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...
Written by Michael Catling on Friday 30 December 2016
Ryder Cup prodigy Thomas Pieters took the world of golf by storm in the sun at Hazeltine National and we think the Belgian is one to watch in 2017, with the 24-year-old set to be a new face in the 2017 Masters field. We caught up with him for an interesting chat which covered everything from Space Jam to Carnoustie and...
Written by Michael Catling on Tuesday 31 January 2017
Imagine being able to get a game using one of the European Tour’s top caddies. He could help you plot your way around a course. He’d advise on the best strategy for a particular hole. And he’d probably talk you out of hitting that hero shot with a hybrid from the rough behind the trees… If you’re fed-up of making stupid...
Written by Michael Catling on Thursday 13 July 2017
TG Top 50 coach and Birkdale Head Pro Brian Hodgkinson talks you through the four key shots players will need at Royal Birkdale for the 146th Open. From getting out of the 120 tough bunkers to keeping it under the wind with your drives, Brian offers his advice on how to negotiate the links course. Keep your drive under the wind The...
Written by Michael Catling on Sunday 16 July 2017
‘There are no tricks here’: Royal Birkdale course manager Chris Whittle reveals the challenges facing the biggest names in golf Crisp greens, immaculate bunkers and perfectly-manicured fairways. It doesn’t happen by chance, which is why Royal Birkdale has long been regarded as one of the best venues on the Open rota. The current custodian of the famous Lancashire links is Chris...
Friday 25 August 2017
It’s no secret that golf can be an expensive game when you factor in the cost of clubs, green fees and golf balls. But for one player, his biggest expense is dog biscuits! Barry Gell, of Dunfermline, Fife, rewards his collie Jess with a treat every time she finds a golf ball. That may not seem like much, but she’s fetched...
Written by Michael Catling on Thursday 27 April 2017
How much do you have in common with a former Masters champion? Every month in Today’s Golfer magazine, we aim to seek out just how much in common you have with the world’s top golfers. This month, we spoke to World Golf Hall of Famer and former World No.1 Ian Woosnam. Have you ever rushed on to the 1st tee just before your...
Written by Michael Catling on Thursday 23 June 2022
We’ve teamed up with Rockliffe Hall to offer golfers the chance to compete in the ‘Ultimate Challenge Open’ and play the longest course in England! Rockliffe Hall is famous for being the only five-star golf hotel in the north of England. But what you may not realise is that it is also home to the longest golf course in the UK. Every...
Written by Mark Flanagan on Wednesday 27 April 2022
Two great opportunities to pick up a motoring classic Luxury vehicle auction specialists Silverstone Auctions will be featured at two popular luxury car sales events at Sywell Aerodrome, in Northampton later this year. Formed in 2011, Silverstone Auctions is a world-class, specialist auction house for the sale of classic cars, modern supercars, all types of competition cars, modern and historic motorcycles as...