Golf Club Talk UK

Leighton & James catch up and run through a few topics such as the tough weather we are facing and Pro-Ams at golf clubs. Then, they're joined by interior designer Jill Treloggen of JT Interiors to explore why clubhouse design deserves far more attention than it often receives. As golf clubs continue to invest in their facilities, the conversation looks beyond the golf course itself and into the c...

In this Toro partner episode of Golf Club Talk UK, we welcome Andy Brown and begin by reflecting on his visit to the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA) and Golf Management Australia (GMA) Conference. We discuss the unique format of the event, the atmosphere it creates, and the key conversations taking place beyond the conference sessions. From course maintenance and sustainability...

In this episode, Tom Brooke, CEO of the GCMA, is joined by Ben Driver, CEO of Royal Blackheath Golf Club, and Scott Clark, Managing Director of Woking Golf Club, to discuss the importance of leadership development and the responsibility leaders have to continually invest in themselves in order to better serve those around them. Tom opens the conversation by exploring why leadership development is...

Leighton catches up with friend of the pod, Renate Roeleveld, CEO of the GCAE, where we look at what's happening, including the upcoming Conference in November.  The theme will be around experience and we touch on this throughout.  Hugo Mills then joins us to discuss The R&A's mission to grow the game around the world and the challenges of increasing participation across both established and emerg...

In this special on-location episode of Trending Topics , we teamed up with England Golf at the prestigious Brabazon Trophy , hosted this year at Moortown Golf Club . Leighton spent two days on site in Yorkshire to get behind the scenes of one of England Golf's flagship championships, highlighting the huge amount of work, planning and dedication required to deliver an elite amateur event of this sc...

Alex Buckner joins Leighton & James to talk about his journey from aspiring club manager to one of the game's rising tour coaches. He opens up on building a coaching brand from scratch, why most golfers chase the wrong fixes, and how identity, systems and communication became the foundation of his success. The conversation dives deep into club coaching, and elite coaching, drawing the balance betw...

In this episode of GCMA Insights on Golf Club Talk UK , hosts Tom Brooke and Gareth Morgan explore how professional development programmes are helping shape the future of golf club leadership across the industry. Joining the conversation are three professionals who have each taken part in GCMA development programmes and applied the learning directly within their clubs and teams. Dan Housley , Gene...

Leighton & James return for a wide-ranging catch-up conversation, with Leighton sharing a personal update and discussing the positive future direction of Golf Club Talk UK and The Greenprint, including increased investment of time, energy, and resources into both platforms. The conversation then turns to leadership, communication, and culture in golf clubs as Leighton welcomes friend of the pod Mo...

Golf courses are increasingly part of planning discussions because they occupy large areas of land, often near towns and cities where housing demand is rising. While some renewed publicity has sharpened the debate, that visibility can and should lead to a more balanced conversation about what this land delivers beyond sport, alongside legitimate questions about access, land use priorities, and lon...

We catch up with Jasper Miners of Evalu18 and Top 100 Golf Courses. Jasper has a deep passion for golf course architecture, and he's become widely respected for helping clubs uncover and understand their history. This work plays a crucial role in guiding future course design, ensuring that any renovations or restorations retain the original spirit and integrity of the course. We dive into his curr...

Leighton and James had the pleasure of visiting the delightful Woking Golf Club, where they enjoyed a round of golf followed by an in-depth conversation with Managing Director, Scott Clark. Scott has been at Woking for nearly two years and brings a wealth of experience to the role. In that time, he has quickly set about refining the club's governance and establishing a clear and ambitious ten-year...

Episode Overview What does the modern or "new" golfer actually want—and are golf clubs keeping up? This episode explores the rise of the "non-traditional golfer" and whether they now represent the majority of players. The panel discusses why many golfers are choosing not to join clubs, and whether the issue lies in cost, time pressures, or a mismatch with modern lifestyles. Guests Tom Brooke – CEO...

In this second of a two-part series, we bring together four leading voices from across the golf industry for an honest and forward-thinking panel discussion. Recorded at Story 94 Oxford Podcast Studios, this conversation explores how the golf industry is evolving and what that means for modern club management. This discussion looks at the rise of non-traditional golf venues and whether clubs are r...

In this first of a two-part series, we bring together four leading voices from across the golf industry for an honest and forward-thinking panel discussion. Recorded at Story 94 Oxford Podcast Studios, this conversation explores how the golf industry is evolving and what that means for modern club management. The discussion focuses on the changing landscape of the game, the pressures and opportuni...

Leighton recently attended a Women's Club Growth Workshop at Greetham Valley Golf Club. Following the event, he spoke with Emma Highwood, Head of Women's Development, and Lauren Spray, Women & Girls Manager, who led the day. In this episode, they reflect on the workshop content while exploring some of the wider challenges facing the game. The conversation looks at why female participation in the 1...

In this episode of GCTUK, Leighton sits down with John Adamson from Ramside Estate to talk about one of the most talked-about new developments in golf entertainment — The Pin at Ramside.  We also look at Ramside as a whole Before the interview begins, we open with an introduction featuring James Brockington and Eddie Bullock. This episode marks Eddie's final appearance in this format on GCTUK, and...

In this episode of Golf Club Talk UK , Leighton Walker and James Brockington speak with Kris Lynch, founder of the Golf Yourself Healthy podcast, about the relationship between golf and wellbeing. Kris shares how he initially struggled with golf growing up in Aberdeen, often feeling out of place and frustrated with the game. After moving to London and playing more casually with colleagues, his per...

This episode takes a deep, topic-led look at golf course design for the slower swing speed player. We use this term deliberately, because swing speed is what really determines distance and ball flight, and a large proportion of the golfing population fits into this category. Slower swing speed players can be young or old, male or female, beginners or lifelong golfers. It is also worth remembering...

We're joined by Gavin Anderson of England Golf and Jerry Kilby of Kanda Golf.  The conversation focuses on the importance of governance training for board members in golf clubs, highlighting the new initiative by England Golf aimed at improving the knowledge and skills of volunteers. Their new Board Learning online workbook, as outline by Gavin and Jerry, provides the perfect outlet for new or exi...

In partnership with Toro , we delve into the world of greenkeeping in this episode, shining a spotlight on the next generation of talent in the profession. We're delighted to welcome the two winners from the recent Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards. Bradley Taylor of Beau Desert Golf Club was named Student Greenkeeper of the Year, while Matt Strutt-Donnelly of Stoneham Golf Club claimed...

Leighton is joined by partners of the show, The Revenue Club , with Chris Knight and Rob Corcoran , for a straight-talking conversation that takes on some of the biggest myths around dynamic pricing and using spare tee times to drive additional revenue for golf clubs. Together, they challenge the idea that flexible pricing creates a race to the bottom, attracts the wrong type of golfer, or negativ...

Panel Discussion Episode 3 of 3  Guests: Phil Grice – Custodian Golf and GC Media James Brockington  – General Manager, Henley Golf Club & GCTUK Alastair Sinclair  – Play More Golf Tony Adams  – Hospitality in Golf In the third episode of our three-part series, we take a deep dive into the subject of investment and keeping your facilities fresh. Joined by an expert panel with deep experience acros...

In this episode, we bring together four leading voices from across the golf and environmental landscape to cut through the noise around water use and sustainability and focus on the facts. We're joined by Tom Brooke, CEO of GCMA, Richard Windows from The R&A, Tom Young from The Environment Partnership (TEP), and Daniel Scarr from Rain Bird to explore why water has become one of the most critical i...

In this unique two-part episode, we delve into elite performance at England Golf, covering girls, women, boys and men's national squads and exploring what it truly takes to succeed at the highest level of the sport. Leighton spends two days on the ground at the National Golf Centre, gaining a real feel for the work that goes into driving success at national level. The episode not only highlights t...

It's a great episode this week as Eddie and Leighton kick things off with a catch-up before diving into the featured interview. They are joined by DJ Flanders, Executive Vice President of Troon Golf, for a wide-ranging and insightful conversation that revisits a standout presentation DJ delivered at the GCAE Conference in Madeira last November. That presentation explored one of the biggest challen...