The NCG Golf Podcast

From the Clubhouse: Have we gone soft on bunkers?

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

All The Gear: Broken trolley? Why not build your own?

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...

The Slam: Could Brian Harman be this year’s American Ryder Cup talisman?

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!

From the Clubhouse: Talking Hoylake with Golf writer Sean Zak

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.

From the Clubhouse: Tom tried to qualify for Hoylake + Who we think is picking up the Claret Jug!

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!

From the Clubhouse: Take a deep dive with us into Hoylake and this year’s Open venue!

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
 

The Slam: We went to LIV Golf London! But what changed since last year?

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.

The Slam: Will LIV Golf star Talor Gooch be selected for the US Ryder Cup team?!

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.