News

(Not) ready golf

Published

14 years ago

Jul 10, 2012

GolfWRX

It was possibly one of the hottest days ever recorded in the state of Georgia. Nonetheless, I was ready for a fun, hot day of golf. My group and I arrived at the golf course at 9 a.m. for our 9:30 a.m. tee time. We headed to the range to get in some practice before we began our round of golf. With the sun already beating on our faces and the humidity making us sweat, we continued preparing for what we hoped would be a good quick round of golf.

We were all feeling pretty good as we headed up to the first hole. The breeze from the golf cart driving up to the first tee box was a nice break from the heat as we prepared to start our round. As we arrived at the first tee box, one of the most difficult things about the game of golf officially began.

I’m not talking about the bad slice I hit with my driver and can’t seem to fix. I’m not talking about hitting the ball out of the sand or those dreaded three putts that seem to happen more times than not. I’m talking about a day of golf when a typical four-hour golf game turns into a six-hour golf game.

Some might say that our mistake was choosing to play on one of the hottest days ever or not being able to schedule an earlier tee time. However, the real mistake was the group in front of us not knowing how to play ready golf. It’s a common rule for almost anybody who has played the game of golf.

We arrived at the first tee to find out that the course had already started to back-up. The group in front of us finally was ready to tee off and set up to hit their balls. The first two hit their drives and they were nice drives, down the middle of the fairway. The third guy then stepped up and hit his drive toward the trees. Fortunately for him, the ball didn’t go into the trees and landed just right of them. What did he do though? He walked back to his bag and grabbed another ball. He teed it up, took some more practice swings and hit again.

On any other day, this wouldn’t be a problem. How many of us can say we have never taken a mulligan? However, on a day like this when ready golf is so important, it just slowed things down. We all saw his ball land. Even his friends told him he was safe. After that my group and I all knew we were in for a long day.

As they continued down the fairway, every one of them headed over to the side where the guy had hit his drive. Not only to show him exactly where his ball landed but to watch him hit as well. None of them had hit or were even prepared to hit their own balls, and we were stuck just waiting for them to move on.

We finally were able to begin our round of golf and the heat was only getting worse. We finished the first three holes and I had already downed two Gatorades and had started my third. It was coming out of me faster than I could yell fore! Every hole was the same thing. We waited and waited for the group in front of us to finally hit the ball. Every hole, they waited for one another to hit the ball. This is fine and all when both balls are in the same vicinity. It’s a common rule. If you’re further away, you hit first. However, when players are on two different sides of the fairway, both players should be hitting their balls.

We finished the first 9 holes and I felt like I had already downed more water and gatorade than I ever had in my life. As we waited once again at the tee box, one of the golf pros came riding up and asked, “How long did it take you guys to finish the front nine?” We replied, “A little more than three hours.” He shook his head and apologized. We were currently waiting for the group in front of us to hit their approach shots. It was a par 5 and they were all almost 300 yards away from the green. They were waiting for the group ahead of them to get off the green. Before the golf pro drove away he told us, “I’ve never seen anybody in all my years hit their second shot and get it on the green in two, especially from 300 yards away.” It was a perfect example of golfers not playing ready golf.

As we worked our way through the back nine our only focus was to just stay hydrated. It wasn’t going to get any better and with groups of golfers continually waiting behind us. All we could do was wonder how much better this day of golf could have been if they had been playing ready golf. Whether that’s on the tee box, the fairway, or the green, it doesn’t matter. Ready golf doesn’t mean you have to rush. It just means being ready to play.

Click here for more discussion in the “General Golf Talk” forum.

This article was written by Charlie. Charlie is a hobby golfer but full time golf enthusiast. He currently works in the film industry. Online, Charlie or a.k.a The iMovie Guy, helps beginner videographers understand how to use iMovie, a video editing program and hopes to one day film professional sports. You can visit his website, http://www.imovietutorialhelp.com for more information.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

1 day ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ben A

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase