Dispatches from the Fairway
Essays, guides, and contrarian takes for those who walk the course and play the blade.
How to Break 80: What Strokes Gained Says About the 8 Shots You're Wasting
The gap between 89 and 79 is exactly 8 strokes. Strokes gained data reveals where those shots actually go—and it's not where most golfers think.
AnalyticsWhere Are You Losing Strokes? A Data-Driven Self-Assessment
Your gut says it's your putting. The data almost certainly disagrees. Here's how to diagnose where your game truly leaks strokes, without tracking a shot.
AnalyticsStrokes Gained: The Complete Guide to Golf's Most Honest Metric
Strokes gained is the only golf stat that isolates real skill. Learn how the methodology works, what each category measures, and how to use it to improve.
EquipmentWhat Does Forgiveness Mean in Golf? A Clear Explanation
Forgiveness in golf is a club's ability to minimize off-center strikes. Here's what it actually means, how MOI works, and whether you should care about it.
AnalyticsWalking vs. Riding: The Strokes Gained Verdict
10,000 rounds of strokes gained data reveal what cart riders are paying to lose. The gap between walkers and riders is real, and it's bigger than you think.
Culture18 Courses That Refused to Surrender to Golf Carts
A pilgrimage guide to 18 of America's best walking-only golf courses—the facilities that rejected cart culture and proved the game is better on foot.
EquipmentThe Forgiveness Trap: What Blade Players Know About Ball Striking
Your game-improvement irons are making you worse. The counterintuitive science behind why forgiveness breeds mediocrity—and what to do about it.
ArchitectureHow Cart Paths Are Killing America's Best Courses
The concrete arteries spreading across American golf courses aren't just ugly. They're changing how courses play, how they drain, and who controls your round.
ArchitectureHow Golden Age Architects Wanted You to Play Approaches
MacKenzie, Tillinghast, and Ross designed approach shots with specific intentions. Modern strokes gained data validates what they understood a century ago.
AnalyticsYour Handicap Is Flattering You: A Strokes Gained Reality Check
Handicaps measure scoring. Strokes gained measures golf. The difference reveals uncomfortable truths about your game—and a clearer path to improvement.