Club & Courses – Golf Master https://golf.vmondeika.com Golf news & updates Thu, 17 Sep 2026 05:50:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://golf.vmondeika.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/cropped-UG_Favicon-32x32.png Club & Courses – Golf Master https://golf.vmondeika.com 32 32 Ram Golf FX-LOCK Silent Trolley bag review https://golf.vmondeika.com/ram-golf-fx-lock-silent-trolley-bag-review/ Thu, 17 Sep 2026 05:50:32 +0000 https://golf.vmondeika.com/ram-golf-fx-lock-silent-trolley-bag-review/

Introduction

Let’s start with a bold statement. I think Ram are one of golf’s more under-rated brands. 

The best driver I’ve ever owned was the Ram FX V. I’ve never had anything before or since that went straighter. When I’m hitting massive hooks now, I lament the day I ever let it go. 

Remember the Ram Zebra putter? Man, that mallet was a cult all its own. And Tom Watson gamed the brand too, along with Nick Price, Ray Floyd and Gary Player. Ram were a serious brand for serious players when I was taking my initial steps in the game. 

They live on and the traditionalist in me is delighted to see them doing so.  

But this isn’t some rose-tinted stroll down memory lane. When I took Ram’s new FX-LOCK Silent Trolley Bag out for a spin, I quickly realised it was an impressive bit of kit – with one very cool innovation you might not have seen before.  

Keywords

Ram Golf FX-LOCK Silent Trolley; Ram Golf; Ram trolley, Ram trolleys, Ram, Ram lock trolley, golf bag, Ram golf trolley bag  

NCG Summary and rating

Ram Golf FX-LOCK Trolley bag | Source: NCG
4.5 star review

NCG Summary

A spacious trolly bag with more pockets than you’ll probably ever need but which will live and die in your eyes by the 14-club locking divider system. I found it very useful – an easy way to store and find clubs – but wonder how it will look after a year of heavy use.   

PROS

  • Extremely good value 
  • Many spacious pockets  
  • Lock system keeps your clubs securely in place

CONS

  • How durable will the divider system be long term?  

Key Facts

Top Dividers 15 full length (includes the putter well)
Weight (kgs) 3.3
Pockets 10
Strap Single
Material Hard-wearing polyester
Waterproof water resistant
Valuables pocket Two
Velcro glove patch Yes
Water bottle pocket Insulated two-bottle beverage sleeve
Colour options 4

Key benefits and downsides

Key benefits Downsides
Value – at £119.99 it is hard to quibble. Durability – will have to report back on how the the divider system holds up over a full season, or more.
Pockets – from valuables to apparel, ball and bottle pockets, this bag has all you need for a long or quick round.
Lock system – keeps your clubs secure but also silent throughout the round. No more clatterting and banging!

First Impressions

I’m out of the stand bag game. I’m pushing 50 and, though I’ll continue to carry in the winter, the thought of hawking around a full set – particularly in these never-ending heatwaves – is not on my wish-list.  

When the RAM FX-LOCK Silent Trolley bag turned up, there was instant appeal. Particularly at the £119 price tag.  

Ram Golf FX-LOCK Trolley bag | Source: NCG
Ram Golf FX-LOCK Silent Trolley bag | Source: NCG

I’ve recently bought a new set of irons and wanted to resist the understandable urge to splash out on covers to protect them. I’m still in the honeymoon stage where I’m gutted about every little dent.  

It’s here the bag’s club dividers – this innovative locking system – really stood out and they do dominate everything about this product.  

Ram Golf FX-LOCK Trolley bag | Source: NCG
Ram Golf FX-LOCK Silent Trolley bag | Source: NCG

We’ll get into that in some detail shortly, but I really liked the red, white and blue colour scheme. And having only owned one cart bag before in my golfing life, I couldn’t get over the number of pockets – and their size!  

How I undertook the review

I tested the bag on a push trolley during several club competitions at Sandburn Hall, in York, and then on a golf buggy during a 36-hole day at Close House.  

What I found

Let’s get straight to it. If you’re looking at buying this – and that would be why you’re reading this review – you’re probably interested in two things: the price point and the divider system. 

At £119, this is exceptional value without being budget. I’ve yet to see whether it’s fully waterproof – this is the hottest summer ever, apparently – but if it’s not you are not missing out on much else.  

Pockets

There are an incredible number of pockets, 10 at my count and I may have missed a couple of hidden ones inside. 

They’re not gimmicks, either. The four front pockets – one for balls, one for tees, a cooler pocket, and I don’t even know what the top one is for – are incredibly spacious. You could fit every accessory you owned, plus two drinks and your suncream into the quartet alone. I know this because I’ve pretty much tried it.  

Two small zip pockets on each side are perfect to keep phones and keys apart and the two outside pockets were large enough to put a shoe in each (I was breaking in a new pair). 

I could comfortably insert a pair of waterproofs, take off the midlayer on a warm day, and have space for more in the larger inside pockets. 

You will never find yourself making compromises with kit again and I’ve not even mentioned the umbrella holder, towel buckle, or the glove patch. 

14-way Club Locking Top

Then there is the 14-way Club Locking Top. Ram say this is to solve the “annoying…rattle, tangle, and clatter on every bump of the cart path”. 

It is described as a “silent club-lock top that features 14 individual dividers with rubber sleeves that grip each shaft”. 

Ram Golf FX-LOCK Trolley bag | Source: NCG
Ram Golf FX-LOCK Silent Trolley bag | Source: NCG

They look a little ungainly at first, but they are very effective. Not only do they hold your clubs firmly in place, but they also remain in situ even if you’re bumping from path to heavy rough.  

Ram Golf FX-LOCK Trolley bag | Source: NCG
Ram Golf FX-LOCK Trolley bag | Source: NCG

At first, I thought it was going to be a real hassle trying to figure out which divider I’d taken a club from as I tried to replace it after hitting a shot. 

But it’s very easy to locate the space and it’s even easier to find a club if you spend a second or two ordering them properly.  

My only concern here, and it’s probably unfounded, is how durable the rubber sleeves will continue to be with prolonged use. As you remove and replace a club, they spring back into place. That keeps the tension and it will be interesting to sure whether that plasticity remains the longer I use the bag. 

Putter Holder

Other highlights of this bag include the external putter holder, which is large enough to fit the driver as well, and, at 3.3 kilograms, this bag is an easy pick up even holding a full set.  

I’m using a Motocaddy push trolley and the Ram FX-LOCK Silent Trolley Bag fits very well and stay in place – no more mid-round adjusting because my carry bag has started to lean to the side. 

NCG Final Say

This is a seriously impressive golf bag at a value price. It’s light, seems to have space for everything, and comes in four colour options. How invested you get will depend on how you perceive the Club-Locking Top, but it’s an innovation that should be applauded and it works extremely well out on the course.  

Price information

RRP: £119.99 / $179.99

Other product details

Colours: Black-Grey / Black-White / Blue-White-Red / Blue-Grey

Bag height: 92cm

Type: Trolley bag

Use: Push or cart (buggy)

Rain hood: Comes complete with a matching rain hood to keep clubs and grips dry, plus an umbrella holder, velcro glove patch, and a buckle for your golf towel.

More information: Ram Golf UK / Ram Golf US

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Are 11 of Europe’s 12 Ryder Cup places already taken? https://golf.vmondeika.com/are-11-of-europes-12-ryder-cup-places-already-taken/ Wed, 16 Sep 2026 22:57:48 +0000 https://golf.vmondeika.com/are-11-of-europes-12-ryder-cup-places-already-taken/ Predicting who plays in a Ryder Cup used to be hard before Luke Donald came along.

After a stellar playing career for Team Europe, Donald took the reins as Ryder Cup captain in 2023, somewhat fortuitously after Henrik Stenson was ousted for moving to LIV Golf.

Some things happen for a reason, and whatever the reason was, Team Europe will always be grateful. After suffering a thrashing in America in 2021, Donald turned the tide to bring the famous trophy back to the continent with a convincing win at Marco Simone in Rome.

The blue and gold team then kept the trophy in 2025 when winning at Bethpage in ferocious and ugly conditions, winning an away Ryder Cup for the first time since 2012.

On both occasions, Donald had a 12-man team that was very nearly unchanged. The surnames were literally unchanged, with Rasmus Hojgaard replacing his brother Nicolai in 2025.

So, the other 11 players at the 2023 and 2025 Ryder Cups have been: Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Sepp Straka, Bob MacIntyre, Ludvig Aberg, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry and Matt Fitzpatrick.

Whether we like it or not, and whether you believe other hopefuls shouldn’t be left waiting in the wings year after year, it has led to success.

The next Ryder Cup is a year away, and Europe will be favourites to beat Team USA for the third time in a row at Adare Manor in Ireland.

Will the same team compete once more, or will we see more variation? Does Donald fear breaking up this most magical circle, or is he prepared to look further afield?

Team Europe hold the Ryder Cup trophy after their 15-13 victory at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course | Source: David Cannon/Getty Images
Team Europe hold the Ryder Cup trophy after their 15-13 victory at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course | Source: David Cannon/Getty Images

Predicting Europe’s 2027 Ryder Cup team

Rory McIlroy

I am not foreseeing variation here. This is Donald’s third spin as captain, and possibly his last if we are to assume Justin Rose might step to the plate in 2029.

Rory McIlroy is obviously going to play, barring injury. He won his sixth major in 2026, and it is the majors and this biennial match play battle with America that he gets out of bed for, in golf terms anyway.

Jon Rahm

Jon Rahm was a key player in Europe’s victory on Long Island last year. After some haggling with the DP World Tour (DPWT) over fines and suspensions for playing in conflicting LIV Golf events, sanctions he had appealed against to be eligible to play in 2025, the Spaniard and the tour finally settled.

He paid his fines, agreed to a quota of events to play in this season, and he could be an active member again.

With LIV Golf bankrupt and facing an uncertain future, it’s reported that the DPWT will not hand out conditional releases for LIV/DPWT members next season, as it has offered to Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton and others this time around.

That means Rahm must either leave LIV, or stay and incur more sanctions with the DPWT and plunge his Ryder Cup future into jeopardy again. LIV’s bankruptcy could open his exit door.

Tommy Fleetwood

Tommy Fleetwood won on the PGA Tour for the first time in 2025, shortly before performing remarkably for Europe at the Ryder Cup in the USA, again. His record in the last four Ryder Cups is brilliant, and his partnership with McIlroy is too.

There are some players for whom only injury can rule them out, and this is another one of them. Fleetwood will be playing in Limerick next autumn.

Justin Rose

This selection did require some thought, as there will come a time when Justin Rose’s playing career at the Ryder Cup will be over. I don’t think we can say that is now, though, even 12 months out.

He won on the PGA Tour earlier this year, which is more than some active Ryder Cup candidates could say, and he also won last year and in 2023. The Englishman will be 47 at the next Ryder Cup, but as far as Europe’s team room is concerned, players have performed to remarkable levels even when approaching 50.

A little like McIlroy, he now lives for the majors and the Ryder Cup. He is not about to allow age to bring his time in this tournament to an end, especially when he is still on the cusp of the top 10 in the world rankings.

Tyrrell Hatton

This fiery Englishman will have a decision to make, like his LIV Golf teammate Rahm. They both have years left on their LIV contracts, but as LIV enters bankruptcy, there could be a way out.

Since his debut in 2018 in France, Hatton has been talismanic for Team Europe. He and Rahm haven’t lost a pairs match together yet, and he is unquestionably one of the best players in the world. Presumably a route will be taken whereby both he and Rahm can play for Europe, whatever that may be.

Bob MacIntyre

I left Bob MacIntyre out in predicting the 2025 European team. That was a mistake, and I think it would be a mistake to do that again. MacIntyre found the reason why he plays golf when he made his European debut in 2023, and his passion complemented his quality in making the 2025 team, too.

He’s settled into life on the PGA Tour after some early concerns, and he made the Tour Championship again in 2026, meaning he is still one of the most consistent players in world golf. He has qualified automatically for both of his Ryder Cup appearances, and as long as he maintains his form into 2027, I can’t see Donald leaving him out.

Ludvig Aberg

Are doubts beginning to surround Ludvig Aberg? Straight out of college, he was chosen to play for Europe in Italy in 2023 and formed a great partnership with Viktor Hovland. He won the Omega European Masters around that time and the RSM Classic.

He won the Genesis Invitational at the start of the 2025 season, and he has a great Masters record after only three starts at the tournament. But it feels like a while since Aberg last excited us, and many thought he might have won a major by now. Perhaps he is just a victim of expectation.

He almost certainly will hoist one of golf’s big four trophies, but is there a lack of bite in his game? The Swede will be in Donald’s team next year, but European fans might want to see some promise before the balls are in the air.

Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup | Source: PGA of America
Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup | Source: PGA of America

ALSO: Luke Donald is on his way to becoming a Ryder Cup god, and it is all thanks to LIV Golf

Viktor Hovland

You could argue that Viktor Hovland is not nailed on to be in this European team, but it is ever so difficult to see him out of it. He beat Scottie Scheffler in a playoff at the Travelers Championship in 2026, so even in a year of relative anonymity in the majors, he still picked up a PGA Tour trophy.

His form is erratic. He made nine top-25s in 19 events in the US this year, but he missed three major cuts. The Norwegian is a solid-enough prospect to keep his place for Europe, and he is versatile in terms of who he can pair up with, be it Aberg, Hatton or MacIntyre.

Shane Lowry

Since his Team Europe debut in 2021, Shane Lowry has lived and breathed this tournament. He’s been a captain’s pick on all three occasions, but Lowry is an important cog in the current European machine. He is extremely passionate and determined, and a good partner for McIlroy.

As the Ryder Cup is in Ireland next time out, I cannot see Lowry being left out if he is on the periphery of the team again, and that’s if he doesn’t automatically qualify. He is very close friends with Donald, not that that might matter, but the 2019 Open champion has played an integral role in this period of the European Ryder Cup dynasty.

Surely only a really bad season would take him away from that.

Matt Fitzpatrick

I was one of the few who doubted Matt Fitzpatrick’s form at the end of last season heading into the 2025 Ryder Cup. But he stepped on the gas when it mattered most. He missed out on the Tour Championship, but he finished in the top 10 at the British Masters, the Omega European Masters and at Wentworth.

He got a vital half with Bryson DeChambeau in the Sunday singles to help Europe win in tense fashion, and he went on to win three times in the 2026 PGA Tour season. The man from Sheffield is too good not to play for a fifth time in 2027.

Sepp Straka

I am naming Sepp Straka on the team, which means there will be just one different player again. Some European fans would argue that Straka is the lowest-profile player on the team, and would therefore be vulnerable to being replaced.

But he has formed great partnerships with Shane Lowry and Jon Rahm in both appearances under Donald’s stewardship. He appears to be a popular figure in the team room. He is a proven winner on the PGA Tour, and last year, he performed for Europe, having withdrawn from tournaments before the event to be with his prematurely born child.

In Ryder Cup years, Straka turns it on, and I see no reason why he won’t do that again in 2027.

Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick won the 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2026 | Source: Getty Images
Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick won the 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2026 | Source: Getty Images

ALSO: The list of baffling US Ryder Cup woes goes on following a ‘hilarious story’ told by this vice-captain

Who will take the only open spot?

Although the Hojgaard twins have performed valiantly in each of their Ryder Cup appearances, they combined for half a point in five matches.

Most Ryder Cup teams have had this profile of player – they can’t all get five points each – but I do think this spot is up for grabs, and the only one up for grabs.

I wanted to note that I did actually write this a week or so before a group of European players had a practice trip to Adare Manor before the BMW PGA Championship, and three of the players below attended.

Here are four players I believe are in contention for the final spot:

Alex Fitzpatrick

Alex Fitzpatrick is a really interesting one. He came of age in 2026 and reached the Tour Championship for the first time in his career. He won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with his brother Matt, and is no longer just known as the little brother.

Alongside this, he finished in the top 10 at the Cadillac Championship, the Memorial, the Travelers and the Truist, and also tied for fourth at the season’s finale. If he continues this form in 2027, the prospect of a Fitzpatrick pairing at Adare Manor, and everything that could bring to the team room, would surely be irresistible to Donald.

Kristoffer Reitan

Kristoffer Reitan could add more Scandinavian class to Team Europe, with Hovland and Aberg. He won the Truist Championship in 2026, so he is exempt on the PGA Tour through 2028. That gives him access to PGA Tour events, which carry the most Ryder Cup points.

He has progressed from the DP World Tour and cracked America, and he also played in the 2016 Junior Ryder Cup. He will be one to watch.

Eugenio Chacarra

Eugenio Chacarra certainly appears to have a point to prove. After turning professional and moving to LIV Golf, Chacarra left in 2024 to set his sights on the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. He is mixing it with McIlroy and Patrick Reed at the top of the Race to Dubai standings, and is in line to get a PGA Tour card in 2027.

The majors, Signature Events and general PGA Tour stops are where you can earn the most Ryder Cup points, so Chacarra will certainly be on Donald’s radar if he can crack America like Reitan.

Aaron Rai

Aaron Rai discussed the prospect of attending the Adare Manor trip with Donald at The Open Championship in July, but decided not to go. Rai revealed he’d committed to a friend’s wedding, and travel complications made it too difficult.

Rai became the first Englishman since ‘Long’ Jim Barnes to win the PGA Championship in 2026. Rai has won on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour in recent years, but his form runs haven’t quite coincided with a Ryder Cup campaign. Now that he is a major champion, Donald will be taking a keen look.

NOW READ: Ticket prices are just one feature of the ugly mess that the Ryder Cup has become

NOW READ: Does the UK government have any desire to bring the Ryder Cup back to England?

What do you make of this Europe 2027 Ryder Cup team prediction? Tell us on Facebook!

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Who needs bunkers? These courses don’t! – National Club Golfer https://golf.vmondeika.com/who-needs-bunkers-these-courses-dont-national-club-golfer/ Tue, 15 Sep 2026 17:48:04 +0000 https://golf.vmondeika.com/who-needs-bunkers-these-courses-dont-national-club-golfer/

For some of you, a golf course without bunkers might seem unimaginable. They can be awe-inspiring and terrifying at the same time. They can be the first thing you think about when you hear a club’s name pass another golfer’s lips.

Remove the sand, the naysayers might tell you, and you lose the very identity of the game itself. Where is the strategy? Where is the challenge?

But there are classic courses in Great Britain & Ireland – like Berkhamsted and Royal Ashdown Forest – where you won’t find the hint of a bunker on their 18 holes. 

The former, designed by a combination of Willie Park Jr, Harry Colt and James Braid, hasn’t had them for more than a century, while the latter can’t. The forest is protected by an Act of Parliament that forbids anything artificial being constructed on the land. 

While other courses build their character through ingenious pot bunkers, devilishly large shapes or perfectly placed hazards, what you’ll find in Hertfordshire and East Sussex are natural contours, hollows and, in the case of Royal Ashdown Forest, lots of heather.

And don’t be mistaken. Neither course is remotely gentle. 

“Rather naively, and much like most people, I assumed the course would play easier without bunkering,” says Berkhamsted Course Manager Scott Gardner. “As a self-confessed former good golfer, I was quickly humbled after playing the course myself upon my arrival.”

Royal Ashdown Forest Course Manager Dominic Lewis adds: “If you look at the golf course, and you didn’t know it, you’d say, ‘OK, it’s got no bunkers. It’s not that long on the scorecard. It’s going to be an easy golf course.

“It’s anything but.”

At each course, the challenge is dramatically different – with nature providing the defence. 

“We have lots of heather. It’s a heathland golf course, and there’s heather on every hole,” says Dominic. “We’ve also got streams and dips and the natural contours of the land, which really protect it.”

He continues: “A well looked after, well-manicured bunker for a good player is not that much of a hazard. In the heather, you can think it’s a good lie but your club gets tangled in it, and once it gets going, once you get some life into the heather, it’s so hard to get out of.

“Firstly, you’ve got to find the ball, which can be tough, and then you’ve got to get out of it. When I first came here, I was told that once you’re in the heather it doesn’t matter what lie you think you’ve got, get your wedge out, just get it back in play and start again. It can be brutal.

“Over the years, we’ve done a lot of work on the grass that grows around the heather because, if left to grow with any vigour, it makes it even more of a hazard and it also stops you from seeing into the heather from the fairway if you’ve got long grass around it.”

A course can be a varied challenge without necessarily needing bunkers on it | Source: Andy Hiseman

No bunkers? The ground test can stand up to the highest scrutiny

At Berkhamsted, meanwhile, it is the ground game that dominates. “The severe moundings and tricky lies can often affect stance,” explains Scott.

“In some cases, the mounds offer 60-to-70-degree slopes, and their many accompanying hollows often make for a serious test to a short game around the greens here.”

Scott believes having bunkers might sometimes make things easier for golfers. 

“Genuinely, some bunker shots (with the exception of being sandwiched against a revetted face) would certainly offer an easier up and down with a more consistent lie.”

So what’s at the heart of both courses? It’s the idea that the natural environment can be just as much of a test of golf as bunkers. If you leave the safe confines of the fairway, you can find yourself in deep trouble. 

As Dominic says: “It’s [the heather] almost like a shot penalty all the way down the side of the fairway. That heather will then grow three or four inches through the season. You can have 10 to 11 inches of deep heather, which is quite penal.”

It’s a test that also stands up at the highest level. Each year, the Berkhamsted Trophy provides an exacting early season examination of some of the nation’s best amateur golfers.

While at Royal Ashdown Forest, qualifying for the Brabazon Trophy – England’s premier amateur stroke play tournament – saw the layout at its best.

“We had some of the top amateurs in the country trying to qualify for the final and we had three guys on one-under, who were the three leaders,” Dominic points out.

Scott adds: “The annual Berkhamsted Trophy is proof that when visited by some of the UK’s best amateurs, the very modest length of 6,700 yards is more than enough of a test.

“A massive part of this is down to the mounding that is strategically placed on fairways, roughs and greens, and this is testament to the original design and later the sympathetic management of such unique features. 

“The golf course often plays firm and fast due to the soil substrate with many tight tree-lined holes. This together with firm greens can be a serious test for any golfer.”

Berkhamsted's greens are hardly defenceless | Source: Andy Hiseman
Berkhamsted’s greens are hardly defenceless | Source: Andy Hiseman

There are maintenance advantages to having no bunkers

It’s not just the strategic test that benefits from being bunkerless, there are also maintenance advantages. Greenkeeping teams at courses with lots of sand traps can spend hours and hours raking, strimming and cutting. That’s before you even start talking about winter renovation projects. Not at these two clubs.

“There is no getting away from it, when you’ve got a lot of bunkers and expectation from members, a lot of manpower goes into it,” Dominic says.

“We don’t have the daily bunker raking and maintenance, and that can be great. After heavy rain at a previous club, I would have to go out and pump out water and we would rake sand back up.

“That would be a lot of manpower to get the course open and get it in play. Whereas if I’ve had really heavy rainfall here, I can send one man out with a swish to walk around, move markers, swish tees, swish greens and that can be a course set up. In that respect, it’s a lot easier. It takes that rush out.”

Scott says: “We don’t have to factor in ongoing bunker maintenance (apart from three bunkers on our short game area) or reconstruction works, such as building faces, sand levels, drainage, new liners, sand contamination, raking, edging, weeding, blowing or switching bunker sand splash off greens.”

That’s not to say, though, that bunkerless golf means maintenance-free golf. While greenkeepers at both clubs are not spending hours with a rake in their hands, there is plenty of labour required. But their time is spent in other parts of the golf course.

“We do a lot of work on the heather,” Dominic says. “There’s a lot of strimming around it, controlling the grass with lots of spraying. We have to get in there and hand weed the gorse and stop that from taking over. 

“Luckily, we have an artisan section of 75 members and they all have their own areas of heather which they keep clear. Without them it would be such an uphill battle. They do so much for us.”

At Berkhamsted, it’s those fabled mounds and hollows that provide the difficulties.

 “Our mounds are far from maintenance free as they’re not all cuttable due to their sloped construction,” says Scott.

“We strim these once every week and use growth regulators that we apply with knapsacks to control growth and help with consistency.

“It also gives us a serious challenge to spray our greens as we have a lack of run-off areas. We often have to navigate the slopes by lifting spray booms, and it also creates pinch-point areas for walk offs from greens to tees as the mounds practically horseshoe each green. It can be difficult turning with the greens mowers.

“The mounds are visually stunning, though, just given how unique they are, and you really feel a sense of history when looking at them.”

So what does all this prove? What Berkhamsted and Royal Ashdown Forest show, along with other bunker free courses like Minchinhampton, Piltdown and Kington, is that just because there is no sand, it doesn’t mean the challenge and charm are absent too.

It just takes on a different shape.  

  • This article appears in Your Course,a publication from the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association. Your Course invites golfers to gain a deeper appreciation of what preparing and maintaining a golf course really involves. Head to www.bigga.org.uk to find out more.

Now have your say

What do you think? Can golf courses be better with no bunkers? How many have you played without sand and how did you find the experience? Let us know in the comments or get in touch on X.


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Want to know why The Open won’t return to Turnberry? Look at the Irish Open https://golf.vmondeika.com/want-to-know-why-the-open-wont-return-to-turnberry-look-at-the-irish-open/ Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:39:46 +0000 https://golf.vmondeika.com/want-to-know-why-the-open-wont-return-to-turnberry-look-at-the-irish-open/ The R&A has now seen what they’d have to put up with if The Open went back to Turnberry.

If you watched the Irish Open last week at Trump International at Doonbeg, you saw what the President’s presence requires at a golf event. This isn’t just any President, either, is it?

During the third round, tournament winner Shane Lowry teed off on the 3rd hole with several helicopters parked behind him.

As documented by Michael Foley of the Times, a fleet of motorcycles, escort Chevrolets, ambulances and minibuses were tasked with transporting Trump from his links hotel to the golf course.

Security was heightened, to say the least, as Trump became the first US President to attend an Irish Open. On Friday evening, Brian Keogh posted a video on X, appearing to show ‘army personnel’ on the links, searching and preparing it for the President’s arrival.

This upheaval isn’t normal at golf tournaments, but it does happen when Trump is involved. He was at the LIV Golf event at Bedminster in New Jersey, a club which he owns, back in August, and has been on site for other events on previous LIV schedules.

He was at the Cadillac Championship on the PGA Tour in May at Doral, which he owns. At last year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage, he marched to the first tee with Bryson DeChambeau, with a sniper sitting in the stands.

Now, imagine all of this at The Open – the game’s oldest and most treasured tournament. That is a concern the R&A has outlined in recent years.

President Trump at Trump Turnberry | Source: Getty Images
President Trump at Trump Turnberry | Source: Getty Images

ALSO: 300,000 people later – Here is what The Open got right for the fans

Arguably the greatest acquisition in Trump’s golfing portfolio is Turnberry in Ayrshire, or Trump Turnberry as it’s really called. The Ailsa course is one of the best in the world, yet the site hasn’t hosted The Open since 2009.

The first Open held there was in 1977, and it’s possibly the greatest Open, when Tom Watson beat Jack Nicklaus in the ‘Duel in the Sun’. Nick Price and Greg Norman both hoisted the Claret Jug there, too, but those memories felt all the more distant when the R&A announced intentions to steer clear of the venue in 2021.

After the riots on the Capitol in Washington, DC in January, then-R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers released the following statement:

‘We had no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future. We will not return until we are convinced that the focus will be on the championship, the players and the course itself and we do not believe that is achievable in the current circumstances.’

In March 2025, a pro-Palestinian group vandalised parts of the resort, spraying paint on buildings, after Trump proposed taking ownership of the Gaza Strip.

Again, imagine all of this at The Open. It is conceivable that angry protestors will appear again. Just Stop Oil campaigners vandalised the 17th hole at Royal Liverpool at the 2023 Open, so unfortunately, it can happen.

Friction tends to follow Trump wherever he goes, and could still follow when his second Presidential term ends in 2029.

Trump is an issue, but could Turnberry host The Open anyway?

The ‘current circumstances’ part of the above statement from the R&A covers the issue with Trump’s association with Turnberry, but the ‘had no plans’ part at the start points to another issue.

The Open is an event of logistics and infrastructure as much as pin positions and pot bunkers. 120,000 people attended when Stewart Cink broke Tom Watson’s heart 17 years ago. The R&A would surely want to double that figure if a Turnberry Open happened again. Over 300,000 were at Birkdale in 2026.

In terms of fan movement, trains can only get you so close. Road access has always been a concern, as have hotels and where fans could stay. Questions surround the venue’s ability to host what has become a monstrous event.

The R&A appointed a new chief executive in 2024. Mark Darbon stepped into office, and while he has been vague at times with recent Turnberry questions, he has indicated a willingness to take The Open back there.

“Turnberry is still in our thinking,” Darbon said earlier this year. “There is not a huge amount of new news to report. We really like the golf course. We know that there are some logistical challenges that relate to staging a modern Open Championship. 

“They’re primarily off the course – road, rail and accommodation infrastructure. We’ve got a really good dialogue with the club and its ownership, and there is a pretty transparent discussion there, and that dialogue will continue.”

In July 2025, Darbon also revealed he’d held ‘positive talks’ about the infrastructure issues at Turnberry with Eric Trump, the President’s son.

With visits to LIV events, plus the PGA Tour’s return to Doral and the DP World Tour visiting Trump venues in Doonbeg and Aberdeenshire, is the golf world might be softening towards the 80-year-old of the Oval Office?

In 2028, The Open is going to Royal Lytham & St Annes. While every venue has logistical headaches, this famous links on the Fylde coast is tighter in acreage than most. Moving holes and building a new practice ground were required to bring The Open back for the first time since 2012.

Maybe the dialogue Darbon has had with the Trump contingent is about similar developments at Turnberry.

However, the statement made by Slumbers five years ago was very powerful. The tournament and finding a winner are the R&A’s concerns.

President or not, the image of Trump inserting himself into the Claret Jug ceremony might be too much for anyone to stomach.

Now have your say

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NOW READ: Royal Lytham deserves The Open – but 2028 will be a serious squeeze

NOW READ: Where will The Open Championship be held in 2027, 2028 and 2029?

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World Handicap System: Average handicap, scoring and golf participation data revealed – National Club Golfer https://golf.vmondeika.com/world-handicap-system-average-handicap-scoring-and-golf-participation-data-revealed-national-club-golfer/ Mon, 14 Sep 2026 05:16:11 +0000 https://golf.vmondeika.com/world-handicap-system-average-handicap-scoring-and-golf-participation-data-revealed-national-club-golfer/

Is there a big difference between the competition and general play scores of golfers around the world? How often are players recording exceptional rounds?

A World Handicap System Data Report, produced by The R&A and USGA, provides a fascinating look at the way millions of golfers interacted with the game last year.

It was put together after submissions of scoring data from 57 national associations captured 150 million rounds played by over 6.5 million golfers.

So what did the numbers say? Are handicaps changing? Are they being held down by caps and how many times did the Playing Conditions Calculation come into play? Let’s look at the numbers in the World Handicap System data report…

A pair of golfers walking and chatting during their round | Source: Adobe Stock

World Handicap System Data Report: Key findings

  • Average male handicap: 16.9
  • Average female handicap: 29.0
  • 72.8% of submitted rounds were general play
  • 83.4% were 18-hole rounds
  • PCC was applied to 8.9% of scores
  • 96.9% of players produced no exceptional scores

Where did the scores come from?

In Great Britain & Ireland, 631,500 golfers in England accounted for 11.3 million of the rounds, with Ireland reporting 3 million rounds (174,900 players), Scotland 2.2 million (131,800 golfers) and Wales 678,600 rounds (40,400 players).

Unsurprisingly, the United States made up the largest share of submitted scoring data of 2.8 million golfers and 82.3 million scores reported in 2025.

Other prominent associations to submit large numbers of scores included Australia (10.1 million scores), Canada (11.1 million scores), Sweden (6.6 million scores) and Japan (3.7 million scores).

What was the average golf handicap in 2025?

The average handicap index of male golfers worldwide was 16.9 and 29.0 for female players. The largest group of male golfers – 42.3% – had a handicap index between 10.1 and 20.0. Just over a quarter were between 20.1 and 30.

For females, a third of players had a handicap between 20.1 and 30, with just under a quarter holding an index between 30.1 and 40.

Male golfers made up 83.1% of those with a handicap index and they submitted an average of 23.4 scores in 2025. Female golfers recorded 21.4 scores and made up 16.9% of players.

A golfer marks a score on a golf scorecard | Source: Adobe Stock odds of beating your handicap
A golfer marks a score on a golf scorecard | Source: Adobe Stock

How many competition rounds were submitted versus general play scores?

General play accounted for 72.8% of all rounds (or 106.6 million in total), with competition rounds accounting for 27.2% of rounds (39.9 million).

Female golfers submitted fractionally more competition scores than male players – around 6.8 scores versus 6.2.

But those numbers were dwarfed by general play. On average females submitted 14.5 general play scores in 2025 and males put in 16.9.

How many rounds were 18 holes versus nine holes?

18-hole rounds were still the dominant format – accounting for 83.4% of the total rounds, or 125.1 million, submitted in 2025.

Female players were more inclined towards 9-hole outings. The shorter format made up 27% of all rounds they submitted, compared to just 15% for males.

Did golfers score better in competitions or general play?

With some critics maintaining that general play scores make it easier to manipulate a handicap, you might expect to see some variation in the average score differentials in 18- and 9-hole rounds compared with competition scores.

But the WHS data report suggests this is not the case, with Competition Play score Differentials “consistent to General Play score differentials across most handicap ranges for both male and female golfers” in 18 and 9-hole rounds.

For example, the average score differential of male players in 18-hole rounds with a handicap between 10.1 and 20 was 18.3 in competitions and 18.5 in general play.

At the higher end, for players with an index of 30.1 to 40.0, it was 36.5 in competitions and 36.0 in general play.

In 9-hole rounds, the scoring differentials across those same two categories was 10.2 in competitions and 9.4 in general play and 19.5 in competitions and 19.6 in general play.

Golfers shelter from the weather under an umbrella | Source: Adobe Stock
World Handicap System data
Playing conditions calculation
Golfers shelter from the weather under an umbrella | Source: Adobe Stock

How often did the WHS Playing Conditions Calculation apply?

Remember the PCC? The Rules of Handicapping says it looks at whether “playing conditions on the day differed from normal conditions to the extent that an adjustment is needed to compensate”.

It does that by comparing scores submitted by players on a given day against “expected scoring patterns”. There are some rules. At least eight acceptable scores are needed for a PCC to take place, it doesn’t include any scores from players with a handicap index of 36.0 or above and doesn’t count 9-hole scores that are scaled up.

A PCC adjustment was applied to 8.9% of the scores submitted, with 1 shot (3.9%) the most common. A PCC of -1 was applied in 2.8% of scores, with no adjustment applied 91.1% of the time.

How often did players record an exceptional score reduction?

This is triggered when a score differential is at least seven strokes better than the player’s WHS index when their round was played.

For scores between seven and 9.9 better, a one-stroke reduction is applied to every one of the last 20 score differentials in their handicap record.

If the differential is 10 strokes better or more, it’s a two-stroke reduction.

For players that don’t have 20 scores, the reduction is applied to all the scores they have recorded. 

So how often was it triggered? Very rarely, according to the R&A and USGA numbers. There was no exceptional score for 96.9% of golfers, with a mere 1.2% of players triggering a one-stroke reduction.

Only 0.7% of golfers saw a two-shot reduction.

Within these tiny fractions, the handicap index (both male and female) most likely to trigger a one-shot reduction was between 20.1 and 25.0 – accounting for just under 31% of the total. 

For a two-stroke reduction? This one might surprise you. Though the numbers were spread out much more evenly, 10.1 to 15.0 handicappers – at 22.8% – were the most likely to have a career day on the course. 

How often are WHS soft and hard caps applied?

These are designed to stop handicap indexes going up too quickly. The maximum number of strokes a handicap can increase in any calendar year is five above the Low Handicap Index.

But there is a further anchor. When an index has risen three shots, any further increase is limited to half. That’s the soft cap. And when it gets to five, that hard cap is applied. There is much more detail on the soft and hard cap here.

Were lots of caps applied? Not according to this worldwide data. It says 96.38% of golfers had no cap applied.

Of those that did receive one, 49% were likely applied to players with an index of between 10 and 20.

To look at the figures in more detail, check out the World Handicap System data report.

  • This piece also appears in the GCMA’s monthly Insights newsletter that is packed with expert opinion on matters relating to golf club management. Sign up to Insights for FREE here.
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Now have your say

What do you make of this World Handicap System data? Does it tally up with how you are feeling and approaching the game where you play? Let me know in the comments below, or get in touch with us on X.


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Why is America getting team match play so wrong? https://golf.vmondeika.com/why-is-america-getting-team-match-play-so-wrong/ Sun, 13 Sep 2026 22:37:33 +0000 https://golf.vmondeika.com/why-is-america-getting-team-match-play-so-wrong/ Europe has bragging rights again in the Solheim Cup, and now a trend is forming.

After two tense days in the Netherlands, in which we saw match play at its glorious best, Team Europe bagged seven points in the singles to regain the trophy they lost to the United States in 2024

Debutant Lottie Woad secured the point Europe needed for victory, with Spaniard Carlota Ciganda still on the course three up in her match with three holes left, guaranteeing to tip the scales to 14.5. Angela Stanford’s America went down swinging, but Anna Nordqvist was the winning captain.

Europe won at a drizzly Bernardus just a week after Great Britain and Ireland made history by winning the Walker Cup at Lahinch, toppling an impressive American side that led by three points after the penultimate foursomes session.

Team golf is trending nicely in this part of the world. For a matter of days in September 2015, Europe and GB&I held all three trophies after a Walker Cup victory at Royal Lytham, before the US won the Solheim Cup in Germany. But this is the first time that the US has ended a year without all three trophies since 2004.

GB&I memorably won the Walker Cup for the third time in a row in 2003 at Ganton, Europe comfortably won the Solheim Cup in Sweden in the same year, and Europe hammered the US at Oakland Hills in the Ryder Cup 12 months later.

At least America won the Curtis Cup earlier this year.

So, is there something the United States is getting completely wrong about team match play?

Charley Hull of Team Europe lifts the Solheim Cup trophy at Bernardus Golf | Source: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Charley Hull of Team Europe lifts the Solheim Cup trophy at Bernardus Golf | Source: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

No fingers should be pointed for Walker Cup loss

Team USA and captain Nathan Smith will no doubt look back on the 2026 Walker Cup with some regret. After sweeping the Sunday foursomes session 4-0, US fans, players and the captain will have been collectively licking their lips at the prospect of a sixth consecutive win at the event.

What happened in the Sunday singles was dramatic and courageous from all points of view. GB&I won six matches, with the off-course financial advisor Stuart Grehan taking down World No.1 amateur Preston Stout, then Josh Hill making a gutsy birdie on the last hole of the event to edge the contest 13.5-12.5.

But the United States were outstanding as well. They arrived at Lahinch, embraced the conditions and the town, and essentially lost a coin flip. They thrashed GB&I on home soil at Cypress Point in 2025, and despite losing the cup on this occasion, they will likely be favourites to regain it at Bandon Dunes in 2028.

Truthfully, the Walker Cup is all part of each player’s education. There is no need for ferocious finger-pointing in the captain’s direction, like there is at the Ryder Cup. Of course, each player would rather win, but for each losing team – Cypress last year and Lahinch this year – so much will have been learned.

It is better to point to the successes of each captain, and to the intricate detail each shows in their jobs and preparation. GB&I captain Dean Robertson told the NCG Golf Podcast of the remarkable lengths of his data analysis and methods that he and his team used on their way to victory.

You can safely assume that US captain Smith will have adopted similar strategies. It just so happens that he and his team were on the end of a monstrous comeback for which one can hardly legislate.

Dean Robertson, captain of Team GB&I, lifts the Walker Cup in Lahinch, County Clare | Source: Warren Little/Getty Images
Dean Robertson, captain of Team GB&I, lifts the Walker Cup in Lahinch, County Clare | Source: Warren Little/Getty Images

US Solheim’s effort ran out of steam in the singles again

If there is something the US Solheim Cup team must/could improve on, it is singles match play.

This sounds like a strange statement given that it is a team event, but they haven’t won a singles session since 2015, and in that time, they have won two of six Solheim Cups.

Captain Stanford won’t have missed this. Captains have enough time to analyse these events to the nth degree, and they do, so she will have been aware of this worrying trend. They even lost the singles on home turf in 2024, when they won the trophy in Virginia.

It can be difficult to judge the tangible influence that captains have on individual performances, no matter how much you hear of the thorough methods of European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, or even Dean Robertson.

In 2019 and 2021, Team USA lost the Solheim Cup by one point, then two points. The 2023 event was a draw, and in 2026, it was a match of fine margins with only two points separating the teams. In 2019, America lost the singles by one point, and drew 6-6 in 2021 and 2023.

The recent history of this event could be significantly different if the United States had cracked the singles.

As for the 2026 Solheim Cup, it is hard to pick out what Stanford might’ve done wrong. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, of course. Could Alison Lee and Lauren Coughlin have played together again in the Saturday fourballs, as well as each foursomes session? Was there anything she could’ve done differently about the Saturday foursomes, which they lost 3-1? Were her methods thorough enough internally?

I’m squinting, really. Who knows?

Ironically, European captain Nordqvist persevered with the pairing of Charley Hull and Lottie Woad in every session of the first two days, and they had half a point to show for it. Had Europe lost, a huge spotlight would’ve shone on that. After winning her Saturday foursomes match, Leona Maguire became the quickest player to 10 points in the event’s history. The Irishwoman has a super Solheim record, but sat out Friday afternoon.

The 2026 Solheim Cup was tight enough to suggest there were no real missteps by the captains, but the US should definitely revisit their singles record.

Where do you begin with the US Ryder Cup team?

A sub-section with an H2 can’t possibly summarise what the US Ryder Cup team is getting wrong.

Team USA has won three Ryder Cups since 2002. In that time, Europe has also won away from home three times, most recently in 2025 when they won in the grim cauldron of Bethpage on Long Island.

Players and fans of Europe would probably point to one thing to explain Europe’s success: they just care more. While this might sound like a reductive conclusion, it is a sum of parts that suggest it is, indeed, true.

“There are no superstars in our team. When they are in the team room, they leave egos at the door,” said Thomas Bjorn, captain of the winning European team in 2018.

I’ll try some examples from the most recent Ryder Cups. In 2023, Team USA became embroiled in a pay-for-play controversy. Patrick Cantlay was said to have been ringleading the campaign for US players to be compensated for their efforts wearing red, white and blue.

Lo and behold, in 2025, the players were awarded a six-figure stipend for playing, which some members of the team said they’d donate to charity. The Ryder Cup pay debate goes back a little further, though. It was before the 1999 Ryder Cup when comments from Tiger Woods and David Duval sparked debates around remuneration, and the stench has lingered since.

As a result, Europe has often taken the moral high ground. European players treat the event like a privilege and some players have rejected the notion of being paid, whereas the perception of the American players’ attitude is the opposite.

This is the tip of the iceberg as to why Team USA keep sinking at the Ryder Cup, but recent renewals do shed light for us. The captaincy department is another factor.

Team Europe hold the Ryder Cup trophy at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course | Source: David Cannon/Getty Images
Team Europe hold the Ryder Cup trophy at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course | Source: David Cannon/Getty Images

Donald was made European captain in 2023 when Henrik Stenson was removed for joining LIV Golf. After a stellar playing career in the Ryder Cup, Donald carried this into leadership. Using detailed methods and seemingly superb relationship skills, Donald led the continent to victory in 2023 and 2025. They will be favourites in 2027, as well.

The US captaincy is night and day in coherence. After missing out on selection for the 2023 US team that went to Rome, Bradley’s rejection call from captain Zach Johnson was shown on the Netflix show Full Swing. He attracted considerable sympathy for this.

These episodes were released on Netflix in March, 2024. Keegan Bradley was named Ryder Cup captain in July and continued to compete to qualify for his own team.

The will-he-won’t-he soap opera dominated the following 12 months. He even won the Travelers Championship – a matter of months before he was set to lead out the US at Bethpage. Bradley still didn’t know if he’d play at that stage.

As this chaos grew new arms and legs by the week, Europe plotted steadily in the background, and they won. While this was a unique situation in which America nearly ended up with a playing captain for the first time since 1963, it’s an example of why Team USA perhaps ‘don’t get it’.

Europe don’t always win, but they win more than the United States do. Camaraderie, spirit and ethos don’t always lead to good golf, but there must be something in it when Team USA often appears stronger on paper but fails to excel in team match play at the Ryder Cup.

Conclusion

There is no through-line in the Solheim Cup, Walker Cup and the Ryder Cup that explains why Team USA currently hold none of these trophies.

GB&I performed heroics in Ireland, Team Europe continued their singles success at Bernardus to win back the Solheim Cup, and Europe continues to be a cohesive unit when faced with the shoddily put-together US Ryder Cup team.

Who knows? By this time in 2028, there might be a completely different outlook…

Now have your say

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NOW READ: Would a Great Britain & Ireland team stand a chance of winning the Ryder Cup?

NOW READ: Ticket prices are just one feature of the ugly mess that the Ryder Cup has become

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Why golf clubs need to listen to their professionals – National Club Golfer https://golf.vmondeika.com/why-golf-clubs-need-to-listen-to-their-professionals-national-club-golfer/ Sat, 12 Sep 2026 17:08:56 +0000 https://golf.vmondeika.com/why-golf-clubs-need-to-listen-to-their-professionals-national-club-golfer/

A bit of a late bloomer to the game of golf, Max fell in love with the sport when he attended Saturday coaching sessions down at his local golf club after being inspired by friends and family members.

Max has remained a member of Eden Golf Club in Carlisle for a number of years now as he looks to get his handicap down into single figures. Most of his golfing career has been spent battling a permanent slice off the tee, which has led to some ugly rounds.

Having studied at the University of Sunderland, Max is starting out his dream career in sports journalism. During his time at university, he picked up valuable work experience at Reach PLC, BBC Radio Cumbria and GiveMeSport, whilst also getting work published in the Teesside Live. He also spent time working at a local weekly newspaper, Eskdale and Liddesdale Advertiser, as a general news reporter partially covering some local sport just north of the border in Langholm.

Max has just started his journey with the NCG working as the assistant equipment editor. He looks forwarded to reviewing the latest golf equipment, taking up an interest in reviews when buying his first golf club, a Cleveland RTX wedge.

With his bag not going under too many changes throughout the last few years, Max carries an M3 driver, Titleist GT3 Fairway Wood, M2 hybrid, a set of M2 irons, Callaway Jaws wedges and a TaylorMade Spider putter. And yes, Max is a bit of a self-proclaimed TaylorMade fan boy.

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2026 Solheim Cup Pairings: Day Two Matches https://golf.vmondeika.com/2026-solheim-cup-pairings-day-two-matches/ Sat, 12 Sep 2026 09:10:18 +0000 https://golf.vmondeika.com/2026-solheim-cup-pairings-day-two-matches/ Team Europe has the task of trying to take back the Solheim Cup this week in the Netherlands.

After being convincingly beaten at Robert Trent Jones in Virginia two years ago, ending an unbeaten streak of Solheim Cups, Anna Nordqvist’s side will look to get revenge on the United States at Bernardus.

Angela Stanford is the US captain this time around and will look to lean on her vast experience at the event, having played six times, to secure America’s first victory on away soil since 2015.

The format of the Solheim Cup is the same as the Ryder Cup. There is a foursomes session and a fourball session on each of the first two days, and then 12 singles matches on the final day.

As we have seen in both tournaments, pairing choices are crucial, and if a captain can find compatible partnerships, this can lead to vital points being earned towards victory.

As both captains on each side are having their first tilt in the hot seat, it will be intriguing to see which players are paired together, and which opposing pair they are drawn to face off within each session.

Below, you can find the pairings and the schedule for each session of the 2026 Solheim Cup.

Nelly Korda of Team United States at the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf | Source: Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Nelly Korda of Team United States at the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf | Source: Naomi Baker/Getty Images

ALSO: Future Solheim Cup venues: Which courses will take hosting duties?

Solheim Cup pairings 2026

Friday Foursomes – September 11 – UK times (Local time is one hour ahead)

From 6.40 am:

Charley Hull & Lottie Woad vs Allisen Corpuz & Nelly Korda (4&3 win)

Nanna Koerstz Madsen & Celine Boutier vs Alison Lee & Lauren Coughlin (3&2 win)

Leona Maguire & Esther Henseleit (2 up) vs Andrea Lee & Lindy Duncan

Linn Grant & Maja Stark (3&2 win) vs Rose Zhang & Jennifer Kupcho

Score: 2-2

Friday fourballs – UK times (Local time is one hour ahead)

From 12.05 pm:

Charley Hull & Lottie Woad vs Yealimi Noh & Angel Yin A/S

Celine Boutier & Nanna Koerstz Madsen vs Megan Khang & Alison Lee (5&3 win)

Mimi Rhodes & Nastasia Nadaud (2&1 win) vs Allisen Corpuz & Auston Kim

Carlota Ciganda & Julia Lopez Ramirez vs Nelly Korda & Lauren Coughlin A/S

Score: 4-4

Saturday foursomes – September 12 – UK times

From 6.40 am:

Maja Stark & Linn Grant vs Allisen Corpuz & Nelly Korda

Leona Maguire % Esther Henseleit vs Jennifer Kupcho & Rose Zhang

Mimi Rodhes & Nastasia Nadaud vs Andrea Lee & Auston Kim

Charley Hull & Lottie Woad vs Alison Lee & Lauren Coughlin

Saturday fourballs – UK times

TBC

Sunday Singles – September 13 – UK times (Local time is one hour ahead)

TBC

NOW READ: Should we settle for draws in team matches?

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Can I get relief if my ball hits a sprinkler head? – National Club Golfer https://golf.vmondeika.com/can-i-get-relief-if-my-ball-hits-a-sprinkler-head-national-club-golfer/ Fri, 11 Sep 2026 04:36:35 +0000 https://golf.vmondeika.com/can-i-get-relief-if-my-ball-hits-a-sprinkler-head-national-club-golfer/

A journalist for more than 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’d like to tell you he floats around 10. The reality is more like 13.

Steve plays at Sandburn Hall, in York, and is a country member at Close House in Newcastle. He has served on various club committees during his time in the game, and is the current Rules Secretary at Sandburn.

Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NCTJ exams at Darlington College of Technology. He began his career working on weekly papers in Newcastle, before joining the York Press in 2001. After five years as a news reporter, he joined the sports desk – specialising in horse racing and snooker – and was Digital Sports Editor when he joined National Club Golfer in 2016.

What’s in Steve’s bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; Caley 01T irons 4-PW; TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges, Odyssey 2Ball Microhinge putter.

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Rory was wrong. I’d rather watch Lee Westwood than almost any PGA Tour star https://golf.vmondeika.com/rory-was-wrong-id-rather-watch-lee-westwood-than-almost-any-pga-tour-star/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 19:33:41 +0000 https://golf.vmondeika.com/rory-was-wrong-id-rather-watch-lee-westwood-than-almost-any-pga-tour-star/ Hoards of abuse were thrown at players who joined LIV Golf, as the Saudi-funded start-up burst on the scene four years ago.

Homegrown heroes like Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter were slammed by some fans for leaving the European Tour and taking big-money offers.

But whatever expletives you’ve uttered about them since then, there is no question of the presence they still carry in the game, and the value they bring to golf tournaments.

Value is the word mentioned in a question to Rory McIlroy when he was asked about LIV players returning to the PGA Tour, as it seems the game may be up for the once-resurgent rebel circuit.

Here is what McIlroy was asked at the BMW Championship in August:

Scottie Scheffler was asked about the possibility of LIV guys coming back and whether they bring value. In your opinion, are there guys, if it goes away, that should be allowed back?

His answer:

I’d argue: have they brought value to LIV?

This perspective isn’t quite accurate.

Rory McIlroy poses with the Masters trophy during the Green Jacket Ceremony after winning the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club | Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Rory McIlroy poses with the Masters trophy during the Green Jacket Ceremony after winning the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club | Hector Vivas/Getty Images

ALSO: Show me the money! How much has each LIV player made since signing up?

Was Rory right to question the value of LIV Golfers?

As the summer heatwaves fade and burned-brown courses spring back to wet green, we enter a period when LIV rebels have always plied their trade and shared fairways with players they once shared most weeks.

In autumn, they’re mostly free to do what they like, as long as they have exemptions and invitations, and that has meant playing on the DP World Tour (DPWT), formerly the European Tour.

Both Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson have trekked to Scotland for the Alfred Dunhill in recent years, for example, as have Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. And despite the cynicism of this most turbulent period of LIV’s existence, LIV defectors draw crowds, and the events are all the better for it.

Interest comes from players who you care about, who have made you feel something in your time watching golf. In Europe, those times have often come from the Ryder Cup.

This is why the older heads who joined LIV, like Westwood, Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Graeme McDowell still spark interest.

“I really don’t care what people think, to be perfectly honest. “It (invitation to play in the Dunhill) illustrates the fact that people like LIV players in their events. Promoters and sponsors, no matter which tour they’re on, they bring quality to tournaments,” said Westwood, speaking at LIV’s season finale in Indianapolis.

“I heard Rory’s comments. I thought Scottie (Scheffler) answered the question well, and Rory’s answer was just typical of Rory, really – it wasn’t well thought out. There are a lot of players on this tour (LIV Golf) who bring value to tournaments.”

It’s a sorry state where two of Europe’s greatest players are at odds with each other. One might argue Westwood’s move to LIV in 2022 began the spiky spiral; one might say McIlroy’s overly protective actions for the established tours are responsible, too.

Referring back to the Dunhill, we should rejoice that players Westwood and Poulter have entered this year.

McIlroy’s comments are tinged with disrespect towards those who shaped the DPWT – the very ladder McIlroy put his first steps on towards the PGA Tour and Grand Slam immortality.

Lee Westwood at the 2009 Open at Turnberry | Source: Getty Images
Lee Westwood at the 2009 Open at Turnberry | Source: Getty Images

Give me Lee Westwood over the vast majority of the PGA Tour any day

Westwood and Poulter forged their legendary careers on the DPWT, and although some goodwill might have been lost in verbal missteps and unpaid (then paid) fines, the tour and Europeans golf fans have plenty to thank them for, with the excitement they’ve brought over the years, especially at the Ryder Cup.

Westwood turned pro in 1993 and has won 25 times on the DPWT, which was named the European Tour for most of his tenure. Only McIlroy sits above him on the career money list, and only seven players, one of them being Tiger Woods, have more wins.

In the summer, players like Westwood are often asked if they will compete in Final Qualifying for The Open. That is because he is Lee Westwood, and he still has a lot to give to these tournaments.

Heck, Final Open Qualifying has basically become Sergio Garcia Day – another icon of European golf who brings people to the rope line.

In 2025 at The Open, Westwood played a stretch of nine holes at Royal Portrush in 29 shots. At 53, the Worksop man has shown incredible longevity by keeping fit, active and motivated to still play his best.

If he were on The Open Leaderboard, I’d be looking for his name well before the likes of Cameron Young, Russell Henley, and Sam Burns – all players in the world’s top 10 and part of a PGA Tour roster that McIlroy is never shy to sing the praises of.

They just don’t evoke the same interest and emotion.

When I see Westwood, I see Muirfield 2013, when it looked so much like he would win The Open. I see the 2010 Masters when he was destined for the Green Jacket. Of course, there was Turnberry in 2009, when an 18th-hole three-putt cost him a playoff for the Claret Jug with Tom Watson and Stewart Cink.

The same memories could be reeled off for Poulter, Garcia, and McDowell. Cynics might say they have been out of sight in the lucrative LIV wilderness, and out of mind, but in their hearts, surely, the memories these players have created are too great to forget.

Just because of pro golf’s spat in the last four years, just because of some cross-words, we cannot ignore what these stalwarts still bring to the game and the memories they evoke.

Now have your say

What do you make of this Lee Westwood-Rory McIlroy debate? Do Europe’s stalwarts inspire your interest more than PGA Tour stars? Tell us on Facebook!

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