Guests of the Pod
A Word on the Rollback
Words by Sam The ongoing dialogue about equipment regulations in golf reflects the timeless tension between tradition and progress. Whilst the proposed rollback in distance, if implemented, could herald a new chapter for the sport and as golfers, enthusiasts, and governing bodies navigate these changes, the essence of the game remains unchanged; the honing of one’s physical skills, test of one’s character, and the enduring friendships and camaraderie which the game fosters between people of all different walks of life. So, before everyone works themselves into a frenzy with the latest rollback announcement, and social media runs wild with hyperbole on both sides of the fence, it's essential to acknowledge that the ‘distance-debate’ has been raging for well over 100 years, and it will almost certainly continue to do so for as long as we keep playing. I had a very enjoyable drive back from Surrey on Sunday night with [...]
215 – Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf
Sam, Tom & Bruce are held up in the warmth of the Woburn clubhouse as they talk about exhibition golf (following on from the latest and somewhat disastrous 'Netflix Cup', as well as shows like 'The Match') and talk about whether exhibition golf can ever be pulled off successfully. So we tuned into an episode of Shell's Wonderful World of Golf series, watched for ourselves and came back with some thoughts. It's a great episode this one which touches on equipment changes (announcement due from the R&A / USGA imminently), as well as course set up, green speeds, styles of play and much more. In November & December we have teamed up with Spornia.uk, the no.1 golf net as rated by MyGolfSpy and Golf Digest. For 10% the purchase of any golf net, as well as a free swing consultation & the chance to win a Garmin R10 launch [...]
214 – Course Diaries: Alwoodley w/ Tom Irwin
Sam sits down with owner of National club Golfer - Tom Irwin - to talk about the history of Alwoodley Golf Club. The first design by Dr Alister Mackenzie who was part of a group of members that founded the club, how it came into being is one of the great stories in golf club history. A link to our Story of a Golf Club film can be found here In November & December we have teamed up with Spornia.uk, the no.1 golf net as rated by MyGolfSpy and Golf Digest. If you order now using the code 'cookiejar' you will receive: 10% or £50 off the retail price £25 golden ticket gift voucher 1 x free PGA teaching lesson Access to elite coaching programmes 4 x free eBooks by renowned PGA Instructor Ryan Mouque Latest Products [...]
5 Books for the Festive Season
Words by Sam I recently saw that the average millennial is scrolling the length of the Eiffel Tower on a daily basis. As someone spending more time on social media than he would willingly share with his friends, my Eiffel Tower is probably more like a Burj Khalifa, or at best one of the Petronas buildings. Recently, things have got worse with a dose of reels when scrolling the phone at nighttime, and with lots of other things competing for attention I realised the amount of books I have read in 2023 is down on previous years’ efforts, a shame because there is really no replacement for a book. So with Christmas and some much needed downtime ahead of us all as we head into December, i thought i would put together a shortlist of some books that I have managed to read and enjoy this year, in the hope [...]
213 – Course Diaries: Crosland Heath
A fresh course diaries takes Sam up to Huddersfield where he gets to visit Crosland Heath. A MacKenzie course which he's been keen to see for some time, with the promise of heather, dramatic par 3's and some golden age. The club was founded in 1914 making this an early course for the good Dr whose work would span the globe and become the sistine chapels of golf course design. We talk about sustainability with the course, the work of MacKenzie, tje routing, the fog, Last of the Summer Wine and much much more. Head over to our blog for more about Crosland Heath here For the Mackenzie chronology please click the link here In November & December we have teamed up with Spornia.uk, the no.1 golf net as rated by MyGolfSpy and Golf Digest. If you order now using the code 'cookiejar' you will receive: 10% or £50 off the [...]
Criss-Crosland Heath
'Criss-Crosland Heath', words by Sam One of the most rewarding parts of Cookie Jar is in finding really good, affordable golf and a recent scheduled visit to Meltham (West Yorkshire) to see a lifelong friend for an evening of drinks and a few holes the following morning created that possibility. When coming up with recommendations for golf on the Sunday morning I was staggered to see that Crosland Heath was only an 8 minute drive away (28 minutes factoring in the round trip to retrieve Jim’s car from the evening before which was left in nearby Holmfirth - the filming location of 'Last of The Summer Wine'). Staggered because Crosland Heath is a course I had been hoping to play for a long time. A picture of a towering par 3 green site, the promise of heather , and knowing the good Dr was responsible for its design in 1914, [...]
