Here’s what the 2025 Legato LTX 3085 looks like under the microscope.

Legato LTX 3085

Pros

• Diameter consistency rated B — the strongest category on the card
• Compression Symmetry rated Good at 2.0 points — each ball is reasonably internally consistent

Cons

• 5 of 36 balls flagged as bad — an 86% Good Ball rate is the worst result we've seen in this test series so far this year
• Nearly 1 in 7 balls exceeded the USGA weight limit — a manufacturing quality issue that's hard to overlook

Our Verdict

The 2025 Legato LTX 3085 earns a Quality Score of 72 and a C-minus grade: Not Recommended. A Good Ball Rate of just 86 [percent, with five of 36 balls flagged as bad and weight consistency issues that saw nearly one in seven balls exceed the USGA weight limit. Diameter consistency was the one standout, grading at B and ranking as the strongest category on the card.

BUY NOW$31.99

Legato LTX 3085

BUY NOW $31.99

Product details

• Price: $31.99/dozen
• Construction: 3-piece urethane
• Compression: 89 (Firm)
• Factory: Launch Technologies
• Diameter: 1.6827 in
• Weight: 1.6149 oz
• Bad Balls: 5 of 36 (13.9%)

Test results

The 2025 Legato LTX 3085 scored 72 and earned a C-minus grade: Not Recommended. The headline number is dragged down by a defect rate that stands out in this test series and weight consistency issues that produced USGA limit violations in nearly one in seven balls.

Good Ball Rate came in at 86 percent. Five of 36 balls were flagged as bad; the worst result we’ve seen in this test series.

Compression symmetry averaged 2.0 points, in line with the field average. That’s a neutral result, not necessarily a strength or a weakness. Where compression does give some ground is consistency across the sample, which graded at C+ with a delta of 9.3 points and a spread running from 85.2 to 94.5. That’s a nine-point window which means the highest and lowest compression balls in the sample will perform differently from each other off the clubface.

Diameter consistency graded at B and was the strongest category on the card. Roundness was solid and no pole-versus-seam pattern was identified across the sample.

At 72, the Legato LTX 3085 does not earn a recommendation from Ball Lab. The defect rate and weight limit violations are the primary drivers of that outcome.

Compression

Compression is a measure of how much force is required to deform a golf ball. The higher the compression value, the more force required. Consistency in that value matters because a ball that compresses differently from shot to shot produces different results from shot to shot. Ball Lab measures every ball individually and tracks the average and the spread across the sample.

The 2025 Legato LTX 3085 averaged 89.7, putting it in the firm range of our database. Compression consistency graded out at C+ with a delta of 9.3 points and a spread running from 85.2 to 94.5. That delta is roughly in line with the database average of 9.6.

Ball Lab also measures compression symmetry which is distinct from the delta measurement. Where the delta tracks variation across all 36 balls, symmetry tracks how evenly compression is distributed across three points on each individual ball. The Legato averaged 2.0 points of symmetry deviation, in line with the field average.

The charts below detail the compression measurements in our sample.

Weight

Weight is another metric we analyze in these Ball Lab tests. Even small differences in weight across a dozen can translate to inconsistent ball flight. Ball Lab weighs every ball to four decimal places.

The 2025 Legato LTX 3085 averaged 1.6149 ounces across 36 balls, in the heavy range of the database. Of the 36 balls tested, five exceeded the USGA maximum of 1.6205 ounces, a 13.9-percent violation rate that is a meaningful quality control concern. It’s also a number that would cause the USGA to put this on the non-conforming list had they tested the same balls we did. The range ran from 1.6061 to 1.6242 with a standard deviation of 0.0042.

Weight consistency grades out at C.

The charts below detail the weight measurements in our sample.

Diameter

A ball that isn’t uniform in shape can track off line on the putting green or produce inconsistent flight patterns in the air. Ball Lab measures each ball across multiple axes to get a true picture of its shape.

The 2025 Legato LTX 3085 averaged 1.6827 inches, above the USGA minimum of 1.680, with a roundness deviation of 0.0006 inches. Every ball cleared the minimum and there was no consistent pole-versus-seam pattern across the sample; 24 of 36 balls came in within gauge noise on that measurement.

Diameter consistency graded out at B.

The charts below detail the diameter measurements in our sample.

Ball Lab report card

Each Quality Score is a weighted average of five grades: good ball rate, compression consistency, compression symmetry, diameter consistency, weight consistency. Our scoring system punishes defective balls more severely while giving greater weight to compression metrics than to weight and diameter. This is a reflection of how much compression variation actually matters to ball flight and feel.

The post Legato LTX 3085 Review: Everyone Says It’s a Pro V1 Alternative. Ball Lab Tells the Real Story. appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

The short summary here is that the PGA Tour is smoking them out.

The Tour has announced a multi-year partnership with the DP World Tour and Asian Tour through 2029. The Asian Tour, which used to serve as a secondary circuit for LIV, now is partnered with the PGA Tour.

The news was first reported by Golf Digest.

Asian Tour players will now have direct access to the DP World Tour and at least two events per season will be co-sanctioned by both tours. The Asian Tour will no longer have the multi-million-dollar backing from LIV for their International Series but they will now be a part of pro golf’s larger ecosystem.

Now an Asian Tour player has the ability to earn their way to the European Tour and European Tour players continue to have a direct pathway to the PGA Tour as they play for 10 full-time cards each year.

“I think the timing is just right now; it’s all about timing,” Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant told Golf Digest. “We’d kept in touch [with the DP World Tour] over all these years. Six years ago, it was right for us to do a partnership with LIV Golf but given the circumstances now, we’ve had to look at other options.

This is very damaging for LIV.

First of all, the Asian Tour was critical for LIV’s promotion and relegation system. It created a qualifying pathway and that was important for LIV’s ability to earn Official World Golf Ranking points.

You can kiss that goodbye. LIV could create their own Q-School but they won’t have the Asian Tour talent pool to draw from.

Even more importantly, LIV has publicly stated that, following the announcement of the Saudi Public Investment Fund pulling funding at the end of this season, the league was looking to pivot to more of a “national open” schedule, creating an international tour of events from Australia to South Africa and beyond.

Well, guess who controls essentially all of the national opens around the world? The DP World Tour and/or the Asian Tour. The DP World Tour alone has 17 national opens.

Golf Digest reported that national opens on the Asian Tour—such as events in Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan—were a part of LIV’s proposals to new investors.

Those events can no longer be offered.

This is not to mention that the PGA Tour recently announced its first-ever formal partnership with Golf Australia to help elevate the Australian Open. They are committing to increase the prize money and finding a meaningful spot for the tournament on the men’s golf calendar. The tournament isn’t becoming a PGA Tour event. The DP World Tour and Australasian Tour will continue to co-sanction the tournament.

LIV’s greatest success has been in Australia. The PGA Tour, which has mostly ignored Australia over the years, is lifting up the biggest tournament in Australia.

With this move, the PGA Tour not only strikes a dagger into LIV but creates better inventory for the September-December time frame. It’s really a win-win on their end.

As for the Asian Tour, it needed to secure its future given where LIV is going. Smart move.

As for LIV? Let’s listen to Jon Rahm who was just asked point blank about the future of the league.

“I’m not going to share anything that I can’t share with you guys right now … We know a lot of what’s going on, yeah. Not that I can share with you guys right now.”

Inspiring!

Guys, LIV is clearly on the verge of bankruptcy. Even if they somehow string together some form of a tour for 2027, the league is on borrowed time.

There is no future here. There are even rumblings that LIV can’t get through this current season.

The jig is up.

The post The PGA Tour Just Delivered LIV A Knockout Blow appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Scottie Scheffler let another major championship slide right by his grasp on Sunday at Royal Birkdale in defense of his Claret Jug. 

And much like other majors this year, it seemed like that was already a given earlier in the week. Scheffler entered the final round trailing by six shots and seemingly out of reach for his fifth major. But then he birdied three of his first five holes on Sunday and reached 8-under for the Open Championship after a birdie on the 12^th hole. 

As things ended, Scheffler would have only needed to play the final six holes at 2-under to reach the winning score, and he had two par-5s remaining. 

He did make two birdies—but he added three bogeys and eventually finished T4, the same result as the U.S. Open. 

Scheffler makes the hard things look easy and the easy things look hard

Let’s talk about why Scottie didn’t bag a major this year despite being the best player in the world.

In the four majors this year, Scheffler’s Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green ranks were first, first, fourth and fifth. In the PGA, he was No. 1 in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking (a metric that combines off-the-tee and approach play). His cumulative score for the four majors was matched only by Sam Burns and they were well ahead of the next pack of players.

Yet Scheffler was never in a great position in the final round of a major as he had to relentlessly chase from behind at each championship. 

That nearly changed this week. Scheffler was 4-under through six holes on Thursday morning and instantly in control of the championship. Then he made a shockingly bad swing on the 7^th hole to make bogey and didn’t make a birdie the rest of the round. That was despite two par-5 opportunities on the back side that were plenty reachable each round.

But Scheffler played those par 5s at just 1-under for the week, which ranked 86^th in the field. 

That was the theme for the week. Scheffler somehow struggled on the two easiest holes on the course, much like he struggled to make short birdie putts under 10 feet all week.

Before his birdie on the 12^th hole on Sunday, he had gone 56 holes since making a birdie putt of more than seven feet. 

Scheffler hit all the difficult shots. He ranked fourth in Strokes Gained: Approach and seventh in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. On Sunday, he hit five approaches inside nine feet in the first nine holes.

But nothing would fall. 

And before people point the finger at Scheffler’s putting, he ranks 14^th on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting this year. He gained nearly two strokes to the field with the putter at the U.S. Open and he was just above average at the Masters.

The putter was bad at Birkdale but it wasn’t necessarily bad throughout the season. The only two tournaments where he has lost strokes putting were this week and the PGA—that’s it.

Meanwhile, Ryan Fox won while leading the field in putting, making it four of the last five winners at The Open who led the field in putting. Scheffler is a part of that group after making everything at Royal Portrush a year ago. 

Perhaps it’s time for Scheffler to reevaluate whether to use the claw grip he employs on short putts because he’s been one of the best putters in the world this year from outside of 20 feet when he uses a conventional grip. 

Either way, Scheffler became world No. 1 because of his ability to make everything look easy. That has been the opposite of the case in 2026. Everything has looked taxing and difficult and he’s repeatedly failed to step up to the moment when he had legitimate chances to contend for the win at three of the four majors.

You can even see his frustration boiling over several times this year, whether it was on Sunday at the Open or having heated exchanges with his caddie, Ted Scott, at the Memorial.

The bottom line? Scottie is still playing at an extremely high level but he couldn’t get everything to come together at the same time in a major.

What does 2026 mean for Scheffler’s legacy as he chases major championships?

Scheffler may tell you that he doesn’t care about his legacy but fans often do. And I’d still argue that he cares much more about everything than he lets on, considering that reaction on the 17^th tee on Sunday. 

After 2025, people started wondering how many majors could Scheffler possibly get. He was 29 at the time and showing no signs of slowing down. Could he get past Hogan and become the fourth player to reach double digits? Was Tiger’s 15 in serious jeopardy?

This year turned out to be a reality check in those talks.

Scheffler certainly didn’t fall off from his skill level as we’ve seen from many world No. 1s in recent times. But he reminded us just how hard it can be to win. 

Looking back at the year now, Scheffler had a legitimate shot at three majors. Winning two of them like he did last year would have already given him six in total, tying Rory McIlroy and sitting T12 all-time.

Now we’ll see how he responds. Will a true drop in level happen? Will he bounce back? 

With such high expectations, it’s hard not to wonder how much a major-less year hurts in the middle of a player’s prime. Especially when considering that three major champions this year—Aaron Rai, Wyndham Clark and Fox—would not be considered world-beaters by any means. 

But we can look at the man Scheffler has been compared to in recent years, whether you agree or not. Tiger Woods won 12 of his 15 majors between 2000 and 2008. He won a major in seven of those nine seasons, including four multi-major seasons. But he didn’t win any in 2003 or 2004. 

After his prime began, Scheffler already had a major-less season in 2023. He made up for it with two in 2025 and he’ll need to bounce back again in 2027 if he wants to continue to stack majors and make a run at the game’s best of all time. 

Augusta, Pebble Beach and St Andrews are about as good as it gets as major venues in 2027. And the other major, held at PGA Frisco, is in Scheffler’s home state. 

It will be fascinating to see what Scottie does next.

Top Photo Caption: Scottie Scheffler hits his third shot on the par-5 17th Sunday at The Open. (GETTY IMAGES/Richard Heathcote)

The post Scottie’s Lost Year: Why He Went Major-less In 2026 appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

However, in an ironic twist of naming nomenclature, the newest member of the CP grip line is called, wait for it …

The CP.

You’d think the CP grip family would already have a grip called the CP. That would be an eminently reasonable assumption on your part. It would also be wrong.

The CP grip is new and different enough from its CP family siblings so let’s discuss that and what its purpose is in the CP family.

The new Golf Pride CP

Golf Pride CP grips are kind of a cult classic on the PGA Tour and among us regular people including certain sexagenarian golf writers. They’re soft with built-in Plus4 technology to encourage a lighter grip, especially under the low hand. The existing family members include the CP2 Pro, CP2 Wrap and the unusual-looking CPX.

Both the CP2 Pro and Wrap feature Golf Pride’s highest levels of softness and tackiness. The CPX offers both of those plus a distinctive ECO diamond-quilted pattern for extra comfort and feel.

The Plus4 technology in both simulates four additional wraps of tape under the low hand.

The new CP is another soft and tacky option with a handful of new features.

“For a lot of players, feeling good on the course is what matters more than birdies and bogeys,” says Golf Pride President Jamie Ledford. “With the CP, we’re showing golfers how a grip can give them a feeling of comfort and confidence and allow them to enjoy a full round with a constant feeling of connection to the club.”

What’s new in the new CP?

Specifically, Golf Pride says the CP grip features new localized tack and traction zones for dual feel comfort. That means Golf Pride is giving you maximum tack in the glove hand area and zero slip (or maximum traction) in the low hand.

Additionally, it features enhanced soft feel as well as a reduced taper in the lower end. The larger lower hand segment promotes lighter grip pressure which reduces tension throughout the swing.

So what makes it different?

In reality, not a lot. The new CP has a different look and feel with a reduced taper in the lower hand. When it comes to grips, that’s usually enough. They’re the one part of the golf club that sits at the intersection of biomechanics, feel, psychology and even identity. It’s the only part of the club that you hold so even tiny differences that seem trivial can matter. Grips influence feel and feel is personal.

The new Golf Pride CP grips in standard size will be available at retail and online starting Aug. 4. The company says midsize grips will follow soon after.

No word on price but since the rest of the lineup sells for $10.99 per grip, we presume the new CP will be the same.

The post If You Like Soft Grips, This New Addition To The Golf Pride CP Line Should Make You Happy appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

I put together 10 questions I’ve been asked recently by beginner golfers. As always, I’ve added a bit of my own instructional take on each one, so this isn’t just a list of definitions.

How many clubs can you carry in a golf bag?

You’re allowed up to 14 clubs in your bag under the rules of golf. There’s no minimum, so you can carry fewer if you want, but you can’t go over 14. This falls under Rule 4.1b which both the USGA and the R&A enforce.

For a beginner, this number matters less than you’d think early on. You’re not going to fill all 14 slots with clubs you know how to use right away and that’s fine. There’s plenty of time to build up to it.

What’s the most important club for a beginner to have in their bag?

To get started in golf, you’re going to need more than one club. But if you told me I could pick only one, I’d go with a 7-iron.

A 7-iron can hit some longer shots when you need it to, it’s useful around the green for bump-and-run shots, and it’s just a middle-of-the-road club for learning the game. It’s not too long to be intimidating and not too short to feel useless. If I had to teach someone golf with a single club, this is the one I’d hand them.

What clubs should a beginner golfer have in their bag?

I tested a handful of complete beginner golf sets this year and I go into a lot more detail on this here.

For a beginner bag, I think the most important pieces are a driver or 3-wood, a few irons, a pitching wedge, a sand wedge and a putter. I don’t love when beginner sets leave out the sand wedge. I also think a hybrid can be great and it often becomes a top choice for many beginners early on because it’s easy to get up in the air.

Continue Improving Your Game

Our instruction content combines insights from equipment testing, data analysis, and golf experts to help golfers improve with evidence-based advice. You’ve fixed one part of your game. These guides help you take the next step.

What tees should I play? Use this chart!

How should the driver sit at address? Many golfers still get this wrong!

If you miss the center of the face, try THESE irons.

Brittany Olizarowicz

SEO Manager & Staff Writer

Do you have to carry all 14 clubs?

No. I played the last three years with 13 clubs and never felt like I needed a 14th. I only recently added one back and I’m not sure it’s staying.

Part of this comes down to swing speed. If you’re not generating enough clubhead speed, you’re not going to see 14 meaningfully different distances out of 14 clubs. Two or three of them will just be doing the same job. It’s not worth carrying clubs that are not benefiting your game.

Do you need a 3-wood if you already have a driver?

For a beginner, not necessarily. But I’d suggest looking at a 7-wood or 5-wood instead so you have something for longer fairway shots.

Hitting a fairway wood off the tee and hitting it off the ground are two different skills. You need to learn both and a higher-lofted fairway wood is a much easier place to start than a 3-wood.

Are hybrids easier to hit than long irons?

Absolutely. I wouldn’t suggest a beginner carry anything longer than a 5-iron and, for some, a 6-iron is the realistic limit.

The technology in a long iron is harder to work with. You need more clubhead speed and a cleaner strike to get the ball up and hit it any real distance. A hybrid does the same job with a lower center of gravity and a wider sole which makes it far more forgiving on a mishit. There’s no reason to make the game harder on yourself before you have to.

How many wedges should a beginner carry?

Two, at a minimum. That’s your pitching wedge and your sand wedge and you’re going to need both.

Three is better if you’ve got the room. If there’s a big gap between your pitching wedge and sand wedge, that’s when I’d add a gap wedge next. A lob wedge is great to have and I don’t think beginners should be overly scared of it once they learn the right technique but it can be the last one you add.

What’s the difference between a pitching wedge and a sand wedge?

A pitching wedge is your go-to for full and partial approach shots into the green. A sand wedge is built with more bounce and loft, so it works out of bunkers, but it’s also excellent for any shot around the green out of thick rough or grass. That “sand-only” reputation isn’t accurate despite the name.

Sand wedges give you more height on your shots around the green and, depending on the pin location, that can be useful.

Can you carry two putters in your golf bag?

Technically, yes. The second putter still counts toward your 14 but it’s not something I’d recommend or something you’ll see very often. One of the most important things about putting is consistency. Switching between putters makes it hard to maintain that consistency.

The post How Many Clubs Can You Have In A Golf Bag? (Plus 9 Other Beginner Questions Answered) appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

That is the classic flier result. The important word is “result” because not every ball in the rough is automatically a flier. Some lies reduce spin and produce extra carry or release. Others slow the club down, reduce ball speed and come out short. The real skill is classifying the lie before you choose the club.

Use a three-part process: read the lie, predict the likely flight and protect against the worst miss.

What makes a lie a potential flier?

A flier lie is generally found in light or medium rough when the ball is sitting cleanly enough for the club to reach it but grass, moisture or both can get between the face and the ball. That interference can reduce predictable friction and spin. The shot may launch with less control, carry farther than the normal number or release more after landing.

The word “may” matters. Rough is inconsistent. A ball perched on top can produce a clean, fast strike. A ball that looks similar from above may have stems behind it that grab the club and kill speed. Treat the lie as a forecast, not a guarantee.

Read the lie from more than one angle

Start behind the ball and then look from the target side without touching or improving the lie. Ask four questions:

• How much of the ball can I see?
• Is the grass growing toward the target, against me or across the line?
• Is the ball sitting up or settled below the top of the grass?
• Is the grass dry, damp, thin or tangled?

A ball that is mostly visible, sitting up in light rough with a relatively clear path to the back of the ball, is the strongest flier candidate. A ball buried below dense or tangled grass is more likely to lose speed. The broader lesson from playing bad lies around the course applies here: the appearance of the ball and the amount of interference around it should guide the shot.

Continue Improving Your Game

Our instruction content combines insights from equipment testing, data analysis, and golf experts to help golfers improve with evidence-based advice. You’ve fixed one part of your game. These guides help you take the next step.

What tees should I play? Use this chart!

How should the driver sit at address? Many golfers still get this wrong!

If you miss the center of the face, try THESE irons.

Brittany Olizarowicz

SEO Manager & Staff Writer

Classify it as fast, neutral or dead

Give the lie one of three labels before checking the yardage.

Fast means the ball is sitting cleanly and could come out with reduced spin and more release. Neutral means the lie looks playable but the outcome is uncertain. Dead means the ball is down, the grass is heavy or the club is likely to lose significant speed.

This simple language prevents the common mistake of treating every rough shot as one club less. A fast lie may call for less club. A dead lie may require more loft simply to escape cleanly. A neutral lie may call for the club that gives you the largest safe landing area rather than the exact carry number.

Choose the club and target together

Do not make the club decision in isolation. The safe miss determines how aggressively you can account for a flier.

If long is safe and there is trouble short, using the normal club and aiming toward the center may be smarter than taking less club and bringing the front hazard into play. If long is severe and the front of the green is open, take less club or play to the wider section. When both short and long are dangerous, the correct decision may be a layup or a target away from the flag.

This is the same trade-off golfers face when caught between clubs. You are not trying to guess the perfect yardage. You are choosing the club that makes the likely miss survivable.

Make a controlled, committed swing

Once the decision is made, build a stable stance and make a committed swing through the grass. Do not try to add spin by steering the club or squeezing the grip harder through impact. The lie has already limited how much control you have. Your job is to produce solid speed and predictable contact.

For an obvious fast lie, gripping down slightly and making a controlled swing can trim some distance without forcing a soft, decelerating motion. For a dead lie, use enough loft to get the ball out and lower the scoring expectation. The right iron is not always the one that matches the clean-lie yardage.

Build your own rough-lie library

The best way to improve this decision is to compare lies during practice. In a designated practice area, hit five balls from light rough, five from a sitting-up lie and five from deeper grass. Use the same target and record the carry, peak flight and release pattern you observe.

You are not trying to create a universal chart. Grass type, moisture, club design and speed change the result. You are building personal references: what “fast,” “neutral” and “dead” look like for you.

On the course, read the lie before falling in love with the yardage. Classify the likely outcome, find the safe miss and commit to the club-target pair. A flier becomes expensive when the golfer treats uncertainty as certainty. Respect the lie and make the miss part of the plan.

The post What Is A Flier Lie In Golf And How Do You Play It? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Fast forward to now and my kids have been carrying their bags quite a bit, too. But they are playing more rounds these days and with the heat we get here, we started looking into junior push carts to make things easier on them. I learned more than I expected in the process so I figured I would share what might help you decide if your junior golfer needs one and which size to get.

What height should a junior golfer be for a push cart?

I talked to Bag Boy directly about this and they told me they recommend the Quad Junior to kids under 51 inches tall. My daughter is 52 inches so she was right on the border. The Nitron isn’t a junior model at all; it’s one of Bag Boy’s standard adult push carts but the team there told me it’s the one they often see used by older juniors who play competitive golf once they’ve grown past the Quad Junior’s range.

We tested the Quad Junior and the Nitron side by side. We also picked up the ClicGear Rovic RV3J to throw into the mix since ClicGear carts usually do well in our testing. Here’s what we found.

Bag Boy Quad Junior

This is a great push cart for kids. It’s designed perfectly for smaller golfers and my daughter still has some room to grow into it since the standard-sized Nitron is too tall for her right now.

My favorite thing about the Quad Junior is how it folds. It collapses down into basically a square box which fits perfectly on the bottom of our cart for easy transport. It’s not heavy, either. My daughter can pick it up and put it away herself without any help.

Mostly what stands out is how stable it is and how well it accommodates junior bags of different sizes. She’s played with it through an entire season of PGA Junior League and other parents and kids have asked us which model it is because it truly stands out on the course.

ClicGear Rovic RV3J

I was excited about this one going in since ClicGear carts always perform well in MyGolfSpy testing. Unfortunately, the Rovic RV3J just wasn’t as great a fit.

I do like the three-wheel design for easier steering but it’s noticeably less stable than the Quad Junior. It’s worth noting that even though the Quad Junior has four wheels, the kids had zero trouble moving it around and steering it.

The ClicGear push carts are always great when it comes to accessories but the overall functionality of the cart wasn’t as easy to use for smaller kids. It doesn’t fold up all the way. It almost seems built to keep the bag attached to the cart for storage so you can just grab it and head back out. In theory that sounds convenient but we don’t always leave the push cart attached to the bag so it ends up being bulkier to store than the Quad Junior.

It’s certainly not a complete flop but I found the Bag Boy Quad Junior to be noticeably better.

Bag Boy Nitron

This is a push cart my son and I have been fighting over lately. It’s not a junior model. It’s one of Bag Boy’s standard adult carts but their team told me it’s a common choice for older juniors playing competitive golf once they’ve outgrown the Quad Junior. The color and design are cool but what really matters is that it’s easy to use and never feels bulky.

My son is just about five feet tall and it’s been perfect for him. It takes about a second to fold up, gets compact and just does a great job overall. I love this push cart as well.

The Nitron Swivel won our 2026 push cart testing outright. This standard Nitron also landed in our top five. There’s really nothing I would change about it.

FAQ

What size push cart does my child need? Measure your junior golfer’s height. Under 51 inches, look at a junior-specific model like the Bag Boy Quad Junior. Once they get closer to five feet, a standard adult push cart, like Bag Boy’s Nitron, will usually fit fine and it’s a common choice for older competitive juniors who’ve outgrown junior-sized carts.

Do junior golf push carts fit adult-sized golf bags? No. Junior push carts are built to fit smaller junior golf bags. An adult bag will typically be too large or heavy for the frame. It loses too much stability with an adult bag on.

Is a three-wheel or four-wheel push cart better for kids? In our testing, the four-wheel Quad Junior was easier for kids to steer and more stable overall than the three-wheel. An extra wheel didn’t slow the kids down at all.

Are push carts worth it for junior golfers who already walk with a carry bag? If your junior golfer is playing more rounds, playing in the heat or dealing with a heavier bag as they add clubs, a push cart can make a real difference in how much energy they have left for their round. We have noticed the benefit especially when playing more than nine holes.

Final thoughts

I went into this not sure if a junior golf push cart was worth the investment. After testing, I think it’s a great addition for a kid who cares about golf. The right fit makes a bigger difference than I expected. The Quad Junior has been the clear winner for our smaller golfer; the Nitron has been perfect now that our son has hit that five-foot mark.

Let me know if you have other questions about anything I tested.

The post Junior Golf Push Carts: Are They Worth It, What Size to Buy And Two We Tested appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

This was such a weird major season. Completely unpredictable. Maybe the weirdest one since 2003 when we had four first-time winners?

Rory McIlroy defended his title at the Masters—and then all hell broke loose. We got a total wildcard with Aaron Rai at the PGA. Wyndham Clark came out of nowhere to win the U.S. Open. And it was all wrapped up with Ryan Fox showing grit down the stretch to win the Open Championship over a charging Cam Young.

Some tremendous performances but it all seemed so random.

Even going player by player, everything seemed upside down. Scottie Scheffler couldn’t get one across the finish line despite being the most consistent player. Several star players behind him were absent from contention. It felt like a lost year from many stars. Even guys who were playing well didn’t necessarily back that up when it mattered most.

The majors have never mattered more. I know we say that every year but it’s getting more pronounced as the boatloads of money pouring into the pro game are underscoring how there are only four events that truly contribute to a player’s legacy—everything else is an entertainment product.

That’s why these major seasons are so important. I will have season grades in a few weeks when the FedEx Cup wraps up but there is only so much that can be done after the Open Championship. The majors play such an outsized role in a player’s season.

Going through every notable player I can think of, here is how the top guys fared this season in the majors. I’ve included everyone who entered Birkdale in the top 15 of Data Golf (and a handful of other ones just for fun).

A reminder, these grades are relative to expectations. Two players with the same results don’t necessarily earn the same grade.

Ryan Fox (A+)

• Masters (MC)
• PGA Championship (T35)
• U.S. Open (T23)
• Open Championship (WIN)

Heading into Sunday, Fox’s best major finish was T16 at the 2019 Open Championship. He only had two top-20 major finishes in 28 appearances coming into The Open! The 39-year-old from New Zealand wasn’t even having a particularly good season, ranking No. 54 in Data Golf. And yet he showed some serious mental fortitude down the stretch at Birkdale for his first-ever major championship.

Aaron Rai (A+)

• Masters (48)
• PGA Championship (WIN)
• U.S. Open (T11)
• Open Championship (MC)

You can just about copy and paste what I wrote for Fox. Rai had never finished better than T19 in a dozen major starts until grabbing hold of the PGA Championship late on Sunday. Rai and Fox have two of the most unlikely major wins this century.

Rory McIlroy (A)

• Masters (WIN)
• PGA Championship (T7)
• U.S. Open (T32)
• Open Championship (T40)

Rory got his sixth major victory and went back-to-back at the Masters—anything else was just gravy. There are only 11 golfers ahead of McIlroy on the all-time major wins list: Jack Nicklaus (18), Tiger Woods (15), Walter Hagen (11), Ben Hogan (9), Gary Player (9), Tom Watson (8), Harry Vardon (7), Bobby Jones (7), Gene Sarazen (7), Sam Snead (7) and Arnold Palmer (7).

Wyndham Clark (A)

• Masters (T21)
• PGA Championship (MC)
• U.S. Open (WIN)
• Open Championship (MC)

Clark is a microwave man with streaky golf but he caught fire this summer when it mattered most. His victory at Shinnecock was fully earned as the crowd turned decidedly against him on the weekend. For what it’s worth, he handled the PR portion of that victory very well. Still not a fan, though.

Cameron Young (A-)

• Masters (T3)
• PGA Championship (T26)
• U.S. Open (T43)
• Open Championship (2)

Young had a breakthrough year but just couldn’t quite get across the finish line at the Masters and Open Championship. However, I think we can say Young is a bonafide top-three player in the world and will undoubtedly end up with at least one major victory when all is said and done. I don’t think that’s true for a few other major-less guys on this list.

Sam Burns (A-)

• Masters (T7)
• PGA Championship (T26)
• U.S. Open (2)
• Open Championship (3)

He didn’t win one but Burns completely changed his reputation in 2026. Previously known for struggling in majors, Burns has established he can rise to the occasion. He was a couple of bounces away from winning two majors this year.

Justin Rose (B+)

• Masters (T3)
• PGA Championship (T10)
• U.S. Open (T11)
• Open Championship (MC)

Rose is still very competitive despite the fact he is about to turn 46 years old next week (he gets an age boost for his grade). Incredible given that no other player in his age range is playing at that level. I would give one of my kidneys to see him get a second major but Father Time is undefeated.

Xander Schauffele (B)

• Masters (T9)
• PGA Championship (T7)
• U.S. Open (T11)
• Open Championship (T18)

No real complaints for Xander. His ceiling is very high in majors but he was stuck on the second page of the leaderboard. With his two major victories in 2024, Schauffele gets a pass for now.

Ludvig Aberg (B)

• Masters (T21)
• PGA Championship (T4)
• U.S. Open (T17)
• Open Championship (T9)

Pretty much in line with what you would expect from Aberg. The next step is to see him really want the ball when it comes to getting in contention on Sunday—and I’m not just talking about the majors. He needs to win more.

Russell Henley (B)

• Masters (T3)
• PGA Championship (MC)
• U.S. Open (T65)
• Open Championship (T9)

Henley’s T3 at the Masters is the best major result of his career so that’s a positive. And he got involved at The Open, too. The analytics darling has nibbled at major contention the past few years but hasn’t seriously threatened the finish line.

Chris Gotterup (B)

• Masters (T24)
• PGA Championship (T10)
• U.S. Open (T43)
• Open Championship (T18)

I’m going easy on Gotterup here. It’s early in his career and he’s building up to contending in a major, as evidenced by his five Tour victories. The foundation is in place for 2027 and the expectations will be higher.

Scottie Scheffler (B-)

• Masters (2)
• PGA Championship (T14)
• U.S. Open (T4)
• Open Championship (T4)

This is a tough grade. Scottie factored into every major but his measuring stick is against greatness. Ultimately, this was a lost year of sorts for Scheffler. It’s a reminder of how hard it is to win majors.

Patrick Reed (B-)

• Masters (T12)
• PGA Championship (T10)
• U.S. Open (MC)
• Open Championship (T46)

Reed was a little underwhelming in the majors given his strong play at the start of 2026 but I like where he is trending as he regains footing on the PGA Tour following his suspension.

Justin Thomas (B-)

• Masters (T41)
• PGA Championship (T4)
• U.S. Open (T17)
• Open Championship (T65)

This was JT’s best major season since 2022 so that’s good. He also had a tremendous Sunday at the PGA, coming from behind to put a scare into the leaders. It was an OK major season but I’m sure he holds himself to a higher standard.

Collin Morikawa (B-)

• Masters (T7)
• PGA Championship (T55)
• U.S. Open (T17)
• Open Championship (T18)

What a weird season. Morikawa was red-hot early on in the year but a back injury seemed to cool him off prior to major season. Having said that, he made all four major cuts, showed some grit at the Masters and is a top-10 player in Data Golf. On the other side, Morikawa has gone five years without a major victory. You could argue he has never really been close since that 2021 Open Championship win.

Tommy Fleetwood (C+)

• Masters (T33)
• PGA Championship (MC)
• U.S. Open (T11)
• Open Championship (T4)

It was a decent major season for Fleetwood but he’s the No. 4 player in the world and expectations should be high. It’s easy to start wondering whether Tommy will ever get his major. He just doesn’t have that “it factor” on Sunday.

Brooks Koepka (C+)

• Masters (T12)
• PGA Championship (T55)
• U.S. Open (MC)
• Open Championship (T28)

I think Koepka gets some grace here. He missed three of four major cuts in 2025 so this year was a slight improvement on that. It was also just a strange season transitioning back to the PGA Tour. Expectations will be a little higher in 2027. I’m looking for him to get more involved next year.

Jon Rahm (C)

• Masters (T38)
• PGA Championship (T2)
• U.S. Open (MC)
• Open Championship (T46)

The standard for Rahm is to be a top-five player in the world who contends for majors every season. I know he got involved at the PGA Championship but this overall effort is so lackluster. By the time the Masters begins, it will be four years since Rahm’s last major title.

Si Woo Kim (C)

• Masters (47)
• PGA Championship (T35)
• U.S. Open (MC)
• Open Championship (T6)

Kim recorded his best-ever major finish with a T6 at The Open. It was just his second top-10 finish in a major. But Kim, No. 10 in Data Golf, needs to have a higher ceiling in majors.

Akshay Bhatia (C-)

• Masters (MC)
• PGA Championship (MC)
• U.S. Open (T17)
• Open Championship (MC)

There is a lot of hype around Bhatia (No. 25 in Data Golf), and for good reason. He’s still just 24 years old and won at Bay Hill this year. His ceiling is high. But he also hasn’t registered a single top-10 major finish so far. He gets a longer leash here but we need to see progress in 2027.

Patrick Cantlay (C-)

• Masters (T12)
• PGA Championship (T35)
• U.S. Open (MC)
• Open Championship (T28)

Cantlay’s major record is putrid. As expected, it’s another totally uncompetitive major season in the books for a player who, on paper, is among the top few active golfers yet to win a major.

Matt Fitzpatrick (C-)

• Masters (T18)
• PGA Championship (T14)
• U.S. Open (22)
• Open Championship (MC)

Fitzpatrick gets a much, much better grade for the overall season—he has three victories and four other top-five finishes so far—but his major championship campaign was lacking in 2026. He really never even sniffed meaningful contention on a major Sunday and then he no-showed at the Open Championship. I think he’ll be the first one to tell you that this year was a disappointment in the majors.

Jordan Spieth (C-)

• Masters (T12)
• PGA Championship (T18)
• U.S. Open (T56)
• Open Championship (MC)

I would give Spieth a worse grade but I just don’t think our expectations should be any higher than lukewarm at this point. He is who we thought he was. Jordan is a decent but totally unspectacular Tour player who peaked from 2015-2017. That transcendent golf is not coming back. Calling Spieth a shell of his former self is generous.

Cameron Smith (D+)

• Masters (MC)
• PGA Championship (T7)
• U.S. Open (MC)
• Open Championship (MC)

Smith is threatening to exit the top 100 in Data Golf so I guess this is ambitious of me to still include him in the grades. He did randomly pop up in contention at the PGA but the three missed cuts—and fluky nature of that PGA—makes it seem like Smith is more lost than he’s ever been.

Viktor Hovland (D)

• Masters (T18)
• PGA Championship (MC)
• U.S. Open (MC)
• Open Championship (MC)

The yuckiest of yucks. I have Hovland at No. 3 on my list of the best active players without a major, but he didn’t even give himself a shot in 2026. It was a solid season beyond the majors as he won the Travelers Championship and is firmly in the Data Golf top 20, but I’m sure Hovland is kicking himself for a snoozer of a major season.

Bryson DeChambeau (D-)

• Masters (MC)
• PGA Championship (MC)
• U.S. Open (MC)
• Open Championship (T14)

I still believe Bryson has some great golf left in him but he needs to get back in the lab. The wedges and irons have been problematic under pressure. He showed some life at the Open Championship—enough for me to show mercy and offer a passing grade—but it was a disastrous major season overall. And, yes, he deserved that two-stroke penalty at The Open. It was an obvious infraction.

What grades would you give everyone for the major season? Let me know in the comments down below.

Top Photo Caption: Bryson had a disastrous major season. (GETTY IMAGES/Andrew Redington)

The post Major Grades: Bryson Ejects, Scottie Can’t Close And Underdogs Rule The Day appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

It’s also one of the more expensive. A new pair of FootJoy Premiere Series golf shoes will run you anywhere from $225-$285 depending on the model.

Well, the barrier for entry into the Premiere-style golf shoe category just got cut in half. FootJoy quietly dropped a brand-new budget model (or, as I would call it, a takedown) called the Vanguard.

Stylistically, it looks pretty darn close to the Premiere Series. At just $130, it offers a similar aesthetic with some obvious cost-cutting moves.

So, what are you getting for a shoe that costs nearly $100 less than its fraternal twin? It’s really about what you’re not getting.

FootJoy Vanguard vs Premiere Series: The tradeoffs

A traditional takedown model retains some of the DNA of its premium counterpart but often relies on one or both of the following to cut cost: less tech and cheaper build quality.

In the case of the FootJoy Vanguard, here’s what you’re getting compared to something like the FootJoy Premiere Series Field.

Category	FootJoy Premiere Series Field	FootJoy FJ Vanguard
Price	$225 MSRP	$130 MSRP
Upper Material	Hand-selected premium full-grain leather	Waterproof performance synthetic upper
Waterproof Protection	2-year waterproof warranty	1-year waterproof warranty
Fit System	Laser Street Last: rounded toe, standard forefoot/instep, slightly narrow heel	Laser Street Last: rounded toe, standard forefoot/instep, slightly narrow heel
Traction System	VersaTrax+ outsole with Pulsar LP cleats and FastTwist 3.0 system	Stable performance outsole with Pulsar LP cleats by SoftSpikes®
Cushioning	OrthoLite EcoPlush FitBed for premium walking comfort	DuraMax cushioned rubber for flexibility and comfort
Durability	Premium leather designed for long-term wear and structure	Extremely durable synthetic construction designed for everyday use
Best For	Golfers who want the premium leather feel, traditional look, and tour-level craftsmanship	Golfers who want classic styling, comfort, and performance at a lower price

The table sums it up pretty clearly. You get what you pay for in both models. The Premiere series comes standard with elevated materials, better warranties and better tech (in traction and cushion). The Vanguard offers similar style in a lighter, synthetic and more budget-friendly package.

Which one is right for you? Here’s an easy checklist.

If you want a more durable, comfortable and stable shoe, go with the Premiere Series.

If you want something lighter, more economical without sacrificing that classic FJ style, go with the Vanguard.

The Vanguard isn’t trying to replace the Premiere Series. It’s designed to make the Premiere Series look and feel more accessible. The question is whether the premium materials and extra tech are worth the additional $95.

The post FootJoy Quietly Dropped A Budget Golf Shoe That Looks Nearly Identical To Its $225 Counterpart appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Watch enough golf and these phrases start to sound familiar. Knowing what they mean can help you better understand the shot a player is facing and why they choose one option over another.

Cover number

The cover number is the minimum yardage a player needs to carry a specific obstacle.

That obstacle could be a bunker, penalty area, false front or ridge running through the green. If the flag is 165 yards away but the bunker requires 158 yards of carry, 158 is the cover number.

The number can also change based on the player’s intended line. Carrying the center of a bunker may require less distance than challenging the far edge.

Continue Improving Your Game

Our instruction content combines insights from equipment testing, data analysis, and golf experts to help golfers improve with evidence-based advice. You’ve fixed one part of your game. These guides help you take the next step.

What tees should I play? Use this chart!

How should the driver sit at address? Many golfers still get this wrong!

If you miss the center of the face, try THESE irons.

Brittany Olizarowicz

SEO Manager & Staff Writer

False front

A false front is a sloped section at the front of a green that sends shots back toward the fairway or a collection area.

From the television angle, a shot may appear to have reached the putting surface. A few seconds later, it starts rolling backward.

When a green has a severe false front, reaching the front edge is not enough. The ball may need to carry several yards onto the green to stay there.

Collection area

A collection area is an area around the green where the surrounding contours tend to gather missed shots.

These areas are often closely mown, giving players several recovery options. They may use a wedge, putter, hybrid or bump-and-run depending on the lie and slope.

Fall line

The fall line is the steepest downhill direction on a section of the putting surface.

Picture pouring water onto the green. The direction the water would naturally flow is the fall line.

On a simple, consistent slope, a putt traveling directly up or down the fall line should have very little side break. A putt crossing it will move with the slope. Greens with several contours can have more than one local fall line.

Punchbowl green

A punchbowl green is set within surrounding contours that create a bowl-like shape.

The slopes can gather shots back onto the putting surface or feed them toward certain sections of the green.

Flighted wedge

A flighted wedge is played on a lower, more controlled trajectory than a standard wedge shot.

Players may shorten the swing, reduce speed or change the finish to bring the flight down. The exact technique can vary from one golfer to another. The goal is usually to control distance, trajectory and spin. It is especially useful in the wind or when a player does not want to hit a full wedge.

Hold-off fade

A hold-off fade is a controlled shot that curves from left to right for a right-handed golfer.

The player continues rotating through the shot while keeping the release quieter than normal. The motion often produces a shorter, held-off-looking finish.

This is different from accidentally leaving the clubface open and losing the ball to the right. The starting line and amount of curve are intentional.

One groove low

When an announcer says a player struck the ball one groove low, contact occurred slightly below the intended spot on the iron or wedge face.

The strike may still look and sound solid, but a small vertical miss can change launch, spin and carry distance. The exact result depends on the club, lie, speed and course conditions.

Cut spinner

A cut spinner is a short-game shot played with an open clubface and a slight cutting motion across the ball.

The player uses enough speed to create spin while allowing the loft to send the ball onto the green. The goal is usually to land the ball in a small area and have it check quickly.

The ball may not curve much in the air. “Cut” describes the club’s delivery more than a dramatic left-to-right ball flight.

Dead-handed pitch

A dead-handed pitch is played with limited wrist action and very little aggressive release through impact.

The arms, shoulders and body control most of the motion while the hands remain quiet. This can help the player produce predictable carry, trajectory and release.

Some players use a more upright shaft or make contact slightly toward the toe.

Caught a jumper

When an announcer says a player “caught a jumper,” the ball has come out of the rough with less spin than expected.

Grass can get between the ball and clubface, reducing friction. The shot may launch differently, fly farther or release more once it lands.

That is why a player can make what looks like a good swing and still send an approach over the back of the green. You may also hear this type of shot described as a flyer or knuckleball.

Final thoughts

There are dozens more but these are some I’ve heard just in the last few weeks when watching golf. What other phrases could catch somebody new to the game off guard?

The post 11 Golf Phrases You Hear On TV But May Not Understand appeared first on MyGolfSpy.