And here we are
+ The Masters is in full swing and what a week it's been to this point.
Editor’s Note: The First Call | Extra subscribers are invited to participate in our Masters chat thread that we are conducting today and tomorrow. TFC senior editor Stuart Hall is moderating the chat, so drop in, ask questions, leave your thoughts.
THE STARTER
🏌🏽Rory McIlroy, apparently unencumbered by the weight of expectations — his and others — came alive on the second nine for a 5-under 67 to share the first-round lead at the Masters. Could this be the launching pad for McIlroy’s career second act?
🏌🏽 McIlroy was asked why there wasn’t more Irish food on his menu for the Champions Dinner. He said, “I want to enjoy the dinner, too.” Nothing like Mom used to make, huh?
🏌🏽 The real shining light of this year’s Masters is likely to be the Augusta National course itself. With no rain and firm, fast conditions, the committee will be able to set up the course any way it wants. Could this be the best Masters in years?
🏌🏽 Robert McIntyre gave the finger to the pond fronting the 15th green after he made a quadruple-bogey nine with two balls in the water on Thursday. Tyrrell Hatton made the same gesture to the flagstick at the seventh when his second shot hit the stick and bounced back into a bunker. Wonder how many players were thinking of doing that and didn’t? Or wish they had?
🏌🏽 Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, both pre-tournament favorites, were humbled — humiliated? — in the first round, with Rahm posting 78 and DeChambeau 76. Would it help if they played harder courses on LIV Golf?
🏌🏽 Frankie Fleetwood, 8-year-old son of Tommy, was once again the star of the Par-3 Contest, although he didn’t get the ball on the green at the 120-yard ninth this year, either. He said when he goes to the range, “I get nervous because of (the contest). I just think about this every single day when I go there.” Would someone let him know that, in his shoes, the rest of us would be nervous, too?
🏌🏽 Masters chairman Fred Ridley is on board with the USGA’s intended rollback of the golf ball scheduled to take effect for elite players in 2030. But only 16 players were under par in the first round of the Masters on Thursday. Wasn’t the course enough of a defense?
🏌🏽 In the midst of the Masters frenzy, it almost slipped our minds that J.J. Spaun won the Valero Texas Open for his third Tour victory and the first since last June’s U.S. Open. Was that a validation win?
🏌🏽 Mark Calcavecchia, the 1989 British Open champion, was escorted from the grounds at Augusta National for breaking the Masters rule prohibiting the use of cellphones. They really mean it, don’t they?
:: Mike Purkey
FEATURES
A sobering journeyman’s tale
Former tour pro Steve Wheatcroft bares his darkest moments and sees a light of hope in his memoir, “Cocktails and Range Balls: One’s Too Many, Ten’s Not Enough.”
:: Gary Van Sickle | Read
The ‘Feel Good City’
Augusta, Georgia, has a lot to offer and, in golf, it’s recognized as the home to Augusta National Golf Club, host of the Masters. But what else should we know about this vibrant city?
:: Lee Carr | Read
Augusta aura: The first tee awaits
Few, if any, opening holes in professional golf can match the tradition and history of Augusta National Golf Club’s first tee during the Masters.
:: Ward Clayton | Read
‘Augusta,’ the song, has a storybook beginning
For decades we have heard the tune that opens CBS’ Masters coverage, but how much do we really know about it? Well, here is the backstory.
:: Ward Clayton | Read
‘STACKED
Stories from around Substack.
DUST JACKET
Grounds for Golf: The History, Fundamentals and Joy of Golf Course Design
Author: Geoff Shackelford.
Format: Hardback.
Publish Date: June 15, 2026 | Tatra Press | Purchase
BUSINESS
THE FIRST CALL
Week in Review: The industry’s names, news and notables making headlines. | Read
This week’s editions: Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday
Industry press releases | Industry press release videos | TFC / PR Newswire feed
Golf Industry Job / Internship Board
LIFESTYLE
THE STYLE LINKS
Knowing what underwear Brian Harmon is wearing at the Masters — a new scripting high or low?
:: Janice Ferguson | IG: @janiceferguson_thestylelinks
HOME FRONT
Kiawah Island Club, Cassique | Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Listing: 78 LeMoyne Lane.
Stats: 6,881 square feet | 7 bedrooms | 6 bathrooms, 2 half bathrooms.
Price: $11,995,000.
About: Positioned within one of the most celebrated golf destinations in the United States, this estate offers immediate access to the unrivaled golf experience of Kiawah Island. Residents of Cassique enjoy membership to the prestigious Kiawah Island Club, highlighted by the acclaimed Cassique Golf Course, a Tom Watson design inspired by classic British links. Also, members have access to two of the nation’s top-ranked private courses, as well as the island’s legendary lineup, including The Ocean Course, host of multiple major championships and the Ryder Cup. Set on nearly five acres along the Kiawah River, this riverfront estate is a private Lowcountry retreat immersed in nature. Tucked within a quiet cul-de-sac on Eagle Island, the property offers sweeping marsh, river and distant Atlantic Ocean views, framed by maritime forest and uninterrupted coastal beauty. A private dock extends into the river, creating a front-row seat to the rhythms of the Lowcountry, from dolphin sightings to vibrant sunsets over preserved wetlands. The home, designed by Marc Camens and built by R.M. Buck in 2019, is thoughtfully arranged as a family retreat with multiple structures, including a main residence, carriage house and separate guest quarters. The reverse floor plan maximizes 270-degree views while filling the home with natural light and coastal breezes. Outdoor living is at the heart of the estate, with over 2,500 square feet of porches, a screened entertaining pavilion and a resort-style pool with an infinity edge and spa. A fully equipped summer kitchen overlooks the landscape, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor lifestyle. With additional surrounding acreage preserved through the Kiawah Conservancy, this offering ensures enduring privacy.
Home Front Archives | Read
ARCHITECTURE
DESIGN NOTES
Links at Spanish Bay gets a Gil Hanse makeover
Pebble Beach Company and Hanse Golf Course Design (HGCD) released their plans in mid-February to transform The Links at Spanish Bay, one of four championship courses at Pebble Beach Resorts. After the last round was played on March 17, the comprehensive redesign began in earnest.
Under the guidance of Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner and the HGCD team, who have taken inspiration from the Monterey Peninsula’s other iconic courses, the 38-year-old Spanish Bay will be entirely reworked to take full advantage of its stunning coastal setting. The finished product will be more fun, playable and strategic for all golfers, while also better suited to challenge today’s elite player.
Some of the key changes will include:
— Relocating several green sites, including the current 14th and 18th holes, creating room for an entirely new par 3 that will replace the current 13th hole.
— Expanding putting greens by approximately 40% and completely resurfacing to provide smoother, more receptive targets and variety for hole locations.
— Replacing the rough in the green surrounds with low-cut turf to offer more recovery options.
— Widening fairways by roughly 30%, repositioning fairway bunkers and adjusting contours to make the playing corridors more forgiving and strategic.
— Repositioning and redesigning tee complexes to open sight lines and options, reduce forced carries and elicit excitement at each hole. In total, the forward tees will be about 500 yards shorter (4,705 total) and the championship tees approximately 375 yards longer (7,115 total) with the par changing from 72 to 71.
In addition, the cart path system will be redesigned to better blend into the landscape. A final aspect of the renovation will address the course’s year-round conditioning and sustainability, which will be improved with new drainage and irrigation systems, 12% less irrigated turf, and three additional acres of environmental habitat area.
“Working on a project like this is a golf course architect’s dream,” said Hanse, president and lead designer of HGCD. “The Spanish Bay site is one of the best we’ve seen for golf, one where all your senses are stimulated by the crashing Pacific surf, and we are excited by Pebble Beach Company’s commitment to creating another extraordinary golf experience on the Monterey Peninsula. This opportunity truly brings out the golf fan in me as much as the designer.”
Added David Stivers, CEO of the Pebble Beach Company: “We are highly confident in the HGCD team and their ability to transform Spanish Bay into a ‘must play’ course for any golfer visiting Pebble Beach. We have seen a brilliant vision emerge from the planning stages and look forward to watching it take shape over the coming year.”
The new Spanish Bay will be a crown jewel in Pebble Beach Resorts’ portfolio of world-renowned public courses, alongside Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, the Tiger Woods-designed 9-hole short course, The Hay, and the historic Del Monte Golf Course.
The new course will open to the public on April 17, 2027, just ahead of the 127th U.S. Open being played at Pebble Beach Golf Links for a seventh time. Bookings on the new course are currently available through Pebble Beach Resort Reservations.