Oct 23, 2026 · 5 min read
Beat 4-under, win $100 (and your own course)
Plus: Oosthuizen walks away from LIV, and a 21-year bourbon.
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Louis Oosthuizen is leaving LIV Golf. He thinks there’s more competitive golf left in him, and he’s willing to rework his whole schedule to find out.
John Daly also found a new home for Masters week. Nobody will be shocked.
Plus: two swing fixes, a better way to spend 20 minutes of practice, a Tiger Woods course with a bonus 19th hole, and a bourbon that sat in Kentucky oak for 21 years.
But first: Ben has taken the lead in The Gimme, our putting game, and he’s put a target on his back. Beat his 4-under this week, and you’ll win $100 and get your favorite course built into the game. Knowing Ben, he’ll probably shoot 6-under.
Let’s tee off.
Birdies: Where the Pros Play 🏆
Louis Oosthuizen Walks Away From LIV Golf
Louis Oosthuizen spent five years captaining LIV Golf’s South African team. Now the 2010 Open champion is leaving. He called it “probably the hardest decision I’ve had to make in my career.”
The 44-year-old won’t renew his contract and plans to return to the DP World Tour in 2027. He wants more control over his schedule, especially with next year’s Open returning to St Andrews, where he won his only major.
His world ranking has slipped to 539th, so qualifying for the other majors won’t be easy. But he’s exempt for the Open until he’s 60, so St Andrews is a lock.
I’ve always loved watching his swing. It looks so effortless you almost forget how hard this game is. I’d happily watch him make one more run at the Old Course.
John Daly's Masters Tradition Gets a New Home
For years, John Daly spent Masters week outside the Augusta Hooters, signing autographs, selling merch and holding court with fans. Then the restaurant closed.
He’s found a new spot.
Daly signed a multi-year deal with Topgolf that’ll bring him to Augusta during Masters week in 2027 and 2028. The deal also includes appearances at Topgolf venues nationwide, exclusive merch, and two ready-to-drink John Daly cocktails at 55 locations.
It’s a perfect fit. Daly’s been entertaining golf fans for decades, and he’s never needed a leaderboard to draw a crowd.
I’d probably spend more time hanging out with Daly at Topgolf than watching someone practice putts at Augusta.
Bogeys: For Us Weekend Golfers 🏌️♂️
Your Hips Might Not Be the Problem
Ever feel yourself standing up during the downswing, then wonder why you just topped another 7-iron?
That’s early extension. As GOLF Top 100 Teacher Brian Mogg puts it, “Early extension is often the result of another swing flaw, not the original problem.”
Two common causes:
A steep downswing: Bringing the club down too vertically forces your hips toward the ball to make room. A fuller backswing turn can help.
Weight stuck on your back foot: Staying back too long makes it harder to rotate. Shift pressure toward your lead foot as the downswing begins.
Mogg’s point is worth remembering. You can practice keeping your hips back all day, but if the club’s still coming down steep, your body will keep finding ways to compensate.
I’m guilty of trying to fix whatever looks wrong on video without asking what caused it. That’s probably why my swing has had about twelve different fixes this year.
Got 20 Minutes? Practice Like This
Twenty minutes at the range usually means a few wedges, then the rest of the bucket trying to murder a driver.
Pro golfer Hannah Gregg has a better idea: pick a putting session or a range session, and stop trying to squeeze in both.
For putting, work on three things:
Start line: Roll short putts through a narrow gate made from tees.
Distance control: Practice getting longer putts to finish within two feet of the hole.
Touch: Hit breaking putts from opposite sides of the cup.
At the range, warm up properly, start with short wedges, then work through the bag with a specific target for every shot.
I like this because 20 minutes is realistic. I’d rather spend it on something that’ll actually save strokes on Saturday.
Gear Drop: This Week’s Picks ⛳
G/FORE G.112 Spikeless Golf Shoes: $129.97 (Save 42%)
A pair of G/FORE golf shoes for nearly $100 off? That's a pretty good reason to consider replacing the ones you've been wearing for the past three seasons.
The G.112 combines a lightweight synthetic upper with a cushioned, washable insole, solid arch support, and a spikeless outsole designed for stability. They've also got a clean, athletic look that works just as well off the course.
My take: At $129.97, these are a much easier sell than their original $225 price tag. The one thing I'd watch is the fit. G/FORE says they run narrow, so consider sizing up if you're between sizes. Nobody wants to spend the back nine thinking about their feet.
TaylorMade SIM2 Max Driver: $349.98 (Save 34%)
The SIM2 Max isn't TaylorMade's newest driver, but there's a reason golfers are still interested in it. And at $180 off, it's worth another look.
Its Forged Ring Construction helps improve stability, while Twist Face technology is designed to make off-center hits more forgiving. There's also a Speed Pocket that helps maintain ball speed when you catch one low on the face.
My take: If your current driver has been in the bag for years, this could be a solid upgrade without paying $600 for the latest model. Just get the shaft and loft right. Even a forgiving driver can't do much when you've got the wrong setup.
This week’s Weekend Card has three goals for Saturday. Open it here →
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Bourbon: Life on the 19th Hole 🥃
⭐ Course of the week ⭐
Payne's Valley Golf Course — Hollister, Missouri
Tiger Woods designed a golf course in the Missouri Ozarks, and the best part might be what happens after the 18th hole.
Payne’s Valley sits among the rolling hills and limestone cliffs of Big Cedar Lodge, near Branson. It’s Tiger’s first public course in the U.S., named for the late Payne Stewart, a Missouri native. The par-72 layout stretches 7,370 yards from the tips, with five shorter tee options for those of us who’d rather enjoy the scenery.
The fairways are generous, but the approaches make you think: elevated greens, well-placed bunkers, and enough water to make you think twice about going straight at the flag.
Then there’s the bonus 19th, a par 3 beneath a massive limestone wall with a waterfall. A closest-to-the-pin there could settle who’s buying the first round.
Where you’ll lose shots: Approaches. The peninsula green on No. 5 leaves little room for error, and the elevation changes make club selection tricky.
How to play it smarter: Use the wide fairways, respect the elevation, and aim for the safe side of every green. No reason to make a hard approach harder.
Would I make the trip? Absolutely. Eighteen holes in the Ozarks, a bonus shot under a waterfall, and a drink with the guys afterward? I’d be checking flights before anyone finished asking.
Planning a visit?
Location: Hollister, Missouri, near Branson
Course: Public, 18 holes, par 72, plus a bonus 19th
Length: 4,957–7,370 yards across six tee options
Rates: Vary by date and availability
Season: Currently open for play
Booking: Tee times available online
This Week’s Pour
Knob Creek 21 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Twenty-one years is a long time to leave bourbon in a barrel. Long enough to wonder whether anyone should actually open the bottle.
Knob Creek first released it in 2025, making it the oldest whiskey in James B. Beam Distilling Co. history. Now it’s back for another limited run.
It’s bottled at 100 proof, which I appreciate. After two decades in charred American oak, there’s plenty of flavor to work with.
The notes lean into caramel, seasoned oak, toasted sugar and a little smoke, with some fruit underneath and a long finish of toffee and charred wood. If you like sweeter, lighter bourbon, I wouldn’t start here.
So what are you paying for when a bottle of Knob Creek 9 Year costs a fraction of this? Mostly time, and the deeper oak that comes with it. Whether that’s worth $240.99 is up to your taste buds and your wallet.
My verdict: Open it with two or three friends who’ll notice the difference. Pour it neat and take your time. At this price, I want a bottle that earns a slow second pour.
Proof: 100 (50% ABV) Age: 21 years Price: $240.99 at Marketview Liquor (750 ml)
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One Last Thing
I’ve been thinking about Oosthuizen’s decision to leave LIV. He’s already had a career most golfers would envy, but he’s walking away from something comfortable because he still wants one more shot at something big.
I get a small piece of that, even if my version is trying to break 80 instead of winning at St Andrews.
That’s what I love about golf. You can play for twenty years and still be chasing something. A lower handicap, a course you’ve always wanted to play, or finally hitting that one club without wondering where it’s going.
Of course, there’s a decent chance I’ll spend Saturday looking for my tee shot in the trees and wondering why I ever picked up this game.
Then I’ll hit one good shot, start thinking about the next round, and remember exactly why.
And if you’re chasing something this weekend, Ben’s 4-under is a pretty good place to start.
See you next week,
Adam
Adam Rosen
Editor-in-Chief, Birdies, Bogeys & Bourbon
P.S. Answer: B. Paul Lawrie. He came from 10 strokes behind on Sunday and won a three-man playoff against Jean van de Velde and Justin Leonard at the 1999 Open Championship.
P.P.S. Ben's 4-under is still the number to beat. You have until Sunday at midnight ET. If you beat it, put your full name on the leaderboard or email me so I know it's you. Play now →
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