Golf, by TourMiss

I have been asked often during the course of so many decades reporting on men’s pro golf: ‘Who is the toughest golfer you’ve ever had to work with?”. The answer to that question is unquestionably Darren Clarke. You see, as a freelancer I was writing for a number Irish-based outlets including the Irish Independent, the Irish Star, the Irish Examiner and Irish Golfer Magazine, so if Clarke was playing well I needed to speak with him. Though Clarke was not always obliging, including ...

With over 80 golf courses and sunshine practically all year, Portgual has always been a mecca for golfers boasting as it does five strong golf regions – the famed Algarve, Lisbon, Porto, the Azores and Maderia. It’s the Algarve that is most widely known boasting 10 seperate golfing destinations including Villamoura where you’ll find such courses as the Victoria that played host to the Portugal Masters and others including the Old Course, Pinhall and Millennium courses. And while ...

In writing this article, I have been fortunate to play three golf courses boasting bunkers of a ‘different’ kind. When I say a ‘different’ kind, I am not referring here to the traditional sand-filled bunkers but concrete bunkers. “Concrete bunkers?”.  Yes, concrete bunkers and defence bunkers built during World War 11. There is the strong remnants of an anti-aircraft bunker still in position at the back of the seventh green on the Craighead Links course and my ...

I have spoken often of the great pleasure in travelling the world reporting on the ancient club-and-ball game and also equally teeing-up in so many different countries. This includes also teeing-up along the shoreline of the world’s oceans and seas and to then have the good fortune to enjoy a round on the opposite shoreline of the same ocean or sea. An example of what I am referring is Australia’s Crescent Head Golf Club course and recently featured on this website (See: http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2024/12/crescent-head-country-club-a-stunning-6-hole-gem-overlooking-the-mighty-blue-pacific/ ...

One of the great delights of living or visiting Sydney is the dozen and dozens of pristine beaches to the north and south of Australia’s largest city. So, when it comes to golden sand beaches located right on your front doorstep then Sydney has to be the envy of the world as there is close to 100 Pacific Ocean coastline beaches in a 100-kilometre stretch from Palm Beach in the north of the city to Garie Beach in the south. Indeed the entire coastline of the state of New South Wales (NSW) boasts ...

The hosting each year of the Link Hong Kong Open rekindles so many fond memoies for this golf writer. I made my debut at the Hong Kong tournament in 2003 and the then third year hosting of a joint Asian Tour and European Tour tournament that was first staged in 1959. The timing each year of the Hong Kong Open was ideal for me as it was late in the European Tour season and in those earlier career visits, it would break the long journey from my UK base and onwards to Australia to join family and friends ...

Not for a moment in looking back over the past 30-years when I lost my then full-time job working for a politician following the governments defeat in an Australian State election and then bizarrely two days later winning a golf tournament promotion, would I have thought in becoming a full-time golf journalist it would lead to me now having played golf in 47 different countries (As of 1st November, 2024). My first round of golf in growing up in northern Sydney suburb of Willoughby was at the nine-hole ...