Your weekly brew of golf talk, gear deep-dives, and personal growth—on and off the course.
Welcome back. The golf world never sleeps, and neither do we. With LIV Golf knocking on the OWGR door (again), The Open just around the corner, and summer rounds in full swing, we’ve got a lot to chew on—and a lot to chase. Let’s get into it.
The 153rd Open Championship (credit: The Open Media)
Tour Talk
LIV Golf Refiles for OWGR—What Now?
Like that one guy at your local muni who swears he should’ve gone pro, LIV Golf is refusing to back down. They’ve filed a new petition with the Official World Golf Ranking, seeking to have their events recognized for ranking points after previous denials.
Why does this matter? Because without OWGR points, LIV players are sliding out of contention for the sport’s biggest stages—majors, Olympics, and more. With the lawsuit drama now in the rearview and players like Brooks and Bryson proving their worth at majors, the OWGR conversation is heating up again.
But will this latest petition change anything?
LIV GOLF Range (Credit Super Stroke Media)
Critics argue the team format, limited fields, and lack of 36-hole cuts still don’t meet the OWGR’s traditional standards. Supporters say the competition is real, and it’s time to evolve with the game.
Drop Take: LIV deserves a seat at the table, but until their format mirrors the broader ecosystem (or the OWGR adapts), the standoff continues.
Storyline to Watch
The Open Returns to Royal Portrush
The final men’s major of the year is almost here, and all roads lead to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. After a five-year wait, The Open Championship returns to one of the most visually stunning and brutally demanding courses in the rotation of Open venues.
Royal Portrush (Dunluce Links) last hosted The Open in 2019, where Shane Lowry captured his maiden major with a storybook win in front of a raucous Irish crowd. The course is a true links test—windswept dunes, undulating fairways, and greens that demand precision over power.
Expect carnage if the wind picks up, and don’t be shocked if even the best players in the world flirt with big numbers.
Royal Portrush 2019, Northern Ireland (credit: NY Times)
Key Holes to Watch:
The 5th (“White Rocks”) – A gorgeous par 4 that hugs the cliffside. Trouble right means trouble.
The 16th (“Calamity Corner”) – A long par 3 that plays fully across a ravine. It’s a scorecard killer, especially under pressure.
The 18th – A dramatic finisher where legends will rise… or crumble.
→ The 153 Open Championship Course Preview (COMING SOON)
Dialed In
Hybrid vs. 5-Wood vs. 2/3-Iron — What Belongs in the Bag?
With Royal Troon hosting The Open Championship next week, we’re breaking down a classic question for links golf—and your own game:
Here’s the quick rundown:
(left to right) Titleist GT2 5wood, PING G430 Hybrid, Srixon ZX MKII Utility Iron
Hybrid
What it is: A cross between an iron and a fairway wood, designed to launch the ball higher and land it softer.
How it works:
Shorter shaft than a wood, but with a more forgiving, curved face.
Weight is distributed low and back to help get the ball airborne.
Designed to cut through rough while still being playable from fairway or tee.
Best For:
Players who struggle to launch long irons.
Windy conditions if you want height to hold greens.
Shots from the rough or tight lies where woods might chunk or bounce.
5-Wood
What it is: A higher-lofted fairway wood (usually 17–19°) that provides a towering ball flight with plenty of carry.
How it works:
Longer shaft and larger head than a hybrid = more clubhead speed.
Face flexes at impact to create higher launch and more spin.
Best off the tee or fairway—can be tough out of deeper rough.
Best For:
Longer par 5 approaches or high-launch needs.
Players who want more height and forgiveness than a 3-wood.
Soft landings on firm greens.
The Utility Iron (2 or 3 Iron)
What it is: A modern take on the long iron, built for distance and control with a lower, piercing trajectory.
How it works:
Heavier, hollow body construction for added forgiveness.
Low center of gravity keeps the flight low and hot off the face.
Designed to be driven, not floated - great in the wind.
Best For:
Fast swing speeds
Players who want to keep the ball under the wind
Links-style setups where run-out and shot-shaping matter
Low to Scratch Handicaps
Pro Tip:
struggle with a 3 wood of the ground?
Play a 5 wood! A 5-wood is easier to hit off the ground than a 3-wood because it has more loft (17–19° vs. 13–15°), which helps get the ball airborne more easily. It also has a shorter shaft, giving you better control and making solid contact more likely. Plus, the higher spin of a 5-wood adds forgiveness and lift, especially from tight lies - where a 3-wood can be tougher to strike cleanly.
Caffeine Corner:
With half the season still ahead, we’re asking the big question:
“What’s your goal handicap by the end of the year?”
Episode 11: Breaking Down Our Golf Handicaps: What’s Working, What’s Not & How the System Works
This week on The Drop, things get personal
We kick off by breaking down Max Homa’s T-5 finish at the John Deere Classic—his first top-10 of 2025 and a big step forward ahead of The Open. We talk about what’s clicking in Max’s game, whether he can still earn a Ryder Cup spot on points, and what that silky swing comment means for Harrison's confidence (hint: it beats his hole-in-one).
From there, we dive into some real talk about our own games in a mid-season check-in—what’s trending up, what’s holding us back, and where our focus is heading into the second half of the year.
This week’s highlights include:
A full breakdown of the World Handicap System—how it works, why it’s often misunderstood, and who it benefits
A mid-year game review: what’s helping (alignment, putting) and what’s hurting (wedge distance control, mental game)
How to build your own wedge gapping system using the clock method
Zach’s near-death par 3 incident (senior citizen edition)
Why alignment is the most overlooked skill in amateur golf
Harrison’s career-best 68 (with no warm-up, of course)
There’s no thrill quite like walking into the golf store on New Driver Day. You know exactly what you came for. You’ve watched every YouTube review, compared every shaft option, and memorized the sound of your dream club on impact. But do you head straight to it?
Of course not.
You walk in like a kid on Christmas morning. Eyes wide. Heart racing. And you still have to touch every single $600 driver like you’re evaluating precious artifacts at the Louvre. The employees start hovering. They’re overly nice. They know. You’re in deep.
“Need any help?” they ask, watching you grip your sixth different driver with the intensity of a surgeon.
“Nope, just looking,” you lie.
And then it happens. You find the one. You cradle it like it’s Excalibur. But you’re not done. Because now it’s head cover time. You’re not about to put this masterpiece in a crusty old cover. You need something flashy. Something clean. Something that says, “Yes, I just made a financially irresponsible decision, and yes, I’d do it again.”
You’re so amped, you don’t even realize you’ve walked out with the stickers still on the head. Who cares? It’s YOUR driver now. The dopamine rush is real. The parking lot swings? Already feel 20 yards longer.
There is no other feeling like buying a new driver. Pure, unfiltered golf joy!
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