From the Clubhouse: Are we seeing the death of roll ups?
Does club golf for you revolve around turning up and chucking balls in the air, or are we now hooked on the concept of booked and fixed tee times?
Covid considerably changed the landscape of how some of us play our golf and in this week’s From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll consider what’s on offer at clubs and whether the humble roll up has passed its sell-by date.
Tom and Steve explain how mixing with lots of different players was pivotal in their early experiences of the game, but they also look at how important knowing exactly when you’re going to play is for a modern time-poor generation.
The pair also look at whether a hybrid mix can suit everyone, while Steve has a World Handicap System plea for those who make roll-ups the majority of their time on the course.
England Golf’s Awards, Tom’s travails with tailoring, and an impromptu Rules quiz are also in the mix, so what are you waiting for? That play button won’t click itself.
Listen to our views on roll ups and tee times in the From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf
- RELATED: Tee time bookings vs roll-ups: The debate threatening to tear golf clubs apart
- RELATED: Save our roll-ups! Why we must fight to keep one of golf’s most popular traditions
What do you think about roll up golf? Do you just want to turn up and play, or do you enjoy a fixed tee time booking. Let us know with a tweet.
More podcasts from National Club Golfer
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 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 particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
