20 of our favorite stories you might have missed in 2023

GOLF.com published thousands of stories over the past 12 months, so we’ll forgive you if you happened to miss a few hundred or so. Luckily, we are here to help.

So if you are bored at work, relaxing on the couch, or just hiding in the other room, trying to find a few peaceful moments away from family or a bunch of menacing nieces and nephews, scroll below. We compiled some of our staffers’ favorite stories from 2023, which frankly includes a little bit of everything.

There’s a feature about Augusta National’s most beloved snack, an in-depth interview with outspoken analyst Brandel Chamblee, a profile of sportscaster Scott Van Pelt and even a search for a ghost at the PGA Championship. Plus lots, lots more. Scroll below. Read up. Rest up. See you in 2024.

20 of our favorite stories you might have missed in 2023

Max Homa isn’t normal. He’s far more interesting than that, by Dylan Dethier

It’s possible, Max Homa says, that we have him all wrong. That guy you’d like to have a beer with? “Well, I don’t know if you really would.”

The unsolved mystery behind Augusta National’s most beloved snack, by James Colgan

Ask any Masters champion and he’ll tell you: Augusta National’s olives are unrivaled. But the story behind them might be even better.

Unraveling one of the Masters’ greatest unwritten traditions, by Josh Berhow

The rules at the Masters and Augusta National are strict. So why are patrons allowed to populate the course with thousands of $30 chairs?

At the Masters, it’s hard to miss Scott Van Pelt, by James Colgan

How did Scott Van Pelt become the voice of the people? At the Masters, it’s surprisingly easy to find the answer.

That Phil Mickelson heckler at the U.S. Open? He was just getting started, by Alan Bastable

A U.S. Open heckler was on the loose at Los Angeles Country Club last week. Here’s who he is, and why he caused such a ruckus.

Brandel Chamblee tells all: LIV tension, Phil drama, how Brandel became Brandel, by Dylan Dethier

Brandel Chamblee goes deep on LIV, Phil Mickelson, Saudi influence and golf’s “catastrophic greed” — and explains how he got to this point.

Remember ‘Dufnering’? This is the inside story of the photo that sparked a sensation, by Alan Bastable

Ten years ago, an image of a zoned-out Jason Dufner sent the golf world — and beyond — into a tizzy. Here’s how the bizarre craze came to be.

Justin Thomas is turning 30. It has him feeling a certain way, by Sean Zak

Justin Thomas is turning 30. His life is changing. But his core desire is simple: being one of the best golfers who ever lived.

Tom Watson, America’s greatest links champion, opens up at the closing of his Hall-of-Fame career, by Josh Sens

Retired from competition but as connected to the game as ever, five-time Open champ Tom Watson reflects in the latest GOLF Magazine Interview.

The story behind Bryson DeChambeau’s secret gear change, by Jonathan Wall

From anger to elation, here’s how a gear change helped get the former U.S. Open winner back on track ahead of his historic 58.

10 lessons I learned coaching high school golf, by Jack Hirsh

Coaching a high school golf team will teach you a thing or two. Here are 10 lessons I learned as the skipper of my alma mater’s squad.

In surreal finale, Michelle Wie West saved magic for the end, by Zephyr Melton

Michelle Wie West said goodbye to competitive golf at the U.S. Women’s Open, and her final hole was one to remember.

I needed a break from golf. Here’s why it began to feel so overwhelming, by Nick Dimengo

GOLF instruction editor Nick Dimengo shares why a three-week break from playing golf helped him regroup.

Inside the search to find Oak Hill’s ghost at the PGA Championship, by Nick Piastowski

Oak Hill Country Club, host of this year’s PGA Championship, has a legend. It features a ghost. The ghost of Buffalo Bill, in fact. And we went out and tried to find it.

How Ping’s Marty Jertson turned into a rockstar in the gear space, by Jonathan Wall

Marty Jertson would, in Ted Lasso lingo, be considered a “goldfish”: a resilient guy who turned a little bum luck into a brilliant career.

U.S. Open qualifying humbled me. Here’s why I’ll be back for more, by Dylan Dethier

I signed up for U.S. Open qualifying to test my game. I didn’t realize how much I’d learn about my relationship with golf in the process.

Gabi Ruffels forgot to sign up for Q-School. Now she’s rebounding in a major way, by Jack Hirsh

Last fall, Gabriela Ruffels forgot to sign up for LPGA Q-School. Now she’s playing in the U.S. Women’s Open and on her way to LPGA Tour status.

6 ways your golf gear could be illegal (without you even knowing it!), by Ryan Barath

There is much fine print in regards to equipment rules, but following these 6 guidelines will keep you on the right side of the law.

How golf gave this pro surfer a fresh perspective on her sport, by Jessica Marksbury

Australian pro surfer Molly Picklum took up golf and instantly fell in love. Here’s why she says it’s been a boon for her surf career, too.

Tiger Woods and one of the sweetest gestures you’ll see — as told by the 9-year-old recipient, by Nick Piastowski

Tiger Woods, during the Genesis Invitational’s third round, delivered one of the sweetest gestures you’ll see. Here’s the 9-year-old recipient’s telling of it.

Josh Berhow

Golf.com Editor

Josh Berhow is the managing editor at GOLF.com. The Minnesota native graduated with a journalism degree from Minnesota State University in Mankato. You can reach him at joshua_berhow@golf.com.