Birds of a Feather

Nish: 0:00

Every story has an ending. Does our quest to play the top 100 courses in 10 years have a good ending? We’re Nish and Chris, and we’re your hosts, guiding you through this golfing journey. This is the Top 100 in 10 Golf Podcast

Nish: 0:15

Episode episode nine. Birds of a. Feather Not quite Linda Robson and Quirke Quirk, but it’s a well-known saying that birds of a feather flock together. We’ve found somebody who’s doing the same challenge of playing the top 100 courses in the UK and Ireland, so we’re pleased to say that we’ve got him on for each. So let’s just dive straight in. Hello, alex. Hello, we’ll do some quick introductions. I’m Nish and obviously in middle we’ve middle’ve got chris. Chris, yeah, jim uh isn’t with us today. He was gonna come in, but all the trains have been cancelled from manchester to stockport. Yeah, so zoom right

Nish: 0:56

.

Nish: 0:56

he’s just left the neighborhood and moved to manchester oh really right, yeah, um, so obviously we’ve sent you some questions which are starting points to discuss, but you know we’re we, I’ll guarantee we’re not going to stick to that. Um, I prefer a meandering road to the direct. Yeah, well, let’s start at the beginning then. Right, what made you start up this challenge?

Alex: 1:19

um, it was 2020, covid. It was like the lockdown, so probably like mid-April, and I think my mother-in-law got me like a golf monthly thing previously and I just like kept all the magazines and skipping through it and then saw golf top 100 UK and Ireland. I was like, okay, I’ll have a look at that. And then looked at it. I was like, okay, I’ll have a look at that. And then looked at it and I was like, okay, I’ve never heard of half of these courses. So I played four of them and I think that evening I called my grandpa, who’s a big golfer. He got me into golf One of our many evenings of talking about golf throughout lockdown and he was like, yeah, I know that one, I know that one, I know that one.

Alex: 2:04

And I was going through them and I got a funny old story about golf lists and he basically went on to tell one of the best stories and it was all about an old boy who had picked the list from 1952 or something like that and he left St Andrews at the old course. It was his last course, he wanted to play and he managed to get up to St andrews and he took his two boys with him and these two boys told the general manager at the time that you know he’d done this list in this last course and as the old boy was coming up, 18, the whole of st andrews that worked in russics or worked I don’t know where that, where they were they all came out and they all surrounded the 18th green and clapped him in and I’m getting goosebumps, thinking now and I’m just like do you know what?

Alex: 2:47

that sounds like the most magical thing. So I was like I’m going to do it. So I sent him there and then I was like right, well, I’m picking 2020,. Obviously, covid was quite a big thing. My daughter at the time was going to be born in 2020, so she’s still around when I say at the time she’s still here, but at the time we were expecting a baby and I was like, do I pick it?

Alex: 3:08

And it’s honestly, one of the best decisions I think I’ve ever made in my entire life. Doing it, it’s amazing. So, yeah, that was it.

Chris: 3:17

Oh, wow.

Nish: 3:17

I mean, that’s amazing, isn’t it?

Chris: 3:18

Yeah, it’s brilliant. Interestingly, alex, we had this discussion. Probably one of the first discussions we had actually was about St Andrews. Where do we put it? Do we start there, do we slot it somewhere in the middle or do we finish with it? Have you made a decision on where?

Alex: 3:32

you’re going to put St Andrews?

Alex: 3:33

yeah, I’ve got a big birthday next year okay and, yeah, I’m fair of an out and full to it. So I thought, right, I’m going to pick St Andrews and we’re going to go up there and play and I’d play in two different groups of boys and go away. So we spoke about it for the last four years that that’s where we’re going to go. So we’ve booked it. We’ve booked the new course, which is on my list, and the castle course and I want to play the old. So we’ve left space because you can only go through the ballot unless you want to spend, I think, upwards of like thousands. And my brother works in. He used to work for your Golf Travel, so he knows all about what we’re trying to do.

Alex: 4:16

He was just like mate, there’s no way you’re getting on. I’ve actually just sent a Hail Mary email to the reservations team who have been really good because I heard that there’s an autumn committee that if you send in a letter that they might have a few select free books for the old, but if you don’t do that you’re not getting on. Basically, I would only do the ballot, but the ballot is, like nine, impossible to guarantee.

Alex: 4:48

So let’s wait and see yeah, so it might it might be next year when I get it and I think that’s where you should do the older I think it should. I. It should be a special occasion. The problem is with that is that there’s no guarantee that you’re actually going to play it when you want to play in a special occasion, um, but I’m yeah, yeah, you just don’t, you just don’t know yeah, you feel a bit.

Chris: 5:12

You feel like you should be a bit luckier if it’s a big, a big birthday or a big celebration, don’t you?

Alex: 5:16

100 should have more of a chance yeah, you think so I’m also like I think, since doing this journey, you, the more you speak about it, the more people you find that are doing it or like people that want to help you. So I’m really lucky. There’s actually in our village there’s a member of the R&A who has basically said if you don’t do that, I will help you and get you up there and play and take you to the R&A the clubhouse, because I didn’t know that St Andrews is like municipal golf course and it has different members around it. So I’ve always got a way of doing something. So I will find a way. It might just not be next year.

Chris: 5:57

If you’re a student at St Andrews University, don’t you get to do it? If all else fails, you could just go and start a degree at St Andrews.

Nish: 6:05

Play the long I think’m pretty sure you can, I think, on like a tuesday or something or a specific day of the week where they can go and play. Yeah, why are you only just telling me that when you should become students again? Why is this only coming to light now?

Alex: 6:19

it’s such a funny one, isn’t it? That’s an andrew’s old, because it’s there’s like other golf courses I’ve wanted to play or have played subsequently, and it’s just something about the old mate that I just got to do it. I can’t not do this list and not play it, and I want to do it in the most perfect scenario with the guys that I’ve sort of done a lot of this list with already. But if that doesn’t happen, it’ll have to happen another way.

Nish: 6:47

So who is it you generally tend?

Alex: 6:49

to play with them. So I went um, I grew up in kent, moved to surrey, then moved to london and then moved to hertfordshire and when I was in hertfordshire I started. I picked up golf again when I was um just turning 30. Um, it’s a golf course called Porter’s Park in Radlett and it’s lovely, and I met a group of boys there and I’m just like the Pied Piper. They just basically go like where are we going? Now we’re going. So I organise the golf trip every year, good golfers. And then off the back of that, one of my good friends that I know from back in Kent has also got another group of boys. So I’ve got two groups I go away with, and one I’m in charge of the golf, the other one I gently persuade them where to potentially go and play.

Nish: 7:36

Have you guys thought of playing this course?

Alex: 7:39

No, it’s a joke and they just throw money at the problem as well, which is, unfortunately, which you guys will start to realise at some point. You have to start doing that uh, yeah, we realized that pretty quickly yeah, yeah yeah in for the long haul, though that’s it.

Nish: 8:00

Yeah, um, I mean, have you at moment? Obviously you’re nearly halfway through, which is tremendous. In what four years have you have you got a favourite course that you played? I?

Alex: 8:12

have and it’s always like a real hot topic of discussion. Basically, I’m a member of one that I think I’ve literally just come back from there this week and I still think it’s the best golf. Think I’ve literally just come back from there this week and I still think it’s the best golf course I’ve played. It holds a lot of dear memory because my grandpa, who I spoke about, got me into golf and unfortunately not with us anymore and I think there’s definitely a part of that and it’s where I sort of semi learnt to play golf. But every time I go down there I’m just in awe of it and more and more there’s more validation from people in the golf world that keep talking about it. I think he’s like making my argument justified.

Alex: 8:50

It’s like tom doke, the big um golf architect. He’s done a whole video about it. It’s a golf course called st enodoc down in cornwall. Um, I can’t really describe it now, having having played more links courses. It’s like a toned-down version of Turnberry because it’s just a beautiful links, but then there’s holes where it’s like a Westingale. It’s like the second hole at St Anadok is so difficult and then I don’t know, there’s so much magic about it, but the view is just incredible. And the golf course itself, the James Bray golf course, it’s just incredible. I love it. It’s still my number one for all the romantic reasons, but also golfing. I played with a mate and I played a competition on Saturday and it’s just brutal Like it’s beautifully brutal.

Chris: 9:43

My wife’s family used to holiday in port isaac every year, so we’re always on day mile bay. So I was I wasn’t really playing much golf at that point, but I was just kind of went for a little walk, took past and then in the dock and just looked, looked at it kind of thinking, wow, that is, that’s an incredible piece of links golf land yeah um, I’m excited for that one.

Alex: 10:02

Yeah, yeah, stunning surroundings, yeah, and there’s so much history around it, and every time I go down, yeah, it’s some golf course.

Chris: 10:04

Yeah, I’m excited for that one. Yeah, you’re having a great time Stunning surroundings.

Alex: 10:06

And there’s so much history around it and every time I go down I find something else. So I was playing with an ex-committee member. He used to play for the England team. He’s a lovely boy called Christian and on the first pole I’ve always looked at the big pole. Before you get up to the rise. That looks over to the estuary. And I said to my mate why is that hot?

Alex: 10:27

that pole position there, Like it’s not even where you’re supposed to be aiming. He looked at you and you don’t aim at that. And I’ve been playing this golf course for like 30 years You’re like you don’t aim at that. That’s like where the sheep used to scratch their ass back in the day and they just, and they just left it there.

Chris: 10:41

Is that me, it’s like little things like that You’ve been like double bogeying it for 30 years, aiming at the wrong place.

Alex: 10:49

I don’t know why people don’t aim at that, aim left of it. He’s like, yeah, you don’t aim at it, you aim left of it. It’s a cheap ass scratcher. So there’s little things like that that I love about. I’m still finding little bits and nuggets and stuff. It’s great.

Nish: 11:03

Oh, that’s. That’s brilliant, isn’t it? I think you, when you find a favorite course, I mean, yes, everything validates it all the time, doesn’t it? Almost everything, you know you just go. Nothing gets. Nothing beats this, definitely. And how good is it that? You know you played 42, perhaps some of the best courses in the world and you’re still going back to that. That’s brilliant, yeah, and it’s um.

Alex: 11:23

Yeah, I think you’re right, because it can easily not be and and I’ve played enough I’m starting to get not numb, but I’m definitely like it’s because it’s now getting to a bit like I do my own list right. So after everyone and all the boys huddle around like where are you putting it? And I have to go through it, why it’s where it’s it, and I’m meeting more people that do these lists and maybe get a bit obsessed and I definitely rate mine differently to other people.

Nish: 11:52

I think mine’s more forgiving.

Alex: 11:56

I love golf course architecture and I love the history of golf and everything that golf is, from just the camaraderie to to the skill level. But there is a level that I won’t even go to about bunker placements and just stuff that some of these boys that do these top hundreds just fall apart. Stuff we’re doing I just like they take it way too serious and it’s like panelists on this and like cool, like whatever, like whatever.

Chris: 12:24

Yeah that’s it. Like you’re there to enjoy it, aren’t you? That’s what we’ve said we’re just gonna go and we’re gonna enjoy every single one of those courses. We’re not. We’re not gonna sit there and pull it apart. No, and you’re really. It’s not what it’s about, is it no?

Alex: 12:35

it’s not at all. And yeah, you know, I started this instagram account partly because I was getting so much shit at work from people just being like you’ve been golfing the whole time. So I started. I started the instagram account, um and like, and maybe people took the pic.

Alex: 12:49

I love the guinness guru, but he came out through 2020, um, so I sort of semi-knit the name, saying they’ve got the top golf, sorry, top golf 100 guru, whatever I call myself, um, and people started calling me that I am not a guru about top 100s, but I definitely feel like I play golf to have fun and I travel around to have fun, um, you know, I can look at a golf course like you boys kind of go yeah, that’s good or that’s bad or that hole’s amazing or whatever. But at the end of the day, it’s a game and it’s a sport and it’s and it’s a way to get people together, and it was just something I promised my grandpa would do. And now it’s a way to get people together and it was just something I promised my grandpa would do, and now it’s become a bit of a life ambition, like it sounds like it has for you as well.

Nish: 13:31

Yeah, after only three courses. It’s brilliant, isn’t it Go?

Chris: 13:35

on then. What are your three courses?

Nish: 13:36

What three have you done? So we played Silith and Solway. That was Chris’s thing, I’m a.

Chris: 13:45

C cumbrian, so that’s where I grew up, and that’s right, I wasn’t a member there, but I played quite a bit of golf there, so I wanted to take nish there and play that that was. That was one that was close to my heart. So that was, that was a great start, I mean a beautiful day, and it was. Yeah, it was just absolutely perfect. Couldn’t have written it any better.

Nish: 14:00

It was a nice gentle introduction to lynx Golf I’d played, fortunate enough to be invited to Birtdale a couple of times. I made some ember there, but aside from Birtdale I’d never played any of the Lynx courses at all. So Chris is gone, let’s go up to Cumbria, let’s go up to the coast with Scotland and let’s go and play Lynx Golf there. I was like, oh God, that’s great, what’s going to happen here? But we honestly hit it and the weather was 25 degrees.

Nish: 14:24

There was not a drop of wind or a cloud in the sky you still sat 100, oh yeah we were both absolutely dog shit, but you know it really didn’t matter because it was like the weather’s glorious. We’ve had a great two and a half hour drive up and Chris did the driving, obviously, but yeah, everything was great. It was like it’s the start of the journey, it’s the start of the challenge. Um, yeah, it kind of filled us with enthusiasm right at the start, isn’t it?

Chris: 14:55

yeah, so are you. Are you based in london then, alex? Are you doing all your travel from london?

Alex: 15:00

no, actually do you know what? Like maybe the world and the universe was telling me to do something. So we, just before lockdown happened my wife is from Northamptonshire, so she and we were having a baby wanted to get out of St Albans and we and like, trying to justify living in St Albans, in Hertfordshire, with the prices of housing and everything, it’s just a joke. So we looked up here and I was like, nah, not doing it, it’s too far from london, too far from my family. I’ve got to travel into london every day. And then obviously covid happened and I regretted it every single day. I was in lockdown because this would have had more space.

Alex: 15:35

Um, so I think when the day that they let you go and look at places like, right, let’s get up. We looked at like seven houses and we’ve ended up in a beautiful village and I’m now a member of there’s only like one really good golf course in north hamptonshire. Luckily it’s like a open qualifying venue and everything’s good. So it’s north hamptonshire county um golf club, so I’ve joined there. But nice, I’m now that much further up that actually getting anywhere is not too bad. So like driving to scotland, I’m an hour and a half ahead of everyone else and, um, it does mean coming from kent. When we talk about going to kent and it’s three and a half hours to st george’s, I’m like that seems mental. But I think there’s more golf courses up north and I’ve done surrey, I lived in surrey for a bit. So I feel like, yeah, I’m well positioned to take on the uh, the world of golf courses.

Nish: 16:24

Yeah, I think you. I sort of obviously went through your feed and pictures that you’ve taken and I think you’ve covered that kind of round went with it quite well, haven’t you? That’s been done, yeah.

Alex: 16:37

New Zealand is the last course in Surrey that I’ve got to play on my list. Alright, I’m finishing Surrey in.

Nish: 16:44

December, which is cool, the last course in surrey that I’ve got to play on my, on my list all right.

Alex: 16:46

So yes, I’m finished, I’m finishing surrey in in december, which is it’s cool. It’s like a little I don’t know a little thing ticks off and then I’ve only got one more round yeah, and then there’s only one more around the m25, which is the berkshire blue, and then I’m out, I’m done, I’ve done everything around the m25 nice, yeah, mic, mic drop. Yeah, done.

Chris: 17:07

How many counties are there in Britain? How many others have you got to work through?

Nish: 17:11

50-odd you know what.

Alex: 17:13

England’s not an issue. No, it’s Scotland.

Chris: 17:17

Scotland and Ireland.

Alex: 17:19

Ireland. I was so lucky One of my best mates, the guy we go away it’s called the rigid mug we go away he moved to Dublin in 2020. So we’ve been over there quite a bit and he’s now moved to New York. So I’ve lost that, but we’ve got a mate another mate of ours. So, yeah, I’ve done quite a few of the Island ones which I’m like, again, really lucky. And I think there’s a question you guys ask which is like any advice is like yeah, just just need luck.

Nish: 17:46

Basically, complete this yeah, maximize all your uh, all your luck.

Chris: 17:56

But it’s amazing you say, look, but I mean it’s amazing since we started this how many just little connections that we’ve had. So I think we’ve probably got maybe 10 or maybe 10, maybe 12 courses that we’ve got where, just through kind of friends or friends of friends, we’ve got someone who’s a member who will take us on somewhere. It’s incredible how quickly those connections kind of open up. So it’s um, you’re saying earlier, it’s like a little community, isn’t it? Like golf just kind of brings people together and it’s a it’s a nice little way to do it, isn’t it?

Alex: 18:20

yeah, definitely 100 sure what do?

Nish: 18:24

what your immediate family? You know? You got a wife and two kids yes what? What do they think of it?

Alex: 18:31

rachel’s really supportive of it. I think she knew when she married me that she was marrying a golfer. Um, and she actually she’s actually said that to me and I was like I hadn’t thought of that. That’s an amazing way to like. So anyone out there, you just need to, um, make sure you play golf before you do it.

Alex: 18:48

But yeah, she’s amazing, I think she understands, like with work, like what a switch off golf is. Um, yeah, so that’s so, that’s good. And I’m from a family of golfers, like my grandpa taught me. My ganny was a lady captain, my uncle was a big member of hanky common, my brother’s just joined lip hook. My other brother plays like we’re a big golfing family. So, um, I think that helps. That does help with the whole thing, because you can just go and knock about whatever. And I’ve moved into a village in north hampshire didn’t know, you know that many people other than my best mate who lived there and, um, he introduced me to another fellow in the village who’s now become another of my best mates and he plays everywhere I place.

Nish: 19:30

So, yeah, as I say, I’m like a piper of like top 100 golf courses I mean I’m I’m feeling like there’s a bit of a new segment we might be able to bring there, chris, um, we call it life tips or something, and I think any any guy getting into a relationship should just tell their other half they’re a golfer, regardless whether they are or not. You can have fun.

Chris: 19:51

Now there’s other saturday, weirdly, it’s like obviously I was a golfer when I was younger and hadn’t played for decades. Um, but lucy said to me the other day she was like do you know what? I’m really glad you’re getting back into golf. I was like I can see you’re really enjoying it. I was like perfect.

Alex: 20:03

I like that and and our two girls are like young, so I’ve been really lucky to play 40 of these. Well, you know just shy of 40, um, because I’ve done the four before, but rach has been really supportive of it, um, so, yeah, it’s, everyone loves it and and I think it’s interesting now I don’t I don’t talk about opening, like every now and again I’ll talk about it like someone else, but I’m being introduced to people now at the golf club. It’s like oh, this is alex, he’s he does top hundreds and he’s got an instagram account, so more so. Now everyone there’s people that follow my golf account that don’t even know what I do for a living or like my personal life.

Chris: 20:44

They just follow that, which is quite cool. I had a quick look at your Instagram followers before and one of them was Zane, scotland. I’ve not heard of that name for like 20 years, but he was like. So when I was playing he was like one of the best amateurs in the country, yeah, but then I’ve literally not heard of him for 20 years. What happened to him, do you? I don’t know.

Alex: 21:05

I don’t know. It’s a really weird one with Zayn. Like he started following me and I assumed it was for a reason, and it absolutely wasn’t. I think he followed me just because of like, maybe come up as like, share friends. But the funny story with Zayn is that my mum was doubles partner with his dad.

Alex: 21:28

Okay, that my mum was doubles partner with his dad at a golf club and uh, I said that to her. I was like, oh, bernie, his dad’s called bernie. I was like, oh, you know, bernie used to play with my mom and he’s like cool man, nothing like no, like yeah, I knew that he’s just like cool, all right, sweet like I need to meet these guys.

Nish: 21:42

Yeah, it is definitely. Yeah, you sort of. You know you mentioned your family’s involved in it a little bit. I mean, you’ve got two girls. Are they showing any interest in?

Alex: 21:55

playing golf?

Alex: 21:56

I think they will.

Alex: 21:59

One’s definitely into football, but I grew up within a golf course, right, and a golf club and I I truly believe that it’s the best environment for a young girl or boy to grow up like.

Alex: 22:15

Just the way you converse with adults as a 12 year old or an eight year old, and the discipline that it teaches you and the etiquette it teaches you and like, and the social skills, probably more than anything, I just think it’s the best. I think it’s the best game, best sport in the world, and I’m a massive football fan, so, like, that’s hard saying that. But whereas, yeah, the prices of playing golf is becoming a little bit extortionate for a working man’s game which it, which it was I I still think that the entry for juniors is better now than it was when I was a junior. Um, so I think I will, you know, try and get the girls into the golf club and and I’ll actively try and help with with that, because I think it’s the best environment for them to grow up yeah, I mean I think I learned so many, so many life skills.

Chris: 23:03

I think growing up they say in and around the golf club, it’s um, yeah, stuff that stays with you forever, isn’t it for?

Nish: 23:08

sure yeah, I’ve got it. These are the hard hitting issues. Now, alex, we’re getting into the, the interview, like what’s been your favorite halfway hut so far um, it’s a difficult when you play more, it’s difficult to lock it down.

Alex: 23:25

So can I say I’ve got four for four different reasons, some memorable ones. I wouldn’t be pitted out to just one of them, so Turnberry is number one on my list, and that is definitely in terms of where it’s situated and what it is. It’s the best, halfway off the it’s the ninth, off the back of the ninth. It’s a lighthouse. It’s amazing. The only problem is gin and tonic’s 16 quid. I won’t have to do that.

Chris: 23:55

Whoa, how many did you?

Alex: 23:57

have. I didn’t pick up the bill. I still think that has taken a bit.

Nish: 24:04

It should have taken advantage of a captive audience.

Alex: 24:06

That and then something down old. There’s that famous whole attempt which plays down, down and you see all the bunkers. At the end of that you’ve got an amazing halfway heart and I love the simplicity of it. I went with a mate of mine as a member and what I wanted, I think, is like a common order. So they basically just do sausages and they just give you a sausage on a plate and then you just that’s it. And I wanted an old school Lucasade, you know, like the red, like the one when you were ill, when you were younger. I wanted that and I wanted some energy. And he was like yeah, that’s a normal order, what people get, so for that. I thought that was cool. And then royal livingston and I I like there’s a woman that works in there and I’ve played it twice and both times she’s just been quite like well, you’re slow, you’re supposed to be finished eight.

Alex: 24:58

I just I just liked her attitude and then she’s like you know what you’re ordering, boys? And I was like I don’t might have a bovril, are you having sherry in it? And I was like a bovril with sherry in it and she’s like, yeah, what I know? And I had it. It was really nice. So I think they’re my three.

Alex: 25:14

Twinly Forest is wicked, because Twinly Forest is like the most amazing golf course, because it’s just like the complete opposite of everything. You think it is like everyone member is like an admiral or whatever. But they don’t. They only had a scorecard, uh, in, not since 1992. Um, they only pay one competition a year. Um, you can’t get it on your whs, your world handicap system, and you don’t get your wallet out until the end. So you come in, they know you, and I love the halfway hut because when you get into the halfway hut and they go, oh hello, mr Caster, how are you? I was like, yeah, I’m cool. I was like I have this and that and I was like how much is that? And they were like, no, you don’t pay, you don’t pay now.

Alex: 25:59

I was like okay, and then you pay at the end I don old school about that. That I really liked.

Chris: 26:07

I like the difference between the north and the south ones. In the north you get hurry up. Would you like some sherry in your bovril? Down south you’re like hello, sir. I know, I know.

Alex: 26:18

And we’re like quite fast players. I was a bit like really, but yeah, there you go.

Nish: 26:25

I’m going to get nailed at Lidham, aren’t I? I’m notoriously slow. No, really right. Maybe I’ll pick a day when she’s not on.

Alex: 26:32

Yeah, you’ve been there both times, mate.

Nish: 26:34

Yeah, that’s it. That’s funny, isn’t it? Yeah, I think. I mean I’m the straw poll of three. I suppose that we’ve done. I think S&A for us, didn’t it? Chris?

Alex: 26:45

I haven’t played that. I really want to play that.

Nish: 26:49

Yeah, that was the most recent one that we played Like I could definitely see why that was one that the purists absolutely love. Yeah, that course. Yeah, it was good, I loved it. I had the best front nine of my life, I think, playing there and then I got too big for my own boots and then, right, royally fucked it up. Yeah, that sounds like golf mate. Yeah, that was it. Yeah, golfing gods biting back, I think.

Alex: 27:16

I think it was.

Nish: 27:17

It was like halfway up and I was like I’m in for a score here. I think I could do all right. No way, I’ve got other ideas for you, mate. I’ve got other ideas for you, mate. I’ve got other ideas for you. So we had sort of a bit of an interesting welcome at S&A. Something we were talking about before we jumped on with you Alex it was Frosty, I think was our welcome at S&A.

Nish: 27:46

But you know, early in the morning, everybody’s allowed to have a bad day and all that sort of stuff. Please don’t. Please don’t name any names if you don’t want to. But has there been any way? You’ve got to and you’ve gone? Oh okay, that wasn’t quite what I was expecting, have you always?

Alex: 27:59

it’s a hard one, isn’t it? I think, because I feel like I’m always a heart a glass half full sort of guy. Anyway, I’m always looking for the good in a review. So when I review courses I openly want to look for the positives. But there was one golf course.

Alex: 28:17

The welcome was so bad I’ve been rude enough that I was like, should we just turn around and walk out and got past the bad?

Alex: 28:29

Basically an old boy who and you know, as you say, he might have been having a bad day or whatever, but it was a Saturday so it was not like it was. And then it was just as bad when we got into the clubhouse and it really it’s the only course I played where it affected not only me, it affected the other boys in the group and we played a lot of golf courses and the guys that I was playing with one of them’s, you know, gone to university in America, he’s played golf, he’s played all around the world. He’s been um a county champion, you know. He played some courses and been in caddy for beef for for years, so he’s been around and he was like that is one of the worst welcomes I’ve ever had at a golf club and I’m gonna say it because I think it’s important they know it, it’s ganton right, yeah, right which the reason why it’s interesting, because everyone else has the most amazing time.

Alex: 29:22

So that’s why I basically just be like it must have just been a bad day for the bloke that we met and also subsequently, the bar staffer met something. Maybe their general manager had a massive go at them that morning. Something must have happened. Yeah, it could be.

Alex: 29:35

Yeah so many of them loved it and everyone speaks so highly of it and it’s a great golf course, don’t get me wrong. But I just couldn’t get past it and I think that shows you when you’re on this journey, you know you’re spending your hard earned cash and you’re on this journey. You know you’re spending your hard earned cash and you’re talking. At the time, I was away from my family and you think no, you can’t, you can’t do that and if they don’t want visitors, then don’t allow visitors, is my opinion.

Chris: 29:59

Yeah, it’s interesting, isn’t it? Cause it’s, it’s, it’s almost the good and the bad of golf all kind of wrapped up in one, isn’t it?

Nish: 30:11

You do have some of those experiences occasionally, but but yeah, usually the good far outweighs the the bad experiences that you have, I think, generally speaking, yeah, but that’s the only one I mean to be fair with. Even within sna it was. I mean, we had a very, very, uh shortcut interaction right at the start and then after that everyone was brilliant, yeah, um, but yeah, immediately you’re just like you tense up a little bit. Only you go hang on a minute. Are we welcome here? Like what’s, what’s, what’s gonna happen? Does that mean everybody else is gonna be like that?

Alex: 30:39

and do you know what it was?

Nish: 30:40

it was to do with shoes you’re kidding.

Alex: 30:43

No, that’s what it was. That was what it was. It was. It was to do with shoes and two of the guys had. I suppose you could class them as trainers, but you know those trainers that don’t like trainers, like smart, like comfortable shoes, and I get it if you’re wearing like Nike Air Max, like I’ve done Nike Air Max before, and thought I’m not going to get away with this and some courses don’t care. But it was that and I was just like I don’t know what this is about.

Nish: 31:14

I think I thought we’d gone past that as a society and yeah and everything like, well, you know, and golf, you think, yeah, yeah, it doesn’t help itself sometimes, does it? But yeah, just, oh god, trainers, oh god, I think they’ll have a field day with me.

Alex: 31:26

Yeah, any kind of any kind of nike or adidas doesn’t look like a golf shoe I’m having I really yeah, I’m a bit of a punch when it comes to golf shoes, so I I’ve never I’m. I’m all right with those, but just, yeah, you gotta. I mean, what does a bloke? I don’t wear like loafers, so I wouldn’t wear a pair of loafers, like and I don’t want to wear a pair of jeans. I mean, I don’t know, I don’t go to work in a suit, so I like Clark Wallabies and desert boots.

Alex: 31:56

I don’t know what, and I don’t look that smart either. Sometimes a pair of smart trainers looks better than that, but I don’t know. Maybe I need to buy one pair of golf shoes that I just wear the Gunton shoes, the Gun. Maybe I need to buy one pair of golf shoes that I just wear, something you can’t choose. There you go.

Nish: 32:12

There’s a shoe range sorted out, I think, straight up. Yeah, I mean it’s interesting because you guys, obviously you’ve played golf a very good chunk of your lives as juniors and been around a lot of good clubs and you know, I started playing when, when I was 19, then gave it up after uni because you start drinking and going out and doing whatever you know you don’t want to play golf necessarily and then retook it up you know post-covid um, which is yourself and alex, but, um, yeah, I found that kind of stuff when you read up on the website and you go well, you know there’s this, you get this stuff out about the dress code and whatever, and it’s. I see through it now a little bit. I get it because they’re trying to get people to self-filter a little bit, aren’t they? Um, you know? But there’s also a bit where you’re like that can be quite intimidating for somebody, you know, and it’s like I mean we, we were in play that more town and it was like there’s mean, we played at Moortown and it was like there’s an event on, you need to have a jacket on Right In the clubhouse and I was like, alright, well, is there one on?

Nish: 33:13

They’re like, not at the moment, but like. So I mean, what do we do? Do we bring a jacket, do we not? Actually, they were great. There was an event on and they had no problem sitting and having a club sandwich Chris’ favourite in the nice Ryder Cup lounge. It was great. But yeah, it’s a bit like oh god, what kind of place am I going into here?

Nish: 33:34

I’ve changed about every little thing.

Alex: 33:36

It is intimidating, for you know, I think I think me and my grandpa had a big conversation about this, about the barrier to entry for the everyday man in golf clubs. Now, um, I think, if you went round, though, I think you’d see more golf clubs that are, like, lapsed by their rules than the maybe they had before. Um, the first thing I always do when we go somewhere is look at what the you know dress code is on the golf course and, in turn even though I know I always dress smart and always like what it did to them, but just don’t know, I think, especially the open venues I think you’ve got to be a bit careful. Like one of our guys um turned up in shorts in the Royal Liverm and he got politely asked to go put his trousers on.

Nish: 34:26

Um, oh really, no shorts it was. He did look like a scruffy urchin, so I sort of didn’t.

Alex: 34:34

You know, we gave him shit. It’s like who the fuck turns up at an open venue in fucking shorts but, um, that’s the. That’s the only other time where we’ve actually seen something. Most of the years you barely go, mate. Yeah, just don’t do that in Lidl. I think you can go to certain bits, just not other bits.

Nish: 34:50

I’m going to have fun in Lidl. You know, I really am my pace of playing.

Alex: 34:54

My shorts are going to oh yeah, I’m not playing a good pick. I played it twice and both times. Absolutely loved my time there, by the way, and she’s wicked I don’t know what her name is at the clubhouse. She’s wicked.

Nish: 35:04

I love stuff like that, I love I love, uh, having a bit of yeah, that’s fantastic, I love it. Yeah, um, and this might be a bit I. This is one of the questions I had to send you in advance, because otherwise, if you catch somebody on the hot with this, he can’t can’t answer it. But have you got a hole that really stuck out? And perhaps I mean, I appreciate how you feel about your home course, yeah, but perhaps one that’s not your home course. Is there a hole that you just thought?

Alex: 35:37

oh, yeah, yeah, definitely there’s been. There’s been a few, uh, there’s one. We went to um, ireland earlier this year, went to donny gall, uh, and played, uh, rosa penna, sandy hills, and I actually can’t remember what the name is, but I saw a guy online posting a picture about it and he took three separate pictures and I was like, yeah, that was a good hole. But I think the number one hole for me so far has been at Presswick, and the reason for it being Presswick is like where the open started. It’s so amazing and we had an amazing day and we had a caddy. That was incredible. But the 17th hole at Presswick is the oldest golf hole in open in the open history and with no alterations, nothing. And I think for that and for the way I played it, I think I, um, that’s my number one.

Alex: 36:31

And we had a guy called Chris McBride who, um, I don’t know if you follow the links diary, um, it’s a, really it’s worthwhile doing it, like these amazing magazines they release like every quarter or like maybe like three a year, um, and they did a whole youtube like short film about this guy and I was like if I ever play press with, I’ve got to have this guy caddy for me and he he’s a uh, an interesting fellow, let’s say that, and he’s definitely walked those and he’s got so many stories on the 17th. He’s like, right, I want a driver here, I won’t do scottish acts. And I was like, okay, and I hadn’t listened to him three holes before. And he shook his head and I was like, right, I want a driver here, I won’t do Scottish accent. I was like, okay, and I hadn’t listened to him three holes before. And he shook his head and I was like, right, I’m listening to you now. And he said, put it here. And I nailed it there. You went okay. And then we got everyone else is everywhere else.

Alex: 37:17

I went right, where are we going, chris? It’s a blind shot, you can’t see. It’s just like it’s like four different um posts, different colors, and I was like, why are they different colours? He’s like the pin placement on the green. I was like, okay, cool, where are we going today? He went that one. I went right and I nailed this forehand, absolutely nailed it. And he went, oh, do I like that goal shot? And just started walking up the fairway and I was like, oh, I’ve nailed it and I’m expecting to be on close to the pin as I get up there. I reckon I must have hit the bank of the bunker and I’m about like this, far away from the green, maybe eight foot to the pin, I’ve three putted and got a bogey, and I was so gutted that’s so me as well like to like nail two shots, get there. Probably one of the strongest parts of my game, the three-part. So yeah, 17th at Prestwick.

Chris: 38:09

Nice Interesting talking about caddies how many courses have you done where you’ve hired a caddy?

Alex: 38:21

Two, two, okay, and one of them was one was at Prestwick and you have to have one. We went to Valderrama in September, just gone, and you had to have one out there and we got really lucky. Lucky because they weren’t good caddies like. Everyone was complaining about them and I sort of. Again, maybe there’s a life lesson for all golfers out there caddies are really easy. If you just make sure you know they’re going to get paid and you give them some more money, they go look after you. So it took about four holes to figure out that Manuel was talking in yards and I was talking in. No, I was talking yards, he was talking metres. So that was a struggle. And then I just put my arm in and I was like Manuel, there’s a lot of potatoes in this mate, come on, we’ve got to go. He went, money, I went. Yeah, he went okay.

Chris: 39:11

And then, from that moment, he was amazing for me. Oh wait, yeah right, we need to, uh, we need to up the budget for our caddy basically fund you know what?

Alex: 39:14

actually, because you think about a caddy and you go that’s expensive. It really is not expensive. And I think if you go to a golf course where, like, there’s a load of history, or a golf course with a load of blind holes, just as a four group of fours, get a four caddy because they look after all four of you and it’s like 20 quid each and then your tip on top, it’s nothing yeah, and I bet you probably learn more about, like you said, the stories and stuff the stuff around the golf course.

Chris: 39:38

You know the other stuff rather than just the golf stuff as well. I imagine you learned quite a lot. Yeah, like man well out in vaderama.

Alex: 39:43

I’m like what would debbie do? And like, okay, right, Okay fine.

Nish: 39:48

And then it’s just like little things and I don’t know.

Alex: 39:50

And then Chris, he was just telling us stories all the way, and it really did make it Was that your Scottish accent. You just tried, that was actually Spanish, mate, yeah.

Nish: 40:05

Well, yeah, we read a few places that you can, yeah, get cabbies, but, yeah, that’s a great tip actually, yeah, between the four of you it’s nothing it’s really worth doing, I think.

Alex: 40:13

And your tip again, like if you, if you double what you, I think most cabbies like between 60 and 70, maybe maybe 80 quid, maybe they are 80 quid. Um, and then I was like, what do you tip on top? They’re like make it 100, and I thought that was really again 25 quid. I think if you give a caddy 25 quid you probably get slapped.

Nish: 40:32

So always put a little bit on top.

Alex: 40:34

But like, even if you it’s 40 quid, you get on as a guest rate. You know you’re walking away like it’s not do.

Nish: 40:44

If you’ve played a lot of blind tee shots and things, you’ve just got no idea where you’re going.

Alex: 40:49

No, not everywhere has them? I don’t think it has caddies. They’re not everywhere, but in Scotland, where the Yanks go, you’ll see caddies.

Chris: 41:00

Yeah, how was Rosapena? It’s part of the reason that we started doing this thing, because I was up in Donegal and we were camping just five minutes away from Rosapena and I’d never heard of it. I was like what is this place? And there’s these two incredible golf courses there in the middle of nowhere. But how was that experience playing there? It was amazing.

Alex: 41:21

I think that trip, well, I was looking forward to it, don’t get me wrong, and it looked like a really good trip anyway, but I think that was the best trip we’ve ever been on in terms of like expectation. I expected a lot and everything was great. I don’t think St Patrick’s is a very good golf course.

Nish: 41:42

And I know that’s going to be really controversial.

Alex: 41:48

But there’s another guy that I follow online who had exactly the same opinion. Tom dokes basically made a golf course for for the americans and it’s just massive wide fairways. When I was told I was hung over at presswick and just about got away with it rosser penna I was completely hanging out my ass. I didn’t think I could hit a golf ball and I think I hit like pretty much every fairway and that’s because they were so big. And I don’t think I could hit a goal ball and I think I hit like pretty much every fairway and that’s because they were so big and I don’t think that should happen.

Alex: 42:12

Um, the pin placements are also really weird. Look, it’s only just opened, so it’s got a load of maturing to do, but I didn’t think it’s very good. Sandy hill on the other side was. That completely took me by surprise. I think it’s like number 88 on my list. So I was like, okay, it’ll be good, won’t be that good. That went into all of our top fives, it was that good, it was amazing really. Yeah, so, so good. And then there’s another course on there, the um, uh, the old tom links. So there’s actually three courses there now. So if you want to go as a group of boys, you go, go there, stay there, or you can stay down the road and there’s the harbour inn, which is the best pub I, one of the best pubs I’ve been in, and I’ve also got a pub list that I do as well. So like I’m obsessed, oh nice, I’m obsessed with this.

Chris: 43:00

That sounds way better.

Alex: 43:01

Let’s let’s talk about that. They’re pretty much all london pubs. It’s a bit difficult, but, um, that’s that. That’s quite the quality. That’s a hell of a trip to go on, really good yeah nice, yeah, looking forward to say I think that, um, we haven’t.

Nish: 43:16

Obviously we’re just. Um, I was just laying down, I suppose, alex, but um, in march we just booked, uh, uh, like a doubleheader. We’re playing, uh, raw saint david’s and abu dhabi together because it’s quite close by um, so we’re just taking the families and yeah, amazing christian’s wife she works for, for robinson’s brewery. So they got I think they got a pub there that we can. Oh great, but I’m excited about that. The trips away like it’s a bit of a, it’s not just a drive up in the morning days.

Chris: 43:47

So far, we’re just day trips.

Alex: 43:49

Yeah, yeah day trips are difficult, I think I’ve done. When I first started doing it I was so obsessed with ticking off um courses but I was almost like trying to like plan stuff for day trips and it’s just something special or magical about when you do them like as a trip and also like I think you know if you’re trying to do them quick and 10 years is quick, boys, by the way like you’ve got to do them in. Yeah, you’ve got to do them in chunks you’ve got to do them in chunks.

Alex: 44:21

You have to tick off like at least three trips. What list are you using?

Chris: 44:27

uh, we’re using the top 100, so they’re not the other one yeah, basically okay I don’t know. I’ve not actually compared the two, to be honest, in terms of the differences on there.

Alex: 44:36

uh, I think when I first started, I think that list was pony and I think since then they’ve done so much work on it as a website, and I think I listened to a podcast about a new general manager came in and now it’s like it’s proper. Like you can’t I now use that as my. I can’t even get my list anymore. It’s like expired, like you can’t even find it online. Just as well, I saved it in a spreadsheet, yeah.

Nish: 45:01

No, there’s always got to be a spreadsheet.

Alex: 45:02

Yeah, there’s got to be a spreadsheet and I think got to be a spreadsheet and I think but I think it’s really good now, um, and I think there’s so many people who use it that I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s now like the pinnacle pinnacle one, and I know there’s a lot of boys that use that as their their thing, so yeah, yeah, you just gotta.

Nish: 45:19

You gotta pick one, haven’t you, and just go right, that’s the one that we’re. That’s the list that we’re going with yeah, because there’ll be.

Alex: 45:23

Yeah, because there’ll be courses on my list, like there’s one called Moray old course up in Scotland that isn’t on any other list. So there’s probably a couple others that are the same and I think that’s good. I like the fact that I’ve got a one that no one else cares about and on my Instagram account. The only two outside of my list so far that I’ve reviewed was St Patrick’s, because I felt like everyone’s talking about it. It’s going to be in the top 100 at some point. You’ve got to. And then the only other one is valderrama, and I think the valderrama one is the start of me now trying to complete the world top 100 um really well, because you don’t realize that how many of the uk and ireland ones are in the top 100?

Chris: 46:04

so I’ve been in it anyway, yeah. So I think I’ve done like 20-something already I was going to say yeah, yeah so you might as well do it.

Alex: 46:11

You might as well do it, and for that I’m using the top 100 list for that.

Nish: 46:17

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean I think you know why not.

Chris: 46:23

The States feels pretty difficult for that top 100 world list. A lot of elite clubs there that are tricky to get into, so that’s an extra level of challenge, I would imagine.

Alex: 46:33

Yeah, there’s another level. We went out to New York and played an amazing golf course called Valleys and it used to be a Trump course. How that’s not in the list, I don’t know, because it was unbelievable, the best greens I’ve ever been on. It’s unbelievable should be for the money it’s cost as well. And then one of the boys they we’re a three ball they put a boy of us and we’re going around just talking to him.

Alex: 46:54

It’s like are you a member, mate? And he was like oh yeah, it’s so hard to be a member of a golf course in america so I think my mate asked him to go. Oh, you know you can’t. He’s like you have a member of maidstone and maidstone is where I grew up in kent. Maidstone golf course in new hampshire in the hamptons is a very different place than maidstone again, and that is like you can’t get on there, like there’s no way you’re getting on there. So to be a member and I think that’s the problem with america it’s almost impossible. If you’re trying to do a list, it’s impossible. Um, yeah, but the only I have got an invite to augusta, so that’s the only one that I’m gonna uh have you.

Nish: 47:31

Yeah, I’m gonna. I’m gonna hold it to the day today actually comes off.

Alex: 47:34

I’ve got a golf tower upstairs. I’ve lost the post-it note with the invite, so that’s a bit of a uh, a bit of contention, but um yeah what what, what, what, how, it’s a literally you were an ex-president, yeah, basically.

Chris: 47:50

Yeah, you’re an ex-president of the us, that’s it.

Alex: 47:51

Yeah, me and camilla are like that, um, the almost 10 years ago so I do a lot of work out in america and I went out to los angeles and, um, I had a band at the time. I still got on, but I had a band that everyone was trying to sign and I got basically put into a meeting with, like the top guy at a agency called caa. And they’re like you’ve got 15 minutes with this guy called rob. I was like cool, went in and as soon as I walked in I knew we were in business because there was like lanyards everywhere of like prince and like rolling stones and everyone that he’d been to. But then everywhere else was just golf everywhere, like when I’m talking about everywhere, like this guy’s office was just like the hollywood hills. And then golf. I was like, okay, we’re gonna be fine in here 15 minutes, I’ll nail this.

Alex: 48:33

Um, and it took two minutes to start, basically didn’t talk about work, we just spoke about golf, the rest of it. And at the end of the meeting he pulled me over. He’s like um, and who’s that? And I was like it was a picture of a guy getting a green jacket and and I was like I don’t know, mate, I’ve got no idea. He went that’s me. I was like why are you getting a green jacket? He’s like I’m a member. I was like you are fucking shitting me Wow.

Nish: 48:57

Anyway. So I was like, wow, that’s amazing.

Alex: 48:59

My mind was just like it’s like you. It’s like that’s incredible. Anyway, walked out of the meeting. Thank you very much. That evening I got a knock on the door, room service. I haven’t ordered any room service. Door opens and there’s a guy just passed me a green Masters towel, which I still got upstairs and I post it. I went there in a band. They’re like when your band play Atlanta, we’re playing Augusta. I was like fuck, that’s amazing.

Chris: 49:26

That’s amazing.

Alex: 49:26

That’s amazing for the next 4 or 5 years. He emailed me or I emailed him. I think I emailed him like 2 years ago as well, but for the next 4 years, every time I’m asked, he’d email me and say I’m at Augusta, I think this guy’s going to win it. And I go back and say, because I said I do a lot of betting on golf, he’d email me for the next 4 or 5 years every time that he was there and I was just like wow, this is amazing, that is quality it would never come off but in my head I still think I’m going to get on it you’re there.

Nish: 50:00

You can’t uninvite someone, absolutely that’s the height of rudeness. I’m going to put your insta feed on top notifications on my phone for every post now, because one day you’re gonna have those that picture just rolling around in azaleas yeah I don’t think you’re allowed to take pictures on it.

Alex: 50:23

You’re not allowed to, no but yeah, you’re allowed to take pictures of um azalea drive, whatever it’s called. You know the main drive, so I think if you see that you know it’s come good.

Nish: 50:32

That’s it, yeah, done yeah oh man, that’s just amazing isn’t it yeah, that’s our, uh, that’s our old friend mckenzie chap that’s it, yeah, yeah architect legend. Yeah, legend in our own, in our own lifetime. I suppose my golf stories don’t compare to that, alex, I’m afraid. I can only say that the golf course that I’m a member of was also designed by Alistair McKenzie.

Alex: 51:01

Can I try and guess who that is? It’s not.

Nish: 51:04

Allwoodley, is it Not Allwoodley? No, it’s named Manchester, obviously, because that’s where we are Any thoughts?

Nish: 51:15

Reddish Vale, reddish Vale Amazing, that’s another course. That’s my home course and I love it. Four years I’ve been a member there and I’ve just never got bored of it. It’s a full-on. Every hole is a risk-reward, is it? So you can just totally play it according to how the weather’s going, how you’re feeling. If you’re hurting out there, it’s going to keep biting you, isn’t it? That course it’s not long, but just you know you walk off it sometimes and you’re absolutely beaten up by it. Amazing, do they get the Anderson Andrew?

Alex: 51:46

McKenzie, like the crews that go around trying to play them, or do you get like typical, like a McKenzie trail?

Nish: 51:53

that’s it, yeah there’s 10 courses or something that are quite nearby that everyone tries to play, but he died with no money, didn’t he?

Alex: 52:02

he was an absolute pot to piss him when he died, unfortunately so he’s he’s become. I think he’s like a bit like eva cassidy he’s become bigger since he’s died than he was since he’s died.

Nish: 52:13

Yeah, I mean great course designer without unbelievable yeah, a couple of holes that he designed there. It was just like this is brilliant. Yeah right, just I think that jumped to that third. It’s just jumped into our out of three. It’s jumped to the top. Sillith has just jumped into our Out of three. Jumped to the top hole.

Chris: 52:31

We played so far Such a beautiful hole. I haven’t played Sillith.

Alex: 52:36

That’s the one that’s on the way up to Scotland. A lot of people play it right.

Chris: 52:40

Yeah, I grew up in Cumbria, but I grew up in South Cumbria and even for us, getting to Sillith is an absolute nightmare. I grew up in South Cumbria and even for us, getting to Sillith is an absolute nightmare. It is in the middle of nowhere. It’s a real trek to get there but it’s definitely worth it. You’ll love it when you get there. For you as well, it’ll be an absolute mission for you to get there.

Nish: 53:00

To be honest, Alex, if you’re passing, at the risk of bumping off another course to play this within 10 years, I’d at the risk of bumping off another course to play this within 10 years, I’d love to play sylith again because I feel like now I know the terrain a little bit more, I might be able to do myself a bit more justice.

Nish: 53:16

100, let me know on that. Yeah, it was a cracking, cracking course. Like you know, you stood up on I think it’s the, it’s the fifth t or something. Um like across the, the bay you can see scot and then you look over and you see the rest of the Lake District and it’s like this is just a stunning I don’t even care, I’m playing. This is a stunning place to play golf.

Alex: 53:34

Amazing so good.

Nish: 53:37

Yeah, it just actually wasn’t. My scores card would suggest otherwise, but it wasn’t an impossible course to play.

Chris: 53:45

No, it’s totally playable. Yeah, yeah, it is. I think a lot of them are.

Alex: 53:49

Especially like linked courses. It ended up the other day it was so gettable because the wind was down and I just think linked courses like when the wind’s up, that’s the biggest defense, is that. And then when you play like a Royal Lytham, not only is it the wind, it’s so flat, royal Lytham you basically you’re going up there expecting to see something incredible and it’s so flat. That’s one thing. When I started doing this list I think I was so early on, I played so many dynamic golf courses I was expecting everything to be that. And the more you get into the list, you realise how the subtleties are what you’re looking for. But Lytham, not only is it the wind, it’s the amount of fucking bunkers, bunkers, yeah, and it’s not just the bunkers you can get out. I feel like I’m a pretty good bunker player. You’re like, okay, it’s Lobbridge out. Even on a fairway bunker, it’s Lobbridge out. It’s so penal. So I think those link forces it.

Nish: 54:49

The wings is the biggest thing. So if the wind’s down like, they really get a ball. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s a. I mean I was expecting that in sra actually, because they’ve got this I mean their website is unbelievable like they’ve got these, um, like drone flyovers basically covering every inch of the the course and I was like we did a preview pod and I was like, oh man, I mean I’ve got a pretty shaky bunker technique. I was like this is going to get nailed, I think. But I played so well I didn’t really hit any of them. I think I only hit two, didn’t I? The whole round, but they were everywhere. So again, that sort of thing is, I think I bet if you start hitting one or two, then it’s just your balls are still magnet.

Alex: 55:26

I’ve always got my shorts on. I’m always in the fucking bunker. It’s just me and bunkers it seems to go on. Especially right at the fairway or right at the green. That’s my bad shot and I always miss it. Is that the one? Yeah, always.

Nish: 55:43

Yeah, what a great game we played. I know I don’t know what I did. What a great game we played. I think the only thing reason we do it is because you can end up playing it in some absolutely stunning places and where some of the greats have trodden as well. I mean that, um, I do geek out on that a little bit actually and I have been doing that in the reviews and previews and things like. I love it. You know, knowing that walter hagan and people like that have played it of course before is just that’s just heaven for me. And a lot of the courses it seems like a lot of them haven’t really changed that much. You know a little bit of remodelling here and there, but certainly places like I mean, like Moortown SNA place, might be a bit different because they’ve had perhaps more stage tournaments and they’ve had to lengthen. But yeah, moortown just felt like that’s just what was designed.

Alex: 56:31

Is that the first Ryder Cup? Was that 1927? Yeah, yeah.

Nish: 56:37

We were following them around at the minute. We did Moortown S&A. What was the next one on there?

Chris: 56:45

I think they were sequential, weren’t they? I think they were. Yeah, it’t they there was two.

Nish: 56:49

Yeah, there was Maltown, then S&A had two and then Ganton had one as well. Probably yeah, after, and then I think yeah, then I think we were struggling. After that it was Wentworth, I think after that, after Ganton, that’ll probably stop our sequence. Wentworth will put a little into that. Um, yeah, I mean it is.

Alex: 57:09

it’s just, it’s for your mental health, it’s just one of the best things you can ever do I don’t think I haven’t found anything that’s as good as it, and you know you could have magic days, your kids, and you can have magic days at work and and other stuff, but, um, yeah, I don’t, I don’t, I don’t think there’s anything else. I don’t know about you, but I can’t watch a film and I have to pick up my phone, and even this phone’s there but I’m not touching it. But it’s like you’re aware of other stuff going on and I think golf is the only thing that you know. You put your phone in your bag and very rarely do I get it out. So, yeah, I think it’s really good. Mindfulness absolutely.

Nish: 57:51

I mean, we made a rule really early on. We’re just not going to film. On course we’ll. We’ll take a few snaps here and there, but so I just enjoy that four, four and a half hours of time with that challenge. That’s been laid out.

Alex: 58:06

You know, 120 years ago, yeah 100 and also, like, obviously I take photos because the document that I’ve been there but my photos are crap, like, compared to like what, like some people can do. Um, the only video that I do and I almost, it almost came home, uh, on a trip to Spain recently. I video every par three just because I’m convinced that I’m going to capture a hole-in-one.

Nish: 58:33

A hole-in-one, yeah, yeah.

Alex: 58:35

And the fuckers didn’t record me on the 17th at the Soho Cup, I think at Courtesan, and my mate put it to about that and I went past him. I turned away and everyone started yelping because it spanned back and lit the hole and it almost shaved the hole and that’s the only time I had. I was like right, boys, that is it new rule you have to video me every single time. I do a par 3 because, if it happens, you’d be absolutely wounded.

Nish: 59:04

can you imagine, man? I mean yeah, that might just beat my ace at the. Can you imagine, oh, man I mean yeah, that might just beat my ace at the par 3 course at Adlington.

Alex: 59:15

I’ll take it.

Nish: 59:16

So you beat me. Anyway, it’s questionable. To be honest, it was a little par 3 practice.

Chris: 59:25

It’s a legit course, yeah, we take the kids to that little academy. Course we take the kids, don’t?

Nish: 59:28

we? Yeah, it’s about 90 yards, isn’t it Flip? The ball I’ve pulled it off the green Whoa, whoa, whoa. I think we need to. We need adjudication on this. I genuinely thought the ball had rolled off the back of the green. I mean, I wear glasses and I really can’t see anything. Chris was like I think that’s got it, mate.

Chris: 59:47

You also did it with a ball, with your face on the side of it, which was pretty nice, that’s amazing.

Nish: 59:54

Yeah, just to go look at the hole, and then you’ve just got your own face, looking back at it, that’s pretty good. Yeah, wonderful, chris. Is there anything else you’d?

Chris: 1:00:04

like to. I don’t think so. No, that’s brilliant. Thanks for your time, alex.

Nish: 1:00:09

I’ve monopolised the questions enough, then I’ve basically just taken over the questioning.

Nish: 1:00:14

I think you’ve done it all yeah that was one thing I did want to ask you. Just, I noticed on one of your posts you played a I can’t remember the name of the course, but you said this is one of the courses where I definitely think the rankings have got it wrong. I can’t believe this isn’t in the top 20. I think you said, yeah, I mean, what have been your thoughts on the rankings? Because you played a good chunk. Now I thought this is a good chunk, you know. Do you think they’ve been pitched right?

Alex: 1:00:43

no, I think, I think they’re. I think it’s like anything, mate, unfortunately there are powers that be that have to allow certain courses to be certain areas, and I do think the London club or the London proximity dominates a lot of that. And also, I think, golf courses that have held a prestigious tournament or something like that. I, walton Heath for me, I I just couldn’t, could not work out why it was so high. Um with the m, with the m25, just like roaring behind and that’s not what he scores, that’s, that’s just like the state of where we’re at right. Is that like things happen like that? Yeah, um, and then, so that one I didn’t really get, and the other two sandy hills rossapena was, I think, might have been that post that I said I can’t believe it’s not higher. Um, yeah, and I think maybe that’s because it was only built in 2004, so that might be a reason. And the other one is um henna, which is like, unfortunately for you boys, it’s like the opposite end of wales for you, so like you’re up the north and this one’s down near swansea. Um, I turned up, I played there’s this golf game online that proved covid. I got really heavily into. I still play now, um, and people started doing like it’s called lidar data. I don’t know if you ever heard of it. It’s like ordnance survey sort of. Basically get the thing, the computer measures the terrain and then these people were importing that terrain into a computer and then putting it onto a console and you were basically playing. You can still do it now. You can play like most golf courses, most of the top hundreds, with your little man and every bump and every hollow is exactly as it is. Wow. So you get a good idea of golf courses. And someone made Pennard and I was like this can’t be true, like this golf course is insane. Did a bit of Googling and it was cool. It’s called the links in the sky. I was like, okay, that sounds pretty cool. I had a band playing. There’s a new venue like arena venue in Swansea and they were opening it up and I was like, okay, cool, and I built a whole golf trip around it. I said to the wife I was like I’m going to this and I’m going to play two golf courses either side of it and she was like, yeah, cool, whatever. Um, and the gig got cancelled. But I still wouldn’t play golf and I played Raw Porth Call, which is like had loads of venues, and I got loads of-Porf-Koll, which had loads of venues and loads of senior opens. I was like, yeah, this is good, they’d sanded the greens that day. I was a bit disappointed.

Alex: 1:03:13

Turned up at Penna the next morning and we were supposed to play at 11, and I called them. I was like Matt, any chance I can play earlier. It was in March. I was thinking they might let us out. It was like a Tuesday morning or something. And they said, yeah, if you get here at eight o’clock you can get out. I was like, all right, fine, this should be the first out. I was like, yes, fine, got there. I was like this is really weird, like so eerie. It’s like no one here can’t see anything because it’s like mist, everything. And I went to pay my green food. I hadn’t asked how much it was, I just assumed it was going to be a winter green food and they like that’s 50 quid. It’s like what?

Nish: 1:03:47

like full like 18 holes, sorry, yeah. He’s like yeah, yeah 50 or 55 quid.

Alex: 1:03:51

I was like okay per hole.

Alex: 1:03:53

Yeah, he’s like, do you want a course? And I was like, don’t worry, mate, I’ll play the golf course online. I know what I’m doing. Um, I was playing the golf course in complete and utter awe of this place, like I couldn’t get it, and then got absolutely bollocked by a member on on the on the 10th. You basically play.

Alex: 1:04:13

You played downhill but I just forgot and all I could see was a fairway up the left. So I whacked it up the left. I basically whacked it up 18 and this member fuck me, did he go absolutely mentally, because I think he thought I was a, uh, like a member and was taking a piss because that’s out of bounds. And I was like, all right, mate, I’ve never played it before, like I don’t know. Um, and then the bar asked me he’s like I’m really I won’t do welsh accent now but he’s like I’m really sorry. He’s like basically a lot of the low boys play out the left because it’s an easier shot into the green. So like they basically made it out of bounds now, from that tier, I was like, ah right now I see why he’s done it.

Alex: 1:04:48

But that golf course for a long time was in my top five and it’s an amazing golf course, if you ever get a chance to go and play it. That was like 94 on my list and I’ve got no. There’s no reasoning why that is 94, why Waterheath is further away. I just don’t get it.

Chris: 1:05:04

It makes no sense.

Nish: 1:05:09

Yeah, a way I just don’t get it. It makes no sense. Yeah, interesting, yeah, I look forward to that one. I think that’s that’s a plan of planned, planned double trip. I think, um, this friend of ours he’s, I think he wants to do that yeah, you gotta do it. I think it’s I think it’s pretty. He corrected my pronunciation so I said penna and he was like I think it’s pronounced penna and I was like no, no, d okay yeah, I was like, yeah, I was like, oh, I think it’s like a th sound almost at the end okay, cool, that’s good.

Alex: 1:05:31

That’s good. Again, a little knowledge, it’s good to know like we got, yeah, yeah we got um. I called it bow desert and it’s not called bow desert, it’s called bow dessert, all right, alex, this has been an absolute pleasure thank you for inviting me. It’s nice to just talk about golf brilliant.

Nish: 1:05:53

I just don’t get bored of it. I’m a proper, I’m turning into a full on golf ball now. This is consuming my life really. We’d love to check in with you maybe in a year or two to see how you’re getting on, hopefully chipped off a few more places to see how you’re getting on and hopefully chit-chat off a few more places. And definitely, if you’re on your way through, we’d love to go and play Silv, because I think we’d definitely play that always up for that, for sure, lovely.

Nish: 1:06:19

Yeah, well, chris can be our guide, sure in pubs anyway that’s it.

Chris: 1:06:26

That’s good, you’ve got to make another list there.

Alex: 1:06:29

Well, I really enjoyed it and it was, uh, yeah, it was nice, just nice, talking to people that want to, and I think it’s great, you know, starting a podcast and it’s, I think, commitment to doing this and it’s, again, it’s nice you talk about. In a couple years, I think you think, for covid, so many people started doing stuff and I’ve seen so many people stop doing things now, um, yeah, and I think like slowly is always the fastest way to get anywhere. I always think so. I think the slower you take and the more time you put into it, I think you’ll get there, and I think it’s.

Alex: 1:06:59

Yeah, that’s what I’m doing my, you know, instagram account. I could be doing videos, like you say, or, um, trying to like get followers, but what I’m doing is just documenting a journey that I wanted to do. Every now and again, I put an emoji on a golf course’s comments and and that’s about it. I think if you love the game and you love what you’re trying to do, like doing 10 a year, it’s really doable. Like to try and complete in 10 years especially when you, especially when you like expensive golf courses.

Alex: 1:07:27

That’s all, yeah, and I think you’ve all you’ve got to try and commit to doing 10 a year and I think if you don’t do that like, you will struggle to get to a point. There’s people that are doing like in two years trying to do 100 in England. I’m like I don’t get the fun in that because once it’s done, it’s done. It’s like what do you go and do next, whereas 10 years is a massive part of your life that you can go. I devoted 10 years of my life to doing this.

Alex: 1:07:53

I don’t know if you want to know this fact, but someone told me that if you wanted to do it at the current rates, that it was like when I started oh no, it’s 25 grand to play the top, to play all of them, and with travel and with accommodation, and I was like, wow, that’s quite a lot of money to spend.

Chris: 1:08:14

I said this initially the other day if you take that over 10 years, it’s just about it’s a membership for a nice course every year, isn’t it? And you’re getting to go and play the best 100 courses in the.

Alex: 1:08:24

Definitely, and I think the more you do this, I think you boys will get it and I. I started doing it and I’ve now been invited into a couple of whatsapp groups that do like the basic top 100 groups and at first I was like really honored and then I’m in one that I’m like I sort of want to pull out of because there’s so many fucking whatsapps and I’ve got to put another one. I’ve got to put another one and now I like I don’t converse in there too much, like if someone wants to come and play county or if I’m down at end of dock, right 100. But I think you do need. The more you do this, the more legitimate you are online. You get invited into those groups and then all of a sudden it becomes easier to go and play golf courses. It becomes cheaper and it becomes easier, and then both of you will end up being a country member somewhere, and then that’s when it all starts getting fun.

Nish: 1:09:09

It’s funny you say that actually I’ve joined this Facebook group and it’s called Reciprocals or something like that and I’ve not really been looking at anything. It was only a couple of weeks ago I joined. I thought I’ll put it out there. A little bit of blurb about Reddish Vale and I just said if anybody’s ever passing, just hit me up. I can play most days apart from Wednesday and with enough notice I can play a weekend, it’s not a problem. I got loads of replies and actually I’ve had a couple of people, um, one member at Abu Dhabi who booked that anyway, um, and he was like I love Reddish Vale. Haven’t played there for like 15 years but I’d love to come and play. I can reciprocate at Abu Dhabi, and that’s just one message out there and there’s people just generous with stuff like that they really are you know we he’s going to look at you know it’s a sunday, he’s like okay, but sometimes a bit tricky for me.

Nish: 1:09:57

But with enough notice, now I’m going to see if I can come and play with you. I mean that’s great to play that course with a member of that course, and it is different when you play with members, like I’ve done.

Alex: 1:10:06

As I say, I’ve done enough trips now with boys that aren’t members and we have. We have great fun. Don’t get me wrong, but I’ll play formby in the summer and that was incredible playing that with a member. And, like wentworth, I’ve been lucky enough to play that with a member. That’s different because it doesn’t matter as much. You’re playing with a member. But but when you go somewhere and you’re playing with a member, you get a different experience because you go in as their guest and just the way they introduce you to everyone in turn is and like sunningdale, perfect example.

Alex: 1:10:34

My mate was at thought, was part of me. He worked at um, the cricket organization, ecb, where it’s called, and he was like and he played there and we turned up at sunningdale. He’s only been there a couple of years and he’s like hello, talking to everyone. I’m like how can I will? You’ve only been here a couple of years. I thought I was that guy that got to know everyone. He’s like well, yeah, but Andrew Shouse did recommend me. I was like, right, okay, cool. So he basically got the golden handshake straight away.

Alex: 1:11:01

But I definitely had a different experience and he won’t mind me saying like we played the new first, because you have to play the new before the old. Everyone plays the old. I was like, okay, play the old. And then when we came in I had like the most magical day. He went fancy, going back out for a few holes. I was like yes, I definitely do. And we went out and played like a little seven hole loop and came back in. I was like you just couldn’t do that if you’re with us, right, like you can’t that.

Alex: 1:11:26

Yeah, exactly, I think the more you take up these people that get on the membership WhatsApp, the better, I think. If you’re committed to something like a podcast or a page, I think you get invited in more, so it’s definitely worth doing.

Nish: 1:11:43

Yeah, we just want to document it. Let’s be honest, I mean I’m pretty good through my midlife crisis. Really, it’s been great learning.

Chris: 1:11:50

What a midlife crisis, though. Eh, who needs a Ferrari? I don’t think I need to spend what I’ve.

Nish: 1:11:56

I didn’t need to spend what I’ve spent on my microphones, but hey, wife’s getting to bed, so it’s fine, I can say what I want now. But yeah, alex, absolute pleasure. Yeah, alex, absolute pleasure.

Alex: 1:12:05

Thank you very much for having me cheers, mate.

Chris: 1:12:10

Yeah, absolutely, yeah alright, nice one, enjoy nice 100 in 10.

Nish: 1:12:13

See you, mate, bye next time on the top 100 in 10 golf podcast, we speak to somebody who can help us get through those difficult top on the body winter months.