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Morning 9: USGA limiting golf ball for elite play | Tiger’s ex ‘jilted’ with ‘meritless claims’ | Back-to-back 59s

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

March 14, 2023

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as we gear up for action at the Valspar this week.

1. R&A, USGA expected to limit golf ball

James Corrigan for the Telegraph…”Telegraph Sport has learned that the impending announcement is believed to centre around “a discussion document” about reining back the ball and essentially introducing restrictions that will ultimately decrease the distance it will travel, even under optimal conditions.”

  • …”after a six-month consulting period in which the manufacturers have voiced objections and shared ideas, Telegraph Sport has learned the R&A and USGA – despite limiting shafts to a maximum of 46ins last year – seems to be primarily focused on decreasing the ball and not drastically overhauling the rules on clubs, which could affect recreational golfers.”
  • “We think we can make changes to the golf ball that can impact the longest hitters but have really minimal impact on the average drive distance for the recreational golfers,” Thomas Pagel, the USGA chief governance officer, said in 2022.
Full piece.

2. Woods’ attorney: Erica Herman is “jilted” ex-girlfriend with “meritless claims”

Emily Crane for the NY Post…”The golf legend, 47, made the claim against Herman, 38, after she asserted in court filings last week that the pair’s non-disclosure agreement she signed in 2017 should be tossed because her accusations involve “allegations of sexual abuse.”

  • “In his response filed Monday, Woods accused his ex-girlfriend of trying to thwart the judicial system because she hasn’t previously alleged abuse – or offered up any proof of such claims — during their months-long legal saga.”
  • “Ms. Herman is a not a victim of sexual assault or abuse sought to be protected by Congress when enacting the statute,” according to Woods’ filing, which was obtained by The Post.”
  • “Rather, Ms. Herman is a jilted ex-girlfriend who wants to publicly litigate specious claims in court, rather than honor her commitment to arbitrate disputes in a confidential arbitration proceeding.”
Full piece.

3. “Mood is changing” among non-designated event tournament chairs

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak with the report…”while initially tournament directors and sponsors of non-designated events were grumbling that they would be shut out of luring top players without finding creative ways to incentivize them to do so, that sentiment has shifted as the PGA Tour has begun communicating its messaging.”

  • “As he was headed to Tampa to prep for next week’s Valspar Championship, which his company operates, Hollis Cavner stopped to say that he had sat down with Tour officials, who walked him through the changes to the Tour schedule, and said, “they made me a believer.”
  • “I went in with an open mind and came out feeling real good. This is good for us,” he said. “Once you see how it is going to work, it’s clear that it’s going to be very good for elevated events and darn good for non-designated events. I think other sponsors will see it, too.”
  • “Cavner’s company, Pro Links Sports, also operates the 3M Open and Kady Stoll, 3M’s vice president of global partnerships, was equally encouraged after meeting with Tour brass on Wednesday at the Players.”
Full piece.

4. Back-to-back 59s!

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…“Think shooting 59 is tough? How about shooting 59 on two consecutive days.”

  • “That’s exactly what Australian professional golfer Peter Wilson did this past weekend. The 45-year-old journeyman, who turned pro in 2002 and is currently ranked No. 881 in the Official World Golf Ranking, cracked the sub-60 threshold on both Saturday and Sunday at Lang Lang Golf Club, a 6,001-yard, par-70 layout in Victoria, according to the PGA Tour of Australasia, of which Wilson is a member.”
Full piece.

5. A costly stretch

Matt Cradock for Golf Monthly…”Standing on the 15th tee at The Players Championship, Taylor Montgomery sat in a tie for fourth place and was staring at a paycheck of over $1 million. An hour later, the American found himself four-over-par for his round, in a tie for 44th and with just a $75,000 paycheck.”

  • “It was brutal to watch, especially with Montgomery going along very nicely at TPC Sawgrass as he managed to hole a lengthy birdie putt at the 14th to get to three-under for his day.”
Full piece.

6. More on the money

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine tabulated the major gains/losses for players on holes 16-18 Sunday at Sawgrass…

-3

Tyrell Hatton

Scores: 4-2-3

Money gained/lost: +$1.6 million

-2

Adam Svensson

Scores: 4-3-3

Money gained/lost: +$276,527.78

Rickie Fowler

Scores: 4-3-3

Money gained/lost: +$276,527.78

Full piece.

7. Rough stuff for El Pres

Our Jason Daniels…”Barstool Sports founder David Portnoy tweeted a video of himself and colleagues watching The Players Championship, and his trial following Viktor Hovland on the par-5 second hole during Saturday’s third round.

  • Needing Hovland to win the hole over his opponent, things were looking cozy when a 10-foot miss for birdie left Portnoy thinking he had just won $10K, only needing the Norwegian to clean up his birdie putt from inside three feet.”
  • “Then disaster struck.”
Full piece.

8. ChatGPT says these are the top 10 drivers ever made

A fun one here (we think) leveraging the AI language protocol to see what it thinks about the greatest drivers in golf equipment history…

From our Andrew Tursky…Then, I asked, “Can you please rank the 10 best golf drivers that have ever been made?”

  • “Ranking the 10 best golf drivers that have ever been made is a difficult task since it is subjective and depends on personal preferences. However, based on performance, popularity, and innovation, here is a list of the 10 best golf drivers that have ever been made:
  • “1. TaylorMade M5 Driver – Known for its speed and distance, the M5 Driver features an adjustable weight system that allows golfers to fine-tune their ball flight.”
  • “2. Callaway Rogue Driver – With a unique “Jailbreak” technology, the Rogue Driver has consistently been one of the most popular drivers on the market.”
  • “3. Titleist 915 D2 Driver – A classic driver from Titleist, the 915 D2 Driver is known for its workability and accuracy.”
  • “4. Ping G400 Driver – The G400 Driver features a sleek design and a tungsten-weighted sole that helps golfers achieve more distance and accuracy.”
  • “5. Cobra King F9 Speedback Driver – The King F9 features a unique aerodynamic design that helps golfers increase their clubhead speed.”

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

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Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss

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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.”

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Best current stock shaft 2026 – GolfWRXers discuss

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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.”

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

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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.

 

  • GolfWRX may earn a commission for purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

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