Both Sides of Par: Golf Podcast for Every Handicap

Ross and Colin are back with a proper mixed bag this week. Colin's been living his best golfing life at two very different Scottish gems, the windswept championship links of Western Gailes and the quirky Old Tom Morris charm of Cullen, though the Gailes part of Western Gailes lived up to its name and cost him somewhere north of thirteen balls. Ross, meanwhile, is preparing for an Open qualifier by...

Big news opens the show: Ross has made it back to scratch for the first time in roughly 16 years, and the lads pick apart exactly how he got there. It turns out most of the battle was in his head, with old handicap barriers (that stubborn 0.5, the dreaded jump from 6 to 5) doing more damage than his swing ever did. The fixes were refreshingly human: their weekly chats keeping him accountable, thre...

Ross is off the grid this week, so Colin holds the high handicap fort alone and brings in a guest who sits at the other end of the spectrum: Coleman Rollins, better known online as Coleman Golfs. Coleman is a near scratch software engineer who got so fed up with launch monitor prices that he did the only reasonable thing and built his own, an open source unit called OpenFlight. The two quickly dis...

Follow us at @bothsidesofpar and grab the newsletter here . Episode Summary Ross very nearly gets to scratch this week - painfully nearly. He talks through a round where one missed short putt on the 18th left him sitting at 0.5, along with the classic golfer’s curse of knowing you should stick to process while your brain quietly screams, “go on then, make history.” Colin, naturally, offers sympath...

This week, Ross takes us through the highlights of playing the iconic Wentworth West Course, diving into his five favorite holes and what makes the experience special. The boys also tackle a deep dive into modern golf trolleys, sharing tips and insights for anyone considering an upgrade. Then they discuss whether you should take advantage of the WHS rules around using whatever tee suits you in com...

This week Colin and Ross catch up on a productive stretch of golf, with both of them quietly sliding down the handicap charts. Colin is dropping into the low twenties and threatening more cuts, while Ross casually drops in a one under round that takes him to 0.7, the sort of update only a low handicapper can deliver with a straight face 😆 Before any scorecards come out, there's a proper gear nerd...

Colin's riding high this week after slashing his handicap from 28 down to 24, the result of a 19-over medal win at his home club. The secret? Putting the driver back in the bag, hitting five iron off every tee, and committing to the kind of smart, course-managed golf the lads have been preaching for months. Ross is on his own quiet roll too, knocking in four birdies across a casual nine-hole round...

Colin and Ross sit down with Scott Fawcett, the brain behind the DECADE Course Management System and the man who caddied for a then unknown Will Zalatoris when he won the Texas Amateur and the US Junior back in 2014. Scott has worked in some capacity with roughly a third of the PGA Tour, holds three quantitative degrees, and once played pro golf himself, which is how he discovered the unromantic b...

We'd love to hear your feedback - what can we improve about the show? What do you want to stay the same? Email us at: hello@bothpar.com This week on Both Sides of Par, Colin reports back from a lads' golf trip to Portugal, where he tackled three courses near Cascais including the stunning Oitavos Dunes, a links-style track with greens so fast they left everyone slightly traumatised. Despite scores...

Colin and Ross are back with a spring-in-the-air episode that finds both of them actually getting outside for a change (Scotland hitting double figures apparently counts as tropical). Colin, flying the flag for the high handicappers, reports back on the swing drills he's been grinding through at home, specifically the towel-under-the-armpits connection drill and the now-infamous chair-behind-the-b...

In this episode of Both Sides of Par , Colin and Ross bring in a special guest, Bruce, for a deep dive into golf from every angle of the handicap spectrum. What starts as a casual catch-up turns into a fascinating journey through golf-mad childhoods, living on top of legendary courses, and the bizarre paths that lead players from early obsession to scratch (and beyond). They swap stories about gro...

Colin and Ross are back with a practice-heavy episode that covers everything from AI assisted swing diagnosis to the ongoing plague of slow play in modern golf. Colin kicks things off by sharing his weekend project of rigging up a massive monitor in his shed so he can actually see his launch monitor data while hitting balls. He then walks through the results of feeding all his swing data into Clau...

As the weather finally turns and the golf season edges closer, Colin and Ross dive into the excitement (and frustrations) of getting back on the course after a long, wet winter. They chat about early-season conditions, upcoming competitions, and the reality of shaking off rust. Ross shares insights from a recent lesson and opens up about the challenge of managing emotions on the course - highlight...

In this episode of Both Sides of Par , Ross takes Colin behind the scenes of a visit to the European headquarters of Srixon. From walking into a building covered in a giant image of Shane Lowry to seeing signed tour bags from Hideki Matsuyama, the experience felt like a golfer’s version of Willy Wonka’s factory. Ross shares what actually happens inside a professional custom-fitting facility: how s...

This week on Both Sides of Par , Colin and Ross explore what really happens to your golf game during the winter months — and why the cold, wet season might actually be your biggest opportunity to improve. From course closures and muddy fairways to the unseen importance of drainage systems, they unpack why some courses survive heavy weather while others struggle. There’s also a deeper look at how c...

In this episode of Both Sides of Par , Colin and Ross tackle the realities of winter golf in the UK - relentless rain, course closures, and why some layouts cope far better than others. They dive into the often-overlooked science of golf course drainage, sharing insights from a greenkeeper’s perspective and exploring why what’s beneath your feet matters more than most golfers realise. Plus, they g...

Let us know what you want from the show! Email us at hello@bothpar.com, as tell us: What parts do you want more of? What do you want less of? What else could we cover that would make the show unmissable for you? Thanks! On today's episode: Why Hitting Fewer Balls Could Transform Your Practice Sessions The £15 Training Aid That's Actually Worth Using (SimStick Review) How One Scottish Course Uses D...

Let us know what you want from the show! Email us at hello@bothpar.com, as tell us: What parts do you want more of? What do you want less of? What else could we cover that would make the show unmissable for you? Thanks! Colin and Ross kick off with another cracking competition find – a three-person team event at Cleveland Golf Club in Yorkshire that has Colin planning a road trip from Newcastle to...

Let us know what you want from the show! Email us at hello@bothpar.com, as tell us: What parts do you want more of? What do you want less of? What else could we cover that would make the show unmissable for you? Thanks! Colin and Ross brave the Scottish winter to discuss everything from broken driver faces to AI-powered golf coaches. Colin shares his experience switching from TaylorMade to Ping af...

Let us know what you want from the show! Email us at hello@bothpar.com, as tell us: What parts do you want more of? What do you want less of? What else could we cover that would make the show unmissable for you? Thanks! Ross and Colin check in on their golf weeks, with Ross bringing tales of solid scoring at his home course Wokefield—carding a couple under and one under par despite a few mid-round...

Let us know what you want from the show! Email us at hello@bothpar.com, as tell us: What parts do you want more of? What do you want less of? What else could we cover that would make the show unmissable for you? Thanks! Colin and Ross kick off this week's episode with Colin fresh off the course after sneaking in seven holes at Inverness Golf Club during a rare sunny winter morning. The lads dive i...

In this episode of Both Sides of Par , Colin (the high-handicapper) and Ross (the low-handicapper) dive into a week of extreme contrasts, from chasing professional-level clubhead speeds to navigating the literal "frozen" greens of the Scottish Highlands. Whether you are looking for tips on speed training, debating the merits of a new driver, or looking for high-value course recommendations in Scot...

Want to add serious distance to your game? In this episode, Ross breaks down exactly how he increased his driver clubhead speed from 106 to 121 mph and gained 25-30 yards of carry distance—without changing his entire swing. You'll discover the simple step drill that transforms swing speed, why the mental side of speed training matters as much as the physical, and how raising your ceiling automatic...

In this podcast episode, Colin and Ross explore the vibrant and accessible world of open golf competitions in Scotland and around the UK. They highlight the financial benefits of participating in these events, allowing passionate golfers to play renowned courses at a fraction of the typical green fees. Key competitions and websites like happygolf.co.uk are discussed, along with personal anecdotes ...

Colin and Ross embark on a new podcast journey, discussing their shared passion for golf equipment and experiences. Despite having a lengthy podcasting background in various topics, this marks Colin's return to his childhood interest in golf. Ross, a long-time Srixon enthusiast, shares insights about his current gear choices and the benefits of graphite shafts for reducing physical strain. Through...