News
Steven Bowditch arrested for extreme DUI early Friday morning
Golfer Steven Bowditch was arrested Friday morning in Scottsdale, Arizona, on suspicion of “extreme DUI,” according to The Arizona Republic.
The 33-year-old was in the area as a participant in the Waste Management Phoenix Open and was taken into custody at 1:10 a.m. by the Scottsdale police with blood-alcohol content exceeding 0.2 percent.
Photo: Scottsdale Police Department
A civilian driver called the police after seeing a white truck “swerving all over the road,” the Arizona Republic reported. The truck, which Bowditch was found to be operating, didn’t move through two green light signals. Police needed to wake Bowditch, who was behind the wheel.
He was booked into Scottsdale City Jail, Golfweek reports, and was bonded out later that day.
Life is about choices. Last night I made a very poor one. I’m very sorry to those I have disappointed. I must and will, do better.
— bowdo (@bowdo83) February 4, 2017
Bowditch took to Twitter to apologize, and also issued a statement on Friday following the arrest:
“I would like to apologize to my family, friends and supporters, as well as the PGA Tour and Waste Management Phoenix Open for the incident reported today. As I intend to fully cooperate with the authorities.”
Despite being arrested Friday morning, Bowditch made his 12:25 p.m. second-round tee time at TPC Scottsdale. He shot 74 on Friday following a Thursday 74, and has missed the cut.
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!”
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
- GolfWRX may earn a commission for purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.
Justin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
What’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
Memorial Tournament Tour Report: Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young switch up drivers, and more
Cadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
Best irons 2026: Best irons overall, most forgiving irons, and more
J.T. Poston’s winning WITB: 2026 Memorial Tournament
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
Ryan Palmer WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament. Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
Hannah Green WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (10 degrees, D4 SureFit setting) Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana RB 53 S 3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees,...
Asterisk Talley WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 S 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (16.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
-
Equipment6 days agoMemorial Tournament Tour Report: Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young switch up drivers, and more
-
News2 weeks agoRussell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
-
Equipment3 days agoBest irons 2026: Best irons overall, most forgiving irons, and more
-
Whats in the Bag4 days agoJ.T. Poston’s winning WITB: 2026 Memorial Tournament
-
Equipment1 week agoDetails on Jason Day’s latest prototype Avoda iron setup
-
Equipment3 weeks agoCJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
-
News2 weeks agoCharles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
-
Equipment2 weeks agoDetails on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
jc
Mar 1, 2017 at 4:31 pm
he was also charge with extreme eyebrows!!!! go see a barber.
russell platt
Feb 8, 2017 at 6:17 pm
Her is a great guy and who doesn’t have their share of problems.I thought the legal limit was .2 for Aussies?
Barry
Feb 6, 2017 at 7:52 pm
He’s been playing terrible, can’t blame him for drinking! But don’t drive you idiot
Guia
Feb 6, 2017 at 7:02 pm
Give the guy a break. We don’t know if him being intoxicated is a regular thing, or just a one time occurrence. If it is a regular thing I hope he seeks help and over comes it. If it is not, well **it happens.
cgasucks
Feb 7, 2017 at 8:01 am
If he wants to be drink his sorrows away, that’s fine but don’t drive drunk and potentially kill an innocent human in the process..
Dave R
Feb 6, 2017 at 12:20 pm
Good luck to you.
Jim
Feb 6, 2017 at 10:52 am
….74 after that night? Man, get it together bro…there’s talent in there….
setter02
Feb 9, 2017 at 10:17 am
Was going to say the same thing, that’s an impressive feat after a less than impressive evening.
Jim
Feb 6, 2017 at 10:48 am
He’s taking this head on. Good for him. Don’t know the man; wouldn’t if he bit me, but it really is a “Thank you, God” moment as a possible tragedy was averted….
on a medical note….while .2 is a pretty solid number, passing out @ .2 is far from AA Fueler status. He can fix this with a little support and self honesty….I wish him well
next M/C? Don’t go hang out in the Wasted Management gallery….
ChunkieChip
Feb 5, 2017 at 3:18 pm
What a haunting photo! If her were alive, would love to see Vincent van Gogh paint this guys mug. Oh my bad, Vince was a highly influential painter that grabbed the 20th century art scene by the ears…….errrr ear.
S Hitter
Feb 5, 2017 at 3:32 am
Wow. Absolutely hilarious.
GolfBum
Feb 5, 2017 at 12:54 am
You can`t change the past, but you can change the future. Hope to see better things in the future. Some notables made mistakes and came back stronger.
Best of luck mate.
Stylin'
Feb 4, 2017 at 11:45 pm
Man, he’s got a sweet head of lettuce. Baldies are jealous the world over!
Bob
Feb 5, 2017 at 8:43 pm
You must be balding. Cause guys don’t pay attention to that kind of stuff. Spieth is that you?
Double Mocha Man
Feb 6, 2017 at 5:14 pm
He has more hair on his eyebrows than most men have on the top of their heads.
Dr Troy
Feb 4, 2017 at 10:09 pm
Sad to see him do something this stupid. He’s a really cool guy but I know for a fact he loves the sauce. Being around the Cartersville CC tour pros from time to time, you see up close and personal how much some of them can pound the booze. Several others that I wont mention on here also…To echo one of the other comments, AZ does NOT fool around and it wouldnt surprise me that he gets 30 days. I hope not, but his BAC was so damn high.
Chuck
Feb 4, 2017 at 10:02 pm
How many people looked at this story and their first reaction was, “Hey, he’s still using the 2016 M2. I wonder what loft? And is that a Project X HZRDUS? Which one?”
Jason
Feb 5, 2017 at 12:47 am
Funny you mentioned that, it’s exactly what I thought! However, while I don’t condone DUI, at least he owned it. It would have been easy for him to go silent. He stepped up and admitted to his mistake. Makes me root for him even more.
Bert
Feb 4, 2017 at 7:51 pm
Mistakes are made and booze makes them worse. Nothing good comes from booze; been there and done it.
cgasucks
Feb 4, 2017 at 6:13 pm
Ok so Botwditch is friggin depressed and hit rock bottom and is drinking himself away. That’s fine, but that doesn’t give him the right to drive intoxicated and hurt or kill and innocent human being.
Rich
Feb 5, 2017 at 12:48 am
Thankfully that didn’t happen. Good people do stupid things sometimes. But I guess you’re perfect, right?
cgasucks
Feb 6, 2017 at 8:21 am
Of course! Don’t be stupid.
Mark Walgren
Feb 4, 2017 at 3:17 pm
Awesome! party like a rockstar! At least nobody was hurt. Just gotta be careful next time and not show just how intoxicated you are!
cgasucks
Feb 4, 2017 at 6:14 pm
I bet MADD would love to have a few words with you…
BooBunkie
Feb 4, 2017 at 2:54 pm
Unfortunate?! I’ll say! It’s unfortunate this idiot didn’t kill anybody!! Clown! Ok, here goes. If this had happened to Eldrick…..OMG!! Breaking News!!! Eldrick hammered, Eldrick hammered, Eldrick hammered!!!! 2-3-4 times the legal limit of adult beverages consumed during the week of a tourney! Missed cuts, broken family, busted back, ankle, achilles, immoral behavior, da da da da da da da., and on and on and on ALL DAY AND NIGHT.
Meh, Bowdy plays second round, missed the cut, meh no biggie. I love selective reporting of news stories. Ok, y’alls turn…..BRING IT ON!!!
Steve
Feb 5, 2017 at 10:51 pm
Do you know what unfortunate means? Why would you want him to kill somebody?
gwillis7
Feb 4, 2017 at 2:46 pm
unfortunate this happened, c’mon Bowditch!
B Moore
Feb 4, 2017 at 12:51 pm
Human like all of us…. good to see him taking this face on. Your in our prayers Steve, better days ahead!