Sam Weinman

The Long Game tracks the Handicap Index progress of three Golf Digest editors of different abilities throughout the 2024 golf season. Catch up on last month’s story.

What a survey of staffers says about how we play

The simplest way to shave strokes doesn’t even require practice

I’ve struggled with my decision on Election Day for some time now. I’ve weighed both sides carefully. I’ve heard from people who will agree with me and from people who will think I’m an idiot. Ultimately, though, the decision is deeply personal. It has to be my own. I am going to play golf. There, Read more...

I've struggled with my decision on Election Day for some time now. I've weighed both sides carefully. I've heard from people who will agree with me and from people who will think I'm an idiot.

What to look for when less than 100 percent

Last year, to make myself feel better about a lack of progress in my handicap, I determined one’s golf season shouldn’t be judged by a set of numbers. Instead, I devised a year-end golf assessment based on a series of questions … that resulted in another set of numbers.

There’s science behind why you make dumb decisions after the turn – but you can do something about it.

Five teachers offer their gift ideas for golfers intent on getting better

There are plenty of ways to gauge the success of a golf story—readership, feedback from readers, pick-up from other outlets. But just like a golf shot, the best measure might be from whoever produced it—sometimes you can feel it the moment it leaves you. This was the exercise we put before our collection of writers and editors: Put modesty aside, and tell us the story you were proudest of in 2024, either because of what it taught the audience or you about the game we all love. The responses ranged from useful to heartbreaking, to small moments well beyond the public view, but they all showcased the many ways we connect with the game.