E. Michael Johnson

Looking to learn what you need to know about the latest new products from Wilson? These handy thumbnails will keep you up to date on the company’s new releases across all club and ball catetgories. Wilson Staff Model RB Utility iron: Wilson sought input from its staff of professionals to get the ideal aesthetics for this hollow-bodied, long-iron alternative, and those visual accents also led to a more forgiving design. With elite professionals Padraig Harrington and Kevin Kisner offering guidanc…

With a win at the Memorial, Scottie Scheffler became the first player to notch five wins before the U.S. Open since Tom Watson in 1980. That’s when Sansabelt pants and persimmon woods were the order of the day. Although Scheffler’s equipment is decidedly more modern, his winning score of eight under par was old school, matching that of 1980 Memorial winner David Graham. Muirfield Village was at its testing best. Still, Scheffler knew Sunday was going to require some fortitude. “This is one of th…

After last week’s duel between Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy at the U.S. Open, USGA CEO Mike Whan rhetorically asked, “Anybody have any fun today?” A week later at the Travelers Championship, the same question could be posed, and the answer would be the same resounding, “Yes!” That’s because whether it’s Pinehurst No. 2 or TPC River Highlands, great golf by great players is simply a pleasure to watch. It doesn’t hurt having a five-way tie at the top on the back nine to deliver the drama, ei…

Question: I’m a high-handicap player and was told by a friend that a “reminder grip” might help me. What is it, and what are the benefits? Answer: Reminder grips have long been used by tour players. Ben Hogan, in fact, was known to place part of a wire hanger under his grips to promote a weak grip to avoid the hook he hated. Manufacturers also make them for the masses. Reminder grips feature a narrow rib on the underside of the grip that fits into the crease of the fingers to “remind” players to…

Cameron Davis was in trouble. Receiving a terrible break when his second shot found the green of the par-5 14th, only to then roll back in the water, a birdie opportunity suddenly turned into a potentially crushing bogey, dropping him behind Akshay Bhatia. Davis, however, birdied the par-5 17th while Bhatia did not. Then a nervy up-and-down from behind the 18th green left it up to Bhatia to end things with a birdie at the last. Instead, Bhatia ended it by bogeying 18 with his first three-putt of…

Having matched his career low with a third-round 62, Davis Thompson held the 54-hole lead for just the second time in his PGA Tour career. Still, his approach matched that of a seasoned veteran determined to just play the final round one shot at a time. “My goal tomorrow is just hit the first tee shot on 1 and then the second shot and then the third shot and just stack good shots on top of each other,” he said. Note that Thompson didn’t mention a fourth shot being needed on the par-4 opener at T…

Question: I just overhauled my entire bag. Should I also reconsider the ball I’m playing? Answer: Don’t just listen to us. Take the advice of this week’s PGA Tour winner Davis Thompson. “Getting fit for golf balls is a lost art,” he says. “It’s important for amateurs to know which ball they need to play. Titleist has a lot of great options for amateur players, but it’s not always just buying a Pro V1 or Pro V1x but other options, too. You’ve got to find which one checks all of the boxes that you…

What you need to know: Scotty Cameron takes his inspiration from many areas. In the case of his latest creation, the B3 Triple Black Design LTD putters, he was motivated by convertible car culture—where a black paintjob, black interior and black soft top signifies a “triple black” color combination. Cameron then married that idea with four of his most popular designs and modernized them. The result is a special run of four blade putters: the Newport 2 (available in right-hand and left-hand), New…

For many private golf clubs, July is member-guest season, and my club, Rock Ridge C.C. in Newtown, Conn., is no exception. A great event in any year, this edition was defined by perhaps the greatest display of sportsmanship I’ve ever seen at the club level. The background: Like many member-guests, mine includes a “horse race” of flight winners and wild cards with teams eliminated on each hole. This year, the final two teams standing, former champs Michael Simes and Ben Palazzo and Ed Knauf and D…

Xander Schauffele, in just a couple of months, has gone from the best player to not win a major to the best player on the planet this side of Scottie Scheffler, backing up his PGA Championship victory with a win at the British Open thanks for a bogey-free final-round 65 at Royal Troon. A stalwart on major championship leader boards, Schauffele, now in his eight season on the PGA Tour, has had at least two top-10s in majors in all but two campaigns. That experience in the big spot on the biggest…