THE TAKEAWAY
WEEKLY BLOG FEATURING MATCH REPORTS, INTERVIEWS, GOSSIP AND PREDICTIONS
Each week, The Takeaway brings you the full sweep of Golf Premier League — the crunching results, the must-see match reviews, the previews that look ahead to the next tee-offs, and a peek behind the curtain with player chats, clubhouse chatter, and the odd bit of gossip.
It’s your weekly digest of fairway drama and football nostalgia, all wrapped up in one place.
A week of soaring drives, skewed irons, and old footballing ghosts drifting across the greens like mist over a winter pitch.
Matchweek 16 arrived with the quiet menace of a long par four into the wind. Some players strode in brimming with confidence, others clung nervously to form, and a few produced rounds so wild they could only have been forged in the same chaotic crucible that shaped their footballing days. Big wins, tight duels, and more than a few scorecards that told stories of ambition outrunning execution — it was a brilliant, unpredictable chapter.
Let’s walk through the action.
Gary Owen (Manchester City) 73 v 81 Jay Bothroyd (Arsenal)
Owen Wins Comfortably
Gary Owen delivered a tidy, understated round — the golfing equivalent of threading passes around a Highbury press in the late ’70s. His 73 was firm, fair, and ridden with sensible decisions. Bothroyd, ever capable of flair, sprayed too many shots into the rough on his way to an 81. A controlled victory for Owen, who never looked threatened.
Mike Newell (Everton) 72 v 80 Jem Karacan (Reading)
Newell Dominates
Newell’s round had the feel of a wind-assisted Goodison afternoon: gritty, organised, nothing wasted. The 72 was neat and disciplined and left Karacan chasing shadows. The Reading man battled gamely but his 80 came undone by a scrappy back nine. A commanding win for Newell.
Lee Hendrie (Aston Villa) 78 v 74 Matt Le Tissier (Southampton)
Le Tissier Wins
Hendrie, usually the creative spark, never quite settled. A smattering of loose wedges left him drifting to a 78. Le Tissier, meanwhile, played with the quiet elegance you’d expect — soft touches, smooth tempo, a sprinkling of genius. His 74 was controlled, clever, and ultimately decisive. A deserved win for the Saints maestro.
Dave Lee (Brighton) 81 v 72 Clayton Blackmore (Manchester Utd)
Blackmore Wins Comfortably
Dave Lee’s 81 told a story of early confidence dissolving into misjudged approaches and nervy putts. Blackmore, striker of some of the cleanest footballs in Premier League memory, brought that same crispness to the round. A 72 that felt measured, mature, and precise — a fine win for the former United utility man.
Bruce Grobbelaar (Liverpool) 72 v 72 Niall Quinn (Sunderland)
Honours Even
A fascinating contrast. Grobbelaar, forever unpredictable, delivered one of his calmer rounds — a 72 built on steady rhythm. Quinn, towering and graceful, matched him shot for shot with a card that seemed to float rather than grind. A draw felt right: a gentle handshake between two cult figures of completely different temperaments.
Scott Dann (Crystal Palace) 80 v 78 Steve Watson (Newcastle United)
Watson Wins
Dann struggled with rhythm from the first tee, his 80 marked by too many wayward moments. Watson wasn’t flawless either, but the Magpies man found enough controlled iron play to slip home with a 78. No fireworks, just hard graft and two players trying to cling to par. Watson edges it.
Harry Redknapp (Bournemouth) 72 v 72 John Ruddy (Norwich City)
A Fair Draw
Redknapp ambled around the course with characteristic charm, producing a tidy 72 full of feel and improvisation. Ruddy, composed and authoritative, delivered an equally clean round. Neither man blinked, neither broke — and a shared result was the only possible conclusion. A friendly, well-earned draw.
Steve Howard (Leicester City) 72 v 72 David Speedie (Chelsea)
Deadlocked Again
A bruising, bustling matchup. Howard’s round had shades of his physical Leicester heyday: direct, uncompromising, effective. Speedie, all needle and clever angles, matched him with identical verve. Two 72s, both full of personality, both deserving something. Another justified draw.
Paul Walsh (Tottenham) 85 v 72 Nigel Jemson (Nottingham Forest)
Jemson Wins by Distance
Walsh endured the round from hell. Nothing held straight, chips ballooned, putts wandered — the 85 was a long afternoon he’ll be eager to forget. Jemson, tidy and unaffected, produced a confident 72 that never required gear changes. One of the clearest victories of the week.
Neil Cox (Watford) 72 v 73 Freddie Sears (West Ham Utd)
Cox Wins a Tight One
Cox, full of grit and booming confidence, pieced together a solid 72. Sears, lively as ever, produced patches of excellent golf but dropped shots at crucial moments. His 73 left him agonisingly short. Cox claims a narrow, hard-earned win.
Don Goodman (Wolverhampton) 75 v 74 Mark Schwarzer (Fulham)
Schwarzer Clinches It
Goodman’s 75 was familiar: strong, rhythmic, occasionally wayward, but always battling. Schwarzer, towering and composed, eked out a slightly sharper 74, built on regulation pars and ice-cold focus. A rare one-stroke win carved from discipline more than daring.
Harry Clark (Ipswich Town) 70 v 72 Danny Mills (Leeds United)
Clark Wins
Clark produced one of the rounds of the week — a brisk, fearless 70 inspired by Ipswich’s grit and industry. Mills fought bravely, hammering drives with his usual aggression, but inconsistency haunted the scorecard. His 72 couldn’t quite live with Clark’s clean striking. A superb two-shot win for the Ipswich man.
The Verdict
Matchweek 16 delivered tension, towering performances, collapsed rounds and tie after tie on a card full of character. From Harry Clark’s blistering 70 to Paul Walsh’s nightmare 85, the spread of scores felt like a microcosm of footballing memory itself — sometimes magical, sometimes maddening, always alive with emotion.
Another week, another tapestry of footballing echoes played out across the greens.
THE PREVIEW: MW17
Where a new challenger steps onto the tee, rivalries simmer like greens under a late-summer sun, and every fixture feels one mistimed swing away from disaster or delight…
This weekend carries an extra shimmer of intrigue as Tom Lockyer, once the rugged, composed leader and centre back for Bristol Rovers and Luton Town, makes his first-ever appearance in Golf Premier League as Bournemouth’s new golf signing. There’s something almost ceremonial about it — the kind of debut where the ball is placed on the tee with a careful hush, the gallery leans forward, and the newcomer’s first swing tells us everything we need to know. Lockyer arrives with the reputation of a man who reads danger like a yardage book, a defender who plays with the certainty of someone who knows exactly which club to pull under pressure. And now, stepping into this theatrical hybrid of fairways and footballing lore, his arrival colours the whole matchweek: every pairing is suddenly a little sharper, every contest a touch more finely tuned, as though the league itself has inhaled and is waiting to see how he shapes his opening round.
Chris Baird (Fulham) v Tom Lockyer (Bournemouth)
Lockyer’s first GPL outing comes against the ever-smooth Chris Baird — a man who plays the game with the composure of someone who’s already walked these greens a thousand times. Baird will glide through his strokes, measuring each angle, while Lockyer arrives with that blend of grit and clarity that football fans adore. Expect an opening duel of calculated precision: Baird’s tidy control against Lockyer’s understated authority. A debut tee-shot test, and a fascinating one at that.
Mark Crossley (Nottingham Forest) v Kerry Mayo (Brighton)
Crossley, Forest’s great penalty-saving oak, squares up to Brighton stalwart Mayo in a fixture that feels like a cool, early-morning fourball — steady, quiet, waiting to ignite. Crossley will bring the composure of a man who’s played the long game; Mayo, the trusty left-back with coastal toughness, will keep things tight. You won’t hear roars early… but you might by the 18th.
Dave Beasant (Chelsea) v Lee Hendrie (Aston Villa)
Beasant’s vast well of experience meets Hendrie’s unpredictable flair — a pairing that always promises contrasts. Beasant is the golfer who plays within himself, never rushed, never hurried. Hendrie is the one who’ll attempt the miraculous chip when the odds whisper otherwise. There’s beauty in both approaches, and at Stamford Bridge the tempo may swing wildly depending on who settles first.
Adam Le Fondre (Reading) v Scott Dann (Crystal Palace)
Le Fondre remains the master of the sharp finish, the instinctive poacher equivalent of a golfer who can drop a 20-footer without blinking. Dann, methodical and immovable, will try to spoil the magic with positional discipline. This match has the makings of a lively back-nine, with Le Fondre peppering the approaches and Dann calmly clearing his lines.
Keith Gillespie (Newcastle United) v Ian Brightwell (Manchester City)
A meeting of opposite styles: Gillespie, with the sprinter’s stride and winger’s whip, versus Brightwell, the dependable old pro who rarely plays a reckless shot. Expect Newcastle’s man to attack every flag, while Brightwell builds his round with quiet effectiveness. The Toon faithful will want fireworks; City’s representative will prefer something more measured.
Kevin Phillips (Sunderland) v Darren Anderton (Tottenham)
Golden Boot winner Phillips brings a straight-down-the-middle intensity that mirrors his goal-poaching instincts. Anderton, with his silken control, is the finesse merchant — the golfer who floats wedges onto greens like snowflakes. A lovely stylistic collision: power paired with precision, energy balanced against artistry.
James Beattie (Southampton) v Gerry Taggart (Leicester City)
Beattie thunders into this fixture with the power-player swagger of a man who’s never been shy of a booming drive. Taggart, rugged and uncompromising, will relish the physicality. This one feels earthy, raw, and unmistakably old-school — two competitors who won’t shy away from the heavy shots.
Dean Ashton (West Ham Utd) v Russell Osman (Ipswich Town)
Ashton, all elegance and technique, meets Osman, the cerebral defender from Ipswich’s finest era. It’s the kind of matchup where both men might share a nod of appreciation mid-round. Ashton brings the flourish; Osman brings the blueprint. A quietly absorbing tactical duel.
Michael Bridges (Leeds United) v Tommy Mooney (Watford)
Bridges’ movement and finesse contrast beautifully with Mooney’s wholehearted, scrappy energy. Leeds will look for sweeping strokes; Watford will seek disruption through sheer force of will. Golfing metaphors aside, this is simply a contest of natural talent against relentless drive.
Nigel Winterburn (Arsenal) v Dave Edwards (Wolverhampton)
Winterburn, the dependable artisan of Arsenal’s back line, brings a steady rhythm to every fixture. Edwards brings hustle, legs, pressure and persistence. When these two styles meet, the margins get tight. A game likely to be decided by who keeps their nerve when the wind shifts.
Craig Fleming (Norwich City) v Alan Stubbs (Everton)
A wonderfully solid pairing: two defenders who specialised in doing the simple things with absolute conviction. Fleming will keep his lines clean; Stubbs will marshal with authority. It’s not glamorous — but it’s the sort of fixture purists adore, full of fair-play, structure and quiet competitiveness.
Lee Sharpe (Manchester Utd) v Ronnie Whelan (Liverpool)
A glamorous closing act: Sharpe, the dazzling United entertainer, meets Whelan, Liverpool’s midfield metronome. The rivalry alone adds a few strokes of drama. Sharpe will dance and dart, looking to play the audacious shot; Whelan will counter with control, intelligence, and impeccable timing. A fitting finale — colourful, tense and dripping in history.
Season 3 kicks off on August 16th with a full schedule.
Check in every Monday for the results!