The article below was written by Jack Backhouse of National Club Golfer.
Not everyone can swing the same way, so we shouldn’t try to, but understanding some basic principles of the golf swing can certainly make hitting better shots easier. In this video, PGA professional Jack Backhouse discusses 3 Things That Destroy Your Golf Game and how to fix them.
3 things that destroy your golf game – centred turn
Good contact is the key to low scores and enjoyable golf. Striking the ball before the ground rids your scorecards of any duff shots where the ball travels shorter than you can throw it, and incredible frustration. If you knew you would be on or around the green in two or 3 in every round, you would be breaking 90, no problem.
One of the keys to this is where your hips are located. At impact, the average tour player’s hips are 4 inches forward of where they start at the address, which is an awful long way forward.
Knowing this, when a golfer makes a backswing, it makes no sense whatsoever to have the hips move away from the target, especially at the top of the swing. Most PGA Tour players have actually begun to move their hips forward by the time they get to the top of the swing.
An amateur golfer should visualise pulling the rip cord of a lawn mower when making a backswing, pulling the trail hip and trail shoulder straight back rather than moving them across in any way.
Doing this gets the body in a position where it has made a big turn but hasn’t moved laterally at all, so is now able to shift forward into our desired impact position.
Use your wrists correctly
What to do with the hands in the golf swing has been a common question in golf lessons for a long time. Wrist hinge, wrist cock, passive hands, ulnar deviation, radial deviation, there are a lot of words there which are misunderstood.
Golf is primarily a hand-and-arm sport, so we cannot deny the importance of the hands and arms in the swing in returning the face to the ball appropriately.
We do know that we want our hands forward at impact with a flat or bowed lead wrist.
In the backswing, it makes sense to try to get our wrists into appropriate conditions that allow us to get into the desired impact position, so getting a flat or bowed lead wrist would be ideal.
A golfer needs to feel like their trail hand doesn’t cock 90 degrees straight in front of them, doesn’t hinge 90 degrees away from the ball, but a blend of each, feeling like the club moves out 45 degrees to their trailside.
This 45-degree angle adds the right amount of trail wrist extension to get the lead wrist into the desired impact condition, which you should then try to hold throughout the swing. This wrist action should happen early in the swing.
Swing depth
To get into the correct impact position, we must swing the club on the correct angle into the ball. The correct angle is from behind the player on a shallow plane.
The best golfers in the world do not swing the club down steep and in front of them as this would mean they lose power and have to manipulate the golf club.
The easiest way to ensure that the golf club is swinging into the ball from behind the player is to make sure the hands have enough depth going back.
As a rough guide, I like to see the hands above or behind the trail heel. This may feel flat or wrong to a player who has been above this plane, but getting the hands into this position will allow them to swing in on a shallower angle, bringing the club down from the inside, which allows for lag and a draw shot.
There have, of course, been exceptional players that don’t follow these rules, but don’t look at the outliers for advice, instead look at what the best players average and work towards those components.
Working on these 3 rules can help a player of any level improve their ball striking, their control of the golf ball, control of the club face, and help them hit the ball to the target more often.
Improving the conditions of the club at the moment of impact will never be a waste of time and will always improve your game.
The article below was written by Steve Carroll of National Club Golfer.
Hands up. How many of you think the fairway and the rough are two different parts of the golf course?
I had a recent ruling where a player was hindered by an abnormal course condition in the first cut of rough. Their nearest point of complete relief, and one club length relief area, would have allowed them to take their ball out of that longer stuff and drop in the fairway.
They asked me if they could do that, and it made me wonder how many of you out there have this on your minds when you find yourselves in a similar position.
The answer? Yes, you can. In the general area, the Rules of Golf do not distinguish between the fairway and the rough.
While Rule 16.1b puts limits on the location of the relief area for taking relief from an abnormal course condition in the general area, it only says it must be in the general area, can’t be nearer the hole than the reference point, and there “must be complete relief from all interference by the abnormal course condition”.
Drop in the fairway? Just keep an eye on those Local Rules!
The general area is defined in the Rules of Golf as being the area of the course that covers “all areas of the course” except for the teeing area of the hole being played from, bunkers, penalty areas, and the putting green of the hole being played.
The issue is complicated, I think, by various Local Rules that do make a distinction between the short and heavy stuff. You’ll often find, for example, the winter rule for preferred lies specifies “closely mown areas”.
It’s always worth just making sure before you take an ill-advised drop and find you’ve played from a wrong place.
But if the Rules do allow you to grab a slice of good fortune, take it! God knows we get enough bad breaks in this infuriating, yet mesmerising, game.
Once upon a time, any list of the best golf courses in
Europe would have been dominated by the usual hotspots of Spain and Portugal.
However, the European landscape has
changed dramatically in recent years, and as golfers, we’ve become more adept
at seeking out new challenges.
If you’re planning a trip to the Continent any time soon, you’ve
come to the right place. In this article, we highlight some of the very best golf
courses in Europe.
Note: The courses below are ranked alphabetically rather than in order of quality.
This is a French version of some of the fantastic UK heathlands we know and love, with holes winding their way through the pines, beeches, oaks and heather.
Fontainebleau isn’t the longest course, which matters very
little to most of us, but you can expect small greens and a tactical challenge.
You’re in for an absolute treat if you manage to tee it up here with the
fast-draining surfaces and sandy soil, making it the perfect turf to play off.
Natural rock features on and around the playing areas add to the charm of the course before golfers retire to the clubhouse, which oozes old-world charm and history.
Germany rarely gets mentioned for its outstanding courses,
but Hamburger Falkenstein is its leading candidate, and you’ll certainly hear
more and more of it in the coming years.
It was founded back in 1906 when it was a nine-hole course before being transformed into an 18-holer just under 100 years ago. We can thank Harry Colt’s design for this masterpiece, which very much resembles a Sunningdale.
Bernhard Langer won the first of his five national Opens
here in 1981, but that was the last we’ve seen of it on Tour. Expect plenty of
doglegs, incredible turf, huge variety and no water.
“Falkenstein’s routing is dynamic, taking full advantage of the natural, rolling terrain, presenting all manner of shots—uphill, downhill, side hill, drop shots and seemingly every mixture of these elements. The outcome is a wide variety of holes with challenging and memorable shot opportunities,” writes course architect Tony Ristola.
3. Les Bordes (New), France
Green fee: Need to play with a member
Les Bordes, in the Loire Valley, has two courses firmly
inside France’s top 10, but it’s the New which is #1 on the property.
The Old was designed as recently as 1987 before Gil Hanse led the design of the New in 2018, and already, it has been recognised as one of the very best golf courses in Europe.
The New used land of an existing course but is now on a different level, with firm fairways, large waste areas, incredible bunkering and vast greens. The par 3s offer a huge variety in length and style, which is also a feature in the longer holes, and there’s also a 10-hole Wild Piglet short course. Hanse also designed the world-famous Cradle short course at Pinehurst, so expect a lot of fun.
“It is amazing how two such different courses exist in the same estate but are so totally different. Even the soil is different—the Old is more like Valderrama while the New is sandy like a UK heathland,” one visitor recalls.
4. Lofoten Links, Norway
Green fee: £150
There’s a good chance you’ll have seen plenty of Lofoten Links thanks to the efforts of No Laying Up and many others that have visited. It opened in the summer of 2015 and is located in the upper reaches of Norway, where the summer months mean you can enjoy 24-hour golf.
This is pure bucket-list material in a stunning setting beside the ocean, and you won’t even mind losing a few balls as it punishes even the slightly mishit shot. The short 2nd is photographed more than any other hole, sitting on a rocky outcrop with a single pot bunker as its other defence. This is out of this world, and while it is tricky to get to, it’s absolutely worth the effort. It’s undoubtedly one of the best golf courses in Europe.
5. Monte Rei, Portugal
Green fee: €170
Generally speaking, most travelling golfers head west when
jetting into Faro. However, for Monte Rei, head east towards Tavira. Here, you’ll
find the North Course, now regarded as Portugal’s best golf course. There has
been some talk of a South Course, also designed by Jack Nicklaus, but we’re
still waiting to see this.
Right from the first tee shot, you appreciate that you’re in
for a treat, and the standard never deviates with a collection of water hazards
and outstanding bunkers. The greens here are near perfect, and it all comes to
a close with a sporty par 5 that’s played over water.
It’s tricky to pinpoint a signature hole (which is rare), but this just reflects what a consistently outstanding test this golf course is.
6. Morfontaine, France
Green fee: Need to play with a member
Golf dates back more than 100 years here. The property, ‘Le Grand Parcours’, has 27 roles and is regarded as one of the very best golf resorts in Europe. The original 9-hole course, Le Vallière, is also well worth playing if you get a chance to tee it up here.
The only problem is that this club, just north of Paris, is highly exclusive, and you can only play here if you’re lucky enough to know a member.
This old classic isn’t the longest at only 6,500 yards off
the back tees, but it represents a brilliant test of skill and strategy. You
can expect a picturesque tree-lined layout with large, sloping greens and
brilliant bunkering. It’s especially impressive just before the turn, with the
7th among the 500 greatest golf holes.
“The terrain dictates the challenge on this hole, as boulder-strewn tall grass gives way to an uneven fairway lined by white birch trees. First up is a semi-blind tee shot, played over a rise that slopes from left to right. Though the green is large, its undulating surface leaves few safe places for an approach,” writes GOLF magazine.
7. Real Club Valderrama, Spain
Green fee: €500
This one shouldn’t need too much of an introduction, as it’s
one of the most recognisable and best golf courses in Europe. That’s reflected
in the green fee, granted, but nevertheless, Valderrama remains one of Europe’s
must-play courses.
The course only dates back to 1975 but it has been a mainstay of the European Tour and now also features on the LIV circuit. Its most famous moment came when it staged the Ryder Cup, the first on mainland Europe, in 1997 when Seve Ballesteros captained the hosts to the narrowest of victories.
The very wealthy Jaime Ortiz-Patino was ‘the money’ behind
Valderrama as he helped transform it into what it is today—a
course all about angles and plotting your way around the gnarled old cork oak
trees. Condition-wise, this place is beyond anything you’ve ever seen before, with
the entrances to the greens better than most clubs’ putting surfaces. The par-5
17th is the signature hole, with players’ second or third shots very
often ending up wet before a ridiculously challenging tee shot at the
last.
Valderrama was afforded royal status in 2014, shortly before King Juan Carlos’ abdication.
8. Royal Hague, Netherlands
Green fee: €225
Royal Hague, or to give it its proper name, Koninklijke
Haagsche, is recognised as one the top two golf courses in the Netherlands,
along with Utrecht de Pan.
This is a seaside course with blind shots, uneven lies and
elevation changes aplenty. With Kennemer further along the coast, too, you have
all the makings of a fantastic links trip here.
It has held the Dutch Open 20 times but not since 1981, which is a pity, as it means not many of us have properly laid eyes on it. The course dates back to 1893, but Harry Colt’s design firm really put it on the map just before World War II. Frank Pont also oversaw another renovation this century which saw the rebuild of nearly all the greens.
One visitor said of Royal Hague: “I have been lucky to play Shinnecock, and I am not afraid to say this one has a very similar feeling in many of the holes. It may not have the quality in design Colt gave to Utrecht, but this amazing piece of land, together with excellent conditioning, makes all in one the very best courses I played in the Netherlands.”
9. Utrecht de Pan, Netherlands
Green fee: €175
This misses out on the title of oldest golf club in the
Netherlands by a year, just behind Royal Hague. There’s nothing too fancy on
arrival, but what lies ahead is a classic heathland that Harry Colt helped turn
into a Dutch masterpiece—again, tidied up by Frank Pont in more recent years.
It’s not as well-known as others, staging just three Dutch
Opens, the last of which was in 1982, but if you have been, then you’ll surely
be a fan.
There are a collection of blind shots—all in a good way—as it continues to pose a strong test to golfers. You can expect elevation changes, no water, and some well-placed bunkers, all of which make this one of the best golf courses in Europe, for sure.
As for the name—Pan is a mythological Greek God, and there’s a statue of him playing his pipes here.
10. Visby, Sweden
Green fee: €140
If you’re a viewer of No Laying Up’s ‘Tourist Sauce’ videos,
then you’ll already have been charmed by this incredible piece of land.
Visby (The One) was originally laid out in 1958, but former
Ryder Cup player Pierre Fulke’s alliance with Adam Mednick has now made this
Sweden’s #1 course. Located on the island of Gotland, a medieval town and UNESCO
World Heritage Site, it offers some incredible seaside and parkland holes. The
6th and 16th holes get a lot of the plaudits, and there’s
also a nine-hole course (The Other One) to enjoy here.
“It’s one of very few courses where you can easily describe every single hole in detail as you drive home. And not only because of its spectacular setting along the shore, but because each hole never blends in. Each hole has its own distinctive design and feel—from a rough but scenic seaside character to a more flamboyant forest park character, peaking with the spectacular 16th hole. I would recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat!”one visitor writes.
Perhaps surprisingly, the many health benefits of golf
remain largely understated in the main. Some see golf merely as a low-level
form of exercise with very little physical exertion involved—but the truth, as
those who play will know, is very different.
If you play golf, you’ll be well aware of its health benefits. Few things are more satisfying than striking a ball off the turf and seeing it go exactly where you wanted. Then there’s the camaraderie—what other sports give you several hours to walk and talk while playing your favourite sport? Not to mention it takes you to some incredible places, too. So many golfers have seen more of the world purely thanks to their love of the game, and there’s the chance to relax after a round to drink in what you’ve just enjoyed.
But when it comes to the health benefits of golf, there’s
even more than meets the eye. Three-time Major champion Padraig Harrington
generally speaks more sense than most when it comes to golf, and he said this
on the matter:
“People who play golf do realise the benefit of it. But the
wider public doesn’t understand it—the health benefits of playing golf for your
physical and mental health. I have seen how impactful golf can be on peoples’
wellbeing; now it is time to get the message out there.”
In this blog, we’ll do just that. Take a look at these 7 health benefits of golf you might not have considered before.
1. Golfers live longer
The R&A published a report in 2020 which shone a light on golf and its health impact. The stand-out headline is that golfers live five years longer than non-golfers.
A Scandinavian study, in particular, found a 40% reduction in mortality rates among 300,000 members of the Swedish Golf Federation, which tallies with an increase in life expectancy of about five years. This applied to all genders, ages, and socio-economic groups.
2. It helps to combat the big diseases
For many of us, golf is our sole source of physical
activity. The easy assumption is that it is little more than a normal walk,
albeit over a few hours and with some swinging of a club—but it’s doing us all
plenty of good.
The R&A report mentioned above found that golf can help prevent and treat 40 major chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, breast and colon cancer, depression, and dementia. Cholesterol and blood pressure can also be reduced in golfers.
3. It boosts your step count
We’d all like to walk more, and the general guidance is that the recommended daily step count is 10,000.
Whether you’re playing or just spectating (attending a tournament, for example), you will comfortably exceed this. Even if you’re simply following your favourite player around, you’ll cover 5-6 miles and burn upwards of 1,000 calories.
4. Golf is a form of reminiscence therapy
Further research will be forthcoming on the specific benefits
for people living with conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other
forms of memory loss. However, it is thought that the environment and social
interaction of golf can help.
There are groups that come together to enjoy old photos and memories from the past—this is called reminiscence therapy. Reminiscence therapy is a form of psychotherapy that involves recalling past events and feeling pleasure from them. So, even those who struggle to play golf like they used to can still benefit from the sport.
5. Golf can help relieve stress and anxiety
If ever there was a period in our lives where we learned to fully
appreciate what golf does for us and our mental health, it was during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Leading environmental psychologist Professor Jenny Roe from
the University of Virginia found that golf courses can help reduce stress and encourage
calm in ways many might never have otherwise considered—seeing water,
biodiversity, spatial variety and light patterns.
Among all the bad shots and missed putts, golf offers stress relief and relaxation, and there are many studies out there to back this up. One study into the mental health benefits of golf for children involved assessing participants on their golf skills, physical activity and wellbeing over a six-week period, with the results showing a noticeable uplift across all categories.
From a non-scientific perspective, the ‘common-sense’ health
benefits of golf, for things like focusing your mind, are endless.
You can keep score (or not) depending on how you want to
play, you can play any format that you fancy so it can be as mentally
stimulating as you want it to be, and every shot and every hole presents a
different challenge.
You’ll also be in conversation for most of the round, you’ll laugh and smile lots, and you might even use visualisation and positive thinking to help you in your efforts. What’s more, all of this takes place in a green, outdoor space where there’s very little and often no distraction noise.
7. It helps with sleep
Good sleep benefits our immune system, and studies show that people who sleep for eight hours a night are three times less likely to get ill (and more likely to stay injury-free) than those who sleep for five or fewer hours. And when you have walked 18 holes, you shouldn’t struggle to sleep at night, that’s for sure.
You can also develop better habits by eating the right foods at the right time during a round as well as hydrating as often as possible. How many of us are good at drinking water on a golf course and hopeless away from it? You can use your time on the course to find a healthy rhythm.
How much golf should you play to feel health benefits?
While many golfers often complain about bad backs and sore body
parts, the sport actually improves strength and balance, gives you a clearer
mind, and lowers your risk of diseases.
To feel these effects, golfers should aim to play for at least 150 minutes a week (around 2.5 hours) and walk rather than ride in a buggy. Given that most rounds take at least three hours, just playing once a week can be enough.
The R&A also found that the risk of injury is moderate, though everyone should warm up properly and do strength exercises to help with this. You can reduce the risk of an injury by doing a seven-minute warm-up. Ideally, that would be two minutes of aerobic activity with some stretching to get the major muscles moving or by lifting some heavy stuff before a few practice swings.
The article below was written by Jack Backhouse of National Club Golfer.
There’s nothing more frustrating than having a decent long game and then wasting shots around the green. In the video below, PGA Professional Jack Backhouse explains the only 2 chip shots you need around the green to develop a pressure-proof short game.
Low running chip shot
The first shot to master around the greens is the low-running chip shot as this is the shot you should be using most often out on the golf course.
The technique is very simple:
stand with feed one clubhead with a part
stand three clubhead widths away from the ball
use a 9-iron
weight on the front foot
stiff wrist putting action
The idea of this shot is that you get the golf ball running as quickly as possible so that it rolls the majority of the way to the hole.
You should use this shot any time you do not have to go over a bunker or a hazard. You should get comfortable hitting this shot running it up and down slopes. It is tough to do wrong and has a very high success rate.
Your touch should be developed by using one ball and chipping from lots of different locations around the green, varying the lie, distance, and elevation changes in the shots.
High soft chip shot
This shot is a little more complicated and comes with a higher risk for disaster, which is why this should only be used when you MUST go over something rather than being your go-to shot.
The technique is very similar to the low-running chip shot apart from the following:
use your highest lofted wedge
ball position should be front foot
there should be an active opening of the face in the backswing
the backswing will be longer
Although this is not the first choice or your go-to shot around the green, it should still be practised and mastered, like the low runner. This shot needs to be practiced from all different kinds of lie so you are comfortable making adjustments to the swing depending on the situation as this shot will often be needed in worse situations.
Practice
The skill in short game is being able to predict where to land the ball and how hard to hit it. This is developed through random practice and not block practice.
You need to put your basket of balls away grab your 2 clubs and 2 balls, and walk around the green hitting as many different shots you can create as possible.
Vary the length, lie, and slope of your shots to really prepare yourself for any and all random shots you are faced with on the golf course.
I like to play a game of high shot vs low shot match play, as it keeps you focused and helps you hit shots that you wouldn’t normally play.
Working on these 2 shots will help you save more shots around the green than you ever have before.
Having a sharp short game should be considered an essential when trying to lower your handicap, and is often the lowest hanging fruit of a players improvement.
Nowadays, there’s a podcast out there for pretty much every
topic you can think of. In fact, there are so many it can be hard to know which
ones to listen to.
Golf podcasts are the ultimate down-time listening for those who just can’t get enough of the game. They’re also more important to the modern game than we sometimes give them credit for. Headline quotes are often plucked from golf podcast interviews, and the leading players know that to reach larger audiences, they need to play ball with the best golf podcasts.
So, it’s a win-win for both the creators and the listeners. Instead of two-minute post-round soundbites, we get treated to proper in-depth chats with more candid opinions and insight.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the best golf podcasts available to listen to—each offering something different and fresh.
Cookie Jar Golf describes its podcast as a ‘British take on
current affairs in the world of golf—some of it interesting, most of it not,’
which gives you an idea of the self-deprecating nature of much of the content.
These guys are proper golf enthusiasts who venture to many
great courses, including the lesser-known ones. This podcast will educate and
entertain in equal measure, and by listening, you’ll give yourself a far better
understanding of where your next golf trip might be.
The podcast, which is now well past the 250-episode mark, is available on all major platforms, and there are some beautifully shot films over on YouTube, too. It’s complemented by a website that delves further into the pro and amateur games, course architecture, and golf trips.
You’re probably very new to the game if you’re unfamiliar
with Rick Shiels.
The PGA Professional has almost three million YouTube followers, and his relatively new golf podcast is fast growing. The beauty of Shiels is his normality and ability to get the most out of his guests without making it about himself. The podcast is co-hosted by his friend Guy Charnock, who is similarly down-to-earth, and it covers all aspects of the game—from tour and club golf, equipment reviews, and instruction to high-level interviews that answer the questions many of us often pose ourselves.
Sky Sports is a familiar friend to the UK golf viewer, and its
golf podcast, generally hosted by Josh Antmann, is a solid way of keeping
abreast of what’s going on in the world of tournament golf.
Two aspects make this one stand out: the ability to react immediately
to the weekend’s action and to be able to do so in a fun way. Antmann is
regularly joined by the Sky Sports Golf crowd, where we get to see another side
to the experts, as well as journalists and leading players.
Given Sky’s clout and contact book, you can often expect to see the most recent winner on Tour call in for a chat.
If you’re a traditionalist of the game and a bit of a golf
nerd, then this is the podcast for you.
Andy Johnson is a fascinating and engaging character who approaches
the game from a different angle. He’s also very ably assisted by Brendan Porath
as well as other similarly like-minded characters.
Fried Egg Golf is best known for its take on golf course architecture, which it does better than most. This has helped many of us to appreciate and understand the courses we visit on bucket-list trips. Shotgun Start is a three-times-a-week output that rounds up the current news as well as more quirky stories.
This is a relatively new addition to the top tier of Tour
podcasts, but its high-quality content and interviews have already created
plenty of great soundbites and headlines.
It’s hosted by former PGA Tour player Colt Knost—who was part of the famous 2007 Walker Cup side, which also numbered Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Billy Horschel—and his friend and fellow player Drew Stoltz. The podcast is associated with GOLF.com and boasts outstanding insight and connections as a result.
The podcast’s irreverent tone helps to relax the big names, and we get to hear and see a different side to some of the biggest in the game. It also manages to attract caddies and other golfing celebrities, so it is well worth a listen.
Travis Fulton was a golf instructor on the Golf Channel and is
now the host of The Stripe Show.
Where the Fried Egg should be one of your first ports of
call for golf course architecture chat, this is where you should head for analysis
of the golf swing. For example, if you want to truly get your head around what
Scottie Scheffler is doing through the ball, then here is a good start.
Fulton also reviews equipment, speaks to leading coaches, and offers mini lessons and Q&A videos to help the weekend warriors get their handicaps down. There’s also a betting angle with weekly tips if that’s your thing.
Local Knowledge is a Golf Digest production that offers something different from its peers. Hosts Alex Myers, Keely Levins, and Sam Weinman explore some of the better-known and sometimes more quirky stories from years gone by.
The podcast covers historic moments, golfing culture, and
profiles from some of the most interesting characters in the game. This is
storytelling at its best and provides a welcome and useful history lesson on
some of the biggest tragedies, gaffes, and moments of brilliance in golf.
It’s well worth a trawl through the archives for a comprehensive review of the modern and historic game.
There’s a lot to like about this offering from Andrew Cotter
and Eddie Pepperell, as well as their ‘guest’, the BBC’s Iain Carter, who is also
a permanent fixture on the podcast.
For a self-deprecating look at the modern game, Pepperell
would be high on many people’s lists, while Cotter is maybe the most irreverent
commentator in sport. Then, you have Carter, who is perfectly measured and has
a sound, all-round grasp of what’s happening in the game.
Part of a podcast’s success is the chemistry between its hosts, and these three clearly get on as they tackle both the fun and the important. Some of its best parts are Pepperell’s insights into life on Tour and all that goes with it.
Barstool Sports is a US-based digital media company and blog
that publishes sports journalism and pop culture content. It is well-known for
its comedy and satire, and the Fore Play podcast is its golfing output.
They’re well on their way to half a million YouTube
subscribers, and you’ll likely already be familiar with the names Riggs (Sam
Bozoian), Frankie Borrelli, Trent Ryan, and Dan Rapaport.
These guys have plenty of clout—so much so that even Tiger Woods interacts with them. Their charm comes mainly from the sense that they are you and I—golfing nuts who struggle with the game but are obsessed with it anyway—and the podcast reflects that in its style.
Many would rank this as one of the best golf podcasts, if not the best, and it’s easy to see why.
It’s hosted by Chris Solomon, who is joined by D.J.
Piehowski, Tron, Neil Schuster, Big Randy, and Kevin van Valkenburg. Together,
the group offers brilliant content on all forms of the game.
No Laying Up gathered real notoriety when it first attracted
all the big names to come on and show themselves in a different light. Their
best work, though, arguably involves their daily Major shows, where they break
down the events of the day, all with a different voice and approach.
The podcast also covers women’s golf in depth, and the guys certainly aren’t afraid to try new things. Its regular output includes longer features and listens and deeper dives into famous moments from the past.
*The golf podcasts mentioned in this blog are available across all the major platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Many are also available directly via the individual podcast or outlet websites.
