Golf Australia – Jul 2026

Summary

Karrie Webb's career Grand Slam — 25 years since she completed the set at the 2001 LPGA Championship — anchors Golf Australia Issue #446 (July 2026), with a retrospective that traces her path from Ayr in Queensland to the Hall of Fame. The 154th Open Championship at Birkdale (p34) looms large, and Adam Scott's 100th consecutive major start (p42) earns a feature titled "Beyond The Streak" that examines the longevity behind his remarkable run. Scotland's Muirfield (p94) and the Sunshine Coast versus Gold Coast travel debate (p80) round out a travel-heavy issue that also reviews Magenta Shores G&CC (p12) and Sandhurst Club (p52).

The 19th section opens with Kaneko's win in Austria (p10) — Kota Kaneko claimed victory at the Austrian Alps Open — and covers the Australian Open overhaul (p18), which has moved to a January date for 2027. Moore Park's redevelopment (p26) in Sydney, where the course is being reduced from 18 to 12 holes, stirs controversy with local members fighting the decision. John Huggan's column (p32) dissects the governance issues facing Australian golf, while the Women's section (p62-76) previews the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine and profiles Deborah Hutton's connection to Canopy Bay.

Up & Down (p104) and Better Your Best (p114) deliver short-game drills and a low-score strategy framework, respectively. The Gear section (p124) looks at golf cart and push-trolley trends, plus a Milesey rangefinder feature (p128) that tests the latest laser and GPS devices head-to-head.

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Content Guide

▸ Features
p.34 · Birkdale Beckons
A course-by-analysis of the 154th Open Championship venue, focusing on the bunkering changes and the new back tee on the 17th hole. The single hole that could decide the Champion Golfer — and why it's not the 18th.

p.42 · Beyond The Streak – Adam Scott
Scott's 100th consecutive major start — a record that spans 23 years — examined through the physical, mental and schedule-management habits that made it possible. The rule Scott broke with his caddie that he says extended his career by five years.

▸ Women's
p.62 · Hazeltine Extreme
A preview of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine National, where the length and rough colour the strategy. The statistical profile of a Hazeltine winner: top-10 driving accuracy, top-5 putts-per-GIR.

p.72 · Major Moments – Karrie Webb
25 years since Webb completed the career Grand Slam — interviews with her coaches, rivals and the woman herself on how that 2001 season changed Australian golf. The putting drill she still uses today.

▸ Travel
p.80 · Sunshine Coast vs Gold Coast
A head-to-head comparison of Queensland's two golf havens, ranked by course variety, accommodation value, restaurant quality and off-course activities. The winner on pure golf quality — and why the loser is better for a family holiday.

p.94 · Soul of Muirfield
A historical walk through the Honourable Company's home course, focusing on the out-and-back routing, the bunker strategy, and why Muirfield's membership model is both its strength and its weakness.

▸ Instruction
p.104 · Up & Down
A chipping-and-pitching clinic focused on distance control from 20 to 50 yards. The three-club system that eliminates the guesswork on chip shots around the green.

p.114 · Better Your Best
A strategy-based framework for shooting your lowest round: how to identify your "bogey avoidance" holes, when to lay up versus go for it, and the scorecard strategy that a PGA coach used to help a 14-handicapper shoot 82.

▸ Regulars
p.8 · Teeing Off – James Smith
The editor on why golf needs fewer "architectural masterpieces" and more fun 12-hole courses that families can play in two and a half hours.

p.32 · Huggan's Alley – John Huggan
Huggan on the governance crisis in Australian golf — where the money goes, who decides, and why the grassroots feel ignored.

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Editor's Take

The Webb retrospective and Adam Scott streak piece are the heart of this issue — both are written with the kind of access and authority that Golf Australia has built over decades. The travel content dominates, which will please readers planning trips but may frustrate those looking for instruction depth. The Hazeltine preview is solid but doesn't add much beyond what online coverage already offers. The Sandhurst Club course review (p52) reads like a favour to a member — it's difficult to find a critical sentence. The Moore Park redevelopment piece touches on a genuinely important issue (course rationalisation in urban Australia) but doesn't dig deep enough into the financial drivers. The Milesey rangefinder test is useful and specific — actual numbers across five models — which is more than most equipment pages deliver.

Strengths
• Karrie Webb retrospective has genuine historical value
• Moore Park redevelopment deserves the column space it gets
• Rangefinder test provides specific, comparable data

Weaknesses
• Sandhurst review lacks critical distance
• Hazeltine preview recycles familiar content

Verdict: Recommended — the Webb and Scott features carry an issue that otherwise leans too heavily on undifferentiated travel content.