New drivers, irons, putters – the big equipment brands are launching their latest products and the prices may not be for the faint-hearted.
It doesn’t matter how you dress it up, £500 is a chunk of change for a new driver and a through-the-bag set will run into thousands.
What goes into the pricing? Is it about profit or is the technology, research, and effort that goes into making new clubs worthy of our investment?
Tom Irwin and NCG equipment editor Hannah Holden have been at The PGA Show, in Orlando, scouting out the newest releases. They discuss what’s been going on in Florida and answer the $64,000 question all club golfers have about new gear.
Hannah’s also got some great tips on whether it’s worth buying new equipment every year and reveals some budget options for those who don’t have lots of money to spend.
Tom and Steve also talk about Nick Dunlap’s incredible victory as an amateur on the PGA Tour and we discuss Hailey Davidson becoming the first transgender golfer to win a professional tournament.
From The Clubhouse is produced in association with the TaylorMade TP5 golf ball
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to golf courses. One player’s links paradise is another’s heathland heaven.
But even allowing for the most passionate discussion, there are plenty of layouts out there we all agree are superb. Rankings lists would be sunk without them!
So what is it that makes a golf course great? In this week’s The NCG Golf Podcast, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll go on a deep dive.
What courses speak to us? Where are we desperate to go this year, and where are we keen to return? To help us in that quest, we’ve enlisted two special guests.
Dan Murphy is a veteran of nearly 700 golf courses and has been the chairman of NCG’s Top 100s panel for nearly a decade. He is responsible for all our rankings lists.
And you may know David Jones better as UK Golf Guy – a phenomenally successful blogger whose insight on rankings lists and the price of playing the best golf courses in GB&I is required reading.
The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with the TaylorMade TP5 golf ball
It’s a brave new world for The NCG Golf Podcast. No more From the Clubhouse. We’ve put The Slam to bed, and we’re back with a solitary, singular, golf podcast.
But Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll remain your hosts and will continue to debate the things that matter to you.
Has it finally stopped raining? The heavens may have paused, but the last three months have been unbelievable for golf courses. We’ve got the numbers.
We’re going to serve up a host of special guests and we couldn’t start with a bigger character. Two-time major champion Bubba Watson joins us and he’s got plenty to say about LIV Golf, the PGA Tour, and the way forward.
What a start! So get the car volume up, put your headphones on, and give it a listen!
The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with the TaylorMade TP5 golf ball
Has Jon Rahm’s eye-watering move to LIV Golf fissured the sport? Has your love affair with the game been punctured by the bitter row enveloping the professional ranks?
Or are you unmoved by the actions of those at the top end of the game?
On this week’s episode of The NCG Golf Podcast, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll debate the ramifications of Rahm’s shift, ask if it makes LIV Golf’s proposition any stronger, and look at whether hi-jinks at the high end has any impact on how we approach golf at our own clubs.
Is saying the sport is in crisis borne out by reality?
The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf
Now we know. A ball roll back is coming for everyone.
In this week’s podcast, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll dig deep into the R&A and USGA’s decision to reduce the distance the ball travels at every level of the game.
We’re joined by performance coach and data expert Lou Stagner, and James Day, co-founder of Urban Golf and SounderGolf, to debate what the game's two big governing bodies have unveiled.
We wanted to bring you an in-depth discussion and analysis of both sides of the argument. Lou and James passionately defend their different views on the roll back, and the future of the game in both the professional and amateur spheres.
We consider why the governing bodies came to this decision, whether distance really matters at club level, what it means for our classic courses, and much more.
You might agree or disagree, depending where on the fence you sit, but we hope you find the chat absorbing and informative.
The From the Clubhouse podcast is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf.
“There are only three options: We can bifurcate; you change the whole game; or you do nothing. And doing nothing is not an option.”
R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers says a decision on what to do about hitting distances in golf is coming by the end of the year but, after admitting to Golf Digest’s John Huggan there had been lots of opposition to the R&A and USGA’s proposed Model Local Rule, what's going to happen now?
If you change the whole game, could that mean a shorter ball for everyone? In this episode of the From the Clubhouse podcast, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll speculate about the distance debate and how it will affect us at our clubs?
Would we be willing to play a shortened ball? Would it make any difference to our games? And what could it mean to the way our clubs maintain their courses?
You’ll not be surprised to learn Steve and Tom have rather different views!
The duo also consider the latest reincarnation of Tiger Woods and look at the new manoeuvres in the LIV Golf-PGA Tour standoff. Will a deal be done?
The From the Clubhouse podcast is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf.
What is it about Augusta week that Billy Foster can’t wait to be over? What does he think has ruined golf? And why is comparing the camaraderie between the European and US Ryder Cup teams like ‘Halifax Town playing Manchester City?’
Europe’s best-known caddie is our guest on this week’s From the Clubhouse podcast and the proud Yorkshireman has once again delivered a masterclass in straight-talking.
We’ll hear stories of Seve and Tiger and he'll put you right into the team room at some of his 15 Ryder Cups. It’s an interview with NCG’s Matt Chivers you can’t afford to miss.
Podcast hosts Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll give their verdict on his views, while also getting stuck into the PIP and asking whether Jon Rahm really might defect to LIV Golf.
Get clicking. Get listening.
From the Clubhouse is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf.
Those big WHS changes have certainly got your tongues wagging.
And while we’ve told you in great detail about what’s coming to Great Britain & Ireland next April, what do we really think about them?
In this week’s From the Clubhouse, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll go through the big changes and speak their minds.
Is Course Rating minus Par a good thing? Are the new fourball betterball rules a fudge? What’s Tom’s issue with Par 3 courses being eligible for Course Ratings?
The duo also get stuck into Rory McIlroy’s Race to Dubai victory. Should he have played more in Europe? They also discuss whether the peek at the Northern Irishman’s new driver has proved a PR masterstroke.
Beware. Strong opinions are about to be expressed. So put your headphones on and get listening!
From the Clubhouse is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf.
What a week it has been in the world of club golf! Big changes are coming to the World Handicap System and we’re going to mark your card.
In a special edition of the From the Clubhouse podcast, Steve Carroll is joined by England Golf’s head of handicapping, James Luke, to go through all the new WHS stuff coming to GB&I next year.
We’ll try to explain Course Rating minus Par and how it will affect your handicaps, we’ll delve into the merits of the new rules around fourball betterball, and we’ll drill down into the detail of Course Handicaps and Expected Score.
If you’re still a little confused about what’s coming in April, this will hopefully start to put your minds at ease…
Oh Erik, what have you done to us?!
On the latest episode of The Slam Podcast - in association with Callaway - Matt Coles and Matt Chivers discuss Erik van Rooyen's emotional victory at the World Wide Technology Championship.
He pledged his second PGA Tour win to his best friend Jon Trasamar who is suffering from cancer.
The team also discusses Adam Long's mind-boggling achievement at El Cardonal, as he hits every single fairway at the event in Mexico.
The tour has also announced its members will be allowed to play in the LIV Golf Promotions event without repercussions - the team discusses whether more stars could play.
Will players turn up just to play for the prize money? Will this rule mean the PGA Tour loses more players?
It has also been widely reported that the PGA Tour is in talks with a number of companies interested in becoming private equity partners of the circuit.
As the tour looks for more sources of investment and with the December 31 deadline for the agreement with the Public Investment Fund approaching, is golf's biggest deal in jeopardy?
On a more light-hearted note, the team also talks about the DP World Tour's latest fun feature with Andy Sullivan who broke 80 at the Belfry with just a 5 iron!
You know what to do!
The Slam Podcast - in association with Callaway - is back for another episode! Two of NCG's finest, Matt Coles and Matt Chivers, dive into another busy week of news both on and off the golf course.
On the course in Qatar, we saw heartbreak and ecstasy as stars of the DP World Tour battled to keep their playing cards for the next season.
On the LPGA Tour, Celine Boutier won AGAIN in Malaysia, but not without going through a nine-hole playoff(!) against Atthaya Thitikul.
Meanwhile, Alison Lee broke record after record in Riyadh on the Aramco Team Series with a score that left the NCG Team breathless.
Chiefs at the R&A and the Masters denied that separate spots could soon be opened to LIV Golf players - further restricting some of the LIV roster's access to major championships.
Is this the correct route for LIV players? Like Bubba Watson said, should the tour aim for major places instead of world ranking points?
We also run through the details of the LIV Promotions Event - the Saudi-backed circuit's own Q-school.
Invitations are open, but who will play? Will any stars from the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour turn up?
You know what to do! Listen to the Slam Podcast HERE!
If the PGA Tour is the Premier League, does that make the DP World Tour the ‘Championship’? Or is it even worse than that?
In this episode of the From the Clubhouse podcast, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll unpick the bones of the DP World Tour’s offer of membership to players who have failed to keep their PGA Tour cards.
Is it, as some are claiming, confirmation of the status of European golf as a feeder tour, or can this new element of the strategic alliance work to everyone’s advantage?
Elsewhere, some significant changes have been announced at another Open venue with the bulldozers moving into Royal Birkdale.
We ask if such tinkering enhances or spoils classic courses and consider whether our best layouts should move with the times or stay as museum pieces.
Steve has also spent the last five months playing every score counts golf. He gives a final update of what happened to his World Handicap System index over the summer season.
And after Brooks Koepka questioned whether golf was actually a sport, our duo’s temperatures start rising.
Let’s see if you can keep your composure too during their hour of debate.
From the Clubhouse is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf.
Well, that was quite a week.
In this episode of The Slam podcast, Steve Carroll and Matt Coles look back on Lexi Thompson’s participation in the Shriners Children’s Open and ask whether more women should tee it up in PGA Tour events.
They also consider the Official World Golf Rankings’ decision to reject LIV Golf's application to become an eligible tour.
Was it the right thing for the sport? Does not having Bryson DeChambeau and co in the listings make a mockery of the figures – even if you accept the players took their own decisions?
Will LIV Golf eventually accepted into the fold anyway, and what should happen in the meantime with the majors?
With the first LIV players now set to be relegated, Steve and Matt also try and figure out what an earth ‘free agency’ is all about.
And with the first 10 PGA Tour cards about the be awarded on the DP World Tour – because of the strategic alliance between the two bodies – our pod team look at the talent that might set up stateside and ask what it means for the overall vibrancy and viability of golf on this side of the pond.
The views are forthright as always so what are you waiting for? Have a listen…
The Slam podcast is produced in association with Callaway Golf.
The most important person in the golf club, or a tradition that belongs in golf's history bin?
In this episode of the From the Clubhouse podcast, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll consider the role of the PGA professional, what they mean to us, and whether they still have a place in a game that's being pushed to modernise.
You might not be surprised to learn the duo are very appreciative of the work they do - but they look at why some clubs have gone another way. Is it change for change sake?
They also get into countback. We all know about back-9, back-6, and so on but do you know how far down the rabbit hole you can go? We reveal what the rules say.
Is it the best way to sort out a winner? Should we have playoffs for big board competitions?
And we also discuss USGA research which suggests how far you hit your 7-iron should determine from which tees you would play. Does it also make the game quicker? We get stuck in…
From the Clubhouse is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf
NOW READ: Is your 7-iron the key to speeding up golf?
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship finished on Monday after only 54 holes due to such poor weather in Scotland!
Matt Coles and Matt Chivers sing the praises of the greens staff at Carnoustie, but question if wins over reduced formats should count on the record.
Also in the latest episode of The Slam - in association with Callaway - the team argue the case for more tournaments to be played using multiple courses, with some interesting suggestions...
The Matts reflect on an exciting five-way playoff on the PGA Tour including Ryder Cup hero Ludvig Aberg, while elsewhere in the States, players were battling for their Tour cards at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship.
One rule break cost one unlucky player everything!
Meanwhile, the team look ahead to Lexi Thompson's PGA Tour debut in Las Vegas, as well as looking back on a great win by a young, European LIV golfer on the Asian Tour.
Could David Puig add another string to Europe's bow at the 2025 Ryder Cup?
You know what to do!
The Ryder Cup is back in European hands but the fallout from events at Marco Simone are still rumbling on – particularly with regards to ‘hatgate’ and Joe LaCava’s antics on the 18th green.
Tom Irwin, as always joined by Steve Carroll, looks back at that story and considers whether it would have been handled any differently if it was a player at the centre, and not a caddie.
At club level, we have our own chance to benefit from expert advice when we visit a prestigious course. But is it worth it? Does it add to the experience, or would you rather just crack on and carry your own clubs? Tom and Steve, who have benefited from the help of golf caddies and have also made their own way round, debate.
Tom also grills Steve on the Ryder Cup rules incidents involving Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas and asks whether players should ever be allowed a second opinion. Steve’s answer might surprise you.
We hope it’s another hour of informed discussion.
If you haven’t already, please consider subscribing or, if you’ve previously clicked in our favour, have another look at your connections and make sure you’re getting the most up to date feed.
From the Clubhouse is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf
The Ryder Cup is back in European hands! What a weekend that was in Rome and, in this week’s The Slam, Steve Carroll is joined by Matt Chivers (from the Eternal City no less!) to break down the 16.5-11.5 victory over the USA.
We assess all the big talking points from Marco Simone, whether that’s hauling skipper Zach Johnson over the coals, debating crowd behaviour, or pinpointing just why the Europeans are just so dominant in foursomes.
And, yes, we also talk about ‘hatgate’.
Should it be ‘two more years’ for Luke Donald? Who on earth will captain if he says no? There is plenty to discuss. Who knows if you’ll agree with us, but have a listen and let us know…
In the latest edition of The Slam Podcast - in association with Callaway - Matt Coles and Matt Chivers are joined by award-winning journalist and author Richard Gillis.
Richard wrote The Captain Myth: The Ryder Cup and Sport’s Great Leadership Delusion, published in 2016, which re-thinks the role of the Ryder Cup captain and how important they actually are.
With an array of interviews with an abundance of golfing figures, Richard considers the idea of the good and bad captain - the inevitable labels given to the winning and losing leaders at the Ryder Cup.
Richard joins the team to discuss how captains have been perceived in previous iterations of the event, when often their fate has been determined by flip-of-a-coin moments, such as Justin Rose's memorable putt when facing Phil Mickelson at the 2012 matches at Medinah.
Do we just seek a story of romance surrounding who wins? Or does the best team simply win most of the time?
He also delves into the business side of the Ryder Cup and ponders its future if money becomes the primary object of the event. One day, could it be held every year? Or, could it become a four-day tournament?
You won't want to miss this special Ryder Cup preview!
The Matts also previewed the huge week in Rome and revealed the European pairings they would go with for the first foursomes session on Friday morning.
Will Luke Donald opt for experience over rookies, or will the Englishman put trust in his most fresh-faced team members?
Tom Irwin’s got a bee in his bonnet. It’s match play time – with the Solheim Cup on our screens and the Ryder Cup following hotly on its heels.
But Tom’s struggling to get into the spirit of person-to-person combat. He’s got a problem with it and spends a chunk of this week’s episode getting stuck into the biennial Europe vs USA battles as well as outlining some of his issues with match play at club level.
Is it geared too much in favour of players with more shots and will he find an ally in podcast co-host Steve Carroll?
We also get stuck into handicapping (just for a change) and ask whether it’s acceptable to put in a score if you’re playing solo.
And Steve believes too much of what we do at club level is geared towards stopping the tiny minority of players who are determined to cheat.
Let him argue his case in another fascinating episode that needs to be heard to be believed…
We have reached Solheim Cup week!
On the latest episode of The Slam - in association with Callaway - Matt Chivers and Matt Coles look ahead to the match between Europe and America at Finca Cortesin.
The team considered who would be the star performers on each side, with both Suzann Pettersen and Stacy Lewis having an abundance of experience and freshness at their disposal.
Who will Charley Hull be paired with in Spain? Will America's Solheim Cup veteran Lexi Thompson be paired with the impressive Rose Zhang?
America has two major champions as rookies, Lilia Vu and Allisen Corpuz, but will they trump the youth of Linn Grant and Maja Stark? There are so many dynamics to consider.
The Matts also look back on the BMW PGA Championship which was superbly won by Ryan Fox, despite making a triple-bogey on the front nine at Wentworth.
With the entire European Ryder Cup side in the field, how pleased will Luke Donald be with his team's performance?
Also, we congratulate Sahith Theegala on his first win on the PGA Tour at the Fortinet Championship after many heartbreaking near misses.
You know what to do!
What is a golfer? Is it just a golf club member? Or can someone who has only ever struck a shot on an Adventure Golf course call themselves a player?
Golf for All, a huge research project commissioned by the PGA in partnership with IPSOS , claims that “golf is not what you thought it was”.
It reveals that 22.4 million people (some 40 per cent of adults in the UK and Ireland) are interested in the game, with 16.3 million playing any golf and 4.9 million playing on-course.
With Adventure Golf the most popular form of the game, and enjoyed by 12.6 million people, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll dive into some of the report’s major findings, consider what makes a golfer, and ask how to bridge the gap between off course and on course golf activity.
Elsewhere, Tom’s been on a visit to ‘that there London’ and watched the pro-am at the BMW PGA Championship. He discusses with Steve Carroll the merit of golf celebrity watching. Hint: Steve is not a fan.
And after Steve dug once more into the history archives and revealed how hitting into another group was viewed by our golfing ancestors, Tom reveals two of the most incredible etiquette breaches.
They are stories you won’t want to miss.
The From the Clubhouse podcast is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf.
There might've been no PGA Tour at the weekend, but the DP World Tour delivered with a tight finish at the Horizon Irish Open.
Vincent Norrman won once again, so Matt Chivers and Matt Coles discuss the sudden rise in Scandinavian golf and how so many superstars in the sport are emerging from this part of the world.
In the latest episode of The Slam Podcast - in association with Callaway - the Matts discuss the weight of Rory McIlroy's words about Portmarnock possibly hosting The Open Championship one day.
Whether this could be the case or not, Irish fans will turn out for their national event, and the team talks about why the Irish Open is so popular on tour.
Should the Irish Open stay on links turf and visit the country's most famous courses more often, such as when Royal County Down hosts the tournament in 2024?
The team looks back on the USA's recent visit to Marco Simone, some funny pictures on social media and a nostalgic choice of shirt from Jim Furyk.
A couple of Team USA members tee it up at the Fortinet Championship this week while the entire European side heads to Wentworth for the BMW PGA Championship.
The team looks forward to this event, and looks back on the dramatic and extraordinary BMW PGA Championship from 2022, as well as Charley Hull's unfortunate defeat to Minjee Lee at the weekend on the LPGA Tour!
You know what to do...
Enjoyed the summer break? Our From the Clubhouse team are back and they’ve got plenty to get stuck into.
Listeners will remember that Steve Carroll pledged to submit a score for handicap from every round he played until the end of October. Three and a half months in, he gives Tom Irwin an update on how that’s going and how it’s affected his golf.
The duo then consider the remarkable comments from England Golf on the R&A and USGA’s proposed Model Local Rule for a golf ball roll back, and look at why the governing body have taken this step and whether action needs to happen on hitting distances.
And Steve gets on his soapbox once again to argue for a change in the way we play our club competitions.
You may not agree, but you’ll be intrigued all the same. So let’s get stuck in!
The From the Clubhouse podcast is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf.
The 2023 European Ryder Cup side is complete, but has Luke Donald chosen the right players for his team?
In another special episode of The Slam Podcast - in association with Callaway - Matt Chivers and Matt Coles discuss the six selections that the European captain made for his Ryder Cup team.
Swedish starlet Ludvig Aberg has been included in most of the talk surrounding these captain’s picks for the last few weeks. His win in Crans Montana made it certain that he would be there.
How good is this young Swede? The two Matts talk about how good he has been in the three months since turning professional, and what his possible ceiling might be, including how many Ryder Cups he could play in.
There’s a changing of the guard. Many of the elder European players went to LIV Golf, meaning that there would be some space for the new to come in. Sepp Straka and Nicolai Hojgaard are among those.
Should Hojgaard have made it into the team? Was Adrian Meronk a better option for Team Europe? The boys discuss what could have been for the Pole and perhaps why Luke Donald has made the right choice.
The guys also discuss what a possible scoreline between a US ‘B’ team and a European ‘B’ team might be, and it doesn’t look good for the Europeans…
Listen to The Slam right here!
The 2023 American Ryder Cup side is complete, but has Zach Johnson made the right Captain's picks?
In a special episode of The Slam Podcast - in association with Callaway - Matt Chivers and Matt Coles discuss the six selections that joined the US side for the matches in Italy earlier today.
Justin Thomas was picked after some golf fans doubted if he'd be chosen, so how important is it for the two-time major champion to perform well at Marco Simone?
Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, and Rickie Fowler were also chosen as well as Brooks Koepka - the only LIV Golf player to make the American side.
Should Bryson DeChambeau have joined his LIV colleague on Team USA? Matt and Matt discuss how DeChambeau would've contributed to the team atmosphere when travelling to Europe.
Sam Burns is set to make his Ryder Cup debut having won the WGC Match Play in March - but was the runner-up Cameron Young unfortunate to miss out on a Ryder Cup bow?
The team also discuss other candidates that missed out such as Keegan Bradley, Lucas Glover and Denny McCarthy - while also looking forward to Monday, September 4 when Luke Donald is set to name his six Captain's picks.
Listen to The Slam right here!
As we near the end of the 2023 PGA Tour season, Matt Chivers and Matt Coles look ahead to the 2024 season in the latest episode of The Slam - in association with Callaway.
There will be eight Signature Events and an even larger prize for the FedEx Cup winner, but for how long can the PGA Tour continue to increase its purses?
The tour is supposedly nearing a deal with the Public Investment Fund, so is Jay Monahan relying on the riches of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund to secure their financial future?
The team discussed this as well as the structure of the DP World Tour schedule in 2024. How does it look? Which events will be played? And what is missing?
The schedule features five Global Swings with incentives for each winner, but are these incentives strong enough to lure the big players and entertain the fans watching at home?
Matt and Matt dissect what next year could look like for the formerly-named European Tour, and how there are still no Signature Events on the PGA Tour to be played in Europe.
Is this indicative of the strategic alliance between the two allies? Should the top American players be brought over to the continent more often?
Listen to The Slam wherever you got your podcasts! You know what to do!
A record-breaking 61 to win the BMW Championship?
On the latest episode of The Slam, in association with Callaway Golf, Matt Coles and Steve Carroll discuss Viktor Hovland’s incredible final round at Olympia Fields, as he moves up to No.2 on the FedEx Cup standings.
The team also talk about the Tour Championship and the unique format, which sees players given a head-start due to their performances over the course of the season.
But the meat of the discussion is about the Ryder Cup, including the possible omission of LIV golfers from the US team. With Brooks Koepka dropping out of the top six to automatically qualify, will captain Zach Johnson pick him? And does Team Europe actually have a chance in Rome?
Matt and Steve also talk about the women guaranteed a Solheim Cup spot. The European Qualifying Period ended this week, with the first eight players now assured of their places in Andalucia.
How much do you know about how your golf course was put together? Do you sail round your club course just hitting shots with abandon, or do you find yourselves wondering why each hole plays the way it does.
There has been a surge of interest in golf course architecture among average players – whether that’s poring over ranking lists or discovering the secrets of design so we can understand our own layouts just a little bit better.
We’ve got a special guest this week as Geoff Shackelford, a renowned American golf writer and commentator, joins us to talk about his new book: Golf Architecture for Normal People.
Written to help golfers are all skill levels become better observers and get more fun out of their game, Geoff demystifies as well as poking fun at the genre, and gives readers tools to help them understand what they’re seeing and playing.
We talk fun, what makes a great hole, and we also get Geoff’s thoughts on the controversial distance debate in golf.
If you’ve always wondered how to appreciate your surroundings just a little better, tune in for the next hour as Geoff unlocks the door.
You can buy Golf Architecture for Normal People here.
From the Clubhouse is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf
Justin Thomas? Bryson DeChambeau? Lucas Glover?!
Every week, a new player appears in the thoughts of Zach Johnson, so Matt Chivers and Matt Coles discuss another impressive display from Lucas Glover at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and his desire to be on the US Ryder Cup team.
On the latest episode of The Slam, in association with Callaway, Matt Coles also reveals which players he would take to Marco Simone at the end of September with some surprise inclusions you mightn't have expected.
Before that though, the team talked all things AIG and Lilia Vu's stunning win at the Women's Open at Walton Heath - and a valiant effort from the home favourite Charley Hull.
The team looks to the ever-approaching Solheim Cup too and discusses who could be selected to play at Finca Cortesin next month, a week before the Ryder Cup starts!
Cameron Smith notched another win on the LIV Golf Tour at Trump Bedminster, but be prepared for a Chivers rant as the team ponders what the PGA Tour could look like with Smith still in the fray.
We review all of the weekend's action plus much more, so you know what to do!
You think it's always been this way - but you've been living a lie.
On this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll explore the origin of 18 hole golf, why it's a completely random number, and whether we should think again as modern life - and family demands - impinge on our leisure time.
Do we need to take 9-hole golf more seriously, and should we offer a more varied competition structure at our clubs?
Elsewhere, slow play continues to rear its head as the row over Carlota Ciganda's penalty at the Evian Championship rumbles on. Do we do enough at club level to get us round the course quicker?
And Steve has been on his travels again and reckons he has played the most insane golf course he's ever seen. He gives you the lowdown on Bishop Auckland, in County Durham.
From the Clubhouse is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf
Thirteen birdies and a leap that would make Phil Mickelson proud. Bryson DeChambeau’s stunning 58 at the Greenbrier was genuinely historic – so few have managed the feat – but his maiden LIV Golf victory has got minds whirring at NCG Towers.
On this week’s The Slam podcast, Matt Coles and Steve Carroll, stepping in for Matt Chivers, look back at Bryson’s win and ask the question: Should he go to the Ryder Cup?
The answer is a definitive yes, and it won’t ease the headache for US skipper Zach Johnson. Let us explain why he has to be on the plane.
It’s also the final women’s major of the year as the AIG Women’s Open is staged at the wonderful Walton Heath. We preview the action and hand over our tips.
The Slam podcast is produced in association with Callaway.
With its pizza oven, street food, a colourful driving range, and 9-hole course, Golf It! is being described as the sport’s new approach – an accessible and inclusive way to get into golf.
The facility, which is based at the former Lethamhill Golf Course in Glasgow, boasts a range of introductory golf formats and Steve Carroll went along to see it ahead of its launch.
He takes Tom Irwin through the new centre step-by-step and the pair ask whether it will actually change the way people engage with golf.
Meanwhile, some of Tom’s new shiny new TaylorMade kit remains unwrapped and so the duo get into the origins of the 14 club rule and whether we really need to use that many. Would golf be better with less, or even more clubs?
It’s thought provoking as always so have a listen and get involved.
From the Clubhouse is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf
Celine Boutier was fantastic at the Evian Championship, becoming the first Frenchwoman to win this major title on home turf.
But this didn't come without some slow-play rules controversy involving Carlota Ciganda, and Angel Yin's ball being picked up by a young spectator!
NCG's Matt Chivers and Matt Coles take a look back at the action from France, as well as a brutal week in Wales where Alex Cejka won the Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl.
Brutal conditions led to some huge scores on Sunday, even by the leaders, as the wind and rain caused havoc on the coast.
The team also discusses Lee Hodges' dominant display at the 3M Open on the PGA Tour, and what this now means for the FedEx Cup rankings.
As we head into the final week of the regular season, could the likes of Justin Thomas and Shane Lowry miss out on the FedEx Cup Playoffs?
The Slam is an NCG podcast in association with Callaway. You know what to do!
Did you feel sorry for the stars flailing around in Hoylake's bunkers at The Open? No, the From the Clubhouse team of Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll didn't either.
For a brief period on Thursday, the sand was truly a hazard again in professional golf. For those of us at our clubs, used to hacking about and struggling to get out, it was magical.
Then the R&A changed the way they were raked, the players stopped moaning, and normality returned. But should it? Steve and Tom discuss the golf bunker, whether jeopardy is a big part of the risk of going into one, and whether the expectation of a consistent roll and a well-raked surface is what golf should be all about.
It'll get some of your heckles up and, while we're on the subject of controversy, Steve is advocating a change to the penalty for stroke-and-distance that is bound to start a debate. So strap in and get listening!
From the Clubhouse is a National Club Golfer podcast produced in association with TaylorMade Golf
From timekeeper to trolley-maker: How a broken trolley sparked the creation of one of the world’s biggest golf companies.
Powakaddy are celebrating 40 years of business this summer. The company has been designing and making golf trolleys in Sittingbourne, Kent, since 1983. But how did the company initially start, and what has changed in the trolley world in the last 40 years?
Equipment Editor Hannah Holden sat down with PowaKaddy CEO David Catford to find out...
Brian Harman has proven himself on the big stage by becoming the Champion Golfer of the Year at Hoylake, and jumping up to third in the Ryder Cup standings.
On the latest episode of The Slam, in association with Callaway, Matt Chivers and Matt Coles talk about their week at Royal Liverpool, plus the shake-ups to both Ryder Cup sides as the event gets closer.
Harman could earn an automatic place, but what about the exploits of Justin Thomas? Is the American unpickable after another missed cut at The Open?
Sepp Straka staked another strong Ryder Cup claim with a tied runner-up finish in wet conditions, while it was another tournament that went begging for Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood.
The team also talk about the week on Merseyside as a whole. Covering The Open is great fun, but what were the most memorable moments and what were the key takeaways from the course itself?
From the bunkers to the internal out-of-bounds and the 17th hole - we dive into a full review of the 151st Open!
It’s the kind of golfing odyssey of which most of us would dream. The best of UK golf and a ton of life experiences along the way.
Sean Zak, a well-known writer for golf.com in America, has been on that journey for the last month – traversing great courses and meeting those who love the game.
That expedition started, and is finishing, at Royal Liverpool and Sean kindly spared us some time to recount his adventures.
We’ll also get into some detail about the host course of this week’s Open, consider the American challenge for the Claret Jug, and preview Sean’s exciting upcoming book covering the three months he spent living in St Andrews last year.
It’s a different perspective on the golf we all take for granted in the UK, and you’re sure to enjoy the conversation.
The From the Clubhouse podcast is produced in association with TaylorMade Golf.
Tom Irwin is at Hoylake – although probably not in the capacity he would have wished. Our stout From the Clubhouse host did his best to qualify for this week’s Open, taking on Alwoodley in Regional Open Qualifying.
Steve Carroll was his caddie and the pair enjoyed an eventful round which they dissect from the confines of the Open Media Centre.
As you might have guessed, Tom didn’t qualify but the pair look at Hoylake, talk about the course and some of their favourite holes, and then each make their pick for the Champion Golfer of the Year.
It’s the week we’ve all been waiting for, so let Tom and Steve get you started in the right way!
It’s the best week of the year! The 151st Open is just days away and Royal Liverpool promises to be a spectacular venue.
But what do you know about Hoylake, its history, and some of the intricacies of a course that will see a Champion Golfer of the Year crowned on Sunday evening?
The From the Clubhouse team are on site at the Wirral layout all week, and we'll be hoping to add a layer of veneer to this exceptional event.
First up is Hoylake lifetime member Sam Cooper, who knows every bump on the fairway and every borrow on the green. An associate at Clayton, De Vries, & Pont architects, Sam also undertook a daring mission during the Covid pandemic to play every links course in England, Scotland and Wales.
Sam has kindly given us his views on some of Hoylake’s best holes, which you can read on our website, but joins us on the podcast for a deep dive into this most special of golf courses….
From the Clubhouse is a National Club Golfer podcast in association with TaylorMade Golf
In the latest episode of The Slam Podcast, Matt Chivers talks Matt Coles through his days spent at LIV Golf London, just over a year on from the tour's inaugural event at Centurion!
What has changed about the breakaway league? Did the crowds flock to Hertfordshire? Have LIV Golf events improved from a spectator perspective in 2023?
The team also discusses Allisen Corpuz' impressive win at the US Women's Open at Pebble Beach, and a couple of the big talking points emerging from an exciting final round.
Europe also saw Sepp Straka and Rasmus Hojgaard both win on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour respectively at the weekend, but will they be chosen by Luke Donald for the Ryder Cup side in September?
NCG also watched Final Open Qualifying at West Lancashire where a host of big names attempted to earn a spot at Royal Liverpool, but Sergio Garcia and Graeme McDowell failed to get through!
The Slam Podcast is a National Club Golfer Podcast in association with Callaway.
In the latest episode of The Slam Podcast, host Matt Chivers is joined by Matt Coles - the newest member of the NCG team.
The Matt's discuss Rickie Fowler's first win on the PGA Tour in four years at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, and his road back to glory after plummetting in the world rankings!
The team also talks Fowler's Ryder Cup hopes and analyses the American rankings to discuss who could be in or out by the time September comes around.
Could Talor Gooch be on Zach Johnson's team? He notched his third LIV Golf win at Valderrama at the weekend, so we delve into his chances of being selected.
At the same event, Richard Bland was penalised for slow play! So, is this a chance for LIV Golf to crack down on slow play in professional golf and become pioneers of this debate as old as time?
The team discusses these topics plus much more in this week's episode!
The Slam Podcast is a National Club Golfer Podcast in association with Callaway.
Golfers always have high expectations from their game, but is this holding you back from performing your best?
We've teamed up with Shot Scope to take a deep dive into club golfers' statistics and see where you can make the biggest gains to improve your golf this season.
Today Hannah Holden and Jack Backhouse discuss how often players of different handicaps get up and down and which club they should be using to get up and down more.
LIV Golf player Richard Bland joins Matt Chivers in the latest episode of The Slam Podcast.
Bland joined LIV Golf in June 2022, but he takes us back to his memorable win at the Betfred British Masters in 2021 and how his life has changed since then.
Having now resigned from his DP World Tour membership, Bland discusses the potential of returning and he also shares his views on the PGA Tour's merger with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, PGA Tour CEO Jay Monahan, and his ineligibility to play at The Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl in July.
You don't want to miss this one!
The Slam is a National Club Golfer Podcast in association with Callaway.
In the latest episode of The Slam Podcast, Matt Chivers is joined by Tom Irwin to discuss the US Open and Wyndham Clark's fantastic display which earned him a maiden major title.
It was an emotional win for Clark, 10 years on from the death of his mother, and it was another major that got away from runner-up Rory McIlroy.
When Clark wobbled on the back nine, why didn't McIlroy capitalise? Matt and Tom discuss this, as well as his chances of major glory at Royal Liverpool in July, where he won The Open in 2014.
The team gives an honest assessment of Los Angeles Country Club as a host venue for the US Open. What needs to change about the club between now and the next time it holds the event?
The Slam is a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway.
It's been a big week for the World Handicap System. The ability to use your phones to submit digital scores across borders in Great Britain & Ireland has gone live and many will see its introduction as a positive for the still fledgling system.
In this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll chat about the new feature and when they plan to use it, before branching out into a wider discussion about what can still be developed as WHS moves forward.
Steve reflects on a week's refereeing at the English Senior Amateur Championship, while Tom's just got to get something off his chest about gender neutral tees.
It's another lively discussion we hope reflects what's being talked about in your clubhouse bars. So let's get listening.
From the Clubhouse is a National Club Golfer podcast in association with TaylorMade Golf.
The PGA Tour has announced a groundbreaking merger with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia in what is one of the biggest stories in professional golf history!
The tour, LIV Golf, and the DP World Tour will run as one entity, but how will this work? The move represents a significant U-turn from PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan, so Matt Chivers and Steve Carroll discuss the CEO's future and if some players' lack of trust could lead to his downfall.
In the second half of the podcast, Oddschecker's betting expert Tom Jacobs joins to discuss the US Open, the third men's major of the year, to be played at Los Angeles Country Club.
Matt and Tom tell us their favourite bets as well as some selections at triple figures to keep you occupied across the week!
The Slam is a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway.
Double DP World Tour winner Jordan Smith joins the latest episode of The Slam to chat about the exciting steps he's made in his career so far!
From shooting 30-under to win the Portugal Masters to finishing in the top 10 on his PGA Championship debut, Smith chats to NCG about what the future could hold when it comes to the PGA Tour and the Ryder Cup.
The Englishman also chats to Matt Chivers about the DP World Tour's position in the current professional golf climate, and looks back on practicing next to Tiger Woods at The 150th Open!
The Slam is a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway.
We're counting down the weeks to the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool and as the excitement builds for the From the Clubhouse team of Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll, they've bagged a special guest for this week's episode.
They're joined by Hoylake's Links Manager, James Bledge, to look ahead to the year's final major and talk about his stellar career in greenkeeping.
You will not want to miss the story of what happened on James' first day as a greenkeeper, and he's got plenty of anecdotes and stories from a life spent at some of golf's most glorious courses.
And while he can't quite give you an inside track on the Open course set-up - we can't let the competitors know what's coming! - he does give us some insight into just how huge the event has become, what it takes to get a course ready to hold it, the new 17th hole that everyone is hoping will provide a thrilling climax to Sunday's final round, and the sheer scale of the team he will have on site throughout the week.
If this doesn't get you up for The Open, nothing will. So let's dive straight in.
From the Clubhouse is a National Club Golfer podcast in association with TaylorMade Golf.
DP World Tour winner and Yorkshireman Dan Bradbury chats to NCG about his stellar career so far on the latest episode of The Slam podcast! Bradbury broke through on Tour in South Africa in November, winning the Joburg Open on just his third start. Matt Chivers chats to Dan about this as well as his weekend with Rory McIlroy at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, his exciting college golf career, his aspirations to play in the Ryder Cup, and which LIV Golf players he's spoken to since the rebel tour's inception! The Slam is a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway.
What's the weather forecast? The course is closed, any idea when it will be open? Can I return these year-old shoes? We're all guilty of bombarding our hard-working club pro with some pretty ridiculous queries and, on the From the Clubhouse, we reveal some of the stranger requests.
Tom Irwin has basically been ringing around every pro he knows and asking them to tell us, anonymously of course, about the daftest questions they've been asked by members. He's also been listening in to golfers.
Maybe you're guilty of asking some of these, maybe you think some of these are perfectly above board, but you'll recognise someone you know in all of these situations.
If that wasn't controversial enough, we also address the seemingly and endlessly controversial topic of whether greenkeepers or golfers should have priority on the course - and Steve Carroll has some very strong views.
It's every shot counts now for Steve, who has begun a six-month odyssey of putting in a score from every round he plays that's acceptable, and he gives us an update on the first of those before being put under the spotlight by Tom to explain a series of rules incidents at the PGA Championship.
That's a lot for one episode and so let's get stuck in!
Brooks Koepka returned to his brilliant best at the PGA Championship, overcoming Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler to win his fifth major title at Oak Hill!
Matt Chivers and Tom Irwin dissect what took place in New York last week, with Koepka's typically formidable performance at the centre of discussion.
The team looks back on a magical week for PGA professional Michael Block and another solid but disappointing week for Rory McIlroy at a major tournament.
Matt and Tom talk about Oak Hill as the PGA Championship's host venue and much more in this review episode!
White belts? Iron headcovers? These things are a given. But what else do you really fear and despise on the golf course and what would you want to banish from your club forever?
In this week’s episode of From the Clubhouse, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll get into their pet hates and argue for their inclusion in club golf’s Room 101.
But this is a tough school, as only with unanimous agreement will their selections gain entry.
What will we put in there? Will scabby range balls make the cut? What about Tom’s dodgy dislike of parkland tracks? What do we say about the eternal issue of fairway divots?
We’re sure you’ll nod your heads in agreement but also shake your fists in rage at some of our suggestions. So let’s get the discussion going.
Golfers always have high expectations from their game, but is this holding you back from performing your best?
We've teamed up with Shot Scope to take a deep dive into club golfers' statistics and see where you can make the biggest gains to improve your golf this season.
It's major week and in this episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway, with discussing who we think will lift that famous Wanamaker Trophy at Oak Hill on Sunday.
Can you believe it's been more than 100 years since and Englishman won the PGA Championship? Well we've got a couple of names we fancy to end that drought - but there's a couple of solid Americans they will need to stave off first.
Elsewhere, there was an emotional victory on the PGA Tour, while LIV Golf provided a rather entertaining Sunday.
Let's go!
We just love nattering about competitions!
On this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll meander once again around match play golf and debate the optimal number of events in a club's calendar.
Tom recounts a head-to-head that left a participant in tears, grills Steve after reading he'd had an eventful refereeing weekend that involved a fair number of DQs, and then takes him to task when he reveals he's not playing in competitions - while simultaneously asking for more competitions!
Tom's also got plenty to say on eligibility and why, in his view, the best players can't always represent their clubs at the top level.
But make sure you listen to the end, when the pair will raise an eyebrow after making an interesting pledge until the end of the season...
It's been a dramatic week on tour, with several European legends resigning from the DP World Tour and effectively ending their Ryder Cup careers, so there's plenty for Alex Perry and Matt Chivers to get into in this episode of The Slam - a National Club Golfer podcast, in association with Callaway.
The pair go in hard on the main protagonists - namely Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Richard Bland - but the reality is so much more damaging for Europe's hopes of regaining the Ryder Cup trophy in September.
Elsewhere, Alex and Matt discuss what's going on with Rory McIlroy, and the horrible Jordan Spieth news that has darkened our week.
Let's dive in...
We all do our utmost to uphold the laws of the game but there are some rules we just can't seem to get our heads around.
On this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll get their heads into the book and name their top three rules that all golfers break.
What will come out on top? Is it dropping from a penalty area, arguing about provisionals, or taking more than three minutes to search for a ball that tops our hit list?
Tom also recounts in great detail his excitement at getting on Torrey Pines, a recent US Open venue, while out in California last week and Steve has had an exciting delivery.
In this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry tells co-host Matt Chivers that questionable scheduling has seen the core of Luke Donald's Ryder Cup team skip the Italian Open.
Elsewhere, LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson has been heavily involved in the criticism of the Official World Golf Rankings again this week - though he perhaps has an ulterior motive - while Rory McIlroy's back in action and we want answers.
There's all this and a whole lot more to enjoy over the next 40 minutes or so, so let's dive right in...
Should golf be all about fun and frolics or is there still a part to play for the traditional golf club with its historic values?
On this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll discuss whether the sport is evolving in the face of a new desire to provide entertainment above all else.
Tom is talking from California, where he visited Goat Hill Park - a trendy, celebrity-backed, municipal course which has captured the imagination for its chilled out vibe and focus on atmosphere.
The pair ask whether that's an option that could find favour in the UK, and consider what traditional clubs are providing for their members and if they need to widen their horizons.
Steve also talks about his through the bag fitting with TaylorMade Golf at The Belfry, with head professional Daniel Warwick explaining what he will be toting around the course this year.
And after an interesting experience Steve had when being asked to play through a fourball, the duo look at the etiquette of when and how you should stand aside. 887b6da3dbb32f1cbfbfa1a377fcca4b5970b712
In this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway, Alex Perry and Matt Chivers discuss the raucous LIV Golf event in Adelaide and why the PGA Tour should be taking notes.
Elsewhere, is the LPGA in the best shape ever? The first women's major of 2023 would certainly point that way.
And how about that bizarre rules incident on the Korn Ferry Tour? Is golf shooting itself in the foot again?
Let's dive in...
Is a bacon roll a crucial part of your golfing day? Do you still enjoy getting together for a post-round feast? And is the key to a player's heart really through their stomach?
On this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll are discussing the culinary options we have as members and visitors at golf clubs.
The pair go through their best experiences of golf club catering, talk about some of the challenges facing clubs - including a look at why it often loses money - and then try and come up with some innovative ways to make it all even better.
Steve, a vegetarian, has had quite enough of halloumi and Tom explains the incredible lengths his home club go to so as to make sure his son has something he enjoys tucking into.
It'll probably be more pie and chips than Michelin Star, but we hope there's something in this podcast that leave you feeling satisfied afterwards. So let's dig in...
Playoffs are an annoying way to end a golf tournament, aren't they? After 72 holes of stroke play, the stars don't want to go out there and play more. So in this episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway, Alex Perry and Matt Chivers have some sensible and some not-so sensible ideas to fix it.
We also tackle Patrick Cantlay and slow play, Rory McIlroy's controversial WD from the RBC Heritage, the PGA Tour's most underrated superstar, and the caddie GOAT.
That's a lot to squeeze into 45 minutes, so let's dive in...
Do you put on a Seve-style game face when you tee it up in the knockout or do you find match play such a fuss you don't even bother to enter?
In this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll go on a deep dive into club match play competitions.
Tom gets his medals out from successful forays into person-to-person combat and dissects the delights of this peculiar format - from arranging games to on-course small talk.
Steve reveals the strangest way he was kicked out of a competition and has a request for players he meets in match play: don't ask him what he does for a living.
And, since everything always seems to end up back at the World Handicap System, the pair consider the allowances for single and betterball combat and ask if high handicappers have the advantage.
In the latest episode of The Slam - a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway - Alex Perry joins Matt Chivers from Georgia as he discusses his truly unforgettable week on the ground at the Masters, as well as the drama from the final round. Jon Rahm secured his second major title in an emotional fashion, on what would've been Seve Ballesteros' 66th birthday. Alex and Matt break down the significance of Rahm's victory, as well as the return to major contention of Brooks Koepka. How impressive was Phil Mickelson's performance at Augusta, and did the LIV Golf players surprise you with high finishes on the leaderboard? We discuss this and much more about the first men's major of 2023...
What a time to be alive! The Masters is on TV, Augusta National is looking as superb as ever, and by Monday morning we'll be itching to get the clubs out of the garage and attack the fairways at our own course.
And, yet, following the wettest March in the UK for decades, what we're going to experience probably couldn't be further away from those superbly manicured fairways and perfect greens in Georgia.
It's been a challenging time for greenkeeping teams trying to get a course ready for the start of our competition season, and Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll have sought out expert help in trying to explain what's been going on.
We welcome Sam Evans, Master Greenkeeper and Course Manager at North Hants GC, in Hampshire, and go deep on Augusta Syndrome, why some of us need to get a bit of perspective, and the challenges that are facing greenkeepers as we get into the spring.
We'll also get into the roll back debate and Steve - as usual - has a controversial suggestion for golf club committees to give all of our courses a helping hand.
On this episode of The Slam - a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway - Alex Perry and Matt Chivers are joined by NCG's resident tipster, Oddschecker's Tom Jacobs, to break down the contenders as we head into what we're calling "the most open Masters ever".
There will be a number of LIV Golf players teeing up at Augusta. Can one of them get over the line? And what would that mean for LIV - and golf - as a whole?
The trio also assess the chances of the Big Three - Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler - as well as the outside shots they expect to make a run at the Green Jacket.
Will we have a first European winner since Sergio Garcia in 2017? They think so - and it might not be the names you think.
You know what to do...
Have you paid your golf club membership subscription yet? For lots of us, deadline day is approaching very fast and it might be a last gasp decision whether to dig deep and stump up.
In this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll consider the value of golf club membership.
Is it better value for money to be a member of a golf club, pay up front, and get the benefits of exclusive use, or is pay as you play in a green fee model the way to go?
Steve outlines some of his issues with having to lump up front for full membership, and whether that causes problems for particular age groups in clubs, while Tom outlines some of the considerations you should be thinking about when weighing up the decision and looks at golf club membership benefits.
It gets a bit lively at times but, as always, we hope you appreciate the golf membership debate. Let's get right into it...
On this episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcasts in association with Callaway, Alex Perry and Matt Chivers discuss the WGC-Match Play and, in particular, its absence from next season's schedule, the nonsense that is the third-place playoff, and the Golf Channel's controversial graphic that had social media alight.
They are also joined by Ryder Cup obsessive Rob Giannotti, of Blue on the Board, to discuss everything to do with the European team. So should captain Luke Donald be concerned about his players' form - particularly in Austin - and how does the team prepare to avoid another hammering at the hands of the Americans?
As for who makes the team - will anyone come from out of nowhere to grab a slot? Rob puts one name into the ring that will definitely throw you!
It's a fascinating insight, so be sure not to miss it...
We don't want you to think of us as one-trick-ponies but it's another podcast and another week talking about the World Handicap System.
That's because Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll took the From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, on the road and visited Woodhall Spa, the headquarters of England Golf, to speak to James Luke, the governing body's new Head of Handicapping and Course Rating.
We get stuck into course rating, PCC, interoperability, and much more besides - including if higher handicappers are actually dominating competitions, the vital role of the marker in protecting the integrity of the system, and what might be coming in the future.
There are some funny stories along the way too so let's get stuck in...
In this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway, Alex Perry and Matt Chivers discuss the ridiculous finish at the Valspar Championship, where Jordan Spieth was clearly just keeping his form for the upcoming Masters and Grand Slam pursuit at the PGA Championship, while golf's nicest man Tommy Fleetwood was also in the mix for a first win on the US circuit.
Not so nice, though, was Matt Wallace, who came under fire after being caught in a foul-mouthed rant at his caddie.
Elsewhere, another Alan Shipnuck expose has LIV Golf's PR teams scrambling. Are we starting to see divisions among the players? And might others be having regrets about joining the breakaway league? It certainly looks like it.
Let's dive in...
'Golf is doing well and we don't want to undermine this'. So said the R&A and USGA as they unveiled a proposal to unleash a new competition golf ball on elite events - but steered well clear of anything that could affect the recreational game.
Should club golfers feel left out as governing bodies seek comment on their plans to reduce hitting distances at the highest level?
On this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll break down what they think of the Model Local Rule, the golf ball roll back in general, and ask whether it will have any impact on us at our clubs.
How far down the amateur ladder could the proposals reach, should we get the chance to try out a reduced-distance ball, and is it a fallacy to think we've ever played the same game as the world's best?
Tom's also surging with excitement for the start of the club match play season, and will Steve stump him again with this week's rules question? There's a lot to discuss, so let's get stuck in...
The USGA and R&A are proposing a significant roll back in golf ball distance for elite competition.
This change would mean bifurcation in golf, with different rules for professionals compared to club golfers.
Tom Irwin, Hannah Holden and Jack Backhouse discuss the proposed rule changes, why changes are being made and if the governing bodies are doing the right thing.
In a special Players Championship edition of The Slam - a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway - Alex Perry and Hannah Holden sit by the 17th green at TPC Sawgrass watching players take on the famous island green while discussing their week in Florida.
Then, later, usual co-host Matt Chivers joins to discuss Scottie Scheffler's incredible win, his Grand Slam hopes, the PGA Tour's newest star, and the player who blew almost $1,000,000 in an hour.
Enjoy!
Medal, Stableford, fourball. It's a holy trinity for golfers and makes up the vast majority of what we play at our clubs.
But Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll like to spread their wings a bit wider and, in this episode of the From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, they get stuck into their favourite golf formats.
Tom expounds on his love of foursomes, while Steve asks if some golfers are too inflexible about what they'll play on a weekend.
He also tries to bamboozle Tom once again with a Rules of Golf question, while the two ponder whether the huge structural changes happening on the PGA Tour has any impact on what we think at grassroots level.
Go grab a cup of tea, something stronger, or settle in behind that wheel and prepare to be entertained...
It's Players week and the NCG team are in place at TPC Sawgrass. But the biggest talking point ahead of the PGA Tour's flagship event? LIV Golf, of course.
In this episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway, Alex Perry and Matt Chivers break down the big debate about last year's champion Cameron Smith, and how Rory McIlroy is concerned about more than just Greg Norman's breakaway league.
Don't worry, we'll talk about The Players too, and we've even picked out a few potential winners.
Enjoy.
Does club golf for you revolve around turning up and chucking balls in the air, or are we now hooked on the concept of booked tee times?
Covid considerably changed the landscape of how some of us play our golf and in this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll consider what's on offer at clubs and whether the humble roll up has passed its sell-by date.
Tom and Steve explain how mixing with lots of different players was pivotal in their early experiences of the game, but they also look at how important knowing exactly when you're going to play is for a modern time-poor generation.
The pair also look at whether a hybrid mix can suit everyone, while Steve has a World Handicap System plea for those who make roll-ups the majority of their time on the course.
England Golf's Awards, Tom's travails with tailoring, and an impromptu Rules quiz are also in the mix, so what are you waiting for? That play button won't click itself.
50% of TaylorMade golf balls sold are no longer plain white, so is visual technology the biggest change in golf ball design in recent years?
NCG's Hannah Holden, Tom Irwin and Jack Backhouse discuss the evolution of the golf ball and how TaylorMade are changing the game with their eye-catching golf ball designs.
They also catch up with TaylorMade golf ball designer Mike Fox to take a deep dive into all things golf balls, including understanding compression, the role of dimples, and how golf ball alignment aids can help your putting.
If you blinked, you missed it, but it's one down, 14 to go as LIV Golf's season opener in Mayakoba flashed by without incident.
In this episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway Golf, Alex Perry and Matt Chivers discuss the reasons why LIV Golf - whether it lasts five years or 50, will never replace what we have with the existing PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA and LET.
Speaking of which, there were some seriously good storylines to get stuck into this week, so let's do just that.
Back to LIV - because we can't get away from it - there was an interesting development on the Ryder Cup front. So where do we stand on that?
There's so much going on, just click play already!
Just mentioning the words "independent golfer" is enough to send some of your clubs into a sweat.
But England Golf's iGolf scheme now boasts some 30,000 subscribers and the initial fury that greeted the plan to give players who were not members of a golf club an official handicap has all but subsided.
Have golf clubs, though, really got to grips with nomadic players and the benefits they can bring?
In this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin get into a wide discussion about independent golfer schemes - considering how they originated and evolved, how they work, and their potential pros and cons.
We ask whether independent golfers have had an impact on golf club membership, and whether it's time for clubs to go further as the sport negotiates a cost of living crisis.
Let's get stuck in...
The Slam - a National Club Golfer podcast in association with Callaway Golf - is back for 2023!
Alex Perry is joined by a brand new co-host, Matt Chivers, and the pair discuss Jon Rahm's remarkable form, Lydia Ko's return to the top, and have their say on that "prank" by Tiger Woods at the Genesis Invitational.
Elsewhere, LIV Golf is back and one of its stars is already thinking about coming back to the PGA Tour, while others are upset that their Ryder Cup dreams are being crushed.
Alex and Matt also give their thoughts on the Netflix documentary, Full Swing.
There's a lot to get through, so let's get stuck in...
We're obsessed with pace of play. Find a corner of the clubhouse and someone will probably be unhappy about how long today's round has taken. Yes, the time it takes to play the game is often a fractious point of debate. But what can we do about it?
In this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll talk about the various issues they encounter on the course and examine the R&A's Pace of Play Manual, which offers a whole host of recommendations to keep the game flowing.
Does Ready Golf actually work, should clubs get tough on those who tee off too early (it is against the Rules of Golf), and can tweaking course set up make a difference?
The pair are frank and honest with their views once again. You'll agree. You'll disagree. But you'll have to listen.
On this week’s All the Gear, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Tom Irwin, Jack Backhouse and Hannah Holden, delve into what it was like to visit and play TPC Sawgrass, how the course has changed and why it is such a good venue for The Players.
They also take a deep dive into their week at the PGA Show. Was demo day as good as it sounds, how did Kyle Berkshire help increase their club head speed and what was the latest and greatest new golf technology on display?
Did you know if your ball lies on the green, and is no more than five feet from the hole, there is a Rule of Handicapping that allows you to pick it up and add a stroke to your score?
In this week's From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin delve deeper into the concept of 'most likely score', which can be used when a hole is started but a player does not hole out.
They consider how it's employed in match play and fourball formats, Tom talks about his experience of it dominating golf in the USA and the pair consider if we ever might see it come into force in the UK.
Elsewhere, the duo look back over events at St Andrews where a bit of paving close to the historic Swilcan Bridge sent social media into meltdown, and brought an ultra-quick about-turn, and Steve gets a dressing down from Tom for his post hole-in-one etiquette. Was he wrong to not get the drinks in when he had an ace?
It's bound to be controversial and, as always, we'd love to hear your views!
What is it about golf rules that get us so hot under the collar? Tree-gate, as it’s now being called, divided opinion among commentators and spectators as Patrick Reed’s every movement was analysed and criticised at the Dubai Desert Classic.
Steve Carroll, who has passed the R&A’s top rules exam, is joined by Tom Irwin and the pair break down events in the palm tree during the third round of the DP World Tour event.
Steve thinks he might have found something in how a ball is identified that can offer some further insight into how the decision was reached.
We chat generally about golf’s moral code and why we get so wound up when rulings come under the microscope, both in the pro game and at our own clubs.
After Steve set tongues wagging with his ‘solution’ to some of the World Handicap System’s perceived ills, he doubles down on his reasoning for making every score count, while Tom thinks some our WHS complaints are not going to be settled in the short term.
Tom describes it as an “insightful discussion”. But we’ll let you be the judge! Happy listening…
Don't we all love a good rankings list? Whether it's ticking off where we've been, where we want to go to, or just getting flustered about where our favourite course might be placed, course rankings start discussion.
NCG Top 100s considers itself the home of golf course rankings and the knowledgeable team of panellists have just completed their work on Scotland's Top 100.
In a special episode of the NCG Top 100s podcast, Steve Carroll is joined by panel chairman Dan Murphy to chat about the ins and outs of the list, how it was put together, and explain some of the risers and fallers in a ranking that has been five years in the making.
England Golf's new pilot Championship Entry policy, which could potentially deny access into some competitions for players with too many general play scores in their handicap records, has catapulted the controversial World Handicap System back into the headlines.
But has the governing body's actions, which are designed to ensure integrity and a high standard of entrants, exposed a deeper issue within WHS?
On this week's From the Clubhouse, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll look in detail at the new policy, discuss what it will mean for those golfers who could be affected, and whether it shows that WHS is flawed.
The duo look back at the old CONGU handicap ways - refusing to don the "rose-tinted spectacles" worn by some when reflecting - and consider the impact England Golf's pilot could have on our own competitions as clubs wage war in the fight against handicap manipulation.
Do club committees need to do more, or are they hiding behind a shield of the perceived ills of WHS?
WHS has been an emotive topic ever since its introduction in late 2020, and Steve and Tom don't hold back expressing some strident views. Where do you stand? It's certainly an interesting listen...
RELATED NOTE: You can download England Golf's Winter Checklist, which is discussed in the podcast, here.
What is happening with pricing at our best golf courses? Is a true bucket list experience increasingly becoming out of reach for the average club golfer?
As we peer ahead into 2023 and start looking at booking our summer trips, it’s clear that it’s becoming ever more expensive to tick off a layout that appears in the various Top 100 lists, such as NCG Top 100s.
On this week’s From the Clubhouse, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll delve into visitor green fee pricing at our most prestigious venues – considering the current set of increases, why courses are putting up their prices, and what it might mean for those of us who aspire to play them.
The duo also look at smart ways of keeping the costs down for those prepared to swerve a summer weekend tee time, and speculate on what might happen to UK golf in the future if prices continue to spiral.
We’re in for a lively hour of debate…
On this episode of All the Gear, a National Club Golfer podcast, Hannah Holden, Jack Backhouse and Tom Irwin discuss everything from the new technology in the Stealth 2 range, how they perform, and what is COR and Inverted Cone Technology.
Tomo Bystedt Senior Director of Product Creation at TaylorMade also joins the trio to chat about the changes they have made in the new drivers.
We all love getting our hands on new golf clubs but what goes on behind the scenes to bring them to market?
Tom Irwin, Jack Backhouse and Hannah Holden speculate about how they would design a new driver. They also chat to Evan Gibbs, Director of R&D for Woods at Callaway to find out how they go about creating new golf clubs.
It’s January, which in our world means one thing and one thing only: new golf equipment.
This year it is Callaway making the plunge first, unveiling an expansive range of new products, all under the new Callaway Paradym family name.
On this episode of All the Gear, a National Club Golfer podcast, Hannah Holden, Jack Backhouse and Tom Irwin discuss everything from the new technology in the range, how they perform, and why they chose the name Paradym.
Evan Gibbs from the Callaway Research & Development team also joins the trio to chat about the changes they have made.
It’s that time of year again when new product releases are coming left, right, and centre. While lots of golfers are excited about the possibility of new golf clubs, we increasingly see more and more complaints that technology can’t possibly be changing so quickly.
So can our clubs - in particular, drivers - actually keep getting better?
Hannah Holden, Jack Backhouse, and Tom Irwin discuss, and the All the Gear team are joined by Dave Neville, senior director of brand and product management at Callaway Golf, to find out what they are doing to keep improving their technology.
The NCG review team discuss the upcoming equipment launch season, their colossal attempt to test 80 new clubs in time for January and if brands should bring out new equipment every year.
What is it about a golf club that draws us in? Is it the easy access to tee times, the shared sense of community, or the opportunity to get into competitive action?
On this week’s From the Clubhouse, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin take a detailed look at why so many of us pay out considerable sums of money each year to be part of a club.
Steve, who has recently moved clubs, gets onto the couch and talks about some of the teething issues he has had settling into a new environment, while Tom examines whether clubs could do a better job of looking after members who might be wavering.
The pair also look at the best time clubs should have their renewals and consider what might change in the near future as a sport where participation has surged on the back of the Covid pandemic now faces up to a cost-of-living crisis.
Some of their conclusions might surprise you, so sit back and allow them to explain all…
Put a microphone in front of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy and they are happy to talk. Both have conducted explosive interviews in the past few days and that's where Alex Perry and George Cooper start with this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast. Did McIlroy go too far with him comments? One of our co-hosts certainly thinks so.
Elsewhere, the pair argue over the players guaranteed to make the Ryder Cup and those on the fringes, while George picks his World Cup XI of golfers. (It makes more sense once you listen.)
But first, what's the worst golf-related Christmas present you've ever received? Let's get stuck in...
How many of our clubs would survive without them? The committee, board, and the various gatherings beneath them are the hubs of our clubs - largely staffed by volunteers who just want to give something back to the place they love the most.
But should so much responsibility be placed in the hands of so few? What happens to the club when decisions aren't being taken properly and what if they won't let the general manager do their job?
On this week’s From the Clubhouse, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin, who've both seen their fair share of golf club committees down the years, dive into the topic with relish.
Tom relates his experiences in a marketing sub-committee, while Steve gives you the low down on how proprietary clubs do their business.
It's not doom and gloom by any means. The pair accentuate what makes committees great and Tom puts forward a five-point plan for the perfect golf club decision making body.
So if you've ever hailed or heckled your committee, have a listen and join the debate.
Yes, we know we said we were going on hiatus for a few weeks but there's just so much to talk about.
So in this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry and George Cooper run the rule over the remarkable tale of how Rory McIlroy almost changed the course of 150th Open forever, the latest Cam Smith-OWGR debacle, the Hero Cup teams, and the weekend's other big winners.
Enjoy!
What does a good driving range experience look like? Do we need fancy technology and an on-demand bar, or will a quiet corner, a bucket of balls, and a nice patch of grass do the job just as well?
On this week’s From the Clubhouse, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll dive into everything you may have ever considered about getting in a bit of practice.
Tom is in raptures about a recent driving range session with his kids, Steve bemoans the ‘indifferent’ quality of balls you can find at some facilities and the pair recount their best and worst moments.
They look at what makes a great driving range, whether club golf is lagging behind when it comes it providing the best experience for members and visitors, and Tom remembers the weird and wonderful characters who made his own time working at a driving range so memorable.
After mustering a passing score last week, Tom also has to find another level as Steve puts him through the R&A's intermediate Rules of Golf quiz. How will he get on this time?
In this week’s episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, there is plenty to discuss from an incredibly busy week that saw the end of the 2022 seasons for both the DP World and LPGA Tours.
When it comes to the former, something isn't quite right when it comes to how the Race to Dubai standings are calculated, and we think we've come up with the perfect plan to solve it. (Mr Pelley, if you're listening, slide into our DMs.)
As for the latter, it's been another wonderful season for women's golf which, we argue, has never been in better shape, and what Lydia Ko has to do to be in the conversation for GOAT status.
We also discuss the bug OWGR fallout - though we don't necessarily have a fix for this - as well as Cameron Smith and his rather controversial claims about why he moved to LIV, and that phone call with Rory McIlroy.
And we couldn't let Bryson DeChambeau off the hook - so our resident elite amateur athlete has his say on that matter.
There may also be some World Cup chat, so sorry in advance about that.
Enjoy!
What makes a good winter format? What will get you out of the warm confines of your house and onto the course?
On this week’s From the Clubhouse, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin go on a voyage of discovery – discussing everything from greenkeeper’s revenge to winterwinds and one quite incredible competition that would need half an hour in the clubhouse – and probably several pints – to sort out!
Steve gets himself into a state over trees on courses and, if that wasn’t enough light entertainment for you all, he makes Tom do a Rules of Golf quiz.
How do you think he’ll get on? Get clicking and get listening…
In this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry and George Cooper discuss how LIV Golf will affect the next few years of the Ryder Cup - and pick out there next five captains.
The DP World Tour's in-form player Ryan Fox also joins us to discuss everything from growing up in a ridiculously successful sporting family, his ridiculous season, looking ahead to his Masters debut, what it was like to have Steve Williams on the bag, and an absurd Tiger Woods story.
We don't want to spoil too much, so hit play and enjoy!
It has been a big week for club golf with the R&A and USGA announcing new revisions to the Rules of Golf, and which come into force on New Year’s Day.
So in this week’s episode of From the Clubhouse, a National Club Golf podcast, Steve Carroll, who has passed the R&A’s Level 3 Rules of Golf exam, and Tom Irwin go through some of the major changes and give their views on what we can expect when we get out for a round in 2023.
If you are confused by the new back-on-the-line relief rule, need a bit of guidance on putting your handicap on your scorecard, and require an explanation on the new penalties for Stableford – among many others – settle down as Tom and Steve dive right in.
This week on The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry and George Cooper discuss the new DP World Tour schedule which has upset many British golf fans - as well as Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald. Do you agree? Elsewhere, George has an idea of who is next to cave in to the lure of Greg Norman's charm, and what would it take to make Alex a LIV Golf fan?
You'll have to hit play and listen in...
On this week’s From the Clubhouse, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin get stuck into winter golf.
Do we really enjoy it, what are the benefits of teeing it up when the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, and what is our ideal winter’s day out on the course?
Tom and Steve also dive into mats, temporary greens, and winter competitions before answering a winter rules question that might surprise most of you.
If you’ve ever considered braving the snow, ice, and cold weather on an ever-darkening winter’s afternoon, this episode should be right up your street.
Discussed in this week's episode:
LIV Golf's first season is done and dusted, so, in this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry and George Cooper discuss what they did right, what they did wrong, what they can do to improve ahead of next season, and the players rumoured to be on the verge of signing.
We also discuss the Ryder Cup, including Seamus Power's chances of making Luke Donald's team next year, and Alex makes a passionate plea to the developers planning to host the 2031 edition of golf's best tournament.
Let's get stuck in...
On this week’s From the Clubhouse, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin take a deep look at golf course etiquette.
What is good etiquette, what is and isn't acceptable on the golf course and should we draw up a list of hard and fast rules that every golfer should abide by - rather than just asking, and hoping, people do the right thing?
Tom and Steve set out their positions on care of the course, causing distractions, pace of play, looking your best, and when you should provide help to your playing partners, as they develop their NCG etiquette Code of Conduct.
How can you not give it a listen?
In this episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry and George Cooper discuss Rory McIlroy's return to World No 1 thanks to his successful title defence at the CJ Cup. Is this the best version of Rory we've ever seen? And what did we make of those comments in reply to Phil Mickelson?
We also have the co-founder of the Clutch Pro Tour, Tom Hayward, on as a guest to talk about his tour's huge plans for 2023, and he explains why LIV Golf has actually been a good thing for mini tour players.
Enjoy.
On this week’s From the Clubhouse, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin tackle the World Handicap System.
Tom joins us from Rome, where he is attending the International Golf Travel Market, and tells us a tall tale from an Italian golf course, before he and Steve dive deep into some of their particular bug bears with the new global order.
They discuss whether it’s really a world system, look at the Playing Conditions Calculation and Course Rating, and consider a missed opportunity for equality in golf before looking ahead to the future. Steve then delves into the Rule Book to answer a reader’s tricky situation with a bush in his weekly Rules of Golf corner.
After all that, how can you not give it a listen?
Another fun-filled week on The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, where Alex Perry and George Cooper discuss the much-maligned treatment of (former?) LIV golfer and Andalucia Masters champion Adrian Otaegui, Phil Mickelson's bizarre press conference, Ian Poulter's latest Twitter spat, and what Brooks Koepka's emotional victory meant in Jeddah.
And, more importantly, how early is too early for hanging Halloween decorations?
Don't ever accuse us of not asking the big questions...
On our revamped From the Clubhouse podcast, from National Club Golfer, Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin will tackle the issues that are the talk of the clubhouse. This week, they give you the lowdown on JCB Golf and Country Club after they enjoyed an office away day at the Staffordshire tour venue.
They then turn their attentions to the medal vs Stableford golf debate – looking at its evolution at Wallasey Golf Club, why it's proving so popular against medal stroke play, and whether there should be modifications to the Stableford scoring system.
They even come to an unlikely agreement, before Steve takes some golf club committees to task following a reader’s scorecard question in a new weekly Rules of Golf corner.
There's plenty to go at there so let's crack straight on...
In this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer Podcast, Alex Perry and George Cooper fall out about the great LIV Golf vs Official World Golf Ranking debate before reuniting in agreement over the breakaway tour's players' potential involvement in the Ryder Cup.
Elsewhere, another English winner Stateside, and a remarkable story about Thomas Bjorn - the likes of which we've never heard.
It's all incredibly messy, so let's try and unpick it...
In this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry and George Cooper discuss all the big questions from the week's tournaments, including where we would move the Dunhill, the surprise Ryder Cup outsider, and a pair of winners out for revenge.
Meanwhile, former LET star turned Sky Sports analyst Sophie Walker joins to discuss Charley Hull's fantastic victory on the LPGA Tour over the weekend.
Should you be able to play from whatever tee you wish in a competition? Does it really matter if events aren’t mixed?
What does the future look like for women’s membership? At Woolley Park, the club have an innovative approach to the game in most of their tournaments – play if you like, with whom you like, and from whichever tees you like.
In this week’s From the Clubhouse, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Steve Carroll is joined by NCG’s Hannah Holden and the family-run Yorkshire club’s Emily Rowbottom to discuss their mixed tee policy and the obstacles that still face women in golf.
On this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry and George Cooper are joined by Rules of Golf expert Steve Carroll to get his verdict on the remarkable events at the Open de France that saw Thomas Pieters allowed to retake a putt.
Golf Twitter sensation Sam Harrop also dials in to discuss his rise to social media stardom thanks to his hilarious parody songs, and how it led to him ending up at the Presidents Cup asking the players to sing for him.
Enjoy!
In this week's episode of The Slam, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Tom Irwin, George Cooper and Hannah Holden reflect on another bonkers weekend of LIV Golf action before discussing who could make Luke Donald's Ryder Cup squad following a gripping Italian Open.
Elsewhere, the team compare their celebrity golf encounters while Hannah has a marvellous idea on how to save the Presidents Cup.
What’s the visitor experience like when you go to another club? Are the members welcoming, do the staff go out of their way to help, or do you get the distinct sense some would rather you weren’t there?
We were drawn to an archive letter in The Times, dating back a century, which chastised seaside clubs for the reception visitors were accorded and it got us thinking, how does that experience compare with now?
In this week’s From the Clubhouse, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Steve Carroll is joined by Hannah Holden and Tom Irwin to look back at how things were for this particular golfer and discuss whether or not visitors are still getting such treatment when they go to play an unfamiliar course.
The team also dive into the whole array of membership options, including points and flexible golf membership categories.
In this week's episode of The Slam, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Tom Irwin, Hannah Holden and George Cooper recap a remarkable BMW PGA Championship where Shane Lowry claimed victory on an emotional weekend for all.
George then dives into the LIV Golf beef at Wentworth, sharing his experience from the tournament while revealing what happened during THAT Ian Poulter vs Billy Horschel video...
Elsewhere, the trio look ahead to the rest of the golfing year and discuss the evolution of Sergio Garcia!
In this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry, George Cooper and Hannah Holden are discussing – you guessed it! – the LIV Golf event in Boston.
The trio look at the tournament from a purely entertainment perspective. What are LIV getting right? What are LIV getting wrong? What's next?
They also discuss the possibility of a women's LIV Golf League, and how that might affect the LPGA Tour, the Great Shorts Debate, and much, much more...
In this week's episode of The Slam, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Tom Irwin is joined by George Cooper and Hannah Holden to recap a tumultuous 2022 PGA Tour Season, discuss Rory's role as golf's leading man, and rank all of LIV's new acquisitions after its latest bombshell.
Elsewhere, the team debate whether clubs should use ability tees for competitions, while Tom opens up about his loss of sleep no thanks to Cameron Smith.
In this week's episode of The Slam, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Tom Irwin is joined by George Cooper and Hannah Holden to discuss what went down at Tiger Woods's PGA Tour meeting, whether we think the FedEx Cup is meaningless, and the possibility of LIV Golf launching a women's league!
Things then get divisive as we debate the 'strange' science behind leaving the flagstick in, while Ian Poulter enters the NCG firing line after some questionable social media posts.
Tee sheets are still busy, membership remains buoyant and, as the success of England Golf’s independent golfer scheme shows, new players continue to be attracted to our wonderful game.
While the number of rounds played may not be hitting the heights of 2020 and 2021, they remain way above pre-Covid levels – and there has been no sign in this year’s club renewals of a halt in the sport’s popularity.
And yet there are gathering clouds on the horizon. The cost-of-living crisis, spearheaded by huge energy bills that seem certain to come our way later this year, represent a big threat to our disposable incomes and could dramatically change our leisure habits.
So how can golf prepare for this and how can the authorities help? And what about other issues around growing participation for women and girls, sustainability, and the World Handicap System?
To talk about the success of iGolf, and how England Golf are meeting the challenge in some of these areas, our guest on the From the Clubhouse podcast is the governing body’s chief operating officer Richard Flint…
In this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry, George Cooper, Hannah Holden and Tom Irwin discuss Will Zalatoris finally getting over the line on the PGA Tour (despite his "dodgy" putting), Cameron Smith's controversial two-shot penalty (and why it isn't a level playing field, the wonderful ISPS Handa World Invitational (and our plans to get more people watching women's golf), and the Great Shorts Debate (with a completely unnecessary analogy).
There's plenty to go at here, so let's get stuck in.
Enjoy.
In this episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry, Hannah Holden and George Cooper debrief a wonderful AIG Women's Open, including the much talked about playoff format and late finish at Muirfield, before champion Ashleigh Buhai's mental coach Duncan McCarthy joins for a fascinating insight into what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to golf and psychology.
Elsewhere, Hannah explains why the increased prize funds we've seen in the women's game this year - particularly at the majors - is not just about paying the LPGA stars what they're worth, but the trickle-down effect it will have on generations to come at grassroots level.
Enjoy.
In this episode of From the Clubhouse, an National Club Golfer podcast, Steve Carroll is joined by former professional golfer turned broadcaster Iona Stephen to discuss her new documentary focussing on golf and its health benefits, ex-England cricketer James Taylor, who talks about how he turned to golf after a cardiac event ended his international career, and R&A chief development officer Phil Anderson explains how the governing body is galvanising partners around the golf and health message.
In this week's episode of The Slam, a podcast from National Club Golfer, Alex Perry is joined by Hannah Holden, George Cooper and Tom Irwin to discuss the latest round of LIV Golf, including winner Henrik Stenson's rather sour victory speech, as well as the man who will replace him as Ryder Cup captain, Luke Donald.
Is the Englishman the right choice? The team are divided - and there is even a rather out there approach suggested by one. Should it actually have been one of the current superstar crop - namely Rory McIlroy?
The discussion then moves onto this week's Women's Open at Muirfield, a golf club which has been under the microscope for some time due to its controversial stance on women in the game. Should they be hosting the biggest women's competition outside of the US? The team argue for and against the case.
If it's strong opinions on the hottest topics in the game you're after, you're in the right place.
LIV Golf continues to dominate the headlines and it's no different on this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, where Alex Perry and Steve Carroll discuss the latest developments and, in particular, how they affect the Ryder Cup.
We also explain why we think it's time to stop criticising the players for taking the money, and the fundamental flaws of the breakaway series (so far).
In this week's episode of The Slam - a National Club Golfer podcast - Alex Perry, Steve Carroll, Hannah Holden and George Cooper are back from a week at The Open - and what an Open it was.
But did Rory McIlroy blow it? Or was Cam Smith just too good? Hannah was up close and personal with the Northern Irishman for his final round.
Elsewhere, LIV Golf are reportedly about to make a huge announcement that will affect the Ryder Cup in a monumental way. What does the European Tour have to do to counter?
The team discuss this and so much more over the next 55 minutes...
In this Open episode of The Slam Podcast from National Club Golfer, Alex Perry is joined first by George Cooper to discuss which players we expect to see lift the Claret Jug, then by Steve Carroll and Hannah Holden on the ground in St Andrews to discuss their varying Open memories and what the week ahead holds for them.
Then we have a little treat for you, with former US Open champion and Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell joining Steve for a chat about his love of St Andrews.
Enjoy!
In this edition of The Slam podcast from National Club Golfer, Alex Perry, George Cooper and Hannah Holden reflect on another busy week of LIV Golf action, as well as touch on some wild Ryder Cup rumours that have been doing the rounds.
Elsewhere, George says something about Paul Casey that no one on the planet has ever said, and Hannah ponders a potential women's version.
In this week's episode of The Slam, a National Club Golfer podcast, Alex Perry, George Cooper and Steve Carroll discuss a jam-packed weekend of tour golf which ends up in a debate about etiquette and whether or not the senior tour age needs to be upped.
There's also chat about the second LIV Golf Invitational, which takes place in Portland later in the week, and our resident rules expert Steve Carroll takes us on a fascinating journey from passing interest to doing The R&A Level 3 Rules of Golf exam.
There's a lot to squeeze in one hour. Enjoy!
In this episode of The Slam podcast from National Club Golfer, Alex Perry, Hannah Holden and George Cooper look back on a remarkable week at Brookline, where Matt Fitzpatrick won his first major championship.
The trio also discuss the players rumoured to be joining LIV Golf - including who would upset them the most - as well as the Aramco debate currently swirling around the game.
We also find some time to look ahead to The Open, as well as sharing our controversial golf opinions.
They are first port of call when we turn up for a round. Whether it’s checking you in for a competition, giving your game a much-needed MOT, or just sparing a couple of minutes for a chat, the traditional PGA professional is the heartbeat of our clubs.
And yet in recent years, the role – like so many others – has come under pressure, as some clubs have looked to take services in-house, move to franchising, or re-evaluate the position altogether.
But what is the value of a good club professional? What is their role and how do they assist in the smooth running of a club and help to make our hobby all the more enjoyable?
We’ve lined up figures from every part of the journey, from the professional themselves, to the retail operation that stands behind them, and, of course, the governing body that represents them and looks after their interests.
And so we ask, are the services of a great club pro more important than ever?
Bryson DeChambeau changed the game with his focus on distance and his very aggressive target lines off the tee.
Will Zalatoris took the golfing world by storm, with some impressive PGA tour finishes as a rookie.
What do they both have in common? They use Decade, a course management system designed to shave shots off your scoring.
NCG's gear expert Hannah Holden was keen to know more, so she sat down with Scott Fawcett, the brains behind it all...
It's surely the cathedral of courses. That church of azaleas at Augusta National has the eyes of the world focused on it this week as The Masters once again gets our seasons under way.
It was designed, of course, by Dr Alister MacKenzie, whose incredible body of work also includes those paradise must-play venues of Cypress Point, Pasatiempo and Royal Melbourne.
But do you know his first course was much closer to home for us in the UK - in West Yorkshire no less.
The original can be found in Leeds, at Alwoodley - a fabulous heathland that's a fixture of both NCG Top 100s England and GB&I lists.
So what sets this layout apart and can we find any echoes of Alwoodley in MacKenzie's masterpiece in Georgia?
To discuss this wonderful course, and to explore those Augusta links, Dan Murphy and Steve Carroll chatted with Alwoodley course manager Matthew Brighton and consulting architect Clyde Johnson in the first episode of our new series of the NCG Top 100s Podcast.
Do we play too many competitions at our clubs? Is fair use really fair and did we miss a trick by not freeing golf from gender-based tees when the World Handicap System arrived?
We’ve got Phil Grice, founder of Golf Transition Management, back on the From the Clubhouse podcast and – as always – the industry expert and former Royal Norwich director is shooting straight from the hip.
We also covered points memberships and how golf is shaping up as we come out of the pandemic in a lively 40-minute chat.
Online bookings or roll ups? Paper or electronic scorecards? Wherever you turn in golf it seems the conversation soon moves on to technology.
How far should clubs go to adopt it? Do you dip the toe, or dive headlong into a clubhouse of shot-by-scot scoring and digital leaderboards?
However, you might feel about it, tech is changing the world around us, and golf will have to move with it.
But can it sit with tradition and how can clubs manage the inevitable change? My guest this week to discuss this and more is Craig Higgs, international managing director for Golf Genius Software.
If you’ve ever played an event on NCGs Top 100s tour, or if you’ve enjoyed a round stateside, you’ll be familiar with the huge company’s tournament management solutions.
They’ve got Rory McIlroy as an investor, and they also provide the scoring for England Golf’s competitions.
So, who better to assess technology in golf – a sport where the digital revolution has been accelerated massively by the Covid pandemic – and look at how to handle it? Let’s get stuck in…
There are only 11 snooker players who’ve won the career triple crown of World Championship, UK Championship, and Masters successes.
We're prepared to bet, though, there’s only one who has combined that with a 147 break (of which he’s had six), a 9-darter, and a hole-in-one.
Our guest this week is that person. Not only is Shaun Murphy one of the biggest stars of the green baize, he’s a talented golfer to boot – boasting a scratch handicap and a game good enough to get him into Open Championship qualifying.
He’s also a committed philanthropist – his charitable endeavours having raised huge sums over the course of his career for a number of good causes.
On the From the Clubhouse podcast we talk about his love of holing putts, his favourite courses, and whether he’s planning another crack at Claret Jug qualification as we get ready for the 150th Open at the Home of Golf.
Welcome to the Carbonwood age.
If you have just a passing interest in golf, you'll have heard this phrase once or twice since TaylorMade launched their range of Stealth drivers and fairway woods.
But that isn't the only area in which the California brand are making huge strides, as the Stealth irons look to revolutionise the game-improvement category.
NCG's gear expert Hannah Holden was keen to know more, so she asked Tomo Bystedt and Matt Bovee – senior engineers on the Stealth drivers and irons respectively – to join her for this fascinating episode of the All the Gear podcast.
Strap in, it's about to get technical...
What does a golf club committee actually do?
We know they’re usually volunteers and we know they make both the day-to-day and the big decisions on behalf of most of us at our clubs.
But what really goes on underneath the bonnet? What do committees and boards do well and what happens when they go bad?
If you’ve ever wanted to know anything about those elected to serve you – in the case of a private members’ club – or those helping an owner, or corporate body – in the case of a proprietary club – and didn’t know where to turn, perhaps we can help you over the course of the next 45 minutes or so.
With us to get into chat about everything from captains to sub-committees is Jerry Kilby, a renowned golf industry governance expert and the founder of Kanda Golf, who have been offering management support to clubs for more than four decades.
What do you get when the founder of Urban Golf - the UK's first and best indoor golf venue - and the founder of award-winning fashion label Folk team up to form a new golf brand?
Sounder Golf is the brainchild of James Day and Cathal McAteer, who have created a range that is stylish and functional both on and off the golf course.
But this edition of the All the Gear podcast with guest host Alex Perry isn't just about clothing. The team at Sounder have a vision of a game that is more accessible, inclusive, and fun - and they have plenty of exciting plans in the pipeline.
Alex sat down with James and Cathal to hear all about how they came to acquire the Sounder brand, what's next, and much much more...
Just popping the three letters into a social media channel is enough to bring up a column of chat that it would take you hours to digest.
More than a year after its launch, the World Handicap System continues to be debated and digested by golfers all over the UK.
But sift through that collection and one theme emerges again and again. Integrity, or more precisely, the fear that WHS can be manipulated.
So what’s really going on under the bonnet? Is there truth to the claims or is it all just another internet conspiracy theory.
And what are governing bodies doing to ensure we’re all playing by the same rules and that those determined to be nefarious are caught out.
Our guest this week on the From the Clubhouse podcast is Gemma Hunter, England Golf’s head of handicapping and course ratings, as we went into a deep dive about all things WHS security…
After tens of thousands of shots, countless miles spent traversing every inch of the country, and a commitment to visiting nearly 170 courses, it is ready. NCG Top 100s has released a definitive list of the best courses in England.
You can view the list in its entirety at nationalclubgolfer.com/ncgtop100s, pick up a copy of our beautifully designed magazine in your clubhouse or, alternatively, download it right here.
With the list now available, NCG Top 100s editor Dan Murphy sat down with Steve Carroll to discuss how it was put together, to answer some of the questions that have arisen on social media, and reveal some of our favourite moments from the year-long process.
The first two books were hailed for changing the games of golfers all over the world. Now the successful teaching duo of Gary Nicol and Karl Morris are back – and they’ve have roped in some pretty big names to help them.
The Lost Art of the Short Game is the final part of the best-selling Lost Art of Golf series and, this time, Gary and Karl aim to free you from the shackles you have self-imposed on your short games.
Using the successful formula of getting you to look within, rather than going heavy on technique, the trio of titles now form a complete overview of the game, and an essential part of every golfer’s library.
Wedges guru Bob Vokey, renowned golf architect Mike Clayton, and former Ryder Cup player-turned commentator Andrew Coltart are among the special guests lending their own wisdom across the pages.
So to find out more about the book, and how it can help your game, Gary and Karl are my guests this week on the From the Clubhouse podcast…
You can get hold of The Lost Art of the Short Game, along with the previous two books in the Lost Art Series, by visiting the Lost Art of Golf website.
John Paramor has probably forgotten more about the Rules of Golf than most of us know. In a career which spanned nearly 45 years and saw him rise to the European Tour’s chief referee, he was the familiar face in the buggy racing round the world’s biggest tournaments dispensing his considerable knowledge.
But while the Rules can become second nature to those who have spent a life immersed in them, for many of us at our clubs they remain a thing of mystery.
Whether it’s struggling to understand the technicalities or being put off by the prospect of delving into potentially hundreds of pages of text, it can be a challenge to wrap your heads around what’s required to play the game as it should be.
In this week’s From the Clubhouse podcast, we get into how you can make understanding the Rules easier, and make your game more enjoyable…
Golf’s been in a boom. Full tee sheets, and massive boosts in membership after coronavirus restrictions were eased, shocked the sport out of a decade-long slump – to the surprise of players and clubs alike.
But now we’re entering a different phase. With society essentially fully opened, along with all those competing leisure activities that were shut when golf had a free run in the summer of 2020, we’ll soon know whether the surge we saw is here to stay or just a fortunate blip created by circumstance.
As clubs prepare to go into a membership renewals period in January and April, what must they do to safeguard and capitalise on the opportunity they’ve been handed over the past 18 months?
We're joined on this week’s From the Clubhouse podcast by PlayMoreGolf’s chief executive Alastair Sinclair to consider what faces clubs and how the sport can keep the pandemic participation feast going…
Without him, the famous little trophy might be gathering dust in someone’s attic. It is not an exaggeration to say Tony Jacklin transformed the Ryder Cup.
As Europe’s talisman, he captained a rejuvenated continent to victories in 1985 and 1987, retained the trophy with a draw in 1989, and began to turn what had been a tired and jaded exhibition into one of the world’s biggest team competitions.
Those crowds at Whistling Straits a few weeks ago, the thunder clap that rocked Paris from titanic stands in 2018? Would any of that have been possible were it not for Jacklin and a collection of improbably talented golfers in the 1980s?
Now the architect of an age of European dominance in the biennial event has put down his experiences – and those of his wider career – in a new book: Tony Jacklin: My Ryder Cup Journey.
He’s our guest this week on The Slam podcast…
Turnberry's been the site of some of not only The Open's most memorable moments but golf's in general, whether it was the Duel in the Sun between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, or one of the finest 18 holes in major championship history when Greg Norman scorched round in a memorable Sunday 64.
Instantly recognisable with just a glimpse of its famous lighthouse and reborn thanks to a stunning transformation, its Ailsa course must be on every serious golfer’s bucket list.
Dan Murphy and Steve Carroll chatted with Director of Golf Ricky Hall and architect Martin Ebert about the legendary layout.
It's finally here. After an additional 12 long months of waiting, it's Ryder Cup week.
In this speciail edition of the Dialled In podcast from NCG, Steve Carroll is joined by Alex Perry to discuss the big talking points of the tournament, while NCG's regular betting expert Barry Plummer is once again on hand to take us through his favourite tips for the tournament.
We also hear from Ian Woosnam, a player who featured in nine Ryder Cups including one as a winning captain, and Graeme McDowell fills us in on his relationship with the rookies - particularly Victor Dubuisson - and why his dream to be captain one day comes with caution.
Quiz question: Who was the first left-hander to play in the Ryder Cup? Nope, it was Peter Dawson in 1977.
Indeed Peter is the only left-handed player to represent GB&I, or Europe as it is now, and over the next 40 minutes or so, Peter discusses his short but historic involvement in the biennial competition as one of many British and Irish players who saw their Ryder Cup careers extinguished by the addition of European stars.
Peter also explains how he fluked his way into a golf career before giving us a fascinating insight into being a tour pro in the 1970s – which many people consider the golden age of tour golf. And given the players we discuss, it's difficult to argue with that assessment.
Make sure you stick around for the stories involving Tom Watson and Nick Faldo.
Enjoy.
Has your golf club gone back to using paper scorecards? Have you slotted right back into the routine, or do you pine for your phone and a digital signature?
For many of us, the coronavirus pandemic ushered a digital revolution at our clubs.
Whether it was booking tee times online, entering our scores through our phones, or watching hole-by-hole live leaderboards, the restrictions we endured to play the game opened up our eyes to technology and how it could influence the game.
In many ways, the sport was just catching up. In other areas of our lives, whether we are checking our bank balances or paying for products, tech has made things simpler and quicker.
Golf has been slow to get in on the act, but is it now down the rabbit hole? Will the opportunities presented by technology change it forever?
David Cederholm, Europe, Middle East and Africa sales director at Toptracer, thinks so. He’s Steve Carroll's guest on the From the Clubhouse podcast as we consider the future of technology at our clubs…
Found right in the heart of the steel city of Sheffield, but just a wedge shot from the Peak District, Hallamshire’s pedigree is not just defined by its long history – the Yorkshire course celebrates its 125th birthday next year.
It’s also produced some stellar players, most notably the multiple European Tour winner and Ryder Cup star Matt Fitzpatrick.
With plans to reinvigorate the course in the works, Dan Murphy and Steve Carroll chatted with general manager James Glover about this classic heathland layout.
He’s the major winner whose 4-iron for the ages brought him a Claret Jug, a key part of the European Ryder Cup team that pulled off the Miracle of Medinah, and a veteran of more than 600 tour appearances.
What you may not know is that Paul Lawrie is also a golf club owner. His Paul Lawrie Golf Centre, in Aberdeen, boasts a 27-bay driving range and a 9-hole course that’s recently held the Scottish Junior Par 3 Championship.
Heavily involved in the grassroots game through his Foundation, and his work with Scottish Golf, where he is a strong advocate of OpenPlay and a mentor to the nation’s elite men, Lawrie is well placed to look at the state of the game and what needs to be done to move it forward. Buckle up...
Golf form expert Barry Plummer joins NCG's Steve Carroll to discuss his selections for the PGA Tour's Wyndham Championship and the Cazoo Classic on the European Tour.
Please remember to gamble responsibly.
Golf club shafts are about as uninteresting as it gets when it comes to tweaking our equipment. Most of the time, we don't really know what the experts are on about and we rely on them to make sure we're using the correct ones.
Hannah Holden sat down with one of said experts, Paul Steels of KBS, to discuss - in layman's terms - why it's vital to have the right golf club shafts, the pros and cons of steel and graphite shafts, why labelling shafts as "men's" and "women's" is nonsense, and much, much more.
Every time Amir Malik steps onto the 1st tee he faces challenges – and they don’t simply involve putting the ball in the hole.
As a practising Muslim, he avoids golf’s many clubhouse rituals, the 19th hole drink and the gambling culture that’s such an important part of a day at the course for so many.
He prays five times a day, fitting his faith into minutes around tee boxes or finding a quiet corner of a changing room to show his devotion.
He’s faced racism, and yet his deep love for golf remains undimmed.
Those experiences have not defined his view of the sport. They’ve inspired him to change it through the Muslim Golf Association. He joins Steve Carroll on the From the Clubhouse podcast to discuss his inspiring project.
Golf form expert Barry Plummer joins NCG's Steve Carroll to discuss the men's and women's Olympic Games competitions.
Who is going to come away from Japan with a gold medal? Barry gives you his best bets for the next two weeks in Tokyo.
Please remember to gamble responsibly.
In the NCG Top 100s podcast, National Club Golfer's Steve Carroll and Dan Murphy take you behind the scenes of the clubs that feature in our industry-leading rankings lists. This week: Seaton Carew Golf Club
Not much longer than 12 months ago, new course manager Tom Coulson's first task at this Teesside links was to divot the greens - such was the scarring that afflicted this seaside layout.
But visit the 10th oldest club in England today and you'll see a remarkable transformation and a membership that is hugely on the up. Coulson, along with the club's chair of greens Phil Cain, talk about how they've rejuvenated this classic links and the exciting times that are coming.
NCG’s Steve Carroll is joined once more by golf form expert Barry Plummer as they discuss the main contenders for the 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s.
Who will claim the Claret Jug and who could spring a surprise at a big price? Barry hands out his betting tips.
Please remember to gamble responsibly.
This podcast was recorded in the media centre at Royal St George’s so apologies for any background noise you might hear during the episode.
Bernhard Langer doesn’t regret much about his Hall of Fame golf career. But there is still one that hurts.
The popular German was just a kid when he first rocked up at Royal St George’s for The Open in 1981 – a scrawny 23-year-old with bouncing blonde curls, a wispy moustache, and absolutely no idea of the memories – good and bad – he would make over the next four decades on the Kent coast.
The 149th Open is his sixth at Sandwich and perhaps his last realistic chance of grabbing the one that has, so far, got away.
He joins Alex Perry on the NCG Podcast to chat about what the Open meant to him, his phenomenal career to date, and trading major titles with Greg Norman...
This Essex club found themselves in a lockdown pickle over coronavirus grants last year, laying open the "anomaly" that existed for some who were looking to get hold of vital Government cash.
But what came next? Club director Simon Martin-Redman, and chairman Graeme Dodds, join Steve Carroll on the From the Clubhouse podcast to reveal all.
NCG's Steve Carroll is joined as always by golf form expert Barry Plummer who hands out his betting tips for the European Tour's International Open and the Travelers Championship on the PGA Tour.
Please remember to gamble responsibly.
It's major time again and NCG's Steve Carroll is once again joined by golf form expert Barry Plummer who dishes out his free golf betting tips for this week's US Open at Torrey Pines.
Who will lift the trophy come Sunday?
Please remember to gamble responsibly.
In the NCG Top 100s podcast, National Club Golfer's Steve Carroll and Dan Murphy take you behind the scenes of the clubs that feature in our industry-leading rankings lists. This week: Woodhall Spa Golf Club
A remarkable course requires a remarkable transformation and architect Tom Doak has certainly provided that at Woodhall Spa. The home of England Golf has been through an incredible last couple of years and who better to tell us all about it than the club's general manager Richard Latham.
NCG's Steve Carroll is joined by golf form expert Barry Plummer who hands out his betting tips for the Palmetto Championship on the PGA Tour.
Please remember to gamble responsibly.
In the NCG Top 100s podcast, National Club Golfer's Steve Carroll and Dan Murphy take you behind the scenes of the clubs that feature in our industry-leading rankings lists. This week: Ganton Golf Club
One of English golf's real treasures, Ganton was once the home of Open champions Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. Very few courses can also claim to have held the majestic trio of Ryder, Walker and Curtis Cups but time is not standing still at this venerable course - as we found out.
Scottish Golf has launched OpenPlay, its independent golfer scheme offering handicaps to non-club members.
Martin Hopley, the governing body's Head of Digital, joins NCG's Steve Carroll on the From the Clubhouse podcast to talk through the initiative and outline the benefits to clubs and golfers.
It's a busy week of golf and NCG's Steve Carroll is once again joined by form expert Barry Plummer to discuss the US Women's Open at Olympic, along with the Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour and the European Open on the European Tour.
Who will come out on top? Please remember to gamble responsibly.
In the NCG Top 100s podcast, National Club Golfer's Steve Carroll and Dan Murphy take you behind the scenes of the clubs that feature in our industry-leading rankings lists. This week: Seacroft Golf Club.
One of English golf’s true outposts, Seacroft is on the Lincolnshire coast separated from the great Norfolk links by The Wash. Designed by Willie Fernie, the club famously failed to act on the subsequent advice of the great Alister MacKenzie. Now the links is being lovingly restored by Clyde Johnson to rave reviews.
In the NCG Top 100s podcast, National Club Golfer's Steve Carroll and Dan Murphy take you behind the scenes of the clubs that feature in our industry-leading rankings lists. This week: Trevose.
This holiday favourite was the work of Harry Colt, and is currently the subject of a Mackenzie-Ebert restoration. A tumultuous, rolling links that takes you right to the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, Trevose is a much-loved course once again on the up.
It's major time again and NCG's Steve Carroll is once again joined by golf form expert Barry Plummer who dishes out his free golf betting tips for this week's PGA Championship at Kiawah Island.
Who will lift the Wanamaker Trophy come Sunday?
Please remember to gamble responsibly.
In the NCG Top 100s podcast, National Club Golfer's Steve Carroll and Dan Murphy take you behind the scenes of the clubs that feature in our industry-leading rankings lists. This week: Broadstone.
Set high on the Dorset hills just to the north of Bournemouth, this distinctive course is a combination of parkland, moorland and heathland. It was shaped by, among others, Tom Dunn and Harry Colt. We sat down with Broadstone’s general manager, Ed Richardson, to find out more.
NCG's Steve Carroll is joined by golf form expert Barry Plummer who dishes out his betting tips for the European Tour's Betfred British Masters and the AT&T Byron Nelson on the PGA Tour.
Please remember to gamble responsibly.
In the NCG Top 100s podcast, National Club Golfer's Steve Carroll and Dan Murphy take you behind the scenes of the clubs that feature in our industry-leading rankings lists. This week: Prince's.
The 1932 Open venue has been transformed in recent years. We speak to owner Rob McGuirk about how this historic golfing corner of Kent once again has three must-visit courses following Martin Ebert’s restorations of the Himalayas, Shore and Dunes nines.
In the NCG Top 100s podcast, National Club Golfer's Steve Carroll and Dan Murphy take you behind the scenes of the clubs that feature in our industry-leading rankings lists
In episode one they are joined by Ryan Noades, managing director at the Addington, to get some insight into the big changes under way at the Croydon layout.
To view all our ranking lists, visit the NCG Top 100s website.
NCG's Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer dish out their free golf bets - this week focussing on the PGA Tour's Valspar Championship and the European Tour's Tenerife Open.
Paul Casey is going for three in a row in Florida - but our tipsters have their eyes on another Englishman.
Please remember to gamble responsibly.
You're a golfer who takes their health and wellbeing seriously. So why, asks Michelle Baker, creator of the Slip! Slap! Swing! campaign, do we continue to make excuses?
She joins Steve Carroll on the From the Clubhouse podcast to explain how we can be doing more to protect ourselves
NCG's Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer hand out their free golf betting tips for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on the PGA Tour and the European Tour's inaugural Gran Canaria Open.
Please gamble responsibly.
These are exciting times for Dundonald Links, a men's and women's Scottish Open venue, where a £25 million makeover is underway to make it one of the world's finest golf resorts.
Steve Carroll sat down with general manager Ian Ferguson to discuss in detail the huge development, what architect Kyle Phillips has been doing with the golf course over the winter, and the resort's exciting future plans.
NCG's golf form experts Steve Carroll and Barry Plummer look back over the Masters weekend as well as dishing out their free golf betting tips for the upcoming RBC Heritage.
Please remember to gamble responsibly.
Excited for the Masters? So are we. Regular Dialled In tipsters Steve Carroll and Barry Plummer are joined by National Club Golfer editor Alex Perry to discuss the first major of the year.
If you decide to follow our free golf betting tips, please remember to gamble responsibly.
It's the first major of the year at the ANA Inspiration for the LPGA stars, while on the PGA Tour it's last chance saloon to qualify for the Masters.
NCG's Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer preview the action. Listen for their free golf betting tips.
Remember to gamble responsibly.
Could your golf club bring in an annual winter shutdown to help protect the course? Consultant Phil Grice, of Golf Transition Management, joins Steve Carroll on the From the Clubhouse podcast to explain why clubs are considering it.
Phil also discusses the growing prevalence of fair use policies at golf clubs, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on managers, and why dress codes have got to go.
The PGA Tour and European Tour's finest are in Texas this week for the WGC-Dell Match Play event. NCG's Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer discuss their betting tips for the popular event.
The R&A Rules of Golf department makes decisions that affects each and every golfer on the planet, from the very best in the world to once-a-year hackers.
In this episode of From the Clubhouse from the NCG Golf Podcast, Steve Carroll chatted to Grant Moir, the R&A's director of rules, to let us in on what goes on behind the scenes in his department.
NCG's Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer discuss this week's events - the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour and the Kenya Open on the European Tour.
Who do they think will get into the winners' circle?
Please remember to gamble responsibly.
NCG’s Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer are joined by tipster @sundogmonkey, Martin Mathews, to discuss the much vaunted ‘fifth major’ – the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
Remember, please gamble responsibly.
It’s one of the best-known streets in golf – a thoroughfare thronged with spectators at the climax to an Open Championship at St Andrews. It hosts Tom Morris’ shop and the famous golf clubs that wind their way down the side of the Old Course’s 18th hole.
Walking down The Links is a pilgrimage for millions of golfers. But its construction caused a late 19th century storm that went all the way to the House of Lords.
It's the subject of a fascinating - and now award-winning - book by golf historian Roger McStravick.
He takes readers back to 1879 in St Andrews: The Road War Papers, where they can learn how a simple road from Golf Place to Grannie Clark’s Wynd and beyond caused so much strife.
The book has been honoured by the USGA as the recipient of the prestigious Herbert Warren Wind Award – presented in recognition of outstanding contributions to golf literature.
On its release, McStravick joined Steve Carroll on the From the Clubhouse podcast to discuss his work and hark bark to a fascinating period in the game’s history.
NCG's Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer discuss their betting tips for one of the more popular PGA Tour stops - the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
Remember, please gamble responsibly.
The Park family of Musselburgh will be forever etched in golf history. Willie Park Sr was a four-time Open champion, including the very first in 1860, while his brother, Mungo Park, and son, Willie Park Jr, won three Opens between them.
Willie Park's great grandson - also called Mungo - joins Steve Carroll on the NCG Golf Podcast to consider the legacy of Musselburgh and look back at a time when this small town on the outskirts of Edinburgh once ruled the golf world, how it became a victim of its own success, and why even its decline was hugely important in establishing golf as a global game.
Our latest PGA Tour and European Tour golf betting tips podcast focuses on the WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession in Florida.
NCG's Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer run the rule over the field and in particular there is one Englishman they fancy to finally get it done on US soil.
Head over to NationalClubGolfer.com for more and remember to gamble responsibly.
Steve Brotherhood has seen it all in 17 years as a European Tour caddie. He joins the NCG Podcast to discuss why rangefinders in professional golf are a "waste of time", gives a fascinating insight why Rory McIlroy chose a friend over a seasoned bagman, and his thoughts on that Matt Kuchar incident in Mexico.
And that's before we get to tales of eating curries with Hugh Grant...
The PGA Tour stars move down the California coast for this week's Genesis Invitational. Tiger Woods will be there to host - though he won't be playing - and there is a cracking field in place at Riviera, including World No 1 Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka.
NCG's Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer discuss run the rule over the field and this week they have some in-form stars coming in at nice prices, as well as a much-fancied outsider.
Head over to NationalClubGolfer.com for more and remember to gamble responsibly.
The PGA Tour moves back to the Cali coast for the always popular Pebble Beach Pro-Am - or Pebble Beach No-Am as it will be known this year after the Tour decided that, due to the Covid pandemic, the celebrity competition won't be taking place.
NCG's Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer discuss run the rule over the field and this week they have a recent winner, a returning hero, and a couple of sneaky outsiders who have impressed this season.
Head over to NationalClubGolfer.com for more and remember to gamble responsibly.
Crail Golfing Society is the seventh oldest club in the world.
It plays host to thousands of visitors every year – enchanted by the stunning sea views on the Fife coast and a Balcomie layout designed by Old Tom Morris.
But while, domestically at least, the coronavirus pandemic has handed golf a most unlikely fillip, for those courses and businesses that rely on international tourism, the reality is somewhat different.
In a House of Commons debate, North East Fife MP Wendy Chamberlain outlined the bleak prospects that could await if tough international travel restrictions are still in place this summer.
She revealed that Crail Golfing Society lost £600,000 in visitor revenue last year, so Steve Carroll is joined on the NCG Podcast by the club’s manager, David Roy, to give a fascinating insight into how they are surviving the pandemic.
Some of golf's biggest names, including its two most recent major champions in World No 1 Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, are joining their European Tour peers for the third Saudi International this week, while the PGA Tour event is a fans' favourite in the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
So who are NCG's Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer expecting to challenge at Royal Greens and TPC Scottsdale respectively? They reveal all in this week's Dialled In podcast.
You can find more tips from Steve and Barry on NationalClubGolfer.com. And remember, please gamble responsibly.
A major champion, more than a dozen tour titles, and a three-time Ryder Cup winner - and those are just the highlights. To borrow the cliché, there isn’t much Graeme McDowell hasn’t done in golf.
Now 41, the popular Northern Irishman sat down with me for this episode of the Slam podcast from NCG to discuss growing up in the game, his college career, and why he chose a life in the US over home comforts.
And, of course, he gives us a fascinating insight into that US Open win at Pebble Beach as well as the rollercoaster ride that is his Ryder Cup career - from his rocky rookie year to his special bond with Victor Dubuisson.
A future Team Europe captain? Don’t bet against it. But there are other goals in his sights before that...
English clubs are again in the throes of a national lockdown and golf courses are closed. When will they open again? Who knows. And that uncertainty has once more left clubs grabbling with furloughs, finances, and fixtures.
How are they navigating this latest shutdown? What have they learned from the experiences of March and November and how do they plan for the coming year when restrictions are relaxed once again?
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to bite, Steve Carroll is joined on the NCG Podcast by the directors of Skipton Golf Club, in Yorkshire, to discuss all this and more.
In this week's Dialled In, a new betting and preview podcast from NationalClubGolfer.com, Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer team up for a detailed look at the opening event of the 2021 European Tour season, the star-studded Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Who do you think is going to get off to a great start? Will Rory and JT shine, or is a big-priced player going to land the spoils?
You can find more tips from Steve and Barry on NationalClubGolfer.com. And remember, please gamble responsibly.
It has been a tumultuous first year in charge of England Golf for chief executive Jeremy Tomlinson.
Within weeks of officially taking over the reins at Woodhall Spa last January, the coronavirus pandemic swamped the nation and the governing body have been dealing with its effects ever since.
Add in the introduction of the World Handicap System, one of the most significant changes to club golf in decades, and it has been all hands to the pump for Tomlinson over the past 12 months.
There have also been highs: membership numbers have soared following a surge in interest in the sport and golf has been widely praised for the way it has conducted itself as restrictions have been eased and tightened again.
So in a wide-ranging exclusive interview, we sat down with Jeremy to talk about the lockdown closures, WHS, how golf can maintain its newly won popularity and what England Golf are doing to bring casual golfers into the fold.
