Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 19 May 2016
The worst part of Muirfield’s decision not to allow female members, from our point of view, is that we weren’t even surprised. One pleasant surprise was the immediacy and certitude of the R&A’s response to the decision, announcing that Muirfield would no longer be considered as an Open venue until its policy on women is readdressed. “The Open is one of the...
Written by Ronan Keating on Wednesday 18 May 2016
Irish pop star Ronan Keating, an ultra-keen golfer, is still on cloud nine following his first-ever visit to the US Masters accompanied by his wife Storm. Here’s the full story – and photos – of one of the best weeks of the Boyzone singer’s life. So much so that he cried tears of joy…. “I am a lucky man, no doubt...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 18 May 2016
Many of golf’s big names will be teeing it up at Wentworth next week for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth (although the likes of Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Louis Oosthuizen and Sergio Garcia will not). Many of the world’s best golfers will battle it out from Thursday to Sunday, in front of a live audience likely to exceed 100,000, with...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 18 May 2016
After the excitement of deciding I was going to become brilliant at golf had died down (thanks for all the supportive messages, by the way), I realised something. It is going to be bloody difficult. I’ve been trying to be brilliant at golf from the moment I first picked up a club. I’ve tried everything I can think of, and yet the...
Written by Courses & Travel Editor Kevin Brown on Friday 13 May 2016
One Direction star Niall Horan and his new Modest! Golf Management company are the official golf management partner for the Northern Ireland Open at Galgorm Castle GC in July. Director Niall said: “The next generation of golfers is a huge focus for us as a business. You only need to look at the history of the Challenge Tour to see the...
Written by Karl Morris, mind coach to multiple major winners, including Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen on Friday 13 May 2016
The club golfer is a notoriously poor starter. Analyse your last 10 rounds and chances are you’ll find you drop a disproportionate number of shots on holes 1-3. With competition season upon us, it’s a good time to take a look at why this happens, and what you can do about it. For most golfers, the start of the round...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 12 May 2016
The dust has barely settled on Danny Willett’s surprise Masters victory, but if you want to be at Augusta National to watch the Yorkshireman defend the title next year, you’d better get your application in quick. The application process for 2017 Masters tickets is already open and closes at the end of May. If you want to be in with a...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 11 May 2016
I love golf, but I’m sick and tired of being rubbish at it. As a 10-handicapper, I realise that I am technically “above average” – the average handicap is around 14, I believe – meaning more than half of golfers are worse off than me. But that doesn’t make me feel any better whatsoever. I’m able-bodied, physically fit, and can, on occasion,...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 10 May 2016
What’s the most you’ve ever paid for a round of golf? £20? £50? Maybe £100 or more for somewhere really special? One thing’s for certain, we’d give almost anything for the chance to play Augusta National. Four weeks’ wages? Absolutely. £60,000? Ah, we might have a problem here. That was the sum West Bromwich Albion midfielder James Morrison bid for a round at Augusta...
Written by Today's Golfer on Friday 6 May 2016
When a robot named LDRIC made a hole-in-one at the Waste Management Phoenix Open earlier this year, we all cheered and laughed in amazement as a bunch of nuts and bolts had managed to hit the perfect golf shot. But would you let him teach you how to swing? It might sound a bit unusual, but there’s every chance that one...
Written by Karl Morris, mind coach to over 100 tour pros including six major champions on Friday 6 May 2016
To cure your slice, you have to go against all your instincts and deliberately hit bad shots. This is because the slice – despite being Public Enemy No.1 to golfers everywhere – is actually the result of your brain trying to hit a good shot. Your brain is very clever; it can sense when there is a kink in your swing, and...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 4 May 2016
Graham DeLaet has had a mixed year so far. Consecutive missed cuts saw him drop to 173rd in the world in February, before he bounced back with a T-5 at the Valspar Championship and followed that up with a T-11 at the Puerto Rico Open. As Canada’s top-ranked golfer, DeLaet looks very likely to secure a place in the Olympics –...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 4 May 2016
Would you rather hit the ball further or straighter? Sure, hitting the ball miles is good for the ego, but is hitting it straight more important for your score? It’s an age-old debate. For years, we were taught “drive for show, putt for dough”. The theory being that it didn’t matter how far you could launch it off the tee if you...
Written by Karl Morris, mind coach to tour pros including Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen on Thursday 28 April 2016
Back in 2008, Graeme McDowell was leading the Scottish Open by four shots with just four holes to play. It was the first time he had been in a position of having a healthy lead going into the final few holes. But at this moment – on the brink of success, and playing the best golf of his career –...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 26 April 2016
Accommodation near The Open venue gets booked up early ever year, and doesn’t tend to come cheap. If you haven’t got yours sorted already, you’re likely to be facing extortionate prices, a long daily journey to the course, or both. Unless you don’t mind sleeping in a tent, that is. The Open Camping Village will be located near to the course when...
Tuesday 26 April 2016
2016 marks the twelfth year of BMW’s title sponsorship of the BMW PGA Championship – a prestigious event on the European Tour schedule and one of the most recognised events in the world of professional golf. Returning once again to Wentworth Club and the iconic West Course, the event attracts a world class field to excite and entertain the large,...
Written by Rob McGarr on Friday 22 April 2016
A little while ago, we explained why many of the traditional golf statistics don’t help you and, in some cases, can actually harm your game. Many of you agreed. But, you asked, what stats should we be tracking in order to improve our scores? Well, we’re glad you asked… Your score from 75 yards and in Every time you’re within 75 yards of...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 18 April 2016
Slow play is one of the main things driving people away from golf, as people don’t have the patience or the time to put up with rounds that take nearly five hours. Lichfield Golf and Country Club decided to tackle the problem head-on by producing a set of ‘Ready Golf’ guidelines designed to improve pace of play. The guidelines state: – Tee off...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 21 April 2016
Nine-hole golf is being proposed as a perfect solution to the problem of slow play and golf taking too long. In the latest move, the R&A have announced a nine-hole championship that will take place in the week leading up to The Open. But is simply cutting something in half ever a suitable solution? Does half a round equal half the...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 21 April 2016
Of all the ideas proposed to shorten the amount of time it takes to play a round of golf, one has the potential to make by far the biggest difference: reducing the number of holes played from 18 to nine. It doesn’t take a professor in mathematics to realise that without changing anything else, that one simple move would halve...