Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you play smarter, better golf.
Everyone wants to get better at golf. Even the best players in the world are always looking for any edge they can find to shoot lower scores.
The problem with most recreational golfers is that they don’t fully understand why they shoot higher scores than better players. Sure, they recognize the macro-level differences — longer drives, closer approaches, fewer putts — but they don’t always understand how better golfers consistently put themselves in position for success.
As you might expect, low-handicap golfers are more accurate off the tee than their high-handicap counterparts. But the gap between the two is smaller than you might think.
According to Arccos’ data, low single-digit handicaps (0–5) hit 50 percent of fairways across all age groups, while high-handicap players (30+) hit 40 percent. So, over the course of an average round, a low-handicap player will hit only one or two more fairways than a high-handicap playing partner.
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That’s likely a much smaller discrepancy than you expected (it certainly surprised me). But if you dig a little deeper into the data, you’ll see the biggest difference between these groups comes from the severity of their misses.
Wayward drive percentage
Arccos Golf
The table above charts the percentage of wayward drives across handicap groups, and it highlights one of the clearest differences between good and bad golfers.
According to Arccos, a “wayward drive” is any tee shot that results in either a penalty stroke or a recovery situation, such as a punch-out or layup. And as the chart shows, better golfers hit far fewer wayward drives than higher-handicap players.
A low-handicap golfer hits only about 12 percent of tee shots into this wayward category, while high-handicap golfers hit 45 percent of their drives wayward. Over a typical round, that means a low-handicap player hits only one or two drives into serious trouble. A high-handicap player, on the other hand, hits six or seven wayward drives — nearly half of all tee shots.
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So what does this mean for you? If you want to shoot scores like a low-handicap golfer, you need to drive the ball like one — and that means keeping the ball in play. You don’t need to hit every fairway, but you do need to avoid the big miss. Do that consistently, and lower scores will follow.
Egyptian giants Ismaily SC have been officially relegated to the Egyptian second division for the first time in their 68-year history.
The historic club from the city of Ismailia suffered a 2-1 defeat to Wadi Degla on Wednesday night, confirming their relegation after a disappointing campaign.
The result marks one of the darkest moments in the history of Egyptian football, with Ismaily, one of the country’s most respected clubs, unable to avoid the drop despite their rich pedigree.
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Founded in 1924, Ismaily are widely regarded as one of the traditional powerhouses of Egyptian football and remain the first North African club to win the prestigious CAF Champions League, achieving the feat in 1969.
Their relegation has sparked emotional reactions among supporters and football followers across Africa, bringing an end to the club’s long stay in the Egyptian top flight.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are taking on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match number 57 of IPL 2026 at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. RCB are well-placed at second position in the points table, with seven wins from 11 matches. Despite a late surge, KKR are down in eighth place, with four wins from 10 games.
RCB beat Mumbai Indians (MI) by two wickets in a nail-biter in Raipur in their previous match. Fielding first, RCB restricted MI to 166-7 as Bhuvneshwar Kumar stood out with figures of 4-23. In the chase, RCB slipped to 39-3 before Krunal Pandya (73 off 46 balls) led a solid fightback.
KKR won their fourth consecutive game by hammering Delhi Capitals (DC) by eight wickets in their previous clash at Arun Jaitley Stadium. Bowling first, KKR restricted DC to 142-8 as most of the bowlers chipped in. In the chase, Finn Allen slammed 100* off 47 balls as lift KKR to an easy win.
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Today’s RCB vs KKR toss result
RCB have won the toss and have opted to bowl first. RCB have made one change – Venkatesh Iyer comes in for Romario Shepherd. For KKR, Varun Chakaravarthy misses out due to a niggle, so Saurabh Dubey comes in.
RCB vs KKR – Today’s match playing XIs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Tim David, Venkatesh Iyer, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam Dar, Jacob Duffy, Josh Hazlewood
“The conditions are hot and humid with a chance of thunderstorms. The pitch being used is a fresh surface. It appears quite similar to the wicket used in the previous match. The surface has noticeable cracks, which are expected to produce variable and inconsistent bounce. Fast bowlers are likely to enjoy these conditions. Batters will need to play cautiously early on.” – Nick Knight and Aaron Finch
Today’s RCB vs KKR match players list
Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Phil Salt (wk), Swapnil Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam, Satvik Deswal, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy, Venkatesh Iyer, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan
“Not in a million years” did Daniel Levy believe Tottenham would be fighting for Premier League survival this season after he stepped down as executive chairman in September.
Levy said “relegation was not something we ever considered” during his 25 years in the role, but a wretched run of form in 2026 saw them slip into the drop zone.
After taking eight points from the last 12, Spurs are now two points above third-bottom West Ham with two games remaining.
Levy was appointed a CBE in the New Year Honours list for his services to charity and the community.
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Speaking following Wednesday’s investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle he said he felt “emptiness” at the team’s league position, but insisted he remained “optimistic that we will remain in the Premier League”.
Asked if he saw any signs the club would end up in a relegation scrap, he added “never, no, not in a million years”.
Levy oversaw the construction of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and although the team reached the 2019 Champions League final, the only trophies Spurs won during Levy’s spell as executive chairman were the 2008 League Cup and last season’s Europa League.
“What I would have hoped for is winning the Premier League, winning the Champions League… easier said than done,” he added.
NLEX Road Warriors’ Robert Bolick during a game vs TNT Tropang 5G in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—NLEX forward JB Bahio believes things could have turned out differently had Robert Bolick been on the floor in the closing minutes of their 96-93 loss to TNT in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals.
Following the crucial defeat on Wednesday, Bahio said NLEX missed Bolick’s presence late in the game after the star guard fouled out.
“I’m sure things would be different. Berto’s different. He’s brought us so many times to the finish line with his decision-making,” he told the Inquirer at Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Wednesday.
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“We needed to show the next man up, we had to show up but we couldn’t get the win.”
NLEX trailed TNT, 88-84, midway through the fourth quarter when Bolick was called for his sixth foul after fouling Jayson Castro in transition with 4:33 left.
Before fouling out, Bolick had 15 points, four assists and three rebounds.
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Without their top playmaker in crunch time, the Road Warriors failed to protect their twice-to-beat advantage as TNT forced a do-or-die game.
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“Breaks of the game. The luck just didn’t get to us in the end,” Bahio said.
Bolick, Bahio and the Road Warriors try to close out the series on Saturday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
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Last year was my worst year of baseball plays for OutKick. It wasn’t terrible by any stretch, but I never really found a footing, and I never went on a hot streak. I feel like I’m in the middle of a hot stretch or maybe at the start of one as I’ve hit five non-player prop plays in a row, and seven of my last eight plays. Baseball is typically my most profitable sport, so I hope we get our bankroll loaded this year.
The Kansas City Royals have been a bit of a disappointment this season. They are just 19-23 for the year and have lost twice as many road games as they’ve won, a 6-13 mark.
Overall, the team seems to be struggling to score. They are 22nd in the league in runs scored, averaging 4.1 runs per game. It isn’t terrible by any stretch. Their batting average isn’t terrible; they are ranked 15th in the league, which is right in the middle.
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Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on April 20, 2026.(Denny Medley/Imagn Images)
Their pitching hasn’t been great, but one guy who has been fairly reliable is Seth Lugo. If you’ve read my posts in the past, you know I’ve made a ton of money on Lugo starts. He is 1-2 for the season with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. He has made eight starts this season, and two of them were poor. One was against the Los Angeles Angels, where he allowed seven earned runs over 6.1 innings. In his last outing, he allowed four runs on seven hits over four innings.
This will be the second time he has faced the Chicago White Sox this season. In the first outing, he went 6.1 innings and allowed two runs, one earned. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a game against the White Sox in 41.1 innings of his career.
The Chicago White Sox are an early-season surprise. I live in Chicago, and I don’t think most of the fans or residents here thought they would be this good. Good, I suppose, is a relative term in this situation. They are under .500 entering today’s game at 20-21, but they do have a winning record at home at 10-9. Their offseason signing, Munetaka Murakami, has been a very good power hitter with 15 homers already this year. The team is only hitting .231 for the year, though, so there should be reason to be pessimistic about the team’s future.
Bobby Witt Jr. slides past Cal Raleigh’s tag at home plate to score during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Wash., on July 3, 2025. The Kansas City Royals won 3-2 over the Seattle Mariners.(Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Wednesday’s starter for the White Sox is Noah Schultz. His numbers aren’t great at 2-2 with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. However, not all of his starts have been bad. He has only made two home starts, going 10.1 innings and allowing five earned runs. I do have some concerns about his mechanics as he has already walked 16 guys in 25 innings. He is also a fly-ball pitcher, which is not ideal in Chicago, where wind can be a major factor. He has never faced the Royals.
I bet on the Royals last time Lugo took the mound against them. They lost the game 2-0. I’m running it back here as I’m not impressed with Schultz. Plus, this would give the White Sox a sweep and as bad as the Royals have been, I can’t see them allowing themselves to get swept. Give me the Royals at a very reasonable price of -120.
Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami celebrates his two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 22, 2026.(Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo)
Additionally, I’m taking the Lugo prop that keeps on giving – under 2.5 earned runs allowed. It is -118, and he has been so good against the White Sox in the past. I’ll back Lugo once again and hope we can get a 2-0 win for the Royals tonight.
They could be the kingmakers in this title race, if the Eagles take points off either City tonight or Arsenal on the final day they could determine the destination of the title.
Palace have a Conference League final just days after that final day visit of the Gunners, prompting a fear that maybe Oliver Glasner will rotate, while it remains to be seen how strong a side the Eagles boss opts for tonight given the busy schedule they have had this term with a deep and historic run in Europe.
One thing is for sure, Glasner is not in the least bit bothered about City or Arsenal.
“I don’t think [about the title race]. If we get a point, we can’t equal our points records, so that’s what we are looking at.,” he said in the build up.
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(Image: Oliver Glasner reacts during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield on April 25, 2026)
The New York Mets’ offseason priority for this year was run prevention, and with a little help from an umpire, that’s exactly what they got.
Just about everything has gone badly for the Mets this season, as they boast one of the league’s worst records at 16-25 despite their league-high $334.8 million payroll.
Detroit Tigers third baseman Colt Keith is tagged out by New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez while trying to score during the fifth inning at Citi Field in New York City on May 12, 2026.(John Jones/Imagn Images)
The Mets led the Detroit Tigers, 3-2, in the top of the fifth inning when Detroit’s Riley Greene singled into right field, and Colt Keith headed to third.
Keith was safe, beating the throw that got away from third base, so Keith took a gamble and started sprinting toward home.
Detroit Tigers third baseman Colt Keith hits a single against the New York Mets during the fifth inning at Citi Field in New York City on May 12, 2026.(John Jones/Imagn Images)
However, when Keith started heading toward the plate, he crossed paths with third-base umpire Rob Drake. The two collided, and Drake fell right to the infield grass.
That held Keith up for just a couple of seconds, and it was enough for Keith to be thrown out by pitcher Freddy Peralta at home, ending the inning and killing a rally the Tigers could have needed.
The game wound up getting away from the Tigers later, as the Mets scored three runs in both the sixth and eighth innings, and the Mets’ bullpen was able to hold Detroit scoreless for the rest of the game for a 10-2 New York win.
Colt Keith of the Detroit Tigers reacts during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 29, 2026.(Kathryn Skeean/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The Mets are the owners of the league’s longest losing streak of the season at 12 games, but they have now won six of their last 10 as they desperately try to turn things around.
The 2026 NFL schedule is set to be released this Thursday night. Several games have been leaked, such as the full international schedule, which includes an NFL-record nine games. We also know the first few primetime matchups, such as the Cowboys at Giants on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 1, and Broncos at Chiefs on “Monday Night Football.”
While we don’t know the full NFL schedule just yet, we do know the opponents each team will play — home and away. Now that we also have the full international schedule, we know which teams will have the toughest travel schedules this upcoming season.
Bill Speros of Bookies.com has calculated all of the miles each NFL team will travel in 2026, measuring from stadium to stadium. He discovered that teams will travel a total of 628,873 miles this year, which equals 25.2 trips around the circumference of the Earth. Let’s take a look at Speros’ research:
The 49ers are expected to break an NFL record with over 38,100 miles traveled. A big reason why is because they are participating in the first NFL Australia game, but also make a trip to Mexico City in Week 11. The 49ers will become the first NFL team to play multiple international games in non-consecutive weeks. Speros says the 49ers will cross 58 time zones, breaking the record of 42 set by the Chargers last year.
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There is a caveat, however. If the 49ers bundle their two trips east (Giants and Falcons), they would not break the miles traveled record, per CBS Sports Research. However, we don’t know if those games will be close together on the schedule. Maybe the NFL gives San Francisco a break and puts those road matchups on back-to-back weeks so the 49ers can stay on that side of the country.
Panthers winners of the travel lottery
While the 49ers will travel the most miles in 2026, the Panthers will travel the fewest with 8,740. San Francisco travels 4.4x more miles than Carolina this year! The Panthers will make just six time zone changes, and don’t travel west of Minneapolis.
It’s a pretty nice benefit for the Panthers, who surprised many by clinching the NFC South last year for the first time since their last Super Bowl appearance with an 8-9 record. The Panthers kept up their momentum in the offseason, luring former Eagles pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd to Charlotte with lucrative contracts in free agency. This is a team that wants to continue to improve, and the league has handed the franchise a big bonus with a lax travel schedule.
The Minnesota Vikings began interviews for their open general manager post on Monday, followed by a request to interview three more men on Tuesday.
Minnesota’s search now features nine names, including several assistant GMs from playoff-caliber front offices.
For now, Rob Brzezinski holds the interim title, but that could change before too long.
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Minnesota’s Front Office Search Gets Crowded
The Vikings’ search has become more expansive.
Detroit Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew walks off the field beside offensive lineman Graham Glasgow after practice during training camp on July 22, 2025, at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, Michigan. Agnew remains one of the league’s notable front-office evaluators as Detroit continues building around one of the NFL’s deepest rosters entering the 2025 season. Mandatory Credit: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
Agnew, Burckardt, Smith Enter GM Mix for Vikings
The search is growing. NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero tweeted, “The Vikings requested interviews with Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew, Broncos assistant GM Reed Burckhardt and Dolphins assistant GM Kyle Smith for their general manager job, sources say. Minnesota’s initial round of virtual interviews is underway and the list has now expanded.”
A to Z Sports‘ Tyler Forness added, “It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that Burckhardt is on the list. The Vikings would have seriously considered Broncos general manager George Paton for the position after being in Minnesota for 14 years, but he signed an extension. His No. 2 is an obvious choice to interview, not to mention spending 13 years with the Vikings himself.”
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Who’s Agnew?
Agnew was actually 1st-Round draft pick as a player in 1990 — a defensive tackle taken by the New England Patriots before they morphed into a dynasty.
Here’s Agnew’s recent employment history:
— Los Angeles Rams (2017–2020) Director of Pro Personnel
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— Detroit Lions (2021–present) Assistant General Manager
He’s had a front-row seat to the Lions’ turnaround, going from a bottom-dweller and laughingstock to one of the league’s premier rosters and teams in the last half-decade.
How about Burckhardt?
As mentioned by Forness, Burckhardt is no stranger to the Vikings, serving in various capacities from 2009 to 2022, including these positions:
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Operations Intern
Personnel Department Assistant
BLESTO Scout
Area Scout
Pro Scout
Assistant Director of Pro Scouting
Director of Pro Scouting
He followed George Paton to Denver, taking part in the recent transformation when Sean Payton took over three years ago. Given his background, the man should know how to draft, which the Vikings need.
Minnesota Vikings owner Mark Wilf stands during the NFL Annual League Meeting on March 30, 2026, at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona. Wilf participated in offseason discussions involving league business, scheduling, and organizational planning as the Vikings prepared for another pivotal offseason featuring roster decisions and front-office changes around the franchise entering the summer. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
SI.com‘s Zack Kelberman on Burckhardt, “Burckhardt, a Minnesota native who spent 13 seasons working in the Vikings’ personnel department, is one of multiple candidates for the job. The Vikings also requested interviews with Detroit Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew and Miami Dolphins assistant GM Kyle Smith. Burckhardt’s candidacy is closely linked to George Paton, who served as the Vikings’ assistant GM from 2007 to 2020 before taking over as Broncos GM in 2021.”
“Paton brought Burckhardt to Denver the following year as director of player personnel, and the latter steadily rose through the ranks. Promoted to assistant general manager in 2025, he now oversees both pro personnel and college scouting.”
And Smith …
The Vikings onboarded Smith as an undrafted free-agent wide receiver in 2006, sticking around for a few months before continuing his brief NFL journey. He’s the current assistant general manager in Miami, a job he just obtained this offseason.
Here’s his resume as an executive:
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— Washington Commanders (2010–2020) Scouting Intern (2010) Scout (2011–2016) Director of College Personnel (2017–2019) Vice President of Player Personnel (2020)
— Atlanta Falcons (2021–2025) Vice President of Player Personnel (2021–2022) Assistant General Manager (2023–2025)
Miami Dolphins (2026–present) — Assistant General Manager
Smith crossed paths with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell in Washington before O’Connell took the offensive coordinator job with the Los Angeles Rams, which later propelled him to the Vikings.
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Fans wearing Minnesota Vikings jerseys gather outside White Hart Lane station before kickoff on Oct. 5, 2025, ahead of an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. Supporters wearing T.J. Hockenson and Justin Jefferson jerseys packed the surrounding streets as Minnesota continued expanding its international footprint with another overseas appearance. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
A to Z Sports‘ Kyle Crabbs on Smith: “If Minnesota ends up sniping Kyle Smith just months into his tenure with the Miami Dolphins, the only thing to do will be to laugh. It’d be a cruel twist for Sullivan to lose his right hand man, especially after the glimpses we got of Smith in the Dolphins’ draft room appeared to show a strong rapport with Sullivan.”
“Smith also impressed during draft weekend for how he handled the press availabilities after Miami’s selections. He’s impressive. And a general manager job feels probable in his future. It shouldn’t be too much to ask from the football gods to request that it doesn’t happen in 2026, though.”
The Full List of Combatants
To level set, here’s the full list of known Vikings general manager candidates:
Chad Alexander (Chargers Assistant GM)
Rob Brzezinski (Vikings Interim GM)
Ray Agnew (Lions Assistant GM)
Reed Burckhardt (Broncos Assistant GM)
RJ Gillen (49ers Assistant GM)
Terrance Gray (Bills Assistant GM)
John McKay (Rams Assistant GM)
Kyle Smith (Dolphins Assistant GM)
Nolan Teasley (Seahawks Assistant GM)
Dave Ziegler (Titans Assistant GM)
At the current pace, Minnesota should have a decision announced within a week.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Despite those accolades, Atlas believes neither Mayweather or Crawford are deserving of the number one spot when it comes to welterweight’s greatest ever competitor, instead revealing on his YouTube channel that he gives that honour to Sugar Ray Robinson.
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“[He] may be the greatest fighter of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson. 173 wins, 19 losses, most of ‘em when he was old, six draws, 108 knockouts. That is a lot of knockouts. That is a lot of fights.
“He had a 91-fight unbeaten streak – that is pretty good. Those losses, like I said, most of ‘em came when he was old, way beyond his prime. Welter and middleweight champ, he would have won the light-heavyweight title too.
“He was fighting [Joey Maxim] at Yankee Stadium, it was about 105 degrees in the ring on a summer night outdoors in June. The referee got carried out earlier from heat prostration, he got carried out of the ring – it was that hot, it was that brutal.
“I forget what round it was, it was a very late round [13] and Robinson collapsed. He was ahead in the fight, he was going to win the light-heavyweight title and he collapsed from heat prostration, just like the referee had done four or five rounds earlier.”
It is certainly hard to argue with the assessment of Atlas, with Robinson holding the world welterweight title for five years from 1946 to 1951, where he went on a remarkable 91-fight unbeaten streak.
;)
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