Today, the news was officially announced that Portmarnock Golf Club, the historic Dublin links, is seeking government support to host the AIG Women's Open and The Open in the coming years. It would be the first time the trophies are taken outside of the United Kingdom and to the Emerald Isle. Yet, golfing purists would not be surprised by the decision to go to Portmarnock. It is an elite championship links with a rich history and is already due to host the Women’s Amateur Championship next year. (Image Credit: Portmarnock Golf Club) In light of the news, I took some time to learn a little more about Portmarnock, a course which I played for the first time this year and am itching to go back to. Here are 5 things you must know: The original course design was overseen by Mungo Park in 1893/4 Brother to Willie, [...]

With 36 holes remaining, Ally Ewing (née McDonald), the 30-year old Mississippian holds a handsome margin that looks hard to bridge. As play commenced on Friday, 59 players started at even par or better and were within four shots of Ally Ewing’s opening 68. However, the American seized control and flew out of the blocks on a sunny Surrey Friday, surging into an extremely commanding position. Five birdies on the outward nine, which is certainly the more challenging of the two this week, was exceptional play to put her seven clear at one point. (Photo by Chloe Knott/R&A/R&A via Getty Images) She was clearly right in the zone, in an almost trance-like state, noting in her post-round interview: “I didn't really even know until I signed my scorecard that I had four birdies in a row, so I would probably say that stretch from like 6 to 11 [...]

As anticipation builds for the opening tee shot of the 2023 AIG Women’s Open to be hit at 06.30 tomorrow by Englishwoman Mel Reid, much has been made of how long the course has been playing during the practice days. On Tuesday, the course endured some torrential rain, and the site is noticeably soft in certain areas. Naturally, you would assume that such conditions would play right into the hands of the longer hitters on the LPGA and LET Tours. However, the picture doesn’t seem that clear. Speaking today in her press conference, Nelly Korda raised an interesting point about such conditions actually favouring the shorter hitters. She said: “I feel like every single time I've talked about maybe having an advantage because of length at golf course, you actually kind of see more of the shorter hitters playing well… I mean, they are used to hitting hybrids into the [...]

On Thursday, the world's best will descend on Walton-on-the-Hill for the 2023 instalment of The AIG Women’s Open where Ashleigh Buhai will be defending her crown, having won at Muirfield last year in a nail biting - albeit slow paced - playoff. The event is also throwing in some extra special touches: an Ellie Goulding concert on Saturday night and a reimagined fan experience. In anticipation I took to the comprehensive book about the clubs’ founding architect - Herbert Fowler, ‘Matter of Course’ by Derek Markham ably supported by revered golf historian Philip Truett - to try and learn a bit more about Walton Heath, and Fowler as a person. Here are 5 things I did not know: 1. Cosmo Bonsor was the man behind the development.  A member of British high society, millionaire by virtue of the brewing industry, a member of parliament, director of the Bank of England [...]

Words by Charlie In my opinion, last week’s Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl was the most entertaining tournament to be broadcast this year. It had everything. Perhaps I am biased: I love links golf, I love Royal Porthcawl, and I love watching the world’s best tackle conditions akin to the Winter Medal. There’s also something just very amusing about watching Padraig Harrington try to negotiate the complications of a beanie hat. (Image: Richard Martin-Roberts/Getty Images) However, juxtaposed against the sunshine and cocktails being enjoyed across the pond at TPC Twin Cities for the 3M Open, the battle on the Bristol Channel offered golf fans a far more relatable and compelling product. Nor should The Senior Open be pigeonholed by the biblical weather endured over the weekend. The wind blew on the first two days, but it was certainly not brutal the entire week. Thursday and Friday saw 30 [...]