The NCG Podcast

From the Clubhouse: Why do we get so annoyed about golf rulings? + We get stuck into WHS (AGAIN!)

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…

 

NCG Top 100s: Take a deep dive inside our list of Scotland’s best courses

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.

From the Clubhouse: Has a big flaw in the World Handicap System been exposed?

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.

From the Clubhouse: Are we being priced out of playing the UK’s top golf courses?

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…

All The Gear: TaylorMade Stealth 2 is here! So what do you need to know?

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. 

All The Gear: How do Callaway design new golf clubs? Let’s go behind the scenes

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. 

All The Gear: The Callaway Paradym range is here – what do you need to know?

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. 

 

All The Gear: Can golf drivers actually keep getting better?

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.

All The Gear: How do we test golf equipment? Taking you behind the scenes

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. 

From the Clubhouse: What do you value about being a golf club member?

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…