In theory, golf is a pretty simple game. You put a ball on a tee, hit it and chase it around until you stroke the ball into the hole at the 18th. But have you ever tried to explain the rules to an absolute beginner? These are the rules that drive Golfshake's Derek Clements nuts - and should be tossed into the nearest water hazard, without penalty. read more ...

As the golf season gets into full swing it is the ideal time of year to ask yourself what you want to get from your game in 2024. Will you just carry on where you left off last season, or will you be setting yourself some targets? Here are the keys areas you should probably be working on.
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Most of us who play our sport do so in the company of regular playing partners, people we look forward to hooking up with each and every time we play. Turn up at any golf club and, week after week, you will see the same fourballs turning up for the same tee-time. But what makes the perfect playing partner?
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Many golf facilities have been taken to another level in recent years - and Trackman Range is at the forefront of this revolution. Golfshake's Ryan Rastall recently visited Belton Woods to find out more about Trackman Range and to take a look at the new and improved range facilities available at this fantastic venue. read more ...

We all know that - at its best - golf can be the most inclusive of sports, which is a quality that was showcased in South Wales, where a Cardiff-based company, Paramount, partnered with The Golf Trust to provide disabled people the chance to play golf. read more ...

There is much to feel encouraged about as we enter the new golf season in the UK, but it's not a glowing picture for everyone, as several clubs and venues have either shut permanently or have been threatened with closure due to financial pressures, the cutting of local authority budgets, and other developmental interests. read more ...

Golf clubs have faced huge challenges during the past six months as greenkeepers have struggled to keep courses open and playable in the face of incessant rain, so it was especially depressing to learn that two golf clubs in Bournemouth have seen parts of their courses targeted by mindless vandals. read more ...

Golf is a sport that can make us all look very foolish. When all is going well it is a wonderful way to pass four hours or so. But it can and does always find a way to jump up and bite you. It can embarrass you, it can humiliate you and it can make you look just plain stupid. read more ...

For this week's View From The Fairway, Golfshake's Derek Clements returns to an issue that still hasn't gone away on tour and at golf clubs - slow play! read more ...

Everyone wants to improve their game and that has been supported by significant advancements in golf technology and equipment design. With the latest golf equipment, the key to achieving higher accuracy and performance might just lie in an unexpected ally - robot testing. read more ...

After writing about his experiences of returning to the game and gaining a golf handicap, Golfshake's Derek Clements received a wide variety of comments and responses from keen golfers about the World Handicap System. He now shares those and reacts to what was said. read more ...

Record levels of rainfall and frequent storms have been a recurring theme of late, and the impact has been keenly felt by our beloved courses and those of us who play them. We wanted to connect with golfers directly to gather their feedback and hear about their experiences and what the inclement weather has meant for their game. read more ...

Golfshake's Kieran Clark recently had the opportunity to play The Old Course at St Andrews in Reverse, taking on the layout that was common centuries ago. But what does that mean and is this routing actually better than the one we know today? read more ...

Since it first made its way to these shores, the World Handicap System has certainly divided opinion, drawing praise from some quarters and criticism from others, but there are changes in 2024. What specifically do you need to know? Here are the alterations to the WHS that could affect your game this year and beyond. read more ...

Changes have been made to the World Handicap System process, and for this week's View From The Fairway, Golfshake's Derek Clements describes the frustrating impact it has made to him. read more ...

The game of golf has seen seismic changes in recent times. That could make you long for the supposed good old days. But when he thought about it more, Golfshake's Derek Clements realised that things weren't so great after all back in the day. read more ...

The guys who play golf on tour are the best in the world. They play a game that is entirely different from the one we experience. In the main, they know a few things that perhaps we can adopt and learn from. read more ...

Former professional and current Sky Sports presenter and commentator, Nick Dougherty has taken the Golf Foundation's Unleash Your Drive campaign, which aims to introduce golf into schools throughout the country, to the House of Commons. read more ...

This is a funny old sport. Just when you think you have seen it all it has this habit of shocking, amusing and surprising us. Golfshake's Derek Clements has played and followed golf most of his life and he has seen some pretty strange sights. Here are just a few of them. read more ...

Last year, we addressed the news that Perivale Park Golf Course was facing potential closure by Ealing Council, but that has now been confirmed and the municipal layout will be shut down in June. read more ...

It seems pretty obvious that the world of golf faces some serious challenges. Of course there are lots of things to be optimistic about but there is also much we should be concerned about. Golfshake's Derek Clements has had a thought about what the biggest problems are - and this is how he would correct them. read more ...

It's been an extraordinarily sodden winter throughout the UK. Therefore, it's no surprise to learn that our golf courses have been massively impacted as the new season approaches. Consequently, England Golf has revised its Winter Golf Checklist, extending the period in which clubs are permitted to deploy preferred lies on their layout. read more ...

As golfers around the world will know, early spring indicates the start of the golf season, and we have all suffered enough through the misery of winter. It’s a good idea to set challenges for the impending campaign, and there’s plenty of things that you can introduce to help you improve at the game of golf. read more ...

Reflecting on months of wet weather and difficult golfing conditions, Derek Clements dedicates his latest View From The Fairway to the incredible work of greenkeepers across the game. read more ...

Through the advent of rangefinders and other neat gadgets, attempting to produce lower scores on the course has seemingly been easier than ever before. But there are a select few gadgets that should be deemed as essentials when playing golf. read more ...

It's been a thoroughly disheartening winter for golfers - and even more so for the courses that we play on. Heavy rain, flooded fairways and closures have been commonplace across the UK for months, meaning that attaining your golfing fix has been harder to come by than usual. read more ...

We absolutely love golf, but there are things about it that quite simply get on our nerves. Golfshake's Derek Clements has listed the issues that drive him most insane. How many of his rants do you agree with? read more ...

Golf is a sport full of tradition, but that doesn't mean that there aren't areas that should evolve. Golfshake's Derek Clements has picked out just some of the things that he would change about the game, from the sensible to the essential - and even the blasphemous. read more ...

Many of you are about to return to the fairways for the first time since putting the clubs away last autumn. But when you head to the course where you play your golf, what do you expect to find in 2024? You may not be surprised to learn that we have a few tongue-in-cheek ideas... read more ...

If you're reading this article, then you're most likely someone who loves golf. But what is it about this sport that makes it so special? Golfshake's Derek Clements has come up with another 18 things that he loves about this incredible game! read more ...

Birmingham's Lickey Hills, one of the most acclaimed public golf courses in England, has once again been targeted by vandals after being struck twice last week. Unfortunately, it's not the first course to have been affected in this way - and sadly it won't be the last as these instances have become endemic across the country. read more ...

Traditional memberships at clubs are robust, but there is a growing segment of the golfing population who are seeking alternatives. That's where flexible, or points-based memberships are becoming more common, essentially allowing golfers to buy a certain number of credits that can be redeemed for rounds as they go. read more ...

The new golf season is just around the corner. For those of us who have suffered through the winter it means we can start to look forward to shedding all the winter clothing and begin to feel a bit of warmth on our backs. But the question is: are you ready for the new season? We have a few tips. read more ...

Club professionals are a much-maligned species in some circles. But it should be a good career choice. A club pro can make or break a golf club because, at most clubs, he or she is the first and, in some cases, only point of contact. So what makes a good club pro? read more ...

Several municipal golf courses in Scotland have recently been threatened with potential closure, but this bleak outcome looks to have been averted following a widespread public outcry and subsequent change of heart from local authorities. read more ...

Prostate Cancer UK has launched The Big Golf Race 2024, which has become the biggest fundraising challenge in the UK. Golfshake's Andy Picken has personal experience with the disease and describes why you should consider getting involved with the challenge this year. read more ...

Just like balls, clubs, or any other piece of equipment, your golf gloves don't have an indefinite lifespan. They will quickly start to show signs of wear - especially if you're someone who plays regularly. But do you change your golf glove often enough? read more ...

The UK & Ireland boasts an international reputation for its seaside links courses, but this ancient form of the game is being increasingly threatened by the impact of coastal erosion - with several revered venues facing a crisis. read more ...

Our recent surveys have revealed that there are many areas of golf club membership that trouble us, much of which is understandable, but there is a small army of unsung heroes and heroines at every single course in the land - the volunteers who put themselves forward to take on positions that are both time-consuming and, in the main, thankless. read more ...

You don't need us to tell you that it's been a rather wet few months in the UK. Course closures have been common, something that always leads to frustration among the many golfers who are desperate to get the most value from their annual memberships, but the challenge facing greenkeepers is stark. read more ...

When you watch the world's best golfers, you will see that they routinely consume food during their rounds. It's something that many everyday players neglect and it negatively impacts their concentration and preparation. Golfshake's Derek Clements has considered what we should all eat to play our very best. read more ...

It's been a dark beginning to the year for public golf in Scotland. The early weeks of 2024 have been dominated by headlines of municipal courses across the nation facing potential closure, including Hollandbush in South Lanarkshire and the two layouts at Caird Park in Dundee. But there is now another example to add to this ever-growing list. read more ...

For any golfer, making a hole-in-one is a milestone achievement that will resonate for a lifetime. It's that fleeting touch with perfection - in a game that by its nature is about the imperfect - and a moment that is on everyone's bucket list. But how likely are you to make one? This remarkable tale got us thinking. read more ...

The traditional model of golf club membership has retained its place at the heart of the game, but there is a nagging question about whether it's the most suitable way to conduct business as we look towards the latter half of the third decade in the 21st century. read more ...

If you are not especially proficient at something but insist on going about it in exactly the same way, the chances of ever improving are slim to non-existent. And that may apply to the game of golf more than it does to any other sport. Golfshake's Derek Clements describes some of the things that he keeps seeing golfers getting wrong. read more ...