⛳️ This Putter Just Shook Up the Market

July 23, 2000 – Tiger completes the Tiger Slam at St Andrews, becoming the youngest to win all four majors. His margin at The Open? Eight shots.

J.J. Spaun’s improbable 64‑foot winning putt on the 18th at Oakmont didn’t just secure him the U.S. Open—it turned the golf world’s attention to one club: the L.A.B. Golf DF3.

This isn’t just another putter.
The DF3 is built around L.A.B.’s signature Lie Angle Balance technology—aligning the shaft through the putter’s true centre of gravity. The result? Keeps the face square without you having to think about it.

No twisting. No compensation. Just smooth, repeatable roll—over and over again.

It comes in two versions:
🔹 Stock – £399 (ships in 2–3 weeks from UK stockists or direct via international shipping)
🔹 Custom – £479 (built to spec, approx. 6–8 week lead time)

The pros are already on board.
Spaun. Mickelson. Adam Scott. DJ. Even Minjee Lee.

In the final seven holes of the U.S. Open, Spaun drained a wild 136 feet of putts.
Coincidence? Not likely.

The best marketing? A putt that drops when the pressure peaks.

Your Turn:
Have you tried the OZ.1i or DF3? Let us know if it’s worth the hype.

Tiger's not just chasing majors—he’s chasing margins.

His Sun Day Red apparel line is expanding beyond digital into the pro shops of top-tier courses across the U.S., marking a bold shift from e‑com to on‑course retail.

Pro shops offer prime placement with built-in foot traffic—the halo effect of exclusivity. For golfers who live in TravisMathew and Lululemon, Tiger’s label offers pedigree and performance with edge.

The ambitions are big: a $200M target by 2026 implies aggressive scaling—roughly 10× the current run-rate.

With Woods holding equity in the brand, expect smarter margins, longer-term plays, and more course-specific drops, collaborations and retail suites ahead.

Here’s a stat that might surprise you:

That’s right—the difference between a tour player and your average mid-handicapper is just 13 percentage points when it comes to finding the short grass.

For all the talk about power, precision, and perfection, fairway accuracy tells a different story. The numbers barely budge as you climb the handicap ladder:

So what gives?

Turns out, hitting fairways isn’t the magic separator we thought it was. The real gains—especially in scoring—come from approach shots, short game, and course management, not just tee accuracy.

If you’re a 15–20 handicapper, you’re hitting fairways nearly as often as a scratch player. The real test is what happens after the tee shot.

It explains why the best players spend hours inside 100 yards. Fairways help—but converting them into greens, birdies, and tap-in pars? That’s where the game is won.

By Drew Hinesley, B9B Resident Caddie

A tournament warmup runs somewhere between 45 and 90 minutes.

To the untrained eye, it’s just a pro hitting balls—wedges, mid-irons, drivers, chips, putts, done.

But for the caddie, this window is gold. It’s your first—and best—chance to assess how your player is showing up that day.
Not just physically, but mentally. Emotionally. Strategically.

Start with Mood

Mood tells you everything. And it can shift fast.

Maybe it’s nerves. Maybe it’s the weather. Maybe it’s a bad breakfast. Doesn’t matter. Your job is to spot it—and adjust. Are they walking tall or dragging? Chatty or silent? Confident or edgy?

That mood tells you how to communicate. Some days your player needs certainty. Some days calm. Some days? Space.

The Putting Green Truth Serum

Most players start and end their warmup on the putting green. That’s your early read on whether they’ve adjusted to the greens. Speed control is the tell.

Do they have a feel for today’s pace—or are they still stuck in yesterday?

A dialled-in putter means we can attack.
A cold one? You start thinking about safe zones and two-putt strategy.

On the Range: Patterns Over Perfection

After a stretch and some rhythm, it’s time to study shot pattern.

Where’s the ball going? How’s the strike?

It’s not about being perfect—no one is.
It’s about knowing what tendencies are creeping in. Is that baby fade turning into a block? Are wedges dialled or dicey?

You’re not rewriting the playbook. You’re tightening it.

Final Check: Eyes on the First Tee

The walk to the first tee is your last big read. I always look my player in the eyes.
You can see nerves. You can see focus. You can feel energy—good or bad.

That glance tells me how to deliver the first bit of info.
What I say might be the same. How I say it? Everything.

The Circus Comes to Town

On good days, this whole process works like clockwork.
You warm up well. You strategise smart. It shows up on the card.

On bad days? Every shot feels like a new act under the big top.

That’s golf. That’s the job. If the circus stresses you out, you're in the wrong tent.

Because as a caddie, your real work starts long before the first swing.

Drew sits down with Joakim Hilton, the most recent winning caddie on the LPGA Tour on ‘My Side Of The Bag’ podcast.

Forget 18 holes. The future of golf might be 12—and sharper than ever.

Chechessee Creek Club is teeing up something bold: a new 12‑hole par‑3 course, launching summer 2025.

With a “mixed routing” of five beginner-friendly holes and seven strategic challenges, it’s designed for all levels. Fast fun for casual players. Target practice for the pros.

Why This Matters in Modern Golf Business

3 Business Lessons from 12 Holes

The Next Wave
Chechessee’s bold redesign signals a shift in what golf can be: sharper, faster, and tailored for the modern player.

Now, Scotland has joined the movement with the debut of Eastwood Twelve—a purpose-built 12-hole course just outside Glasgow. The question is: how far will this format go?

Every April, Augusta becomes the epicentre of golf—and elite logistics.

With Masters week generating a $245M economic boost, Delta is tripling capacity into Augusta Regional: 18 daily flights, including new nonstops from Los Angeles, Nashville, and Newark. On peak days, that’s 3,800 seats—up from 1,200 in 2024.

Why?
Because this isn’t just a tournament—it’s a luxury supply chain in motion.

Private jets stack wing-to-wing, villas go for $25K+, and Augusta’s airspace nears gridlock. Delta’s move streamlines the journey—eliminating friction for passengers who would otherwise endure a 2.5-hour drive from Atlanta.

For Delta, it’s more than convenience. Premium cabins are outperforming coach, and these new routes represent a high-yield strategy to own golf’s most bankable week.

Whose keen for a Back Nine Brief Master’s trip?

A staple of Midwestern golf, the John Deere Classic blends low scores, rising stars and hometown charm at TPC Deere Run.

📆 Date: July 3–6, 2025
📍 Location: TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois, USA
⛳ Par / Yardage: Par 71 / 7,289 yards
🏆 Defending Champion: Davis Thompson (2024, 256 – 28 under)
💰 Prize Pot: Approx. US $8.4 million
💸 Winner’s Share: $1.512 million

🎯 Winning Odds (via Bet365):

By Joe Meares, Surrey-based Fitness & Golf Strength Coach with 15+ years’ experience (Equinox Tier X, Titleist Performance Institute certified).

TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) is the world leader in golf fitness.
Their approach? Screen first, train smart.

Every golfer starts with a physical screen to spot weaknesses (like tight hips or poor core control), then gets a custom plan to build rotational strength, mobility, and power where it matters: hips, spine, shoulders.

The result? You swing faster, hit further, and avoid injury — all with a body built for golf.

As a corporate pro, you know time is your scarcest resource. These 3 drills are here to build mobility, stability, and rotational leg power — the foundation for a more powerful, injury‑resistant golf swing — and all before your morning coffee.

For your free consultation with Joe, head to his website.

📖 Read: “Links From The Road” - a captivating collection of short stories and stunning golf photography from 100+ courses across the U.S., offering a rare, soul-stirring glimpse into the game’s most scenic and storied landscapes.

🎥 Watch: “Final Round At The Rocket Classic” - Aldrich Potgieter sinks a 17-foot putt for birdie on No. 15, the fifth hole of a sudden-death playoff to claim his first win on the PGA TOUR.

🎧 Listen: “The Open Qualifying Recap” - The Cookie Jar Golf crew get together to recap the action from Open Final Qualifying. Sam, Tom, Luke & Peter relive a wild day across final qualifying venues.

📊 Trending Stat: Q1 Momentum: Rounds played in Q1 2025 are up 18% vs 2024—on par with post-COVID highs.

Most of golf is played between the ears - the rest just confirms it.

🏆 1 Referral → Unlock Back Nine Brief’s Corporate Golf Guide
🏆 5 Referrals → Prize draw to win our Partner’s merchandise
🏆 10 Referrals → Invite-only Back Nine Brief event

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