Golf
SportsMonkie Golf Desk
The SportsMonkie Golf Desk covers golf terminology, scoring, records and the greatest players, keeping explainers accurate and easy to follow for players and fans.
Articles by SportsMonkie Golf Desk (69)
FedEx Cup Winners (Full List by Year)
Rory McIlroy has won the FedEx Cup a record three times. The full year-by-year list of PGA Tour champions since 2007, plus the format and bonus, explained.
Youngest Masters Winner in History
Tiger Woods is the youngest Masters winner, at 21 years and 3 months in 1997. Full list of the youngest champions at Augusta and the records he set that week.
Oldest Masters Winner in History
Jack Nicklaus is the oldest Masters winner, at 46 in 1986. Full list of the oldest champions at Augusta and why age rarely wins a green jacket.
PGA Tour Career Money List (All-Time Leaders)
Tiger Woods leads the PGA Tour all-time career money list with over $120 million in official earnings. Full leaderboard and the caveats that skew it.
Augusta National Membership Cost
What does Augusta National membership cost? Reported initiation fees, annual dues and why the club never publishes official figures, explained.
Best Ball Golf Format: Rules and How to Score
In best ball golf, each player plays their own ball and the team takes the lowest score on each hole. Rules, scoring and how it differs from a scramble.
The Career Grand Slam in Golf, Explained
The career grand slam means winning all four professional majors in a career. Only six men have done it, most recently Rory McIlroy in 2025.
FedEx Cup Playoffs Format, Explained
The FedEx Cup playoffs are the PGA Tour's three-event finale: top 70 players narrow to 50, then 30 at the Tour Championship. Here is how it works.
Golf Drop Rules, Explained
Golf drop rules under Rule 14.3: drop from knee height into a relief area, and replay if the ball rolls out. When you drop and what it costs.
Golf Scramble Rules: Format & Handicaps
Golf scramble rules: everyone tees off, the team plays the best shot, and records one score per hole. Handicaps, the Texas scramble and lie rules.
The 4 Golf Majors in Order
The four men's golf majors in calendar order: the Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and The Open Championship. Dates, venues and history.
How Do You Qualify for the Masters?
You qualify for the Masters through set invitation categories: winning a major, ranking in the world top 50, winning on tour and more. Here is how.
How Much Does a Golf Club Fitting Cost?
How much a golf club fitting costs: free retailer fittings, paid studio sessions, full-bag vs single-club, and whether it's worth it. 2026 ranges.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Topgolf?
Building a Topgolf is a major project reportedly costing tens of millions of dollars. Here's what drives the estimate and why figures vary so widely.
Cost to Play Pebble Beach Golf Links
What does it cost to play Pebble Beach? As of 2025 the green fee is roughly $675+ per round, plus cart and caddie. Full breakdown and how to book.
The Lowest Score in Masters History
Dustin Johnson holds the Masters record with a 72-hole score of 268, 20 under par, set in 2020. The full leaderboard, explained.
The Most Exclusive Golf Clubs
The world's most exclusive golf clubs, from Augusta National to Cypress Point. What makes a club exclusive and why money alone can't get you in.
Most Majors in Golf: The All-Time List
Jack Nicklaus won 18 professional majors, the most in golf history. The full leaderboard of the greatest major champions, with the numbers.
Most Masters Wins: Golf's Green Jacket Kings
Jack Nicklaus holds the record with six Masters wins. The full list of multiple green jacket winners, records and the numbers behind Augusta's greats.
Most Open Championship Wins in Golf
Harry Vardon holds the record with six Open Championship wins. The full list of multiple Claret Jug winners, records and history, explained.
Most PGA Tour Wins of All Time
Sam Snead and Tiger Woods share the PGA Tour record with 82 career wins each. The full all-time PGA Tour wins leaderboard, explained.
Most Ryder Cup Points Won
Sergio Garcia has won 28.5 Ryder Cup points, the most in the event's history. The full leaderboard of all-time Ryder Cup points leaders, explained.
Most Ryder Cup Wins: USA vs Europe
The USA leads the Ryder Cup all-time series 27-16-2, but Europe has won 11 of the last 15 editions. The full record and history, explained.
Nassau Golf Game: Rules, Presses, Payouts
A Nassau is three golf bets in one round: front nine, back nine and overall 18. How a $2 Nassau works, how presses add up, and how payouts are settled.
How PGA Tour Purses Are Paid Out
The PGA Tour splits a purse by a fixed percentage table: the winner takes 18%, second gets about 10.9%, and it scales down from there. How it works.
Red Stakes vs Yellow Stakes in Golf
Red stakes mark a lateral penalty area with extra sideways relief; yellow marks a regular penalty area with fewer options. The difference, per Rule 17.
What Is a Shotgun Start in Golf?
A shotgun start sends every group out to a different hole at the same time, so all players begin and finish together. How it works and why events use it.
Strokes Gained in Golf, Explained
Strokes gained measures every shot against a tour baseline, so a positive number means you beat the average. How it works and how to read it.
What Is an Up and Down in Golf?
What is an up and down in golf? Getting the ball in the hole in two shots from around the green: one to get it up, one to putt down.
What Is a Birdie in Golf? Scoring Terms
A birdie is a score of one stroke under par on a hole. How birdies fit with pars, bogeys, eagles and albatrosses, plus where the term came from.
What Is a Gimme in Golf? Rules and Etiquette
A gimme is a short putt your opponents concede so you skip holing it. What counts as a gimme, when it's allowed and why it's not in the Rules of Golf.
What Is a Links Golf Course? True Links
A links golf course sits on sandy coastal land with firm turf, deep bunkers and wind. What makes a true links and how it differs from parkland golf.
What Is a Mulligan in Golf? Meaning and Rules
A mulligan in golf is an informal do-over: you replay a shot with no penalty and ignore the first. It is not in the official Rules of Golf.
What Is a Municipal Golf Course?
A municipal golf course is a public course owned by a local government. What 'muni' means, how it differs from other public courses, and who runs it.
What Is a Pro-Am in Golf?
A pro-am pairs professional golfers with amateurs on the same team or event. How pro-ams work, what they cost, and what you win, explained.
What Is a Provisional Ball in Golf?
A provisional ball is a backup you play when your first shot may be lost or out of bounds, to save time. How Rule 18.3 works and when it counts.
What Is a Shamble in Golf? Rules vs Scramble
A shamble in golf is a team format where everyone tees off, the best drive is chosen, then each player finishes the hole with their own ball.
What Is a Snowman in Golf?
A snowman in golf is a score of 8 on a single hole, named because the number 8 looks like a stacked snowman. What it means and how bad an 8 really is.
What Is an Amateur Golfer?
An amateur golfer plays for no prize money beyond strict limits. How the USGA and R&A Rules of Amateur Status define it, and how it differs from a pro.
What Is the 19th Hole in Golf?
The 19th hole in golf is slang for the clubhouse bar where players gather after a round. What it means, its origins, and the match-play meaning too.
What Is Twilight Golf?
Twilight golf is discounted late-afternoon play, when courses drop green fees because there is less daylight left to finish 18 holes. How it works.
Why Do Golf Courses Have 18 Holes?
Why do golf courses have 18 holes? It traces back to St Andrews, not a whisky bottle. The real history of golf's 18-hole standard, explained.
Wolf Golf Game Rules: How to Play and Score
Wolf golf game rules: how the Wolf rotates, picks a partner or goes Lone Wolf, plus a simple points scoring system and 3-man Wolf explained.
Highest Paid Female Golfers: LPGA Earnings and Endorsements
The highest paid female golfers in 2026: Nelly Korda's $13m year, Annika Sörenstam's LPGA money record, and the real prize-money gap with the PGA Tour.
Country Club Membership Cost: National Averages and Real Examples
Country club membership costs $50,000 median initiation and $10,700 a year in dues nationally. Real tiers, plus honest pricing on 7 named clubs.
How Much Does a Golf Club Fitting Cost?
Golf club fitting costs $30-$150 free-to-cheap at a retailer or $175-$475 at a specialist studio. Real 2026 prices for driver-only vs full-bag fittings.
Cost to Build a Golf Venue Like Topgolf
Building a Topgolf-style golf venue costs roughly $15M to $50M. Here's the full cost breakdown, why you cannot franchise one, and cheaper options.
How to Determine Your Golf Handicap: The WHS Formula
How to determine your golf handicap under the WHS: the score differential formula, rounds needed, and how to get an official index in 2026.
Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: What the Book Still Teaches
What Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf actually teaches, whether Ben Hogan's grip and swing plane still hold up in 2026, and which edition to buy.
Garmin Approach R10: Is It Worth It in 2026?
The Garmin Approach R10 golf launch monitor lists at $599 and tracks 14 metrics off Doppler radar. Here's the accuracy, setup, and who should spend more.
Golf Clubs for Beginners: What You Actually Need to Start
What golf clubs beginners actually need: 7-10 clubs, not 14, real starter-set prices for the US, UK, AU, and CA, and when to buy used or rent instead.
Golf Lessons at Golf Galaxy: What They Cost and What You Get
Golf Galaxy lessons cost about $80 for 30 minutes with a local PGA or LPGA pro, cheaper in packages. See what's included, who teaches, and how it compares.
Golf Wedges for Beginners: Which Ones You Actually Need
Beginners need a pitching wedge and a sand wedge, not all four. Here's the loft, bounce, and 2026 price breakdown that tells you what to buy next.
Golf Grip Size Chart: How to Find Your Correct Size
Measure wrist crease to middle fingertip, check it against glove size, then use this golf grip size chart to find undersize, standard, midsize, or jumbo.
Best Launch Monitor for a Golf Simulator (2026 Guide)
A launch monitor for a golf simulator lives or dies on software compatibility, not specs. What actually works with GSPro, E6 Connect, and your room size.
Masters Tickets at Augusta: Real Cost and How to Get Them
Official Masters tickets run $125-$525, but the patron waitlist has been closed since 1978. Real lottery odds, resale prices, and honest expectations for 2027.
Overhead & Ceiling-Mounted Golf Launch Monitors: Worth It?
Overhead golf launch monitors mount to the ceiling, safe from mis-hits. What they cost, the ceiling height needed, and who should skip it for a floor unit.
Portable Golf Launch Monitors: What Actually Matters
What a portable golf launch monitor really measures, 2026 prices from $200 to $2,500, and which metrics are marketing fluff versus real data.
Rapsodo MLM2PRO Review: Is It Worth It in 2026?
Rapsodo MLM2PRO price, subscription cost, accuracy, and E6 Connect compatibility, tested against the Garmin R10 to answer whether it is worth buying in 2026.
Ryder Cup 2027 Tickets: Prices and How to Get Them
Ryder Cup 2027 tickets run €89 to €1,999 at Adare Manor, Ireland. Real prices, ballot status, hospitality tiers, and why SeatGeek/TickPick resale is risky.
Ryder Cup Military Tickets: Eligibility & How to Apply
Does the Ryder Cup offer military tickets? What was confirmed at Bethpage 2025, what's unconfirmed for Adare Manor 2027, and how to apply through GovX.
Shot Scope LM1 Review: Is It Worth It in 2026?
The Shot Scope LM1 golf launch monitor costs $199.99 and tracks 5 swing metrics with no subscription. Here's the accuracy, limits, and who should buy it.
Women's Golf Clubs for Beginners: What Actually Matters
Women's golf clubs for beginners come down to shaft flex, length, and grip size, not the paint job. 2026 starter-set prices and honest fitting advice.
What Is a Bogey in Golf? Plus Double and Triple Bogeys
A bogey is a score of one stroke over par on a hole. Here is what bogey means, how it compares to par and birdie, and what double and triple bogeys are.
Golf Handicap Explained: How It Works and How to Get One
A golf handicap estimates your scoring ability so players of all levels compete fairly. Learn how it is calculated, what it means, and how to get one.
Match Play vs Stroke Play in Golf
In stroke play you count every shot; in match play you win holes, not strokes. Here is how the two golf formats differ, how scoring works, and their uses.
Golfers With the Most Holes in One: Record Aces in Golf
Some golfers have recorded dozens of holes in one. Meet the players known for the most aces in competitive and recreational golf, and how they did it.
Greatest Golfers of All Time: The Legends Who Defined the Sport
The greatest golfers in history, from Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods, judged on major championships, longevity, and lasting influence on the game.
What Does E Mean in Golf? Understanding Even Par Explained
In golf, E stands for even par, meaning a player completed the round or hole in exactly the number of strokes intended. Here is what even par means.