The NCG Podcast: Eliminating slow play

November 1, 2017

Is the Shot Clock Masters the answer?

Alex Perry is joined by European Tour pro Andy Sullivan and Mark Townsend to discuss slow play in the latest NCG Podcast

The NCG Podcast: Eliminating slow play

The European Tour recently announced the Shot Clock Masters, where each player will have 40 seconds to hit each of their shots.

Is it the answer to slow play, or just a bit of a gimmick?

NCG Podcast host Alex Perry is joined by regular guest Mark Townsend and three-time European Tour champion Andy Sullivan to get their views on the Shot Clock Masters.

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The NCG Podcast: Who will be McIlroy's next caddie?

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About the NCG Podcast

The NCG Podcast began life as “The Niggle Podcast”, where we discussed a relevant discussion point from the world of golf.

We have now revamped and respawned as the NCG Podcast, which becomes a more encompassing look at golf, with regular special guests joining host Alex Perry on the microphone.

All episodes of the NCG Podcast are available on the National Club Golfer website, as well as iTunes, SoundCloud, and our YouTube channel. And you can still listen to the Niggle Podcast episodes.

In episode 3 of the NCG Podcast, Dean Muir, course manager of the Machrie, joins the team to discuss his life on the links

As part of NCG’s Links Golf Week, Alex Perry, Dan Murphy and Mark Townsend are joined by Dean Muir, the course manager of the Machrie on the Isle of Islay.

Muir, who left Muirfield to take up this role, brings a fascinating insight on a life working on links golf courses with his various techniques and philosophies: “The more the ball is on the ground, the more interesting the game is.”

The Machrie - links golf week

Dean also discussses his thoughts on blind shots, course length, and the dreaded rough. And he raises a few eyebrows when asked what his favourite links golf courses are.

Want to find out? It’s all in the latest NCG Podcast…

About the NCG Podcast

The NCG Podcast began life as “The Niggle Podcast”, where we discussed a relevant discussion point from the world of golf.

We have now revamped and respawned as the NCG Podcast, which becomes a more encompassing look at golf, with regular special guests joining host Alex Perry on the microphone.

All episodes of the NCG Podcast are available on the National Club Golfer website, as well as iTunes, SoundCloud, and our YouTube channel. And you can still listen to the Niggle Podcast episodes.

In episode 2 of the NCG Podcast, Alex Perry and Mark Townsend are joined by former LET star Sally Watson to discuss the uncertain future of the tour.

The future of the Ladies European Tour is an uncertain one after several tournaments were cancelled and CEO Ivan Khodabakhsh left the organisation.

So as it shifts towards crisis point, what next for the LET?

In the latest episode of the NCG Podcast, Alex Perry is joined by Mark Townsend and former LET star Sally Watson, who recently quit the sport to pursue another career. And she has some pretty frank opinions on the LET.

In episode 1 of the revamped NCG Podcast, we speak to a European Tour caddie who gives us some fascinating insight into the Rory McIlroy-JP Fitzgerald split...

When will the Rory McIlroy’s next caddie? Will it ever end? He might just bounce from bagman to bagman…

NCG Podcast host Alex Perry is joined by Mark Townsend after a chat with European Tour caddie Steve Brotherhood, David Howell’s bagman of six years, who offers a fascinating insight into who will replace JP Fitzgerald by McIlroy’s side.

Just to tease you, Brotherhood knows who it is. We can tell. You’re not fooling anyone, Steve!

Podcast regulars Alex Perry and Mark Townsend are joined by No Laying Up's Chris Solomon to discuss all things Open Championship...

In this special edition Open podcast, we want to know how watching golf’s oldest major differed for someone that grew up in the US from someone that grew up in Britain?

And which Americans are most likely to take advantage of Royal Birkdale this week?

Luckily we found someone from across the pond, Chris Solomon of No Laying Up fame, to join podcast regulars Alex Perry and Mark Townsend in the Tommy Fleetwood lounge of Formby Hall.

We also thought of a few European players who might be able to hold off the American invasion…

In the latest episode of the Niggle Podcast, we've entered Open qualifiers, got through, and now we're preparing for our big day. Come dream with us...

The Open qualifiers. What a scary thought for us mere mortals.

With everyone’s favourite golfing week of the year – or second favourite, depending on how you feel about the Masters – on the horizon, NCG decided to try and qualify for the Birkdale showpiece.

Well, not this week podcasters Alex Perry, Mark Townsend and James Savage, but two colleagues who are much, much better at golf than us.

But what we can do is dream about getting through Open qualifiers. So that’s exactly what we did, right down to what we would wear and who we’d like to play with should we make the real thing.

Enjoy.

We know you’ve dreamed about playing in the Open because, well, you’re human. So how would you take on the biggest day of your life. Dream with us Twitter and Facebook.

Remember, if you have any topics you want discussed in future episodes of the Niggle Podcast, you can email us, and if you want to listen to previous episodes, you can find them on the NCG website, iTunes, SoundCloud, or our YouTube channel.

In this week's special major episode of the Niggle Podcast, the NCG team discuss the US Open and the times golf brought them to their knees...

It’s a US Open podcast special!

This week, the Messi-Suarez-Neymar trio (their words) of Alex Perry, Steve Carroll and Mark Townsend discuss all things Erin Hills. Are we making too much of the rough? Where will the difficulty really lie? Are we expecting a US Open to remember? And, most importantly, who will win?

Talking of golf being really hard, the guys discuss times where they’ve been beaten up by a course – and any times they were reduced to tears…

Alex Perry, Dan Murphy and Steve Carroll discuss Tiger Woods' latest fall from grace following his arrest on Monday.

Tiger Woods’ arrest for driving under the influence in the early hours of Monday sent shockwaves through the golfing world.

In the latest episode of National Club Golfer’s Niggle podcast, regulars Alex Perry and Steve Carroll are joined by editor Dan Murphy to chat about all things Tiger.

Are they more angry than sad? Is this Tiger’s lowest low? If he were to walk away from the game now, would he be happy with what he’s achieved? All these questions, and more, are answered by the trio – with even a little conspiracy thrown in…

There is plenty more on Tiger’s latest incident on National Club Golfer. Dan’s editor’s column is about how the former world No. 1 fell from feared to feared for, while social media editor Joe Urquhart has been looking at how the internet reacted.

Elsewhere, Matt Beedle looks at Woods’ career timeline, while James Broadhurst runs down other moments the 41-year-old hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. And if that’s not enough, why not check out our gallery other golfers who found themselves on the wrong side of the law.

Remember, you can request podcast topics by emailing us on, or you can contact us via Twitter or Facebook.

For other episodes of the podcast, use the search function above, or you can find it on SoundCloud, iTunes, and our YouTube channel.

Latest episodes of the podcast

Twitter voting in the ShopRite LPGA Classic, favourite golf formats and green reading aids are discussed on this week's episode.

In this week’s podcast, James Savage, Steve Carroll and Mark Townsend talk about Twitter voting and the lengths the ShopRite LPGA Classic are going to in order to attract interest in their event.

They also cover more light-hearted topics such as pace of play and favourite formats.

Rejoice! The sun is shining and the new season is here!

In this week’s Niggle Podcast, Alex Perry, Steve Carroll and James Savage discuss their goals for the new season, the new and not-so new equipment in their bags, and a resurgent Luke Donald and Ian Poulter.