News

Back9Network busts, suspends operations

Published

11 years ago

Feb 23, 2015

Startup golf lifestyle network Back9Network announced on Monday in a statement that it has suspended operations due to a “temporary shortfall in capital.”

[quote_box_center]“Management and the board of directors are planning next steps and will continue their efforts to secure long-term, operating capital,” the company said in a statement. “The company will keep the public informed with any new developments.”[/quote_box_center]

While the statement and recent reports indicate that the network was and still is actively seeking the cash it needs to remain afloat, this latest news indicates that those efforts have not proven fruitful to date.

I talked with PGA Tour and Web.com player Kyle Thompson, who Back9 sponsors, earlier to get his take on the news.

[quote_box_center]“I tried to promote them some on social media and wore the logo on my bag,” Thompson told me. “Great bunch working for them. It’s too bad they went under. I feel like it’s just tough these days if you aren’t syndicated in HD.”[/quote_box_center]

Back9 went live on the air on DirecTV back in late September. The network has received $5 million in state loans from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development plus a $100,000 grant. The requirements of the loans awarded to the network back in Aug. 2012 required that Back9 retain 10 jobs and create another 40 by the end of 2014.

In January, the company laid off 35 of its full-time employees. Just a few weeks later, it was reported that Back9 was actively and aggressively seeking to raise a “significant” amount of capital through new investors or a potential buyout in an attempt to keep the network operational.

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John Lahtinen

John Lahtinen is a Connecticut-based writer with nearly 20 years of experience involving news, media, communications, higher education, PR and marketing. He has been playing golf forever and is still finding unique ways to ruin a good round. Adding to his confusion, he plays both right- and left-handed.

18 Comments

JR

Feb 25, 2015 at 4:49 pm

The little I saw of Back 9 I thought it was a joke–very poor programs and content was low budget! As far as the GC, I enjoy the fact they have some maybe a good amount of golf on it, Euro, Gals, Sr. and some of the regular tour tho I do not enjoy it much. I find the fact they re-run Morning Drive about 3 times a morning a bit over the top and cannot stomach Hack on the show–the rest are acceptable and I can live with them. Overall am happy with it and will continue to watch as much as I can.

Reply Report comment
Phat

Feb 25, 2015 at 2:50 pm

An insult to golf and a waste of taxpayer money on page 3 girl photoshoots and lifestyles of the rich and famous junk). They should never have got off the ground.

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Bert

Feb 25, 2015 at 1:32 pm

Never watched the Back-9 Network but from above it sounds like it was poor at best. Concerning The Golf Channel, I have tired of the Morning Drive. I dislike continuous yelling and even though Charlie seems funny, I believe his constant attacks on the Rules of Golf exemplify why he need to move on to something else other than golf. He desires attention, sort of like McCord. As for Hack, I like him allot but when he chimes in on in-depth golf topics, he’s over his head; he’s a hack!

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Back9 Joke

Feb 25, 2015 at 11:20 am

Bosworth and Gorman are both serial losers……Anyone who put money into this and did not check their backgrounds deserves what they got…..a lot of lost cash.

What a joke this was from the beginning….only can hope that the State AG starts to investigate this rip-off.

Reply Report comment
theo

Feb 25, 2015 at 10:30 am

it was SD???

…were they also running late night episodes of All in the Family?

Reply Report comment
Steve

Feb 24, 2015 at 8:56 am

Rashad as your lead anchor, broadcasts in SD. Either they were clueless or someone stole a whole bunch of money.

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Roosterredneck

Feb 24, 2015 at 8:46 am

Most all the golf anchors or commenters can’t or do not know how to work without Tiger to video breakdown swing & etc. I just want to watch golf and not just Tiger..I like to watch many different golfers not just the leader or Tiger, Phil, Freddie and etc.

Reply Report comment
- j diz
  
  Feb 25, 2015 at 11:24 am
  
  is this english?
  
  Reply Report comment
Mike Honcho

Feb 24, 2015 at 7:22 am

When Ahmad Rashad is the main personality you are hanging your hat on, good luck. There’s a reason he got ran off from GC.

Reply Report comment
Gdb99

Feb 24, 2015 at 6:25 am

I’m Wondering if, as a state of Connecticut resident, will be getting our money back anytime soon…

Reply Report comment
Bob Eubanks

Feb 23, 2015 at 9:30 pm

I enjoy the golf channel however a lot of their shows are rather boring and the anchors per se are bland especially Gary Williams he is a complete tool. The amount of commercials during a pga tournament is ridiculous not to mention the actual coverage needs to improve substantially. Especially during the masters, crap camera angles and to many commercials.

Reply Report comment
- Connor
  
  Mar 1, 2015 at 5:30 pm
  
  The Golf Channel doesn’t broadcast the Masters…? It’s ESPN Thur-Fri, and CBS on the weekend.
  
  The Golf Channel just does “Live From” which gets monotonous, but they give you all the information from each day that you’d every dream of. I agree with you on GC’s shows though… quite the snoozers.
  
  Reply Report comment
Mat

Feb 23, 2015 at 9:20 pm

I can livestream in HD on my 5 year old laptop using $200 software and a decent camera. SD isn’t acceptable.

Reply Report comment
DontChase

Feb 23, 2015 at 7:31 pm

It’s 2015 – who in their right mind thought it was a good idea to start a TV channel – of any kind – that’s not in HD?

So basically you wanted me to buy in to a competitor to the Golf Channel – only not in HD?

Cant imagine where this idea went wrong…

Reply Report comment
Fsubaseball21

Feb 23, 2015 at 7:11 pm

Being employed in the golf industry I will say this. We REALLY need Tiger Woods to become relivent again. Not Rory not Phil not Jordan or DJ can come close to driving the needle such as Tiger did. Say what you want but a lot of us owe our jobs to him.

Reply Report comment
FTWPhil

Feb 23, 2015 at 3:36 pm

Golf Channel is subpar sports coverage… Why make a copy?

Reply Report comment
- golfandgamble
  
  Feb 23, 2015 at 4:49 pm
  
  I can see why people nitpick the Golf Channel, but I’m just happy there’s a channel I can watch that shows golf. The coverage we get is so much better than it used to be and for that I’m thankful. I’ve never watched the Big Break or any of the lesson shows, but I think they do a good job with Morning Drive, Golf Central and live golf.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Dave
    
    Feb 25, 2015 at 5:44 pm
    
    Totally agree. Even though GC and on-air “personalities” have become cheesy as hell, it is pretty sweet to have tons of live HD coverage all in one place
    
    Reply Report comment

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News

Best current stock shaft 2026 – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

27 mins 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.

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

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 OccuNet Classic

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

With the PGA Tour across the border in Canada this week, GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore stayed stateside and headed to the OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National Bank in Amarillo, Texas.

It’s always interesting to see what the guys are playing on the KFT, and this week certainly hasn’t disappointed so far, with some incredible wedge stamping on display.

Check out links to all our albums below.