13 Golf Photos We Loved From 2024 — From Our Staff’s Phones!

As golf has grown increasingly globalso is our staff. This year alone, we sent our team to such far-flung destinations as Paris, Melbourne and South Koreaalong with dozens of other golf locations closer to home. Our writers, video makers, and social media viewers documented their travels in all kinds of ways, including with the cameras on their phones. Here are some of our staff’s favorite photos from the year that was.

Shot this before the TV cameras came. It’s Janet Lin, crying at the Paris Olympics with her face buried in her fiance’s shoulder. She had just found out that she was guaranteed third place and a bronze medal for China. It’s the only event all year where third place feels like this, and I was lucky enough to see the joy unfold just steps away. – Sean Zak

Valhalla Hill looked muddy but slippery…oh who was I kidding, it looked slippery. But at the PGA Championship in May, I was chasing a group of players and had to move on, so I pulled away – and slipped in front of dozens of people, their oh blocking the voice of my field contact. But I was okay. I had braced myself and got back up, although I was left with a nice strip of dirt along the right side of my body, as you can see. Made for some strange looks at press conferences. – Nick Piastowski

That’s my 12-year-old son Declan in the foreground, tending to a bunker at Upper Montclair (NJ) CC, on the occasion of the LPGA’s Founders Cup pro-am, which I was lucky enough to play in. I brought Declan with me to the loop for me. This photo makes me smile because, as if trying to execute proper range technique in this environment isn’t a big enough ask, my kid, right now, also has the watchful eyes of a professional caddy on him. No pressure, baby! The good news was that his shot was much better than mine. Low bar but still… – Alan Bastable

That’s Jason Day (if you can find him) standing in front of a raucous Canadian crowd en route to an international comeback on day two of the Presidents Cup. A healthy combination of Labatts dunks and INTs provided a significant morale boost for fans on Friday. – Emma Devine

The mountainous landscape of southern Montana was the perfect backdrop for a wild and memorable round at Rising Sun Golf Course. The day involved hitting every club in the bag, dodging a storm and lots of stunning views. It’s places like this that show why the Rocky Mountain region is an underrated golf destination. – Adam Christensen

As golf writers, we are fortunate to have what most people consider a “fun job.” And usually, when people tell me I have a “fun job,” I reply that it is IS fun, but often sound way more glamorous than it is (looking at you, five nights in a row of 11pm Chipotle in Augusta).

In 2024, I said no and started practicing the art of polite agreement. I stopped because my job took me on the biggest trip of my life: a trip halfway around the world to Oz – Australia – for two weeks doing some of the biggest courses in the world. I can only describe the experience of playing Victoria’s “Sandbelt” courses as the coolest thing I’ve ever done in my life, and if that’s all me EVER take from my time as a golf writer, well, I’ll die a happy guy. In hindsight, writing golf in 2024 was a pretty fun job. – James Colgan

This year, my mother told me that she was interested in restoring the long-dormant one handicap index. yes! So we played a bunch of rounds throughout the hot Arizona summer together, and I absolutely loved it. One shot that was going to cause problems for my mom, however, was the short field. It’s such a necessary shot to have in your arsenal, especially on the course we frequented and worked hard to become sand wedge friendly to get the high trajectory you need to get over hazards like bunkers and water. I snapped this photo during a recent round of We-Ko-Pa, and I love it because it shows a perfectly executed pitch from a tight lie over a treacherous bunker. The ball landed lightly on the green, just as my mother wanted. I was so proud! Spending time on the course with the people you love is the greatest joy of the game. And having the opportunity to share small triumphs like this is so satisfying. – Jessica Marksbury

There’s no more spectacular PGA Tour venue than Kapalua, and no better feeling than hope. This was the first at Sentry on the eve of the first tournament of the season, when everything could still be. I’m excited for the next one. – Dylan Dethier

We celebrated my mom’s 60th birthday in style with her hole in one on the 9th uphill at Hamptons Mini Golf in Southampton, NY Surrounded by Shinnecock Hills, National Golf Links of America, Sebonack and literally across the road from Southampton Golf Club, I can’t think of another mini-golf venue with as much (real) golf history in close proximity. The course features faithful recreations of many local landmarks, including the Montauk Point Lighthouse, an ode to the history of the Shinnecock Nation, and the classic Old Hook Windmill in the background of this photo. We also enjoyed a burger, ping pong and football on this perfect autumn afternoon. It’s a must-stop if you’re traveling through the area. – Connor Federico

There are many ways to earn a living in the game. Taehyun Kong is a supporter of the South Korea-based G-Tour, the world’s largest on-screen golf league. But he has a side gig as an entertainer on YouTube. I met him last fall, at the headquarters of simulator giant GolfZon, in the heart of Seoul’s Gangnam district. After blasting a few more 300 yard drives on the screen, Kong turned left to show me one of the many swing impressions he posts on his account. Here, he’s doing Bubba Watson. – Josh Sens

This is Godfrey Nsubuga, wearing a Ugandan flag blanket, talking to a local news crew after the first round of the US Amateur this summer. He became the first player to represent Uganda at the event and it was the culmination of a long journey that began by learning the game with golf clubs made from eucalyptus trees. He didn’t make it out of the stroke play session, but stories like this are one of the many reasons the US Amateur is such a great event. – Josh Berhow

Last September, I was lucky enough to play Hay Harbor, a small private club on Fishers Island, and it was without a doubt my favorite round of golf all year. The weather was perfect: sunny, 80 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. And the nine-hole course was also in fantastic condition. The putts just rolled in my favor as I gazed out at the expansive ocean views. I took this photo in an attempt to capture the size of the course, which was designed by George Strath, who designed Royal Troon in Scotland. But I’m not sure my camera did it justice. After the round, I collected my winnings – an ice cold beer at the Pequot Inn. – Maddie MacClurg

My father and I have been making an annual pilgrimage to Dornoch in the Scottish Highlands for the last few years and this spot on the 7th tee, looking back over the links has probably become my favorite place on earth. This year, the club released a custom Dormie Workshop cover depicting the image. Knowing I would never buy it for myself, I jokingly sent a photo of the headpiece to my wonderful girlfriend, who then immediately conspired with my dad to give it to me for my birthday two months later. – Jack Hirsch