Iain Forrester is a Scottish Golf Professional who has been based in The Netherlands since 1988. He joined me recently for an extensive chat about Hickory Golf, Golf in the Netherlands and his life in golf. This is a story he forgot to tell us, thankfully I managed to press record again before we ended our time together. The preceding conversation was most enjoyable and will be released over the coming days... keep an eye out for it!

If you're enoying the pod, I would be very grateful if you could submit a review on your podcast hosting platform of choice. It really would be appreciated.

Trailer sound track supplied under licence from Epidemic Sound
Earthbound (Instrumental) by Victor Lundberg

Special Guest: Iain Forrester.

We are releasing a new format docupod series tomorrow which will take a deep dive into golf in the Netherlands. This snippet was too good to leave out so I have included here as sneak peak of my recent chat with Mike Clayton...sage advice as to why you should consider a golf trip to the Netherlands, Belgium & France.

I hope you enjoy tomorrows release.

Special Guest: Mike Clayton.

Joe McDonnell from McDonnell Cooper joins us to discuss the recent improvements to the 7th hole at Formby Golf Club which has recently reopened for member play. Please click on the link for an instagram video where Joe & Sam give us a sneak peak of the fruits of their labour. You can also check out this link where they detail the issues that the club asked McDonnell & Cooper to address.

Joe also walks us through some of the holes that have been lost to coastal erosion, please click on this link to a video that has been lovingly created by our friends at the Cookie Jar with input from Sam & Joe.

Finally Joe takes us on a magical mystery tour of some of the bright lights of Englands Golf Coast which stretches from The Wirral in the South to the Fylde Coast.

It's always great to catch up with Joe, we hope you enjoy our chat.

Episode music - Nectar by Dye O
Supplied under license from Epidemic Sound

Special Guest: Joe McDonnell.

David Normoyle is a respected golf historian who works closely with heritage golf clubs to harness the story telling power of their historical assets.

Over the course of our chat, David makes a case for the significance of golf heritage and history - emphasising the need for active conservation of club histories.

We look at the distinct difference between tradition and traditionalism, the role of myths and proven fact in golf culture, the danger of recency bias and how the development of a deep understanding a club's past informs and supports future direction. Our conversation also touches on the importance of playing promptly, the distance debate and the influence and importance of literature on the game.

Finally David provides actionable advice for clubs looking to preserve their history while engaging with members and visitors.

Many thanks for tuning in, we hope you enjoy our chat.

Episode music - Nectar by Dye O
Supplied under license from Epidemic Sound

Special Guest: David Normoyle.

Gavin Caldwell joins us on this episode to take a look at the history of golf at Trinity College Dublin.

Over the course of this episode we explore the main drivers of the foundation of both the Dublin University Golf Club and later the Society for Alumni that was first established in 1909.

We also profile many of the elite amateur golfers who were associated with Trinity through their studies and afterwards as part of the DUGS alumni.

Gavin has been associated with Trinity Golf for the past 60 years and co-wrote College Courses and Lasting Links detailing the history of Golf at Dublin University.

For anybody interested in purchasing a copy of the book please contact the Honorary Secretary of the Dublin University Golf Society (Mark Murnane) who can be reached via email at dugshonsec@gmail.com.

Episode music - Nectar by Dye O
Supplied under license from Epidemic Sound

Special Guest: Gavin Caldwell.

Friend of the pod Richard Pennell returns to chat about his new book Common Grounds.

Over the course of the episode we chat about Richard's focus on slightly more rustic golfing adventures throughout the UK, Ireland and farther afield.

Common Grounds is published by those lovely people at Grant Books, if you are interested in purchasing the book, please follow the link below:

https://pitchmarks.bigcartel.com/category/books

Remember to enter the competition to be in with a chance of winning one of two copies of Common Grounds that we are giving away.
Details on how to enter are included in the introduction to the episode.

Images can be found on the following channels

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Bluesky

For listeners interested in purchasing Eamon Mangan's book on building Carne Golf Links, please follow the link below.

https://www.mayobooks.ie/Building-Carne?search=building%20carne

A link to the Cookie Jar Course Diaries feature on Royal Worlington & Newmarket can be found below:
https://www.cookiejargolf.com/315-course-diaries-royal-worlington-newmarket/

By no means least a link to Richard's Pitchmarks substack account can be found below

https://pitchmarks.substack.com/

Episode music - Nectar by Dye O
Supplied under license from Epidemic Sound

Special Guest: Richard Pennell.

In this episode I am joined by Royal Adelaide member and all round good egg Terry Thornton, our chat today focuses on his first trip to Ireland for golf during this passed summer which included 22 rounds over 27 days.

Over the course of the episode we discuss favourite Irish courses and holes from his recent trip in addition to many other rabbit holes that come our way,

Many thanks for tuning in, we hope you enjoy the show.

Episode music supplied under license from Epidemic Sound
Shoreline Serenade - Dye O.1.1

Roderick Ritchie, the current course chairman at Utrechtse Golf Club, joins us today to explore the evolving story of 'de Pan' and what can be learned from the sort of careful and considered custodianship on show at Bosch en Duin.

UGC is one of Europe's best golf courses... hidden away amongst a sandy expanse of heather and pine in the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, a nature reserve of some 120 hectares, originally formed by glacial sand deposition during the last ice age.

'de Pan' was Harry Colt's second design commission in the Netherlands. Initially opened in 1929 as a 9 hole course which was extended to 18 in 1932.

Listeners who have sampled the delights of the Greater London Heathlands will recognise and appreciate the golfing charms that await them at UGC.

We hope you enjoy our chat!

Episode music supplied under license from Epidemic Sound
Shoreline Serenade - Dye O.1.1

Special Guest: Roderick Ritchie.