Podcast by National Club Golfer
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.
How many times have you been in a club fitting and you're not quite getting the performance out of the golf ball that you'd like? Well, it's a very simple fix. So for this episode of the All the Gear podcast, Hannah Holden spoke to Mike Fox, director of golf ball and accessories at TaylorMade, to learn about everything we're getting right - and wrong - when it comes to choosing which balls we use. In the wide-ranging interview, Hannah and Mike also cover the new line-up, including Tommy Fleetwood's move to TaylorMade, why the change of Masters date was "really scary" for manufacturers, and how Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy proved to be a huge influence on which gear their fellow pros were using. There's also an incredible story about the man who spends 10 grand a year on golf balls which needs to be heard to be believed.
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.
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...
In this week's Dialled In, Steve Carroll and golf form expert Barry Plummer lay out their best bets for the Dubai Desert Classic and Farmers' Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Is course form all important in this latest stop on the Middle East swing and how much can we take from a pit-stop in California before the stars return for the US Open in June? You can find more tips from Steve and Barry on NationalClubGolfer.com. And remember, please gamble responsibly.
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 interview for the From the Clubhouse podcast, we sat down with Jeremy to talk about the current shutdown, WHS, how golf can maintain its newly won popularity and what England Golf are doing to bring casual golfers into the fold.
It's one of the most well-known streets in golf – a thoroughfare always thronged with spectators at the climax to an Open Championship at St Andrews. It's 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, as the road is known, is a pilgrimage for millions of golfers who flock to visit the spiritual home of the game. But despite its reverence today, the construction of The Links caused a late 19th century storm that went all the way to the House of Lords. It sparked what became known as the 'Road War' and is the subject of a fascinating new book by golf historian Roger McStravick. The culmination of three years of extensive research, McStravick painstakingly 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. McStravick joins Steve Carroll on the NCG podcast to discuss his new work and hark bark to a fascinating period in the game's history.
It's probably the most talked about new course since Kingsbarns first thrust onto the scene in a blaze of publicity 20 years ago. Dumbarnie Links is the newest addition to an already crowded Fife corridor and the Clive Clark design has been getting rave reviews since it opened at the end of May. While the coronavirus pandemic stalled international travel, and robbed Dumbarnie of the lucrative American and tour group market, tee sheets have still been full as UK golfers flocked to be among the first to play the new Leven layout. We were also among those who went to see what all the fuss was about and, in our new Played by NCG podcast, Dan Murphy and Steve Carroll recount their experiences of Dumbarnie Links and debate whether it should have a place on your must play list for 2021.
Can you believe it's been 30 years since Galvin Green launched their first product? Our equipment expert Hannah Holden hasn't even been alive that long! To mark the anniversary Hannah spoke to Galvin Green CEO Nicholai Stein to find out exactly what's changed over those 30 years, where their products can go in the future, what should be your go to piece of apparel, how coronavirus has affected his work, and much more.
How will Lockdown 2.0 really affect golf clubs? What's in store on the other side and what does the future look like for the industry? They're questions being considered at clubs across England as the sport tries to navigate its way through an enforced closure for the second time this year. Independent golf consultant Phil Grice is in an perfect place to answer many of these posers. As the former manager of Royal Norwich, he shepherded the club through the initial coronavirus restrictions in that near two-month spell in the spring. And as a former chairman of the Golf Club Managers' Association, he was negotiating and arguing golf's place alongside the R&A, PGA and key industry bodies. He joined me on the NCG podcast to look back at a golden summer, the potential traps that lie ahead for the game and what comes next.
When Knebworth Golf Club's general manager Mark Bierton saw a puff of smoke coming from an electrical meter, he had two choices: call the fire brigade, or open the door to check it. He chose the former, and with it potentially dozens of lives, including his own - not to mention the clubhouse itself. He tells NCG the story of that fateful day and how the club rose from the ashes.
It's finally here. After what has seemed like several years of build up, the World Handicap System has arrived and we can take to the course and play under the new global order. It's the biggest shake up in amateur golf in decades and if there are still elements that you're confused about then we are hear to help. If you haven't already, click on to our dedicated WHS page where you can find detailed explanations of everything from how your handicap might move under the new system to what you need to think about in competitions. But if you're a bit short of time and just want to get your head around a few of the key concepts then we have also got you covered. We've teamed up with Scottish Golf to produce a series of short 10-minute podcasts going into more depth about some of the new system's key concepts. In the final episode, Steve Carroll is once again joined by David Kernohan, the governing body's head of handicapping and course rating, to talk about how everything you've heard and read about the World Handicap System will actually translate into a day on the golf course.
Seven days to D-Day – the dawn of the biggest shake up in amateur golf in decades. The World Handicap System arrives on November 2 and if there are still elements that leave you utterly befuddled, never fear we are here to help. If you haven't already, click on to our dedicated WHS page at nationalclubgolfer.com where you can find detailed explanations of everything from how your handicap might move under the new system to what you need to think about in competitions. But if you're a bit short of time and just want to get your head around a few of the key concepts then we have also got you covered. We've teamed up with Scottish Golf to produce a series of short 10-minute podcasts going into more depth about some of the new system's key concepts. In the second, I'm joined by David Kernohan, the governing body's head of handicapping and course rating, to talk about how the new averaging system works, why we're now using the best eight out of the last 20 scores and why it finally means the end of the dreaded .1. If some of these terms are confusing you, or you're still unclear as to how it's all going to affect you from November, click on the link as Kernohan explains all…
With holes carved out of a quarry – and a course that really is the epitome of golf at its most natural – Cleeve Hill rides high in ranking lists and is beloved by the sport's purists. And yet, at present, that won't be enough to save it. The Gloucestershire course, laid out by Old Tom Morris, is set to close on March 31 next year. Those taking the decision to end more than 130 years of history cite financial viability – or the lack of it. But there are others who refuse to accept Cleeve Hill's fate is written and a concerted campaign is under way to save this most venerable of venues. It was a fight that was given a huge boost when a video, produced by Cookie Jar Golf, took the club's plight worldwide – gaining influential backing from course architects and legends of the sport. Now as the battle continues to reverse the closure plans, I sat down with Cookie Jar's co-owner Sam Williams and Cleeve Hill member David Allen to talk about the campaign, the club's fragile future and what can be done to keep it alive.
The World Handicap System arrives on November 2 and if there are still elements that leave you utterly befuddled, never fear we are here to help. If you haven't already, head over to NationalClubGolfer.com and click on to our dedicated WHS page where you can find detailed explanations of everything from how your handicap might move under the new system to what you need to think about in competitions. But if you're a bit short of time and what to get your head around a few of the key concepts then we have also got you covered. We've teamed up with Scottish Golf to produce a series of 10-minute podcasts going into some depth about some of the new systems key concepts. In the first, I'm joined by David Kernohan, the governing body's head of handicapping and course rating, to talk about two things we're all going to become very familiar with over the coming months and years: Course Rating and Slope Ratings. So if you're still a bit confused about what they are, and how they are going to affect your golf, click on the link as Kernohan explains all.
Plagues of water and pestilence can't prevent Fame Tate pushing Stanedge forward. She's the former tour pro driving a revolution in Chesterfield and she tells us all about it in the NCG Podcast
Golf clubs should prepare for a challenging renewals period next year with players weighing up what to do with less disposable income as the coronavirus pandemic continues to bite. Speaking on the NCG Podcast, Alastair Sinclair, chief executive of Play More Golf, said there was "no doubt" the traditional January and April months when clubs asked members to renew their subscriptions would be difficult.
Howard Schickler spent decades cultivating some of the earliest photographs of golf's champions. As the USGA acquired a collection spanning more than 1,000 images, he talks us through his life's work. Discover the full story of how Schickler put together his collection, the highlights, and why he devoted his life to it, in the NCG Podcast.
Remember that old Remington advert where the gentleman says he liked their razor blades so much he bought the company? Well now it's happened in golf. Businessman Ryan Howsam has become the first person to own a controlling stake in a major golf tour. What was formerly the European Seniors Tour and, since 2017, the Staysure Tour is now the Legends Tour. The Legends Tour aims to put the biggest names on the over-50s circuit at the forefront of the brand and, more importantly, create what they're calling "the greatest amateur experience in golf", giving you the chance to compete with the pros and against each other in tournament conditions. Well, it's all very exciting indeed. In this episode of the NCG Podcast, Alex Perry is joined by Howsam, as well as Head of the Legends Tour Mark Aspland and Legends Tour and victorious 2014 Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley to discuss it more.
It's a venue that's synonymous with big tournaments – and now the Belfry is back once again in the European Tour spotlight. Four times a Ryder Cup host, and a regular tour stop throughout its four-decade history, the Warwickshire resort has stepped in to hold the concluding event on the quickly organised UK swing – the inaugural UK Championship. But how did it all come about and just how easy has it been for the resort to respond so quickly to catering for the continent's finest as they pitched in at the height of the coronavirus crisis? On this week's NCG podcast, we chat with the Belfry's director of golf Chris Reeve to find out.
What a time to buy a golf club. The team who own Prince's branched out and acquired Chart Hills late last year – the club best known for being Sir Nick Faldo's first European design and infamous for its bunkers – and unveiled some big plans. Then coronavirus struck and threw the entire industry into shutdown for almost two months. But they have pressed on following the resumption as they aim to restore what they consider to be a sleeping giant. The 250 acre property is being extensively redeveloped and improved, with work taking place on all 18 holes, along with a new driving range, refurbished clubhouse and upgraded practice facilities. Leading the project is Chart Hills' director of golf Ant Tarchetti. We talked to him about Covid-19, what's going on at the Kent property, and how he hopes the complex can finally fulfil its potential.
The World Handicap System and one of the biggest changes to the way we play the game in decades comes into force on November 2. The dreaded .1 will disappear forever and our handicaps will apply the world over, whether we're playing at our home club, the Old Course, or that bucket list layout in Florida. But if you still don't know your course rating from your slope, your hard cap from your playing conditions calculation, then we are here to help. David Kernohan is handicapping and course rating officer for Scottish Golf and is leading the way in implementing the new system north of the border. We asked him to give us a beginners' guide to WHS and he answers some of your questions too….
It's been one of the most anticipated new golf courses for many years – an instant bucket list visit in a corner of Scotland that's already choc-full of them. The transformation of largely flat pasture into a dunescaped golfing paradise has had players purring since Dumbarnie Links opened its doors. But the beautiful course on the coast in Fife has already come through more challenges than most – the coronavirus pandemic being just the latest. As it has to refocus its attentions from an international market to attracting domestic customers, and with building work still going on at the site as the resort plays a Covid-19 catch up, NCG's Steve Carroll talked to general manager David Scott about Dumbarnie's wonderful reception on finally opening, the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead and – of course – the reasons why you should get in your car to come and play this new treasure...
It was an unexpected, but heartening, consequence of the coronavirus catastrophe. As nations took the tentative steps of opening up after lockdown, and people grasped for any semblance of normality, golf was able to step into the breech – the perfect sport for social distancing. First in England, and then across the rest of the UK as each country returned cautiously to the fairways, we saw a membership boom as golfers – lapsed, new and casual flocked to sign up. In Scotland, clubs reported increases of more than 100 per cent of new people joining but few of those could still compete with the astonishing figures at Moray Golf Club. They're close to accepting 300 new members and the applications are still arriving on secretary Stevie Grant's desk. So in this NCG podcast, we sat down with Stevie to find out how they did it, how lockdown affected the Lossiemouth club, and whether the new faces will be enough to see them through what still remains an uncertain time for the golf industry.
It's been a long wait, hasn't it? But professional golf at the highest level is finally about to kick start in Europe and it's a course in the North East of England that will be the star. The British Masters will beam out across the continent, showcasing the charms of Close House in a tournament hosted by the club's attached tour professional Lee Westwood. It was last here in 2017, when Rory McIlroy lit up the weekend but Paul Dunne's fabulous closing 61 gave him the trophy. A lot has happened since then and it's a very different world that will welcome the Tour's finest this month. But while Close House, and the Colt course, will shine in the global spotlight – this is also a golf club, one that's had to suffer the trials of coronavirus and lockdown like any other. So as the Newcastle venue gets ready to take centre stage, we talked to managing director Jonathan Lupton about the difficulties of the last few months, the excitement about kicking off a disrupted season, and the joys of having a tour legend as part of the furniture…
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 in the Ryder Cup and, in this podcast, gives 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. Peter discusses how different the Ryder Cup was in those days, the feeling among players when it was extended to the whole of Europe, his Open career that included two rounds with then Masters champion Tom Watson, and why he knew Nick Faldo was going on to become the greatest this island ever produced. Enjoy.
Lockdown probably couldn't have come at a worse time for Tom Matthews. After just six events of his sophomore season at Eastern Florida State College, a spell that brought a victory and a quintet of top five finishes, the Oswestry golfer had bagged an autumn spot at Appalachian State and the big time of NCAA division I golf. The coronavirus crisis has ended that. But there has been cheer for the Welshman, who last week was named as one of six finalists for the prestigious Jack Nicklaus NJCAA National Player of the Year Award. So with that endorsement still ringing round his head, we sat down with Tom to talk about his nomination, the US college scene, the Covid-19 epidemic and what the future may hold for this talented young player...
The subject of women's participation in golf reared its ugly head again recently. In this episode of the NCG Podcast, Hannah Holden joins Alex Perry to not only discuss the backlash against Mel Reid for speaking out, but break down each argument against her point and explain why, particularly in this game, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Hannah also discusses her experiences of playing at club level and the difficulties she faced growing up playing a male-dominated sport. An important and fascinating account from someone who has lived it.
For many of us, it was the golden age of European golf, a time when the likes of Bernhard Langer, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sandy Lyle stalked the fairways in search of major championships. We grew up watching those mighty talents in the 1980s and 1990s and many are still plying their trade today on the Staysure Tour. Tony Rushmer and Mike Morley are in the enviable position of being able to stride with the legends as caddies to Jamie Spence and Markus Brier. But with professional golf on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, the pair have put their talents, and connections, to another use – starting a new podcast dedicated to the Staysure Tour and its personalities. Keep Up Shut Up has launched to rave reviews and they've been captivating a growing audience thanks to tales from Paul Eales and Mark James in their first two episodes. So for a podcast within a podcast, we caught up with Tony and Mike to talk about their new venture, what the life of a caddie is really like, and when they think they might be back in action...
When will we be able to play golf again and will it be different after the lockdown ends? Host Alex Perry is joined by club golf experts Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin to discuss what golf will look like once we are allowed to play again and how clubs across the UK can take advantage.
There is every possibility the suspension of all tournament golf during the coronavirus pandemic could mean an autumn of European Tour events in the UK. That was the message from the Tour's chief executive Keith Pelley, who said in an email to players that "the financial reality is that our UK events, in addition to our Rolex Series tournaments, are the most critical ones to try and stage to meet demands of our broadcast contracts, particularly from our primary broadcaster, Sky Sports." NCG's Alex Perry and Steve Carroll discuss which UK golf clubs might step up to the plate.
If you haven't seen, the 149th Open will now be played in 2021 while the other three golf majors – the Masters, US Open, and PGA Championship – have new dates later in the year. In this episode of the NCG Podcast, Alex Perry and Steve Carroll try to decipher the decisions made at the very top of the game and ask if there is any possibility of us seeing some live golf between now and the end of the year. Oh, and there's the small matter of the Ryder Cup, too...
There are few people more steeped in golf than John Roger Jones – his list of achievements is both long and illustrious. Three times a Welsh strokeplay champion and twice winner of the matchplay, JR – as he is affectionately known – clocked up 85 caps for his country before becoming both a Wales and Walker Cup selector. Elected to the R&A's championship committee in 1989, he has refereed at some of the world's top tournaments – including more than a dozen Open Championships. The voice of the Rules of Golf for a number of years on NBC, where his dulcet tones explained the technicalities to American TV viewers, there's little he hasn't seen either out on the course or in the booth. So whether it's explaining why he put Ernie Els on the clock on the pivotal back 9 at Royal Lytham in 2012, or how he deciphered Jordan Spieth's incredible adventures at Royal Birkdale five years later to an audience of millions, sit back as we go on a journey with JR through the Rules of Golf.
Romain Langasque beat Bryson DeChambeau 4&3 in the 2016 Georgia Cup – a matchplay showdown between the Amateur and US Amateur champions held at the Golf Club of Georgia, a couple of hours from Augusta National, the week before the Masters. Langasque and DeChambeau would go on to be the only amateurs to make the cut and both turned professional the day after Danny Willett slipped on the Green Jacket. In this episode of the NCG Podcast, James Broadhurst sits down with Langasque to hear all about what it was like playing in the Masters, his "rivalry" with DeChambeau, and what he would serve in his Champions Dinner.
National Club Golfer's Alex Perry and Dan Murphy discuss their favourite Open venues and what makes them so special. And it's not always about the course – there are so many more factors than you might think...
Everything about Jimmie James' quest is extraordinary. Whether that was starting his year-long drive to play America's top 100 courses at Augusta National – a course many of us will never see – or the 70,000 air miles and $25,000 it cost to achieve it, his mission to play that entire list in 365 days was a journey of discovery. But he hasn't stopped there. Fittingly, we met him at the Home of Golf, where he discussed his golfing odyssey, what possessed him to do it and why he now has more global ambitions.
Andrew Wilson isn't your regular golfer given that he a) has a Masters, and b) doesn't take himself seriously at all. In 2019 he made his Open debut after topping the qualifying at Hollinwell and his build-up included five days in Ibiza, nearly missing his registration and then praying that he wouldn't shank it off the 1st tee. He did better than that, made the cut and played the Sunday with Louis Oosthuizen. In this podcast he talks about all this, his journey so far and what he thinks about slow play and Patrick Reed. This year he will be playing on the Challenge Tour.
In this episode of The NCG Podcast, Alex Perry, Mark Townsend, Steve Carroll and Andy Wright discuss green fees. Like would they pay the £500+ to play Pebble Beach? And what would they do if they had a day to themselves at Augusta?
NCG sat down for a chat with pro golfer Paul Waring.
Jamie Donaldson joins Alex Perry and Mark Townsend on the podcast for a fun and fascinating insight into his Ryder Cup experience In the second of three special edition Ryder Cup podcasts, Jamie Donaldson chats to NCG about his experience at Gleneagles in 2014 about why he wanted to partner Lee Westwood, Paul McGinley's captaincy, and what Billy Foster said to him when he was stood on the 1st tee…
Chris Wood joins Alex Perry and Mark Townsend on the podcast to bare his soul in a fascinating insight into his Ryder Cup experience In the first of three special edition Ryder Cup podcasts, Chris Wood chats to NCG about his experience at Hazeltine in 2016 under the stewardship of Darren Clarke. Chris Wood joins Alex Perry and Mark Townsend on the podcast to bare his soul in a fascinating insight into his Ryder Cup experience The NCG Podcast: Ryder Cup special – Chris Wood Well, I wish I had played a little bit more. I felt like I was playing pretty well. It was a difficult position for the captain when you lose 4-0 win in the first session on Friday morning, but the likes of myself, Sully and Fitz, we probably weren't given the right chance. I didn't play until Saturday morning and that was it for me until the singles. I played Saturday morning with Rose in foursomes, which went well, but I didn't envisage myself being out in a foursomes. Whether the plans changed or not, I couldn't say. But it felt as if the captain reverted to experience I suppose, rather than giving the rookies a chance to prove themselves, which I think most of us did really. A couple of the experienced lads weren't maybe quite on their game. It's a difficult position to be in obviously but, you know, you sort of feel deep down it's really tough when you aren't picked and you know you are playing pretty good. It's tough to watch, so overall I would say I held my own and individually I felt I had a pretty decent Ryder Cup but, as a team, the individual side is irrelevant if you have not won the trophy. Overall, it was a pretty flat disappointment for me.
Mini tour pro Michael Helyard joins Alex Perry and Mark Townsend for a no-holds barred edition of the NCG Podcast 'You don't know when you'll next make any money – it's extremely stressful' Michael Helyard is currently preparing for a season on the mini tour scene, including Jamega, 1836 and EuroPro Tours. In the meantime, he's joined National Club Golfer as a brand ambassador to help fund his aim of making it to the the highest level. From playing off scratch at the age of 14, to shooting 59, to giving up the game all together to move to London for a “real job”, to finding his way back into the game, Michael joins the regular NCG Podcast team of Alex Perry and Mark Townsend to give us a fascinating insight into a side of professional golf that you don't see.
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