Our Year Together in Golf

Expect anything different?

Tiger Woods, despite not playing and not being seen on the greens in any avatar for a better part of the year, still topped the charts (15.28%). You read about Tiger’s back surgery, potential PGA Tour return, and the PNC decision.

Following him, Rory (13.44%) and Scottie (11.83%) garnered the most attention. But here, unlike the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year Award, Rory edged the sitting World No. 1 by a slim margin. Combined, this group of three who are either sitting or sat at the World Ranking throne, accounted for over 40% of total reader attention.

Rickie Fowler (7.61%) and Jordan Spieth (7.05%) round off the top five most popular players among our community.

Coming to the most-read pieces, you all were hooked on every update that came from Bethpage Black. Be it the bizarre incident between Justin Rose and Bryson DeChambeau’s caddie or the aggravating instances of rowdy behavior, you consumed everything. In fact, our report of the Bryson – Fleetwood brawl got your attention the most, getting over 280K impressions.

Another Scottie Scheffler incident — when he expressed his dissatisfaction with getting timed — piqued your curiosity as well. It was read over 250K times. You were also equally interested in reading about the PGA Tour’s warning to NBC, Tiger’s health update, and Rory’s offensive gesture at the Ryder Cup.

While the most read stories revolved around the usual suspects, the longest-read stories threw in some surprise names. But first, let us explain a bit. These five stories might not have gotten all of your attention like the other five, but they kept you hooked longer than any other stories.

You read the Jack Nicklaus lawsuit update for the longest time. And it figures. The Golden Bear finally got relief from a longstanding courtroom drama, and there was a lot to unpack. Similarly, you were equally absorbed in Phil Mickelson’s beef with an investigative reporter and a never-before-heard story his former caddie revealed in a recent podcast.

On the other hand, Bryson’s curious exchange with a volunteer caused quite a stir among you all. Not just reading the full story, you also commented, saying Bryson should issue an apology. Lastly, on a positive note, Lee Trevino’s impromptu speech at the PNC Championship went viral, and you all read and listened to his 2-minute speech. In case some of you missed it, you can find it here.

Now coming to the most interesting part, some moments made you rage, some made you fill the comment box, and some sparked a heated discussion. Most recently, Brooks Koepka’s LIV Golf exit kick-started a heated debate. We asked whether you see him back on the PGA Tour in 2026. You responded, and here is the result. 

On the other hand, the PGA of America’s absolute mismanagement made you rage. We asked whether the PGA of America president should apologize to Rory & Co. You didn’t hesitate to let your thoughts be known. Similarly, Fowler and Spieth’s sponsor exemption sparked controversy on social media. But when we asked you, your response was markedly different. Check that out here.

Here are three more topics that got you talking…

Here are five things you can expect from us next year…

1. A magazine — Yes. This has been an ongoing demand from many of our readers, and we heard you. More updates on this coming soon. Stay tuned.

2. More exclusive content — As winter gives way to spring, expect us to cover more in-depth tips and drills that you can practice on the range. We’ve also got a few exclusive interviews lined up for you.

3. More guidebooks — You loved the Ryder Cup handbook. You loved the Golf Tips handbook even more. And guess what? There will be more such rewards coming your way.

4. Quicker updates — No more waiting to catch up on breaking news like Rory getting embroiled in a tax issue or Brooks Koepka’s exit. Now, whenever big news breaks, expect us to be in your inbox. Quicker than anyone.

5. Get featured in our newsletter — Correct. We are throwing open the stage to you. Send us your setup, golf bag, your favorite tips, or any favorite story you want to share with the rest of the community, and we will feature the best in our newsletter.

We’re excited for the coming year. Are you?

Once again, thank you for being part of the Essentially Golf family. Let’s grow together…