Written by Simon Bale
Simon Bale is the publisher of Golf Today. A low single-figure handicap golfer, he was previously a major shareholder and course reviewer for Top100GolfCourses.com for over a decade, starting in 2010. Through this role, he developed extensive knowledge of golf course design and architecture while playing more than 300 courses worldwide.
Simon is also the founder of Media Drive, a leading digital golf marketing agency which he successfully directed from 2008 to 2024.
As a lifelong student of the game, Simon takes an analytical approach to both equipment technology and swing mechanics—insights sharpened by two years working in a pro shop under the guidance of experienced professional Rae Sargent, alongside 15 years in equipment marketing. His deep understanding of the elite and professional game is further reinforced by his role as the father of elite-level Surrey county player Henry Bale, and by the strategic partnerships he forged with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour (DPWT) throughout his career at Media Drive.
He has now turned his full attention to covering all aspects of the sport for Golf Today, regularly attending tour events and visiting global golf destinations to deliver authentic, first-hand reviews and original imagery.
Scheffler’s Frustrating Memorial Opening Revives the Trees-vs-Wind Debate in Golf Course Design
A water ball on the par-3 16th at Muirfield Village left world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler fuming at the wind, and then making a broader…
Bryson DeChambeau Leads MyGolfSpy’s Latest YouTube Golf Power Rankings as Finch, Elder and Oddy Surge
MyGolfSpy’s early June update sees Bryson hold firm at +9.9 while Peter Finch climbs six spots, Danny Elder fires an 8-under 60 and Josh Oddy…
‘Limited’ Rory McIlroy Identifies Driving as Key Concern Ahead of US Open at Shinnecock Hills
McIlroy hit just 30 of 56 fairways at the Memorial Tournament and says he has work to do off the tee before the US Open…
J.T. Poston Wins Memorial Tournament After Ball and Putter Switch
Poston’s victory at Muirfield Village came just one week after switching to a Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash ball and TaylorMade Spider Tour X putter,…
GB&I Top 100 Golf Courses 2026: Eight Debutants Arrive, but the Summit Stays Fixed
Top100GolfCourses has updated its GB&I rankings for 2026 with eight new entries and several dramatic climbers, while the top 30 remains entirely unchanged. Here’s what…
Seve Collection Launches Light-Blue Polos to Mark 50 Years Since Ballesteros’ First European Tour Win
A 19-year-old Severiano Ballesteros won the 1976 Dutch Open wearing light blue. Half a century later, the Seve Collection apparel brand has built a polo…
How to Build a Weekly Golf Practice Plan That Transfers to the Course
Most golfers practise technique but never structure their sessions around scoring. A five-session weekly framework, built on proven drills and Golf Today’s own instruction archive,…
Nelly Korda Wins U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera to Seal Back-to-Back Majors
A birdie at 17 and a nerve-shredding par save on 18 gave Korda a one-shot victory over Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez, her fourth career…
Matthew Southgate Wins Swiss Challenge by Eight Shots After Final-Round 62
A blistering nine-under-par closing round at Golf Sempach handed Southgate his first HotelPlanner Tour title, finishing 23 under par and eight clear of seven players…
Tyrrell Hatton Wins LIV Golf Andalucía at Valderrama as Legion XIII Defends Team Title
Hatton closed with birdies on three of his last five holes to hold off a charging Jon Rahm, while Legion XIII overturned an eight-shot overnight…
LIV Golf’s 2026 Schedule Under Pressure as Partner Executive Says Every Remaining Event Is “On the Fence”
A 47-day gap looms in the middle of LIV Golf’s season after reports that its New Orleans debut will not go ahead as planned, and…
MENA Golf Tour to Hold First US Qualifying School at World Golf Village in Florida
The tour’s first American Q-School offers players a direct route into a 2026/27 season featuring 12 guaranteed events, with the top 10 finishers earning entry…
Maxime Legros Wins Open International de la Mirabelle d’Or by Six Shots, Earns HotelPlanner Tour Promotion
A seven-under final round turned a one-shot deficit into a six-shot victory for the Frenchman, who becomes the second Alps Tour player this season to…
What the Austrian Alpine Open Tells Us About Tirol’s Best-Kept Secret
The DP World Tour’s first visit to Kitzbühel has put Tyrol’s golf scene in the spotlight. With four courses on the doorstep, more than 20…
U.S. Open Final Qualifying: The Big Names Chasing Shinnecock Hills Spots on Monday
Ten sites, 36 holes, one day. Monday’s final qualifying wave features former major champions, proven PGA Tour winners, and elite amateurs all fighting for the…
Asterisk Talley Shoots 66 at Riviera, Sets U.S. Women’s Open Weekend Amateur Record
The 17-year-old from Chowchilla, Calif., made the cut on the number Friday, then posted a bogey-free 66 on Saturday to record the lowest weekend round…
Enrico Di Nitto Takes One-Shot Lead Into Final Round of Open International de la Mirabelle d’Or
Italy’s Enrico Di Nitto holds a slender advantage over France’s Maxime Legros heading into the final round in Metz, with several players still in the…
LIV Golf Andalucía: Hatton Holds Two-Shot Lead as Johnson’s 64 Lights Up Valderrama
Tyrrell Hatton takes a two-shot advantage into Championship Sunday at Real Club Valderrama, while Dustin Johnson’s hole-in-one and round-of-the-week 64 propels 4Aces GC to the…
Eugenio Chacarra Thrives in Brutal KLM Open Conditions, Shares Lead After Third-Round 65
While wind and rain battered The International in Amsterdam all week, the Spanish golfer posted the round of the day to pull level at the…
Paul McBride Wins Caddy Comps Championship for Second Clutch Pro Title of 2026
The former Walker Cup player fired a final-round 66 at Gloria Golf Club to finish on 17-under par, claiming the £8,000 prize and moving to…