Latest articles by Nick Bonfield
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I've Been Called 'Idiotic', But I Haven't Changed My Mind: The Last 3 Holes At Augusta National Are UnderwhelmingThere's no question Augusta National is one of, if not the, the best golf courses on the planet, but I think the last three holes could be improved
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The Story Of President Reagan, A Crazed Gunman And A Hostage Stand-Off At Augusta NationalWhen President Reagan came to play Augusta in 1983, a local resident forced his way onto the premises and took hostages...
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The One Masters Winner Since 1974 (At Least) Who Didn't Play The Par 5s Under-ParWinners of The Masters almost always play the par 5s comfortably under-par. But, there's always an exception that proves the rule...
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'Anyone With A Handicap Of 18 Should Be Ecstatic To Break 100' – Insights From Four Golf Monthly Staffers Who Have Played Augusta NationalNumerous members of the Golf Monthly team have been lucky enough to play Augusta National. Here, four of them share their insights
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I've Analysed The Last 12 Masters Winners' Scorecards... Here Are The Keys To Augusta SuccessWhile the last 12 winners of The Masters have different playing styles and attributes, there are certain things they all have in common...
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Why General Play Scores Are The Elephant In Golf’s Handicapping RoomGolf’s governing bodies encourage submission of handicap scorecards as often as possible, but it seems general play cards are increasingly frowned upon…
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The Training Aid Robert Rock Built For Tour Pros Has Quietly Taken Over The Range – We Take A Closer LookSponsored by TRS Golf
The TRS Slider started as a prototype on the DP World Tour. Now golf coaches across the country are putting it in the hands of their club golfers
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I’m All For Change And Modernisation, But Golf Must Keep These 5 TraditionsGolf is quite rightly making efforts to evolve and become more inclusive, and while I’m on board, there are parts of the game I’d never like to see abandoned
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The 9 Types Of People You See At The Driving Range (Which One Are You?)Regardless of where you are in the world, there’s a comforting consistency to be found in the types of characters who frequent driving ranges…
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Don’t Compare Anthony Kim To Tiger Woods Or Ben Hogan – His Redemption Story Stands AloneThe American produced a thrilling final-round performance in Australia to complete an emotional and highly impressive comeback
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'Slow Play Is Often A Product Of Unrealistic Expectations, Not Flagrantly Bad Etiquette'Slow play can be infuriating, but is it always the players’ fault? Not necessarily. In fact, that’s often not the case…
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I’m Stuck In Mid-Handicap Purgatory. Can My 7-Point Checklist Help Me Reach The Single-Figure Promised Land (And Stay There)?For the majority of my golf-playing life, I’ve been stuck somewhere between 10 and 18. I’m determined to reach single figures and stay there in 2026
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I Don’t Understand Why I Can’t Wear A Hat In The Clubhouse… Who Does It Actually Offend?I’m a firm believer in dress codes and maintaining standards, but surely the requirement to remove your hat or cap in the clubhouse is a relic of a bygone era?
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Some Club Member Attitudes Towards Nomadic Golfers Are Troubling… They Stink Of SuperiorityI’ve expressed concern before about the apparent divide between club and nomadic golfers and it only seems to be getting worse…
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How A Budget Rangefinder Can Transform Your GameSponsored by Shot Scope
Mark Townsend has spent the year using the Shot Scope Pro L2 rangefinder and it's become an invaluable piece of equipment...
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‘I Really Did Not Want To Go To Rehab. It Seemed Like The Whole Tour Was Against Me. I Wanted To Drive And Drive And Never Stop Driving' – John Daly On Rehab, His Self-Esteem And The Worst Thing That’s Ever Happened To HimJohn Daly has experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows during his 59 years on planet earth. In a 2001 interview, he talked through some of the troughs…
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‘You Can’t Manipulate Your Handicap If You Put In A Card Every Round’ – Should You Submit A Scorecard Every Time You Play?Five Golf Monthly writers debate whether every round you play should go towards your handicap...
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What’s The Most Blatant Cheating You’ve Ever Witnessed On The Golf Course? Have Your Say!While the majority of golfers wouldn’t ever consider cheating, we’d be naive to think it doesn’t happen at club and professional level. Is it something you’ve experienced?
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I Was Never Fussed By Rangefinders… Now I Wonder How I Ever Went WithoutSponsored by Shot Scope
Since the start of the year, I’ve been regularly using a rangefinder for the first time. I feel more prepared and committed over shots and it’s boosted my iron play
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I've Had Enough Of Par 70 Golf Courses... Stop Depriving People Of Par 5s!When I look at the scorecard of a course I’m playing for the first time or sit down to watch a professional event, I’m always disappointed to see the number 70
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‘For A Nation That Prides Itself On Patriotism, The USA’s Inability To Foster Team Spirit Is Baffling’Every Ryder Cup, it seems as if camaraderie and unity comes far more naturally to the European team. We explore why that is and whether it will ever change
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I’m Dreadful In The Wind And Always Have Been… Can A New 5-Point Plan Help Me?I’ve always struggled in blustery conditions and can’t seem to put a good score together when the wind is blowing. It’s time for a change of plan…
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I Found Our 2001 Projections For Tiger Woods And Phil Mickelson’s Career Major Totals… So Were We Right?In 2001, we used an analytics tool to predict how many Major Championships Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstam would win. How did we fare?
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I’m Fed Up With Professional Golfers Not Celebrating Victories… If They're Not Excited, Why Should We Be?Jubilant and emotional reactions to victories is one of the most heart-warming elements of the sport, but they seem to be disappearing at an alarming rate
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