Musings from the Jar
July 2024
The Cocktail Circuit
words by Dr Darragh Garrahy (Chief Walker Cup and useless trivia correspondent) --- Sam’s dreadful mix-up of The Brothers Scott from Nairn (Sandy and Calum) on a recent podcast got me thinking about the players who, for various reasons, couldn’t tee it up in a Walker Cup when selected or were close to selection. And indeed, those who put club to ball when in less-than-stellar shape. This is a very non-exhaustive list of some personnel changes in the history of the storied cup. Perhaps the most well-known dropout was in the inaugural Walker Cup at NGLA in 1922 when GB&I Captain Robert Harris fell ill. Bernard Darwin, who was travelling to cover the match for The Times of London, stepped in and defeated William Fownes in his singles match 3/1, having lost the first three holes. Fownes was no slouch, being the 1910 US Amateur winner. His father was Henry, [...]
June 2024
#FeelTheJoy Summer Mixer – Blackwell Golf Club
Blackwell Golf Club - 19th July, 2024 #FeelTheJoy in partnership with FootJoy Our inaugural Cookie Jar Mixer was held at Blackwell in 2021, and we thought we would bring it back. A big day of golf in the summer, some fantastic food, drinks and much much more! A film from that day can be viewed below, including a wonderful impromptu poem delivered by James Woods, originally told at a game between the Honourable Company & Royal St George's. Much like many clubs of that era, Blackwell was founded by a group of local businessmen in 1893. John Ball Jr had won The Open Championship - the first Englishman to achieve such a feat - only three years earlier at Prestwick. In doing so he ignited an unprecedented level of interest in what was previously a fairly obscure Scottish sport, leading to the formation of many clubs around the country. [...]
December 2023
A Word on the Rollback
Words by Sam The ongoing dialogue about equipment regulations in golf reflects the timeless tension between tradition and progress. Whilst the proposed rollback in distance, if implemented, could herald a new chapter for the sport and as golfers, enthusiasts, and governing bodies navigate these changes, the essence of the game remains unchanged; the honing of one’s physical skills, test of one’s character, and the enduring friendships and camaraderie which the game fosters between people of all different walks of life. So, before everyone works themselves into a frenzy with the latest rollback announcement, and social media runs wild with hyperbole on both sides of the fence, it's essential to acknowledge that the ‘distance-debate’ has been raging for well over 100 years, and it will almost certainly continue to do so for as long as we keep playing. I had a very enjoyable drive back from Surrey on Sunday night with [...]
November 2023
5 Books for the Festive Season
Words by Sam I recently saw that the average millennial is scrolling the length of the Eiffel Tower on a daily basis. As someone spending more time on social media than he would willingly share with his friends, my Eiffel Tower is probably more like a Burj Khalifa, or at best one of the Petronas buildings. Recently, things have got worse with a dose of reels when scrolling the phone at nighttime, and with lots of other things competing for attention I realised the amount of books I have read in 2023 is down on previous years’ efforts, a shame because there is really no replacement for a book. So with Christmas and some much needed downtime ahead of us all as we head into December, i thought i would put together a shortlist of some books that I have managed to read and enjoy this year, in the hope [...]
Criss-Crosland Heath
'Criss-Crosland Heath', words by Sam One of the most rewarding parts of Cookie Jar is in finding really good, affordable golf and a recent scheduled visit to Meltham (West Yorkshire) to see a lifelong friend for an evening of drinks and a few holes the following morning created that possibility. When coming up with recommendations for golf on the Sunday morning I was staggered to see that Crosland Heath was only an 8 minute drive away (28 minutes factoring in the round trip to retrieve Jim’s car from the evening before which was left in nearby Holmfirth - the filming location of 'Last of The Summer Wine'). Staggered because Crosland Heath is a course I had been hoping to play for a long time. A picture of a towering par 3 green site, the promise of heather , and knowing the good Dr was responsible for its design in 1914, [...]
The Netflix Cup: The Absolute Pits
The latest insolent attempt to portray golf as ‘cool’, which manifested itself as a scramble match between four PGA Tour pros and a handful of Formula 1 drivers aired on Netflix last week. Yet another opportunity to wheel out the SB2K17 gang (Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler), they played alongside Carlos Sainz of Ferrari and Lando Norris of McLaren. Tony Finau and Max Homa joined up with Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly to make up the other fourball. Earning itself a rating of 3.7/10 on IMDb, the early signs show that it might narrowly pip ‘The Emoji Movie’ (3.4) and ‘The Room’ (3.6) – two absolute powerhouses of film production – to critical acclaim. The nearly three-hour ‘special’ also saw the return of the earpiece, a revolutionary piece of tech that golf purists around the world have come to know and love… “Justin how far do you have? … Justin. [...]
Lucrative Lee and the Founding of the DP World Tour Championship
With the news that Rory McIlroy has claimed his fifth Race to Dubai title ahead of this year’s Tour Championship, despite only playing four non-major or non-WGC counting events this season, it begs the question of what the DP World Tour (DPWT) Order of Merit stands for anymore. Jon Rahm, sitting in 2nd behind his Ryder Cup teammate, has similarly only played two ‘regular’ events on the DPWT this season. Spare a thought for Adrian Meronk, who has won three times in a season where he has already notched up 23 starts. The young Pole needed to finish third or better at last week’s Nedbank Challenge to keep the race alive. Most of Rory’s points were earned with wins at the Scottish Open (1,335) and the Dubai Desert Classic in January (1,335). The story was not dissimilar last year, either. Despite not winning and only playing five regular DPWT [...]
October 2023
Urban Golf x Cookie Jar: A Christmas Party
With Christmas once again fast approaching we're proud to be hosting our third Christmas Party with Urban Golf for some festive fun in London! An evening of music, refreshments and a bit of fun and games in the simulators with our good friends at Urban Golf. This event is a big thank you for all of your support throughout the year, and we’d really like it if you can attend. If you are interested in attending please fill in the form below. We expect the event to be fully subscribed, so if you later realise you are unable to make it, please notify us so that your spot can be made available. We will also be running a simulator-based competition on the night to win a Limited Edition Cookie Jar x Mackenzie Golf Bag. Entry for this will be £10 and collected on the night. The format of the event [...]
Top Hat Tens
Tom Simpson used to say the best holes were the ones that caused the tiger (scratch man) pain and the rabbit (bogey golfer) pleasure. I play my golf at Portmarnock Golf Club (PGC) in Dublin and when I play alone, I often start on the 10th, my favourite hole on the course. Royal St. George’s (RSG) 10th hole has often been my starting hole in matches at RSG. Walking up the 10th at RSG I remember admiring the magnificence of the green with my opponent Dr. Alistair Wells (uncle of Nicola - 5* podcast guest) which falls off mostly on all sides, with some reprieve on the right. The green is hard to hit - cold and blustery conditions are the staple accompaniments of holes like this and make the hitting of the green a celebration. Both holes are an allegory for links golf really - freedom is achieved when [...]
Portstewart Golf Club and a Dance with Dunes
“I think the golf course is amazing. It’s probably one of the most beautiful golf courses I’ve ever seen, if not the most.” – Jon Rahm I’ve often heard that Portstewart Golf Club is a ‘hidden gem’. Yet having had the privilege to play at this magnificent golf course twice this year, there is absolutely nothing ‘hidden’ about it. Sam’s feeling that it was miles away from Portrush may be a common misconception, however in reality it is a mere 10 minute drive up the road. Indeed, it’s one vertex of the colloquially known ‘Triangle’ – made up of Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine. For us, the journey to Portstewart Golf Club was a quick hop across the county border from Portrush into County Londonderry, an area replete with holiday homes and hugely popular with visitors, surfers and golfers throughout the year. The arrival at Portstewart is nothing short of breath-taking. [...]
