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.
Wilhelm Ryding Tops Stroke-Play Qualifying at The 131st Amateur Championship
Sweden’s 21-year-old posted a nine-under-par 135 across Royal Liverpool and West Lancashire to lead all 288 qualifiers into match play, where major championship exemptions await…
Scotty Cameron Adds Phantom 3.2 to 2026 Phantom Lineup
A compact mid-mallet that blends design cues from four iconic Cameron shapes, the Phantom 3.2 arrives in shops from June 25 at £479, with tour…
FootJoy and Todd Snyder Launch Limited-Edition Premiere Series Marquis and Packard Golf Shoes
Two new limited-edition golf shoes from FootJoy’s sixth collaboration with American designer Todd Snyder go on sale tomorrow, with design cues drawn from Southampton’s coastline…
Best UK Golf Resorts for Couples: Great Golf, Spa Access and Good Dining
Three UK golf resorts that solve the couples’ break brief in different ways, from luxury Perthshire estates to an all-in-one Welsh five-star and a flexible…
Why Golf and Padel Are a Perfect Match for a Mediterranean Break
Both sports run in fours, the climate splits the day neatly between them, and a growing number of Mediterranean resorts now build full packages around…
TaylorMade Launches Sailor’s Point Collection for the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills
TaylorMade’s limited-edition Sailor’s Point Collection leans into Long Island maritime history with signal flags, a lighthouse handle, and a weathered mariner headcover, all timed for…
Brooks Koepka’s Mystery Hand Injury Clouds His Return to Shinnecock Hills
Four days before the U.S. Open begins at the course where he lifted the trophy in 2018, Koepka cannot grip a golf club properly, and…
CHIP IN Launches UK-Licensed Real-Money Golf Pools App
A new fantasy golf app lets UK users build teams from eight ranked pots, compete in private or public leagues and follow live leaderboards across…
The Open Championship 2026 Field Published for Royal Birkdale, With New LIV Route and Monday Qualifier
The R&A has released the field for the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale, featuring Joaquin Niemann via the new LIV Golf exemption and a Last-Chance…
Taichi Kho Beats Childhood Hero Bubba Watson to Win International Series Morocco
Hong Kong’s 25-year-old birdied the 18th hole to edge two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson by one shot, collecting his first International Series title and climbing…
Jackson Suber takes one-shot lead into final round
RBC Canadian Open R3
Bubba Watson Fires Low Round of the Day to Share Halfway Lead With Pavit in Morocco
Two-time Masters champion cards a 66 at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam to catch Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert at 11-under, with a packed chasing group setting…
R&A Confirms 288-Player Field From 41 Countries for 131st Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool
The Amateur Championship returns to Hoylake for a record 19th staging next week, with first-time entrants from Hungary and the UAE joining a field that…
LIV Golf Seeks $300 Million as “Prominent” Australians Show Investment Interest
LIV Golf chief executive Scott O’Neil says unnamed Australian businesspeople are in talks to invest in the league as Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund prepares…
The 7 Richest Golfers in 2026, Ranked by Estimated Net Worth
Tiger Woods remains golf’s only billionaire, but the real story is how little of these fortunes came from prize money. From course design empires to…
Pavit Tangkamolprasert Fires Bogey-Free 65 to Lead Overnight at International Series Morocco
The Thai two-time Asian Tour winner reversed his Japan result against Travis Smyth, opening with an eight-under 65 at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam to…
Chart Hills Selected to Host Regional Qualifying for The 154th Open
The Nick Faldo-designed Kent venue will stage one of 16 Regional Qualifying events on 22 June, feeding into the qualification pathway for The Open at…
USGA Will ‘Let Shinnecock Be Shinnecock’ With Original 1931 Fairway Widths for 2026 US Open
Fairways will average 45 yards wide, up from 28 in 2004, as the USGA shifts away from score-driven setups and presents Shinnecock Hills at its…
Inside the England Golf XI: Who Is the Best Golfer in Tuchel’s Squad?
Brooks Koepka’s cameo in England’s Florida camp put the spotlight on a squad stacked with serious golfers. From Kane’s near-scratch game to Maguire’s simulator lobbying,…
Estonian Golf & Country Club to Host European Amateur Team Championship and Estonia’s First Professional Tournament
Two major events land at the same Baltic venue this summer: the European Amateur Team Championship in July and the Infortar Estonian Challenge, a HotelPlanner…