A Touch of Class

A Touch of Class is an Irish golf podcast that loves a wander. Hosted by Will Griffith, the show dives into the stories, journeys, and characters that make Irish golf what it is. No scripts, just honest conversations, detours worth taking, and the people who shape the game.

Each episode features players, coaches, caddies, amateurs, pros, and the personalities who give Irish golf its character. From Irish amateur golf and the Irish Amateur Championship to life on tour, coaching, player development, and the game behind the game, A Touch of Class brings you closer to the people and moments that matter.

The podcast also shines a light on Ireland’s great inter‑club traditions — Senior Cup, Barton Shield, Jimmy Bruen, Pierce Purcell, and the All‑Ireland club champions who have shaped the competitive landscape of Irish golf.

If you love Irish golf, great stories, and the feeling of going for a wander and seeing where you end up, this is your podcast.

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A Touch of Class

2026 Open Championship Preview & Live Royal Birkdale Insights featuring Keith Nolan | A Touch of Class Podcast

July 15, 2026 • Will Griffith – Host of A Touch of Class

0:00 | 52:20

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Welcome back to another episode of A Touch of Class. In this episode, we’re doing something a little different because Keith Nolan joins me live from Royal Birkdale, where he’s caddying for Darren Clarke during Open week. Instead of a career deep‑dive, this is a real‑time look at how the course is playing, how the setup is evolving, and what the players are facing as the 2026 Open Championship gets underway. Keith brings the same sharp eye that made him a two‑time Irish Amateur Champion, a Walker Cup player alongside Justin Rose, and one of East Tennessee State’s greatest ever talents but today he’s speaking as the man walking every yard of Birkdale with a bag on his shoulder.

Across this preview we break down the live conditions: firmness, rough height, green speeds, wind direction, and how the course is changing hour by hour. Keith gives us the caddie’s perspective, the shots that matter, the traps that punish, the holes that will decide the championship, and how Darren Clarke is preparing for the week. We talk contenders, dark horses, strategy, and the small details only someone inside the ropes can truly see. It’s relaxed, honest, and full of the good stuff, exactly what an Open fanatic lives for.

Topics Covered

Live Royal Birkdale course conditions
How the setup is playing during Open week
Wind patterns and scoring impact
Key shots required to survive Birkdale
Darren Clarke’s preparation and strategy
Who’s trending heading into the 2026 Open
Favourites, dark horses, and potential surprises
What makes The Open different from every other major

If you’re the kind of person who lives for Open week, the wind, the stories, the madness then this one will hit the spot.