Articles by Mark Blackburn with Matthew Rudy

May 16th, 2024

PGA Championship 2024: Weather changes major championship prep in ways you might not expect

LOUISVILLE — Dealing with the nuisance of rain and schedule interruptions from weather delays early in major championship week is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to being prepared for play on Thursday. When a venue like Valhalla gets soaked like it has ahead of this week’s PGA Championship, it changes the Read more…

May 9th, 2024

When a tour player picks a spot on the range, there’s usually a specific reason

At a PGA Tour event, nothing much a player does is left to chance, especially when it comes to a pre-round warm-up. Unless the range is completely packed and there are no options, a player is going to do whatever he can to set a stage that lets him get his preparation done fully and Read more…

May 1st, 2024

What tour players are looking at when using a launch monitor on the range

On the practice range during tournament weeks, it’s more about informed decisions than refinement.

April 25th, 2024

Why practice on tour looks way different on Tuesday than on Friday

You don’t have to be a coach or a player to sense the difference in tone on a PGA Tour range during a practice day early in the week versus a competition day later in the week. There’s work going on both days, but the intensity is different, and so are the goals. One of Read more…