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The post Rory McIlroy says exiled course ‘deserves’ Open return appeared first on Golf.

Back in 2016, Muirfield, one of the greatest Open Championship courses of all, lost its place in the Open rotation. The cause? A decision to continue barring women from its club. At the time, Rory McIlroy was publicly supportive of the R&A’s decision to drop Muirfield.

But ten years later, the World No. 2 has declared its time that the R&A lifts its ban and brings the Open back to the historic club.

Here’s why.

R&A drops Muirfield as Open host after member vote

Muirfield, officially known as the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, was designed by Old Tom Morris and has hosted an incredible 16 Open Championships.

The most recent Open held at Muirfield was in 2013, when Phil Mickelson rallied to win his first Open title and, at the time, fifth major championship. But for a while, it seemed like the 2013 Open might have been Muirfield’s last.

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In 2016, Muirfield’s members voted to continue barring women from joining the membership. And the club paid a huge cost for that vote. Shortly thereafter, the R&A released a statement declaring, “The Open is one of the world’s great sporting events and going forward we will not stage the Championship at a venue that does not admit women as members.”

As a result, Muirfield lost its place in the Open rota.

One year later, the club reversed its vote and in 2019 accepted its first wave of women members. That changed everything.

At the time the vote was reversed, McIlroy had a terse reaction, saying, “In this day and age, where you’ve got women that are like the leaders of certain industries and women that are heads of state and not to be able to join a golf course? I mean, it’s obscene. Like it’s ridiculous.”

In 2020, Muirfield was awarded the 2022 Women’s Open. Fast-forward to 2026, and the R&A still has not awarded Muirfield with another men’s Open.

But McIlroy is hoping that changes soon.

McIlroy says Muirfield has ‘rectified the issues that they had’

McIlroy is making his second start of the season this week at the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic. Following a third-round 71, McIlroy spoke with Evin Priest of Golf Digest.

When he was asked whether the Open should return to Muirfield, McIlroy answered in the affirmative.

“Muirfield, they obviously rectified the issues that they had,” McIlroy said, referring to the club’s decision to end its policy barring women members.

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The five-time major champion called Muirfield a “wonderful golf course” and argued that it made commercial sense to bring the Open back to the course.

“It has to commercially make sense,” McIlroy continued. “I would say Muirfield, that area [of] North Berwick, that would probably be one of the more commercially viable Opens. It would be wonderful if it was.”

And while he admitted he wasn’t “privy” to the R&A’s decision-making process, he declared, “Muirfield deserves to be back on the Open rota.”

If the R&A is willing to bring the Open back to Muirfield, which the organization has acknowledged in the past, the question then is when the Open could return there.

This year’s Open will be held at Royal Birkdale, followed by the Old Course at St. Andrews in 2027. The next open spot on the schedule is 2028.

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The post Making Muirfield look easy? Ashleigh Buhai is doing it at the Women’s Open appeared first on Golf.

The post Making Muirfield look easy? Ashleigh Buhai is doing it at the Women’s Open appeared first on Golf.

MUIRFIELD, Scotland — A lot was happening late Saturday at Muirfield as Ashleigh Buhai and her caddie reached the 17th tee. Hannah Green, in the group ahead, had just met with medics after relieving her upset stomach in a port-o-john. In Gee Chun and Madeline Sagström, the next group behind, lagged multiple holes back, making bogeys through the toughest stretch of the course.

Back on the 17th, Buhai and her caddie, Tanya Paterson, were laughing. They had recalled an old tweet about a budget airline and even got a rise out of Inbee Park and her caddie. Buhai and Paterson stood there talking about return flights home, pace of play and lost luggage — extremely unbothered by the fact they were five shots clear of the field at the Women’s Open. They were making Muirfield look easy. 

Buhai’s 14-under score through three rounds would have been laughable 72 hours ago, when players and pundits alike were agreeing that even par could be the winning score. But that’s where we are now that she’s carded rounds of 70, 65 and 64. Even better than she thought.

“To shoot that score in those conditions, you have to be able to pat yourself on the back,” Buhai said after the round. “So much so that I thought I was six under and not seven. I was eight under playing the last, so — I’d have to look back — it’s probably one of the best rounds I’ve ever played.”

You don’t have to look, Ashleigh. We all know where 64 at Muirfield ranks.

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“She played perfect today,” Park said. “I don’t remember her making any mistakes today, and even if she did, she ended up having a birdie like 17. That’s the kind of round you need to be a champion.”

If we’re nit-picking, there was the bogey on 18, but yes, that’s a champion-worthy round. In this part of the golf world, it takes four of those. Buhai has one more to go.

Her career to date has been highlighted by three wins on the Ladies European Tour, a playoff loss on the LPGA Tour and a fifth-place finish at the Women’s Open in 2019. Then there’s whatever she’s done this week. Buhai’s 65 on Friday finished with a bogey’s worth of sloppy swings on the 18th — exactly the kind of thing the 84th-ranked player in the world might do when leading a major championship for the first time. 

But then she showed up Saturday and birdied the 2nd. She took a one-par break and birdied Nos. 4-7. When she finally looked at a scoreboard on the 13th, she was four shots clear. “I said, ‘OK, that’s fine, you’re in a good spot,” she told reporters. “Check back in with yourself now and concentrate on what you’re trying to do.”

She added a birdie, straight into the stiffest, coolest wind we’ve seen all week at Muirfield, on 14, the toughest hole on the course. Inbee Park called her “flawless” as well, and that assessment is starting to make some sense. By the time she chipped in for birdie on 17, spectators started to shake their heads. “Sometimes it’s just meant to be,” one said aloud. She nearly holed another chip on 18. 

The best round of Buhai’s life is now in the rear-view. The most important round of her life is somewhere out there in the distance, starting with a 3:50 tee time Sunday afternoon. She’s with Hinako Shibuno, a gal nicknamed the Smiling Cinderella, who just happened to beat her and everyone else in that 2019 Open.

Buhai enjoys an afternoon cup of tea, so during Sunday’s long morning wait, she’ll probably pour herself one of those. She watched a bit of the Wales Open Saturday morning, so she’ll probably do that again, too. And then she’ll arrive at Muirfield with all eyes, cameras and players in the field fixated precisely on her. By the time she reaches the 17th tee, she’ll be thinking about a lot more than a funny tweet.

The author welcomes your comments, concerns, and any other notes at sean.zak@golf.com.

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The post Scotland is eager for another major champion — they see it in contender Louise Duncan appeared first on Golf.

The post Scotland is eager for another major champion — they see it in contender Louise Duncan appeared first on Golf.

MUIRFIELD, Scotland — The No. 1, 2 and 3 golfers in the world played together here at Muirfield this week. Nos. 5, 6 and 7 did, too. But who was Scotland out following during the first two rounds of the AIG Women’s Open? 

They followed their girls. Twenty-two year-old Louise Duncan and 52-year-old Catriona Matthew, neither ranked in the top 400 in the world. Doesn’t matter; they’re Scottish. It’s all the explanation we need. 

It was the perfect Scottish group (with apologies to the third, Sophia Schubert), and spectators voted with their feet, many of them walking along for all 18 holes. You don’t see that often. Matthew’s deadpan reasoning: “Obviously, Louise playing well helped.” 

It did! Duncan sits at two under through 36 holes, six shots back of the lead, after grinding out a second round 73. Matthew missed the cut, though she’ll likely visit on the weekend, her home being four miles from Muirfield. 

Scotland isn’t a big country, despite its significant market share of the best golf courses on the planet. The total population hovers around 5.5 million people, about the same as the state of Minnesota, and if Minnesota was home to 12 of the 100 best courses in the world, you might expect it to raise some of golf’s greatest champions. But it’s been 13 years since Matthew’s Open victory in 2009, the only Women’s Open Scotland can claim. And it’s been 23 years since Paul Lawrie triumphed on the men’s side at Carnoustie. The highest-ranked female from Scotland is Gemma Dryburgh, at 183rd, who skirted inside the cutline at two over. They’ll follow her this weekend, too. On the men’s side, it’s Robert McIntyre, No. 101. 

Nary a Scot in either top 100. Hence the focus on finding this land’s next great champion. It’s a lovable chase when you see it in person.

It began Monday with a qualifier at North Berwick Golf Club, where local Clara Young was trying to make her first Open. Dad was on the bag, brother Scott had escaped his duties in the pro shop, even Grandma came out to walk some holes. The Youngs and about more than 40 other locals filled the fairways, anxious to witness a triumph from the homegrown talent. 

Among the gallery was Jane Nelson, former secretary of the East Lothian Ladies County Golf Association. She plays out of nearby Dunbar Golf Club, and she’s seen all these girls come up through the ranks. She’s worked to schedule events for them. She’s seen what Young can do at North Berwick (read: kick your butt). Nelson is as good a guide as any to Scotland’s up-and-coming talent. 

“Hannah Darling is teeing off soon,” Nelson said as Young’s chase lost its course. “I think she’s the one to watch.” 

Darling hails from Midlothian, just west of Muirfield, and played on the last GB&I Curtis Cup team. She’s a rising sophomore at South Carolina and the No. 15 amateur in the world. Also playing in front of plenty of spectators, Darling’s qualifying bid fell one stroke shy of a playoff. Young’s chances died in one of the many burns that snake across golf courses in this country. Now, back to this week’s Open. 

Scotland’s best hope at Muirfield, four days later, is Ms. Duncan, soon to be Mrs. Hughes if she takes her fiancé’s name after their upcoming wedding. She was asked about that wedding following Friday’s round because, well, let’s say she continues to contend this week. Now that she’s made the cut, in this the second event since turning professional, it’ll be the biggest check of her life. That wedding might just get a little more extravagant with a top-10 finish.

It was Duncan who drew just about all of Scotland out to Carnoustie a year ago when, as an amateur, she flew up the leaderboard in the third round. “It was absolute scenes,” one Scottish spectator recalled fondly on Friday. Duncan’s first-round this week was a 67, prompting the headline writer at The Times to remind readers the “Carnoustie hero” had returned. Reporters asked her simply, Back again?

“Déjà vu,” she said with a smile. 

When she visited the press after grinding out her second round, then just three back, she was asked, “Are you a different golfer than you were a year ago?”

“I’m a different person I think, maybe not a different golfer,” Duncan said. “Definitely developed some skills. I stayed really calm out there, even when it was tough. I think Dean, my caddie, influenced that quite a bit. He could tell I was getting a bit hot-headed.”

Perhaps she was a bit hot-headed, middle of the round, when her driver started to get loose. Five bogeys kept the crowd quiet but three birdies gave the local press something cheery to write about. That, and potential wedding locales.

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The post InsideGOLF Exclusive: Behind the Top 100 Courses curtain with our expert course raters appeared first on Golf.

The post InsideGOLF Exclusive: Behind the Top 100 Courses curtain with our expert course raters appeared first on Golf.

Curious about how GOLF’s Top 100 Courses in the World list comes together? This behind-the-scenes conversation with our expert course raters shines a light on the process. The group discusses the most important trends and surprises from this year’s list. Which course just missed the cut? How did the pandemic impact the rating process? Will another course ever challenge Pine Valley for the top spot? GOLF Architecture Editor Ran Morrissett, course raters Thomas Brown and Simon Holt, and GOLF Senior Editor Sean Zak share their insights.

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The post Tony Jacklin reveals his top 10 courses in the world ranking appeared first on Golf.

The post Tony Jacklin reveals his top 10 courses in the world ranking appeared first on Golf.

Perhaps Tony Jacklin’s most notable on-course victory came stateside. Jacklin’s seven-stroke barnstorming in the 1970 U.S. Open was the lone outlier in an 84-year stretch between 1926 and 2009 whereby Europeans did not win the national championship. His win — as the lone Brit to finish within 15 strokes of the lead at a windswept Hazeltine — cemented a U.S. Open legacy that remains intact today.

Indeed, Jacklin’s favorite course is Pebble Beach, the very same track where Graeme McDowell became the next European to claim a U.S. Open in 2010. But in truth, Jacklin’s preferences reflect a love affair with the game that dates back to his childhood country of origin. St. Andrews, Muirfield, Turnberry — they might not be first on his list, but these European treasures reflect the bulk of Jacklin’s top 10 and his design influence.

The septuagenarian is done with his competitive playing days (concessions be damned). But in the time since, he’s begun a career as a bonafide course architect, merging the inspiration from his North American triumphs with his favorites from across the Atlantic (and beyond). The result is a unique palette of design brilliance, and in Jacklin’s case, a list of top 10 courses in the world worth debating.

Tony Jacklin’s top 10 courses in the world

1. Pebble Beach — Pebble Beach, Calif., https://www.pebblebeach.com/

2. St. Andrews — St Andrews, Scotland, https://www.standrews.com/

3. Muirfield — East Lothian, Scotland, https://www.muirfield.org.uk/

4. Royal Lytham & St. Annes — Lytham St. Annes, England, https://www.royallytham.org/

5. Turnberry — Ayrshire, Scotland, https://www.turnberry.co.uk/

6. Royal Birkdale — Southport, England, https://royalbirkdale.com/

7. Sunningdale (Old Course) — Sunningdale, England, https://www.sunningdale-golfclub.co.uk/courses/old-course/

8. Royal Melbourne — Melbourne, Australia, https://www.royalmelbourne.com.au/cms/

9. Cypress Point — Pebble Beach, Calif.

10. Woodhall Spa — Woodhall Spa, England, https://www.woodhallspagolf.com/

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The post One year after allowing first women members, historic club to host 2022 Women’s Open appeared first on Golf.

The post One year after allowing first women members, historic club to host 2022 Women’s Open appeared first on Golf.

The Women’s Open kicked off this morning at Royal Troon in Scotland, but its list of upcoming venues is quite impressive as well.

The R&A’s Chief Executive Martin Slumbers announced the future lineup on Wednesday, which includes stops at Carnoustie (2021), Muirfield (2022), Walton Heath (2023), St. Andrews (2024) and Royal Porthcawl (2015).

Muirfield has hosted the Open Championship 16 times, most recently in 2013 when Phil Mickelson won. The club was removed from the Open rota in 2016 for not changing its long-standing policy on women members, but its spot was returned in 2017 when a vote passed to admit women. Last year, the club invited 12 women to join the club beginning July 1.

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“It’s a huge statement of their commitment to the game and their commitment to the women’s game,” Slumbers said. “But the whole five years is intended to be a huge statement of intent, about how we want to provide the platform for the best women golfers to play on some of the best golf courses that we can offer in GB&I. It’s a five-year run that really should whet the appetite of every great golf lover.”

You can track the opening round of this year’s AIG Women’s Open here.

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The post The ‘narrows’ hole: Where it comes from and how to score well when you see it next appeared first on Golf.

The post The ‘narrows’ hole: Where it comes from and how to score well when you see it next appeared first on Golf.

A “narrows” template hole is not just a hole with a narrow fairway. In fact, the first use of the template at National Golf Links of America has plenty of width (the fairway is about 35 yards wide).

Many golf course enthusiasts argue that the more width a hole has, the more opportunity for strategy. While logic would suggest a “narrows” hole would go against that credo, most of the holes still have ample width to allow their strategy to shine through.

The hole’s namesake comes from two bunkers that pinch in from each side of the fairway, giving the hole a narrowing effect. There’s lots of variation with these bunkers, but the original comes from the par-4 15th at Muirfield in Scotland, and its “twin bunkers.” Not every hole that can be categorized as narrows plays quite like No. 15 at Muirfield or has two bunkers with the same design. There is perhaps more variance in this template than any other as it is also quite rare.

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The second important part of a narrows hole is deception short of the green. On the original at Muirfield and on Macdonald’s first attempt at NGLA, this is in the form of a centerline bunker 30-40 yards short of the green. From the view of the approach shot, it appears as though an aerial approach is the only option, as the bunker looks like it sits just in front of the green. But in reality, there’s plenty of room past the bunker to land a running shot short of the green. This deception isn’t always done with a bunker, but it is the most common way.

So, where is the original?

Well, that’s sort of a difficult question. In a 1906 edition of Outing Magazine, C.B. Macdonald described a narrows hole as, “composite first shot of the 14th at North Berwick, with green and bunker guards like the 15th at Muirfield.”

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In truth, most of the template seems to come from the 15th at Muirfield. Their website’s description of the hole tells you all you need to know about the strategy. “This is another hole where you want to hit a driver, but the smarter play is probably a long iron short of the bunkers which protect either side.”

If you go for it with driver, there is a slope that will give you extra distance. A little further down are the twin bunkers. Then, there’s a centerline bunker 30 yards out from the green. In his design, Macdonald took the elements of Muirfield’s hole and reimagined them to be an even stouter strategic test.

What strategy should I use?

Because there are so few narrows holes, there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ strategy here. That being said, narrows holes typically demand a decision between taking on the bunkers by playing driver and laying back for a longer approach. Your decision should be made based on your driving accuracy. But remember, laying back might not be as bad a penalty as you first imagined.

Most narrows holes feature a green that slopes from back to front, so going long leaves you dead, while staying short makes for a much easier chance at getting up and down.

Where are some other narrows holes?

No. 15, National Golf Links of America

The staple of this template is, to no surprise, another C.B. Macdonald hole at National Golf Links of America. Macdonald built his version of the Narrows template as a 419-yard par-4 at the beginning of the finishing stretch. Macdonald shrunk the hole from the original so that players would have to contend with the twin bunkers on their tee shot. The hole is heavily bunkered on both sides in the fairway and around the green. The hole also features the centerline bunker 50-60 yards out from the green which slopes from back to front. Missing long here is a player’s worst nightmare with bunkers behind the hole and the green sloping away from you. Don’t let the centerline bunker deceive you into hitting too much club.

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No. 6, Metairie Country Club

An original Seth Raynor design in Louisiana, No. 6 on Metairie is another example of a narrows. Playing 370 yards at its longest, this hole also has bunkers on either side of the fairway, making driver a risky play. There are bunkers guarding each side of the green and some water comes into play as well. There is no centerline bunker short of the green, but the strategy of the hole is similar to all the others.

No. 2, Forsgate Country Club

One final rendition of a narrows hole is the second at the Banks Course at Forsgate Country Club. Designed by Charles Banks, this hole plays 420 yards from the back tees, mostly straight away. There is a fairway bunker on each side, slightly offset from one another. But instead of the centerline bunker, there is a big valley in the fairway before it rises back up to the green. The green is guarded on both sides by large bunkers, penalizing any miss left or right. While straying from the original, this hole makes great use of the template ideas.

Editor’s note: The photo in this story has been updated to show Muirfield in Scotland, not Muirfield Village in Ohio.

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The post The first time Tiger Woods failed to break 80 as a pro appeared first on Golf.

The post The first time Tiger Woods failed to break 80 as a pro appeared first on Golf.

Welcome back to the Tiger Woods YouTube Project, where we’re here to remind you that life ain’t all sunshine and roses. We’re going through Woods’ life, one YouTube video at a time, and we’ve arrived at the rainiest, windiest stop along that road, with some help from an all-British roundtable. Come with us.

Let’s begin this episode of the Tiger Woods YouTube Project with a few basic facts about Tiger Woods entering the 2002 Open Championship.

-Tiger Woods had won the first two majors of the year.

-Tiger Woods had won seven of the previous 11 major championships.

-For the six years before the third round of the 2002 Open Championship, and the 12 years after, Tiger Woods did not shoot a single round in the 80s as a professional golfer.

-Tiger Woods entered the third round at Muirfield just two shots off the lead — in perfect position for a charge, in other words.

Then, golf happened. That’s where we come in — with some help from the good folks at Me and My Golf.

Tiger Woods YouTube Project, Chapter 19: Worst round ever

RELATED: Chapter 18 — Better than Most

But then golf happened. Woods teed off Saturday at 2:30 p.m., and here’s how he described the scene to ESPN’s Bob Harig in an excellent lookback from 2013:

“It hit when we were on the putting green getting ready to go,” Woods told Harig. “By the time we got on the first hole … the temperature dropped, rain was coming sideways, blowing. And gusts were over 40 [mph]. The fourth hole, a par-3, normally we were hitting 7-irons. I hit a 2-iron, and it probably should have been a 3-wood. O’Meara hit a 3-wood. And then the next hole was a 2-iron, 2-iron par-5 and I hit driver, 2-iron, 2-iron. And it was so cold.”

We had one YouTube video lined up for this episode, a strange medley of highlights from that day set to a Pink Floyd soundtrack. I’m not sure the reason for the Pink Floyd soundtrack, but I can assure you it did not add to the understanding of the day, and it did lead to the video being taken down. Thus we’re left without the perfect video, but this will give you a good idea of how things were, and if you’re a true sicko, there’s a 5-hour version of the day’s events that I’ll attach below that.

I’ve assembled a Brit squad, Piers and Andy from Me and My Golf plus our own Luke Kerr-Dineen, to break down the day’s events. One thing to remember: Had Woods shot 75 that Saturday and the same score in the other three rounds, he’d have ended up in a playoff. Shoot 74 and he’d be in possession of the first three majors of the year. Rich Beem’s one-shot win over Woods at that year’s PGA would have been that much more heartbreaking. Ah, the what-ifs. Here’s the squad:

What, if anything, do you remember about this day in particular? Do you Brits relish this type of weather when it comes time for the Open?

Piers Ward, Me and My Golf: I watched this in the pro shop at Oxley Park and remembered it being the worst weather I’d ever seen at an Open. I remember the weather being good in the morning and Justin Rose shooting 68 and getting to -2 and thinking, given how the weather was looking from lunchtime, that Rose was going to be right up there! The wind and rain was so extreme that the cameras couldn’t see the coverage! Players were hunching and hiding under umbrellas!

It summed it up when Tiger was 40 yards short on the par-3 4th, his cap nearly blowing off, hitting three clubs longer than the day before. The course was still playing really firm, and with the wind the course looked ridiculously hard. But I couldn’t believe how many spectators there were there, that was very impressive.

It was noticeable when he walked off the 18th green that he looked remarkably calm, had a little grin at his playing partner Mark O’Meara and had almost resigned himself to the fact that he gave his all on every shot but he was just in the middle of a vicious storm that saw temperatures plummet. I suppose you could say, ‘Well, why couldn’t he try and get it ’round in the mid-70s?’ But he was there to win his 3rd major in a row! He was chasing the Grand Slam and winning was all that mattered.

Andy Proudman, Me and My Golf: We are pretty used to this weather over here so it’s nothing unusual to see a bit of wind and rain, although this was a little more than a shower! I just remember that it was good to see the best players struggle and that I was excited to see how they dealt with it.

Luke Kerr-Dineen, managing editor of instruction: Between late 1999 and mid 2002, Tiger Woods wasn’t a golfer. He was superhuman. He was unbeatable; Tiger’s dominance had become normal. Inevitable, even. That’s what I remember about this round. The day Tiger’s peak officially ended. He came into the 2002 Open Championship on (another) streak of two consecutive majors, and came out with his second-worst finish since 1998, the first of an almost two-year major-less streak. And you know what? Yes, I did relish it. I relished the fact that the oldest and most prestigious championship was the site of it. And that it wasn’t the product of a tricked-up course, but of the elements. Something so basic and simple that has felled golfers across every generation.

What, if anything, does this teach us about Tiger Woods?

Piers: Two main things, for me! His drive and determination to never give up on a shot and his ability to move on from adversity and never let bad shots or a round effect his mental resolve. Hence his final-round 65.

Andy: That his desire to get the best score possible out of his round is always there. He has incredible resilience and the ability to not let previous experiences effect the present of future.

Kerr-Dineen: We go on about Tiger as a once-in-a-lifetime talent, which he undoubtedly is. But rounds like this, similar to his final round at the 2008 U.S. Open, prove that his determination and grit surpass his supreme ability. There’s no quit in him, regardless of what is thrown in way. That, more than is talent, is the indefensible engine of Tiger’s success.

For more Tiger Woods YouTube Project:

CHAPTER 1: What Tiger’s first-ever TV appearance taught us
CHAPTER 2: The first time we ever saw Tiger play golf  
CHAPTER 3: Was this Tiger’s most revealing interview ever? 
CHAPTER 4: What’s it like when Tiger comes to your hometown 
CHAPTER 5: Here’s what Earl “trash-talking” Tiger looked like
CHAPTER 6: What was it like to play on Tiger’s high school team?
CHAPTER 7: 10 obscure facts about Tiger Woods, high school senior
CHAPTER 8: Tiger’s first trip to Butler Cabin
CHAPTER 9: Breaking down Tiger’s strange “You’ll learn” interview
CHAPTER 10: Tiger’s very first Nike campaign
CHAPTER 11: Tiger sits down with Oprah
CHAPTER 12: Tiger predicts the future with Larry King
CHAPTER 13: How Tiger Woods’ most iconic commercial happened by accident
CHAPTER 14: David Feherty’s unforgettable rain-delay Tiger interview
CHAPTER 15: How Tiger and Michael Jordan became friends
CHAPTER 16: Tiger’s greatest comeback you’ve already forgotten about
CHAPTER 17: Tiger Woods vs. Bob May
CHAPTER 18: The true meaning of Tiger’s “Better than Most” putt

To receive GOLF’s all-new newsletters, subscribe for free here.

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The post Two years after changing long-standing membership policy, Muirfield invites women to join for first time appeared first on Golf.

The post Two years after changing long-standing membership policy, Muirfield invites women to join for first time appeared first on Golf.

For the first time in 275 years, women will be members at historic Muirfield.

The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which operates Muirfield, has invited 12 women to join the club beginning July 1. This comes two years after the club voted to admit female members and three years after it was removed from The Open rota for not changing its long-standing policy on women members.

“This marks a milestone in the club’s illustrious history, and we look forward to welcoming all of our new members to share in the great values and traditions of our club,” said Alistair Campbell, the captain of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.

A club vote to include women in 2016 failed to receive the two-thirds majority vote needed to pass (64 percent voted yes), and Martin Slumbers, the chief executive of The R&A, acted swiftly, releasing a statement saying that Muirfield will no longer be in The Open rotation until its policies change.

Balls

Ultimate Golf Ball Guide: 35 new golf ball models to improve your game in 2019

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The post How to Play the 18th Hole at Muirfield Village appeared first on Golf.

The post How to Play the 18th Hole at Muirfield Village appeared first on Golf.

Muirfield Village Golf Club’s head pro explains how to best play the course’s finishing hole, like Bryson DeChambeau did to win the 2018 Memorial Tournament.

The post How to Play the 18th Hole at Muirfield Village appeared first on Golf.