2026 is The New 2016, It's Time to Bring Back SB2K16!

According to the internet, 2026 is the 2016. And you know what? Hell yeah.

If you're not clued into what's going on—allow me to catch you up to speed. It's hard to believe that 2016 was a decade ago. I mean I was 16, still playing competitive golf, and my back didn't just randomly ache. But there was something in the air back then. Life just felt simpler. Blurry Instagram pictures. Chokers. The Chainsmokers were ruling EDM. It was a wild time to be alive.

In the golf world, our sport made its Olympic comeback. Danny Willet was the Masters Champion. Andrew "Beef" Johnston was everybody's fav. Tiger even had a goatee!

But the true star of 2016 was the ultimate golf trip comprised of Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, and Smylie Kaufman that they coined "SB2K16".

Man, those were the days. I remember refreshing my snapchat back in high school every hour just to see what those guys were up to. The tomfoolery was iconic. The gaudy board shorts. The insane golfer’s tan lines. The no shoes, no shirt vibes were immaculate. It was golf’s hottest it boys at the time just bro-ing down. It wasn’t fake—it was unadulterated, organic moments between real friends.

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It felt relatable and unserious, and the timing was perfect. Right after Masters week, before the season really ramped up and the guys could chill after one of the most important weeks in golf that’s also so rooted in tradition.

I think the dichotomy is why I loved it so much. Just days prior, I was watching these four golfers so locked in, on their Ps and Qs parading around Augusta National and then suddenly they’re shotgunning beers and ripping drivers off a charter boat.

We haven’t really seen that kind of relaxed nature from golfers since. It’s not that golfers aren’t fun and silly anymore, but I think times have changed with social media and the new generation of younger guys feel more polished at times.

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The OG Spring Breakers weren’t dads and husbands yet, they were just 20-somethings who happened to be hitting their strides as professionals at the same time. It was kinda nuts when you think about it.

Spieth was coming off major two wins in 2015. JT went on to capture PGA Championship in 2017, and Fowler had his best majors finish soon after, a solo 2nd at The Masters in 2018. This crew was stacked! Major champs and good friends? What could be better?

It’s been cool to see the transition of these fellas; from the young bucks on the TOUR to the seasoned vets who still know how to get down.

But selfishly I want to see a new crew emerge. But no groups really stand out.

There are a few pairs that come to mind—like Scottie and Tom Kim, the Scandinavian boys Viktor and Ludvig, Xander and Patrick—but no squads. I’m sure they exist—reveal yourselves because I’m ready for a Spring Break Crew 2.0!

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We didn’t know how close the OGs really were until they all popped out on vacay together, so I’m holding out hope that a new golf gang will arise from the ashes. Maybe this time around it’s a girl golf squad. Or a Korn Ferry clique. Or perhaps we let the nostalgia of the late 2010s remain imprinted in our minds and hearts forever.

If you can’t out-do the doer, leave it be.

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This page was first published on February 28, 2025. Last updated January 16, 2026.