Golf Monthly April 2025

neil.tappin@futurenet.com There are a handful of golfing experiences that those of us prone to hyperbole and soppy enough to actually say it would describe as ‘spiritual’. I’m lucky enough to have experienced two of these. The first came in September 1999. I had received a place at the University of St Andrews to read English. My first sight of the giant square of lush green that encroaches on the town and creates a quasi-stadium effect for the 1st and 18th holes was the day before I officially enrolled. Walking down from the far end of The Scores, I could see The R&A clubhouse in the foreground with the golf course stretching out behind it. It was a tantalising first glimpse. From the unique green-and-white fence that surrounds this expanse to…

Winter course rankings, please As winter keeps the nation in its grip and many of our courses are closed due to either flooding or frost, I would like to suggest a new ranking list. I think there would be great merit in you composing a Top 50 Winter Courses. Even some of the finest courses in the land are not immune to flooding and closure. My wife is a member at Liphook, for example, and that has been closed several times this winter due to adverse weather, whereas my club, Hayling, has stayed open and very playable despite being ranked comfortably lower than Liphook in your biennial list. A rating of top winter courses would allow your readers to pick courses to visit that they know are likely to be…

Ludvig, congratulations on winning your first signature event, the Genesis Invitational. How pleased are you? It was a really cool finish to a great week. I had my girlfriend there all week, my coach came in on the Friday night and I had some other guys on my team with me all week too. It felt like we did it together. I had tremendous help from Joe, my caddie, as well. You had to withdraw from Pebble Beach two weeks before due to illness. Does that make the victory more pleasing? I don’t like pulling out of tournaments, but I felt like I had to at Pebble to give myself some time to recover and be ready. I felt like I wasn’t really myself, wasn’t feeling great, wasn’t swinging great…

Anna Nordqvist will lead the European Solheim Cup team in 2026 after being announced as captain last month. The Swede – one of the most experienced players in Solheim Cup history – is a nine-time player and was also a vice-captain in 2023 and 2024. The 37-year-old has been part of five title-winning teams. The 20th Solheim Cup will take place at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands. Nordqvist will lead her troops as they look to win back the trophy following a 15.5-12.5 defeat to Team USA at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia last year. Nordqvist has three Major victories to her name, as well as six LPGA Tour and four Ladies European Tour titles. She plans to keep playing beyond the 2026 Solheim Cup, which takes place…

MASTERS STATS SPECIAL 63 Lowest single-round score – Nick Price in 1986 and Greg Norman in 1996 34 Holes-in-one in Masters history. The 16th is the biggest ace magnet with 24 TIGER’S MASTERS RECORDS NATIONALITIES OF MASTERS WINNERS 1934-2024 2022 Year of last Masters hole-in-one – Stewart Cink on the 16th in round 2 NATIONALITIES OF 2025 MASTERS FIELD AS AFTER THE MEXICAN OPEN 1 Birdies made by Dustin Johnson in 2024 – the fewest of anyone in the field 4.64 Average score on the par-5 8th in 2024 – the easiest hole despite playing uphill 4.39 Average score on the par-4 11th in 2024 – the hardest hole with just 17 birdies…

“THINGS ARE GOING TO HEAL QUICKLY. WE’RE GOING TO GET THIS GAME GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION”Tiger Woods suggests a merger in the men’s professional game could occur ‘very soon’ “IT’S ONE HELL OF A STORY, ONE HELL OF A MOMENT”Former Australian motorcycle gang member and prisoner Ryan Peake reacts to winning the New Zealand Open “IT MIGHT SEEM BRUTAL, BUT IF THERE ARE NO REAL CONSEQUENCES, PLAYERS WON’T ADJUST”Suzann Pettersen backs the LPGA’s slow play policy, with the circuit set to enforce more penalties “OH YEAH. WE’VE ALL SEEN IT”Shane Lowry responds to Keegan Bradley saying the US team would ‘kick their f***ing a**!’ at Bethpage Black on Full Swing…