What is your ultimate round of golf?
A round anywhere, but with my regular golfing buddies who I’ve known since I was seven or eight. And that could be anywhere, and we’d all play reasonably well, we’d all have a laugh at each other’s expense and then enjoy a beer afterwards. Golf is a game where you walk about chatting for a few hours and is a great chance to renew friendships and make new ones.
What is the best part of being the editor of Golf Monthly?
I get to play a lot of golf which is my passion and life outside of work. It’s that combination of your job being your hobby. I enjoy playing different golf courses, my job takes me to some of the best in the world and I also get a ringside seat the greatest gold tournaments.
For people who have never played the sport before, but want to give it a go, where is the best place to start?
A driving range is a really good place to have a whack and I’d really recommend a place called Top Golf. There are no dress codes there and no rules, you can just go and buy a bucket of balls and if you like that you can go on to get some lessons. One of the sport’s greatest challenges is that we live in a society of instant gratification it takes a long time to get good at golf, but it’s worth it.
What are the challenges of being a magazine editor?
Publishing has been its own worst enemy by providing fantastic content then giving it away for free, and that has reduced the public’s appetite for print. We need to be committed to producing great quality content for print that really celebrates the medium. Print is still an indulgent experience for the reader and we need to make sure we’re producing the most engaging content that connects our readers with the subject they love, which in our case is golf.
What are your thoughts on Tiger Woods’ latest comeback?
I hope it lasts longer than the last one! Tiger has done an amazing job of popularising the game. I was never what you would call a tiger fan but I’ve always admired him and he’s arguably one of the greatest players to play the game and golf needs him. You need superstars in every sport and that’s exactly what he is. I hope his body allows him to do what his mind wants it to and compete at the top level. His injuries over the years means he’s not the force he was and possibly he’s been too keen to come back too soon, but golf is a better sport when he’s playing and competing.
What is your favourite way to relax once an issue is completed?
To go out with the team and have a beer, we often have a game of golf as well. It’s a good way to blow away the cobwebs and it also inspires us to come in the next and start on the next issue. But there’s nothing like hitting a print deadline.
What can subscribers expect from future issues? Why subscribe?
We’ll always look to provide readers with a great mix of golf content, there’s something in there for everybody. You’ll feel inspired by the game of golf. With every issue you’ll know more about the game, you’ll want to go and play, try new equipment and put a new course on your bucket list. So it’s about constantly connecting and inspiring our readers with their passion for the game.
Golf enthusiasts grab a subscription to Golf Monthly
