Articles by Stephen Hennessey

November 8th, 2024

‘I choked so many times over the years’: Johnny Miller, golf’s most honest voice, calls himself out

If you’re like us, you miss Johnny Miller. The two-time major champion became golf’s most respected TV analyst for decades until he retired in 2019. His candid style might not have been for everybody—and he pissed off tour pros in the process—but he continually ranked as fans’ favorite voice in golf in our reader polls. Read more…

November 2nd, 2024

You won’t believe how much this legendary golf figure is bidding to buy Scottie Scheffler’s old car (with 200,000 miles)

If you’re a big golf fan, you’ve likely heard about Scottie Scheffler’s car. Despite amassing over $71 million in on-course earnings in his young PGA Tour career, not to mention all the endorsement money, Scheffler was driving a 2012 GMC Yukon up with 200,000 miles on it up until recently. It’s really quite incredible when Read more…

October 15th, 2024

Donald Trump unveils new photos, opening date for second course at his Scottish resort

The sand dunes in which the first course at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, Scotland are as dramatic as there are in golf. Now there will be a second course at the resort.

October 2nd, 2024

The best golf courses in Europe

As soon as you take up golf in the United States, somebody will sell you on taking a trip to Europe. They’re right of course. It’s the birthplace of golf, you’ve heard. St. Andrews is a baptismal experience. Royal County Down might be the best course anywhere. The best links courses that we watch every Read more…

September 17th, 2024

Justin Thomas ignores Jay-Z’s betting advice, looks smart after keeping bet alive at new sportsbook in Atlantic City

It’s tough to find a bigger football fan on the PGA Tour than Justin Thomas. JT bleeds crimson and white for his alma mater, the University of Alabama—and having seen his at-home setup with about eight TV screens—we already know he gets locked in for fall weekends. Just like any other sports fan would, he Read more…

September 13th, 2024

Miguel Angel Jimenez and Rocco Mediate sharing cigars and being absolute boys is the video we needed this week

Look, it’s been a bit of a week. No matter your politics, the presidential debate on Tuesday was anxiety-ridden. The 9/11 anniversary is always emotional, too. We needed some content to help us relax this week. Thankfully, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Rocco Mediate just delivered one of our favorite videos of the year. RELATED: An Read more…

September 10th, 2024

We have a rare chance to see the world’s highest-ranked course this weekend

It’s a rare week in professional golf when the golf course is the star. Royal County Down, on rugged, windblown topography along the Irish Sea and beneath the Mountains of Mourne, hosts the 2024 Amgen Irish Open this week on the DP World Tour.

August 28th, 2024

Tour Championship picks 2024: Tommy Fleetwood’s golden opportunity

Whether you’re a fan of the FedEx Cup’s format or not, the fact of the matter is: This is our last chance to bet the PGA Tour before the season is over. Our Golf Digest expert panel is heating up at the end of the season, and they have identified several best bets for the Read more…

August 21st, 2024

We lost our most prolific golfer

It’s an interesting life being a Golf Digest course-ranking panelist. The rules and ethos you must uphold resemble those of the military or a fraternity. Break any of them and a dishonorable discharge awaits. The panel, and really the Golf Digest brand, is much bigger than any individual. In fact, we don’t like our panelists’ Read more…

August 20th, 2024

Ohio golf course offers fresh underpants, wipes and shorts for any golfer who poops themselves (yes, really)

Everything seems to be fake on the internet these days, so when we saw the below photo shared by our friend @Top100Rick on X last week, our BS meter was engaged. Rick posted the photo of what appeared to be a note from inside the stall of a golf course bathroom, offering a fresh pair Read more…

August 1st, 2024

Are course ratings biased toward private clubs?

Some things in golf puzzle even the most avid, seasoned golfers. How course ratings and slopes—aka the difficulty of a course—are calculated would be up there. We’re not talking about the course rankings, such as Augusta National being the second-highest course in the country. Instead, the course rating—which helps us figure out what our expected Read more…

July 24th, 2024

3M Open picks 2024: Why we love Akshay Bhatia

We’re officially 250-plus days until Masters Week. It’s a sad realization that major season is over, but we have the finishing stretch of the PGA Tour season upon us—which means more opportunities to cash some tickets. Will players experience an Open Championship hangover after a grind last week? Consider Tony Finau won at the 3M Read more…

July 11th, 2024

Open Championship 2024: Our hole-by-hole drone tour of Royal Troon

Royal Troon might not be the prettiest Open venue, and it might not rank among the best architectural layouts in the Open rota. But Troon delivers.

June 19th, 2024

Sam Bennett might be the new golfer of the people, packing Zyns from random fans at the U.S. Open

We understand Bryson DeChambeau won the U.S. Open, not just lifting the trophy but also transforming his image among golf fans. We’re not here to take away from Bryson’s new stardom. But we are here to report on the important stuff, like Sam Bennett becoming the real golfer of the people. RELATED: Bryson DeChambeau’s ‘drunk’ drive, Read more…

June 13th, 2024

9 things we learned talking golf with NBA legend Jerry West

US PGA TOUR (Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015. Jerry West died on Wednesday at age 86. West was one of the biggest icons in NBA history, earning a spot on the All-Star team 14 times, the all-NBA team 12 times and being a transformative executive for decades after retirement, as well Read more…

June 5th, 2024

I tried the new Normatec Elites—and they’re a must-have for sore golfers

You’ve probably seen them on social media. Pro athletes and influencers are strapped into these enormous boots, seemingly living the life of luxury. Somehow, this device must make you feel like a million bucks, I’ve always thought. I finally got to try them. Normatec boots are used by athletes in every professional and collegiate sport. Read more…

May 22nd, 2024

15 things you might not know about Xander Schauffele

We often hear snippets about Schauffele – like Jordan Spieth calling him the funniest player in the Ryder Cup locker room – but it’s likely fans don’t know the full backstory on one of golf’s biggest stars. Here are 15 of the most important things to know about the 2024 PGA champion.

May 19th, 2024

PGA Championship 2024: Viktor Hovland admits he considerered withdrawing from Valhalla field, now has a chance to win

It’s shocking to hear that one of the contenders during the final round of the 2024 PGA Championship considered withdrawing from this major, but if you’re aware of Viktor Hovland’s struggles this year, it might not be a complete surprise. The talented Norwegian withdrew from last month’s RBC Heritage after a missed cut at the Read more…

May 16th, 2024

PGA Championship 2024: Patrick Reed had a hilarious reaction after a fan asked him to sign his Rules of Golf book

It seems we’re now far enough removed from his prior rules incidents that Reed appears to be able to laugh at himself.

May 15th, 2024

Justin Thomas becomes first athlete to sign with Fanatics Sportsbook

This is an enormous week for Justin Thomas—returning to his home state of Kentucky for the PGA Championship, a major he has won twice before. This week turned into a special one for him for another reason with a big-time deal being announced on Tuesday. PGA Championship 2024 power rankings: Our deep dive into every player Read more…

May 15th, 2024

Terrifying videos of a tornado surprising golfers at Big Cedar Lodge are going viral

A terrifying video of a tornado tearing through Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, Miss., made the rounds on social media Monday. Big Cedar Lodge has become one of golf’s biggest destinations with three courses ranked inside Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses—Ozarks National, a Coore/Crenshaw total redesign of an existing course, ranked 33rd, Payne’s Read more…

April 27th, 2024

The 15 best TPC golf courses, ranked

You likely know that TPC Sawgrass started the Tournament Players Club movement in the 1980s as the first PGA Tour-owned and operated club. But do you know the origin of the concept of stadium golf, and how the TPC golf courses network grew since Sawgrass’ debut 42 years ago? Much credit is due to Deane Read more…