So why am I mentioning it? Well there are several reasons. Firstly, I need your help to grow the channel. Once I can get to 300+ subscribers I can start bringing more varied and interesting content, and plan to include as many subscribers in this as I can. It also gives me a chance to offer better prizes to lucky subscribers. It's free to subscribe so I politely implore you (nay beg) to go ahead and do so now if you haven't already done so. Once I hit that 300 mark I'm going to give away a decent prize and as they say "you've got to be in it to win it". I'd love to get more folk from my home club, Royal Ascot involved too, so if you read this (and I know some of you do), subscribe to channel as well for a chance to get yourself and your golf game immortalised on film for the world to see.
Secondly, I'd like to get more involved with our contributors and golf companies, either here, via Youtube and on social media. I really enjoy doing the product reviews and giving a mid-handicapper opinion on the equipment which is unbiased, has no gadgets or gizmo's and is just me using the gear for three holes on the course and coming back and giving a straight forward opinion on what I thought. If there are any up and coming golf companies, established names in the golfing equipment market, or individuals that would like to work on me on any golf related project, please contact me here, on my Youtube channel or via Twitter at @hackergolfer
If you want a chance to see my reviews, please feel free to click on any of them from 2018 and beyond. To make it easy, I've included a link where you can see all the reviews to date (Review Playlist). I want to grow the channel this year and need the help of those in the industry as well as those that watch the videos and read the blogs. The bigger I can make the channel, the more opportunities I can give to subscribers to get involved. It becomes a win-win.
Finally, and as it's the new year it gives me a chance to bring to you my top five videos from 2018 for you to enjoy. Its been a tricky job to try and whittle it down as I've been really lucky last year to get involved in a number of different events as well as having the opportunity to do some equipment reviews. Here are my favourites of the past year.
1) Avril's Dream Charity Golf Day (when a Golfhacker met the King of the Jungle)
I had the chance to play in a charity golf day as part of Team Golfhacker, with the editor Nick Kevern, equipment editor, William Murfitt and Mark Sapsford who answered and 11th hour call to make the side up. Aside from raising money for a great charity that grants wishes to children with life changing or terminal illness, I had the chance to chat with now King Of The Jungle, Harry Redknapp. Check that out and watch for a great video bomb, and watch how Team GolfHacker got on (or didn't) as we tackled a tricky Chigwell Golf course
Avril's Dream Charity Golf Day Video
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| King of The Jungle - Harry Redknapp (he features highly on my video favourites for 2018). Lovely man. |
Sometimes you are given a rare opportunity in golf to participate in something unique. This was one such occasion as Golfhacker magazine was given unique access to a round table discussion with four players who have all played in the Ryder Cup. These included Ryder Cup legend and winning captain, Ian Woosnam, two Frenchmen, Thomas Levet and Jean Van De Velde and Englishman Peter Baker who was a rookie in the 1993 event and scored three points (two wins partnering Woosnam and a singles win against Corey Pavin). This video shows the discussion in full so it is long (about 43 minutes) but is a fascinating watch as the four discuss the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris, Tiger Woods and future Ryder Cup captains. It's an interesting discussion, even more so as they were only scheduled to talk for ten minutes and something that I'll not get to film again
Ryder Cup Legends Round Table Discussion Video
3) The British Par 3 Championships
Again I was lucky enough to be invited to the last day of the British Par 3 Championship at Nailcote Hall in Cheshire. It's a fantastic event where a host of celebrities and former professional golfers take on a testing par three course. I managed to film two pieces, one of which I hope captures the flavour of the day and the other shows me asking some quick fire questions to some of the celebrities taking part. I really enjoyed the whole day and plan to be back in 2019 to cover far more of the even
The British Par 3 Championship - A Flavour of the Event
The British Par 3 Championship - Celebrity Interviews
4) Linear Short Game
I have written on here a number of times about the linear short game method. If you type "Linear" into the search button it'll bring up everything I've written about it (and there's a lot!!!) but in essence it's a method of playing pitch shots, bunker shots and chipping around the greens as devised and promoted by one of the top UK coaches Gary Smith and which uses the bounce of the club to give a wider margin of error and more control. It's set up and the position of the club takes some getting use to, especially in bunkers but it really does work and has made a difference to my game. In 2018 I did several videos on the subject. Here I've included my mid-handicapper take on the method to show the basic set up for each type of shot.
I have also included a scramble test. If you don't know what this is, it's nine holes and if I hit a green in regulation I have to drop the ball off the green and try and get up and down and if I miss the green in regulation I carry on as it lies and again try to make an up and down. It is a way of working on improving the short game in a real time environment and so adds a degree of pressure you don't get from block practice. The idea is to get up and down (under par) as many times as you can. A chip and two putts counts as par and anything more is over par. Keep watching as there is a surprise on one hole!
Linear Short Game - A Mid-Handicapper Demonstration
Linear Method - Scramble Test
5) 'Arry and Vicki
To finish, I've included some off course footage of Harry Redknapp and actress Vicki Michelle taken from the evening entertainment at the Avril's Dream charity golf day. If you watched Harry get crowned King of The Jungle you'll already know he's got a fantastic sense of humour. This catches him talking football (it was the day after England lost the world cup semi-final) and its totally off the cuff. Be aware there is some strong language. There is no doubt he has a definite career as a stand up comic waiting for him.
'Arry and Michelle - Avril's Dream Charity Golf Day
I hope you enjoy these videos. Please give me feedback either in the comments section of the Youtube video (and please thumbs up the video and Youtube loves those) or on here and let me know what you liked. If there are any topics you'd like me to cover or you have any ideas let me know. Also comment and let me know if you want to feature in a video at some point in 2019. I'd love to do more course vlogs and get more of you involved. Similarly I'd like to offer you a chance to take part in more product reviews. It would really mean a lot to get to 300+ subscribers and I've a number of ideas in mind for 2019 content and really want others to be involved.
In the meantime happy new year and hope you have a great year on the fairways. Keep reading and supporting the blog and the Youtube channel and hopefully our paths can cross at some point. Here's to a great season and all our handicaps reducing.
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