A message from the editor, Neil Tappin:
Spring is, without question, my favourite time of year. The prospect of playing golf consistently is back on the table for the first time in months and I, like many of you, will be heading to the range, trying to get my swing back in the groove.
Of course, the biggest date on the horizon for most golf fans will be April 11th - the opening round of the 88th Masters Tournament. For the first time in 2024, the world’s top golfers will all be treading the same fairways. We will see the likes of Rahm, Smith and Koepka going toe-to-toe with McIlroy, Hovland and Scheffler with vast individual riches as well as tour bragging rights on the line. Everywhere you look there’s a storyline waiting to unfold and we’ve teed up some of those, starting with this issue’s cover star, Ludvig Aberg.
Aberg may arrive at Augusta with high hopes but it will be last year’s Green Jacketeer, Jon Rahm, who will take centre stage as the 2024 Masters springs into life. His move to LIV was a major milestone in a saga that’s not been short of dramatic twists and turns. In his preview, Bill Elliott sets the scene for the Spaniard’s mouth-watering title defence as well as casting his experienced eye over the prospects of home favourite Rory McIlroy.
See below for some of the other highlights this issue has to offer...
Free 60-Page Travel Supplement
After the soggy, grey winter most of us have just endured in the UK, many golfers will be researching somewhere warmer, sunnier and greener to jet off to more desperately than ever. To save you a little bit of screen time, our dedicated writers have done some of the research for you with some excellent recommendations. Take a look for some inspiration before dusting down the flight cover and digging out the passport…
Masters Preview
For one week in April the focus of the sporting world will once again be on the year’s first Major. Bill Elliott predicts how it may all unfold…
7 Ways To Get Out Of Trouble
We don’t hit every fairway and sometimes even when we think we’ve hit an okay shot, we experience a spot of bad luck. So having the skills, repertoire and golfing IQ needed for a variety of recovery shot options is very important. The main thing is that when it matters most with scorecard in hand, you only take on shots you can pull off nine times out of ten. If you can’t, hit a different shot.
Ludvig Aberg Exclusive
Ludvig Aberg only turned pro last June but he has already won twice and starred at the Ryder Cup. Will he continue to rewrite the history books on his Major debut at Augusta?
Our 2024 Driver Test
The early part of the year is always an exciting time for golf equipment enthusiasts as so many manufacturers release their new driver families. This year has been no different. We have rigorously tested all of the new models, as well as those that have carried over from 2023, to see which ones might most warrant a place in your bag this year.
Hogan's Last Hurrah
At Augusta National in 1967, 54-year-old Ben Hogan rolled back the years with an incredible back nine of 30 in the third round of his final Masters. Fergus Bisset takes a closer look...
Sepp Straka Exclusive
Sepp Straka, Austria’s first PGA Tour winner, talks about his rise to the top and why he likes to ‘expect the unexpected’ in golf.
The Best Courses You Can Play
This month Kevin Markham takes a close-up look at a selection of Irish and Northern Irish golf clubs with two courses, we tour Suffolk, take a trip to the Carolinas in the States and much more…
