Written by Michael Catling on Wednesday 6 February 2019
The pursuit of power hurt Tiger, and spine surgeons warn the same could happen to you! Here’s why you need to pay attention, and the best ways to prevent future back problems. Striving to swing it like DJ could be doing more harm than good. Experts from Barrow Neurological Institute have warned that swinging hard and fast is triggering an epidemic...
Written by Michael Catling on Thursday 23 May 2019
It’s been just over two years since Kris Aves was left fighting for his life after getting caught up in a London terror attack. Doctors told him he’d never be able to move his legs again, let alone play golf. But with the help of The Golf Trust, The Shire, Mizuno and a Paragolfer, Kris is back doing the things...
Written by Michael Catling on Wednesday 17 July 2019
Heading for Royal Portrush? Here’s a rundown of how much it costs to spend a day at The Open – from food and drink to what’s free and what you can buy from the Open shop. If you were one of the lucky ones to get a ticket to this year’s Open, the chances are you shelled out quite a bit...
Written by Michael Catling on Wednesday 29 May 2019
Meet the teenager who has been tipped for stardom by Tommy Fleetwood… Who is he? England’s next big thing. Ranked as the 11th best amateur in the world, Conor made his European Tour debut, aged 16, at the British Masters, the same place Tommy Fleetwood did in 2008. Not bad. I was sitting my GCSE exams when I was 16… So is...
Written by Michael Catling on Thursday 23 May 2019
What’s on: Your guide to the biggest and best events this summer How many times do you hear about something after the event, and wish you had known about it sooner? Quite a lot, if you’re like us, which is why we wanted to do something about it. In this new monthly series, we’ll shed light on some of the most popular...
Wednesday 25 September 2019
A new book, Mulligan, features 18 golfers who demonstrate how the power of the human spirit can move people to achieve their goals, despite significant obstacles. Mulligan, published by the European Disabled Golf Association, features 18 golfers who demonstrate how the power of the human spirit can move people to achieve their goals, despite significant obstacles. The European Disabled Golf Association has...
Written by Michael Catling on Monday 23 September 2019
Nick Edmund has walked nearly 2,000 miles carrying his golf bag around Scotland and Ireland. He’s played the 4th hole on 85 of the best courses, each time flying the flag (quite literally) for fellow cancer sufferers and raising money to fight the disease… Nick Edmund is remarkably upbeat for a man who, just hours earlier, was undergoing yet another course...
Written by Michael Catling on Friday 15 November 2019
More than 100 courses have hosted the Masters, US Open, Open and US PGA – and Joey Hines has played every single one of them. He’s got the scorecards to prove it, as well as 38 years of incredible stories covering everywhere from Augusta to Royal Portrush… Joey Hines is just a golf nut at heart. A PGA pro by trade,...
Written by Michael Catling on Tuesday 3 July 2018
Inside Carnoustie’s new clubhouse: This is where the Pro’s will be hiding out and even hitting balls during The Open If you’ve ever wondered how the other half live, take a look inside Carnoustie’s spectacular new clubhouse. The £5 million building, which only opened to members and visitors in April, will be converted into a lavish “players’ lounge” during The Open...
Written by Michael Catling on Tuesday 3 July 2018
Why Tommy Fleetwood might be the man to pick, plus eight other facts about Carnoustie 1. Carnoustie is the longest Open venue on record, having played at 7,421 yards in 2007. This year it will be reduced to 7,402 yards, but only to accommodate grandstands around the first tee. 2. Golfing greats Allan Robertson, Old Tom Morris and James Braid all fiddled with...
Written by Michael Catling on Tuesday 3 July 2018
Carnoustie is regarded as one of – if not the – toughest courses among the 10 on The Open Championship rota. The winner in July will need to navigate more than 110 bunkers, the constant winds that whip off the North Sea and the notorious Barry Burn… In order to conquer this course, they will need to play several shots consistently...
Written by Michael Catling on Tuesday 3 July 2018
Jack Nicklaus calls it the toughest golf course on The Open rota, so what makes Carnoustie so tricky? We asked the men in charge of getting the course ready for the world’s best … What Craig Boath and Sandy Reid don’t know about Carnoustie isn’t worth knowing. Craig (below left) is the Head Greenkeeper; Sandy (right) is the Links Superintendent. With...
Written by Michael Catling on Wednesday 6 June 2018
Ex-Royal Marine Aaron Moon lost his leg after being blown up in Afghanistan. But he won’t let that stop him achieving his dream of playing on the European Tour. This is his story… Golf was never more than a hobby for Aaron Moon. He simply didn’t have the time. When he wasn’t serving in the Marines, he was playing rugby for...
Written by Michael Catling on Monday 30 October 2017
In our ‘golf’s biggest questions answered’ series, we decided to put the myth to the test – are trees really 90% air? Let’s face it, you probably know the answer. And we had a pretty good idea, too. But that didn’t stop us from finding six different types of trees at Burghley Park Golf Club in Lincolnshire and firing a bunch...
Written by Michael Catling on Thursday 28 June 2018
It’s going to take brains and brawn to overcome this year’s Ryder Cup course. We played it to find out how just how tough it will be If golf courses were fit to feature in the Louvre, Le National’s Albatros course would take pride of place among the Raphaels and Da Vincis. Situated 20 miles south west of Paris, the par-71 layout looks...
Written by Michael Catling on Wednesday 17 January 2018
It’s a raid! We joined the crackdown on fake golf gear Counterfeit golf gear is a booming business in the UK, so you cannot blame manufacturers and distributors for wanting to bust the people responsible. We joined Staffordshire Trading Standards on a raid to uncover the dark side of the golf retail industry… There are some things a journalism degree doesn’t prepare...
Written by Michael Catling on Friday 26 January 2018
How do you fancy setting a new Guinness World Record? Your chances of winning the Open may be incredibly slim, but that doesn’t mean you can’t secure your place in golfing history. The Guinness World Records Book is jam-packed with weird and wonderful feats, many of which are just begging to be broken. Ian Poulter, Matt Fitzpatrick, Matthew Southgate and Tyrrell Hatton...
Tuesday 27 February 2018
Could your handicap be about to change every day in a week? It may seem ludicrous but that’s what could happen in 2020 due to the introduction of the new World Handicap System. Put the pitch forks down. The R&A and USGA may be up to their tricks again, fiddling with golf’s rules, but the good news is that you’ve got...
Written by Michael Catling on Monday 20 November 2017
80 days and 20,093 shots: The incredible story of one golfer, his caddie and a 1,250-mile playing challenge across Mongolia Adam Rolston’s journey had taken him across frozen rivers, up and over glaciers and into the 40-degree heat of the Gobi Desert. Along the way, he had lost 135 golf balls, ridden a camel and inadvertently adopted a dog. Everything had...
Written by Michael Catling on Tuesday 5 December 2017
David Leadbetter has worked with the greats of the game, so who better to dispel some of the myths about teaching and the golf swing What David Leadbetter doesn’t know about the golf swing isn’t worth knowing. The 65-year-old has written eight instruction books and built a coaching empire which includes more than 34 academies in nine countries. His big break came...