Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends...

Golf is a game like no other. No matter how many times you've played your home course, every round is different, from the moment you launch your first tee shot hopefully into the green yonder till the putt drops into the cup on 18.

You may know the layout of the holes back to front and understand the subtle borrows of every green, but despite all that, from the moment your first shot comes to rest, every round is different. A first hole birdie and your stomach is full of excited butterflies. A six or more and you're questioning your swing thoughts...

This blog is a collection of observations and lessons learnt in 40 years of playing the game, including many enjoyable years launching and publishing some of the worlds best known golf magazines. I reckon I've seen thousands of game improvement articles, heard tips and advice from the greatest players and teachers in the game and seen my handicap fluctuate from 5.7 all the way up to the high teens. 

The one thing I learned from my time in golf magazines was that every handicap golfer, no matter his skill or handicap all wanted to be a few shots better. Only 10% of the worlds golfers play off an elusive single figure handicap and most of them are either playing and practicing regularly or already possess a deadly short game. 

This blog is for the rest of us. 

A ten handicapper dreams of playing off single figures, while the 21 handicapper is working towards a handicap that no longer gives him or her two shots on the hardest hole. Whilst it might help to get 38 stableford points, no self respecting golfer wants to be that person who gets two shots on any hole. 

Veteran commentator Peter Alliss has long felt that the maximum handicap for any golfer should be 18, as in one shot per hole. I think I secretly agree.