In this episode of the NCG Top 100s podcast, host Tom Irwin is joined by NCG Top 100s Chairman Dan Murphy to delve into the latest Scotland rankings - with a spotlight firmly on the often-overlooked bottom half of the list.

Together they explain why these courses deserve far more attention, from outstanding “second courses” at world-famous venues like Royal Dornoch, Royal Troon and Cruden Bay, to inland layouts that rival the best anywhere in Britain.

The discussion also highlights why Scotland continues to offer exceptional value for money at its top golfing hotspots, proving that quality and fun run far deeper than the headline names.

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Can a course like Prince’s really host an Open? Is Kingsbarns still the benchmark for modern links? And do new courses arrive on ranking lists a little too high before time has done its work?

On the latest NCG Top 100s Podcast, host Tom Irwin sits down with NCG Top 100s Chairman Dan Murphy to go inside the thinking behind the new Top 100s Scotland list. They talk Dornoch’s latest changes, the impact of new course design, and why great golf courses, like fine wine, only get better with age.

Most importantly, Dan explains how the rankings are actually decided: the methodology, the criteria, and why the list is judged purely on the quality of the golf course itself, not valet parking, customer service, or clubhouse luxuries.

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In this episode of the NCG Top 100s Podcast, host Tom Irwin is joined by NCG Top 100s Chairman Dan Murphy to tackle a fundamental question facing modern golf clubs: what is the right length of golf course for the club golfer?

The podcast opens with Dan's recent visit to Fulford to see the vast changes at the Yorkshire course and how he expects the changes to make a huge difference. It prompts Tom and Dan to briefly discuss the attitudes towards tree removal as part of course renovations and how golfer's appetites have changed when it comes to golf course rankings.

Tom and Dan then tackle the discussion of golf course length and what is the advisory length for the average golfer to play, whether you get the full experience of a golf course when playing from forward tees, how tees change the feeling of whether a golf course is a good routing or not, and why our egos want us to go back and play a course at its full length.

They explore how playing from appropriate tees can unlock more strategy, and encourage the use of a wider variety of clubs. The episode also addresses how excessive length impacts enjoyment, scoring, and most importantly pace of play, and why a rethink before you tee off could improve the experience for golfers of all standards.

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