As golf has grown increasingly global, so, too, has our staff. This year alone, we dispatched our team to such far-flung destinations as Paris, Melbourne and South Korea, along with dozens of other golfy locales closer to home. Our writers, video producers and social-media whizzes documented their travels in all kinds of ways, including with the cameras on their phones. Here are some of our staff’s favorite snaps from the year that was.
Snapped this one right before the TV cameras arrived. It’s Janet Lin, sobbing at the Paris Olympics with her face buried into the shoulder of her fiance. She had just found out that she was guaranteed third place and a bronze medal for China. It’s the only event all year where third place feels like that, and I was lucky to see the joy unfold just steps away. — Sean Zak
The Valhalla hill looked muddy, but climabl … oh, who was I kidding, it looked slippery. But at the PGA Championship back in May, I was following a group of players and needed to keep up, so I stepped — and slid in front of dozens of folks, their oohs blocking out the sound of my turf contact. But I was OK. I’d braced myself and bounced back up, though I was left with a nice dirt streak along the right side of my body, as you can see. Made for some odd looks at the press conferences. — Nick Piastowski
That’s my 12-year-old son Declan in the foreground, tending to a bunker at Upper Montclair (N.J.) CC, on the occasion of the LPGA’s Founders Cup pro-am, which I was lucky enough to play in. I brought Declan along to loop for me. This photo makes me smile because, as if trying to execute proper raking technique in this environment isn’t a big enough ask, my kid, in this moment, also had the watchful eyes of a pro caddie on him. No pressure, kid! Good news was, his raking was way better than my shot-making. Low bar but still… — Alan Bastable
This is Jason Day (if you can find him) holing out in front of a boisterous Canadian crowd on the way to an International comeback sweep on Day 2 of the Presidents Cup. A healthy combination of Labatts and INT sunk putts gave a significant morale boost to the fans on Friday. — Emma Devine
The mountainous landscape of southern Montana was the perfect backdrop for a wild and unforgettable round at Rising Sun Golf Course. The day included hitting every club in the bag, dodging a thunderstorm and many jaw-dropping views. It’s places like this that show why the Rocky Mountain region is an underrated golf destination. — Adam Christensen
As golf writers, we’re lucky to have what most people consider a “fun job.” And usually, when people tell me I have a “fun job,” I reply that it is fun, but it often sounds much more glamorous than it is (looking at you, five nights in a row of 11 p.m. Chipotle in Augusta).
In 2024, I stopped saying that, and started practicing the art of polite agreement. I stopped because my job took me on the greatest trip of my life: a journey halfway around the world to Oz — Australia — for two weeks ripping around some of the world’s greatest courses. I can describe the experience of playing the Victoria “Sandbelt” courses only as the coolest thing I have ever done in my life, and if that’s all I ever take from my time as a golf writer, well, I’ll die a happy guy. In hindsight, golf-writing in 2024 was a pretty fun job. — James Colgan
This year, my mom told me she was interested in re-establishing her long-dormant handicap index. Yes! So, we played a series of rounds throughout the hot Arizona summer together, and I absolutely loved it. One shot that tended to give my mom problems, though, was the short pitch. It’s such a necessary shot to have in your arsenal, especially at the course we frequented, and we worked hard on becoming friendly with the sand wedge to achieve the high trajectory you need to get over hazards like bunkers and water. I captured this photo during a recent round a We-Ko-Pa, and I love it because it showcases a perfectly-executed pitch from a tight lie over a treacherous bunker. The ball landed softly on the green, just like my mom wanted. I was so proud! Spending time on the course with the people you love is the game’s greatest joy. And having the chance to share small triumphs like this one is so satisfying. — Jessica Marksbury
There’s no more spectacular PGA Tour site than Kapalua, and there’s no better feeling than hope. This was the first tee at the Sentry on the eve of the first tournament of the season, when anything could still be. I’m excited for the next one. — Dylan Dethier
We celebrated my mom’s 60th birthday in style with her hole-in-one on the uphill 9th hole at Hamptons Mini Golf in Southampton, N.Y. Surrounded by the likes of Shinnecock Hills, National Golf Links of America, Sebonack and literally across the street from Southampton Golf Club, I can’t think of another mini-golf spot with as much (real) golf history in its vicinity. The course features faithful recreations of many local landmarks, including the Montauk Point Lighthouse, an ode to the history of the Shinnecock Nation and the classic Old Hook Windmill in the background of this photo. We also enjoyed a burger, Ping-Pong and foosball on this perfect fall afternoon. It’s a must-stop if you’re traveling through the area. — Connor Federico
There are many ways to earn a living in the game. Taehyun Kong is a stalwart of the South Korean-based G-Tour, the largest screen-golf league in the world. But he has a side gig as a YouTube entertainer. I met him this past fall, at the headquarters of simulator giant GolfZon, in the heart of Seoul’s Gangnam district. After blasting a few drives 300 yards-plus into the screen, Kong turned around left-handed to show me one of the many swing impressions he posts on his account. Here, he’s doing Bubba Watson. — Josh Sens
This is Godfrey Nsubuga, draped with a Uganda flag blanket, talking to a local news crew after the first round of the U.S. Amateur this summer. He became the first player to represent Uganda in the event, and it was the culmination of a long journey that started by learning the game with golf clubs made out of Eucalyptus trees. He didn’t make it out of the stroke-play session, but storylines like this are one of the many reasons the U.S. Amateur is such a wonderful event. — Josh Berhow
This past September, I was lucky enough to play Hay Harbor, a small private club on Fishers Island, and it was without a doubt my favorite round of golf all year. The weather was perfect: sunny, 80 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. And the nine-hole course was in fantastic condition, too. Putts rolled purely and in my favor as I took in the sprawling ocean views. I snapped this picture in an attempt to capture the magnitude of the course, which was designed by George Strath, who designed Royal Troon in Scotland. But I’m not sure my camera did it justice. After the round, I collected my winnings — an ice-cold beer at the Pequot Inn. — Maddi MacClurg
My dad and I have made an annual pilgrimage to Dornoch, in the Scottish Highlands, the last few years and this spot on the 7th tee, looking back over the links has become possibly my favorite spot on earth. This year, the club released a custom Dormie Workshop headcover depicting the image. Knowing I would never buy it for myself, I jokingly sent a picture of the headcover to my amazing girlfriend, who then immediately conspired with my dad to gift it to me for my birthday two months later. — Jack Hirsh
