👋 Hey Golf Fans,

Hard as it may be to believe, it is said that Thomas Edison endured 10,000 failed experiments before inventing the light bulb. We saw a similar spirit this week in Gary Woodland, who overcame six winless years and brain surgery plus PTSD to triumph on Sunday. We’ll dive into that, other inspiring winners, a pro “courting” a bunker (you’ll see what we mean), and more.

Let’s get started…

Before we start with today’s edition, let's kick things off with the stories that've been making waves.

Brandel Chamblee calls out Tiger Woods after his DUI arrest. He also suggests that Woods stop playing golf.

Lexi Thompson announces an unexpected break due to a family tragedy. This comes right after the pro missed the cut at the Ford Championship.

Golf influencer discusses a life-threatening health issue he's never spoken about before, including many hospital visits and frequent anxiety attacks.

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Creative: Min Woo Lee went down on one knee. To “court” a bunker. On the 17th, the Aussie had a brutal lie in the greenside bunker. The only option was to kneel, and that’s what he did to get out of the bunker for a birdie. Watch the magic unfold here.

Memorable: Nelly is sick of it. Just absolutely, utterly, categorically sick of it. Losing to Hyo Joo Kim again and again. At the Ford Championship, Korda came second to Kim for the second straight week. Her reaction? Exactly how you would expect it. They are great friends off the course, though. No surprise she decided to spoil Kim’s post-round presser.

Double: Shane Lowry is becoming a master of holes-in-one. At the Texas Children’s Houston Open, the Irishman aced the par-3 second. Just moments later, Adam Scott flushed an 8-iron to the front of the 11th green and watched it slowly roll into the hole. It was his first ace in 14 years—check it out here.

Exemplary: Just last Saturday, we said legacy isn’t defined by numbers in this sport we love. Here is more proof. Tony Finau—winless since the 2023 Mexico Open—had two little kids waiting for his autograph. Guess what Finau did for them? This is the most uplifting video you’ll watch this week.

Funny: We've seen enough crazy animal encounters in golf. Luke Donald once had to dodge a rather sneaky… baboon. No kidding, here is the proof. Meanwhile, this week at the Hero Indian Open, Andy Sullivan was lining up from a massive fairway bunker on the 7th when a dog strutted into frame. What does he do next? Watch the hilarious moment here.

Whether you’ve been with us for a long time or just subscribed recently, each and every one of you matters to us equally. We’ve seen many of you share great stories and feedback in the comments, and now we want your voice to be heard by an even wider audience.

And what better time than the Masters? Share your personal experiences and stories from Augusta National with us for a chance to be featured in our newsletter.

Hero Indian Open: Last week, big bro Matt Fitzpatrick took the Valspar Championship. This week, little bro Alex grabbed his first DP World Tour title. The duo made history as the first siblings to win in successive weeks across both tours. Alex seized the outright lead on the 15th from Eugenio Chacarra (+3/2nd), and from there, it was smooth sailing, and he got a pat on the back butts from his caddie, as you will see below.

Club Car Championship: Davis Lamb cruised to a victory by edging playing partners John Pak (-1/2nd) by two shots and Blades Brown (E/3rd) by three, thanks to a bogey-free 68 on Sunday. Watch the winning putt that Lamb (and you) won’t ever forget. He also won a golf cart—you read that right—with this victory, and this is how he celebrated the four-wheeler trophy.

Ford Championship: Hyo Joo Kim teed off the final round with a comfy four-shot lead over Nelly Korda (-5/2nd). A double bogey on the eighth trimmed it to one, but Korda missed her chance—watch the putting blunders that cost her the tournament. Kim stayed ice-cold, firing a 3-under 69 to become the first LPGA pro since 2024 to snag back-to-back titles. The celebrations? Well, it was as wild as a bucking bronco.

Hoag Classic: Stewart Cink unleashed a third-round albatross to grab the lead, then clinched his second title of the season at 19-under yesterday. Cink’s muscle-flexing after the albatross was the highlight of Saturday, and yesterday he re-created the moment—watch it here.

DNi Tour Championship: Martin Vorster teared up, hugged his caddie and dad—who yelled, “We did it! We did it!”—after nabbing his first Sunshine Tour title. This is pure and raw emotion. He closed with a 66 in the 2025/2026 season finale.

Most of us struggle with arm positioning. Some chicken‑wing or collapse the trail arm, while others overcompensate by locking everything up and pulling the club too close to the body. That is one of the reasons why we struggle to hit as far as Nicolai Højgaard here. So, here’s an easy drill from golf coach Paul Wilson to follow.

• Setup: Imagine a magic marker taped to your golf club. Then, imagine a huge sheet of paper behind you. Your goal is to draw the widest possible circle on it with your swing.

• Downswing: Avoid chicken-winging or contracting your arms. It narrows the arc. Instead, swing through wide to trace a bigger circle and extend your swing path.

• Backswing: Resist the urge to contract your arms or pull the club close. Instead, maintain width through the backswing for an effortless path. It should match the wide circle. Notice how Wilson maintains it here.

Practice on shots for a powerful, effortless, pain-free swing. Then, try the other drills we have listed below.

How to Widen Your Arc For More Distance

Essentially Golf brings you handpicked, well-thought-out, and not-to-be-missed recommendations to make your weekend more fun.

🎥 Watch — Aberg, Matsuyama, and more play Jenga for a relaxing hour.

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👨‍🍳 Bake — Sourdough Starter is a key ingredient in sourdough bread.

As part of our Masters week countdown, we are looking at all 18 holes of Augusta National. With seven days to go before the first major, today our focus is on the seventh hole, Pampas.

Named after a distinctive pampas grass native to Argentina, par-4 Pampas lacked its mojo until Horton Smith suggested rebuilding the green and adding bunkers. It plays historically to an all-time average of 4.16 strokes, ranking as the 10th-toughest on the course. High scores include quadruple bogeys by two golfers, while the lowest score is a double eagle carded by multiple players.

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