From the Clubhouse: What is Tom’s problem with the Ryder Cup (and match play generally)?
On this week’s From the Clubhouse podcast, Tom picks a bone with the Ryder Cup and match play as a whole. Has he lost the plot or is the format flawed?
Tom Irwin’s got a bee in his bonnet. It’s match play time – with the Solheim Cup on our screens and the Ryder Cup following hotly on its heels.
But Tom’s struggling to get into the spirit of person-to-person combat. He’s got a problem with it and spends a chunk of this week’s episode getting stuck into the biennial Europe vs USA battles as well as outlining some of his issues with match play at club level.
Is it geared too much in favour of players with more shots and will he find an ally in podcast co-host Steve Carroll?
We also get stuck into handicapping (just for a change) and ask whether it’s acceptable to put in a score if you’re playing solo.
And Steve believes too much of what we do at club level is geared towards stopping the tiny minority of players who are determined to cheat.
Let him argue his case in another fascinating episode that needs to be heard to be believed…
Now listen to the From the Clubhouse podcast…
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.
