Whether whiling away the hours on a long train journey, or for company during a solo round (one ear free for ‘FORES’!), at time of writing there are over 130 hits when searching ‘golf’ on Apple’s podcast app (and many more that strangely omitted that keyword) offering swing tips, witty banter and everything in between. Below is a synopsis of the most popular channels in the UK, according to Rephoric1, at the precise time of writing… there’s clearly no standout leader, with most jockeying for position on an almost hourly basis! We’ve omitted The Open Podcast currently at #5, given the seasonality of it’s popularity.
- The Chipping Forecast is the new kid on the block, having launched mid-June, and featuring the soothing Scottish tones of Andrew Cotter, who’s lockdown labrador commentary won the hearts of the nation. Andrew’s joined by English tour pro Eddie Pepperell, and BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter. The format is loose, whether by design or due to embryonic chemistry, but it makes for an easy listen, with Cotter’s dry humour the glue binding the trio’s meandering chats together.
- No Laying Up – Golf Podcast. Vying for top spot, and currently #1 on Apple Podcasts in the US and multiple other continents, NLU are American content creators; 3 old Ohio uni mates, plus a techie younger brother, who turned their group text banter into a blog, and then podcast (then video, shop, events…), with their Twitter channel having amassed 444,000 followers. Episodes come thick and fast – often daily, and over 2 hours in length, it’s like listening into 3 enthusiastic golf fans shoot the breeze in an American bar.
- The Rick Shiels Golf Show is (at time of writing) almost 200 episodes deep, bringing this Bolton-born golf pro and YouTube sensation’s trademark personality, commentary and insight on a weekly basis. The show is co-hosted and produced by Guy Charnock, who one suspects Rick met when Guy worked at his ex-sponsor Nike, and offers an ‘ordinary’ golfer’s perspective whilst more than holding his own with tour chat and witty banter. The show reportedly pulls in over 300,000 listeners a month (rating of 4.9 out of 5), which combined with over 2.5m YouTube subscribers2, has led to Rick having an estimated net worth of almost £4m3.
- Hack It Out Golf has a slightly more serious tone than the 2 above, and more PG language than the 2 above. This relatively newcomer (2 years old) is hosted by coach and YouTuber Mark Crossfield, ‘data nerd’ Lou Stagner, and Aussie tour pro Greg Chalmers, and has a strong focus on helping listeners improve every conceivable aspect of their game.
- Beef’s Golf Club is a relatively newcomer, having launched in September 2022, based on the concept of creating a virtual ‘club’, where listeners are the ‘members’. The show’s co-hosted by ex-European tour pro Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston, and more average golfer John Robins, and has a relaxing tone, a lively tempo, as they cover an eclectic mix of topics from both a pro and amateur perspective
Ranking correct at time of writing (18/7/23). Know a great golf podcast that deserves a listen? Drop us a line via this link.
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