Written by Hans Seeberg & Joe Downes on Friday 26 February 2016
Earlier this week, we brought you an interview with Ian Poulter’s caddie, Terry Mundy, lifting the lid on exactly what life is like as a caddie on tour. During that interview, Mundy also offered some tips that he insisted would help amateurs save several shots per round. Now, we’ve decided to take things one step further and put him to...
Written by Joe Downes on Friday 26 February 2016
Former Formula One world champion Damon Hill talks about playing golf with Seve Ballesteros, managing his overswing, and how golf, like racing, runs in the family… When did you take up golf? I started playing golf when I was about 10 or 11. It runs in the family. I’ve got a photograph of my granddad playing golf in the 1920s when he...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 25 February 2016
You probably know that Rory McIlroy hits it further than you, but do you know how many fairways the average PGA Tour pro hits – and how that compares to golfers of your standard? Stat-tracking device GameGolf analysed 170,000 rounds from golfers of all abilities, so now you can see how your scores and stats compare to the pros, and to...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 24 February 2016
Should golfers lift weights? It’s a debate that’s been around for years, brought back into the spotlight recently when Brandel Chamblee voiced concerns about the type of physical training Rory McIlroy has been doing. “I think more than anything of what Tiger Woods did early in his career with his game was just an example of how good a human being can...
Written by Denis Pugh, PGA Master professional and coach to Francesco Molinari and Ross Fisher on Friday 19 February 2016
Golf stats have evolved from the early days of fairways hit, greens in regulation and number of putts. The sophisticated and comprehensive stats on offer these days play a huge role in influencing the way Tour pros practise, strategise, and play. The PGA Tour uses ShotLink to track every shot hit during their events. Players use this data to analyse how...
Written by Chris Jones on Thursday 18 February 2016
Has there ever been a better time to be a golfer? The game is buzzing right now. With the new ‘Big Four’ doing battle on tour, golf’s imminent return to the Olympics and a Ryder Cup on the horizon, there’s lots to get excited about. Whether you’re a golfer like me who’s constantly battling to improve his (now 11) handicap,...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 18 February 2016
According to the AimPoint website, 45,000 amateur golfers, 5,000 juniors, 200 tour pros and 250 instructors are using the unique green-reading system to, as AimPoint put it, “make everything!” Some – including some of the world’s best golfers – swear by it. Others dismiss it as a gimmick. Zimbabwean pro Tony Johnstone, who won six times on the European Tour,...
Written by Denis Pugh, PGA Master professional and coach to Francesco Molinari and Ross Fisher on Wednesday 27 January 2016
The PGA Tour trailers on TV often finish with the slogan “these guys are good”. Actually, these guys aren’t just good – they are far, far better than you think. Every amateur golfer has dreamed of what it would be like to be a tour professional. Some of you may be scratch golfers, or play with scratch golfers, and wonder if...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 26 January 2016
Golfers spend £214 a month on the game One in ten hide their expenditure from their partner Biggest expense is golf club membership Golf is as expensive as you choose to make it. Decide to splash £100,000 or however much they’re charging these days for a membership at Wentworth, get diamond-encrusted balls and clubs forged from gold, and the bill will quickly add...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 25 January 2016
Being in the Guinness Book of World Records used to be something to be really proud of, before entries like ‘most pieces of sweetcorn eaten using only your toes in 60 seconds’ and ‘most T-shirts worn at once’* detracted from the prestige somewhat. (*The record is 270, which, to be fair, is actually quite impressive.) Holding a golf world record would still...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 25 January 2016
Golf’s participation statistics are a real cause for concern. Golf has lost 13% of its regular players in the last four years. That’s worrying enough, but another stat troubles us even more: participation amongst 16 to 25-year-olds has dropped 45% in the same period. There are currently only around 50,000 regular golfers in that age range. That means, as older...
Written by Stuart Hood on Monday 25 January 2016
90% of amateur golfers hit the ball with a left-to-right shot shape. And almost 100% of them would swap it for a crowd-pleasing draw, given half the chance. But is a draw all it’s cracked up to be? Plenty of the world’s best golfers favour a fade, and Martin Kaymer’s game fell apart when he tried to swap his for...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 25 January 2016
The PC used to be the homeland of golf games, until Sony’s PlayStation came along and we all ditched three clicks of the mouse for a pull and push of a joystick as they way of making a virtual swing. The PC may be about to make a comeback, though, with the release of Winning Putt by Bandai Namco. Winning Putt is completely...
Written by Courses & Travel Editor Kevin Brown on Monday 25 January 2016
The 2015 Open Championship in St Andrews delivered £140 million of economic benefit to Scotland – the largest amount ever achieved by a golf event in the United Kingdom or Ireland, according to an independent economic impact assessment. The study, commissioned by the R&A, shows spending by visitors to Scotland for the tournament generated £88 million – nearly double the £47.5...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 25 January 2016
Paul Chaplet was only ten years old when he first picked up a golf club, but six years later, he’s on his way to Augusta to play in the 2016 Masters. Chaplet won the Latin American Amateur on Sunday, and will follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Matias Dominguez, as he makes his first appearance in a major. “It’s...
Monday 25 January 2016
1. Dustin Johnson exclusive We sat down with the game’s longest hitter to get his thoughts to help you unleash longer tee shots. 2. Gain 30 yards in 30 minutes Two TG readers and Top 50 pro Chris Ryan set about gaining distance through tips and fitting. The results surprised everyone. 3. 5 power moves you can master Chris Ryan shares the secrets to more...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 25 January 2016
Jordan Spieth earnt a reported $53,030,465 in prize winnings and sponsorship last year, dethroning Tiger Woods as the game’s top earner for the first time in over a decade. Spieth won $23,030,465 in prize money during 2015, the highest total in history, making up the other $30 million in sponsorships, including his big-money deal with Under Armour. Spieth’s total is £37,575,615.75 by...
Written by Courses & Travel Editor Kevin Brown on Wednesday 12 August 2015
After a great day of golf at Nailcote Hall, Alan McInally, secured Tuesday’s Celeb-Am title with a score of 3 over par, despite a late charge from fellow soccer TV pundit Don Goodman. The leading professional was Gary Wolstenholme who finished with a score of -2, while the leading team was Social Golfer with -9. Stars out on the course included Ashes-winning...
Written by Kevin Brown on Tuesday 22 December 2015
It’s always a tough time of year for golf club members, when the annual fees are due and you’re forced to assess whether you’re getting value for money from your membership and can justify paying for another year. So spare a thought for members of Wentworth, who will have to stump up £100,000 if they want to retain their membership after...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 12 January 2016
It’s often easy to dismiss mini golf as a bit of novelty fun, a nice way to spend half an hour on a summer holiday putting through the mouth of a whale or a clown’s pocket, but with little resemblance to real golf. At The Belfry’s new 12-hole mini golf course, however, it’s a much more serious affair. The Belfry has...