Golf club membership: Is it stronger than ever – or teetering on a cliff edge?

Podcast host Tom Irwin has been to the Sunningdale Foursomes – a traditional curtain-raiser to the golf season – and he absolutely loved it. But in club land foursomes can sometimes be a difficult sell, with golfers arguing over the format or reluctant to hit only half the shots in a normal round. This week, Tom and Steve review foursomes, why it can struggle to gain a fuller foothold in the club game, and why more of us should consider spending more time playing alternate shot. Is it the purest form of the game? Let us convince you… Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/ X: https://x.com/NCG_com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

Women’s participation in golf is growing – but is it growing fast enough? Does the industry really understand the experience of women in golf? And is the biggest barrier access or culture? This week, we’re joined by Nicole Wheatley, founder of the Women in Golf Awards, to talk about participation, accountability, and whether golf is ready to honesty look at itself. The new Fairways Project, launched by the Awards in collaboration with 59Club, is a five-year global study designed to measure women’s experience across the industry. Nicole explains why it’s so important and why men also need to get involved. Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/ X: https://x.com/NCG_com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

Are you one of those players determined to be the best they can be? Are you having regular lessons, staking out the range, and practising like there’s no tomorrow? Or are you just happy to play once a week, have a drink with your friends, and not worry about your handicap? This week, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll ask if club golfers are motivated to improve – and what’s getting in the way of those who aren't. The pair also go through a busy mailbag, and there's a muddy rules query to match the weather.  Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/ X: https://x.com/NCG_com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en  

Have you ever considered leaving your golf club? How many of your clubs upped your fees last year and are they going to do it again? What keeps you loyal? We asked you about golf club membership in another big NCG survey filled in by more than 1,000 of you and Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll break down some fascinating results. We reveal what you are saying about golf club membership, and whether we’re still basking in post-pandemic participation joy or if dark clouds are on the horizon. Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/ X: https://x.com/NCG_com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

Music playing, phones buzzing, dress codes pushed to the limit – and that’s before we even start dredging up unrepaired pitch marks and unraked bunkers. Was good etiquette about fitting in, and is it now about tolerance and acceptance instead? Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll dig into the etiquette question – from pace of play to course care. They share some stories and ask whether standards are dying or just evolving. The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash. Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/ X: https://x.com/NCG_com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en  

We surveyed 3,390 golfers from across the UK and beyond to ask what they really thought about the World Handicap System Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll reveal the results – breaking down what the data really tells us, where the system is working, and where golfers believe it is falling apart. We’ll discuss issues around trust, fairness, general play scores, and whether you think WHS truly reflects ability. The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash. Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/ X: https://x.com/NCG_com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en

It’s probably the most fundamental part of the World Handicap System but how many of us really understand Course Rating? This week, Steve Carroll is joined by Gemma Hunter, The R&A’s assistant director of handicapping, to discuss this vital piece of the puzzle. How does it work? How is the data put together? Do clubs get to see it? Is it all just about length? The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash. Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/ X: https://x.com/NCG_com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en  

It offers a cheap way to get an official handicap and players don’t need to be a member of a golf club. Whether it’s iGolf or OpenPlay, independent golfer schemes have been very successful over the past few years – and have also been a useful foot in the door for players wondering if membership is right for them. But with many pundits suggesting numbers could take a hit this year in the face of cost-of-living struggles, could they now provide an escape route? And what will mean for the club game? Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll discuss the rise of the independent golfer, how golf clubs engage with them, and whether such schemes could prove ever more attractive if golfers are looking to save their pennies. The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash. Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/ X: https://x.com/NCG_com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en  

Should you have to show basic competency before you are let loose on the fairways and greens? Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll ask this week whether rules, etiquette, pace of play, and safety should be tested before players are allowed out onto the course. Would you sit an exam to play golf? The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash. Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/ X: https://x.com/NCG_com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en  

We can’t see off 2025 without a huge quiz and there are reputations on the line as two podcasts collide. Steve Carroll, the pride of The NCG Golf Podcast, takes on NCG Top 100s Podcast’s very own Dan Murphy for bragging rights with Tom Irwin as your quizmaster. Who will come out on top in this test of golfing knowledge? The NCG Golf Podcast is produced in association with GolfClubs4Cash. Website: https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/ X: https://x.com/NCG_com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalClubGolfer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalclubgolfer/?hl=en