Dear Golf Digest Reader, Thanks to modern technology, watching golf on TV has never been so immersive. This past weekend at Royal Montreal Golf Club, viewers could study the rough and bunker lies in high-definition minutes before the Presidents Cup competitors arrived at their balls. But there is something the cameras don’t pick up when we watch the pros play. You must be on the grounds, at the range and in the locker room to notice. Which is, how many players are using nicotine nowadays. The arrival of tobacco-free pouches, usually riding so subtly under the upper lip as to be imperceptible, is a phenomenon sweeping across pro golf. To find out more about who is using nicotine, why, how, and if it creates a competitive advantage, executive editor Peter Morrice interviewed nearly 100 golfers on the major world tours, as well as multiple leading medical experts. The resulting feature, “Tour Pro’s Little Helper,” from the October/November Issue of Golf Digest, is a compelling look into the habits and beliefs of the people playing the best golf in the world right now. Moreover, Morrice examines the societal costs and dangers of nicotine’s newest and increasingly popular form. As always, the very best of Golf Digest is available exclusively to Golf Digest+ members. You can join here to read this story now. Sincerely, |