Editor's Blog: Lets get ready to rumble
GM editor, Mike Harris is representing the UK team in the Writer Cup, an annual Transatlantic battle against golf writers from across the pond.
It?s official. I have got a severe case of Open fever. It?s been brewing all week courtesy of all the excitement in the office (l thought GM staff writer Luke Norman was going to self-combust at one point) but reached an altogether new high for me as I?ve traveled up to Scotland (or Scopland as my two and half year old daughter would say) to play in the Writer Cup at St Andrews.
The event is a regular head-to-head between eight British golf writers and eight of our counterparts from the US. It the first time I have been asked to play and I?m officially excited.
The format is a Ryder Cup one with two days of fourballs and foursomes followed by a final day singles on Monday after which I?ll head over the Tay Bridge to join up with the early arrivals from the GM editorial team at Carnoustie.
I don?t get to play a lot of competitive matchplay golf so I?m really looking forward to five rounds of what is, to me anyway, the purest form of the game.
But before the match gets officially underway tomorrow there?s a welcome meal for all the competitors this evening and this afternoon we?re off to have a first look at the new Castle Course at St Andrews which sits on the cliffs overlooking the North Sea to the south of the town. In fact I?m due down in the hotel lobby now for the coach. I'll report back later on what the new track is like.
Click here for a first look at the Castle Course
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Mike has been a journalist all his working life, starting out as a football writer with Goal magazine in the 1990s before moving into men’s and women’s lifestyle magazines including Men's Health, In 2003 he joined Golf Monthly and in 2006 he became only the eighth editor in Golf Monthly’s 100-plus year history leading the brand until July 2023. He is now Content Director overseeing Golf Monthly and two other iconic sports brands, FourFourTwo and Rugby World.
His three main passions in golf are courses (he's played over 500 courses worldwide), equipment (he's always in search of something shinny to give him an edge) and shoes (he owns more pairs than he cares to mention!).
Mike’s handicap index hovers at around 10 and he is a member of four golf clubs: Hartley Wintney, Royal Liverpool, Royal North Devon and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
Mike's current What's In The Bag?
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus+ 9° - Fujikura Ventus Blue 5S
Fairway woods: TaylorMade Sim Max 3/15° - Fujikura Ventus Blue 6S & TaylorMade Stealth 7/20° - Fujikura Ventus Red 6S
Utility Iron: TaylorMade Stealth UDI 3/21° - Aldila Ascent 90HY
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (5-PW) - Nippon Tour NSPro 950S
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 50°, 54° and 58° - KBS Tour Hi-Rev s2.0 hafts
Putter: Evnroll ER2B (Gravity Grip)
Ball: TaylorMade Tour Response (Yellow)
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