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Morning 9: Modern golf swing = back problems? | More pin-in/pin-out debating

Published

7 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt (ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com)

February 6, 2019

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans.
1. Modern golf swing = back problems?
Adding fuel from outside the golf world to a fire that burns, or at least is beginning to burn within it, Michelle Roberts, Health editor, BBC News online, reports on Barrow Neurological Institute experts’ findings, published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine.
  • “The spinal surgeons have been studying how the golf swing of present-day professionals, including Tiger Woods, differs from those of golf veterans, such as Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan.”
  • “They say players’ physiques and techniques have changed significantly over recent decades.”
  • “Modern players are more muscular and have more powerful downswings and this can put increased force on the spinal disc and facet joints, they believe.”
  • “And over time, it can result in a damaging process that the authors call “repetitive traumatic discopathy” (RTD).”
And that’s just the backswing!
2. Chatting with Ho Sung
Our Johnny Wunder caught up with the purveyor of the “fisherman’s swing” by phone ahead of his Pebble Beach start.
A bit of their conversation (facilitated by Choi’s interpreter, Paul Whang).
  • JW: What is his reaction to the amount of positive attention he’s getting come from the United States?
  • “He’s thankful to the level where he can’t explain it in words. He’s very overwhelmed with the amount of fans that he has and the attention that he’s gotten lately. And because of the fans that he has, they bring him a lot more energy when he plays golf.”
  • JW: What is he most excited about this week?
  • “Right now he’s just very excited to be here and playing in this tournament. He knows that there are a lot of people watching him, and he just wants to…play great and have fun…”
  • JW: He has a very unique way of playing…is that just his natural way of playing?
  • “He didn’t start playing it this way…it took a while to have his game to evolve, and after a while he found a playing style that worked for him, that fit him, that’s just his natural…way of playing…He wants everyone to know that the way he plays golf, that’s how he plays naturally.”
3. Further pin in/pin out debate!
If you thought the answer was “always leave the pin in,” not so fast…maybe.
  • Golf Digest’s Mike Stachura…”Partnering with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and professor Tom Mase, a Ph.D in mechanical engineering and a member of the Golf Digest Hot List Technical Advisory Panel, we sought to find out if it is in fact true that putting with the flagstick in is always better than not. While Mase’s research is preliminary, the takeaway is pretty clear: the benefits of the flagstick are at best inconclusive and may in fact prevent off-center putts from going in more often than they would if the flagstick were removed.”
4. GolfPass
Golf Channel solicited the help of Rory McIlroy to launch, GolfPass. The subscription service will offer customers instructional videos, a bevy of discounts, and one round of golf per month for $9.99 per month or $99/year.
  • “It’s sort of like, for me, like Golf Channel 2.0,” McIlroy said at the launch press conference. “If you’re going to start a golf business, you probably wouldn’t do a 24-7 TV station or network like what happened 25 years ago.”
  • The service draws inspiration from Amazon Prime, which, in addition to streaming video, offers free delivery on goods and other benefits. Will McIntosh, Golf Channel’s executive vice president, hopes GolfPass will help hobbyists make the jump from watching golf to playing the game and offer a nice perk for avid golfers.
5. Tony Romo’s hand-me-down clubs
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, current CBS analyst and legitimate amateur golfing talent, Tony Romo, will be teeing it up at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am this week, as he often does.
  • And while it’s always interesting to see what sticks the ams arrive at the famed California course with, in Romo’s case, it’s particularly noteworthy. Indeed, it’s not so much about what’s in in his bag, but rather whose clubs are in his bags.

See Tiger Woods’ old putter and Jordan Spieth’s old wedge in Romo’s bag.

6. Speaketh the Brooks
Brooks Koepka made the rounds for his “promotion of the 2019 PGA Championship” media tour.
  • A bit from Golf Digest’s Joel Beall…”It’s been all good,” Koepka said inside a SiriusXM office, on a promotional tour for the upcoming PGA Championship down the Long Island Expressway at Bethpage Black. “You can use it in a positive light and probably help change people’s lives if you can. And any time you go somewhere, obviously you’re a little bit more recognized, which is nice. You get to meet people, meet fans, engage with them, and that’s part of the fun.”
  • “Fun. There have been many words written about Koepka over the last 18 months, a period where the 28-year-old has transformed from fledgling talent into full-blown superstar. Fun hasn’t been one of them, blinded by another topic: respect. Specifically, a lack thereof, a sentiment that’s fueled his drive to capture three majors in his last six tries. And make no mistake, they do fuel him. Koepka lists his slights-the 2015 Presidents Cup snub, a Golf Channel rebuff during last year’s U.S. Open, a horse making a “most dominant performers” ranking over him-as if he keeps a rolodex of each.”
  • “I think the respect thing is-I don’t want to say blown out of proportion, that I feel like I haven’t gotten the respect I deserve,” Kopeka said. “The point I was trying to make was just I think if other people had done it, I think it would be a lot different.”
7. …also from BK
Golf Channel’s Will Gray…”Koepka spent Tuesday doing various media obligations in New York in advance of his PGA Championship title defense, and speaking with the “Boomer and Gio” radio show he explained that Reed ultimately apologized to members of the U.S. team via text.”
  • “Obviously the things with Patrick, it just kind of took on a life of its own,” Koepka said. “We’ve got a group text, and there were some texts that were sent. He kind of apologized.”
  • “According to Koepka, Reed also included a message to his teammates: “Don’t believe everything you read.”
8. “A skirt among khakis”
PGA pro/teacher Alison Curdt (with Brittany Romano) reflects on the adversity she’s faced in her career…
  • “I’m 36 now and run my own golf-instruction academy (Allison Curdt Golf). I love my job and appreciate everything golf has given me, but it has taken a long time-too long-to get to a good place in my life and career. When I started out, I was regularly passed up for job opportunities and paid less just for being female. Many clubs I’ve worked for or visited have male-only areas I’m not allowed into. Constantly being called a woman golfer instead of just a golfer will mess with your head a little bit.”
  • “When I decided to become a PGA of America teaching professional, I hoped that proving my value in golf knowledge and playing proficiency would earn me respect. Turns out, I also had to worry about being too good because some men couldn’t handle it. Early in my career, my male colleagues often hijacked my lessons. Students would call the golf shop, and if I didn’t answer the phone, the message wasn’t passed along. In other cases, whoever answered the phone would say I wasn’t available and offer to take my place. Or my boss would ask me to cover the golf shop during a time that I was busy teaching so that I couldn’t service my students. It was all difficult for me to process. I couldn’t believe being good at my job could hold me back as much as my own insecurities.”

Full piece.

9. WRX Spotlight
In an effort to “shine a light” on even more companies and their products within the golf world, both widening our focus and doubling down on high-quality reviews, we’re launching our “WRX Spotlight” and “WRX Spotlight Review” series. In addition to the front page article, we’re also creating dedicated forum threads with a wealth of pictures from the company in question (often in-hand, leveraging our PGA Show photos).
Our first installment: Dormie Workshop’s leather headcovers.

*featured image via Barrow Neurological Institute

Related Topics:

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

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News

Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

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Aug 4, 2025

By

I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear

OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.

LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break

Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.

Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.

On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.

On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.

On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.

PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home

Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.

On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?

Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.

Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?

PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates

Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.

Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.

Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

Published

4 weeks ago

on

Jul 29, 2025

By

GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.

Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.

Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

 

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BK’s Breakdowns: Kurt Kitayama’s Winning WITB, 3M Open

Published

4 weeks ago

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Jul 28, 2025

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Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.

Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX

7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)

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WITB

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