Master Greenkeeper Sam Evans joins the From the Clubhouse podcast team to examine how events at Augusta National impact on our courses in the UK

What a time to be alive! The Masters is on TV, Augusta National is looking as superb as ever, and by Monday morning we’ll be itching to get the clubs out of the garage and attack the fairways at our own course.

And, yet, following the wettest March in the UK for decades, what we’re going to experience probably couldn’t be further away from those superbly manicured fairways and perfect greens in Georgia.

It’s been a challenging time for greenkeeping teams trying to get a course ready for the start of our competition season, and Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll have sought out expert help in trying to explain what’s been going on.

We welcome Sam Evans, Master Greenkeeper and Course Manager at North Hants GC, in Hampshire, and go deep on Augusta Syndrome, why some of us need to get a bit of perspective, and the challenges that are facing greenkeepers as we get into the spring.

We’ll also get into the roll back debate and Steve – as usual – has a controversial suggestion for golf club committees to give all of our courses a helping hand.

Listen to our views on Augusta Syndrome and UK greenkeeping on the From the Clubhouse podcast

Hear what we think on the From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade Golf, in the player below, or on your preferred podcast platform

What do you think? Do we have unrealistic expectations in early season or has the education of the club golfer moved on? Let us know with a tweet.

More podcasts from National Club Golfer

Steve Carroll

A journalist for 23 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former captain and committee member, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the national Tournament Administrators and Referee's Seminar. He has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying and the PGA Fourball Championship. A member of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. Steve is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 3-Wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Hybrids: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Irons: TaylorMade Stealth 5-A Wedge Wedges: TaylorMade Hi-Toe 54 and 58 Putter: Sik Sho Ball: TaylorMade TP5

Handicap: 11.3

Tom Irwin

Tom is a lifetime golfer, now over 30 years playing the game. 2023 marks 10 years in golf publishing and he is still holding down a + handicap at Alwoodley in Leeds. He has played over 600 golf courses, and has been a member of at least four including his first love Louth, in Lincolnshire. Tom likes unbranded clothing, natural fibres, and pencil bags. Seacroft in Lincolnshire is where it starts and ends.

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