Father’s Day stories that are also gifts

Golf Digest

Father’s Day arrives early with the June Issue of Golf Digest, but not in the ways you expect. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Father’s Day arrives early with the June Issue of Golf Digest, but not in the ways you expect. In a moving meditation about patriarchal legacy, Jim Nantz writes about his recent visit to Mauna Kea Golf Course in Hawaii to meet Robert Trent Jones Jr., 85, who just restored the influential island layout built by his father in 1963 and that was later worked on by his architect brother Rees in 2008.

PGA Tour rookie Karl Vilips has been all over leaderboards this year, including a win at the Puerto Rico Open in March. An itinerant childhood in Australia shaped by divorce and financial uncertainty led to his venturing solo to the United States at just 14. But even living oceans apart, his scratch golfer father remained his biggest supporter. In his own words, Vilips begins the story of his journey with understatement: “It’s been an uphill battle for me and my dad.”

If you’re a father of young children (like me), you’ll find guidance and comfort in our special package, “How to Not Become a Crazy Golf Parent.” The topics include how to tell if your kid is going to be any good, the best golf games to play with a young child, how to reward them the right way and how to handle their common frustrations. As a bonus, staff writer Keely Levins interviewed 11 “industry parents”—folks such as Davis Love III, David Leadbetter and Annika Sorenstam—to glean their nuggets of wisdom. While kids are going to like whatever they’re going to like, there are ways of tilting the scales toward golf.

Of course, the U.S. Open always culminates on Father’s Day. To get you ready, architecture editor Derek Duncan previews Gil Hanse’s big changes to Oakmont Country Club. Both major champions this year, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, shared the trophy presentation with their little one. Is young Poppy or Bennett more likely to repeat stealing our hearts? In our cover story, Dottie Pepper explains why Rory’s Masters win made her cry for a different reason.

On the shopping rather than the receiving end of this holiday? Check out our gift guides for every kind of golf dad and the elevated essentials that he’ll love.

Happy Father’s Day,