Browsing: clubs

The end of October means that holiday shopping season is nearly upon us, and what better gift for yourself or your loved ones than some new sticks?

Which models are currently trending? Irons are all the rage at the moment, taking up four of the five top-selling spots in October. The lone outlier: Ping’s G440 Max fairway wood, a model beloved for its forgiveness, speed and distance.

5 piece of golf equipment I used this year that I’d buy again

By:

Jake Morrow

Take a browse through the some of the most popular irons in the game below. And as you look, keep this in mind: When you buy your clubs from Fairway Jockey, you know you’re getting a fully-customized experience. Choose your head type, shaft, length, loft, lie and more at checkout. Everything you buy will be custom-built to your personal specifications.

Ready to inject some new life into your game with some updated sticks? Check out Fairway Jockey’s best-selling clubs from October below, and click the links to add to cart now.

Titleist T250 Irons

This isn’t the first month these irons have lead the charge. Ever since their release, they’ve been a popular buy. What can you expect from them? The T250 features a lighter headweight and added loft than previous T-Series irons. A forged L-Face design promotes effortless launch, increased carry distance for low-flight players and more stopping power into the greens.

Titleist 2025 T250 Custom Irons

Distance never looked this pure. T250 Irons give golfers the ultimate combination of raw speed, stability, and consistency with an ultra-clean design that players love. It’s a merger of form and function, crafted for powerful performance while satisfying the eye of the most discerning golfers.   
Singular Design 
High-strength steel construction allows powerful performance technologies to be discreetly housed within a sleek, modern design. 
Elevated Speed 
A new forged L-Face Design heightens ball speed and launch for astounding distance across the face. 
Enhanced Consistency
Improved Max Impact Technology and a progressive groove design promote consistent carry, spin, and dispersion from any lie. 
High Flight & Stability 
Split high-density tungsten produces optimal CG with high stability for more forgiving shotmaking. 
Launch Spec Configuration
A brand-new addition to the T-Series lineup, T250 Launch Spec provides the same technology and features the same construction as T250 but with a lighter headweight and added loft, promoting effortless launch, increased carry distance for low-flight players and more stopping power into the greens.

$215 from Fairway Jockey

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Srixon ZXi5 irons

Like the Titleist T250s, Srixon’s ZXi5s have been best-sellers throughout the summer. A wider sole and moderate blade length and offset provides distance, forgiveness and workability — with an ultra-clean look at address. Laser milling between each groove enhances bite, and enables the club to glide easily through fairway, rough and sand without losing speed.

Srixon ZXi5 Custom Irons

$185.71 from Fairway Jockey

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Ping G440 Max Fairway Woods

This easy-to-launch model is available in 3-wood to 9-wood. A taller face encourages confidence off the tee while a low CG provides high launch from flat lies.

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Cristian Romero will be back for Tottenham when they face Chelsea tomorrow evening. Thomas Frank: “The positive news is that Romero, Destiny (Udogie) and Wilson (Odobert) are available for selection for Saturday. I am very aware of trying to be able to take the best possible decisions. Of course in the end I will get a lot of information from medical staff, performance staff, but in the end it is always on me.

“If a player breaks down, it is on me. It is not on the medical staff, not on the performance staff, always me. I take decisions, I get all the information and then I have to take a difficult choice or a braver choice, or an easy choice, so that is it. If Romero was fit enough, he would have been involved on Wednesday (against Newcastle), but he is ready to be involved and letâ€s see how he is.â€

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Pep has also been talking about his assistants. “I think not me, Man City, Pep Lijnders and Kolo [Toure] and James [French] on set-pieces, it is a joy to work with them. It is a joy to work with them and I am so happy. I was in the past but we are talking this season.

“I am learning a lot. The most important thing for me is people that can add something to my knowledge as a manager and I have it. We talk a lot and that is so nice because it is why you are a manager. Football is not just the pleasure of playing, it is to talk as well and how we can help the team. I feel embrace for all of them and that is all I can ask.â€

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Guardiola: no dominant team in the Premier League

Jamie Jackson

Pep Guardiola has compared the Premier Leagueâ€s competitiveness to the NBA (Americaâ€s National Basketball Association) due to there being “no dominant team in the last four or six yearsâ€. While Manchester Cityâ€s manager added that “everyone can beat anyoneâ€, there has been a dominant side: his, as apart from last term when Liverpool were champions, City claimed the title for in a record four consecutive years – 2020-21 to ‘23-24. Guardiolaâ€s point may be that in those seasons Liverpool and Arsenal were always serious challengers to City.

He said: “The Premier League has always been like this, all the teams can beat each other, it is good. At some point like the NBA, there is not a dominant team in the last four or five or six years. There is always one different team and everyone can beat everyone. I think for the spectator and for the show of the Premier League it is really, really good.

“I remember when I was in [Bayern] Munich or Barcelona, I always heard the rumours that in England, everyone could beat everyone. I always had that sense. Maybe Liverpool and ourselves in the past changed that dynamic because we were so consistent in terms of points and arriving every season with 90, 90, 90 points, close to 100 points.â€

While the NBA has been claimed by six different franchises since 2020 – the LA Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma Thunder – Guardiola believes City are close to being near their very best again.

“Still, we are not at our best, but we are close. I think I had the feeling, I said a month ago that these words would be completely devastating if you donâ€t get results. I know that, but I had the feeling when I see the team, when I see in the dressing room, in the trainings, and how we apply, how we want to try to do things, I had the feeling,†said the manager. “[And] that when I think Rodri can come [to] his best, that he will not be soon at his best, but he can help us, and alongside all the alternatives I can have, we will be a team that will be difficult for the opponents to beat us, and this is what I want. Will we be still close to the fight [for the title then]? I donâ€t know.â€

City are in fifth place, six points behind Arsenal, and host second-place Bournemouth in Sundayâ€s late game. Guardiola said that Rodri may be available to play some part following a hamstring problem. “I think he will be ready to help us. I dunno from the beginning but hopefully with us,†said the manager.

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Updated at 11.12 EDT

Handover: John Brewin is here to see you down the home straight. Be gentle with him.

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Leeds United: Ao Tanaka has been told not to be too self-critical by his manager Daniel Farke after the Japan midfielder claimed he was currently “not good enough†for the Premier League. Tanaka gave a harsh appraisal of his own performance in last weekâ€s home win against West Ham in a radio interview, having returned to the starting line-up following a spell out through injury.

The 27-year-old sustained an MCL injury in the 5-0 defeat at Arsenal in August and then had to be patient due to the form of Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach in his absence.
“I like it if someone is humble and self-critical and puts the crossbar for his demands really high,†said Farke. “I quite like that because normally in this business itâ€s the other way round. But he doesnâ€t have to say this, not at all. Thereâ€s no reason to be so self-critical because Ao was fantastic for us in the Championship and itâ€s his first time in a top division and he has a point to prove there.â€

Farke said Tanaka was in his starting line-up for the opening-day win against Everton after “a fantastic pre-season†and cannot be blamed for his injury. PA Media

Leeds United midfielder Ao Tanaka delivered a withering assessment of his own performance in a post-match interview following his sideâ€s win over West Ham last Friday. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PAShare

Updated at 11.12 EDT

Burnley v Arsenal:Scott Parker believes Burnley can take confidence from their previous clashes with the Premier Leagueâ€s elite sides ahead of tomorrowâ€s meeting with table-topping Arsenal. Burnley have already faced Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City since their return to the top flight this summer and have lost all four games. They did, however, run both Liverpool and Manchester United very close.

“Every single game weâ€ve been involved in this [season], there have been parts of games where I look at us and I think, ‘Weâ€re hugely competitive here, weâ€re right in this gameâ€,†said Parker. “Itâ€s a squad constantly learning, I do see a progression. At the weekend [a 3-2 win at Wolves] I thought it was the best weâ€ve played with the ball. Itâ€s those experiences that weâ€ve been through that are improving us and hopefully we keep nudging on.â€

Burnley have beaten Sunderland, Leeds and Wolves this season and Parker has called on home fans to play their part at Turf Moor this weekend. “While weâ€re up against a very good team, we need to have a real understanding of what this team donâ€t want to face,†he said.

“Weâ€re going to need to bring absolutely humongous energy into this stadium, our players are going to need to bring unbelievable spirit, and, with that, weâ€ll try and make it as uncomfortable [as we can] and try and get a result.â€

Scott Parker has called on Burnley fans to bring “humongous energy†to Turf Moor tomorrow as his side prepares to host league leaders Arsenal. Photograph: Cody Froggatt/PAShare

Fulham v Wolves: Although you wouldnâ€t know it going by their results, Vitor Pereira is convinced he has the solution to his sideâ€s woes and knows exactly what they need to do to drag themselves away from the foot of the table.

“I know a way to change the current situation and the answer is to work hard every day,†he says. “Iâ€m trying to convince my team that we have quality and convince them to keep their energy up. We have to go into the next game against Fulham with ambition. We have to increase our tactical organisation. We need to keep fighting because I think we deserve a result from the way that we work.â€

To be fair, Iâ€m inclined to agree with Vitor. While Wolves are no great shakes, I donâ€t think theyâ€re among the three worst sides in the top flight, despite their lowly status. I also think theyâ€re due a win and will see off Fulham tomorrow afternoon but other opinions are available.

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Fulham v Wolves: Bottom of the table and still looking for their first win of the season, Wolves got knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Chelsea in midweek, despite a spirited comeback after going 3-0 down. Last weekend, Wolves lost another nail-biter against Burnley, losing 3-2 in added time after overturning a two-goal deficit. Following that particular game, both Jorgen Strand Larsen and the teamâ€s head coach Vitor Pereira had to be ushered away from unhappy fans after Getting Into It with them in an impromptu post-match debrief.

“Jorgen went over to thank the supporters,†said Pereira this afternoon, when asked about the incident. “I felt my players gave everything to win the game, but right at the end they committed a mistake to lose the game.

“I went over to explain that we are fighting and fighting, but we must fight together. I understand the frustration [from the fans] because Iâ€m also frustrated. The Carabao Cup result wasnâ€t the result we wanted either, but I felt a connection between the supporters and the team again, which is important to me.â€

Some Molineux match stewards form a barricade between Vitor Pereira, Jorgen Strand Larsen and a section angry fans following Wolves†late defeat at the hands of Burnley last weekend. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty ImagesShare

West Ham v Newcastle United: Yet to win under Nuno Espirito Santo, their second manager of the season, West Ham host Newcastle on Sunday afternoon and their Portuguese head coach, who already has about him the air of a man who knows heâ€s made a terrible error of judgement in taking over from Graham Potter, has been issuing some team news.

Central defender Konstantinos Mavropanos will be out for “another couple of weeks†with a thigh injury, while Oliver Scarles will be sidelined until December after undergoing surgery on a shoulder injury. German striker Niclas Fullkrug also remains absent with a thigh injury.

Nuno Espírito Santo has overseen one draw and three defeats since taking over as head coach of West Ham. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty ImagesShare

Sunderland v Everton: Having come up through the playoffs, Sunderland are riding high in fourth place and host Everton on Monday night at the Stadium of Light in a match many people will be expecting them to win. In Enzo Le Fez, Noah Sadiki, Nordi Mukiele, Habib Diarra and Chemsine Talbi, to name but a few of their 14 summer signings, the eartly signs suggest that Sunderland did some excellent business in the transfer window over the summer but arguably the pick of the bunch of new recruits, given the experience he brings to this young squad, has been Granit Xhaka. The Swiss veteranâ€s arrival at the Stadium of Light from Bayer Leverkusen raised more than a few eyebrows and Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has been talking up the club captain.

“To be competitive at that level, you need to own the performance on the pitch,†he said. “Granit helps a lot because he can manage different elements on the pitch. Heâ€s not alone but he gives hope and faith that we can win. He shows it, tells it in the dressing room. The target as a coach is this, you donâ€t want to be the main man, this is not my purpose. I want to give knowledge, power, responsibility to the squad because you have to manage the game in real time. We have other players on the pitch able to manage micro situations, not just Granit. We are able to improve our level, to be more flexible and more adaptable.â€

Regis Le Bris has been talking up the leaderrship qualities of his captain, Granit Xhaka. Photograph: John Walton/PAShare

Reading: Sacked from his position as head coach last weekend after a 1-1 draw with Doncaster left Reading 19th in League One, Noel Hunt has released a statement through the League Managers†Association.

“I am disappointed to have left the club so early into the League One season, especially with so much still to play for,†it says. “When I took over as manager of Reading almost a year ago, the club was facing an incredibly difficult and uncertain period. The ownership situation was unstable, we were operating under a transfer embargo, and we had lost several key members of the squad. At that time, the very survival of the club was in jeopardy.

“Despite those challenges, I am immensely proud of the progress we made together – stabilising the club, rebuilding belief, and creating a strong and united team that came within touching distance of the play-offs on the final day of the season.

“Over the summer, we had hoped to build on those foundations. Unfortunately, circumstances meant we once again faced the huge task of rebuilding, with 15 players and key members of my backroom staff leaving before pre-season began.

“Even so, I was confident in the group we were developing. The squad was growing stronger each week, and with 32 league games still to play, I truly believed we were on the path to a successful season. While I am naturally disappointed by the clubâ€s decision, I would like to thank everyone connected with Reading Football Club – the staff, my coaching team, and especially the players – for their loyalty, hard work, and professionalism throughout my time there.â€

Hunt has been replaced by Leam Richardson, 45, who signed a deal to manage the Royals until June 2027 and brought James Beattie and Danny Shcolfield to the Select Car Leasing Stadium as part of his coaching staff.

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Updated at 11.13 EDT

More news! Andoni Iraola, David Moyes, Thomas Frank and the beleaguered Vitor Perira are all due to rock the pre-match mic about now. Having masterminded just one win in seven games ahead of Evertonâ€s trip to Sunderlandâ€s Stadium of Light on Monday night, is it too soon to suggest that the Moyes rump might be inching closer to the bacon slicer?

I predicted relegation for Everton on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast before a ball was kicked this season and was absolutely hammered for it by irate Toffees on social media. Iâ€ve since been surprised by how decent they look at times with Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye on either flank, but they really need to get one or both of their underperforming strikers firing. Going on the evidence of what weâ€ve seen so far from Beto and Thierno Barry this season, itâ€s a big IF. Everton have already lost against one promoted side in Leeds, if they were to lose to another on Monday, their fans might start getting restless.

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Brighton v Leeds United: Daniel Farke staged his pre-match press conference yesterday and said that apart from Willy Gnonto, who is back in training after surgery on a hernia, his squad has a clean bill of health going into tomorrowâ€s match on the south coast. Several Leeds players had been laid low with an illness last week. Gabriel Gudmonson is also available after recovering from a dead leg he suffered in Leeds†win over West Ham last Friday. “We are in a way better position,†he said. “I have nothing to report or complain about. Everyone is training and available.â€

Farke said he was reasonably happy with the 11 points his side have hoovered up so far from their nine games this season but added that they should have more. “I would be a bit more relaxed if we had taken all the points we deserved from those matches,†he said. “We should be on 15 to 17 points already and, if that was the case, the sun would shine even more. Weâ€re on a good path, but survival isnâ€t a guarantee. We need around nine or 10 wins to stay up.â€

While Leeds beat West Ham at the London Stadium last Friday night, a filthy night in east London meant the sun was not shining on Daniel Farke. Photograph: Allstar Picture Library Ltd/Richard Sellers/Apl/SportsphotoShare

Arsenal injury news: Mikel Arteta told reporters that William Saliba remains a doubt after missing his sideâ€s Carabao Cup win over Brighton, while Gabriel Martinelli is definitely out for tomorrowâ€s trip to Turf Moor. Arteta was pleased to report that Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz are all expectedf to be fit for the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday 23 November, following the next interational break.

Arsenal central defender William Saliba will be assessed ahead of his sideâ€s match against Burnley at TYurf Moor tomorrow. Photograph: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty ImagesShare

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea: Spurs host Chelsea in what recent history suggests could be a right old ding-dong tomorrow evening, not least due to Chelseaâ€s almost chronic inability to keep their full complement of players on the pitch. Despite being third in the table, questions remain over Tottenham under Thomas Frank with detractors pointing out that the fixture list has been kind to them so far. Spurs have “only†beaten Burnley, Manchester City, West Ham, Leeds and Everton. In Chelsea, they welcome a team who have won on five of their six visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“Tottenham are doing very good, they won the Europa League last season and started good this season,†said Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca. “Because itâ€s a derby it will for sure be a difficult game.†Insightful stuff, there.

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Burnley v Arsenal: Mikel Arteta has also had his say on the fact that none of the promoted sides are in the relegation zone after nine rounds of matches. “More than ever the level is increasing, year after year,†he said. “Better structure, better organisation, better decision-making from clubs and managers, better players. It tells you the difficulty of that. When you look at teams and the way they have behaved – how they have earned points or lost points – it is because of small margins. That is the reality in this league.â€

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Brighton v Leeds: Brighton host Leeds at the Amex Stadium tomorrow afternoon and ahead of the game, Hurzeler was asked if he is surprised by how well Daniel Farkeâ€s side have done since winning promotion from the second tier. Leeds currently sit in 15th place, six points clear of a drop zone in which all three promoted sides are conspicuous by their absence.

“For me itâ€s not a surprise,†he said. “If you saw Leeds playing last season in the Championship it was already impressive. Then of course they have added new players – everyone who has been promoted this season has spent good money, especially like Sunderland. Theyâ€re all doing well which means the league is getting more and more competitive and equal. Just look at the table to see how close it is – a sign that the league is getting more and more competitive.â€

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Brighton v Leeds: Can Brightonâ€s evergreen striker Danny Welbeck, 34, play for England? His head coach Fabian Hurzeler and teammates seem to think so. “I just asked the question to the squad whether Danny can play for England and they all agreed,†said the German during his press conference this morning. “That was the only time weâ€ve mentioned it. Letâ€s see what happens. Iâ€m very convinced for my players and I have a big belief that Danny will be able to play for England but I always try to emphasise that England has a great coach and he will make the right decisions. Letâ€s see.â€

Obviously, press conference quotes can often be regurgitated out of context by unscrupulous journalists but one presumes Hurzeler was asking his players if they think Welbeck is still good enough to play for England and wasnâ€t looking for their permission to let him do so in the event of a call-up from Thomas Tuchel. Welbeck has represented his country 42 times but last played for them in a 1-0 friendly win over Switzerland in September 2018, more than seven years ago. He was replaced after 61 minutes at Wembley by Jesse Lingard.

Danny Welbeck has not played for England since September 2018. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/Getty ImagesShare

Thatâ€s the end of my spell. Iâ€m off for a cuppa. So hereâ€s Barry Glendenning to take the reins.

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Hereâ€s a bit more from Arteta on his selection dilemmas amid the increase in depth at Arsenal this season:

In terms of the decision with certain players when you donâ€t allow them to play, [it] is the hardest part in our job. But they acknowledge that as well. At the end, when they make decisions – some good, some bad – I donâ€t judge them on every decision that they make. We cannot do that. So the other way around, this cannot happen.

We are dealing with it in a really positive way and you can see the consequences in the impact that every player who is not playing is having when they play – the way they are performing. The way you do that is by good preparation and a good mental state.

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Uefa reveals interest in bids for 2028 and 2029 European finals

Uefa has confirmed it has received declarations of interest from 15 different venues associations to host the 2028 and 2029 Champions League, Europa League, Conference League and Womenâ€s Champions League finals.

Although these are not binding at this stage – and final bids must be submitted by 10 June next year – it seems the 2028 menâ€s Champions League final will be staged in Munich as that is the only current bidder, with Wembley and the Camp Nou the main contenders to host it in 2029.

Cardiff and Dublin are among the contenders to stage the 2029 Womenâ€s Champions League final, with Lyon, Bilbao, Basel and Istanbul the 2028 bidders.

There are a whole host of bidders for the 2028 and 2029 Europa League and Conference League finals, from countries like France, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Poland and Romania, among others.

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Updated at 08.02 EDT

10 things! From Burnleyâ€s Q, Arne Slotâ€s selection issues, to Jordan Pickfordâ€s joyous return to Wearside:

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Arteta: clubs could pull out of cups amid fixture congestion

Ed Aarons

Mikel Arteta has warned that clubs could consider pulling out of competitions if fixture congestion is not resolved.

The EFL has yet to confirm when Arsenalâ€s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace will take place, with 16 December having been earmarked. A game then would leave Palace facing three fixtures in five days, and talks are understood to be ongoing over when the game will be scheduled.

“Every decision that we make in terms of a fixture has to be guided on two main things: player welfare and then supporters,†Arteta said. “Thatâ€s it. And the rest has to come very, very far away from that.â€

Asked whether big clubs could decide to prioritise some competitions if the problem gets worse, the Arsenal manager said: “I hope we donâ€t go [that far]. If we have that big piece of paper with those two principles there in front before we make any decision, all of us in our industry, we wonâ€t get there. If we donâ€t and we just ignore that, then anything is possible.â€

Mikel Arteta in his classic ‘touchline gesticulating†mode at the Emirates Stadium. Photograph: Harry Murphy/Danehouse/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 07.34 EDT

Iâ€m not sure whether to be impressed or depressed by this.

One day in the off season, I was writing things into ChatGPT like, ‘what is Seattle Reignâ€s identity?†And it would spurt it out. And I was like ‘I donâ€t know if thatâ€s true or not. And then I put in ‘what formation should you play to beat NWSL teams?†and it spurted out every team in the league and what formation you should play. And for two teams, it went ‘you should play a back five.†So I did. No joke, thatâ€s why I did it.

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Newcastle fans have been hoping to see summer signing Yoane Wissa in action soon, but Howeâ€s latest update on the former Brentford striker was not overly optimistic.

He said: “Heâ€s on the grass and working but he definitely wonâ€t be involved on Sunday. Iâ€d say heâ€s not close to training with the group due to fitness. Iâ€m not trying to be evasive but I donâ€t know when the moment will be when heâ€s back with the squad.â€

Oh dear.

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Eddie Howe is up next. And the Newcastle manager has been saying what everyone else has been thinking about their weekend opponents, West Ham.

The thing I would say from looking at the squad they have got is they have a group of very good players. There is no doubting the quality of the players they have got, especially in attacking areas.

Lucas Paquetá, Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Füllkrug… yep West Ham do have some top players. So why have they been so bad this season? Theyâ€ve got four points, and one win, in nine games this term.

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Thereâ€s been a bit of back-and-forth between Amorim and Sean Dyche – largely over comments Dyche made a while back, claiming he “bet [he] could win more games with that squad playing a 4-4-2,†amid that ongoing debate about Amorimâ€s 3-4-3.

“Maybe itâ€s true that if we play 4-4-2 we win more games,†Amorim said. “But I always said that I have a way of playing that is going to take a while, but in the future itâ€s going to be better. I can look at Sean Dyche as a manager and as a pundit. If you are a pundit and you donâ€t say very strong things, I donâ€t want to watch you. So I understand that itâ€s a completely different job. I know that Sean Dyche is really smart and he knows how to play the game.â€

Dyche did clarify his comments.

The Nottingham Forest boss added: “Clickbait kills everything, it changes the whole story. Iâ€m sure Man United have got a big enough press department to watch that whole interview, because I equally said managers should be given time.â€

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Hereâ€s what Amorim said about his year in the Manchester United hot-seat:

It was a journey, a big journey. It was tough, really tough, good moments and bad moments. I learned a lot that is really important. I found out that even in my lower moments I can stick with the things I believe and that is a good thing for anyone to understand. Today the answer is different from three weeks ago. One of the biggest honours of my life to be here and I want to continue here for many years.

Ruben Amorim, there, speaking to the media. Again. Photograph: Ash Donelon/Manchester United/Getty ImagesShare

Itâ€s hard to believe itâ€s almost been a year since Manchester United appointed Ruben Amorim.

After three successive wins of late, including that first victory at Anfield against Liverpool for almost 10 years, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOSâ€s faith in Amorim suddenly feels farsighted.

Rob Draper has dived deeper into the past 12 months at Old Trafford. And in the upcoming posts weâ€ll hear what Amorim said in his press conference before Unitedâ€s trip to Nottingham Forest tomorrow.

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Paquetá warned for failing to comply with FA

West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá has been reprimanded and warned as to his future conduct over his failure to co-operate with a Football Association investigation into spot-fixing allegations.

Paquetá was cleared of four spot-fixing charges by an independent commission in July, but the commission did find he had failed to comply with a requirement to answer questions and provide information to the FAâ€s investigation.

The FA later confirmed it would not appeal against the commissionâ€s decision to clear the Brazilian of the four spot-fixing charges. PA Media

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Updated at 06.34 EDT

Cheers Yara. There are loads more Premier League press conferences for us to get stuck into this morning …

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My short stint has come to an end but Dominic Booth is here to bring you the latest.

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Newcastle: More from Howe on the challenge of West Ham, who are winless since 31 August.

They have a group of very good players, especially in the attacking areas, we are going to have our work cut out to limit the space for their attacking talent. Our away form has not been strong enough and we want to put that right in this game.

And on the possibility of winning back-to-back games:

It would be huge for us. Itâ€s only with back-to-back wins that we are going to propel ourselves.

Itâ€s so tight. There are a lot of teams congested where we are, you are looking for one positive result to try to elevate you.

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Updated at 06.19 EDT

Newcastle: Eddie Howe has given an update on Lewis Hall and the rest of his squadâ€s fitness ahead of Sundayâ€s trip to West Ham.

[Lewis Hall] is very close. He hasnâ€t trained with us yet so hopefully he will be training with us today for the first time. We will see how he looks. I think he has worked really hard. He has looked after himself and looks in really good shape. But then we have to reintroduce himself back into the squad at the right time.

I donâ€t think there is anything new. We are still managing Will Osulaâ€s ankle problem. We will see how he is today, but apart from that I think we are as we were.

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​FA Cup: A quick turn to ​​tonightâ€s meeting between Luton Town and Forest Green Rovers ​in the FA Cup first round. ​Both sides ​will wear kits made by the eco-conscious brand Reflo​ and to mark the occasion, Reflo says it will plant 1,000 trees for every goal scored at Kenilworth Road, with a minimum of 1,000 trees guaranteed regardless of the result. The initiative is designed to highlight the growing intersection between football and environmental responsibility, particularly among clubs that have made sustainability part of their identity.

Forest Green Rovers, long known as the worldâ€s first fully vegan football club, are celebrating ten years since that milestone this season. Their kits are also certified by ​t​he Vegan Society. Luton Town have launched tree-planting schemes of their own as part of their broader push toward greener practice​s, including plans for an environmentally conscious new stadium at Power Court.

On the pitch, two former Premier League players-turned-managers​, Jack Wilshere and Robbie Savage​, face off in the dugouts​ with a spot in the second round and a few thousand trees at stake.

Robbie Savage is at the wheel with Forest Green. Photograph: FGRShare

Updated at 06.10 EDT

Liverpool: The defending champions take on Villa this weekend before hosting Real Madrid in the Champions League. Their final game before the November international break will be away to Manchester City. Here is what Slot said on the challenge Villa posses:

If you donâ€t win the beginning, people say: ‘oh maybe they donâ€t have the same team as last season†and then they start winning and everything is positive again. Where with us, itâ€s exactly the opposite.

Weâ€re both on the same points, apart from Arsenal many teams are in and around the same points. It shows how hard the Premier League is.

Theyâ€ve done very well in the last six or seven games. And maybe itâ€s not a surprise and you could see in the games they lost before the signs that they are a very good team.

They decided not to make a habit out of having more chances than the opponent and not win it. Letâ€s make sure we donâ€t have that habit.

The Dutchman also provided some team news:

Ryan [Gravenberch] trained with us yesterday. The other two [Curtis Jones and Alexander Isak] not yet.

In the end bit of an injury, things can slow down. Letâ€s see where the other two are.

Ryan trained with us for the first time yesterday, and will train with us today. Then weâ€ll make the call to see if he can start or not. The other two are probably 99.9% not in the squad on Saturday.

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Liverpool:Slot is also asked whether he and the club are in negotiations for a contract extension.

This is the last question that I was expecting.

My focus is completely on getting Liverpool back to winning ways. That is my first answer and my second answer, contract talks, if they are even there, we never speak about this here.

Let us first start to win again, that is my main focus.

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Liverpool: More from Slot on finding form.

The thing that gives me the most confidence is the quality in the players and the chances these players are creating. This will result in the players scoring more goals than we have up until now.

We have to address other things. But if I talk about that and speak about them, people tell me Iâ€m using excuses. So maybe itâ€s best that I just say that. There are other positives to go int this week – quality of the players first and foremost and the amount of chances we created from open play is enough to compete for the positions we want to compete for.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot during their midweek defeat to Crystal Palace. Photograph: Daniel Chesterton/Offside/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 05.55 EDT

Slot ‘happy with quality of team’ despite dire Liverpool results

The Liverpool manager Arne Slot was asked whether he feels his squad depth is the reason his side have lost six of their last seven matches.

We miss nothing. Iâ€m happy with the quality of the team. But Iâ€m also convinced by the strategy and policy we have. What makes it ‘the issue†– not all of them have had a proper pre-season. When three or four are injured, you go down to having 16 players.

I am a firm believer in 21 or 22 players are enough. But you have to keep them fit as we did last season. We are struggling to keep them fit this season for in my opinion, obvious reasons.

[Alexander Isak] came to us on 1 September. A few others missed out in pre-season. It has been more difficult than last season to keep them more available. When players are not available, it [workload] comes down more to the same players.

But no excuses for results. We had to play a lot of away games with only two days in between. That would have been difficult last season, and for any player that has been fit this season through pre-season. But it has not been the case this season.

Then you have to manage it. The upcoming week is three games in eight days. It has nothing to do with squad depth, but it has how we have run through the season in terms of injuries, availability every two or three days.

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Updated at 05.41 EDT

Preamble

Another spine-tingling weekend of football is upon us. Join us as we preview a frightful round of fixtures from the Premier League, FA Cup, Womenâ€s Super League and more with team news and key press conferences.

Arne Slotâ€s press conference ahead of Liverpoolâ€s match against Aston Villa is underway and the defending champions†form leaves much to be desired. Will they rise from the grave? Or will Unai Emeryâ€s men join the list of teams haunting Anfieldâ€s faithful?

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Updated at 05.38 EDT

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Welcome toClubhouse Eats, where we celebrate the game’s most delectable food and drink. Hope you brought your appetite.

***

While there’s never a bad time for a well-made gingersnap cookie, autumn just seems to call out a little louder for those savory, sweet, baking spice flavors. Coincidentally, the fall is when Florida’s Mountain Lake Golf Club reopens following a 26-week hiatus during late spring and summer, and the historic club — well known for its enviable Seth Raynor-designed course — is almost as famous for its gingersnaps. Seriously, the pro shop even sells golf belts embroidered with a whimsical woven likenesses of those cookies.

Naturally, I reached out to the club to learn any tricks of the trade when it comes to whipping up a batch these gingersnaps. Not surprisingly, the club wasn’t willing to share the specific recipe that it uses — I can’t blame them for that — but the club’s assistant general manager, Aaron Langley, did divulge some very important tips. He even shared the club’s secret ingredient — high-quality freshly grated ginger. He just didn’t specify how much of it to use.

So while I can’t give you a step-by-step guide to making the exact gingersnap cookies that Mountain Lake serves, I can offer the next best thing: expert guidance for making your own unique batch of gingersnaps — cookies that might become famous in their own right.

A Golden Ratio

Mountain Lake might be tight-lipped about its own recipe, but the club is happy to help amateur bakers assess the more readily available recipes that are out there. As Langley acknowledges, cookie recipes are all based on ratios, and for gingersnap cookies, the most critical ingredients measure out like this: 1 part butter, 1.5 parts sugar, 2.5 parts flour, and 1 part molasses (flavored and lifted using baking soda and ginger). Using that ratio, if a recipe looks significantly out of balance, Langley says it “might be a sign to steer clear.”

That said, he’s also quick to point out that there really isn’t one universal red flag when it comes to evaluating the presumed efficacy of a recipe. “Much of baking success comes down to how the recipe is executed,” he explains. “A good recipe in one person’s hands might fall flat in another’s if not followed with care.”

A Measured Approach

Even if you’re empowered with a trustworthy ratio for your ingredients, your baking efforts can go awry based on how you measure those components. “The U.S. system of using cups and teaspoons can lead to variations in results,” Langley acknowledges. “For consistent baking, measuring in grams is far more accurate and helps avoid over- or under-measuring critical ingredients.”

Molasses Makes the Difference

What makes this golf resort’s cookies so good? A surprising ingredient

By:

Shaun Tolson

“Generally, you want a dark, unsulphured molasses to give the snap, color, and warmth without making your cookie bitter,” says Langley, who likes Grandma’s Original unsulphured molasses, Brer Rabbit Full Flavor molasses and Golden Barrel unsulphured baking molasses. “But avoid Blackstrap [style molasses],” he adds, “unless you want a sharp, earthy flavor.” If you do, Langley cautions that you’ll need to add more sugar for balance.

Don’t Overwork Your Dough

According to Mountain Lake’s assistant GM, a common mistake home bakers make when baking cookies is overworking the dough, which can lead to rubbery or dry cookies. “The more you work your dough, the more gluten is developed,” he explains. “As a rule, in cookies you want minimal gluten because it will make them tough instead of tender, dense instead of crisp and chewy, and puffy instead of spreading evenly.”

What are the warning signs, you ask? Dough that feels elastic or springy to the touch. Dough that looks shiny, pasty, or sticky. (It should have a matte-like finish.) And if your cookies don’t spread much in the oven, there’s a good chance you overworked the dough.

To Chew or to Crisp?

Not everyone likes the same type of cookie, especially when it comes down to how it eats. Soft and chewy is ideal for some; others prefer a crispier bite. Fortunately, steps can be made to easily end up at either outcome.

For crispy gingersnaps, Langley likes to use butter rather than shortening. “It will make a big difference in the flavor and the spread,” he says. Similarly, swap out the baking powder for baking soda. “It helps spread and contributes to that crackly surface and deep color.” Finally, set the oven to 325 degrees and bake your dough for 14 to 17 minutes.

If you like a good, soft chew, Langley encourages using brown sugar in addition to granulated sugar, going a little heavier with the amount of molasses, scaling back the flour, and adding an egg. Counterintuitively, soft and chewy gingersnap cookies should also be baked at a slightly higher temperature than crispy ones, just for less time. Langley bakes his for only 9 to 11 minutes at 350 degrees.

A brand new Mizuno Pro S-3 6-iron arrived for Marco Penge in Spain on Thursday.

The issue? The Open de España, which Penge was playing in, ended last Sunday. He was long gone.

Yet Penge had a different, brand new Mizuno Pro S-3 6-iron in the bag Sunday as he took down Daniel Brown in a playoff to win his third DP World Tour title this season and punch his tickets to the 2026 Masters and Open Championship.

How and why Penge needed a new 6-iron — and later pitching wedge — can be told by Mizuno Senior Tour Representative on the DP World Tour, Joe Beck.

How Marco Penge’s 6-iron was damaged

After a disappointing week at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where he finished tied for 91st, Penge and his caddie, Max Bill, arrived in Spain for the next event when they realized Penge’s 6-iron was damaged to the point of non-conformance after hitting a rock with a swing at the Dunhill.

Beck and the Mizuno DP World Tour team only found out on Tuesday and their truck wasn’t at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid because of logistical reasons. So Beck had a replacement 6-iron built for Penge and shipped out that day from England, hoping for delivery by Thursday morning.

Problem solved? Nope, that was the club that was finally just delivered this week.

“It’s a little bit more difficult for us now,” Beck told GOLF. “Trying to ship into Europe with Brexit and shipping regulations, time frame it takes a lot longer than it should to get stuff to players.”

As Beck kept tracking the package, he soon realized the replacement club wasn’t going to get to Penge.

Another casualty

But the 27-year-old Englishman carried on with a replacement Titleist 620 CB 6-iron, as reported by John Whyte of SMS on Tour. With a third-round 64, Penge took a four-shot lead into Sunday.

And that was while playing most of that round down another club.

On the second hole, Penge pulled his tee shot left and saw it settle just inside a tree. Basically standing next to the trunk to try and advance the ball, he took a swing with his pitching wedge, trying to stop his swing before hitting the tree, but it was of little use.

The shaft collided with the wood of the trunk and snapped instantly as the ball sailed farther left of the green, still 71 yards away from the pin.

Remarkably, Penge had no such tree trouble with his third and played his next shot to 14 feet and then curled in the putt for an unlikely par. At the time, the preserved Penge’s one-shot lead before he caught fire later in the round, making birdies on eight of 10 holes from Nos. 7 to 16.

“Like finding a bag of gold,” an announcer on the broadcast said.

One more turn

By Saturday, Beck saw the tracking on the replacement 6-iron move farther away from Madrid. With Penge now needing two replacement clubs, the executive decision was for Beck to take a 6 a.m. flight from Gatwick to Madrid on Sunday and hand-deliver the clubs to Penge and Bill.

Despite being on leave that weekend, Beck was approved to go as he was the closest to where Mizuno’s tour truck was based outside of London.

He built a new replacement S-3s for Penge, 2 degrees upright and 2 degrees strong with KBS V10 130 X shafts to match the rest of his set around 8 p.m. Saturday and then got up at 2:30 a.m. to head to the airport. (Fun vacation!)

Mizuno Pro S-3 Custom Irons

The Mizuno Pro S-3 irons epitomize refined craftsmanship and elite performance, combining Mizuno’s renowned forging expertise with the precision and versatility demanded by today’s golfers. With a sleek, compact profile and an exceptional feel, the Pro S-3 is the ultimate choice for players seeking precision and control in every shot.
Iconic Mizuno Pro FeelThe Mizuno Pro S-3 delivers the signature feel that has solidified Mizuno’s reputation. This exceptional sensation stems from the advanced Grain Flow Forged HD process, performed exclusively at Mizuno’s Hiroshima plant, and is enhanced by premium materials:

1025E Pure Select Mild Carbon Steel: Provides a soft, responsive touch that golfers love.

Copper Underlay: Subtly enhances vibration patterns, ensuring a smoother, more connected feel with every strike.

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA Tour Superstore, Mizuno

EasyJet flight 8017 departed LGW at 6:02 a.m. local Sunday and arrived at MAD at 9:21 that morning, and Beck was relieved to see the box on the baggage claim conveyor as he walked into Spanish passport control. But, as if his journey needed another hiccup, the box was gone when he cleared customs.

“So there’s a slight, slight bit of panic set in,” Beck said, who’s been on Tour with the company for four years. “I’ve gone upstairs to the baggage gate to see if it had fallen off the baggage belt. Maybe it had come around and come off.”

Had Beck just flown all the way to another country to deliver replacement clubs to one of the best players in the world, only for the clubs to be mishandled at the airport, or worse, stolen?

Luckily, the panic was short-lived. About 30 minutes went by before Beck returned to the baggage claim and eventually found the box unharmed.

Within an hour Beck was at the course and handing off the fresh 6-iron and pitching wedge to Bill, much to Penge’s surprise.

“I was in contact with Max more than Marco building up to it, but yes, Marco was obviously very thankful and very, very relieved to have 14 clubs,” he said.

Penge shot a one-over 72 on Sunday, but it got him into a playoff, which he won with a birdie on the first extra hole for his third DP World Tour win in 16 starts, all but assuring you’ll see him on the PGA Tour next year.

Premier League clubs are divided over whether to introduce a controversial new ‘salary cap’ prior to next month’s vote on financial regulations, BBC Sport has been told.

The ‘top-to-bottom anchoring’ model – or TBA – would restrict the amount any club can spend on player wages, agents and transfer fees to five times the income earned from broadcasting and prize money by the bottom club in the English top flight.

The approach means that a cap would be imposed on clubs’ spending, regardless of their own income.

TBA is currently being trialled by the Premier League, alongside a ‘squad cost ratio’ (SCR) system of financial control that allows clubs to spend up to a percentage of their total revenues on squad-related costs.

On 21 November the Premier League will meet and vote on whether to adopt either, or both, models, and replace the current Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) that allow losses of £105m over a three-year reporting cycle.

Nine of the Premier League’s 20 clubs already have to comply with Uefa’s SCR rules as a result of qualifying for Europe, and some believe it makes sense to align the regulations.

In order to encourage sustainability, Uefa permits participants in its competitions to spend up to 70% of their revenues on their squads, while the Premier League has said it would allow a more generous 85%.

However, BBC Sport has been told that a number of Premier League clubs would only vote for SCR to be implemented if it was accompanied by ‘anchoring’, so that those with the largest revenues did not get too far ahead of the rest, and competitive balance was protected.

This stance has been hardened by concern over additional money the top clubs are receiving from expanded European club competitions and the Club World Cup.

Last year 16 clubs voted to conduct detailed analysis of TBA, with only Manchester United, Manchester City and Aston Villa voting against.

All three were known to be concerned that being pinned to the revenue of the league’s bottom-placed club would risk putting them at a disadvantage compared to some of their European rivals, who only have to adhere to SCR rules.

At the time, United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said anchoring would “inhibit the top clubs in the Premier League, and the last thing you want is for the top clubs in the Premier League not to be able to compete with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain – that’s absurd”.

In the 2023-24 season, 20th-placed Sheffield United earned around £110m. So last season no top-flight club would have been able to spend more than a total of £550m on player wages, amortised transfer fees and agents if TBA had been in force.

Meanwhile, a European club generating revenues of £1bn, for example, would be able to spend £700m while still adhering to Uefa’s SCR rules.

Manchester City spent £413m on wages last year, with total revenue of £715m.

Ahead of its meeting next month the Premier League has now sent proposals to its clubs, which reportedly include a suggestion that those in breach of anchoring rules could be punished with a points deduction.

Everton and Nottingham Forest were handed points deductions in 2023 and 2024 as a result of breaching PSR.

Back in February the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) issued what the Premier League described as “legal demands” over concerns it had about the impact that anchoring could have on player contracts if introduced.

The league said that the players’ union had been given “multiple opportunities to provide feedback”. The PFA remains opposed to TBA, and has hired barrister Nick de Marco in case it decides to launch legal action.

In 2021 the PFA’s claim that a planned salary cap by the EFL for League One and League Two was “unlawful and unenforceable” was upheld by an independent arbitration panel.

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Five substitutes were introduced in the Premier League in May 2020 before football resumed during the coronavirus pandemic.

The league reverted back to three for the 2020-21 season, before five was voted in permanently from the 2022-23 season. A sixth substitute is allowed to replace a player without a suspected head injury.

Three extra squad places are seen as being able to reduce the workload on players after threats of strikes.

Last season Tottenham defender Archie Gray was included in 80 matchday squads for club and country, including friendlies, the joint highest in Europe with Real Madrid’s 20-year-old midfielder Arda Guler.

Gray, 19, made 48 appearances as Spurs won the Europa League and helped England Under-21s win Euro 2025 in the summer.

Sources close to the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) have doubts if 28-man squads would help players, given it would not stop them from travelling in a matchday squad or ease mental fatigue regardless of whether they play.

In June Uefa, the EFC, FifPro Europe and European Leagues launched a study to better assess different types of injuries, performance levels and player welfare.

Last month FifPro, the world players’ union, released its fifth annual report on the issue, looking at how much players played and travelled in 2024-25.

It wrote: “Even if the player does not end up playing any minutes, they still have to be physically present and fully participate in team preparations, mentally prepare, while often spending time away from home and undertaking international travel.

“As such, these occasions are also part of the player’s working time commitments.”

The EFC represents more than 800 men’s and women’s clubs from 55 countries, with Paris St-Germain, Inter Milan and Barcelona among those who attended last week.

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Salford City’s supporters have voted to change the club’s primary home shirt colour back to orange.

The Ammies have played in red ever since the arrival of the Class of 92 group in 2014 however they played in orange and black for around 40 years before their arrival.

The club said that 77.1% of fans chose to revert the primary club colour back to orange, with the change set to take place before the 2026-27 season.

The change comes after Gary Neville and David Beckham completed a takeover of the club in May as part of a new consortium which bought out the rest of the Class of 92.

“This landmark choice will evolve the club into a bold, new era by combining our tangerine heritage with modern style to create a striking orange identity,” a club statement said., external

“From the terraces to the training ground, from the park pitches to the supermarket queue – when you see orange, you will know what it means. This is Salford. Proud. Unmistakable.”

The club added that “significant work will be undertaken” at their Peninsula Stadium to update cladding and seats as well as “other infrastructure upgrades that are already due to take place”.

In addition, the club said that a further consultation with supporters about their crest – which was also changed in 2014 – will follow.

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Celtic’s European Cup win in 1967 remains one of the most iconic nights in the club’s storied history, almost 60 years on.

The Scottish side’s 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon saw them become the first British club to win the European Cup and it was all done with a homegrown squad, the majoirty of whom were born within a ten-mile radius of Celtic Park.

Jim Craig was playing at right-back that evening, as he added European football’s biggest prize to his list of 14 domestic trophies won during his eight-year spell with the club.

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Jim Craig on his part in the Lisbon Lions success

Celtic’s Lisbon Lion Jim Craig

“We had our moments but he respected me as a player,” Craig recalls to FourFourTwo when asked about manager Jock Stein’s influence during the run. “I only wanted to know one question before a game: how fast was the opposition winger? If they were quicker than me I’d pull Bobby Murdoch closer. If I was quicker then I could catch him, but Jock would never tell me.

“He had more run-ins with Jimmy Johnstone. Jock was once giving a team talk and, when he finished, he asked if there were any questions. Jimmy’s hand shot up, which was a surprise because Jinky had sat through the whole talk looking at his nails. Jimmy said, ‘How long’s the flight?’ He was terrified of flying and that was all he was interested in, not the team talk or any of the tactical stuff.”

Celtic captain Billy McNeill lifts the European Cup, 1967 (Image credit: Alamy)

When the final came around, Craig got off to an unfortunate start, giving away an early penalty that meant his side went into the dressing room a goal down at half-time.

“It happened in the seventh minute. Jock was great, he said, ‘Forget about it, just take care of the guy in the second half’. I had a chance to look at it afterwards and told him I thought it was an indirect free-kick [to Celtic, for simulation] and he agreed.

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“The player, Renato Cappellini, was running across my path, and I didn’t want to foul him. I held my body maybe a little bit too close to him without doing anything else. However, after that I set up Gemmell’s goal for the equaliser, so I reckon I more than made up for it!”

Less than a fortnight after winning the European Cup, Craig would then play in the Alfredo Di Stefano testimonial, winning 1-0 against Real Madrid. What does he remember about that night?

“Jinky decided that he was going to show them what he could do,” Craig says. “He had a wonderful game and his touch was tremendous. Every time he took on an opponent, he beat them. Eventually, the crowd were cheering his name instead of Di Stefano’s. Any time Jinky touched the ball they would shout, ‘Ole!’ I felt sorry for the left-back – he got battered that night.

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Celtic players celebrate with the European Cup (Image credit: Getty Images)

“Following the game, I made a beeline for Paco Gento and shook his hand. There were 120,000 fans present for a friendly. Real were playing a team that had just won the European Cup, so they were up for it. We were defending our image, so we were equally up for it.”

Celtic would reach another European Cup final in 1970, only to lose 2-1 to Feyenoord, but Craig insists that was another special team. “The team never knew it was beaten. We’d just won five league titles in a row back home, so it was a glorious era for us all. We were on top of the world and could take on anybody on our day.”

Sadly, only Craig, Willie Wallace and Bobby Lennox from that famous side are still with us, but Craig is keen to keep his team-mates’ legacy alive and credits former Hoops boss Martin O’Neill for reigniting interest in the Lisbon Lions when he arrived at the club in 2000.

“He was very good at that and very kind at bringing us back into the fold again,” Craig adds. “We are ambassadors for the club still. I spend my time going to functions as people want to know about Lisbon and I have the stories for them. It’s nice to be known after all these years.”

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A few weeks ago I played in the only weekend of golf where I truly care about what I shoot. It’s a tournament called Player’s Cup. It’s a Ryder Cup style event hosted by my buddy Bryan LaRoche from @BryanGolf in Fleming Island, Fla. I had to lock my bag down to make sure that I practiced with the proper gear. Now that Player’s Cup is over (our team dominated) and its now open season on the bag, I figured it was as good of a time as any to do a little update to the What’s in the Bag, and my first installment on the Fully Equipped platform. I promise it will be the first of many.

Jake Morrow goofs around with teammates at Player’s Cup 2025

Mel Laroche | Steez & Tees

To say my game is in a good spot would be a very confusing statement. I can hit my driver into a bucket, no par-5 is safe from me having an eagle putt, and inside 50 yards I’ll likely get up and down. But from 140-200 yards, it’s really anybody’s guess. On days that I hit my irons well, which I have the best shot at with this current set, I’ll score close to par. On days that I don’t, I’m struggling to keep it under 80. If nothing else, it’s quite the adventure. I managed to get by at Player’s Cup winning all 3 of my points, and my singles match on Sunday showed a very promising game, but still, from 140- 200yards it was a toss up for success.

I have learned a few new things this year, and some of those discoveries have lead to some fantastic equipment changes. Other discoveries have sank me. For the first time in my golfing career I went through actual swing changes over the 2024-2025 winter, and starting this season my game was in shambles. The exact reason why I never wanted to get lessons was that I never wanted to have to break myself to fix myself. But there I was at the start of the season barely able to break 80 with a handicap index going up, up, up and away.

Jake Morrow hits his approach from the fairway at Player’s Cup 2025

Mel Laroche | Steez & Tees

By the start of June things started to mellow out, and some equipment discoveries were made:

Go. Get. Fit.

One thing that I am absolutely terrible at is getting properly fit. I have a very nice access to equipment, but lots of times it’s plug and play with familiar options and when something “kinda works” it’s good enough to go in the bag. But earlier this year I did a brand agnostic irons fitting at Carl’s Golfland, and it opened my world up to a change that I desperately needed to make, and that was the turning point this year where I realized that all hope was not lost and I could probably make it work and bring the scores back down to Earth. You can watch that fitting video on my Made for the Range YouTube here. (no surprise I’m not using those irons)

Playing a fairway wood

I have a tendency to bucket myself into certain equipment that I want to play, and restrict myself from testing out other options or getting fit for things that might not “fit” what I would traditionally think to play. The top end of my bag is where that shines the most. Last year I was dead set on playing a mini-driver, and I still love all my mini drivers. But the reality is that my game was better served by sacking up and figuring out how to hit a fairway wood. Which in my head means getting fairway woods and testing them until I find the one that I feel sucks the least. There was no sense in having a mini driver that goes 260 yards off the tee if I can’t hit it into long par-5s consistently. So, you’ll actually see a fairway wood in the top of my bag. Which is a shocker for my long time followers.

Driver set-up is phenomenally important

I currently hit my driver set-up better than anybody I know. I have no shame in being incredibly braggy about it. I got to play with Wunder for two rounds and I think I missed three fairways in total, and they were because I was trying to do some hero type nonsense. Even he told me that if I ever change away from this driver he’d disown me. So there’s that. But having a driver that I trust this much has unlocked so much more. More confidence in tight holes, more confidence in long par-4s, and no fear of having to hit my irons out of weird or penalizing lies.

I love hitting wedges

This is the best part of my game no doubt. Hitting a good 75% 50-degree wedge is such a joy. Long bunker shots with a back-foot 56-degree? No problem. Spinners off of a tight lie? Bring ’em to me. It’s lovely. I’ve got the coolest set of wedges I’ve ever owned in my bag, and it shows. I’ve always loved my wedges. I’ve had stock, custom, lasered, stamped, you name it. Wedges are my little art piece, and I continue to learn about the best way to create my set and take advantage of the amazing wedge market we find ourselves in.

The Wilson Staff Model X deserves more credit

My goodness do I love this golf ball. I credit this ball for saving my game. At the start of May I switched from a TP5x (lower spin ball) to the Staff Model X at the suggestion of Ed Garland from Wilson Golf, as well as the Ballnamic Fitting Tool, and BOY WAS HE RIGHT. Playing a spinnier ball allowed me to make the driver switch that I now swoon over, as well as unlocking some performance benefits with the irons that I desperately needed. The golf ball is durable, it feels great, it spins like a top, and it couldn’t care less about the wind. The perfect combination for a guy who plays his golf in Chicagoland’s tree-lined suburbia.

Wilson Staff Model X Golf Balls

The Wilson Staff Model® X golf ball is a tour-caliber, four-piece urethane golf ball that delivers unmatched precision, speed and consistency. Made for players who want a firm, fast ball, the Staff Model X goes longer and has more spin off the tee and off of irons. Each Staff Model X ball is painted using a finely controlled application process that ensures a nearly flawless finish, resulting in the highest-caliber performance.

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The last thing I want to talk about is a quick story with my wedges. The entire process is going to be a YouTube video for all of you to watch soon, but the long story short is that I was able to sit down with Jose Miraflor of Cobra Golf who is a closet wedge guru. He trained under Bob Vokey, and doesn’t get credit for the wedge knowledge that he has in his brain. It was a phenomenal set of wedges and the day that I have to replace these, I am going to be very sad. I’ll probably end up going straight back to him, but you’ll notice below that I have a custom set of Cobra King RAW Wedges each custom ground by Jose himself. I’ll list the grinds that we started with for each and the changes we made.

So here we go. My final hurrah WITB for BryanGolf’s Player’s Cup 2025. As of September 9th, it’s open season on the bag again.

Golf Balls: Wilson Staff Model X

Jake’s choice golf ball, the Wilson Staff Model X

Jake Morrow / GOLF

Driver: Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond Tour Draw 9.0º N/S Adapter

Shaft: Mitsubishi D-Limited 60TX Tipped 1” @ 45.5”

Carry: 285yds

Jake Morrow’s Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond Tour Draw Setup

Jake Morrow / GOLF

Fairway Wood: Wilson Dynapower Carbon 4W (16.5º) – Standard Loft/Lie

Shaft: UST Linq PC Blue Prototype 7TX Tipped 1” @ 42.5”

Carry: 260yds

Jake Morrow’s Wilson Dynapwr Carbon Fairway Wood Setup

Jake Morrow / GOLF

Hybrids: Ping G440 3/5

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red HB Velo+ 9X

Carry: 235yds/215yds

PING G440 Custom Hybrid

The G440 hybrids appeal to a variety of skill levels, each engineered to deliver different ball- flight characteristics – from the slightly fade-biased 2 hybrid for off-the-tee performance to the draw-inducing 5, 6 and 7 hybrids that help optimize gapping. They all share a new, shallower and thinner face design, which improves face contact for more ball speed and higher-launching shots that hit and hold the green. 
FLIES HIGH LANDS SOFT
Optimized launch and spin ensure distance with stopping power. 
FREE-HOSEL DESIGN
Saves weight to lower CG, optimize launch/spin and increase forgiveness. 
ROUNDED SOLE 
Ensures pleasing face angle in all hosel settings 
CARBONFLY WRAP 
Lightweight carbon crown saves weight to increase MOI, lower CG.

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Jake Morrow’s Wilson Dynapwr Carbon Fairway Wood Setup

Jake Morrow / GOLF

Note:Fujikura deciding to add the Red HB profile to the lineup this year was genius. There wasn’t a red profile in the previous lineup and lots of people wanted it. The Red HB profile is a little bit different than it’s woods shafts counterpart, and it’s even easier to load and launch. A wonderful addition to make hitting your hybrids feel just a little bit easier.

Irons: Callaway Apex TCB ’24 (RAW) 5-10 [10 Wedge is GOAT]

Shafts: Nippon Modus 120 X, Standard Length 1* Flat

Carry (5-PW): 200, 187, 175, 164, 154, 142

Callaway Apex TCB 24 Custom Irons

Since Xander Schauffele put a TCB iron in play,his strokes gained in approach have significantlyincreased year over year. Now in 2024, he is top 5 inthe world in strokes gained on the field, and has wontwo major championships with the new ’24 TCB Iron.
MAJOR SUCCESS
Trusting the ‘24 Apex TCB iron, Xander Schauffelewent on to secure two major championships in the2024 season.
TOUR FEEL
Combining our best in technology, the ’24 TCB usesa 1025 tour cavity back body with a 17-4 tour tunedface for consistent spin and control up and down thebag. The feel is second to none. Just ask Xander.
PRO LOOKS
The beautiful raw aesthetic and overall footprint isexactly what Xander was looking for. With a compact controllable shape, and shorter blade length, TCB ’24 are players irons for discerning golfers.

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Jake Morrow’s Callaway Apex TCB Raw Irons

Jake Morrow / GOLF

Wedges: Cobra King 50 V Custom Grind, 56 W Custom Grind, 60@62 T Custom Grind

Custom Stamping: 50 AHK (Niece), AAK (Nephew), M4TR

Shafts: Nippon Modus 125 Wedge, BGT ZNE 130

Carry(50-62): 130, 118, 105

Jake Morrow’s custom Cobra King RAW wedge set

Jake Morrow / GOLF

Note:I always do custom work on my wedges. I like the personalization of it, and it’s also nice to keep reminders of my niece and nephew in the bag. Been known to calm down a potential club toss every now and then. My niece is always on the gap wedge loft, nephew on the sand wedge loft, and some sort of nod to Made for the Range on my lob wedge. I’ve done this for the last 4 or 5 sets of wedges that I have had!

Cobra KING Custom Wedge

Crafted from 8620 steel using MIM (Metal Injection Molding), KING Wedges are one of the softest feelings in market. Choose from four new grinds (DROP, WIDELOW, VERSATILE, TOUR) for enhanced greenside creativity and optimized CG with Flight Window Technology (F.W.T) for tour inspired launch. The redesigned Cobra Speed Notch, 67% larger than before, ensures better glide and speed on open-face shots.
MIM (METAL INJECTION MOLDING)
Experience precision with MIM technology, offering 50% tighter tolerances than traditional casted wedges. Each head is heat-treated to nearly 1400°C, ensuring a tighter grain structure for a softer feel and enhanced longevity, resisting groove degradation for lasting performance.
COBRA SPEED NOTCH
Discover the newly redesigned Cobra Speed Notch, featuring softer, blended shaping that complements our new grinds. Now 67% larger, it ensures smooth glide through the ground while maintaining speed and delivering high spinning shots.

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Jake Morrow’s custom Cobra King RAW lob wedge setup

Jake Morrow / GOLF

Putter: Toulon Chicago Smallbatch Prototype (Double Bend)

Shaft: BGT Stability Carbon (Red Coupler)

Specs: 34.5” Length, 72º Lie Angle

Grip: SuperStroke 1.0P 17

Note:This is a prototype of a future small batch putter. The Chicago shape for this small batch has been modified slightly, but the core design remains. This time they’ve taken a 904L material head and topped it off with a glossy sort of piano black finish. Combined with the sight dot, it’s the best Chicago they’ve ever made. Truly a work of functional art.

Jake’s Toulon Golf Smallbatch Chicago Prototype

Jake Morrow / GOLF

Grips: SuperStroke REVL Comfort on Woods / REVL Element on Irons and Wedges

Jake’s SuperStroke grips

Jake Morrow / GOLF

PAYNTR Jason Day Eighty Seven SC (Men’s)

In collaboration with Jason Day our newest model has arrived, the Eighty Seven SC!

CLARINO Trivela™️ microfiber upper delivers lightweight support and flexibility
Full WATERPROOF+ breathable membrane fused to lining and sealed with bottom gasket.
ARIAPRENE® tongue & bootie offers supreme foot lockdown to provide maximum stability and lightweight, breathable support.
TPU Outsole, with Fast Twist insert system, delivers traction in three dimension for the life of the shoe.
PMXNitro+ Footbed delivers lightweight responsive cushioning for the life of the shoe.
PMXNitro+ Midsole provides maximum energy return & ultimate under foot support.

CARBITEX GearFlex™️ propulsion plate allows golfers to more effectively harness ground reaction forces.

*Discounts are not applicable to this style*

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Before we wrap up, I also need to make specific mention of my golf shoes. I have worked with the Softspikes team over the last couple of years. I’ve learned more than I ever needed to know about spiked footwear, and I’ll never return to spikeless shoes, at least not in play. I’ve been able to test tons of different shoes over the last year and my favorites without a doubt are the Payntr Jason Day Eighty Seven SC. They come stock with Softspikes Tour Flex Pro spikes which gives the most traction for players right out of the box. The shoes are insanely comfortable right out of the box, the provide a high level of stability while still being flexible enough to work with your feet when you’ve got a less than flat stance on a hill, standing on debris, or in wet conditions. Highly recommend.

So that’s it. Or, that was it. Now it’s open season. Nothing is safe. The rules for the rest of the year are that nothing you just read is allowed to be gamed unless I have enough money on the line for it to matter, or I somehow end up in a tournament where my score affects others like it did at Player’s Cup.

My first thought? Boy do I need to find a new set of irons.

To start your own bag exploration with a club fitting visit your local True Spec Golf location.

Professional golfers get access to the latest and greatest technology every season, but not every pro chooses to add the new, shiny toys to the bag.

Some, like Brooks Koepka, have found the club that fits their swing and their game, and they are going to hit them until they have to make a change.

For Koepka, the five-time major champion still games a Nike Vaporfly 3-iron, which is no longer in production, and a TaylorMade M2 HL 3-wood, which hit the market around a decade ago.

In an interview with Today’s Golfer at the Dunhill Links Championship last week, Koepka explained why he keeps those two clubs in the bag instead of opting for newer technology.

Koepka’s Nike 3-iron

While some players might opt for a 5-wood for more length, Koepka has stuck with the Nike Vaporfly 3-iron because of his trust in its ball flight and the negligible difference between it and the 5-wood.

While the Vaporfly is no longer in production, Koepka has some spares in his garage. He recently added a new Vaporfly after the face of his old one caved in during the Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

“I’m not a tinkerer,” Koepka told Today’s Golfer.“I don’t play around with different options. I’ve tried throwing a 5-wood in but the ball flight just doesn’t look right to me. I don’t know why. I’m not at the age where I need a little extra help with extra woods, which is lucky, but maybe in probably five or six years, I’ll definitely take all the help I can get. That 3-iron has been my Old Faithful. I know the flight it should be, the original one actually caved in on 18 at Portrush this year. Luckily I wasn’t playing Saturday or Sunday so I didn’t have to go without a club. But it’s been crazy, I’ve been carrying the backup around for a couple of months, sort of knowing it was at the end and it just happened to now make its way to the front of the bag.”

Brooks’ 3-wood

As for Koepka’s TaylorMade M2 HL 3-wood, it has become a bag staple because he has been unable to recreate the feel with other 3-woods. To Koepka, the 3-wood is the most difficult club in the bag to get fit into. Once you do, don’t move on unless it’s necessary.

“I think the 3-wood is the toughest club to even get fitted for,” Koepka said. “I haven’t really ever found anything where it sits down quite right in the fairway or off the tee. The flight that I see with this one, I haven’t found just anything where it’s better. I think this one is going on maybe 10, 11, maybe 12 years now, but it’s crazy, like I said, I don’t tinker, so when I find something that works, I’ll keep going with it.

“You put in a new shaft occasionally. I don’t change those, I think I’ve had every shaft in this bag for a long time and occasionally just the wear from the little wear marks on the bag when the bag gets a little done in, so you have to change shafts but not the heads.”

“When something works, I keep going with it.”

As my colleague Jack Hirsch noted, this is an approach that recent Sanderson Farms winner Steven Fisk also uses.

All of the clubs in Fisk’s bag, except for his Mizuno ST-Z 230 driver and his Vokey SM10 lob wedge, are from the early part of the 2020s, including his Mizuno MP-20 irons and T-22 wedges and his Odyssey White Hot OG Rossie putter.

We’ve seen Rory McIlroy pay almost $1000 for an Uber to bring him his old woods, his TaylorMade Qi10s, for the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. McIlroy played the first three rounds with the new driver and fairway woods, from the Qi35 line, but wanted to go back to the clubs he felt more comfortable with.

Even if it’s not the newest or shiniest club, when you find something that fits your game, stick with it. There’s no need to tinker if you don’t have to.