News

A rebuttal: Captain Bradley should get 2 more years, if he likes

Published

8 months ago

Sep 30, 2025

I’ve written in other pieces that Kaptain Keegan should get two more years if he wants them. Not all captains of Ryder Cup sides care as much, nor have their finger on the pulse, as much as Mr. Bradley. Take Tom Watson, for example. Loved him as a player, but his ironfisted “back in my day” way of (cough) reaching his players just didn’t work. Keegan Bradley is in the mix each week on tour, so he knows the tournament game’s nuances, and he sees the players strengthen and wilt as the events evolve. No finer option exists.

It’s with not just a bit of irony and frustration that I read what professional colleagues have written about Mr. Bradley and his decisions. I take issue with much of what they have written. It’s as if they and I were not watching the same event. One of us is wrong, and I don’t believe that it is me. For example, the talented Rex Hoggard, over at NBC Sports, wrote an eloquent but inaccurate piece on whether KB should get 2027 in Ireland. Umbrage is not all that I took away from his piece, so I decided to write a rebuttal.

Mr. Hoggard, et al.

I read with great dissatisfaction your finely-worded but inaccurately-conceived piece on whether Mr. Keegan Bradley should have a chance to, ahem, run it back in Ireland in 2027. I would like to offer this rebuttal, and I hope that you accept it as the dissonant thoughts of a colleague.

To begin, anyone with the lineup that Luke Donald was given would have won this week. I suspect that Mr. Donald, while quite intelligent and a Northwestern U. alumnus, simply listened to his veteran team and put them where they wanted to be. Mr. Donald did not hit a single shot for the players. The brilliant tacticians, therefore, are the dozen players who made up the European side. They made the decisions, and they hit the shots.

Next, you allude to the lack of a U.S. Open or links-style setup as a cause for Side USA’s distress. May I remind you that while J.J. Spaun had success one week of his life at Oakmont, he did not have success many other weeks, on similar setups? May I remind you that Bryson DeChambeau did the same at Winged Foot and Pinehurst the Second, but struggled many other weeks? Course setup was the same for each side. The European side simply hit better shots more frequently. They would have done the same on any course, any place, this week.

In the words of Natalie Merchant, let’s talk about the weather. If the rough had been up and the rains had come, the rough would then have been unmanageable. The greens would still have been soft. Why would you risk bringing the greens to a firmness that puts them in danger of dying? Ask any superintendent, and they will tell you that Bethpage did it right this week. Did soft greens make Team USA miss putts? No. Did soft greens make Team USA hit shots farther away from the hole? No. No one can predict the weather, and no one can predict the impact of the weather. To suggest that it is the captain’s fault is to spread incorrect information and incite the nay-sayers and Monday-morning captains.

It is my pleasure to agree with you on the topic of going to the well again, a.k.a. rinse and repeat. The Scheffler/Henley foursomes pairing was first, bad, and next, snakebitten. On day one, the boys in blue made seven birdies in the fifteen holes of the match. the lads in red made just three, and they also made at least two bogies (not all holes were completed.) On day two, Scheffler/Henry made six birdies and lost to the eight birdies of the Euros. No idea why English and Morikawa were ever paired together. On day one in foursomes, the duo made one solitary birdie. On day two in the same format, the pair made five birdies, yet still lost, by 3 & 2.

From my perspective, the one player that should have featured in all five matches was the one fellow who won three points for the red, white, and blue. I wrote a piece prior to the matches about Cameron Young. It was clear from every vantage point that he was the guy with the most course knowledge, and Keegan Bradley knew this. If Bradley went against his intuition on any point, it was starting Cameron Young in morning foursomes on Friday. Imagine that he partnered with anyone and that they won their match. The score would have been 2-2 (very likely), and it would have been a different afternoon and weekend.

I take issue with “the envelope rule.” If a player has a recurring injury and it flares up during Ryder Cup week, that’s on the Captain and the team, and no half point is given to the injured player’s team. Hovland knew that he was hurt. Team Europe knew that he was hurt. Zero points, Viktor. If an accident occurs and a new injury happens, that’s unfortunate and fate, and the match is halved. That’s what happened in 1991 with Steve Pate.

I remain, respectfully yours,

R. Mont

I feel so much better now. Thank you for reading, and for enjoying/despising my words. I can’t wait for PrezCup 2026, and I can’t wait doubly for Ryder Cup 2027. The same goes for the Solheim, Curtis, and Walker Cups to come.

News

Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

2 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

2 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.