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Sony OPen Could Have Ended Differently With Rare Rule

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Rare Rule Could've Changed Result

There didn’t need to be a playoff. 

Of course, there was — that’s why they’re out there, right? — but as Hideki Matsuyama and Russell Henley played their playoff on Sunday after finishing four rounds at the Sony Open tied, and Matsuyama pulled away, and Henley sunk, a rarely used rule that could have ended things at any point could have become more and more a consideration. 

Here’s how. The playoff began with Henley hitting a tee shot into a fairway bunker on the par-5 18th at Waialae Country Club, and Matsuyama finding the fairway. From there, Henley laid up short of the green, and Matsuyama hit the shot of the tournament, a 270-yard 3-wood that dropped within 2 feet of the hole. Henley would now have to hole out, from 84 yards away, in order to force Matsuyama to make his putt and continue the playoff. It wasn’t over, but it was close. 

And then closer still. Henley airmailed his wedge over the green, and he would now have to hole that, and have Matsuyama two-putt from 2 feet, to keep things going. At that point, on the Golf Channel broadcast, analyst and longtime caddie John Wood said he asked PGA Tour rules official Gary Young whether Matsuyama and Henley could play out of turn — essentially, could Matsuyama just hit his 2-footer and claim his prize.  

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No, but … 

“Guys, I was just talking with Gary Young and asked him if they could play out of turn in a playoff if they both agreed to it,” Wood said on the broadcast. “He said they couldn’t play out of turn, but Russell could actually concede in a playoff so — we’ll finish things out here.” 

And they did. Henley chipped on and two-putted for a bogey six, and Matsuyama rolled in the near-tap-in for an eagle three. But, according to Rule 7A (1), under the Committee Procedures section, Henley, or Matsuyama for that matter, could have tapped out at any point. The rule states: “In a stroke-play play-off between two players, if one of them is disqualified or concedes defeat, it is not necessary for the other player to complete the play-off hole or holes to be declared the winner.”

As for the order of play that Wood asked about, the Rules of Golf also cover that. Rule 6.4b states: “The ball that is farthest from the hole should be played first. If two or more balls are the same distance from the hole or their relative distances are not known, the ball to be played first should be decided by agreement or by using a random method. There is no penalty if a player plays out of turn, except that if two or more players agree to play out of turn to give one of them an advantage, each of them gets the general penalty (two penalty strokes).”

Afterward, Henley was asked how he would “process just falling short.” He had entered Sunday’s final round with the sixth 54-hole lead in his career, and left sitting at converting just one of those into a victory. (Notably, it was in his first-ever Tour start, at the 2013 Sony.)

“It stings,” said Henley, who’s won three times on Tour. “I played some great golf. I feel like I was in it the entire time mentally this time. I didn’t have too many mental lapses like I have other tournaments where I’ve been close to the lead in the last couple years.

“So feel like I was there. You know, just got to keep chugging.”

This article originally appeared on Golf.com.

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Breaking 90: Real Golf Improvement Tips That Actually Work

Tired of hovering in the low 90s? You’re not alone. Here are real, proven golf improvement tips that will finally help you break 90—and do it consistently.

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Why Breaking 90 Feels Like the Mount Everest of Golf

If you’ve ever wrapped up a round with an 89 on the card, you know the rush. For amateur golfers, breaking 90 isn’t just a number—it’s a rite of passage. It means your hard work is paying off, your decisions are sharper, and you’re starting to play golf instead of just swinging a club.

But here’s the thing: most golfers try to improve the wrong way. They tinker with their swing for months, chase YouTube tips at midnight, and buy the latest tech gear hoping it’ll shave strokes. Sound familiar?

As someone who spent years flirting with that 90 barrier, I’m here to tell you: you don’t need a perfect swing—you need a better strategy. Let’s get into the golf improvement tips that actually work.

Think Like a Golfer, Not a Swing Coach

Manage Expectations—Golf Isn’t About Perfect

You won’t stripe every drive or stick every wedge. So stop expecting to. Golf is a game of misses. The trick is making your bad shots better.

Start by dropping the obsession with perfection. Accept the occasional duff or slice. Focus instead on smart decisions and simple, repeatable swings.

“Golf is not a game of perfect. It’s a game of recovery.” — Dr. Bob Rotella, sports psychologist

Know Your “Go-To” Shot

If you’re trying to shape every shot like you’re on Tour, stop. Pick one reliable shot shape—fade, draw, straight—and stick to it. If your natural shot is a fade, play for it.

The moment I embraced my push-fade as a feature, not a flaw, my scores improved. I stopped fighting my swing and started playing smarter.

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Play the Right Tee Box—Seriously

Too many amateurs play from tees that are way too long. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Move up. Hit more greens. Have more fun. And yes—lower your score.

If you’re not getting to par 4s in two, or regularly hitting 3-woods into par 3s, it’s time to drop back to reality. You’ll thank yourself later.

Course Management—The Secret Weapon

Avoid the Hero Shot

Stuck in the trees? Don’t go for the 4-iron stinger through a two-foot gap. Punch out, get back in play, and take your medicine.

Par is great. Bogey is acceptable. Doubles are killers.

Know When to Lay Up

Got 210 yards into a narrow green with water short and right? Don’t be a hero. Hit it 150 and wedge it close. Most amateurs lose shots by trying to make up for a mistake with an even riskier shot. That never works.

Your scorecard rewards consistency, not courage.

The 3 Must-Have Skills to Break 90

1. A Reliable Tee Shot

You don’t need to hit bombs, but you need to keep it in play. Ditch the driver if it’s wild. I played a 5-wood for three months and dropped 7 strokes off my average.

2. A Dependable Wedge Game

From 100 yards and in, you need a club (or two) that you trust. Learn one shot—half swing, three-quarter, whatever—and own it.

3. No 3-Putts

Three-putting kills rounds. Focus on lag putting from long range and knocking in those nervy 4-footers. Spend twice as much time on putting as you do on full swings.

Practice With Purpose, Not Hope

Don’t just hit balls at the range. Practice like you play:

  • Hit different clubs in random order
  • Play imaginary holes
  • Make putting drills competitive
  • Keep score

“Deliberate practice leads to deliberate improvement.” — Mark Blackburn, PGA Tour Coach

Track Your Stats and Find the Leaks

Use an app or simple scorecard notes to track:

  • Fairways hit
  • Greens in regulation
  • Putts per hole
  • Penalty strokes

You’ll quickly spot where you’re leaking strokes. That’s where the real work starts.

Mindset Shift—Focus on Process, Not Score

I used to obsess over my score on every hole. Now, I focus on one swing at a time. Breaking 90 isn’t about shooting a 39 on the front and holding on. It’s about stacking smart decisions, one shot at a time.

Breaking 90 isn’t about hitting perfect shots. It’s about making better decisions, avoiding big numbers, and playing within your game. These golf improvement tips aren’t magic—they’re practical, proven strategies that work for real golfers.

Try them on your next round, and don’t forget to celebrate the small wins—like finally keeping your tee shot in play on Hole 1.

Want more golf improvement tips like these?
Bookmark ClickItGolf.com and check back weekly for advice, gear guides, laughs, and insights to help you play better golf—without losing your mind.

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The Spirit of the Links

From Scotland’s Shores to North America’s Coasts explore golf’s historic roots.

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Golf, a sport steeped in tradition and history, finds its roots deeply embedded in the sandy soils of Scotland’s links courses. These courses, characterized by their coastal settings, rolling dunes, and deep bunkers, offer a golfing experience that is both challenging and steeped in the game’s ancient traditions. This article explores the quintessential links courses of Scotland, including the renowned Kingsbarns, and compares them to their counterparts in North America, highlighting the differences that define and distinguish these iconic golf landscapes.

The Essence of Scottish Links

Scottish links courses are the original venues for the game of golf, with their history tracing back over several centuries. Kingsbarns, located near St. Andrews—the acknowledged ‘Home of Golf’—is a prime example. Though it was only opened in 2000, Kingsbarns has quickly become a jewel in the crown of Scottish golf. Designed by Kyle Phillips, the course captures the true spirit of links golf with its rugged coastline, natural bunkers, and undulating fairways that challenge even the most skilled golfers.

Links courses, by definition, are built on sandy land along coastlines. In Scotland, these courses are battered by the elements, with wind playing a significant role in the game, requiring golfers to exhibit not just skill but also creativity and adaptability. The courses are typically devoid of trees, using the natural landscape such as dunes and native grasses to define their boundaries.

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North American Links

While true links courses are a product of their environment, several courses in North America seek to replicate the Scottish experience. Courses like Bandon Dunes in Oregon and Cabot Links in Nova Scotia are designed to mirror the natural, rugged elegance of Scottish links. Bandon Dunes, for example, sits atop a windswept bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Its natural vegetation, dune topography, and wind conditions are reminiscent of Scotland’s storied courses.

Cabot Links, on the other hand, is Canada’s first true links course, featuring panoramic views and a layout that adheres to the natural landscape. Like its Scottish inspirations, Cabot Links utilizes fescue grasses and minimizes artificial water hazards, relying on wind and natural land forms to challenge players.

Links vs. Regular Courses

The main difference between a links course and a regular golf course lies in their interaction with the natural environment. Traditional golf courses, often referred to as “parkland courses,” are usually more manicured and contain lush, tree-lined fairways, with defined rough and strategic water hazards. They are designed to be more sheltered from the wind, offering a different type of challenge compared to the open, exposed links courses.

Links courses embrace the raw, natural state of their coastal landscapes. The ground tends to be harder and the grass shorter, which affects ball behavior, encouraging a ground game where golfers must play more along the earth, using the contours of the land to their advantage.

The allure of links golf lies in its simplicity and its challenge—the game as it was originally played, against a backdrop of breathtaking natural beauty. Whether in Scotland or North America, these courses provide a profound connection to the elements, offering a pure golf experience that is as mentally challenging as it is physically.

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TGL, Skins, and the World Series of Golf—Oh My!

Explore golf’s thrilling new formats—from TGL’s digital arenas to high-stakes Skins and poker-inspired World Series of Golf, as Ty Webb humorously guides you through the game’s exciting evolution.

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Hey there, fellow golfers, duffers, and sand-trap enthusiasts! Ty Webb here—ready to chat about a topic almost as intriguing as the mysterious forces that cause your golf balls to magnetically find water hazards. The game we love is changing faster than Judge Smails’ mood after a missed putt, and these new formats are shaking things up faster than my backswing (which, I’ll remind you, is flawless).

First up, we’ve got TGL—Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s brainchild. Imagine golf, but in a high-tech simulator arena, with live crowds and digital drama. It’s like playing a round inside a video game—minus the reset button. It’s fast, it’s futuristic, and it might just make traditionalists clutch their cardigan sweaters a little tighter. But hey, change can be good—like switching from a putter that doesn’t work to another putter that doesn’t work.

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Then we’ve got the Skins Game, golf’s original “put your money where your mouth is” contest. It’s straightforward—win a hole, win some cash. Lose a hole, watch your buddy strut around like he’s just sunk a 90-footer at Augusta. The Skins format keeps the stakes high, the tension higher, and friendships on the line. It’s golf with bravado, swagger, and a bit of friendly financial risk—exactly how I like my weekends.

And finally, we have the World Series of Golf—imagine poker and golf decided to collaborate, and neither was sober at the time. Players bet on each hole, raising, folding, and bluffing their way through a round. It’s as much about strategy and psychological warfare as it is about hitting a decent tee shot. One moment you’re all-in, the next you’re questioning every life decision you’ve ever made. Classic golf, am I right?

So there you have it, friends. Golf isn’t just changing—it’s evolving, innovating, and occasionally terrifying the purists. But rest easy, because whether you’re in a virtual arena, sweating over Skins cash, or bluffing your way through the World Series of Golf, the spirit of the game remains: hit the ball, find the ball, repeat as necessary. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with destiny—and a very forgiving 9-iron.

Fore!

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