When Niall Flanagan, a golf industry veteran, came out of retirement to head up the golf division for a small wine distributor called Wine&Earth (new partners of The Devil’s Back), he knew he had landed his dream job!

Niall started his career in the wine industry but then took up his other passion, golf, working for the PGA, running tournaments in the UK, and refereeing on the EuropeanTour. He then progressed into club management, starting at Wentworth Club, which was the foundation for his taking on several senior management roles at Celtic Manor, Dubai Golf, St Andrews Links Trust, and Loch Lomond, where he was the CEO before starting his own consultancy company,Club Inc.

During his 30 years in the golf industry, Niall understood the importance of wine to members and their clubs. He was lucky enough to visit most of the top clubs and resorts around the world and enjoy the company of some very high-profile members and leading club industry professionals. To help promote the golf division to golf clubs and golfers, Niall had the idea of setting up a podcast looking at the connection between wine and golf. He believes this connection starts with The Open Championship and the famous trophy, which is a claret jug!

In February 2025, the first four podcasts will be filmed and recorded with the idea that each edition will go out on a two-week cycle. Guests come from the golf and club industry, stars from the sports world, wine producers, and hospitality experts, all of whom have a passion for golf and a love of wine. Each edition will be promoted on theGrapes & Greens social network accounts, and the guests will resonate with golfers and wine lovers keen to heartheir stories and learn about their wine choices.

The podcast will feature a wine in every edition, with guests bringing their choices. Niall will highlight a Wine&Earth wine that people can buy at a discounted rate by being a The Devil’s Back member. If you like Niall’s story, sign up to @grapesandgreens on Instagram and get ready for the first podcast edition, which will be released in late February and as a partner of The Devil’s Back we'll be keeping our members up to date with episodes and their progress!

https://www.grapesandgreens.co.uk/

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