From the Clubhouse: What would you put into club golf’s Room 101?
White belts? Iron headcovers? These things are a given. But what else do you really fear and despise on the golf course and what would you want to banish from your club forever?
In this week’s episode of From the Clubhouse, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll get into their pet hates and argue for their inclusion in club golf’s Room 101.
But this is a tough school, as only with unanimous agreement will their selections gain entry.
What will we put in there? Will scabby range balls make the cut? What about Tom’s dodgy dislike of parkland tracks? What do we say about the eternal issue of fairway divots?
We’re sure you’ll nod your heads in agreement but also shake your fists in rage at some of our suggestions. So let’s get the discussion going.
What do you think? What would you put in your own personal club golf Room 101? Let us know with a tweet.
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.
