News

Woods Finds Magic Wins Memorial

“I knew I could do this,” Woods said after collecting his 67th career victory with a score of 12-under 276. “It’s just a matter of give me a little bit of time. I just came off a pretty extended break, and I was close to winning, but the game wasn’t quite there when I really needed it on Sunday. I rectified that.” This may be the understatement of all time. “I just came off a pretty extended break”… oh and yes not only did he take a bunch of time off, but also added a family member, have a knee reconstructed, not swing a club for months. Nothing that screams “BIG DEAL”. Grain of salt and all that stiff upper lip pablum. Follow that up with three words: I rectified that. Simple statement. On the surface it would appear impossible to hide the number of hours of work the man had to put into his game to get to a level of play mere mortals have difficulty even dreaming of attaining. i don’t think he spent a lot of time watching Spongebob with the kids. Changing to a new driver with more loft, 10.5* is what I have been told, was certainly not an off the cuff decision made on the spur of the moment. I wonder how many balls he had to hit to get the results he put up during this tournament? More than twelve I bet.

Published

17 years ago

Jun 8, 2009

Eric Schuster

“I knew I could do this,” Woods said after collecting his 67th career victory with a score of 12-under 276. “It’s just a matter of give me a little bit of time. I just came off a pretty extended break, and I was close to winning, but the game wasn’t quite there when I really needed it on Sunday. I rectified that.” This may be the understatement of all time. "I just came off a pretty extended break"… oh and yes not only did he take a bunch of time off, but also added a family member, have a knee reconstructed, not swing a club for months. Nothing that screams "BIG DEAL". Grain of salt and all that stiff upper lip pablum. Follow that up with three words: I rectified that. Simple statement. On the surface it would appear impossible to hide the number of hours of work the man had to put into his game to get to a level of play mere mortals have difficulty even dreaming of attaining. i don’t think he spent a lot of time watching Spongebob with the kids. Changing to a new driver with more loft, 10.5* is what I have been told, was certainly not an off the cuff decision made on the spur of the moment. I wonder how many balls he had to hit to get the results he put up during this tournament? More than twelve I bet.

Sunday Mr. Woods hit 14 of 14 fairways (what say you to that oh legions of doubters who thought he should dump his Nike driver?) and 18 in a row going back to Saturday’s round. When Jack Nicklaus says "you found your swing", and "it may be his best driving tournament" in years the golf world listens. As well it should.

Mr. Woods began the day 4 shots off the lead held by Mark Wilson and Matt Bettencourt, two names most doubted would still be there at the end. Give both players credit, Mr. Wilson finished tied for third and Mr. Bettancourt tied for fifth, admirable showings in a big time event from players not familiar with the spotlight. Their finishes while expected, were not the collapse that other, larger names, experienced on the back nine after Mr. Woods got into contention. Davis Love was at 10 under par after the 16th hole, needed a pair of birdies to tie the lead. Bogey, triple bogey leads one to wonder how dry the mouth was and how hard the throat closed when things mattered. Then there was Geoff Ogilvy whose 63 on Saturday launched him right up the leaderboard. He was nine under par and very much in the middle of everything when he began the toughest hole on the course, the short par 4 14th. Eight shots later (5 of them putts) Mr. Ogilvy was done. Jonathan Byrd hit a wedge into the hole on the par 5 seventh hole for an eagle and a two shot lead, then doubled the 14th and missed a four foot birdie on the 17th hole which would have left him within one shot of the lead. The only player to not fall back was Jim Furyk, whose final round 69 left him a stroke short of Mr. Woods. But what a stroke.

Four birdies on the front nine moved Mr. Woods from four back to three back of then leader Jonathan Byrd when he got to the par 5 eleventh hole. Hit a driver 329yds, then a 5 wood 253yds through the green into the deep stuff behind the green. “I didn’t see the lie but it had to be terrible,” said playing partner Michael Letzig, awed by Woods’ play and the circus surrounding him. “He had some wild, one-handed follow-through. I saw that out of the corner of my eye and then I saw how the ball was tracking. I just told my brother (Darren, his caddie) who was standing there, ‘Oh, my god!’ It was nuts.” Nuts indeed as the ball rolled into the hole for an eagle three. Follow that up with three birdies on the final four holes. Solid indicators that the Tiger Woods of lore is back and ready to marvel the world with his play.

On the 18th hole, with the lead, 186 yds from the hole, 7 iron in hand, Mr. Woods hit a high shot that, when it finally landed after what seemed like a commercial break, was 14 inches from the hole. Tap in. Welcome to the one stroke Mr. Furyk could not make up. And the victory in front of the man who’s major tournament record he is chasing. Fitting stuff.

In two weeks the show moves to New York and Bethpage Black. I have a suggestion for the rest of the field, work on your mental game. Try and forget the guy who wears the red shirt on Sunday, play your own game. Do I sound like a head doctor? Maybe. Anyhow, here’s a realist statement: Good luck with all that.

News

Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

7 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

8 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.