It’s April 2015, and I’m sat down in the Trafford Golf Centre with a young PGA professional by the name of Rick Shiels. The man from Bolton is beginning to make quite a name for himself on YouTube, with somewhere in the region of 75,000 subscribers. A lot of us are still trying to get our heads around the idea of an ‘influencer’, and, back then, it would have been easy to dismiss them as something of a fad.
Now, though, Shiels boasts a staggering 2.46 million subscribers on YouTube, and millions more follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Today, whether you’re researching a holiday, buying a new television or going out for a meal, you’re likely to dip into the world of social media, where you’ll find yourself, well, influenced…
In the world of golf, bar Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, it’s probably no exaggeration to say that no one moves the needle in the game more than Rick. Certainly, no one does more to generate interest and engagement in the sport of golf. So, seven years after we first sat down, we head to Prairie Sports Village in Burnley – which is where many of his most loved videos were shot – to find out what the next chapter holds, and what he feels about the state of the game.
If I’d said to you back in 2015 that you’d be sitting here now with 2.4 million subscribers on YouTube, what would you have said?
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Golf Monthly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Golf Monthly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A GRAND ESTATE
Goodwood in West Sussex may be steeped in ancestral history, but about 20 years ago it elected to take its golf offering down a very different route...
The Tees Valley
Jeremy Ellwood potters about along the famous north-east river for a couple of days, basing himself at Rockliffe Hall, one of England's finest golf hotels
The Western Cape
Along with its stunning scenery, vineyards and welcoming climate, this region is home to a wealth of fine courses
Murcar Links
The 20-mile stretch of coastline northwards from Aberdeen is home to no fewer than four links in the Golf Monthly Top 100.
How to play the chip-and-run
The chip-and-run is one of the most useful shots in anyone’s short-game arsenal but most golfers don’t use it enough.
Is your angle of attack correct?
You can add serious distance to your drives if you get the upward angle of attack into impact correct
LEARN FROM THE BEST!
Star players' signature shots... and how you can play them
Confessions of a golf club fitter
Is everything always as it seems in the customfitting bay? We ask someone in the know how you can avoid some of the more unscrupulous practices
Dining at the TOP TABLE
Aaron Rai's Wyndham Championship victory has elevated his career to a new level. But, as he tells David Facey, he's taking nothing for granted...
Is golf too expensive?
The cost of membership, greens fees, gear and more can give our game a bad rap. Is that fair or are there more affordable ways to play? Michael Weston investigates...
