This Golfing Life

75:32

28: Rosie Bailey & Karen Crum: The Game Belongs to...

This Golfing Life ·

2026/09/26

Rosie Bailey and Karen Crum arrived at golf from almost opposite directions. Rosie was a reluctant junior who became an elite player, represented Scotland and earned a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley, where the late Nancy McDaniel and Anne Walker, who now coaches the all-conquering Stanford women's golf programme, became hugely influential figures in her life.Karen grew up immersed in sport and music in Northern Ireland, played competitive football and didn't seriously

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29:16

27. Padraig Harrington: Links, Chunks & Chipping Cures

This Golfing Life ·

2026/09/21

In this special archive edition of This Golfing Life, we travel back to the spring of 2014 and Royal Liverpool Golf Club, where I sat down with three-time major champion Padraig Harrington ahead of that summer’s Open Championship at Hoylake. Harrington had already established himself as one of the great links players of his generation, winning consecutive Opens at Carnoustie and Royal Birkdale in 2007 and 2008 before adding the PGA Championship just weeks after his second Claret Jug. Our

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64:51

26. Richard Finch: Just don't shank it!

This Golfing Life ·

2026/09/13

From Walker Cup heartbreak and Q-School pressure to European Tour glory, Richard Finch reflects on the highs, lows and near-misses of a life in elite amateur and professional golf. Plus the famous Irish Open plunge, Rory McIlroy at 15, Chubby Chandler, and rediscovering the fun of the game at RNGC.Richard Finch’s route to the European Tour began on a municipal course in Hull, where an obsession with getting better once led him to spend the night in the junior room practising his putting. He became

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71:29

25: Gordon Simpson: Ryder Cups to Murder at Wentworth

This Golfing Life ·

2026/09/03

Few people have enjoyed a better seat from which to watch the story of modern professional golf unfold than Gordon Simpson. A sports journalist from the age of 17, Gordon became golf correspondent of the Press & Journal in Aberdeen aged 21 — and promptly found himself walking every yard of the final two rounds of legendary 1977 Open at Turnberry as Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus fought out the Duel in the Sun. From there came football World Cups, Masters Tournaments, Ryder Cups and encounters with

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54:09

24. John E Morgan (Pt.2): "I had a Ryder Cup in me"

This Golfing Life ·

2026/08/27

In Part Two of our extended conversation with John E Morgan, we pick up one of golf's most extraordinary career trajectories. Within months of turning professional, Morgan wins on the Challenge Tour, earns his European Tour card and then heads to America, where — inspired by watching Tiger Woods at close quarters — he emerges from PGA Tour Q School with a second Tour card. Suddenly the docker's son from Bristol is sharing ranges with Ernie Els and meeting his childhood heroes, while still

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55:16

23. John E Morgan (Pt.1): The Jester, The Menace, The...

This Golfing Life ·

2026/08/20

This week on This Golfing Life, we begin a special two-part interview with former PGA Tour and European Tour pro John E Morgan — one of the game’s great characters, and a golfer whose rise was as unconventional as the man himself.In Part 1, John takes us back to a working-class childhood in Portishead, growing up as the only son of a Bristol docker and falling hopelessly in love with golf. He talks candidly about dyslexia, bullying at school, the obsessive competitive streak that drove him on, and

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61:19

22. Harry Stokes: "We were bad. But we had a great time"

This Golfing Life ·

2026/08/14

What happens when you become the coach of an NCAA Division I college golf team with no coaching experience, only two golfers, and a season that has to be completed? For Harry Stokes, the answer was to recruit a triple jumper, a cheerleader and a football team manager, none of whom had ever swung a golf club, give them a crash course in the game and somehow get them through a college golf season.What followed is one of the funniest — and ultimately most uplifting — stories we’ve featured on This

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65:48

21. Robert Lee: Discos, Seve & Sky Sports

This Golfing Life ·

2026/08/06

Former European Tour winner and Sky Sports Golf commentator Robert Lee joins Dan Davies for a warm, funny and deeply reflective conversation about a lifetime in the game.Robert traces his journey from a 10-year-old discovering golf on a pitch-and-putt course in Bournemouth, through his formative years at Richmond Park and Royal Mid-Surrey, to competing against legends including Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam during one of the strongest eras in European

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67:18

20. Gordon Smart: The Game That Brought Me Back

This Golfing Life ·

2026/07/30

Broadcaster, journalist and lifelong golf fanatic Gordon Smart joins Dan Davies for one of the most entertaining and revealing conversations yet on This Golfing Life.From hosting Jon Rahm and Tom Grennan at The Open to following Scotland at the World Cup, Gordon shares remarkable stories from a life spent at the heart of sport, music, broadcasting and Fleet Street. But beneath the laughter lies a deeply personal story of resilience. Gordon reflects on growing up in the golfing heartland of Fife,

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67:06

Jim Hartsell: Worship in Golf's Tiny Chapels

This Golfing Life ·

2026/07/23

A far-reaching and candid conversation with American author Jim Hartsell, who talks about his profound love for Scottish golf, his personal journey from playing with generations of his family in Alabama, the tragic loss of his son Jordan, and how the people, the golf culture and the less-heralded courses of Scotland provided sanctuary n his darkest times. Jim discusses how these experiences have shaped his writing and also shares stories behind Tennessee's cult 9-hole course Sweetens Cove, his

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68:25

Bill Elliott: "My life with Seve, Norman, Faldo,...

This Golfing Life ·

2026/07/16

In this episode, veteran golf journalist Bill Elliott shares his colourful experiences covering the game's biggest names in the '80s and ‘90s. Host Dan Davies dives into Bill’s many stories about the most iconic golfers of the era – Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, players and people that Bill got to know well. The conversation includes thoughts on their different personalities, the dynamics between them, and how the landscape of professional golf has

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74:33

Matthew Southgate: “My Dad, The Open and Me”

This Golfing Life ·

2026/07/09

Six Open Championships. Countless battles. One unforgettable story.This week on This Golfing Life, you're about to hear one of the most candid, emotional and inspiring conversations we've ever recorded. In a few days, Matthew Southgate will tee it up in The Open Championship for the seventh time after once again battling his way through Final Qualifying. But this story is about so much more than golf. It's the story of a little boy who fell in love with The Open because of his father. A father

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63:37

JJ Feild: Golf gives me imposter syndrome

This Golfing Life ·

2026/07/02

Film, TV and stage actor JJ Feild shares his eclectic golf journey, from sneaking onto courses as a kid to playing at some of the world's most prestigious venues. Discover his humorous takes on golf culture, playing in the Dunhill Links Championship, and why he feels like an imposter every time he drives through the gates of a golf club. Hear about his ill-fated trip to Pine Valley, how Simon Farnaby was his golfing mentor, and why JJ’s instinctive rebellion against authority has landed him in hot

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68:26

Brian Viner: The greatest Open prank & golf’s greats...

This Golfing Life ·

2026/06/25

Respected sports journalist and author Brian Viner joins Dan Davies to discuss a lifetime spent covering sport, his love affair with golf, and the remarkable characters he's encountered along the way. From growing up in Southport among some of the world's greatest links courses to interviewing legends such as Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros, George Foreman, Richie Benaud and John McEnroe, Brian shares unforgettable stories from both inside and outside the ropes. The conversation ranges from

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67:42

David Howell: Ryder Cups, Taming Tiger & Playing with...

This Golfing Life ·

2026/06/18

Ryder Cup hero and Sky Sports commentator David Howell joins Dan Davies for a wide-ranging conversation about a pro golf career spanning three decades, the advantages of a ‘joyful’ mindset, playing in Ryder Cups, battling and beating peak-era Tiger Woods, and formative experiences alongside legends such as Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal. Across the episode, Howell reveals how a self-made but super smart mental approach helped him compete at the highest level, why joy and a love for the

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62:50

Jigger Thomson: 'We've done it once, we can do it again'

This Golfing Life ·

2026/06/11

Discover how Jigger Thomson, the tallest tour pro in world golf, burst onto the scene at the 2021 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s having overcome childhood leukaemia to reach the DP World Tour. Hear how he has recently survived his most recent battle with blood cancer and now has his sights set on a return to top-flight golf. This is an inspiring story of faith, perseverance, and a remarkable love for golf, and not to be missed. You can join Jigger at the 2026 Mini Masters in aid of

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63:26

Robert Rock: The Sultan of Swing on style, substance...

This Golfing Life ·

2026/06/04

In this episode, European Tour veteran and two-time winner Robert Rock reveals how investing in his swing — and gaining an intimate understanding what goes into making it look effortless — helped him beat Tiger Woods in Abu Dhabi in 2012 and achieve a lifelong dream. We apologise for the sound quality on this episode but hope you’ll stick with it to discover how Robert’s fascination with historic players like Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Nick Faldo shaped his approach to technique and competition,

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71:38

James Bledge: Creating the perfect place to play

This Golfing Life ·

2026/05/28

A journey into the world of elite greenkeeping and golf course management with James Bledge, Links Manager at Royal Liverpool GC and one of Britain’s finest greenkeepers. From hitting balls over a school building as a kid to Kingsbarns, Deal and preparing Royal Liverpool’s historic links for the Open Championship, this episode reveals the dedication, mentorship, ecological care, and passion for the game - and the land - that informs the presentation of one of the world’s greatest golf links. Plus,

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59:33

Jaz Athwal: Aaron Rai & the British Asian golf...

This Golfing Life ·

2026/05/21

In this episode of This Golfing Life, Dan Davies sits down with Jaz Athwal, the first Sikh to be appointed captain of a British golf club and a co-founder of the British Asian Golf Society. We celebrate the recent success of Aaron Rai, the first British Asian golfer to win a major, exploring how role models from diverse communities can reshape the future of the game. Jaz also reflects on his journey from inner-city Bradford, rugby league and prejudice to the upper echelons of West Yorkshire society,

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67:24

James Nesbitt: Rory, Sir Alex and the healing power...

This Golfing Life ·

2026/05/14

In this episode, actor James Nesbitt and host Dan Davies enjoy a wide-ranging conversation that covers Cold Feet, Bloody Sunday, Royal Portrush, Rory McIlroy, Sir Alex Ferguson, mental frailties on the golf course, and a whole lot more. From his formative years in Coleraine to his experiences of playing with golfing greats, Nesbitt offers a candid and humorous perspective on the game, his friendships, and his role as an ambassador for Northern Ireland, now acknowledged as one of golf’s greatest

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