Heard it Before
New clubs promise
Every year
Great distance
But it’s clear
Extra length
May come for pros
For the rest of us
The same -- who knows?
Leon S White, PhD
Heard It Before
July 6, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Putters at $600 or More
June 2, 2026 by Leave a Comment
I recently saw an Odyssey putter advertised at a price of $699! Searching around I found more commercially available putters at even higher prices. I’ve written four-liners on this subject before but felt the need to add one more.
Putters at $600 or More
No matter how much a putter costs
The test remains touch and control.
Line and speed, as always, the need
Dollar signs won’t find the hole.
Leon S White, PhD
LIV is History
May 12, 2026 by Leave a Comment
On May 12th, Tara Sullivan, a Boston Globe sportswriter published an article in the digital edition titled "The decision is in: It's the PGA Tour over LIV Golf, by knockout." Here I'm offering a poetic alternative.
LIV is History
Golf is history, LIV is history,
Just a different kind.
Golf’s history covers hundreds of years
To which LIV’s creators were blind.
LIV has no future that’s now for sure,
It’s fading fast or slow;
For golf history books, at best a footnote,
Nothing more to show.
Leon S White, PhD
Author of:
If Golf Balls Could Talk – Collected Golf Poems
Golf Course of Rhymes – Links Between Golf and Poetry Through the Ages
Both on Amazon
Rory Repeats
April 13, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Others will write at length, but this is my way of describing Rory's win.
Rory Repeats
Great start
Uncatchable
Catchable
Great finish.
Rory’s 2026 Masters
In six words.
Leon S White, PhD
The Word is “Golf”
February 18, 2026 by Leave a Comment
How would you respond quickly if the word “golf” were tossed your way? The poem below imagines how a variety of golfers and others might respond. If you would like to add a stanza leave it as a comment for readers to enjoy.
The Word is “Golf”
Lighting round: “golf,”
What’s the reply?
For the driving range golfer
It’s just likely a sigh.
But a hacker, determined,
Might answer this way:
“With a little more practice
I’ll break 90 one day.”
The frustrated golfer,
His name could be Morrie,
Might offer a drink
And tell a sad story.
For the erratic duffer
Who just hit a slice,
The words would come quickly
None of them nice.
A pro might just smile
Turn his or her back,
Tee up a ball
And give it a wack.
A MAGA politician
Would respond with “Come on,
There’s only one answer,
The answer is Don.”
But you and I know
Just what we’d say,
Our singular reply:
“When can we play?”
Leon S White, PhD
02/06/1936
February 6, 2026 by Leave a Comment
My poems are often short with somewhat unexpected endings. The poem below fits that description, but in a unique way. You may not see the last two lines coming, but up to today, neither did I!
02/06/1936
The number is 90
The goal is to break it
In golf to go lower
In life go to higher
My good luck
I’ve now done both.
Leon S White, PhD
The Riyadh Cup
February 5, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This week, LIVs golf season opens at the Riyadh Golf Club. My thoughts.
The Riyadh Cup
The Riyadh Cup
When it made the scene
Was new to golf
And filled with green.
Giving endless cash
For players willing
To forsake the Tour
And make a killing.
With random teams
Unlike the true Ryder
It's affect on golf
An unfortunate divider.
Leon S White, PhD
New Year’s Greetings to My Readers
January 7, 2026 by Leave a Comment
“Golf Course of Rhymes” began in December of 2009, when I decided to share what I was learning about the history of golf poetry and to publish my golf poems on the Internet. I had no idea if the poems would attract readers. Now as the Blog begins its 18th year, I can report the following: The Blog has had more than 59,000 visitors from 164 countries. It has also led me to write and publish two books, Golf Course of Rhymes – Links Between Golf and Poetry Through the Ages and If Golf Ball Could Talk - Collected Golf Poems.
New Year’s Greetings to My Readers in 164 Countries
Thank you all for stopping by
To read a poem or two;
Among each country’s visitors
More than 30 from Peru.
The United States is first in line
While only one from Granada;
And one as well from Kyrgyzstan
Cape Verde and Rwanda.
Moving farther up in numbers
There are golfers who let fly
From countries that you might not guess
Djibouti and Brunei.
Other countries, Germany, France,
Belgium, Italy, Spain,
Russia, Poland, Serbia,
Venezuela and Ukraine.
Uganda, Bermuda, Denmark,
Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan;
The Isle of Man, Angola
China and Japan.
Of course, the U.K.’s golfers come
They hardly miss a day;
And Canada’s, Australia’s, and India’s,
For sure some from Bombay.
If your country is among the many
That I just could not include;
All poems have their limits,
Please do not think me rude.
The total one hundred and sixty-four
I never would have guessed;
Golf poetry lives because of you,
Happy New Year, all the best.
Leon S White, PhD
And Yet
November 18, 2025 by Leave a Comment
The frustration of hitting a slice or hook
Of hitting it out of bounds
Of hitting a shank
Of missing the green.
The frustration of finding the sand
Of leaving it in the sand
Of finding it wet
Of hitting a tree.
The frustration of watching it run off the green
Of leaving it short
Of misjudging the break
Of ringing the cup.
The frustration of selecting the wrong club
Of swinging too fast
Of thinking too much
Of taking bad advice.
And one other as well;
Arguably the worst of all.
The frustration of missing a putt
For a 69, 79, 89 or even 99.
And yet, and yet,
These painful frustrations
Will never diminish
A true golfer’s love of the game.
Leon S White, PhD
Tattooed
October 15, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Tattoos today are popular
With players in many sports;
Arms and more are seen adorned
On fields as well as courts.
Though I’ve not spotted a single one
Golfers must have them too;
As to what they illustrate
I haven’t got a clue — do you?
In any case, I’m thinking
If I were making the call,
Instead of marking up my arms
I’d rather tattoo the ball.
Leon S White, PhD
Golf Course of Rhymes 
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