The NCG Golf Podcast

Mar 17 2025 244 ep. 47 mins 19
The NCG Golf Podcast artwork

The NCG Golf Podcast, by National Club Golfer, brings stories from the world of golf to life. Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll chat about everything from the clubhouse game, to tour, equipment, and courses, and welcome special guests from the world of golf along the way. Available on your preferred podcast platform.

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The Halfway House: Is golf becoming too easy?

Mar 17 2025 36 mins  
Big handicaps, switching tees, a sport that is accessible to all – but is it making the game too easy? Or is there plenty still to test us in this most unfathomable of games? It’s the Fairway or Foul debate in this week’s episode of The Halfway House, our quizzes and questions episode. Can Tom Irwin win the day once again by asserting that golf is tough enough, or will Stev

These World Handicap System changes are MASSIVE but will they make a difference?

Mar 12 2025 51 mins  
This week Steve and Tom get stuck into the new pilot in Ireland giving clubs the chance to alter the Playing Handicap allowance in competitions. It’s coming to the rest of GB&I in 2026. What difference will it make? Will it help low handicappers? Will it finally stop some of the complaints about the World Handicap System? What do you think? Also, spring is coming, and so are th

The Halfway House: Should members get a discount if their course is closed?

Mar 10 2025 24 mins  
Welcome to the Halfway House – our new weekly quiz and questions pod. Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin try to outdo each other with a trio of posers, they answer your questions, and go head-to-head in a quickfire debate. Whether it’s Rules Corner, our new Fairway or Foul feature (which this week asks if clubs should hand money back to members whose courses have been shut for extend

Are low handicappers being screwed by WHS? + Our in-depth Players preview

Mar 05 2025 59 mins  
It’s a twin-pronged podcast this week. First Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin discuss the fascinating USGA statistics that reveal the probability of beating your handicap. What are the odds of shooting 40 points? We have the answers. And is The Players the moment when the golf season really gets under way? In the build up to the so-called 5th major at TPC Sawgrass, we get into the go

Are you a handicap cheat if you refuse to enter roll-up scores?

Feb 25 2025 64 mins  
World Handicap System guidance says regular informal events like roll ups and society scores should be classed as organised competitions and players have a responsibility to ensure they return their scores. But what if they don’t? With the principles surrounding social golf still cloudy five years into the new system, are we saying that those who refuse are breaking the laws of

What does your golf bag say about you?

Feb 19 2025 55 mins  
Trendy canvas bag or huge tour monstrosity? Are you a pencil lumper or someone who couldn’t get round the golf course without a trolley? In this week’s episode Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll delve deep into golf bags and how they can reveal a lot about who we are as golfers. Do you give yourself shoulder injury by bolting on 100 bag tags? Is a valuables pouch a must have accesso

Is there a ‘proper’ way to behave at the driving range?

Feb 12 2025 60 mins  
Tom Irwin has been spending a lot of time at the range. Co-host Steve Carroll hasn’t hit a practice ball in about six months. In this week’s podcast, though, the two come together to talk about the driving range experience. Is there an etiquette about turning up to improve our games? What should we wear? Should we block out the world with headphones or take in the whole communi

Is it time to admit you like the World Handicap System?

Feb 05 2025 61 mins  
What do you really think of the World Handicap System? Tell the truth, because we now know the answer. We asked the question in our massive NCG Club Golf Survey, filled in my more than 3,000 of you, and what you told us was really surprising. Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin get stuck into the results, and analyse what they mean, and we also discuss dress codes – after you told us e

These are the best courses in England!

Jan 30 2025 80 mins  
Planning a golf trip in England this year? Want to click off a trophy course, or just fancy a day out? Don’t do anything until you’ve looked through our new list of the Top 100 courses in England. Steve Carroll and Tom Irwin are joined by NCG’s Top 100s chairman Dan Murphy to assess the risers, fallers, and obviously reveal what we think is the best layout in the country. W

How many of you will leave your golf club this year?

Jan 23 2025 45 mins  
Have you had your emails yet? Membership renewal time is almost here. You’re either already being asked for cash, or your about to get the news ahead of the new season in April. But how many of you are planning to renew? How many of you think you’ll be quitting? Are your annual subscriptions going up? Do you think your golf club membership represents good value? We know the a