It’s the event that stirs the soul of golf fans like no other and after a two year wait the European Ryder Cup team get their chance this week to erase memories of a thrashing at Whistling Straits in 2021.Golf Plus Media’s Paul Prendergast was at last year’s Italian Open at the host course for the matches, Marco Simone, and joins the pod to give some insight Into what holes might play a pivotal role in the outcome.

There are few better spectator sports than waiting for an international team golf competition to get underway. With the Solheim Cup now just days away we catch up with John Huggan from on site at Finca Cortesin in Spain for all the latest non stories.

Revered course architect Alastair Mackenzie was a GP in another life and wrote in his book Spirit of St Andrews about the health benefits of prescribing golf to his patients. Almost 100 years after those words were penned a study in Scotland shows they are likely true. Dr Frank Sullivan of the University of St Andrews joins episode 158 to discuss the trial which saw more than 50% of those ‘prescribed’ golf as treatment returning positive reviews.

When we spoke to Richard Pennell in February last year his Stymied blog was starting to gain traction. 18 months later he is now a published author his book, Grass Routes, a collection of essays taken from the blog combined with some new material. Pennell’s writing focuses not on birdies and bogeys but on golf’s more cerebral and emotional joys, the way the game touches people beyond being just a recreation.

Kevin Moore is one of the more interesting voices in the game and it has taken us far too long to have him on as a guest. we finally rectify that in Ep 156 where we talk maths and golf, the responsibility (or otherwise) of golf companies in growing the game, distance rollback and plenty more.

It’s back to a favourite topic of the Good Good team this week as we welcome Bunkered magazine’s Michael McEwan back to the pod to talk about the R&A’s innovative GolfIt facility in Glasgow.

A special week in golf demands special treatment and that’s what episode 154 delivers. The regular team shifts to the back seat as special guest host Karen Harding and special guest co-host Emma Ballard take the controls to discuss the AIG Women’s Open. The Course, the field, purses and the state of the game are all part of the discussion as the golf world gears up for what is shaping as a thrilling week.

There’s no shortage of attacks on public golf but how we respond to those, as players and an industry, sets the tone for how successful we will be in protecting the game. Inspired by a column written by co-host Jimmy Emanuel we explore that issue on Ep 153 with the always interesting Sandy Jamieson.

Its the fourth of five women’s majors of the year and Women and Golf Editor Emma Ballard is along to talk Evian Championship, Armco Series and some of the bigger issues around golf.

It’s always a treat when Mike Clayton joins the pod and that was the case again for episode 151. While The Open will be the focus of most this week it will be, for hundreds or perhaps even thousands of golfers from around the world, merely the focal point of a pilgrimage that could change how they see and feel about the game. Golf in the UK gets so much right from courses to culture and everything in between and we touch on much of it in episode 151.