Just over a week ago, two of my fellow “new Dad” friends and I descended on our local Golf club, with a view to playing a few holes on the 18 hole course.

Of my two Golf buddies, one of them was entirely new to Golf, the other has taken up the sport within recent years and got the bug for it during the pandemic.

Despite the former having never having swung a club before in his life, he fully and confidently embraced the opportunity, with my intention being that we’d play a scramble format, so as to make it more fun and give him an enjoyable introduction to the game.

However, when we arrived and approached the front desk to pay a green fee, we were met with an array of barriers to entry. First of all, he did not have his own set of clubs. With no rental sets available (and having been short on time to collect and bring his brother in law’s set, due to having had a chaotically busy work day), this was issue number 1.

Secondly, he was not wearing, nor did he own any Golf shoes. Thirdly - and indeed what proved to be the proverbial cardinal sin - he was wearing Jeans.

Credit to the Front Desk Assistant, she was neither obtuse, nor ostentatious about the matter, rather she was very matter of fact. The club’s dress code rules clearly state that denim cannot be worn on the golf course.

All was not lost, however and indeed the story had a happy ending, as instead we headed across to the Pitch and Putt facility (which, in hindsight, was probably the ideal set-up for our resident beginner).

Nonetheless, both during and after playing, the three of us debated the subject of dress codes and asked ourselves a number of questions, including:

“How did such stringent dress codes get here in the first place?”

“Why is Denim not allowed on the course?”

“Should the criteria for dress codes be dependant on the profile and “aspirational” nature of the Golf club in question?”

As we set about setting the world to rights, a thought occurred to me…Jack and I must take up our microphones and debate the subject, for our latest GBA episode.

Here are just a few clips from our conversation (full video episode at the top of this post):

Jeans are ok in the corporate world…why not in Golf? (37 seconds)

Imposter syndrome in Golf doesn’t discriminate based on age! (36 seconds)

Nevermind the Jeans, what about the pathways for beginner Golfers? (35 seconds)

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If this article has inspired you to break with convention, then you’ll definitely want to check out Vice Golf and their modern, sleek and progressive range of apparel.

After all, nothing makes the natives restless like turning up at your local Golf club wearing a hoodie!!!

Vice’s entire backstory and origins are based around challenging the status quo, something which you will see reflected in not only their clothing range, but in their Golf clubs, balls and accessories too.

Use this link to score yourself a discount - they have some incredible deals on at the moment!

Before you go, make sure you check out the following articles from National Club Golfer, the first from 2015 and the second more recently published in 2024 (just going to show how this debate has raged on for many, many years!!!)

https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/tour/tour/the-great-dress-code-debate/

https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/club/features/golf-dress-codes-jeans-debate/

In the early hours of Monday morning UK time - when all but the most die-hard Golf fans were most likely tucked up in bed - I was faithfully glued to my television set, hoping and praying for Rory McIlroy that he would finally get over the line.

Rory’s win at Augusta National transcends the game of Golf. It was a deeply inspiring and captivating human story about overcoming adversity and turning it into fuel for success. It was, quite frankly, the epitome of what it means to “Golf Yourself Healthy”.

With this in mind, Jack and I had the great pleasure of evaluating Rory’s win at The Masters and reflecting on how we can all learn something from his milestone feat, whether you’re a Golfer or not.

In addition to our Masters recap, we also took some time to reflect on my experience of playing in a golf day at The Belfry, in support of Lily Mae Foundation, a leading UK charity who are a leading provider of bereavement support for families who have lost a baby.

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With the action about to get underway at Augusta for the 2025 edition of The Masters, Jack McAuliffe and I reflect on the all important question: what is the healthiest meal ever to have been served at the Champions Dinner?

Forget all the hype about “is it going to be Rory Mcilroy’s year”, we really chew the fat on the important stuff, such as:

* The time Haggis, Neaps and Tatties was on the menu

* The most uninspiring dish ever served at The Masters Champions dinner, courtesy of Nick Faldo

* Why Hideki Matsuyama is everyone’s favourite dinner companion

Beyond Augusta, we also tease what’s to come in Season 4 of the GYH podcast, as well as dissecting some of the key themes heard at the 3rd International Congress on Golf and Healthy, and debating whether mass participation in Golf is happening at the expense of identifying and prioritising elite talent.

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For our final episode of Season 3, we collaborated with Brierley Forest Golf Club, to bring you a unique insight into how Physiotherapy and Golf can combine to promote good health and prevent injuries, as well as boost engagement and participation in Golf.

To find out more about this collaboration, read our accompanying GYH Journal article using the Substack link below

Whilst you are reading and listening to this over your Saturday morning coffee, I currently find myself en-route to the 3rd International Congress on Golf and Health, being hosted in Edinburgh on Monday 31 March and Tuesday 1 April.

It is a tremendous honour and privilege to have been invited to this event. It will serve not only as a brilliant platform for me to network and engage with some of the leading academic and professional scholars in the field of Golf and Health, but also an opportunity for me to tell the GYH story and hopefully inspire people with the work we are doing.

Please check out the event programme here and let me know in the comments of this article, whether there are any sessions you’d especially like me to attend and hear more about.

Asides previewing the event, Jack and I also get into chatting about some other Golf, Health and Wellbeing related matters, including:

* The impact of stress on our nutrition habits

* Overcoming imposter syndrome

* Why everyone belongs in Golf

* Question: Are Golf Influencers good for the game?

The Golf and Health Congress will focus on maximising health benefits through the game of golf. Sessions will cover topics such as the impact of golf on well-being, the role of golf clubs as health-promoting facilities, and the concept of “golf on prescription.” Delegates will also delve into key topics like injury prevention and management, adaptations for disabled golfers, nutrition, strength, conditioning, and insights tailored for female golfers. From examining specific injuries to learning shot-saving techniques from professionals, this conference will provide essential tools for integrating golf as a health-enhancing activity.

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This week's guest is John Paton, Founder of SRV Golf.

After being introduced to Golf during a challenging time in his life - with his mother, Shirley, enduring a long battle with secondary breast cancer at the time - John instantly realised the transformative effect the game was having on him.

With a passion for Golf emerging, coupled with an entrepreneurial mindset and a fervent desire to honour his Mum and give back to those who had helped her and John’s family throughout her treatment, he came up with a business idea.

Founding SRV Golf in October 2023, John has created a Golf brand with deep meaning and purpose. Its acronym SRV, stands for Strength, Resilience and Virtue - qualities which he so admired in his mother.

In my conversation with John for this week’s episode of the GYH podcast, we discuss:

* The importance of having a clear purpose: in life, in Golf and in business

* Inspiring stories of Golfers using the game as an outlet to overcome adversity

* Remembering Shirley Cant - the inspiration behind the brand

* The challenges of running a Golf business in a crowded marketplace

* And much more

This week, Kris makes a startling admission about the recent (mis)management of his health and wellbeing.

Meanwhile, we engage in a debate about whether indoor Golf venues are truly “growing the game” (or rather just cashing in on Golf’s growing popularity), whilst we also share some musings about Season 3 of Full Swing on Netflix.

"Golf Buddies Aloud" is a podcast brought to you by Golf Yourself Healthy. Join GYH founder, Kris Lynch and special guest, Jack McAuliffe, for relaxed, informal chats about Golf, Health and Wellbeing.

This week's guest is Dr Rashmeen Nirmal, registered Psychologist and founder of Golf PHD.

As a performance consultant, working with Golfers at both the elite and amateur levels, Rashmeen's goal is to help her athletes achieve optimal mental health and wellbeing, as well as to equip them with the skills and behaviours needed to succeed in Golf and in day to day life.

Rashmeen is on a mission to raise awareness around Mental Health in Golf - a mission influenced by her own life experiences, as well as the unique, deep rooted and often traumatic issues impacting the mental health of elite athletes, through out their careers.

In this conversation, we not only lift the hood on Golf, Health and Wellbeing in a broad sense, but we also laser in on adversity and resilience and how embracing challenges - in Golf and in life - affords us a transformational opportunity for personal growth and to reach a state of equanimity.

On 18th February 2024 - exactly one year following the passing of my son Innes - I launched Golf Yourself Healthy.

To celebrate all of this, I invited my friend and fellow GYH community member, Jack Mcauliffe, to reflect on Year 1, as well as to celebrate Innes’ 2nd heavenly birthday.

As much as we value deep, meaningful and philosophical conversations on this podcast, no episode would be complete without a small dose of light-hearted humour sprinkled in for good measure.

To top it all off, we even had fireworks during this episode recording…

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Exciting Announcements

02:51 Vice Golf balls are the bees knees

10:51 Today's agenda

12:58 Exploring Vulnerability and Healthy Habits

13:28 Kris and his 5 revolutionary holes of Golf

20:57 Developing Reliable Golf Habits

39:23 Reflections from Selena Samuela episode of GYH Podcast

57:05 Remembering Innes on his 2nd birthday

01:10:28 Divorced, Single or Separated and looking for love in Golf? Look no further...

01:14:43 Wrap up

This week's guest is Selena Samuela, Peloton Instructor and Titleist Performance Institute Certified Golf Fitness Coach.

Having discovered a love for Golf during the pandemic, she has taken her passion for the game to the Peloton studio, having recently launched the Strength for Golfers programme via Peloton, which features seven instalments meant for each day of a golfer’s week, with areas of focus including stability, explosive power and improved range of motion.

Selena brings infectious energy into everything she applies herself to. Her Instagram account is a treasure trove of inspirational quotes and reflections on everything from Golf, Fitness, through to parenting, relationships and so much more.

In this episode, Selena discusses her Golf fitness programme in more detail, as well as her love for the game (and why she considers it such a unique sport), whilst we also dive into some metaphorical reflections, about the synergies between Golf and Life.

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