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Ron Whitten & Charlie Rose on America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses

GolfDigets.com — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Ron Whitten explains the 2013-14 ranking of America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses to Charlie Rose.

Money Clip: Big Numbers

Peter Finch — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

At top-ranked public courses, are those posted green fees for real?

America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses

GolfDigest.com — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT

First established in 1966, the biennial 2013-14 ranking of America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses is ready for its close-up.

Buddies Golf: What A Trip

Peter Finch and Matt Ginella — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT

The quintessential "Buddies Trip" is a cornerstone of American amateur golf. From the moment they arrive home from their latest escape, amateur golfers begin counting down the days to their next adventure. Senior Editors Peter Finch and Matt Ginella examine what makes the golf excursion so memorable.

Thirteen years after his death, Stewart still looms large

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:14:00 GMT

By Alex Myers

I never met Payne Stewart. Nor did I ever cover his curtailed career, or even see him play in person. But 13 years after his tragic death, I've never forgotten how crushed I was to read about it in the local newspaper; and I'm still grateful for the role he ended up playing in my own journey.

The year 1999 was the first one I really got into watching golf, and the U.S. Open, with its wall-to-wall TV coverage, was the perfect sporting event for a lazy junior to plop himself down on the couch in between final exams. I remember getting so caught up in the action that I even backed out of playing baseball with my friends that Sunday. Yes, I was choosing to watch golf instead. No, that was not cool.

What unfolded that day at Pinehurst was one of the most memorable final rounds in major championship history -- and not just because it was probably the first one I watched from start to finish. The current top-ranked player in the world, David Duval, was in the mix, and there were charges from other marquee names like Vijay Singh and Tiger Woods. But it was the final pairing duel between Stewart and Phil Mickelson, famously on-call with his wife due to give birth to their first child at any moment, that took center stage.

Usually, I would have been drawn to the younger player in that scenario, but for some reason, I felt myself rooting for Stewart all day. OK, so maybe the initial reason was I had him on my fantasy golf team (I wish I was kidding). . . Nevertheless, I was pulling for Stewart to keep Mickelson major-less, and I'm still struck by how he was able to do it.

Stewart was always known as a great putter, but the way he rolled it that day, especially on the back nine, has taken on mythical proportions in my mind. Yes, there was the winning 18-footer for par on No. 18 (was it really only that long?) that set off a reaction so perfect (above) it would be immortalized as a statue behind the green. But there were plenty of other clutch, curling putts -- like the 30-footer (nowt that's more like it) for par on No. 16 -- that Stewart seemingly willed his way into the cup on the diabolical Donald Ross greens to earn his second U.S. Open title and third major overall.

It was truly inspiring. Not just to someone who was still stuck in a phase of questioning whether mini-golf was better than playing real golf, but to a sports nut hoping that one day watching similar drama unfold could be a bigger part of my life.

I still ditch my friends during weeks of major championships, but they don't make fun of me anymore. It's part of my job now. Thanks, Payne.

Alex Myers is a GolfDigest.com contributing editor.

Follow @AlexMyers3

(Photo by Getty Images)

The Grid: Your Cup Runneth Over

GolfDigest.com — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 04:00:00 GMT

What visiting golfers can expect at eight former Ryder Cup venues.

Phil Mickelson's U.S. Open Near Misses

Alex Myers — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 04:00:00 GMT

A recent inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame, Phil Mickelson's lack of a U.S. Open title remains a glaring hole in his resume. Not that he hasn't come close. Lefty has a record five runner-up finishes (1999, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2009) in the national championship. He'll make his 20th attempt as a pro at Olympic Club.

Bill Coore's latest: Pinehurst No. 9

Matt Ginella — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:28:00 GMT

The current state of golf courses in America can be summarized by a closer look at Pit Golf Links, a scrappy set of 18 holes five miles south of Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. In...

Jaime Diaz Tribute To Dan Jenkins

Jaime Diaz — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Jaime Diaz's speech at Pinehurst after the first round of the 2005 U.S. Open, at the Dan Jenkins book signing for Slim and None.

America's 75 Toughest Golf Courses

Golf Digest — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

These are the courses that haunt golfers' nightmares. Approach them with caution and play them at your peril.