The Top 100 in 10 Golf Podcast

We review our round at Hillside Golf Club, one of the Top 100 golf courses in the UK and Ireland, and one of the standout links courses on England’s Golf Coast. In this episode, we break down the full Hillside experience — the welcome, the clubhouse, practice facilities, course condition, signature holes, back nine reputation, greens, value for money, and whether Hillside deserves its place alongside Royal Birkdale and Southport & Ainsdale.

This episode is powered by Fourball Draws - where you can win a fourball on some elite courses for just a fiver - visit fourballs.co.uk and use code TOP100 to buy 2 or more tickets and get one absolutely free!

Played in glorious March sunshine after one of the wettest winters in memory, Hillside was presented in sensational condition. We talk through why the welcome was the best we’ve had so far on our Top 100 journey, why the front nine deserves more credit, which holes stood out most, and whether Hillside is a better all-round experience than some of its more famous neighbours.

If you’re planning a golf trip to Merseyside, England’s Golf Coast, or you’re simply looking for honest reviews of Top 100 golf courses in the UK and Ireland, this is one of our best course review episodes yet.

Get some details about our Irish Trip more details here

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We've been banging our heads against a wall trying to get onto Irish golf courses for six months. Tee times selling out in minutes. Green fees north of €500. Chris assuring me his Irish roots would open doors. They did not.

This episode is powered by Fourball Draws - where you can win a fourball on some elite courses for just a fiver - visit fourballs.co.uk and use code TOP100 to buy 2 or more tickets and get one absolutely free!

Then Jared from Irish Fairways called me. He'd been listening to the podcast — which is either flattering or suspicious — and said three words that nearly made me fall off my chair: "We can help."

And we ended up arranging a trip to Ireland that YOU can get involved in - more details here

In this episode, Jared and Josh from Irish Fairways join us to talk about why Ireland's links courses captivate golfers from around the world, what makes links golf a completely different game to anything you'll play stateside, and how a chance phone call turned into a fully organised five-course trip along Dublin's north east coast — Portmarnock, The Island, Jameson Links, Royal Dublin, and County Louth.

Josh is a PGA professional who still gets nervous on every tee box (his words), and his one-hole pick from the trip will make you want to book a flight immediately. Jared is the operations brain who nearly quit golf on his first ever round at Jameson Links in sideways rain — and started par-birdie in a pro-am months later. These two are brilliant company.

Here's the big news: we've got 14 spots open for listeners to join us. October 4–10, 2026. Five world-class courses. Based at Portmarnock Resort. Farewell dinner at the Guinness Storehouse. Drivers, tee times, everything sorted. This year's Irish tee times are already gone — these are the last 14 spots that exist!

If you've ever wanted to experience Irish links golf with a group who are there for the craic as much as the golf, this is it.

Book here: https://top100in10.co.uk/the-top-100-in-10-golf-tour-of-ireland/

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Learn more about our journey on our website Top100.in10.co.uk

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Delamere Forest Golf Club preview. And yes, we've also entered Rick Shiels and Peter Finch's Creator Cup. 

This episode is powered by Fourball Draws - where you can win a fourball on some elite courses for just a fiver - visit fourballs.co.uk and use code TOP100 to buy 2 or more tickets and get one absolutely free!

Delamere Forest Golf Club is one of the most unusual courses on the entire Top 100 list. A Herbert Fowler Heathland design sitting in Cheshire — completely unlike anything else in the North of England, and nothing like you'd expect from the name. 

Nish has played it before and loved it. Chris has cycled through the forest with his kids and assumed it would be foresty. It is not foresty. 

This episode covers the Herbert Fowler design legacy, the infinity greens, the optical illusions built into the course, the stunning black-and-white Tudor clubhouse, and the one-star review that calls it the most pretentious overrated dump the reviewer has ever played. Plus Nish's Woodhall Spa take. It's a strong one. 

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Learn more about our journey on our website Top100.in10.co.uk

You can even sign up to our podcast mailing list on the website and get a limited edition Top 100 in 10 ball marker when you complete your profile

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Our 2026 season kicks off at Hillside Golf Club — the links course sandwiched between Royal Birkdale and Southport & Ainsdale that somehow never gets the credit it deserves.

Greg Norman called its back nine the best in Britain. Jack Nicklaus played his first professional event in the British Isles here. It's hosted the British Masters and the DP World Tour. And yet — most golfers overlook it completely.

In this episode Nish & Chris preview what's waiting for them at Hillside: the dunes, the mature pines, the thick rough, and a back nine with serious ambitions. They dig into the reviews — including one very unhappy member at the halfway house — and debate whether £185 in March is good value for one of Britain's hidden gems.

Plus: the full 2026 course lineup is revealed, Chris drops the bombshell that he's playing Loch Lomond without Nish, and the Royal County Down phone queue situation gets properly discussed.

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📸 Instagram: @top100in10
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Hillside Golf Club | Southport | Lancashire | Links Golf | Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland | Golf Podcast

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Learn more about our journey on our website Top100.in10.co.uk

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We kicked off a brand-new series — Beyond the Top 100 — with a course that proves why lists don’t tell the full story. In brutal Welsh links weather (driving rain, sleet and 40+ mph winds), we played Conwy Golf Club, perched at the mouth of the River Conwy under the Great Orme — and somehow… we loved every minute.

In this episode, Conwy’s General Manager Matthew Parsley explains what makes the club special: the welcome, the standards, the scenery, and the championship history that runs through its DNA — from honours boards and a trophy cabinet that stops you in your tracks, to the impact of hosting the Curtis Cup and the club’s push for women’s golf and inclusivity.

We also dig into what makes Conwy such a compelling test: a course of “thirds”, the priceless view from the 8th tee, and the closing stretch where it’s fairway or gorse — no hiding place, no excuses.

If you love true links golf, golf history, or you’re building a Welsh/North Wales golf trip list… Conwy deserves your attention.

Follow/subscribe for more episodes as we chase the Top 100 in 10 years — and shine a light on the courses that should be in the conversation.

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Support the show

Learn more about our journey on our website Top100.in10.co.uk

You can even sign up to our podcast mailing list on the website and get a limited edition Top 100 in 10 ball marker when you complete your profile

Or follow our live journey on Instagram @top100in10 or Tiktok

Ireland is seen by many to be the spiritual home of bucket-list golf.

So why is it becoming almost impossible to actually play?

In this episode, we sit down with Sharon Smurfit — former Director of Golf at The K Club and one of the most connected voices in Irish golf — to unpack what’s really happening behind the scenes.

Episode Links: Sharon's Website, Sharon's Instagram, Subscribe to Sharon's Newsletter, Talk Golf Ireland

From sold-out tee sheets and soaring green fees to the “links bias” shaping Top 100 lists, Sharon gives us an insider’s view of modern Irish golf: who benefits, who gets squeezed, and why availability — not price — is the real battleground.

We also dive into:
 • What it’s actually like running a Ryder Cup venue
 • Celebrity moments (including Seve casually in the pro shop)
 • Why some world-class courses never make the lists
 • Hidden gem Irish courses worth your time
 • The future of women’s golf in Ireland

If you’re planning an Ireland golf trip — or wondering whether the boom has gone too far — this episode might change how you see it.

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Support the show

Learn more about our journey on our website Top100.in10.co.uk

You can even sign up to our podcast mailing list on the website and get a limited edition Top 100 in 10 ball marker when you complete your profile

Or follow our live journey on Instagram @top100in10 or Tiktok

In Part 2 of my Zen Golf visit in Sheffield, Will (Head of Education at Zen Golf) gives me a putting lesson that completely changes how you read greens, control pace, and stop guessing the break.

Instead of obsessing over mechanics, we learn how to “see gravity” first — by finding the straight putt (12 o’clock) using a simple clock-face method, then reverse-engineering the ball’s entry point from the hole back to the ball. It’s a game-changing way to build intent, commit to the line, and massively improve distance control (without overthinking your stroke).

If you struggle with pace on long putts, misread left-to-right breakers, or feel lost on slippery downhillers, this episode gives you a repeatable strategy you can take straight to the course.

🎥 Want to see the slopes and the lesson in action? Watch the full video version on YouTube (linked in the show notes).
⛳️ And if you missed Part 1: “The Simulator That Moves Under Your Feet (ZenGolf x TrackMan)”, listen to that first for the full story.

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Learn more about our journey on our website Top100.in10.co.uk

You can even sign up to our podcast mailing list on the website and get a limited edition Top 100 in 10 ball marker when you complete your profile

Or follow our live journey on Instagram @top100in10 or Tiktok

What if your golf simulator didn’t just show the shot — but made you feel it under your feet?

In this episode of the Top 100 Golf Podcast, we get exclusive first access to the ZenGolf Swing Stage, a groundbreaking golf simulator platform that moves beneath you to replicate real on-course lies, slopes, and stances — fully integrated with TrackMan.

We take this technology inside one of the world’s greatest courses, Royal County Down, and test whether indoor golf can finally deliver true, meaningful practice — not just perfect lies and flat shots.

This is a live playing lesson, exploring:

• How slope and lie actually change decision-making
• Why most range practice doesn’t transfer to the course
• The psychology of playing better golf through realistic practice
• How this technology could reshape coaching, pace of play, and winter training
• Why this might be the future of golf simulators and indoor practice

If you’ve ever wondered whether simulator golf can truly replicate real golf — or how elite players and everyday golfers can practice smarter, not harder — this episode is a must-listen.

🎯 Featuring:

• ZenGolf Swing Stage (moving platform technology)
• TrackMan integration
• Royal County Down played indoors
• Insights into modern motor learning and representative practice

This is not a gimmick.
 This is a glimpse into where golf practice is heading next.

Zen Green Stage on Insta

Zen Golf On YouTube

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Learn more about our journey on our website Top100.in10.co.uk

You can even sign up to our podcast mailing list on the website and get a limited edition Top 100 in 10 ball marker when you complete your profile

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There are only two golfers in history who have won more major championships than Walter Hagen — Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

And yet, Hagen’s name is often missing from modern golf conversations.

In this feature episode, we explore the life and legacy of the man who didn’t just win eleven major championships — he changed what it meant to be a professional golfer.

From caddying his way into the game to dominating match play, captaining an unbeaten Ryder Cup side, and redefining how professionals dressed, travelled, and carried themselves, Hagen quietly dismantled golf’s rigid class system.

This isn’t just a biography. It’s a story about status, psychology, confidence, and why modern professional golf — from Arnold Palmer to Tiger Woods — looks the way it does today.

If you’ve ever wondered how golf’s professionals earned their place at the centre of the sport, this is the story you’ve been missing.

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Learn more about our journey on our website Top100.in10.co.uk

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Playing the top 100 golf courses in the UK and Ireland sounds simple on paper — and impossibly complex in practice.

In this episode, we unpack a father-and-son journey that began after COVID and quickly became a masterclass in access, etiquette, persistence, and people skills. From invite-only clubs and opaque booking systems to waitlists, spreadsheets, and lucky breaks, this conversation reveals how elite golf really works behind the scenes.

We explore private and semi-private courses like Ardfin, Loch Lomond, Queenwood, JCB and Skibo Castle, and why money alone doesn’t open doors. Respect, timing, etiquette, and being a good guest often matter more. We also cover scams targeting hopeful golfers, how to verify access properly, and where trusted communities quietly keep opportunities moving.

There are moments of pure magic too: empty fairways at Royal St George’s, the Old Course singles line, and the strange generosity that turns strangers into playing partners. Along the way, we question course rankings, rising green fees, local versus visitor pricing, and what “fair but demanding” architecture really means for everyday golfers.

The big takeaway? The Top 100 isn’t just a list of courses — it’s a web of relationships. Build those well, and the journey gives you far more than a scorecard.

If you’re chasing iconic golf, or just curious how access really works at the top end of the game, this one’s for you.

Send us a message

Support the show

Learn more about our journey on our website Top100.in10.co.uk

You can even sign up to our podcast mailing list on the website and get a limited edition Top 100 in 10 ball marker when you complete your profile

Or follow our live journey on Instagram @top100in10 or Tiktok