The Firm & Fast Golf Podcast - Episode 56: The Ancient Arts of Golf with Iain Forrester

Episode 56: The Ancient Arts of Golf with Iain Forrester

01/09/25 • 93 min

Scotsman Iain Forrester has been a golf professional since 1983, moving to The Netherlands to become the Head Professional at Hoenshuis Golf & Country Club in Limburg.

Iain believes that
“......a PGA Professional needs to have a diverse skillset – a jack of all trades and a master of one or two. That’s what I’ve tried to do with my career, to be as flexible as possible, learn as many skills as possible and then have a niche that separates you from others.”

Iain’s particular niche of choice focusses on maintaining and preserving the history of golf, in particular the way it was played in the past with wooden hickory clubs.

Iain repairs and restores hickory equipment for fellow collectors while also suppling sets for hickory events throughout Europe.

As if that’s not enough he has also written extensively about hickory golf and golf history in general. Safe to say he’s a great man to have on the pod to talk about on all things relating to hickory and Dutch golf.

Iain's website can be found here

The Golfika article on the history of British Handicapping mentioned in the show can be found here - pages 6 - 11.

Thanks for tuning in, we hope you enjoy listening.

Episode music supplied under license from Epedemic Sound
Shoreline Serenade - Dye O.1.1

Scotsman Iain Forrester has been a golf professional since 1983, moving to The Netherlands to become the Head Professional at Hoenshuis Golf & Country Club in Limburg.

Iain’s particular niche of choice focusses on maintaining and preserving the history of golf, in particular the way it was played in the past with wooden hickory clubs.

Iain repairs and restores hickory equipment for fellow collectors while also suppling sets for hickory events throughout Europe.

Iain's website can be found here

The Golfika article on the history of British Handicapping mentioned in the show can be found here - pages 6 - 11.

Thanks for tuning in, we hope you enjoy listening.

Episode music supplied under license from Epedemic Sound
Shoreline Serenade - Dye O.1.1

Previous Episode

Episode 55: Trailer for The Ancient Arts of Golf with Iain Forrester

Iain Forrester is a Scottish Golf Professional who has been based in The Netherlands since 1988. He joined me recently for an extensive chat about Hickory Golf, Golf in the Netherlands and his life in golf. This is a story he forgot to tell us, thankfully I managed to press record again before we ended our time together. The preceding conversation was most enjoyable and will be released over the coming days... keep an eye out for it!

If you're enoying the pod, I would be very grateful if you could submit a review on your podcast hosting platform of choice. It really would be appreciated.

Trailer sound track supplied under licence from Epidemic Sound
Earthbound (Instrumental) by Victor Lundberg

Special Guest: Iain Forrester.

Next Episode

Episode 57: The Addington with Ryan Noades

Ryan Noades joins us today to take a look at what may very well be JF Abercromby's design opus. The Addington was of course a collaboration between Abercromby and Harry S Colt, expertly routed to circumnavigate a sand and gravel hilltop heathland site some 9 miles due south of central London.

The Noades' have owned the Addington since 2006 and have lovingly curated the course ever since. Over the years it became apparent to Ryan and his family that a world class golf course was hiding in plain site beneath the organic detritus that had invaded playing corridors, reduced strategic options and hampered firm and fast playing conditions.

In 2019 in conjunction with the design firm Clayton De Vries & Pont a course correction was undertaken to commit fully to a faithful restoration of The Addington to its' former glory.

We endeavour to explore a small part of this journey today, hopefully leaving you with a better feel for both the place and indeed a driven individual who is equally besotted, energised and excited by all of the possibilities that The Addington represents.

Thanks for tuning in, we hope you enjoy the show!

I've visited The Addington twice thus far and took some time to write about what I've found, please click on this link to have a read.

Episode music used under license from Epedemic Sound
Shoreline Serenade - Dye O.1.1

Special Guest: Ryan Noades.