enjoy your weekends, and I’ll see you again Monday, the start of a big week in the world of golf equipment.

**We’re looking for advertisers for 2020. Drop me a line ([email protected]) if you’d like to talk about getting your message in front of the M9 readership. Banner and native ad possibilities are, well, possible**

1. TOC: Niemann leads

Adam Schupak for Golfweek on the round one action…”To borrow a phrase from Roger Daltry and The Who, the kids are going to be all right.”

“Joaquin Niemann, 21, and Matt Wolff, 20, a pair of whippersnappers, may be the two youngest players in the field at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, but you wouldn’t know it by their impressive starts in their debuts at Kapalua’s Plantation Course.”

“Niemann signed for a 7-under-par 66 to claim a one-stroke lead over Justin Thomas after the first round in Maui and Wolff, the youngest player in the field is nipping at his heels after shooting 69. It continued a run of good form by Niemann, who despite an 0-3-1 record at the Presidents Cup in December, said it gave him a jolt of confidence.”

Full piece.

2. High winds ahead

PGATour.com’s Ben Everill…”Jon Rahm was only half joking when he said he’s going to have nightmares tonight in Maui.”

“The Spaniard was talking about the forecast increase in wind speeds over the final three rounds of the Sentry Tournament of Champions after the opening day was played in beautiful conditions.”

“While the winners only field was bathed in sunshine and dealt with just the occasional gust on Thursday, the remainder of the tournament is expecting steady winds of around 20 mph with gusts up and around the 35 mph mark.”

Full piece.

3. Greenspan out

Rumblings suggest Glenn Greenspan was given his marching orders, but officially, there’s no word on the genesis of the split with Tiger’s top PR man.

Golfweek’s Forecaddie…“Greenspan, who has worked for Woods since 2008, left the company last month after the Hero World Challenge, The Forecaddie has learned. His official title was Vice President of Communications for TGR, Tiger Woods Ventures.”

“Greenspan was a quiet, unassuming figure in the chaos that often surrounded Woods. He stood behind his boss during some major crises throughout the last decade, most notably as Woods apologized in a televised speech in February 2010 for cheating on his wife and his “irresponsible and selfish behavior.” In 2017, Greenspan was in charge of Woods’ PR when the PGA Tour star was arrested on a DUI charge and later issued an apology to his family, friends and fans.”

Full piece.

4. Ready or not…

Interesting perspective from Geoff Shackelford on the congestion of the 2020 golf schedule…

“Which brings us back to a recurring and dreadful topic we’ll grapple with all of 2020: schedule compaction. To put it as euphemistically as possible.”

“Tokyo’s Olympic games in July grab two weeks of the PGA Tour schedule and thus forced the early start. They will also disrupt schedules of big names and highlight how too many playing opportunities exist. As a product folks pay handsomely to sponsor and televise, we’ll be reminded quite regularly that the people writing big checks could get a lot more bang for their bucks with some schedule contraction and less of an emphasis on providing year-round playing opportunities. “

“Not that anyone will do anything about it as long as players incentivize leaders to maximize at the expense of the product.”

Full piece.

5. Bold predictions

Here are two of Kyle Porter’s predictions for 2020 in professional golf…

“Tiger Woods doesn’t win at all: That’s right! Here’s the thing with Woods. He’s tended to do the opposite of what everyone thought he was going to do over the past few years. He thrived last fall after everyone said he wouldn’t. He struggled last summer after everyone presumed he’d never lose again. He started 2019 off slowly (at least compared to expectations) after winning the Tour Championship, and then just when people started bailing, he won the Masters. It’s foolish to pick him to not win an event because he’s still one of the, what, three or four best iron players alive, but I’ll fade the November-December heat and say he’s wearing an earpiece instead of a golf glove at Whistling Straits.”

“Rory McIlroy wins a major: The unintended benefit of Tiger thumping at the highest level for guys like McIlroy is that the No. 2 player in the world goes into 2020 as under the radar as the No. 2 player in the world can possibly be. Between Tiger defending at Augusta National, the Phil Mickelson storyline for Winged Foot and the Open going somewhere other than Portrush, McIlroy will have more freedom at majors than he has in recent years. It also helps that he’s the best player on the planet right now.”

Full piece.

6. Are prices for new golf clubs too high?

Superb perspective here from the team of Stachura & Johnson regarding equipment prices

A morsel of their response to a question about the “rising” cost of clubs…”But seriously, let’s take a serious look at equipment pricing. The most popular driver in golf nearly a quarter century ago, and maybe the most popular driver of any time, was the Callaway Great Big Bertha from 1995. Its price: $500. In today’s dollars, with inflation, that’s about $850. Quite simply, there are no drivers at that price today that have any kind of share of the market. It is correct that average selling prices have jumped significantly. “

Full piece.

7. Lost letters

Digest’s EIC picks up a pen to compose the “lost letters” of 2019 in golf. Here’s a good one…

“DEAR TIGER,”

“You tied me at 82 official PGA Tour victories, but you know I won a lot more than that. The Google Machine credits me with 94 PGA-sanctioned tour wins, but the egghead professors in Pondy Verde robbed me. They count The Greenbrier as official one year and somehow unofficial the next. I won the West Virginia Open 17 times, but I guarantee you they didn’t count them. I just want to warn you, as time goes by, they’re gonna start taking away your majors. Like those three U.S. Amateurs you won. By my count, you’ve got 18 majors to Jack’s 20 (including his two National Amateurs), so you’re only two behind. Keep your eyes on those boys in accounting….

-The Ghost of Sam Snead”

Full piece.

8. Pineapple Rickie

Golf Channel’s Grill Room team...”The look is part of Puma’s latest collection, Island Time, which features two signature prints inspired by the tropical vibes of Hawaii. Fowler wore the pineapple-print Islands Shirt during Wednesday’s pro-am.”

“However, the shirt wasn’t the only noticeable fashion statement made by Fowler, who also wore matching shorts. And while he typically sports a flat-billed hat and wore one on the course, Fowler traded that in for the collection’s reversible bucket hat for his press conference.”

Full piece.

News

Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

10 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

10 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.