Author: Sofia
Poke your head around the door of any clubhouse andit’slikelyyou’llhear golferschattingabout bunkers.Only the greens are likely to shape more debate. Whetherit’schuntering about‘consistency’,or marvelling overrenovated bunkers after a busy winter,we’reequally fascinated and fearful of the sand. But what do you really know about bunkers? You mighthear the pleas of a greenkeeping team urgingyouto rake them, but have you ever considered what it takes tomaintainthese hazardsandkeep them at the standardsgolf courses aspire towards? What’sgoing to happen in the future? We know resources are gettingscarcerand the cost-of-living crisisremainsvery real.Bunkers have been around since the dawn of the game, but can theyremain a central…
If I’m in a bar, and there are a set of arrows lying around and the dart board is free, I’ll try and hit a few trebles. In the unlikely event the pool table isn’t surrounded, I’ll flex my cue arm and remember my youth. But I would never call myself a darts or pool player. Golf, on the other hand, has – shall we say – a looser relationship with its participants. The view among many is ‘put a club in someone’s hands, they’re a golfer’. It doesn’t matter whether it’s 18 holes or crazy golf. Pick up a…
We have all done things on the golf course we might regret. I’m not talking about the C-word, mainly because C-worders aren’t bothered about C-wording. You might have snapped a club. You might have NR-ed after a poor start. This sport can send you to some dark places. I was on the cusp of a dark place on the golf course recently, but mainly because daylight was running out, and our round was interminably slow. My colleague and I had a work match play fixture to fulfil, so we headed to a popular Yorkshire venue after we put our laptops…
The electric golf trolley market has become one of the fastest-moving equipment categories in the game. Auto-follow technology, appconnectivity,and smarter battery systems are changing how golfers walk the course. In among all that there’s a new global player. Rather thanemergingfrom the traditional golf industry, NAVEE arrives witha very differentbackground. Founded in 2021, NAVEE has quicklyestablisheditself as one of the fastest-growing names in the global smart mobility industry. Thecompany, originating from China,specialises in electric scooters and intelligent mobility solutions. It’sa journey that originally started with the release of the N65 scooter. More recently, NAVEE has introduced its flagship ST3 and GT3…
A journalist for more than 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A’s prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar. Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men’s Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls. A part of NCG’s Top 100s panel, Steve has a…
Golf GPS devices are evolving, with screens growing larger to deliver more detailed course information. Pinned Golf’s ‘The Caddie’ stands out as one of the biggest, boasting an impressive 8-inch display. We have partnered with Pinned Golf to give one lucky reader the chance to win one and try out themselves. They retail at £399.99. The Caddie provides exceptional detail and visibility, and so a very handy addition to those that do not carry. Read the full NCG review here. Here’s how you can win one of these quality GPS tablets… The Prize The prize on offer: A Pinned Golf…
Did you miss me? I’m back, like a bad smell, ready once again to spill righteous invective over your morning bacon sandwich. Much has happened since I’ve been away. St Andrews released a statement, because a singer turned up at the Old Course wearing a hoodie. Rounds seem to be taking even longer than ever. It surely won’t be long before they start passing six hours in the majors, but the recent medal at my club didn’t seem that far behind. At this rate we’ll be spending all day on the course, like they do in Japan, but without sitting…
A journalist for more than 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A’s prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar. Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men’s Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls. A part of NCG’s Top 100s panel, Steve has a…
A bit of a late bloomer to the game of golf, Max fell in love with the sport when he attended Saturday coaching sessions down at his local golf club after being inspired by friends and family members. Max has remained a member of Eden Golf Club in Carlisle for a number of years now as he looks to get his handicap down into single figures. Most of his golfing career has been spent battling a permanent slice off the tee, which has led to some ugly rounds. Having studied at the University of Sunderland, Max is starting out his dream career…
As published in the February 2025 issue of Golf Central Magazine By Dave Finn Colombia may be the most underrated country in South America. After years of uncertainty, challenge and change, Columbia has emerged as the newest travel destination for curious travellers and naturalists. According to World Wildlife Magazine, Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world, with ecosystems that range from the Andes mountains to Amazonian rainforests and oceans that border the country. These elements are part of what makes golfing here so exciting. Bogota Street Art Bogotá is the capital, with over 10 million inhabitants. It…
