The NCG Golf Podcast

The Slam: Was that the best Open ever? + Are LIV Golf about to make their boldest move yet?

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...  

The Slam: We’ve arrived at The Open! + Graeme McDowell on St Andrews

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!

The Slam: Wild Ryder Cup rumours! + LIV Golf has another huge signing and a new format - so what’s next?

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. 

The Slam: Should we be worried by the latest LIV defections + Rules of Golf deep dive

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! 

The Slam: Recapping an incredible US Open + Who’s next to join LIV Golf?

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.

From the Clubhouse: Is there still a place at our clubs for the traditional pro?

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?

All the Gear: Meet Scott Fawcett – the brains behind some of the world’s best golfers

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... 

NCG Top 100s: Alwoodley and Augusta National

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.