At GOLF.com, the sport isn’t just our job but a passion. In this month’s editors’ picks, we’re dishing on the best courses, shoes and socks we discovered in August 2022.
Where we’re playing
Guys, you can ring a bell. And play a course that’s in its second century of existence. All for 40 bucks — and that includes a cart.
Me and four buddies last month took a trip out to Lawsonia, rated second in GOLF’s list of the country’s top value courses, and in between two rounds there, we played Tuscumbia Country Club, also in Green Lake, Wis. It’s a classic, Midwest, woodlands course, so yes, there are trees, but it’s playable. It also has some history — the folks at Tuscumbia are very proud to tell you that their course is the oldest in Wisconsin, having been founded in 1896.
And you can ring a bell. Midway through the front nine — I believe it’s the fifth or sixth hole — a par-4 dips out of view of the tee box, so Tuscumbia offers the bell, with a string below it, which both lets you notify the group behind you they’re safe to hit — and gives you the chance to send a jolt into your playing partners. —Nick Piastowski
What we’re walkin’ in
I’ve spent the summer in St. Andrews without a vehicle. That means a lot of walking across town to the Old Course, or traveling via train and taxi to other courses around Fife. To do it well, I needed a pair of lightweight, spineless shoes that work well on pavement but also on the short grass.
Look no further than the Adidas Stan Smith golf shoes. The outsole is covered in little rubber knobs at varying lengths that do an impressive job of locking you into the ground during a swing but also are the perfect boost of added spring to your step on concrete. I wasn’t so sure about these kicks at first, but I’m undeniably in on them now. —Sean Zak
What we’re wearing
My greatest weakness? I’m a sock guy. After years of buying the cheapest, worst products I could get my hands on, a friend purchased a pair of high-end performance socks for me, and I was hooked. See ya, blisters! See ya, discomfort! See ya, my savings account! With that first precious pair of high-end socks, I could see my future clearly for the first time: I was walking on clouds … literally.
Today, socks are more important than ever for me. When I’m on the road for GOLF, I’m sometimes in the same pair of shoes for 15 hours at a time. I’m often walking 36 holes or more in a day. So when I say Darn Tough’s merino wool athletic socks are good, I mean they’re really freaking good. The socks are light, they’re insanely comfortable, and they’re capable of withstanding the beating I so often place upon them. Most importantly, they’re unequivocally worth the $18 price tag. Buy ’em or don’t, it’s up to you. All I ask is you leave a few size XLs in stock for your favorite golf writer. —James Colgan
I am all for clothes that you can wear both on and off the course. If I can’t wear my golf apparel exercising, running errands or hanging out with friends, I won’t buy it. Lululemon’s Hotty Hot High-Rise Skirt (you read that right) is perfect for teeing it up and for trips to Target.
It’s technically a running skirt, which should tell you all you need to know about it’s comfort and stretch. I have it in four colors and they’ve all gotten a lot of use — and compliments — this summer. It comes in both regular and long lengths as well as numerous colors and patterns. And the best part? It’s currently on sale. —Claire Rogers