The NCG Golf Podcast

How does Course Rating actually work?

It’s probably the most fundamental part of the World Handicap System but how many of us really understand Course Rating?

This week, Steve Carroll is joined by Gemma Hunter, The R&A’s assistant director of handicapping, to discuss this vital piece of the puzzle.

How does it work? How is the data put together? Do clubs get to see it? Is it all just about length?

The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash.

Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/

X: https://x.com/NCG_com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer

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Are independent golfer schemes killing club golf?

It offers a cheap way to get an official handicap and players don’t need to be a member of a golf club.

Whether it’s iGolf or OpenPlay, independent golfer schemes have been very successful over the past few years – and have also been a useful foot in the door for players wondering if membership is right for them.

But with many pundits suggesting numbers could take a hit this year in the face of cost-of-living struggles, could they now provide an escape route? And what will mean for the club game?

Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll discuss the rise of the independent golfer, how golf clubs engage with them, and whether such schemes could prove ever more attractive if golfers are looking to save their pennies.

The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash.

Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/

X: https://x.com/NCG_com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

 

Should you have to pass a test to get onto the golf course?

Should you have to show basic competency before you are let loose on the fairways and greens?

Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll ask this week whether rules, etiquette, pace of play, and safety should be tested before players are allowed out onto the course. Would you sit an exam to play golf?

The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash.

Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/

X: https://x.com/NCG_com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

 

It’s the big NCG Golf Podcast end of year quiz!

We can’t see off 2025 without a huge quiz and there are reputations on the line as two podcasts collide.

Steve Carroll, the pride of The NCG Golf Podcast, takes on NCG Top 100s Podcast’s very own Dan Murphy for bragging rights with Tom Irwin as your quizmaster. Who will come out on top in this test of golfing knowledge?

The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash.

Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/

X: https://x.com/NCG_com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

5 things you will see at your golf club in 2026... and 3 you won’t!

There are two certainties at Christmas – countdowns and a good old-fashioned lookahead.

Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll get out their crystal balls – even though 2026 is only a week away – to predict what might happen in your golf clubs next year.

Will there be a membership crisis? Will you still be able to use cash at your club and what lies in store for the golf professional?

The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash.

Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/

X: https://x.com/NCG_com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

 

What are the most broken rules in golf?

What always has you shaking your head on the golf course? What are the rules that no one can get right? 

Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll reveal the regulations that are flouted most - and most of them have come straight from you! Whether it's dodgy drops, provisional balls that aren't, or what you get up to in bunkers, this is your line-up of the most broken rules in our sport. 

The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash.

Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/

X: https://x.com/NCG_com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

 

What does 2026 hold for the World Handicap System?

England Golf’s decision to postpone any changes to handicap allowances ends another turbulent year for the World Handicap System.

With dissent as strong as ever – outlined in the many emails you send to us every week – Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll discuss the latest developments and ask what the next 12 months hold for the embattled calculator.

Will WHS finally start to settle down? Does there need to be a more joined-up approach to its implementation? What will it take for people to accept it?

The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash.

Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/

X: https://x.com/NCG_com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

 

Sir Nick Faldo joins NCG for an exclusive conversation

This week, Tom Irwin sits down with six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo to talk about the remarkable impact of the Faldo Series – an initiative that has helped countless young players reach the top of the game.

He also opens up about how equipment has evolved, how modern skill levels compare with his era, and what it takes to succeed today.

And, of course, you’ll hear his memories from Augusta and the stories behind his three Masters victories.

The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash.

Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/

X: https://x.com/NCG_com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

Are golf club committees an outdated talking shop?

Vital to the running of a golf club, or paralysed decision makers that just get in the way? Do we still need golf club committees and, if so, how could they be improved?

Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll have some experience in this field. Both have served on golf club committees and they debate the pros and cons of these institutions.

Who are they meant to serve, and are they achieving that? Do clubs still need committees as we turn into 2026?

The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash.

Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/

X: https://x.com/NCG_com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

Is golf getting too expensive for the average player?

Green fees that seem to never stop rising, clubs asking for more from their members, and have you seen the price of equipment?

Is it all too much? After a new player survey revealed rising costs and affordability continued to be a concern for club golfers, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll discuss whether those fears are perception or reality.

Are green fees getting out of control, or is it just market forces? Are we asking parents to pay too much as we coax youngsters into the game, and are we even being priced out on the driving range?

The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash.

Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/

X: https://x.com/NCG_com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en