The Fried Egg Golf Podcast

Live from St. Andrews - The Old Course and Fife

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is back at home after a weeklong visit to Scotland and multiple rounds at the Old Course at St. Andrews. He's first joined by Fried Egg Golf's Matt Rouches to recap their bucket-list trip as Matt shares his thoughts on his first visit to the Home of Golf. The second half of this episode is part of a live Fried Egg Golf Podcast recorded at the Byre Theater in Fife, Scotland. Andy chats with golf historian, author, and architect Scott Macpherson about the history of the Old Course and much more.

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Life & Content on the Korn Ferry Tour with James Nicholas

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

On this episode of The Fried Egg Golf Podcast, Andy Johnson chats with Korn Ferry Tour pro James Nicholas. James shares details about the mental work that helped him win his first KFT event in Colombia earlier this year before diving into about his background as a college football player and his passion for content creation.

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Takeaways from the 2026 Masters with Trevor Immelman

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Following Rory McIlroy's repeat at Augusta National, Andy Johnson is joined by 2008 Masters champion and CBS lead analyst Trevor Immelman to recap the 2026 Masters Tournament. Andy and Trevor discuss McIlroy's sixth major championship victory and the path that led him to just the fourth back-to-back win at the Masters. They also highlight a runner-up finish from World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and how a middling Friday round likely prevented him from winning a third green jacket. The two touch on other top contenders from the week such as Cameron Young, Justin Rose, and Sam Burns before briefly looking ahead to next month's PGA Championship at Aronimink.

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2026 Masters Preview with Brad Faxon

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

With the first men's major of 2026 finally upon us, Andy Johnson is joined by Brad Faxon to preview the 90th playing of the Masters Tournament. Fresh off a trip to Augusta National, Brad shares insight from his recent round and details what makes this one of professional golf's greatest tests. Brad and Andy discuss a talented class of Masters first-timers, including PGA Tour winners Jacob Bridgeman and Chris Gotterup, before diving into other contenders like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. To wrap things up, the two make their official picks to win this year's green jacket on Sunday, April 12th.

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Bernhard Langer on Augusta National, the “Big Five,” & His Life in Golf

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by two-time Masters champion and World Golf Hall of Famer Bernhard Langer. In this wide-ranging interview, Langer discusses his storied career with over 130 worldwide victories. He provides insight into his two wins at Augusta National ahead of next week's Masters Tournament and shares stories of his time on the European Tour alongside other stars like Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo. Andy and Bernhard also discuss the Champions Tour and what it takes to sustain success in golf into your sixties.

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Making Amazon's Rory Documentary & 10 Masters Favorites for 2026

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Ahead of next week's release of "Rory McIlroy: The Masters Wait" on Amazon Prime, Andy Johnson is joined by director Drea Cooper on this episode of The Fried Egg Golf Podcast. Andy and Drea discuss his latest documentary, focusing on Rory McIlroy's final round at the 2025 Masters Tournament. Drea walks Andy through the process of making the film, revealing details about shooting at Augusta National and interviewing Rory and his family. Andy is then joined by producer PJ Clark to run through their current ten favorites to win the 2026 Masters with just two more weeks until the tournament.

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Takeaways from the 2026 Players Championship with Kevin Van Valkenburg & Joseph LaMagna

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Kevin Van Valkenburg and Joseph LaMagna to recap the 2026 Players Championship. The three dissect the course setup at TPC Sawgrass and the challenges that Pete Dye's Stadium Course presented to the best players on the PGA Tour last week. Andy, Kevin, and Joseph then discuss the event's winner, Cameron Young, and project where his career could go from here following his biggest win to date. They also touch on Scottie Scheffler's continued struggles, Brian Rolapp's press conference, and much more from one of the busiest weeks on the professional golf calendar.

Thank you to ⁠Optum⁠ for their support of our Players Championship coverage.

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Rory McIlroy Gets Honest on New Career Goals, a Ryder Cup Captaincy, and His Future in Golf

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

On a very special episode of The Fried Egg Golf Podcast, five-time major champion and career grand slam winner Rory McIlroy sits down with Kevin Van Valkenburg to talk legacy, career goals, life after golf, and his bucket list courses.

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2026 Players Championship Preview & Fried Egg Stories: Making TPC Sawgrass

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Sean Martin of the PGA Tour to preview the upcoming 2026 Players Championship. Andy and Sean discuss the quest for a third win at TPC Sawgrass for both Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, breakout players to watch like Jacob Bridgeman and Chris Gotterup, and make their picks for who wins the PGA Tour's premier event. They also preview PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp's Wednesday press conference as rumors swirl regarding the 2027 "Scarcity Schedule."

The second half of this episode is a re-airing of Garrett Morrison's "Fried Egg Stories" episode on the making of TPC Sawgrass. Originally airing on March 13, 2020, Garrett tells the story of how commissioner Deane Beman and architect Pete Dye turned that land into a new kind of golf venue—and how the pros reacted when they competed on it for the first time. This episode features interviews with Beman, U.S. Open and Players champion Jerry Pate, architect Tom Doak, TPC Sawgrass project manager Vernon Kelly, and journalists Adam Schupak and Sean Martin. It includes music from Assaf Ayalon, Avi Goldfinger, Maya Johanna, Ian Post, and Swirling Ship, and Kevin McLeod.

Thank you to Optum for their support of our Players Championship coverage.

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Drafting a New PGA Tour Schedule

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

With Brian Rolapp's pre-Players press conference less than a week away, Andy Johnson is joined by Kevin Van Valkenburg and Joseph LaMagna to discuss the potential changes coming to the PGA Tour schedule. The three draft their "must-have" events as they attempt to put together an ideal 25-event schedule for 2027. Andy, Joseph, and Kevin decide which events will stay and choose a few longtime Tour stops to cut as the "scarcity schedule" reportedly gets underway next year.

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Bacon & Egg on Anthony Kim, Patrick Reed, & Other Big Golf Topics

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by CBS Golf's Shane Bacon on the latest Fried Egg Golf Podcast. They discuss Anthony Kim's comeback and his recent win at LIV Adelaide, Patrick Reed's move to a full DP World Tour schedule for 2026, and the potential changes to the PGA Tour's schedule coming next year. Visit ⁠Cobalt⁠ and use code "FRIEDEGGPOD15" for 15% off: https://cobalt-golf.com/discount/FRIEDEGGPOD?redirect=%2Fcollections%2Fdiscountable-products

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Stewart Cink on His 2009 Open Win, U.S. Ryder Cup, & More

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson chats with 2009 Open Championship winner and reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion Stewart Cink on this episode of The Fried Egg Golf Podcast. Stewart discusses his long career in professional golf, with 2026 marking the 30-year anniversary of his first win on the Nike Tour. The two talk through how technology has changed the pro game, Stewart's time with his son on the bag, how Ryder Cup USA has changed over the last two decades, and more.

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Way-Too-Early Masters Storylines for 2026

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Kevin Van Valkenburg and Joseph LaMagna for an early look at the 2026 Masters. The three of them discuss players to watch between now and mid-April, including Chris Gotterup (who won in Phoenix after this was recorded), Ludvig Åberg, and Cameron Young. Andy, Kevin, and Joseph also debate whether Jordan Spieth or Justin Rose can make a run at this year's tournament. To wrap things up, they look at Rory McIlroy and what we can expect from his first title defense.

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2026 PGA Tour State of the Union with Trevor Immelman

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

2008 Masters champion and CBS Golf Lead Analyst Trevor Immelman returns to The Fried Egg Golf Podcast. Trevor joined Andy Johnson for a "State of the Union" discussion ahead of last week's Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. The two discuss young players to watch on the PGA Tour, Brooks Koepka's return from LIV, the new CBS broadcast booth, and much more. Trevor also makes a few predictions for the 2026 season after last year's impressive effort! These two will be back with a recap of each major championship this year.

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Golf Architecture with Blake Conant

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

On this episode of The Fried Egg Golf Podcast, Andy chats with golf architect Blake Conant. The two discuss Blake's transition from shaper to architect, his experiences working with the likes of Tom Doak and Brian Schneider, and the differences between working on a solo project and a project as part of a team. Andy and Blake also dive into some golf architecture history, discussing Langford and Moreau, Alister MacKenzie, and more. To wrap up this episode, Andy answers a mailbag question received from a Fried Egg Golf Club member!

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Koepka's Return, LIV's Future, & Storylines for 2026

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Kevin Van Valkenburg and Joseph LaMagna to discuss some of the biggest storylines in men's professional golf in 2026. To start, the three talk through Brooks Koepka's return to the PGA Tour and Brian Rolapp's Returning Member Program that allowed him to do so. They then transition into a conversation about the future of LIV Golf and where the league may go from here after losing one of its biggest-name players back to the PGA Tour. Finally, Andy, Kevin, and Joseph each present three storylines that they're watching this season, including breakout players, a potential return to peak form for a former World No. 1, and a second year of Ben Griffin's rise to the top of the game.

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Will Zalatoris Talks Injury Comeback, Augusta National, & Much More

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by 2022 FedEx St. Jude Champion Will Zalatoris for this episode of The Fried Egg Golf Podcast. Andy and Will have a wide-ranging conversation, covering topics such as Will's health entering 2026, his move to a broomstick putter, and growing up with Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth. The two also discuss Will's repeated success at Augusta National, the state of the United States Ryder Cup system, and Brooks Koepka's return to the PGA Tour.

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Yolk with Doak 46: Social Media & Golf Course Architecture, New Zealand, and Listener Questions

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The Yolk with Doak is back! Andy Johnson kicks off 2026 alongside Tom Doak for a three-hour conversation. The two discuss Tom's social media hiatus and how Instagram has impacted his career as a golf course architect before discussing some of his recent work at Wild Spring Dunes, Childress Hall, and much more. The two wrap things up in the last hour with some listener questions from Fried Egg Golf Club members, submitted via the new discussion forums on thefriedegg.com.

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Renovating a Course with Jason Meersman

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 22:00:00 +0000

For the final episode of 2025, Andy Johnson is joined by Jason Meersman, golf course superintendent at The Patterson Club in Fairfield, CT. As part of our superintendent series, Andy and Jason discuss the club's ongoing renovation and the importance of preserving its history while also adding new-age enhancements to the course.

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Geoff Ogilvy on the Australian Open, Worldwide Golf, & 2026 Presidents Cup

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 22:00:00 +0000

After a few weeks of professional golf Down Under, Australian golf legend Geoff Ogilvy joins Andy Johnson on The Fried Egg Golf Podcast. Andy and Geoff unpack the 2025 Australian Open at Royal Melbourne and Geoff shares his thoughts on where his national championship stands in the men's professional game. The two also discuss a potential "world-tour" schedule for the pros before previewing the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club. As both International captain and part of the architecture team that redesigned Course Three at Medinah, Geoff has plenty of knowledge about one of next year's biggest events.

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10 Years of Fried Egg Golf

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of his first newsletter, Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Garrett Morrison, Will Knights, and Brendan Porath to look back at the last decade of content. The four share stories about the beginning stages of the company, how each of them joined the Fried Egg team, and highlight some of their favorite trips they've taken so far. They discuss growing a brand through the COVID pandemic, standout pieces of content, and moments that stick out in each of their minds that they knew things were going well.

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Scottie or Rory's Year? Answering the Biggest Questions from 2025

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Kevin Van Valkenburg and Joseph LaMagna for a year-end roundtable on men's professional golf. The three first decide between Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy for 2025's Player of the Year before discussing their favorite stories and breakouts from this season. Andy, Kevin, and Joseph also pick a few breakout players for 2026 and preview next year's major championships as anticipation builds for a new year of pro golf.

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Emptying the Mailbag: Latest Top 100 Rankings, Favorite Clubs, & TGL Season 2

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson returns with another mailbag episode of The Fried Egg Golf Podcast just in time for your Thanksgiving travels. Andy gives his thoughts on Golf.com's new Top 100 Courses list before answering listener questions about the "golf bubble" in Aiken, South Carolina, the future of Yolk with Doak episodes, and more. He then brings producer PJ Clark on for a few topics as the two discuss what they're looking for from TGL's second season, their favorite golf clubs, and what PGA Tour player is most like Andy's 8-3 Chicago Bears.

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Golf Architecture Mailbag: Manufacturing, Mitigating Technology, & More

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Garrett Morrison returns to the feed as he joins Andy Johnson for a golf architecture mailbag episode! Andy and Garrett answer questions submitted by Fried Egg Golf Club members using FEGC's new discussion forum. The two discuss the future course ownership models, the process of rating nine-hole courses, and how artificial intelligence will impact the golf design business moving forward.

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Big Thoughts on Golf with Kevin Van Valkenburg

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson sits down with Fried Egg Golf's Kevin Van Valkenburg to discuss some of the biggest questions facing the game of golf. The two dive into their thoughts on the future of the game, touching on Artificial Intelligence, the impending rollback, and how professional golf will handle its first gambling scandal. Andy and Kevin also debate the future of golf media and how the content landscape will continue to evolve in the coming years.

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Five Players from the Fall and Golf in England

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

With the PGA Tour's FedEx Fall almost done, Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Joseph LaMagna to discuss five standout players from the fall swing. The two discuss the emergence of Michael Brennan and his stunning off-the-tee performance at the Bank of Utah Championship, Rico Hoey's move to a broomstick putter, a former top college player that seems to be rounding into form as a pro, and more. Andy then chats with team members Garrett Morrison and Matt Rouches following their Fried Egg Golf Club trip to England. Garrett and Matt recap their trip to courses like Royal St. George's, Woking Golf Club, and more. The two also share their thoughts on experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime trip with a group of FEGC members and what they're looking forward to creating using footage captured overseas.

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Old Clubs, New Courses, & Stephen Curry’s Future in Golf

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Following "The Vintage" at Brambles, Andy Johnson sits down with former Stanford golfer Henry Shimp to discuss playing a modern course with 20-year-old (or older!) clubs. Andy and Henry talk about how the change in equipment impacted match play strategy and break down Henry's first time using these types of clubs. Henry then shares three of his hottest takes with Andy, turning the conversation to the future of golf course architecture, Stephen Curry's golf career, and the 2027 Ryder Cup captaincy.

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How to Play Your Best Golf with U.S. Women's Mid-Am Champ Ina Kim-Schaad

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 22:00:00 +0000

Fresh off her second U.S. Women's Mid-Am win, Ina Kim-Schaad joins Andy Johnson on this episode of The Fried Egg Golf Podcast. Andy and Ina discuss the 2025 U.S. Women's Mid-Am at Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Ina's golf journey. Ina details why she decided to take a hiatus from playing and what led her back to the sport before sharing more about her work as a mental coach for golfers. Ina provides tips for improving your own golf game and insight into what has helped her become one of the top mid-ams in the world. Andy also asks about Ina's outfits from MPCC which made the rounds on social media throughout the week ahead of her latest win.

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Kapalua, Sand Hills, & 35 Years at Skokie Country Club

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson begins this episode by sitting down with golf's "Mr. Hawaii," Mark Rolfing. Mark, a longtime NBC broadcaster, provides firsthand insight on the state of the golf courses at Kapalua amid a historic drought. With the PGA Tour moving The Sentry away from Kapalua's Plantation Course, Andy and Mark discuss the future of professional golf in Hawaii. Mark also shares stories from his time covering the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black and his work with Coore & Crenshaw at Sand Hills in Nebraska. On the back half of this episode, Andy chats with Don Cross, the longtime superintendent at Skokie Country Club. Don discusses how his job has changed over his 50-year career working turf and how new technology has helped golf course management at Skokie.

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Match Play Setups & U.S. Mid-Am Champ Brandon Holtz

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

On this two-part episode, Andy Johnson is first joined by Joseph LaMagna and Garrett Morrison to look back at how Bethpage Black fared as a Ryder Cup venue. The three discuss the various issues with the course setup before looking at future Ryder Cup host sites. Andy, Joseph, and Garrett also pitch some of their own ideas for where to host one of golf's biggest events. Andy then sits down with 2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur winner Brandon Holtz to discuss his win at Troon Country Club. They recap Brandon's week at his first-ever USGA event and also dive into the topic of reinstated amateur status in golf.

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How the U.S. Has Lost Its Way at the Ryder Cup with Johnson Wagner

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 01:01:00 +0000

Following Team Europe's win on American soil at the 2025 Ryder Cup, Andy Johnson chats with Golf Channel's Johnson Wagner about the event and where Team USA goes from here. The two trade notes from their on-the-ground experience at Bethpage Black, highlighting standout players like Tommy Fleetwood and Cameron Young before moving to a bigger discussion on the state of the American side. Andy and Johnson dive into why they believe Team USA has struggled in recent Ryder Cups and throw out names for potential future captains in 2027 and beyond. They also discuss the behavior of the fans at Bethpage Black and how the crowd impacted the tournament, especially on Saturday afternoon.

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Five Things About the 2025 Ryder Cup with Kevin Van Valkenburg

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It's finally Ryder Cup week and Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Kevin Van Valkenburg for a traditional "Five Things" preview episode. The two discuss the biggest storylines ahead of the 45th playing of the Ryder Cup, including Rory McIlroy's insistence that Team Europe will win on the road and how Keegan Bradley will deploy Bryson DeChambeau for Team USA. Andy and Kevin also highlight individuals such as Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, and Matt Fitzpatrick as players they're watching at Bethpage Black. Stay tuned for continued coverage of the 2025 Ryder Cup across all Fried Egg Golf platforms.

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Introducing Fried Egg Guides

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by three Fried Egg Golf staffers to discuss the first-ever Fried Egg Guides! These guides are a new feature on thefriedegg.com and will feature in-depth breakdowns of golf courses and surrounding activities that can be used to plan your next golf trip. First, Andy chats with Brendan Porath about his guide covering Northern Ireland following their Eggsplorations trip overseas last year. Will Knights then shares his thoughts on Sand Valley and includes some other activities for those traveling to Wisconsin. Lastly, Andy and Pinehurst local Abby Liebenthal run through the Fried Egg Guide to the North Carolina Sandhills.

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Walker Cup Wrap-Up & Bethpage Black Thoughts

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson chats with Designing Golf host Garrett Morrison about two golf courses hosting team events in September - Cypress Point and Bethpage Black. First, the two recap the Walker Cup at Cypress Point Club, with Andy sharing on-site observations and Garrett commenting on what he saw on the broadcast from home. They commend Golf Channel's coverage of the event and use of drones to show off the unique aesthetics of the course's ocean holes. Andy and Garrett also discuss how the course held up against elite players using modern technology, especially in a match play format. They then transition to an early preview of Bethpage Black, host of the 2025 Ryder Cup later this month. Garrett shares his takeaways from his first visit to the course and highlights some holes to watch as the Americans look to win back the Ryder Cup from Team Europe.

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2025 Walker Cup at Cypress Point with Geoff Shackelford

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 21:00:00 +0000

Ahead of this week's Walker Cup at Cypress Point, Andy Johnson is joined by Geoff Shackelford for a comprehensive preview of the 50th playing of the event. The two discuss the highly anticipated exhibition featuring some of the world's best amateur golfers at perhaps the world's greatest golf course. Andy and Geoff unpack some of the architecture of Cypress Point and highlight a few holes that may stand out in this weekend's matches. They then point out a few players to watch on each side, as well as give some viewing advice for those attending the matches as spectators.

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U.S. Ryder Cup Roster Reactions & PGA Tour Season Recap

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 21:05:00 +0000

After this morning's Ryder Cup roster announcement, Andy Johnson is joined by The Athletic's Gabby Herzig to react to Keegan Bradley's captain's picks for Bethpage. The two unpack the six selections and Bradley's choice to not participate as a player, instead opting to select Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, and Sam Burns from the group on the roster bubble. Andy and Gabby discuss potential pairings for the Americans at Bethpage Black, including who plays with Bryson DeChambeau in his return to the Ryder Cup. They then transition into some Tour Championship cleanup as Gabby shares on-the-ground insight from Tommy Fleetwood's first PGA Tour win. Andy and Gabby close things out by wrapping up the 2025 PGA Tour season and choosing their favorite events and winners from this year.

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Recapping the U.S. Amateur with Winner Mason Howell & Mid-Am Andrew Bailey

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 22:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is back with a look back at the 2025 U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, California. He is first joined by the 2025 champion, Mason Howell, to discuss his week of play. Mason is a high school senior who will play golf at the University of Georgia next fall. Andy and Mason touch on Mason's impressive summer, his plans for the Walker Cup, and look forward to some professional starts Mason has earned by way of his U.S. Am victory. Andy then chats with Mid-Am Andrew Bailey to get a sense of the course setup at Olympic Club and how the event compared to past USGA events Andrew played in.

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Catching Up with Bones

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by NBC on-course reporter Jim "Bones" Mackay for a wide-ranging conversation about the 2025 PGA Tour season and what's still to come this year. The two discuss Scottie Scheffler's two major wins and historical comparisons to Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus before hitting on two upcoming team events. Andy and Bones start with the 2025 Walker Cup at Cypress Point, Bones's favorite course in the world. They then dive into the upcoming Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Bones shares his experiences as a caddie in the Ryder Cup and looks ahead to some pivotal holes that will determine who takes home the trophy in September. For more, check out Bones on Aon's Bethpage Course Insights, live on the Ryder Cup YouTube channel and RyderCup.com/aon on Monday, August 18th.

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U.S. Amateur at Olympic Club & Chris Tritabaugh from Hazeltine

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

On this two-part episode, Andy Johnson first previews the upcoming U.S. Amateur Golf Championship, taking place at The Olympic Club in San Francisco next week. Andy provides insight into the golf course and recent changes made by architect Gil Hanse before diving into four players to watch as next week's tournament progresses. Andy then sits down with Hazeltine National Golf Club superintendent Chris Tritabaugh to discuss the new short course at the club, setting up championships for both the USGA and PGA of America, and his career in turf management.

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2025 Majors Recap with Joseph LaMagna

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Joseph LaMagna for a comprehensive look at the 2025 men's major season following the Open Championship at Royal Portrush. The two share takeaways from each of the four major championships in 2025 and discuss storylines such as the ups and downs of Rory McIlroy's Masters, Scottie Scheffler's struggles on the front nine of Sunday at Quail Hollow, and a U.S. Open that was anyone's to win until the final putt dropped. After going through all four majors, Andy and Joseph highlight players who had disappointing years and make their picks for the best 2025 major seasons without a win.

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Takeaways from the 2025 Open Championship with Trevor Immelman

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 20:00:00 +0000

2008 Masters champion and CBS Golf analyst Trevor Immelman joins Andy Johnson to discuss the Open Championship and wrap up the 2025 men's majors. The two unpack Scottie Scheffler's resounding win at Royal Portrush and the historical context of his fourth major championship before turning 30. Andy and Trevor also talk through Scheffler's comments about the place golf has in his life that made headlines earlier last week. After closing out the Scottie discussion, the two then move on to a brief Ryder Cup preview after strong performances from Chris Gotterup and United States Captain Keegan Bradley overseas.

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Eggsplorations: Rory McIlroy discusses golf and growing up in Northern Ireland

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

As a special bonus episode ahead of the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, enjoy an interview with Rory McIlroy from our Eggsplorations feed in March 2024. The greatest golfer in the history of Northern Ireland discusses his roots there, his favorite golf memories growing up, and his favorite courses and earliest memories of Royal Portrush and Royal County Down. Rory fields questions from TPC Sawgrass as he prepped for The Players while Andy Johnson and Brendan Porath were across the Atlantic in his home country acquainting themselves with the golf culture and a few of the world class courses that Rory came to know in his earliest days as a junior standout. He also explains this golden age of pro golf success for the island, which boasts five different major winners since 2007 after a 60-year drought. There’s also plenty of banter and insight into what it was like growing up at Holywood, how different it is now as a big shot on the PGA Tour, and much more.

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2025 Open Championship Preview with Billy Horschel

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It's time for the final men's major championship of 2025 as the 153rd Open Championship heads to Royal Portrush. To preview this week's tournament, Andy Johnson is first joined by Fried Egg Golf producer PJ Clark to run through the top storylines to watch. They discuss the course setup at Royal Portrush, the 2025 Player of the Year race between Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa's recent struggles, and more. Andy then chats with 2024 Open Championship runner-up Billy Horschel (42:31) about his thoughts on the field at Portrush and his first-hand experience playing in The Open. The two also touch on Billy's rehab as he works to return to play after hip surgery, his thoughts on television coverage of the PGA Tour, and the importance of continuity in a tour pro's life.

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2025 Ryder Cup Check-In

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Joseph LaMagna and Sean Martin of the PGA Tour for a Ryder Cup discussion ahead of the final men's major of 2025. The three discuss storylines they're watching as the season wraps up and give their rosters for both Team Europe and Team USA as things stand today. Andy, Joseph, and Sean also debate the impact of course setup at Bethpage Black and wonder how the Americans will change things up in order to gain in advantage in September.

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Fairness, Championship Design, and Fields Ranch East

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison open up the mailbag and answer golf architecture questions from Fried Egg Golf Club members. The two discuss the Gil Hanse-designed Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco following the KPMG Women's PGA in June and the impact of "fairness" on designs hosting major championships. Andy and Garrett also talk through factors such as spectator experience and other limitations that architects have when building championship venues. They then discuss the influence of Scottish courses on American architects who built some of the best courses in the United States after spending time overseas. To wrap things up, Andy and Garrett look ahead at future major championship venues on the men's side, sharing some insights on future PGA Championship host sites in particular.

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Future of the PGA Tour, Ranking U.S. Open Venues, and Who Needs a Strong Open Championship Performance?

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Joseph LaMagna to discuss the PGA Tour's hire of Brian Rolapp as its first ever CEO. The two look toward the future of the Tour and professional golf as a whole, wondering what Rolapp will bring to the sport after a career in NFL leadership. From there, Andy questions Joseph's about his ranking of U.S. Open venues featured in his last column on TheFriedEgg.com. To close out their conversation, Andy and Joseph list five players that need a strong showing at Royal Portrush in order to not have a lost season of majors.

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Takeaways from the 2025 U.S. Open with Trevor Immelman

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 23:30:00 +0000

With another men's major championship wrapped up, Andy Johnson is once again joined by 2008 Masters champion and CBS lead analyst Trevor Immelman to recap J.J. Spaun's victory at the U.S. Open. The two dive into Spaun's winning performance at Oakmont, his golf swing, and his continuing development as a player in his mid-30s. Andy and Trevor also discuss the Sunday rain delay and the impact that it had on the contenders during the final round. The USGA's setup at Oakmont is covered at length with some comparisons to what may happen next year at Shinnecock Hills. To wrap things up, Andy and Trevor run through some players who did not win at Oakmont, including Bob MacIntyre, Cameron Young, Adam Scott, and Sam Burns.

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2025 U.S. Open Preview with Geoff Ogilvy

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy to preview the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. Andy and Geoff discuss the setup at Oakmont as the club prepares to host the U.S. Open for a record 10th time. Geoff shares insights from his experience playing at the 2007 U.S. Open as the defending champion and emphasizes the unique challenges that Oakmont presents. The two discuss the mental strategy needed to contend for 72 holes at one of the toughest courses in America and focus on players such as Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, and Xander Schauffele as potential winners.

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All About Oakmont, Host of the 2025 U.S. Open

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson gets a head start on U.S. Open week with a two-part look at Oakmont Country Club. First, Andy chats with Gil Hanse, consulting architect at Oakmont, about his recent work on the course and his expectations for how it will play for the pros next week. The two discuss possible pin placements for the tournament and the history that guided Gil's renovation. Andy is then joined by Oakmont superintendent Mike McCormick to discuss the turf management at the club and how his team is preparing for the U.S. Open. Mike shares details about the culture at Oakmont and the daily challenges of maintaining one of the toughest courses in America.

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Three Pro Golf Questions with Joseph LaMagna

Wed, 28 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Halfway through men's major season, Andy Johnson has Joseph LaMagna stop by and trade questions about the current state of the pro game. They discuss a potential "golden-era" of major championships, Patrick Cantlay's puzzling career, and a potential Team Europe victory on the road at this year's Ryder Cup. To close, Andy and Joseph go down the Ryder Cup points lists and debate what the back half of each team may look like for this year's event at Bethpage Black.

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Takeaways from the 2025 PGA Championship with Trevor Immelman

Tue, 20 May 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by 2008 Masters champion and CBS lead analyst Trevor Immelman to recap Scottie Scheffler's win at the 2025 PGA Championship. The two discuss Scottie's closing stretch to the tournament, his putting improvement in 2025, and the historical context surrounding his third major victory. Andy and Trevor also talk about contenders Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, how Quail Hollow played as a major venue, and Rory McIlroy's disappointing week at a one of his favorite courses. They close the episode with a small preview of next month's U.S. Open at Oakmont.

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Five Things About the 2025 PGA Championship with Johnson Wagner

Sun, 11 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by former PGA Tour winner and current Golf Channel star Johnson Wagner to preview the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. The two run through our traditional "five things" ahead of this major championship, discussing major storylines such as Rory McIlroy's dominance at Quail Hollow, Bryson DeChambeau's continued success at majors, and Jordan Spieth's latest attempt at the career slam. Andy and Johnson also discuss the golf course and some of the changes that Quail Hollow has made in order to become a better venue for major golf events.

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Oakmont Reactions and Andy’s Scottish Journey

Wed, 07 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Immediately following U.S. Open Media Day at Oakmont Country Club, Andy Johnson is joined by Garrett Morrison to discuss some initial takeaways from their first time at the course. The two discuss their favorite holes, the challenging greens, and the minimalistic design of Oakmont just hours after playing a full round. On the back half of this episode, Andy recaps his recent weeklong trip to Scotland with Fried Egg Golf Club members.

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Top Pro Golf Storylines for the Rest of 2025

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by "Designing Golf" host Garrett Morrison for a look at the current state of men's professional golf following Rory McIlroy's win at the Masters. The two prepared three storylines each that they're looking forward to for the rest of this year, leading to discussions about McIlroy, Jon Rahm, the American Ryder Cup team, and more. Andy and Garrett also share one course they're looking forward to seeing host a major tournament this year, prompting breakdowns of Cypress Point and Royal Portrush.

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Playing Augusta National & Three Courses Brian Schneider's Thinking About

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 07:30:00 +0000

With the 2025 Masters wrapped up, Andy Johnson returns with a two-part episode focusing on golf architecture. First, Andy is joined by Fried Egg Golf creative Cameron Hurdus to recount Cameron's round at Augusta National. Cameron, a winner of the media lottery, played ANGC on Monday afternoon following Rory McIlroy's win. The two discuss highlights from Cameron's round and takeaways from another year roaming the course as media members. Cameron shares insight from actually being on the fairways of the course versus shooting photos from outside the ropes during the tournament. On the back half of this show, Andy chats with architect Brian Schneider about three courses that are at the top of his mind. Brian speaks about some of his current projects and land he's been viewing and compares these sites to courses such as Seminole and Garden City Golf Club.

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Takeaways from the 2025 Masters with Trevor Immelman

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 18:15:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is back from Augusta and ready to recap the 2025 Masters with 2008 champion and CBS lead analyst Trevor Immelman. Andy and Trevor compare notes from their time at Augusta National, with Trevor sharing insights from the booth and Andy recounting his time following the marquee groups throughout the week. The two discuss Rory McIlroy's historic win, his rollercoaster of a Sunday round, and the historical context of completing the career grand slam. They also touch on Justin Rose and his second Masters playoff loss and look ahead to the rest of a major season that sets up well for Bryson DeChambeau following a strong performance at Augusta National Golf Club.

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Five Things About the 2025 Masters with Jaime Diaz

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The traditional "five things" major preview returns as Andy Johnson is joined by legendary golf writer Jaime Diaz to discuss the 2025 Masters. Jaime and Andy begin this episode by chatting about the current state of golf media and highlights from Jaime's past work at Sports Illustrated. From there, the 2025 Masters preview begins with the two diving into the top storylines of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy entering this week's tournament. They discuss expectations for Scheffler following a slow start to 2025 and the important historical context of McIlroy's week ahead given his strong play so far this season. Andy and Jaime then debate whether any LIV players will make an impact at Augusta National this year, discussing the current state of Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, and Jon Rahm. The two highlight other players to watch at ANGC such as Akshay Bhatia, Jordan Spieth, and Ludvig Åberg. To wrap things up, Andy and Jaime discuss the best players to never win a Masters before making their picks to win the 89th playing of the tournament.

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All About Augusta National

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In preparation for this week's Augusta National Women's Amateur and next week's Masters tournament, Andy Johnson is joined by Geoff Shackelford and Rob Collins for an in-depth discussion about the golf course at Augusta National. To start, Geoff and Andy break down the routing at ANGC and detail the strategy of getting around the course throughout four rounds of competition. In the second half of the episode, architect Rob Collins shares his favorite greens on the property and provides insight on what makes these greens such a challenge for the best players in the world each April.

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Caddying for Tiger Woods

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Steve Williams and Evin Priest, authors of the new book, 'Together We Roared.' The book chronicles Williams's twelve-year run on Tiger's bag and details the 13 major championships the two won as a pair. Steve shares stories from his time working with Tiger, detailing the statistics he kept by hand and diving into some of Tiger's most iconic victories. The three also discuss the rivalry between Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods and Steve's background growing up in New Zealand. 'Together We Roared' is available for pre-order now.

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Takeaways from the 2025 Players Championship

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

After a Monday finish at The Players, Andy Johnson is joined by Gabby Herzig and Kyle Porter to discuss the biggest takeaways after a week at TPC Sawgrass. To start, Andy and Gabby talk through Rory McIlroy's latest win and his current mental state heading into another season of majors, Scottie Scheffler's demeanor both on and off the course, and impact some course changes at TPC Sawgrass had on this year's tournament. Andy and Kyle then discuss how Rory McIlroy has been able to raise his floor in these big events over time, Scottie Scheffler's slow start since returning from injury, and share some appreciation for TPC Sawgrass as a venue hosting one of the best fields in golf.

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Geoff Ogilvy on The Players, TPC Sawgrass, and Chasing Speed

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy returns to the Fried Egg Golf Podcast as he joins Andy Johnson to preview this week's Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Geoff shares some his experiences as a player at the event and details what makes Pete Dye's Stadium Course a tough test for the best golfers in the world. Andy and Geoff also discuss some PGA Tour pros that have caught Geoff's eye so far in 2025, leading to a larger conversation about the chase for speed in today's game.

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Early Masters Storylines, Luke Clanton’s Ascension, & Ryder Cup Rosters

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson and Joseph LaMagna check in on men's professional golf this week, discussing the early part of the PGA Tour season. The two start by breaking down Luke Clanton's path to a PGA Tour card and Andy wonders if Clanton will receive a special exemption to the Masters in April. Joseph and Andy then talk through some Masters storylines with the year's first major right around the corner. They discuss Ludvig Åberg's standout play to start this year and how he'll follow up his 2024 runner-up finish at Augusta National. The two also provide some insight on two former Masters champions that may be undervalued heading into this year's tournament. To finish this episode, Andy and Joseph share some thoughts on the 2025 Ryder Cup and Team Europe potentially closing the gap between the two teams ahead of September.

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Dream Golf Happenings with Michael Keiser Jr.

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

On this episode of the Fried Egg Golf Podcast, Andy Johnson is joined by Dream Golf's Michael Keiser Jr. Andy and Michael discuss Dream Golf's newest project, The Commons, a 12-hole course at Sand Valley that will open in 2026. Michael details the inspiration behind the course and his experience working with architect Jim Craig. Andy and Michael also chat about other Dream Golf projects like Wild Spring Dunes and Rodeo Dunes. To wrap things up, Michael shares some personal news regarding his upcoming work.

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TGL's Start & Three Golf Courses Zac Blair Thinks About

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

After the Presidents' Day marathon at the SoFi Center, Andy Johnson starts this episode by chatting with Roberto Castro about TGL's first season. Roberto was instrumental in the creation of the league's gameplay and shares insights into how the league is handling business aspects such as player buy-in, television broadcasts, and technology. Andy and Roberto discuss the week-to-week improvements by the players as they become adjusted to playing simulator golf and wonder what season two may look like for the league. After that, Andy and PGA Tour pro Zac Blair talk through the three courses that Zac's thinking about the most. Zac discusses what owning his own course is like, how he solicits feedback from members and guests, and the subjectivity of golf course rankings.

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Trevor Immelman on the West Coast Swing, Slow Play, & Equipment

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:35:00 +0000

Andy is joined by 2008 Masters winner and CBS analyst Trevor Immelman for a wide-ranging conversation about the PGA Tour's first events of 2025. Andy and Trevor discuss a standout performance from Rory McIlroy at Pebble Beach, Xander Schauffele's injury, and Scottie Scheffler's return to play. They then get into the pace-of-play issues on the PGA Tour and the best ways to penalize those violating the Tour's policy. Trevor also discusses his thoughts on the proposed rollback and how it could benefit players at both the professional and amateur levels. Finally, the two briefly preview this week's Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines South.

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Checking In on Brooks Koepka

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Ahead of Brooks Koepka's 2025 season debut on LIV, Andy Johnson takes stock of one of the most accomplished players of his generation. Joined by Golf Channel's Brentley Romine and Fried Egg Golf's Joseph LaMagna, the three deep dive into Brooks Koepka's career, from his amateur career and unconventional route to the PGA Tour through his current status as one of golf's greatest major champions. They discuss his many major championship successes, revisit some of his best quotes, and offer predictions about the remainder of Brooks' career.

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The Tiger Slam, Designing Golf, and In-Person TGL Thoughts

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson returns to the Fried Egg Golf feed after a visit to the SoFi Center for his first in-person TGL match. This episode begins with some observations from Monday night's festivities featuring Boston Common GC and Jupiter Links. Andy then introduces Garrett Morrison's new podcast, Designing Golf, and throws to Garrett's sitdown with Geoff Ogilvy. You can find more Designing Golf wherever you get podcasts. Andy is then joined by Kevin Cook, author of The Tiger Slam: The Inside Story of the Greatest Golf Ever Played. The two discuss Tiger's historic run in 2000 and 2001, holding all four major championships following the 2001 Masters.

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Davis Love III & Scot Sherman on TPC Sawgrass, Harbour Town, & More

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

On the latest episode of The Fried Egg Golf Podcast, Andy Johnson is joined by Davis Love III and Scot Sherman of Love Golf Design. Before their conversation, Andy starts the show with commentary on the state of PGA Tour broadcasts following the marathon final round of The American Express and memo sent to players by Justin Thomas regarding broadcast improvements. From there, Andy, Davis, and Scot have a wide-ranging conversation covering Love Golf Design's ongoing projects, their experience restoring Pete Dye courses, and Davis Love III's playing career.

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Designing Golf with No Limits & Northwood's Restoration Efforts

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by two golf architects on this week's Fried Egg Golf Podcast. Before the architecture conversations, Andy shares his thoughts on Eugenio Chacarra's comments regarding his experience playing on the LIV Golf Tour and his interest in obtaining a PGA Tour card. From there, Andy first chats with Agustin Piza of Piza Golf, one of the three designers of the holes for the first season of TGL. Augie and Andy discuss what it was like designing holes in a virtual landscape, how the TGL's one green hampered some designs, and what Augie's learned from his experience in the metaverse that he's now applying to his designs in reality. To close this episode, Andy sits down with William Carlson, a freshman at Cal Poly who helped lead a restoration effort tat Northwood Golf Club in Sonoma County, California. Will spent his summer restoring a bunker at the Alister MacKenzie course and plans on making a career in golf course architecture.

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Has Modern Golf Passed Kapalua By? Plus, Golf Architecture with Jaeger Kovich

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 08:30:00 +0000

In this two-part podcast, Andy Johnson is first joined by Fried Egg Golf's Joseph LaMagna to discuss the first PGA Tour stop of the 2025 season, Hideki Matsuyama's record-breaking win at The Sentry. With Matsuyama taking down the PGA Tour's 72-hole record for score-to-par, Andy and Joseph discuss whether the game has moved past the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort. The two debate whether changing the course to a par 72 as opposed to the current par 73 iteration would make things any better and how the PGA Tour could possibly add some teeth to a course that lacks defense when the wind isn't blowing. For the second part of this show, Andy chats with golf architect Jaeger Kovich about the most pressing issues for the golf course industry in 2025, such as rising building costs and the continued growth of resort golf.

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Top Pro Golf Storylines for 2025 & TGL Preview

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 08:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson kicks off 2025 an episode looking at the year to come in professional golf, both virtually and on actual courses. To start, he's joined by Gabby Herzig of The Athletic to talk through some major storylines for the game in the new year. Andy and Gabby discuss the potential PIF-PGA Tour deal, the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, how the LPGA can grow under new leadership, and more. With TGL kicking off next Tuesday, Andy brings on Fried Egg Golf's Joseph LaMagna and PJ Clark for a preview of the simulator league. The three share thoughts on the league's TV deal with ESPN, the gameplay, and the lackluster design of most of the holes found in the metaverse. Check back next Wednesday for a new episode as the Fried Egg Golf Podcast shifts to a new schedule in 2025.

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The Best Events of 2024

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 08:30:00 +0000

On the final Fried Egg Golf Podcast of 2024, Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Brendan Porath and The Quadrilateral's Geoff Shackelford to rank the best events in golf this year. The trio pick their five favorite events of the year and discuss each at length, covering tournaments such as the men's U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, the Women's Open Championship at the Old Course, and the men's Olympic competition at Le Golf National. Andy, Brendan, and Geoff also cover some architectural trends that took shape in 2024 before ending the episode with what they're looking forward to in 2025.

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The Year of Scottie and Garrett Goes to Australia

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 08:30:00 +0000

In another two-part podcast, Andy Johnson is first joined by the PGA Tour's Sean Martin to discuss the upcoming documentary, "Scottie 24." Sean discusses his role as a producer on the project, which documents Scottie Scheffler's historic 2024 season and premieres on the PGA Tour's YouTube channel on December 23. For the second half of the show, Fried Egg Golf's Garrett Morrison calls in from "Down Under" as he takes the trip of a lifetime to see courses throughout the Melbourne Sandbelt. Andy and Garrett discuss cultural differences between American golf and Australian golf before Garrett shares his top memories from his trip so far. To close things out, the two chat about the Sandbelt Invitational tournament being played across four top courses in the Melbourne area.

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Where Does Jordan Spieth Go From Here?

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 01:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Joseph LaMagna and Normal Sport's Kyle Porter for an in-depth conversation about Jordan Spieth's career to date and his future after undergoing wrist surgery this fall. The three look back at Spieth's arrival on the PGA Tour, his unprecedented early success at major championships, his collapse at the 2016 Masters, and his sparse win total since his last major championship in 2017. They debate if Spieth will ever contend at a major again and project his future performance against peers like Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler.

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Playing Persimmon and the Secrets of Pebble Beach

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 08:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison team up for a two-part episode for this Thursday release. To start, Andy chats with Todd Demsey, a former professional golfer who now hand-makes persimmon clubs. Andy and Todd discuss Todd's All-American college golf career at Arizona State, his experience playing with persimmon clubs on the PGA Tour Champions, and why persimmons are special to him. In the second half of this episode, Garrett is joined by Chris Millard, author of the book The Shot: Watson, Nicklaus, Pebble Beach, and the Chip That Changed Everything, to discuss the new release and the long history of Pebble Beach Golf Links. Garrett and Chris dive into the early days of Pebble Beach, the 1982 U.S. Open, and how television helped popularize the sport across America.

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The State of Modern Golf Architecture

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 01:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson sits down with Bob Crosby, Chairman of the USGA's Museum Committee, for a wide-ranging conversation about the golf architecture trends of today. Bob shares his view on what he sees as a turning point in the industry, as the next generation of golf architects need to distinguish themselves from the minimalism trend developed by the likes of Tom Doak and Coore & Crenshaw. Andy and Bob discuss the uptick in new courses being built during the 2020s, as fresh faces in the golf architecture world now have an opportunity to build their own projects. They also discuss the place of traditional clubs in today's game and why many golfers may opt for a different type of playing experience.

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Predicting Breakout Players for 2025

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 08:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson and Fried Egg Golf's Joseph LaMagna are back to discuss ten breakout candidates for 2025. The two select five men's professional golfers each and dive into why they believe these golfers could be positioned for success next year. Could a PGA Tour rookie like Rasmus Hojgaard or Tom McKibbin make a splash now playing in America? Is there still room to grow for Davis Thompson after a successful 2024 season? And what's next for a high-profile golfer who's dealt with a litany of injuries? Andy and Joseph run through these players and more as they begin to look ahead to next year's pro golf slate.

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What's Next for the LPGA?

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 01:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Meg Adkins for a look back at the 2024 LPGA season and a conversation about where the tour goes from here after the resignation of commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan on Monday. Andy and Meg debate the Player of the Year race between Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko, how the LPGA's media rights deal may be hampering the tour's growth, and discuss the need for a transformational figure to break through on a national stage, much like Caitlin Clark for women's basketball. Meg shares her favorite moments from the 2024 season and provides ideas for bold moves the next LPGA commissioner must make in order to capitalize on the tour's 75th season in 2025.

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Takeaways from the PGA Tour Fall Swing

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:30:00 +0000

With the PGA Tour's FedEx Fall wrapped up, Andy Johnson is joined by Joseph LaMagna and Sean Martin to discuss their key takeaways from the last eight tournaments of 2024. The three discuss the standout play of amateur Luke Clanton and how PGA Tour U may create new stars in the game with an accelerated path to tour cards, the successful first-ever Black Desert Championship in Utah, and Daniel Berger's resurgence on his way back from years of injuries. Additionally, they talk through the ongoing changes facing PGA Tour membership and Andy once again pleads a free-flowing mega-tour with a constant churn of promotion and relegation.

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Golf Architecture Mailbag: College Golf Courses, Value Golf Trips, and More

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 08:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison are back to empty out the mailbag and answer golf architecture questions submitted on social media. They discuss their favorite university-owned golf courses and the continued evolution of college golf facilities as the game grows with NIL value for players. Andy and Garrett also touch on the best value golf trips in the United States, mentioning places such as Grand Rapids, Michigan and Ventura County, California. The two talk through the ongoing Poa invasion at Bandon Dunes and what the resort can do to keep up the courses before debating some of the worst holes in premier golf courses worldwide.

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2025 Fried Egg Events, Top 100 Course Reactions, and Listener Questions

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 08:30:00 +0000

Garrett Morrison and Andy Johnson are back with another architecture-centric podcast. To start, they run through the just-announced schedule of 2025 Fried Egg Golf events, sharing their excitement for courses such as Moraine Country Club, Mid Ocean Club, Kingsley Club, and more. From there, Garrett and Andy react to Golf.com's recent ranking of the Top 100 Courses in America, with The Lido, Old Barnwell, Interlachen, and Medinah No. 3 as some of the new entries on the 2024 list. They discuss the trends in modern golf course architecture and how the mentality of "keeping up" impacts these rankings moving forward. To finish this episode, Garrett and Andy answer some listener-submitted questions through social media about par-3 courses, the future of shorter courses, and more. Stay tuned for another golf architecture mailbag podcast later this week.

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Courses You Think About and Places You Want to Go

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 21:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by a variety of Fried Egg Golf staff members at the company offsite for a discussion about what courses they're currently thinking about and where they're looking to go in 2025, as well as their favorite moment from pro golf in 2024. In this wide ranging episode, Matt Rouches, Garrett Morrison, Will Knights, Cameron Hurdus, PJ Clark, and Joseph LaMagna touch on courses such as Hay Harbor Club, TPC Sawgrass, and Talking Stick, travel locations including Yosemite National Park, northern Michigan, and Japan, pro golf moments from Todd Hamilton, Si Woo Kim, Bryson DeChambeau, and more.

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Golf Architecture and Life with Mike Koprowski

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 02:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Mike Koprowski, architect of Broomsedge Golf Club in Lee County, South Carolina. The two initially discuss the process of building Broomsedge and making the most on a smaller plot of land. Andy asks Mike about his background and how he went from serving in the Air Force and working in politics to now designing golf courses. Mike shares stories from his time as a caddie at The Country Club in Brookline, re-igniting his passion for golf, and the par 3 he built in the front yard of his old home in Nashville.

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Trevor Dormer on Joining King-Collins Golf Course Design

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 08:30:00 +0000

Fried Egg Golf's Garrett Morrison sits down with golf architect Trevor Dormer to discuss his recent partnership with King-Collins Golf Course Design, now known as King Collins Dormer. The two talk about Trevor's new role as a partner at King Collins Dormer and what appealed to him about joining the firm. Garrett and Trevor then discuss Trevor's ongoing project, his first solo course in the United States, a rebuild of Old Dane in Nebraska. Trevor details his process in making memorable golf experiences, how his experience with Coore & Crenshaw influences his work, and the evolution of the golf architecture profession.

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Golf President Campaigns and Coul Links

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 01:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is back with another two-part show in this episode of The Fried Egg Golf Podcast. To start, Andy is joined by Fried Egg Golf's Garrett Morrison and Joseph LaMagna, as the three discuss their platforms in a hypothetical campaign for "President of Golf." They describe policies for men's pro golf, women's pro golf, the amateur game, equipment regulation, and the golf course industry. After listening to campaign speeches on shrinking the driver head and creating an exclusive streaming platform for the LPGA, Andy is then joined by Ru Macdonald for an update on the Coul Links development in Scotland. Ru provides insight into where the development currently stands, the potential economic impact it would bring to the Highlands area, and more.

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Debating the Proposed PGA Tour Changes

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Earlier this week, the PGA Tour emailed players a list of proposed changes set to be voted on by the PGA Tour Policy Board. If approved, these changes would take effect for the 2026 season. Andy Johnson is joined by Joseph LaMagna and Monday Q's Ryan French for a roundtable discussion on these proposed changes. The three debate whether the removal of 25 guaranteed cards and reducing field sizes are substantive enough to improve the product, whether Monday qualifiers should remain part of the PGA Tour schedule, the new pace-of-play policy, and more.

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Election Impact on PGA Tour-PIF Deal, Plus College Golf in the NIL Era

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 02:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Gabby Herzig and Brentley Romine in this two-part episode. To start, Andy and Gabby discuss her recent article in The Athletic about the impact of the 2024 U.S. Presidential election on a potential PGA Tour-PIF agreement. Gabby details the role of the Department of Justice as part of the executive branch when it comes to antitrust laws and how each possible administration's DOJ may react to a deal regarding men's professional golf. The two also discuss the continuing evolution of YouTube golf and how the platform is changing how golf is consumed. Andy is then joined by Golf Channel's Brentley Romine, as the two chat about the state of college golf in the ever-changing NIL era of college athletics. They talk through the impact of conference realignment on the college golf landscape, the development of new facilities at schools across the country, and how the new PGA Tour U system has changed the development path for top college golfers.

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Trying to Revive a Hometown Nine-Holer

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Garrett Morrison is joined by Tom Schwab, superintendent at Napoleon Golf Club, a nine-hole course in Napoleon, Ohio. Tom began working at Napoleon, his hometown course, in 2021 after working at private clubs such as Merion and Aronimink. The two discuss what it means to Tom to work at the course he grew up playing and the history of Napoleon Golf Club. Tom details the challenges of maintaining a public nine-holer in a small town and talks about his plans for improving the course.

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Taking Stock of Justin Thomas’s Career and Future

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 22:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Joseph LaMagna for an episode focusing on 15-time PGA Tour winner Justin Thomas. The two begin the show with and they are In and Out on during the early stages of the FedEx Fall, as the PGA Tour's fall events have become more competitive this year while the TV coverage continues to lag behind. Andy and Joseph discuss the uptick in televised college golf and consider the broadcasting future of the sport. From there, the two take a dive into the career of Justin Thomas heading into 2025. They recap the quick start to Thomas' PGA Tour career, his performance in 2017 and 2018, and the advantages his ball speed and iron play initially provided him on Tour. Andy and Joseph analyze his recent putting woes and lack of driving ability, questioning if Thomas can ever be a top-five player in the world again. To wrap up the episode, Andy and Joseph share some Recommendations on how to use screen time for both kids and adults.

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Golf Architecture Mailbag: Walkability, 2025 Course Openings, and More

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Fried Egg Golf's Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison answer questions from Club TFE members in this golf architecture mailbag episode. The two discuss how the walkability of a course impacts their thoughts on a design, share their thoughts on how to assess a course's architecture while playing it, and debate how re-designs of historic courses should be handled. Andy and Garrett look ahead to some exciting projects finishing in 2025 and wrap the episode with one new hole that stood out to them during their travels this year.

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Yolk with Doak 45: Listener Questions and Building on Rocky Land

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Golf architect Tom Doak sits down with Andy Johnson for another mailbag-focused episode of "Yolk with Doak." Thanks to questions from Club TFE members, Tom discusses what motivates him to continue in his career, how he helps develop the careers of his associates, and learning to appreciate his own work. Andy and Tom go back and forth about what a Doak-designed major championship course would look like and why modern golf courses may not be the best hosts for majors. To end this episode, the two take a deep dive into Tom's experience building Stone Eagle in Palm Desert, California. Tom details the initial routing for the course, the struggles of building on rocky land, and how the elevation changes impact building a golf course.

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Life On and Off the Golf Course with Jason Meersman

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by The Patterson Club's Jason Meersman for a conversation touching on life, golf courses, golf course maintenance, and even the Chicago Bears. To start, the two discuss Jason's upbringing in a family of golf superintendents and how this shaped his own career path and desire to work in the sport. Jason speaks to what he learned from his father and grandfather, as well as the importance of building relationships with club members as a way to improve the golf courses he's worked at. After that, the conversation shifts to some Robert Trent Jones history, as The Patterson Club is an early RTJ design located in Fairfield, Connecticut. Andy and Jason discuss the importance of work-life balance as a golf superintendent and what Jason does away from the course to keep him grounded. To wrap things up, Andy discloses some gripes he has with golf in the northeast, specifically surrounding green speeds.

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A Conversation with Dodo Molinari, Vice Captain for Ryder Cup Europe

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 23:30:00 +0000

Edoardo ("Dodo") Molinari, DP World Tour member and Chief Data Strategist for Ryder Cup Team Europe, joins the podcast for a wide-ranging discussion. First, Andy Johnson and Joseph LaMagna kick off the episode with what they are In and Out on this week in the golf world. Then Joseph brings on Dodo to discuss his background, Augusta National, hot-button topics in the golf analytics community, Ryder Cup strategy, and much more. The episode wraps up with a couple of music Recommendations from Andy and Joseph.

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Yolk with Doak 44: Links Travel, Analytics in Golf, and Short Par 4s

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson sits down with Tom Doak for the first of two October Yolk with Doak episodes. To start, Tom shares travel tips for golfers headed to Australia, New Zealand, and links courses throughout Ireland and the U.K. Andy and Tom then talk through Tom's first round at Sedge Valley and his experiences playing his own design for the first time. They then discuss the strategy around designing and playing short par fours, debating on whether longer hitters should resist temptations to reach the green in one. This leads into a conversation about the prevalence of analytics in golf, as younger golfers now have access to more data and information about their own games and swings than prior generations. This episode wraps with Tom talking through the pros and cons of working on private or resort courses and more accessible public courses, and how the feedback he'll receive is different based on how often golfers play a course.

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Match Play and Professional Golf

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 07:30:00 +0000

After the conclusion of another team match play event, Andy Johnson is joined by Shane Bacon to discuss the place of match play in the professional game. The two recap last week's Presidents Cup, evaluating the format and what changes need to be made in order to improve the event. They then turn to the concept of match play as a whole, advocating for more match play events in the professional game. They highlight the format of match play forcing players to become more aggressive throughout a round, often making for more compelling television than a 72-hole stroke play event. Andy and Shane brainstorm ideas for potential match play tournaments, such as a mixed-gender event with the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour, a professional event based on college alumni, and more.

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Stanley Thompson and Canadian Golf Architecture

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 07:30:00 +0000

It's Canada week on the Fried Egg Golf Podcast, so Garrett Morrison is joined by Toronto-based golf architect Ian Andrew for a look at the history of Canadian golf. After a brief discussion of Royal Montreal Golf Club and Ian's work with Mike Weir, the two unpack the career of Stanley Thompson and his work at courses such as Banff Springs, Jasper Park Lodge, and more. The episode wraps with a look at some of Ian's projects, including a potential book with even more stories from Stanley Thompson's life in golf.

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2024 Presidents Cup Preview

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 14:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by PGA Tour editorial lead Sean Martin to preview this week's Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club. The two discuss the top storylines heading into the event, including Sahith Theegala's U.S. team debut, Mike Weir's course setup, and how the captain's picks will perform on both sides. Andy and Sean also touch on Scottie Scheffler's recent struggles in team events and the idea of "designated putters." To wrap things up, they both share a player on each team that they are most intrigued by and predict the final score come Sunday night.

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The Best American Golf Trip Nobody Knows About

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Garrett Morrison to discuss Garrett's recent trip to a hidden treasure trove of American golf, the state of Maine. They talk through the travel across the country from Portland (Oregon) to Portland (Maine), the affordability of some of the state's finest courses, and the vast number of nine-hole options in the area. After discussing the best time of year to head on a Maine golf trip, Garrett also shares stories of some personal interactions from the trip, reminiscing on the kind people he met while on this golf journey.

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What's Next for LIV Golf?

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 22:45:00 +0000

Garrett Morrison, Andy Johnson and Joseph LaMagna discuss the future LIV Golf as the league's third season wraps up at the Team Championship in Dallas this upcoming weekend. The episode begins with the three discussing what they are In and Out on after a busy weekend of golf at the Irish Open and Solheim Cup. Then, the conversation turns to LIV Golf with a recap of the Individual Championship, won by Jon Rahm on Sunday, before the trio debate where the league should go from here. Topics include a new television deal for the league, the need for more youth in the player pool, and the importance of a development tour to the success of the main circuit. To wrap things up, Garrett, Andy and Joseph share some Recommendations for some fall viewing, listening, and eating.

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2024 Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson previews this week's 2024 Solheim Cup, taking place at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. First, Andy is joined by Meg Adkins to talk major storylines and players to watch before the competition gets underway. They discuss how the course may favor the American side, whether Leona Maguire can thrive in match play once again, and how much pressure the Americans may be under to prevent four straight Solheim Cups without a win. Next, Scott Furlong, superintendent at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, sits down with Andy to discuss his career path from teacher to golf course superintendent, the history of the club and its involvement in international competitions, how the course is looking heading into this week, and more.

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Royal County Down and the Irish Open

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 20:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Darragh Garrahy to preview this week's Irish Open at Royal County Down. The two discuss the history of the Irish Open and how the tournament could increase its stature in the game in the future before discussing the golf course. Andy and Darragh go back-and-forth about this week's venue, detailing what makes Royal County Down so special. They break down the sand dunes running through the front nine of the course, the benefit of the nature and land that the course is located on, and the novelty of playing on top of dunes at Royal County Down as opposed to other courses. To wrap things up, Andy and Darragh talk through their favorite holes that the pros will play this week.

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The 2024 PGA Tour Season in Review

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Joseph LaMagna and Kyle Porter to review the 2024 PGA Tour season. The trio discuss multiple aspects of the year, including Scottie Scheffler's week-to-week dominance, Xander Schauffele's major performances, the PGA Tour schedule, and more. After discussing how strengths of fields stack up on each major professional tour, they look ahead to 2025 and beyond. Picks are made for players to watch next year, and questions are asked about how the Tour can develop new stars, especially as the first wave of LIV Golf contracts are set to expire. To wrap things up, Kyle suggests a new, shorter PGA Tour season that may lead to more top players trying to round into form for a shorter sprint.

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A Trip to the Nebraska Sandhills and Mountain Golf Maintenance

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by The Fried Egg's Matt Rouches and Clear Creek Director of Greens and Grounds Mike Cunniff on this two-part episode. To start, Andy and Matt discuss Matt's recent trip through the Nebraska Sandhills, where Matt played 14 different golf courses in six days. They discuss the best golf in the region, Matt's prior experience living in the Sandhills, playing courses with sand greens, and how he'd play just ten rounds in the area. After that, Andy sits down with Mike Cunniff at Clear Creek, a course in Carson City, Nevada next to Lake Tahoe. Andy and Mike talk about the Coore and Crenshaw course in the mountains, how they maintain the course in the elevation and with houses surrounding it, Mike's work at Old Sandwich and more.

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The New East Lake and the Same Old Tour Championship

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 21:30:00 +0000

It's Tour Championship week and the FedEx Cup Top 30 will have to face a new-look East Lake following a renovation by Andrew Green. To start this episode, Garrett Morrison and Joseph LaMagna discuss what they are In and Out on following the Women's Open at St. Andrews, with notes on the Road Hole and slow pace of play. After that, Andy Johnson sits down with Andrew Green for a quick chat about his work at East Lake and what to expect from the course this week. Garrett and Joseph then discuss some of the changes made to the course and what Andrew Green renovations tend to look like. Joseph then breaks down three player storylines to watch this week as the 2024 PGA Tour season comes to a close. To wrap things up, Garrett and Joseph share some Recommendations, including a northeast golf course and YouTube content to watch.

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Golf Course Renovation on a Budget with Steven Biehl

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 03:50:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Steven Biehl, superintendent at Wolf River Golf Park in Bear Lake, Michigan. Steven led a full renovation of this course that cost just $150,000 and discusses the challenges of renovating on a tight budget. Andy and Steven discuss Steven's background in agronomy and golf course architecture, the fulfillment Steven found in shaping bunkers, and even how to rebuild a pond. The two then look ahead at what work is left to do at the course, such as creating new forward tees for more to play.

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Stacy Lewis on the Women’s Open and the Solheim Cup

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 21:00:00 +0000

Garrett Morrison and Meg Adkins are joined by 2013 Women's Open Champion and United States Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis to discuss this week's Women's Open at St. Andrews. To start things off, Garrett and Meg go through what they're In and Out on, hitting on Lydia Ko's strong season and the latest in Billy Horschel content from the PGA Tour. After that, Stacy Lewis calls in to discuss her win at St. Andrews in 2013, her current form entering this week's tournament, what she's looking for in Solheim Cup captain's picks and more (24:50). To wrap things up, Garrett and Meg give some Recommendations for you as summer comes to a close.

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Yolk with Doak 43: Tom Answers Listener Questions

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by golf architect Tom Doak as Tom answers listener-submitted questions coming from Club TFE members. The two cover topics such as the golf architecture book that Tom keeps going back to, how he handles restoring courses he designed, his work at Bandon, why amateurs should prioritize playing match play, and more. Thanks to Tom for joining us for this installment of Yolk with Doak episodes.

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A Look at High-Level Amateur Golf

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 20:30:00 +0000

Garrett Morrison and Joseph LaMagna are joined by Lawrence Donegan to find out where high-level amateur golf stands today. To start this episode, the two discuss what they are In and Out on after this past weekend of golf, including the Women's Olympic Golf tournament, won by Lydia Ko, and the impact of rankings systems on the professional golf world. Lawrence Donegan, golf journalist and father of Niall Shiels-Donegan, an amateur golfer playing in this week’s U.S. Amateur, then calls in to discuss the state of amateur golf. Lawrence offers his thoughts on the high-level amateur game from the perspective of both a parent and a journalist, explaining how players handle technology, navigate the amateur golf landscape, and the pitfalls of the World Amateur Golf Rankings system (21:03). To wrap things up, Garrett and Joseph share some Recommendations for other podcasts you may enjoy!

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Yolk with Doak 42: Cabot Highlands, Childress Hall, and Sandglass

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Tom Doak returns for the first of two brand new Yolk with Doak episodes. Tom talks through his recent projects at Sandglass, Childress Hall and Cabot Highlands before discussing his favorite parts of working in Scotland. He shares stories of working with Padraig Harrington at the Renaissance Club and what he would take back to America from his most recent trip to Scotland. To wrap things up, Tom discusses his long history with North Berwick and why the course’s reputation has changed so much over the last 40 years.

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Recapping 2024 Olympic Men's Golf

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 20:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Joseph LaMagna and Sean Martin to break down the 2024 Men's Olympic Golf Tournament held at Le Golf National in Paris. Before diving into last weekend's action, Andy and Joseph discuss what they are In and Out on in the world of golf. Then, Sean joins to discuss the rise of Olympic golf, Scottie Scheffler's come-from-behind gold medal win and what it means for his 2024 season, Jon Rahm's collapse and more. Andy and Joseph then finish this episode with Recommendations for game-lovers and travelers alike.

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Le Golf National Olympics Preview—Plus, Growing Grass in China

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0000

In this two-part episode, Garrett Morrison is first joined by Joseph LaMagna for a look at Le Golf National, the host course of the Olympic golf competitions in Paris for the next two weeks. Garrett and Joseph share memories of how the course played during the 2018 Ryder Cup and predict which men may have a chance at medaling at a course that fits their game. For the second half of this show, Garrett chats with Jon Wall, superintendent of Shanqin Bay Golf Club in Hainan, China. The two discuss Jon's background in England, his path to Asia, his experiences in Hong Kong and Vietnam and more from his golf-related travels before diving into the the design and agronomy of Shanqin Bay.

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What It's Like to Play in the Olympics with Nicolas Colsaerts

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 23:40:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by DP World Tour pro and 2016 Olympian Nicolas Colsaerts as the 2024 Olympic golf competition kicks off this week at Le Golf National in Paris. The two discuss Nicolas's experience representing Belgium at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, both in the golf tournament and as part of the greater Olympic community. Andy and Nicolas debate how team golf can be implemented into future Olympics and whether players would like to see that as a change. Nicolas also shares stories from his time supporting Belgium in other sports while in Rio alongside his teammate and countryman Thomas Pieters. After wrapping up with Nicolas, Andy and Garrett Morrison talk about where golf stands in the Olympics today and how it could become a bigger part of the sport and players' legacies in the future.

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Grading Performances in the 2024 Men's Majors

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 20:50:00 +0000

With the 2024 men's major season in the books, Andy Johnson is joined by Geoff Shackelford and Joseph LaMagna to hand out grades to both players and venues for their showings in the majors in 2024. The three touch on Xander Schauffele's historic performance, Scottie Scheffler's highs and lows, Bryson DeChambeau carrying the mantle for LIV golfers and more. After notes on non-winners including Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka and Ludvig Åberg, they then discuss each major venue of 2024, highlighting both the positives and the negatives of some of golf's most iconic venues.

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Takeaways from the 2024 Open Championship

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 20:30:00 +0000

After the final men's major of 2024, Garrett, Joseph, and Andy discuss their takeaways from Royal Troon and Xander Schauffele's second major win of the year. They start by evaluating where Xander stands amongst the top tier of stars in today's game, especially compared to Scottie Scheffler. The trio then cover how the golf course played all week and the value of having links courses on a consistent rotation for the professional game. After notes on the performances of Billy Horschel and Justin Rose, they then look ahead at what's to come for the rest of the season.

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Final Insights into Royal Troon and a 2016 Open Lookback

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 06:30:00 +0000

Ahead of the year's final men's major, Garrett Morrison and Joseph LaMagna wrap up preparations for the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon. The two discuss early insights from player press conferences and potential weather in the area overnight on Wednesday before diving into a re-watch of the 2016 Open's final round. With notes on Henrik Stenson, Phil Mickelson, a baby-faced Tyrrell Hatton and more, Garrett and Joseph use the footage to break down how the golf course may play this week with how the game has changed. To wrap things up, it's a segment of picks and predictions for what will hopefully be another excellent weekend of golf.

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Five Things About the 2024 Open Championship with Andrew Cotter

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Andrew Cotter joins Andy Johnson to preview the 2024 Open Championsip at Royal Troon. The two dive into the biggest storylines going into the tournament, including the history of the golf course, how Rory McIlroy will bounce back after the U.S. Open, what to expect from Bryson DeChambeau, how Scottie Scheffler's week could define his 2024 season, and more.

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A Preview of Royal Troon

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 05:30:00 +0000

Garrett Morrison is joined by Sam Cooper, an associate at architecture firm Clayton, DeVries & Pont, to take a deep dive into Royal Troon, the host of next week's 2024 Open Championship. Garrett and Sam discuss the history of the course, the evolution of the Postage Stamp and other standout holes. After wrapping up on Royal Troon, Sam talks about his experiences playing every links course in Great Britain for his "Links from the Road" tour.

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Are 20-Year Careers a Relic of Golf's Past?

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 21:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson and Joseph LaMagna return after the holiday weekend to check on where things stand in professional golf as we enter the second half of 2024. To start, they decide they're IN on both Scottish golf and vacations and OUT on the location of the majors on the golf calendar. As the two move on to recapping the first six months of the year, they break down the careers of stars in decline, the gains being made in ball speed metrics and the development of young players such as Akshay Bhatia. As always, the episode ends with a couple of recommendations as you start your week.

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What Is the Biggest Question in Golf?

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 21:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is wondering - what is the biggest question in golf right now? He's joined by CBS Sports' Kyle Porter, architect Brian Schneider and former PGA Tour pro Roberto Castro to discuss what's on the minds of some of golf's deep thinkers. With questions about the professional and amateur game, Andy and guests take a look at where golf may be headed in the future.

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Brett Hochstein on a (Potential) Sacramento Muni-ssance, Flat-Land Design, and California Golf

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Brett Hochstein—a California-based golf architect who has shaped features for Tom Doak, Gil Hanse, Jay Blasi, and Jim Urbina, among others—joins Garrett Morrison to talk about his plans for two high-potential Sacramento municipal golf courses. Brett has just completed a master plan for a renovation of William Land Golf Course, a nine-holer in a city park, and he expects to finish his master plan for historical work at Haggin Oaks, an Alister MacKenzie design, later this year. Brett talks with Garrett about a variety of issues related to these projects, from California's water crisis to techniques for building great golf on flat land to MacKenzie's wild late-period greens. Brett and Garrett wrap up the episode with some chat about sneaky-good public courses on California's Central Coast.

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Do 59s Still Matter? Plus: A Women’s PGA Recap

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 20:40:00 +0000

After another packed weekend of professional golf, Garrett Morrison and Joseph LaMagna first welcome on Meg Adkins for a round of In/Out following the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, won by Amy Yang at Sahalee Country Club. Then, Garrett and Joseph discuss the Travelers Championship and whether a sub-60 round still holds the same weight following Cameron Young's performance on Saturday. The two also break down how the course changes at TPC River Highlands held up against the best players in the world following the renovations made for this year's tournament.

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The State of Rory McIlroy with Shane Ryan

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 22:30:00 +0000

Garrett Morrison is joined by Shane Ryan, writer for Golf Digest, to discuss all things Rory McIlroy following last week's U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. The two break down Rory's Sunday and Shane's blow-by-blow article of the events that transpired. Moving on from the 2024 U.S. Open, Garrett and Shane then take a look back at Rory and where he was as a player and person when he last won a major ten years ago.

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Takeaways from the 2024 U.S. Open

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 01:03:00 +0000

Following a historic weekend of golf, Garrett, Joseph, and Andy sit down to discuss takeaways and on-the-ground insights from an all-time U.S. Open. They start by debriefing Bryson's dramatic victory and the keys to his success. The conversation shifts to analysis of another close call for Rory McIlroy. The episode closes with a lengthy discussion on Pinehurst No. 2 as a venue for championship golf: how it thrives, how it could be improved, and feelings around its position as a USGA anchor site for future U.S. Open Championships.

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On-the-Ground Insights from Pinehurst and a 2014 U.S. Open Rewind

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Garrett brings on Joseph, who is covering this week's U.S. Open on site at Pinehurst No. 2, to discuss Joseph's early impressions of the course, including his sense of its difficulty and firmness level. In the second half of the pod, Garrett and Joseph discuss takeaways from their recent rewatch of the 2014 U.S. Open at No. 2, which Martin Kaymer won in an eight-stroke runaway. They finish up with some thoughts on which players might perform well this week.

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Five Things About the 2024 U.S. Open with Shane Bacon

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 16:41:00 +0000

Shane Bacon joins Andy Johnson to preview the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. The two dive into the biggest storylines going into the tournament, including Scottie Scheffler's dominant form, Jon Rahm's injuries, and how the venerable course will fare against today's best players.

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A Preview of Pinehurst No. 2

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Andy and Garrett convene to discuss the venue of next week's 2024 U.S. Open, the great Pinehurst No. 2. They touch on the skill sets that the course emphasizes, the short-game challenges it poses, the best aspects of Donald Ross's design and Coore & Crenshaw's 2011 renovation, and a few of the most interesting holes.

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Billy Horschel on Course Setups, Modern Equipment, and Global Golf

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

2014 FedEx Cup champion and former PGA Tour Player Advisory Council member Billy Horschel joins the podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on hot-button topics in the world of professional golf. Andy and Joseph kick off the podcast with what they are IN and OUT on this week, including major championship venue selection and coordination across tours. Then Horschel joins to lend his perspective on his career, modern equipment, the prospect of a world tour, negotiations with the Saudi PIF, his West Ham fandom, and more. The episode closes with Recommendations from Andy and Joseph.

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The History of Pinehurst No. 2 (Great Courses 6)

Fri, 31 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

For the sixth installment of our Great Courses series, historian Lee Pace joins Garrett for a deep dive into the history of the Pinehurst Resort and Donald Ross's Pinehurst No. 2 golf course. Lee and Garrett discuss the origins of James Walker Tufts's retreat in the unpromising environs of the North Carolina Sandhills, how golf was introduced to Pinehurst, and Ross's influence on the development of several excellent courses at the resort. They also detail the evolution of the No. 2 course's architecture, from its earliest iteration in 1907, to the introduction of Bermudagrass greens in the mid-1930s, to Coore & Crenshaw's restoration in the early 2010s. Lee and Garrett finish with descriptions of a few of No. 2's key holes.

Check out Lee Pace's 2012 account The Golden Age of Pinehurst as well as his most recent book Good Walks.

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A Preview of the 2024 U.S. Women's Open

Wed, 29 May 2024 02:40:00 +0000

Gabby Herzig (@GabbyHerzig) of The Athletic joins Garrett and Joseph to discuss the 2024 U.S. Women's Open at Lancaster Country Club. First, Garrett and Joseph kick off the episode with what they are IN and OUT on in the world of professional golf. Then Gabby joins to discuss Lexi Thompson's retirement announcement and how her career will be remembered. The three of them then discuss other major storylines for this year's USWO, including Nelly Korda's prospects of winning her third major championship. The episode closes with Recommendations.

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John Fields on NCAAs, the La Costa Redesign, and Coaching Spieth and Scheffler

Thu, 23 May 2024 20:05:00 +0000

John Fields, the longtime head coach of the men's golf team at the University of Texas, joins Garrett to discuss a variety of topics in advance of the NCAA D1 Men's Golf Championship. Coach Fields talks about the Longhorns' season so far and the story behind how UT became the host of the men's and women's NCAA championships at the Gil Hanse-renovated North Course at Omni La Costa in Southern California. He also identifies a couple of back-nine holes to watch for in the coming days. In the back half of the episode, Coach Fields details his coaching career and his experiences with players like Cody Gribble, Jordan Spieth, and Scottie Scheffler.

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Takeaways from the 2024 PGA Championship

Mon, 20 May 2024 20:47:00 +0000

Following an eventful weekend of major championship golf, Garrett, Andy, and Joseph offer takeaways from the 2024 PGA Championship. They discuss Xander Schauffele's win and how his career arc illuminates current dynamics in the professional game. They also discuss Valhalla Golf Club's performance as a tournament venue, with Garrett offering some devil's-advocate rebuttals to the critiques of the course's design and setup that Fried Egg Golf has offered this past week. Finally, they touch on Bryson DeChambeau's emergence as a people's hero (and how that image-making might be facilitated by the division between LIV and the PGA Tour) as well as the PGA of America's future venue selections and setup conundrums.

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Valhalla Insights, Rory Diagnoses, and Other Lessons Learned from the 2014 PGA Championship

Wed, 15 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

One day away from the start of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, Garrett and Joseph jump on the pod to discuss the insights they gleaned from rewatching the 2014 PGA Championship, the last major held at Valhalla. They chat about how the tournament played in 2014 and how this week's PGA Championship may play similarly or differently. Most of the conversation focuses on the golf course, both from a design and a playing style perspective, but there's also some discussion/dissection of 2014 champion Rory McIlroy's game, strategic approach, and mental attitude. The episode closes with thoughts on which players stand to benefit from this week's setup and conditions.

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Five Things About the 2024 PGA Championship with Kyle Porter

Sun, 12 May 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Another major championship week is here which means our Five Things episode will get you ready for the PGA Championship. Andy welcomes Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) to delve into Rory, Scottie, Brooks, Bryson, Spieth, and yes of course, Blockie. They also cover the PGA Championship's identity, how the LIV contingent will fare, and wrap up the episode with their picks for who will walk away from Valhalla with the Wannamaker Trophy.

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All Things Pinehurst No. 10 with Architect Angela Moser

Fri, 10 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Angela Moser sits down in person with Garrett to share the story of how Pinehurst's latest course, the Tom Doak-designed No. 10, was built. As lead associate on the project, Angela was in charge of getting the course ready for play in under a year. From the moment she found out she was getting the job to playing the first rounds on the course, she discusses the most difficult parts of the project, how the role of lead associate differs from shaper, and the holes she thinks will be the most talked about.

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Biggest Stock Movers of the 2024 Pro Golf Season

Tue, 07 May 2024 02:54:00 +0000

Four months into the 2024 pro golf season, Andy and Joseph sit down to discuss the professional golfers whose stocks have gone up and down the most so far this year. First, though, they talk about what they are IN and OUT on this week, including reflections from a visit to Bandon Dunes and a bizarre ruling on the DP World Tour. Then they go through the golfers whose stocks have risen and fallen the most in 2024 and how the best players in the world stack up today. The episode closes with Recommendations.

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George Bryan on YouTube Fame and Tour Dreams

Thu, 02 May 2024 17:00:00 +0000

George Bryan IV is a professional golfer and YouTube star who, along with his brother Wesley (a PGA Tour winner), operates the popular Bryan Bros YouTube channel. In the midst of his preparation for the PGA Tour's Myrtle Beach Classic, which he will play in next week on a sponsor exemption, George joined Garrett for a wide-ranging conversation about his parallel careers in pro golf and content creation, his evolving mental approach on the course, his relationship with his brother, the rise of YouTube golf, and his and Wesley's plans to run a club in Columbia, South Carolina.

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Golf Architecture Mailbag: Exciting New Courses, the Yale Restoration, and the State of the Industry

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 18:22:00 +0000

Andy and Garrett convene for their first golf architecture mailbag in a while, tackling questions about new courses they're excited to see in the next couple of years, which current tour pros might make good architects, how The Lido bucks convention, the holes at Yale that they're most eager to see restored, and the cultural forces that are shaping golf course design right now. As usual, they open the episode with In and Out, and they wrap it up with Recommendations.

Note: The Scottie Scheffler interview that Garrett refers to in this episode was conducted by Friend of the Program Sean Martin for PGA Tour dot com. Read that piece here.

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How Old Barnwell Got Built

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Designed by Brian Schneider and Blake Conant, Old Barnwell near Aiken, South Carolina, is one of the best-reviewed and most buzzed-about new golf courses of the past several years. In this episode, Garrett sits down with Old Barnwell's founder Nick Schreiber to delve into the nuts and bolts of how the course came to be. They talk about Nick's early years as a caddie, his vision for a "mission-focused" private club, how he found the property, why he hired Schneider and Conant, and his plans for Old Barnwell's second and third courses. They also discuss the broader state of the golf course industry—specifically, whether the current surge in construction might prove to be a bubble.

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Questions for the Remaining 2024 Majors and the Rise of Nelly Korda

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 20:40:00 +0000

Following an exciting weekend of both men's and women's professional golf, Andy and Joseph convene to discuss the biggest storylines in professional golf. They start with what they are IN and OUT on, including appreciation for the dominance by Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda, along with qualms about tours stacking high-profile events against one another. Next, the two go through the biggest question marks remaining in the 2024 men's major championship season. Then Meg Adkins joins to provide her perspective on the Chevron Championship, Nelly Korda's ascension, and how women's golf should be prepared to capitalize on the momentum in women's sports. The episode closes with Recommendations.

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Final Thoughts on the 2024 Masters with Shane Bacon

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 16:55:00 +0000

Shane Bacon joins the podcast to talk about calling the featured groups at the Masters plus a debrief of the tournament and Scottie Scheffler. The two get into Augusta National as a tournament venue and how the course has changed its identity for the purpose of challenging the best in the game. Then they dive into all things Scottie Scheffler and how his simple process and mindset have set him up for a long run of greatness and how other players have struggled with the things Scottie does so well. Finally they finish off with some Harbour Town/RBC Heritage chatter and rounding thoughts on Bryson Dechambeau and other Masters loose ends.

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Takeaways from the 2024 Masters

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:23:00 +0000

After Scottie Scheffler's victorious march through Augusta National on Sunday, Garrett and Joseph sat down to discuss a terrific 2024 Masters. First they talk about what they're IN and OUT on this week; then they run through a couple of their high-level takeaways from the tournament. Later, they bring on Andy Johnson (24:49) and Shane Bacon (58:18) to get some on-the-ground perspectives. Garrett and Joseph wrap up the episode with Recommendations.

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Ranking Every Hole at Augusta National

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Ill-advised as it might be, we do what the episode title promises. Andy and Garrett sit down in the Draddy House in Augusta, Georgia, to rank all 18 holes at Augusta National Golf Club, from worst to best. Giddy up.

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Five Things About the 2024 Masters with Trevor Immelman

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Trevor Immelman, 2008 Masters champion and CBS lead analyst, joins Andy Johnson to discuss storylines leading into the 2024 Masters. They run through their traditional "five things," starting out with Trevor's earliest Augusta National memories and touching on how to prep for the course's famous sidehill lies as well as how they expect various LIV players to perform. They also touch on the dreary weather at recent editions of The Masters and the importance of firm conditions in identifying and differentiating the best players. Both Trevor and Andy also pick a winner (hint: it isn't a surprise).

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The History of Augusta National's Design (Great Courses 5)

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this fifth installment of our Great Courses series, we dig into the history of the golf architecture at Augusta National Golf Club. Garrett is joined by Joshua Pettit, the principal architect at Pacific Golf Design, the founder of the Alister MacKenzie Institute, and the editor of The MacKenzie Reader. Garrett and Josh discuss the lives and ideas of Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie, Augusta National's original architects, as well as the influences and philosophical convictions that both men brought to the design of the course. Garrett and Josh also talk about how several specific holes have changed over the years and whether a restoration of certain original features would be feasible or desirable.

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Under-the-Radar 2024 Masters Storylines

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 22:03:00 +0000

Andy Johnson is joined by Joseph LaMagna to break down their favorite small storylines going into the 2024 Masters. Before they get into the Masters, though, they have a lively discussion on Stephen Jaeger's win at the Houston Open, and why the event should be elevated to signature status.

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ANWA Preview with Megha Ganne (Plus an LPGA Season Update)

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Garrett and Meg kick off this episode by reviewing two major storylines from the current LPGA Tour season. Then they dig into a preview of next week's Augusta National Women's Amateur, first talking a few players to watch at the tournament (17:44). Then they bring on Stanford University standout and three-time ANWA invitee Megha Ganne (25:18) for a discussion of her college season so far, her past experiences at ANWA, and her memories from contending at the 2021 U.S. Women's Open.

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Superagent Hughes Norton on Tiger Woods, the Origins of the World Tour Model, and More

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Andy and Joseph start out with what they are IN and OUT on this week. including gambling ads, Paddy Harrington's social media, and the absence of match play on the PGA Tour. Hughes Norton, a famed professional golf agent, then joins Andy to discuss the new book he co-authored with George Peper, Rainmaker. Hughes worked for Mark McCormack, founder of IMG, and was the agent for players like Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, and Bobby Clampett. They dive into stories from his career in golf highlighted in the book and some that didn't make the pages. Topics discussed include the origins of a world golf tour model, Tiger's early years and working with Earl Woods, the start of the OWGR, Seve Ballesteros' double swoosh visor, and much more. Finally, Joseph returns for recommendations.

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Bandon Shorty's and the History of Golf Course Design with Keith Cutten

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 19:14:00 +0000

On May 2, Bandon Dunes' latest par-3 course, Bandon Shorty's, will open during the resort's 25th-anniversary celebration. In this episode, Garrett sits down at Bandon Dunes with one of the designers of Shorty's, Keith Cutten, a partner in the firm Whitman, Axland & Cutten. Garrett and Keith discuss the origins of WAC, the renowned skills of his co-designers Rod Whitman and Dave Axland, the goals and process behind the Shorty's project, and the joys and difficulties of designing short courses in general. In the second half of the pod, Garrett and Keith dig into the fascinating ideas of Keith's book The Evolution of Golf Course Design. His basic argument is that the broader trends in society and culture have influenced the golf architecture of each era in ways that haven't been thoroughly investigated. Garrett loves discussing this kind of stuff, so he and Keith really get after it here.

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Takeaways from the 2024 Players with Sean Martin

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 22:37:00 +0000

After Garrett and Joseph run through what they're IN and OUT on this week, they bring on Sean Martin (@PGATOURSMartin)—Lead, Editorial at the PGA Tour—to discuss takeaways from an excellent Players Championship. They go in depth on Scottie Scheffler, touching on his mental and strategic approach, his status within his generation of players, and even his swing technique. They also try to explain what makes TPC Sawgrass such a compelling tournament course. Garrett and Joseph then wrap up the episode with some recommendations.

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Michael Bamberger Reflects on To the Linksland

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In 1991, Michael Bamberger took a leave of absence from his job at a newspaper to "search for the primal heart of golf." First he caddied for Peter Teravainen on the European Tour, then he set off on an exploration of the Scottish linksland. The result was the widely loved book To the Linkland, a 30th-anniversary edition of which is now available for pre-order. Michael joins Garrett to discuss the themes of the book, how the golf world has changed in the past three decades, and whether he thinks it would be possible to undertake a similar journey today.

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Bay Hill, TPC Sawgrass, and Distinguishing a Great Test from a Great Course

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 02:46:00 +0000

Garrett and Joseph start off the episode with what they are IN and OUT on after an eventful weekend of professional golf. Then they move into a thorough discussion of Bay Hill, dissecting its strengths and weaknesses as both a test of professional golf and as a golf course. Looking ahead to the Players Championship, the two transition to a conversation about TPC Sawgrass including thoughts on what makes the golf course special and which players may find success there this week. They close out the podcast with Recommendations.

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How to Build a (Profitable!) Mom-and-Pop Golf Course

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As we've mentioned a number of times recently on the pod, golf course construction costs are rising. As a result, very few new (or newly renovated) courses are set up to be affordable to play. This is a major problem for the game—but it can be addressed. To discuss how to construct, maintain, and run a successful mom-and-pop golf course, Garrett Morrison sits down with Mike Young, the architect and owner of The Fields Golf Course in LaGrange, Georgia. Mike talks about the secrets behind building greens, bunkers, and even irrigation systems affordably. He also details the forces in the golf course industry that prevent operators from making smart, economical choices. Finally, Mike gives an update on Warmouth Sands, his new municipal design in Vidalia, Georgia.

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Ryan Fox on His Unique Path to Pro Golf and Playing on the World's Biggest Stages

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 02:48:00 +0000

Andy and Joseph kick off the episode by discussing what they are IN and OUT on this week. Then World No. 42 Ryan Fox joins Andy and Joseph to talk about his unique path into professional golf after not playing a competitive tournament until age 18. He talks about his experiences traveling the world to compete across multiple global tours, playing in his first Masters while fighting pneumonia, missing out on the Presidents Cup, playing in the Olympics, and more. Andy and Joseph close out the episode with Recommendations.

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Restoring a Seth Raynor Design in Minnesota

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In the latest installment of our Superintendent Series, superintendent Mike Manthey joins Andy to discuss his role in restoring Seth Raynor's design at Midland Hills Country Club near Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mike talks about how he found Raynor's original plans, his favorite stretch of holes post-restoration, how he navigated the removal of 2,000 trees, and the importance of trying to make Midland Hills the best version of itself rather than imitating other clubs.

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An Early Preview of the 2024 Masters

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 01:43:00 +0000

The Masters is just six weeks away. Andy and Joseph give their thoughts on the golf course, the skills required to succeed at Augusta, and major storylines entering the tournament. Before getting into the Masters, Andy and Joseph discuss what they are IN on and OUT on for this week, including expectations for a former star's return to professional golf this week. To close out the episode, they give Recommendations.

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David Cannon on Capturing Seve and the Euro Tour's Glory Days

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Decorated Getty Images photographer David Cannon joins Garrett to talk about his career, which has spanned more than 40 years and nearly 200 men's and women's golf majors. David tells Garrett about his early years as a competitive golfer—when he played with Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo, and Seve Ballesteros, among other European legends—before getting into his experiences, techniques, and philosophies as a photographer of golf tournaments. He talks about capturing a couple of particularly famous images of Seve (one at the 1984 Open and the other at the 1993 European Masters), learning how to get in the right positions at a golf tournament, documenting raucous post-Ryder Cup parties, making the transition from film to digital, and much more.

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The Good and the Bad of This Year's West Coast Swing

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 01:38:00 +0000

After starting with what they're IN and OUT on this week, Andy and Joseph bring on Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) to discuss the state of the West Coast Swing. They touch on what was good and bad about each of this year's West Coast events, why many of them fell flat, and how to incentivize players to create a more compelling product. They also ask whether there are any PGA Tour courses that truly test the pros outside of Riviera, and whether the schedule can be restructured to give the West Coast tournaments a better chance of avoiding poor weather and turf conditions. They then name some players they think have a good chance at The Masters before Andy and Joseph wrap up with recommendations.

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Jay Blasi on Golden Gate Park and Hot Topics in Golf Architecture

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Jay Blasi, the golf architect behind the exciting redesign of Golden Gate Park Golf Course in San Francisco, joins Garrett for a wide-ranging chat. First, they discuss the subtle virtues of this week's PGA Tour venue, Riviera Country Club. Then they dig into the Golden Gate Park story: the origins of this municipal short course, the issues it had until recently, and Jay's role in reviving and improving it. Jay and Garrett close out the episode by talking about a few hot topics in golf architecture, including rollback and AI.

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A Chat with the PGA Tour's Setup Czar

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 18:53:00 +0000

After starting the episode with what they're IN and OUT on this week, Andy and Joseph bring on Gary Young, the Senior Vice President of Rules & Competitions at the PGA Tour. They discuss how Gary became a PGA Tour rules official, what a "PGA Tour setup" entails, how he balances difficulty and fairness in presenting a golf course, his favorite venues to work with, his dream tour course, and the general evolution of championship setups in the modern game. They also touch on the hot-button issues of TIO (temporary immovable obstruction) relief, preferred lies, and pace of play. Andy and Joseph then wrap up the episode with recommendations.

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Reactions to LIV Mayakoba and the State of Men's Pro Golf

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 22:18:00 +0000

Andy and Joseph kick off the pod with what they are IN on and OUT on for this week. Then Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) of CBS Sports and Normal Sport joins to discuss the state of professional golf on the heels of LIV Golf's increased public attention during LIV Mayakoba. The three discuss where LIV is succeeding, where it falls short, and how the league's potential growth impacts the professional golf landscape. To conclude the episode, Andy and Joseph each offer a recommendation.

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Anthony Kim's Past Exploits and Possible Future in Golf

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 23:52:00 +0000

Andy and Joseph start off with what they are IN on and OUT on for this week. Shane Bacon then joins the two to reminisce on Anthony Kim's career in golf, from his teenage years to his pro career to his subsequent injury struggles and exit from the game. The trio then discuss what Kim's best options are for a return to professional golf and the practicality of it all. To round off the episode, Andy, Joseph, and Shane each give a recommendation.

Frequently cited in this episode: Tom Callahan's 2009 profile of Anthony Kim for Golf Digest

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Is It Possible Nowadays to Renovate a Golf Course on a Tight Budget?

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

With construction costs rising, the pricatag for renovating a golf course has gotten disturbingly big in the past couple of years. For low-budget public facilities, the dream of a transformative renovation has begun to seem out of reach. But in certain situations, good work can still be done on the cheap. Our guest today, Clay Payne, is the head superintendent at Buffalo Dunes, a municipal course in Garden City, Kansas, which is in the midst of a six-year renovation project. Clay talks with Garrett about how he and his crew have made a relatively small amount of money go a long way. They also discuss Clay's childhood on the sand-green courses of southwestern Kansas, his early-career jobs at Dismal River and Ballyneal, and how he has gotten the local community involved in his efforts at Buffalo Dunes. This episode of our Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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How to Construct a World Tour

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:15:00 +0000

This episode tackles one of the hottest topics in golf today: if, after an infusion of funding from private equity and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the PGA Tour were to create a global schedule of elite events, what should this "world tour" look like? Andy, Joseph, and Garrett each give their proposals. First, though, they participate in a new opening segment, "In and Out," in which they discuss, among other things, Justin Thomas's reemergence, Scottie Scheffler's putting, and the proper pronunciation of "amateur."

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NFL-Golf Comps with Kevin Clark and Hawaiian Swing Review with Sean Martin

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

ESPN's Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) joins Andy and Joseph for some comparisons between NFL franchises and pro golfers. Each gives three comps, along with rationales. Sean Martin (@PGATOURSmartin)—Lead, Editorial at the PGA Tour—then joins (57:25) to recap all that happened in Hawaii to start the 2024 season. Sean, Andy, and Joseph review the winners of the Sentry and the Sony Open and identify some standard players. The second half of the conversation delves into the recent fad of broomstick putters and why more young players have started using them.

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The Business Side of the PGA Tour Has Gotten Weird

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A lot has been going on with the business side of the PGA Tour recently, all of it pretty weird. The Tour is trying to form a for-profit entity, supposedly called "PGA Tour Enterprises," with the backing of various investors, including commissioner Jay Monahan's frenemies at the Saudi Arabian PIF, which funds LIV Golf; purse sizes are spiraling out of control, and title sponsors are being asked to bear some of the burden; and in general the proudly non-profit Tour is moving awkwardly toward a for-profit model. To get some clarity on these matters, Garrett sits down with Josh Carpenter (@JoshACarpenter) of Sports Business Journal. Garrett and Josh discuss the PGA Tour's recent adventures in business, including its battle/partnership (?) with LIV and the PIF, the effect of Jon Rahm's departure, Rory McIlroy's world tour dreams, and the Tour's increasingly precarious relationship with its own tournaments and title sponsors.

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Michael Clayton Talks Royal Melbourne (Great Courses 4)

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

To wrap up the initial run of our Great Courses series, Garrett brings on the doyen of Australian golf Michael Clayton (@mikeclaytongolf) to discuss the brilliant courses at Royal Melbourne. Garrett and Mike discuss Mike's personal history with Royal Melbourne, the architectural history of Alister MacKenzie's West Course and Alex Russell's East Course, the impact of these designs on the Australian game, and the finest rounds of golf Mike has seen played over Royal Melbourne's famed Composite Course.

We loved making the first four episodes of the Great Courses series, and we hope you enjoyed listening to them. Let us know if you'd like more (and if you have suggestions for topics)!

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2023 Memories and 2024 Predictions with Shane Bacon

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 22:40:00 +0000

Our first episode of the year brings Andy and Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) together to reminisce on 2023 and offer predictions for 2024. They look back on Wyndham Clark and Lilia Vu's breakout seasons, Viktor Hovland's evolution, and the feel-good story of the year in Hayden Springer's Q-School success. Looking ahead, Andy shares who he thinks will fall out of the OWGR top 10, and Shane offers makes a bold prediction about how will play in the Presidents Cup. Enjoy a lengthy discussion about New Year's Resolutions and the benefits of stretching at the top, and stay to the end to hear what Andy and Shane think about the still-vacant analyst seat at NBC.

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Top 10 Golfers in the World Going into 2024 and a Chat with the Grass Whisperer

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Andy kicks off our final episode of 2023 with a monologue on the top 10 players in professional golf going into 2024. He is then joined by Steve McDonald of Turfgrass Disease Solutions to discuss Steve's unique career in turf. They talk about what it's like to work with 150-250 courses per year, distinguishing between important and trivial agronomic concerns, how expectations have changed with advances in greenkeeping equipment, and where Steve sees turfgrass maintenance going in the future.

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The First Modern Golf Course? (Great Courses 3)

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 01:18:00 +0000

Built (truly "built," not just "laid out") by Willie Park, Jr., in 1900 and 1901, the Old Course at Sunningdale Golf Club was, to that point, the most expensive construction project in golf history. It was also more functional, systematically designed, and artful than golfers of the 1890s would have imagined an inland course could be. It marked a major advance in golf architecture and the beginning of the period we now call "the Golden Age."

This third installment of our Great Courses series starts with an extended introduction from Garrett on the state of golf course design in the late 1800s and the turning point that Sunningdale represented. To further explore the course's design and influence, Garrett brings on Adam Lawrence (16:26), the editor of Golf Course Architecture magazine and the author of an upcoming biography of Harry Colt. Garrett and Adam discuss Sunngindale's origins, Colt's important role in refining its design, and much more.

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National Golf Links of America: C.B. Macdonald's Big Swing (Great Courses 2)

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In the second installment of our Great Courses series, we dive deep into the story of National Golf Links of America, C.B. Macdonald's masterpiece on Long Island. Garrett speaks with Chris Millard, the co-author of a 2016 history of NGLA, about Macdonald's background and personality, how he developed his idiosyncratic design philosophy in the first decade of the 20th century, his hugely important partnership with Seth Raynor, and the monumental effort he put into funding, building, grassing, and promoting National Golf Links.

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How the Old Course Became the Old Course (Great Courses 1)

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll release the first few installments of what we're calling our "Great Courses" series. These episodes will tell the stories of some of the best and most influential golf courses in history. And where else could we start but with the Old Course at St. Andrews?

Our guest is Scott Macpherson, a golf architect and historian, who recently published a revised edition of his fascinating, extraordinarily well-researched book St. Andrews: The Evolution of the Old Course. Scott joins Garrett to dispel some myths about the Old Course's history (no, it wasn't created solely by wind and sheep) and discuss how the links took on their modern form through a combination of natural and human influences.

You can order your own copy of Scott's book on his website: St. Andrews: The Evolution of the Old Course.

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The Best New Courses We Saw in 2023

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 09:00:00 +0000

It has been the busiest, most exciting year in golf course development since Fried Egg Golf has existed, so Andy and Garrett sat down to talk about the best of what they saw in 2023. They discuss courses in three categories: 1) best new builds; 2) most exciting course renovations; and 3) most memorable older courses they played for the first time this year. Andy and Garrett wrap up with some chat about the golf course projects they're looking forward to seeing in 2024.

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With Rahm Gone to LIV, What's Next for the PGA Tour?

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Last week, Jon Rahm announced that he had signed a massive contract with LIV Golf. This is by far the most consequential signing yet for the Saudi-backed breakaway league. Andy is joined by Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) and Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) to discuss what Rahm's departure means for the PGA Tour, how it affects the Tour's framework agreement with LIV, what the Tour needs to do to succeed going forward, and whether LIV will become significantly more interesting to watch. Andy, Shane, and Joseph wrap things up with a little rollback talk.

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The USGA's Mike Whan and Thomas Pagel on Universal Rollback

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 01:23:00 +0000

The USGA and R&A announced today (Wednesday, December 6) that they plan to adjust their testing standards for golf balls, resulting in a small rollback across the game. To discuss this decision, Mike Whan and Thomas Pagel—the USGA's CEO and Chief Governance Officer, respectively—join Garrett to talk about the governing bodies' switch from bifurcation to universal rollback, why they expect the impact on average players to be minor, the feedback they've received from equipment manufacturers and professional tours, and what they hope the overall effect of the rule change on the game will be.

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Rollback Is (Reportedly) Coming—Let's Discuss

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 23:31:00 +0000

Don't call it an "emergency pod": Andy and Garrett throw out their plans for the week and sit down to discuss the late-breaking news that the USGA and R&A will soon announce a future universal rollback of the golf ball . Andy and Garrett talk about the events that have led to this juncture and address a number of common concerns, misapprehensions, and points of debate around the issue.

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Tiger's Return and the Status of the Framework Agreement

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 21:15:00 +0000

Golf Channel senior writer Ryan Lavner joins Andy for some professional-golf chat. They check in on the status of the framework agreement between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian PIF, and they discuss how the Tour might need to change going forward. Then they offer some thoughts on Tiger Woods's presser at the Hero World Challenge and the state of his game. After going through some of their favorite memories from the 2023 season, Ryan and Andy finish up with some grill talk.

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Golf and Music with Drew Holcomb

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Acclaimed musician Drew Holcomb joins the podcast to talk about music, golf, and the intersection between the two. Drew tells Andy about how he got into golf later in his life, the way his career in music progressed in relation to his golf game, and the new courses he has played this year (along with some musical artist comps for those courses). They also touch on music on the golf course, the holiday-music genre, and which major could use a theme song.

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Yolk with Doak 41: Sedge Valley, Pinehurst No. 10, Difficulty vs. "Fun," and Blind Shots

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 20:41:00 +0000

For the second of our two Thanksgiving-week Yolk with Doak installments, Andy and golf course architect Tom Doak tackle some more listener questions. Among other topics, they discuss Doak's recent Sedge Valley and Pinehurst No. 10 projects, designing short par 4s and shot courses that challenge elite players, difficult vs. "fun" courses, a wild idea for an Olympic course, and the pros and cons of blind shots.

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Yolk with Doak 40: High Pointe, Lido, and Playing His Own Designs

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 14:56:00 +0000

Tom Doak is back for the first of two new episodes. In this first one, Tom addresses a variety of listener questions. He talks about the revival of his original High Pointe design outside of Traverse City, Michigan, and how it has been a unique project for Renaissance Golf Design. Andy and Tom then discuss the takeaways Tom has from Lido after a few days on site in October.

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Roberto Castro on the TGL and the Direction of the PGA Tour

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 16:10:00 +0000

Former PGA Tour pro Roberto Castro joins the podcast to discuss the TGL, the indoor, tech-infused golf league featuring the likes of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy that will launch in January next year. Roberto has been helping the TGL design its gameplay, and he provides information and perspective on the league's genesis, format, and potential. Before digging into this topic, however, Roberto and Andy discuss Roberto's recent experiences playing with retro equipment. Toward the end of the episode, they talk about the direction of the PGA Tour in the "Framework Agreement" era.

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The Evolution of Modern Golf Architecture with Bruce Hepner

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Bruce Hepner, former Vice President of Tom Doak's Renaissance Golf Design, was at the forefront of many current trends in golf architecture, from the Golden Age restoration movement to the revival of the design-build method. So we figured he would have an interesting perspective on the evolution of modern golf course design. Bruce and Garrett start by chatting about Bruce's passion for music and his recent renovation of Percy Warner Golf Course, a municipal nine in Nashville. They then discuss Bruce's epoch-spanning career, touching on his work in the early 1990s with Ron Forse, his experiences on Doak projects like Pacific Dunes and Ballyneal, and his thoughts on how the golf course restoration game has changed in recent years.

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Gil Hanse Talks Municipal Golf

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, Garrett spoke with architect Gil Hanse in front of an audience at the Pearl Street Warehouse in Washington, D.C. Their conversation was part of the National Links Trust Symposium on Municipal Golf, so they focused on Gil's résumé of municipal designs, from Rustic Canyon and Soule Park in the early 2000s, to the recently opened Park in West Palm Beach, to his ongoing projects at Maggie Hathaway in Los Angeles and Rock Creek Park in D.C. Garrett and Gil touch on a variety of larger topics, such as the importance of architectural minimalism to affordable golf course development and the recent changes in both the golf architecture industry and Gil's own workload. Many thanks to the National Links Trust for asking Garrett to be involved in this year's symposium, and for letting us share this conversation with our listeners. Find out more about the NLT's work HERE.

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Dream 18: Sand Valley

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Garrett joins Andy, aka "Sheddie Hackett," in the Fried Egg Golf Shedquarters for the first multi-person pod recorded entirely within the four uninsulated walls of Andy's backyard shed. They celebrate this momentous occasion by picking a "Dream 18" for Sand Valley in Nekoosa, Wisconsin. They select their favorite holes at each number (1 through 18) from the resort's five existing courses: Coore & Crenshaw's Sand Valley, David McLay Kidd's Mammoth Dunes, Coore & Crenshaw's Sandbox, Tom Doak and Brian Schneider's re-creation of C.B. Macdonald's Lido, and Tom Doak's Sedge Valley. Andy also gets in a few digs at large flagsticks.

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Mike Cocking of OCM on Breaking into the U.S. Market and Remaking Medinah

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 19:45:00 +0000

Australian golf architect Mike Cocking returns to the pod for the first time in five years. Along with OCM design partners Geoff Ogilvy and Ashley Mead, Mike has been working more in the U.S. recently, so he and Andy have a lot to catch up on. They cover a variety of topics, including the best Ben Hogan story Mike heard while renovating Shady Oaks Country Club in Texas, how to design and build site-specific bunkers, the differences between Sandbelt golf and American golf, and some off-the-wall design concepts he'd like to try . Mike and Andy also dig deeply into two of OCM's current projects: an ambitious renovation of Course 3 at Medinah Country Club, which will debut at the 2026 Presidents Cup; and a 36-hole new build in Georgia, which will feature both a heathland-style and a Sandbelt-style course.

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Reviewing 2023 in Golf with Shane Bacon and Kyle Porter

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0000

With the Ryder Cup in the rearview mirror and the competitive season winding down, Andy brings on Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) and Kyle Porter (@kyleportercbs) for a rollicking discussion of the year in golf. They rank the top five people and things that golf has been best to in 2023, and the conversation veers in a variety of directions, touching on playing Augusta National, coaching vs. parenting, and of course Blockie.

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Building a Career in Golf Architecture with Dan Hixson

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Dan Hixson is a golf architect based in Portland, Oregon, who has designed and built several excellent golf courses in the Pacific Northwest, including Bandon Crossings, Wine Valley, the reversible Craddock/Hankins layout at Silvies Valley Ranch, and the new Bar Run. Sitting in his home office, Dan tells Garrett about his varied career in golf course design. He begins by talking about his ongoing renovation of Lake Oswego Golf Course, a municipal facility in the Portland suburbs. He then delves into how he got interested in golf architecture as a kid, his foray into international competitive golf, his time as a club pro, and his sudden transition into golf course design. In the second half of the episode, Dan and Garrett touch on some of his most significant design projects—all of which are open to the public.

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The Uncertain Future of LIV Golf and the Framework Agreement

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 17:49:00 +0000

The interest and intrigue in season two of LIV Golf has waned throughout the year and in the aftermath of the bombshell that was the “Framework Agreement” with the PGA Tour. As its season winds down, LIV is front and center again and Golfweek’s Adam Woodard, who has been on the LIV beat the last two years, joins Fried Egg Golf’s Garrett Morrison to discuss the recent denial of OWGR points and how interest has dropped off severely in its second year. They also discuss the tenuous nature of that framework deal with the PGA Tour and the potential consequences if it does fall through at the year-end deadline. Will we see another round of player movement and defections between the two leagues? And how is that deal uncertainty impacting LIV and its future? They also catchup on the league’s season ending events for both team play in Miami this week and individual play in Saudi Arabia last week.

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Mat Goggin on Contending for the 2009 Open and Building 7 Mile Beach in Tasmania

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Mathew Goggin has had one of the most interesting careers in golf and he's not yet old enough to play on the Champions Tour. Growing up in Tasmania as the son of legendary golfer Lindy Goggin (née Jennings), Mat played frequently at Royal Hobart Golf Club, which is close to the Hobart International Airport as well as a strip of sand dunes and pine trees called Seven Mile Beach. Mat often wondered why there wasn't a course on this landmass, amid the spectacular dunes. Future Tassie golfers will no longer have to wonder: with the help of architects Mike Clayton and Mike DeVries, Mat is developing a new public golf course at Seven Mile Beach, set to open in late 2024. In addition, he has already begun to plan a second course next door, this one called 5 Mile Beach. Matt gives Garrett the lowdown on these projects and also talks about his outstanding competitive career, highlighted by a victory at the 1995 Australian Amateur, five wins on the Korn Ferry Tour, and a very close call at the 2009 Open Championship. (Yes, that Open—the Tom Watson vs. Stewart Cink one.)

Mentioned in the episode: Mat's excellent essay "10 years and counting...," a reflection on his late grandfather's influence on his life in golf

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Takeaways from the 2023 Ryder Cup

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 19:30:00 +0000

Another European Ryder Cup, another "surprising" loss for Team USA. In this episode, Garrett offers some analysis of Europe's 16.5-11.5 victory in Rome as well as a few big-picture takeaways. First he is joined by Joseph LaMagna, a Fried Egg Golf contributor and the author of the Finding the Edge newsletter, to perform an autopsy of the U.S. team's performance. For a discussion of the European squad's successful week, Garrett brings on Ben Coley (39:38), the deputy head of content at sportinglife.com. Both Joseph and Ben touch on players who thrived at Marco Simone, players who faltered, and the strategic decisions that led to Sunday's result.

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Ryder Cup Predictions... Plus a Little History

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Happy Ryder Cup Eve! As the first day of action in Rome approaches, Garrett checks in with three members of the Fried Egg Golf team—Andy Johnson, Brendan Porath, and Joseph LaMagna—to get their predictions for which team will win at Marco Simone, what the final score will be, and who will prove the most and least valuable players. For the second part of the episode (34:15), Garrett is joined by Shane Ryan, author of The Cup They Couldn't Lose, to discuss how the Ryder Cup has changed over time. Garrett and Shane provide historical context for this week's event by exploring how Europe gained the upper hand on the U.S. team starting in the late 1980s, and how Team USA has only recently begun to match its opponent's level of organization and leadership.

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A Preview of the 2023 Ryder Cup with Trevor Immelman

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 21:00:00 +0000

CBS lead golf analyst Trevor Immelman joins Andy to preview this week's Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy. The two discuss the big storylines heading into the Ryder Cup, including top-tier European players, the depth of the U.S. team, Justin Thomas's prospects, and Team USA's predictable pairings.

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Starting a Golf Tour and Playing on the APGA

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0000

This episode focuses on the APGA Tour, which seeks to bring greater diversity to golf by helping African Americans and other minorities to gain access to careers in the game. First, Andy speaks with APGA founder Ken Bentley about how he started the tour, what his original goals were, and what the tour has become. They also touch on some stories of APGA players. For the second half of the episode, APGA Tour and PGA Tour Canada member Aaron Beverly joins Andy to discuss his life in golf (57:45). Aaron talks about how his years of experience in ballet helped his game, and about his path from watching Tiger Woods every weekend as a kid to winning the Charlie Sifford Award and joining Tiger on a panel.

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A Chat with the Designer of the Ryder Cup Venue

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, outside of Rome, Italy, is this year's Ryder Cup host. In preparation for this rather high-profile gig, Marco Simone underwent a redesign by European Golf Design, in cooperation with Tom Fazio II. European Golf Design's lead architect for this project was Dave Sampson, and in this episode, Dave joins Garrett for a deep dive into the course. Dave talks about the most attention-getting holes at Marco Simone, the thought that went into building the spectator and hospitality infrastructure at the venue, whether he believes the course will actually favor the Europeans over the Americans, and some of the criticism Marco Simone has received from European Tour players. Garrett also asks Dave about his general philosophy of championship course design, including his take on the role of narrow fairways and thick rough in challenging elite players.

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A Ryder Cup Draft with Shane Bacon

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Shane Bacon joins Andy to draft their own Ryder Cup teams: Team Egg vs. Team Bacon. They do a schoolyard pick, drawing from the pool of American and European pros who will compete in the Ryder Cup later this month, ranking them 1-24, and offering insights and critiques on individual players. Banter ensues.

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Golf Architecture Mailbag Redux and How to Do a Low-Cost Muni Renovation

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

First, Andy and Garrett cover some mailbag questions they didn't get to in last Friday's pod. They try to decide whether upcoming Ryder Cup venue Marco Simone is "good," list some of their favorite fairways in golf, and discuss the importance of tee-box design. In the back half of the episode, Garrett is joined by Will Benson (40:52), the facility manager and golf superintendent at Laurelwood, a nine-hole municipal course in Eugene, Oregon. Over the past several years, Will has carried out significant design upgrades at Laurelwood, and he tells Garrett about how he made these projects happen efficiently and cheaply.

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Golf Architecture Mailbag: Most Exciting New Courses, The Lido, and More

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Mailbag time! Andy and Garrett address a bunch of golf architecture-related questions from listeners. Among the topics covered: this year's most exciting new-build golf courses, the best courses Andy and Garrett saw for the first time recently, the virtues of the Lido, whether more "Harbour Town-style" courses should be built, why Pete Dye is not "VERY overrated," and whether template holes are lazy and uncreative. Also, Garrett gets a headache trying to answer the following question: If you could play one architect's body of work for the rest of your golfing life, whom would you choose and why?

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Sizing Up the U.S. Ryder Cup Team

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Zach Johnson made his six captain's picks on Tuesday, so the U.S. Ryder Cup team is now complete. In this episode, Andy and Fried Egg Golf contributor Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) discuss the merits of the ZJ's selections, evaluate Team USA in detail, and give some preliminary takes on the European squad.

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Takeaways from the 2023 PGA Tour Season with Kyle Porter

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:38:23 +0000

The 2023 PGA Tour season is in the books, so Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) joins Garrett to discuss a few big-picture takeaways from the past year's action. First, though, they touch on Viktor Hovland's dominance in the last two legs of the FedEx Cup Playoffs and the hugely promising arc of his career so far. After running through their season-long takeaways, Kyle and Garrett briefly chat about Zach Johnson's upcoming captain's picks for the U.S. Ryder Cup team.

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Bringing the Lido to Life with Superintendent Jimmy Humston

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Jimmy Humston is the golf course superintendent at the recently opened Lido in Nekoosa, Wisconsin. He joins Andy for a discussion of what it's like to live in Nekoosa, how he got introduced to Sand Valley, and the various jobs he's held around the resort. Jimmy and Andy dig deep into the story of building the Lido, a reproduction of C.B. Macdonald's famous course on Long Island. They talk about the construction process, the challenges of re-creating a lost design in a different locale, the secrets behind growing grass on the Lido's bold features, and Jimmy's plans for the course's future aesthetic.

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The Lowdown on Waverley Country Club with Superintendent Brian Koffler

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Host of this week's 2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open, Waverley Country Club is a Golden Age Chandler Egan design, restored in 2012 by Gil Hanse, and—in Garrett's opinion—the best golf course in Portland, Oregon. Garrett sits down with superintendent Brian Koffler to talk about Waverley's history, architecture, best holes, and agronomy. They also discuss the challenges of maintaining turf in the Pacific Northwest and the striking array of top-10 clubs Brian interned at early in his career.

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PGA Tour Life with Michael Kim and Building a Lighted Par-3 Course with Grass Clippings

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 16:21:30 +0000

To lead off this episode, Andy sits down with PGA Tour winner Michael Kim (@Mike_kim714) to chat about a variety of topics. They discuss the courses Michael played in the Bay Area while attending UC Berkley, his strong play this season, and his newly vocal presence on Twitter. They also debate the USGA and R&A's proposed Model Local Rule for a reduced-flight competition ball (Andy is for it; Michael, like most PGA Tour members, is against it). For the back half of the episode (1:05:44), Andy brings on Jimmy and Jake Hoselton of the company Grass Clippings (@GrassClippingsc). Jimmy and Jake talk about how they founded Grass Clippings to shed more light on the turf industry, and the company's plans to develop an accessible, lighted par-3 course designed by Jackson Kahn.

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The Latest from the Rollback Wars and the Excellence of Bel-Air CC with Geoff Shackelford

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Yesterday marked the end of the official "comment period" for the USGA and R&A's proposed Model Local Rule regarding a reduced-flight golf ball for elite competition. That's right, ya missed it. But the PGA Tour and the PGA of America submitted their comments on time, and they're opposed. Why have these organizations aligned against the governing bodies? How have certain equipment companies put their thumbs on the scale? What's the likelihood that the USGA and R&A will cave? Garrett discusses all of those questions with Geoff Shackelford (@geoffshac), author of the Quadrilateral newsletter as well as the new book Golf Architecture for Normal People. In the second half of the episode, Garrett and Geoff shift to sunnier topics: the delight that was last week's U.S. Women's Amateur at Bel-Air Country Club, the merits of Bel-Air's design and agronomy, and the unexpected two-major season from Lilia Vu, yet another successful product of Southern California's public-golf scene.

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Richie Ramsay Geeks Out About Golf Architecture

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Garrett sits down with Richie Ramsay (@RamsayGolf)—2006 U.S. Amateur champion, four-time winner on the DP World Tour, and golf-architecture aficionado—to discuss a variety of topics. They start with a debrief of Richie's recent trip to Minnesota, where he saw courses like Interlachen, White Bear Yacht Club, Edina, and of course Hazeltine, the site of his U.S. Amateur triumph and subject of an upcoming "reimagining" by Davis Love III's firm. They then discuss Richie's recent play, including his win last year at Hillside Golf Club and his appearance at the 2023 Open, and his thoughts on the direction of the DP World Tour in the context of professional golf's current upheaval. Garrett and Richie wrap up with a little preview of this week's Women's Open venue Walton Heath.

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Growing Grass at Sullivan County and Leveling Up a Golf Architecture Business

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

For the first interview in this episode, Andy is joined by Shaun Smith (@GorseNod), superintendent at Sullivan County Golf Club, a public nine-holer in upstate New York now operated by author Tom Coyne. Shaun discusses the ups and downs of his life and career, what he's done so far at Sullivan County, and what his hopes are for the future. In the second half of the episode, Andy brings on golf architect Tyler Rae (@TylerRaeDesign). Andy and Tyler talk about what has changed in Tyler's career since he was last on the pod five years ago and the differences he has noticed between restoration and new-build projects. They wrap up by discussing the top three courses they saw in the past year.

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A History of Par

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The idea of par dominates our thinking about golf. It's how we judge a player's performance. It's how we assess the difficulty of a golf course. It's how we categorize holes and courses. It shapes our perception of the game in way's that we don't even notice; it's the water we swim in. And yet for most of golf history, the idea of par did not exist.

Today's guest is Stephen Proctor (@SProctorGolf), a golf historian and the author of Monarch of the Green and The Long Golden Afternoon, as well as a co-host of the podcast The Duffer's Literary Companion. Stephen joins Garrett to discuss why par wasn't a necessary concept in the game's early centuries, how the desire for something like par emerged during Young Tom Morris's time, and how the idea began to gain momentum as golf spread to the United States in the early 1900s. They also talk about the effect that par has had on the game—an effect that neither Stephen nor Garrett sees as particularly positive.

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The Top 10 Players in Golf and Why the PGA Tour Should Pay Attention to the NBA Cup

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 20:39:00 +0000

Andy Johnson and Joseph LaMagna discuss who their top 10 players in golf are now that the major championships are over. The two chat about players such as Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele rank as well as the breakout campaign of Viktor Hovland. They also talk about the recent NBA announcement of the NBA Cup, an in-season tournament that adds significance to regular season games and the parallels to the problems golf faces. Each has a unique way that the PGA Tour could look at the NBA Cup and create more interest in its own schedule.

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Takeaways from the 2023 Open Championship

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The final men's major of the year just wrapped up at Royal Liverpool, and we're back to dig into the most important stories from the 2023 Open Championship. First, Garrett speaks with Sean Martin (@PGATOURSmartin) of PGA Tour dot com about the skill set, personality, and career arc of the new Champion Golfer of the Year, Brian Harman. Then Garrett brings on Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) to share three takeaways about Hoylake, this past week's excellent venue.

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A Few Holes to Watch at the 2023 Open Championship (and How They Evolved)

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

With the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool fast approaching, Garrett is joined by Joe McDonnell (@joemmcdonne11), the Head of Imagery at the golf architecture firm Clayton, DeVries & Pont as well as a longtime Hoylake member. After a quick intro from Garrett addressing the controversy over the "internal" out-of-bounds lines on the championship third and 18th holes, Joe gives a guided tour of the design and history of four holes on Royal Liverpool's back nine: Nos. 12, 13, 14, and 17. Joe and Garrett wrap up with a discussion of the sadistic third (the members' opener). Enjoy the Open!

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Five Things About the 2023 Open Championship with Kyle Porter

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 16:22:00 +0000

Kyle Porter of CBS Sports (@KylePorterCBS) joins Andy Johnson to preview the 2023 Open Championship. The two discuss Rory, Scottie Scheffler, and Rickie Fowler, among other favorites, and they break down they're looking for from the course and the tournament. Also, Kyle is really excited about the prospects of Padraig Harrington on the Ryder Cup team.

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Royal Liverpool Preview and Music + Golf with Micah Pueschel of Iration

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +0000

With the Open at Royal Liverpool approaching, Andy brings on Jasper Miners of Evalu18 (7:24) to ring in this year's brief links season. First they chat about some non-links hidden gems around London, then Jasper breaks down the history of Royal Liverpool and describes the differences between the original course and today's version. Andy and Jasper also discuss the new 17th hole and how the course stacks up against other Open rota venues. For the back half of the episode, Micah Pueschel (@Pooshdaddy) of the band Iration joins (58:28) to talk about his life in golf, how he manages to play while on tour, and how he has recruited other members of Iration into his obsession.

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What Do We Want Out of a Championship Golf Course?

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +0000

After a week on site at Pebble Beach for the U.S. Women's Open, Andy joins Garrett to talk about how the course challenged the players, where the setup fell short, and what, more generally, championship golf venues should strive to accomplish in the 21st century.

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How Pebble Beach Will Play for the Women and a PGA Tour Check-In

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 16:13:55 +0000

Andy is joined by Fried Egg contributor Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) for a chat about happenings in professional golf. First, they give some thoughts on the U.S. Women's Open at Pebble Beach: how the course should play for the women's field compared to the usual Pro-Am and U.S. Open fields; how courses could and should be set up to challenge and identify the best women golfers; to what extent they're in on the Rose Zhang hype; and whether Nelly Korda is on the comeback trail. Then Andy and Joseph dig into some PGA Tour topics. They talk about which players have done well and flown under the radar, how the Ryder Cup is shaping up, who could be in line for Player of the Year, and what might happen with the future PGA Tour schedule.

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A Monterey Golf Guide

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Garrett and fellow Fried Egg team member Brendan Porath devote this episode to golf in the Monterey, California, area. First, they discuss some storylines they're tracking going into this week's U.S. Women's Open, held for the first time in the tournament's history at Pebble Beach Golf Links. They touch on some aspects of Pebble Beach that they're looking forward to seeing the women's field tackle. In the back half of the episode (22:56), they offer a guide to golf in and around Monterey. Garrett lived in Pebble Beach for five years, so he provides a local perspective on the various public golf options, from premium to affordable.

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2023 Ryder Cup Roster Questions, Mid-Am Golf with Shane Bacon, and Course Changes for Pros

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 20:31:02 +0000

Andy opens this pod with some reflections on the recent news that TPC River Highlands is looking at making course changes after a low-scoring Travelers Championship. He thinks that many people involved are ignoring the real problem, which is the equipment. Andy then brings on Shane Bacon (13:10) to talk about Shane's excellent performance at "The Ike," a big amateur tournament put on by the Metropolitan Golf Association. They also discuss what the 2023 Ryder Cup teams look like right now, and which players they expect to be on the teams in September.

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Reflecting on the Women's PGA and Yearning for a Euro Tour Links Season

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Garrett and Meg kick off this Tuesday show with some thoughts on the Women's PGA Championship: the background and playing style of Ruoning Yin, the 20-year-old champion; the continued excellence of Rose Zhang; and the continued failures of the networks to air women's major championships in a suitable fashion. Garrett then checks in with Ben Coley (@BenColeyGolf) of Sporting Life about the state of the DP World Tour (28:31). Garrett and Ben talk about the (increasingly distant) possibility of a "links season" consisting of the Irish, Scottish, and British Opens as well as the tour's uncertain positioning in—or perhaps outside of—the burgeoning alliance between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. To go out on a more lighthearted note, Garrett and Ben wrap up with some recommendations (1:00:36).

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Final U.S. Open Thoughts and a New Alister MacKenzie Book

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 13:07:00 +0000

Fresh off a week at Los Angeles Country Club for the U.S. Open, Andy gives his closing thoughts on the course and contenders. Following the U.S. Open talk, Andy is joined by Josh Pettit, author and creator of The MacKenzie Reader, a new book on the great golf architect Alister MacKenzie. Josh talks about what drew him to MacKenzie, how he put together the book, and his favorite anecdotes from MacKenzie's life.

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Takeaways from the 2023 U.S. Open

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Garrett launches this U.S. Open recap show by asking Los Angeles resident and ESPN staff writer Paolo Uggetti (@PaoloUggetti) whether L.A. has the worst fans in sports. After settling that issue, Garrett and Paolo review the final day of the 2023 U.S. Open, touching on Wyndham Clark's championship-winning shotmaking, Rory McIlroy's frustrating runner-up finish, and the much-discussed atmosphere on the limited-capacity North Course at L.A. Country Club. For the back half of the episode, Garrett is joined by Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna), Fried Egg contributor and Finding the Edge author, to evaluate the USGA's setup of LACC and talk about its architectural strengths and weaknesses (28:38). Garrett and Joseph wrap up by giving recommendations (53:24).

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U.S. Open Thursday Thoughts and the Philadelphia School of Golf Architecture

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Garrett opens this mid-week U.S. Open episode by emptying his notebook from a Wednesday walk around Los Angeles Country Club. He talks about three spots on the North Course's back nine that he's looking forward to watching. Then he brings on golf historian Wayne Morrison (no relation) to discuss the Philadelphia School of Golf Architecture, the influential group of golf course designers in which LACC architect George Thomas learned his craft.

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Five Things About the 2023 U.S. Open with Geoff Shackelford

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

The 2023 U.S. Open, hosted by the North Course at Los Angeles Country Club, is approaching. Geoff Shackelford, who partnered with Hanse Golf Course Design on the restoration of L.A. North, joins Andy to discuss storylines.

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The PGA Tour, Presented by Saudi Arabia

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 02:30:00 +0000

Some weeks are more hectic than others. On Tuesday, the PGA Tour announced that it intended to partner with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the financial backer of LIV Golf, to create a new for-profit entity. If this agreement becomes a reality, the war between the Tour and LIV will come to an end, with the sides merging interests. This episode of The Fried Egg Podcast attempts to make sense of the whole mess. First, Andy runs through the basics of what happened and gives some initial takes. Then former PGA Tour player (and member of the player advisory council and policy board) Joe Ogilvie joins Andy (11:50) to discuss his thoughts on the deal, how the coming months and years might unfold, and where the Tour went wrong in the past. Later, Andy brings on Fried Egg contributor Joseph LaMagna (1:09:20) to talk about the future of LIV and how the dynamics between players might play out.

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The Rose Zhang Hypecast

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Rose Zhang won her first LPGA Tour start as a pro. That calls for a full episode of discussion. Garrett and Meg kick things off by talking about Rose's most impressive shots at the Mizuho Americas Open, her playing style, and her attitude. They also caution against putting absurd expectations on her 20-year-old shoulders. Later, Justin Ray joins the pod (20:07) to talk about his favorite Rose Zhang stats, and Brendan Quinn drops in (36:40) to discuss his excellent recent profile of Rose. Garrett and Meg close the episode (1:08:34) with a couple of recommendations.

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U.S. Open Favorites, Turf in L.A. with Lauren Lasocha, and KFT Life with Logan McAllister

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Andy starts this episode off by giving his 10 favorites for the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. He is then joined by Lauren Lasocha, senior agronomist at Bel-Air Country Club (12:37). Lauren tells Andy about working at not only Bel-Air but also LACC, the expectations those clubs have for big-time tournaments, and her experiences as a woman in the turf industry. For a final segment, Andy talks with Korn Ferry Tour player Logan McAllister (1:01:42) about his career and the challenges of progressing in professional golf.

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A Preview of LACC North (ft. Gil Hanse and Geoff Shackelford)

Wed, 31 May 2023 08:00:00 +0000

With the 2023 U.S. Open two weeks away, Garrett and Andy sit down to discuss the host venue, the North Course at Los Angeles Country Club. They agree that this is one of the best golf courses in the country, and they've had this tournament circled on their calendars for years. First they get some details about the restoration of L.A. North from two of the leaders of that project, Geoff Shackelford (8:15) and Gil Hanse (17:07). Then Garrett and Andy reconvene (23:58) to give their own thoughts on the course.

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Takeaways from the 2023 PGA Championship

Tue, 23 May 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Brooks Koepka is your 2023 PGA champion. Fried Egg contributor and Finding the Edge author Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) joins Garrett to talk about Koepka's resurgence, skill set, and strategic approach. They also touch on the performances of second-place finishers Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler. In the back half of the pod, Joseph and Garrett give their final thoughts on this year's PGA venue, the East Course at Oak Hill.

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A Short-Game Wizard vs. a Ball-Striking Prodigy at the 1938 PGA Championship

Thu, 18 May 2023 18:45:00 +0000

For this mid-week PGA Championship episode, we go back to 1938, when the tournament was still a match-play competition. In that year's final match, a 26-year-old Sam Snead, one of the most imposing ball-strikers the game has ever seen, faced off against the diminutive, short-hitting Paul Runyan. What happened that day is at the heart of Little Poison, John Dechant's new biography of Runyan. John joins Garrett to discuss Runyan's hardscrabble childhood, unusual playing style, short-game genius, success on the Depression-era PGA Tour, and showdown with Slammin' Sammy in 1938.

John Dechant, Little Poison

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Five Things About the 2023 PGA Championship with Ryan Lavner

Sun, 14 May 2023 15:20:00 +0000

Ryan Lavner, senior writer at Golf Channel, joins Andy to preview the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York. Ryan, who grew up near Rochester, and Andy both share five things they're paying attention to in the run-up to the tournament. Ryan also offers some Rochester food recommendations, including something called "the Garbage Plate."

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What to Know About Donald Ross (ft. Bradley Klein and Chris Buie)

Thu, 11 May 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Just one week left until the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York. As we gear up for the event, we’re looking at the architect behind Oak Hill, Donald Ross. Andy chats with authors Bradley Klein and Chris Buie about Ross’s life and work. Andy and Brad start by talking about the strengths, weaknesses, and evolution of Ross's courses. Then, Chris tells us about Ross’s life, his Scottish influences, and why he was so good at his job. To wrap up, Andy, Chris, and Bradley each share their top five Ross courses.

Bradley Klein is the author of Discovering Donald Ross.

Chris Buie is the author of The Life and Times of Donald Ross.

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LIV's Major Complaints and How the PGA Tour Monitors Slow Play

Tue, 09 May 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Garrett and Brendan start this Tuesday show with a discussion of Talor Gooch's ongoing battle with the USGA over an exemption-category change that may keep him out of the 2023 U.S. Open (4:18). They touch on the various sides of the conflict, from the potential rationales for the USGA's position to the behavior of Gooch, Phil Mickelson, and other LIV players during the conflict. Garrett and Brendan also address whether the USGA could have avoided this fight—or at least prevented it from staying in the news for weeks. For the second segment, Garrett brings on Shane Ryan (@ShaneRyanHere) to discuss his recent on-the-ground reporting on how the PGA Tour enforces its pace-of-play standards (32:48). Read Shane's article for Golf Digest HERE. Finally, Brendan returns to talk with Garrett about the storylines they're tracking this week in golf (1:04:13).

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PGA Championship Favorites and Oak Hill Insights

Thu, 04 May 2023 11:00:00 +0000

To paraphrase Bill Belichick, we're on to Rochester! In this solo pod, Andy runs through his top 10 picks for the PGA Championship and explains what style of play will do well at this year's venue, the East Course at Oak Hill Country Club. Before diving into those topics, though, he offers some reflections on this past week's U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open media days at Los Angeles Country Club and Pebble Beach.

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A Preview of Oak Hill (ft. Andrew Green and Fred Beltz)

Tue, 02 May 2023 13:32:00 +0000

In this episode, Andy and Garrett discuss the East Course at Oak Hill Country Club, the host of the 2023 PGA Championship. First they bring on Fred Beltz, the club historian, and Andrew Green, the architect behind the recent historical renovation of the East, to talk about the history and character of the golf course. Then Andy and Garrett give their own takes on Oak Hill East, covering its strengths, weaknesses, and how it might play in the upcoming PGA Championship.

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Does Golf Need a Shot Clock?

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Washington Post sports columnist Barry Srvluga joins Andy to discuss the impact of baseball's new rules on the sport. Barry delves into the challenges baseball faced and the factors that led to its major overhaul. He and Andy then explore how these changes connect to issues in golf, particularly the pace-of-play issue in the professional game. Barry has written about both baseball and golf for the Post, and has authored two books on baseball, The Grind: Inside Baseball's Endless Season and National Pastime: Sports, Politics, and the Return of Baseball to Washington, D.C.

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Rodeo Dunes Insights with Michael Keiser and Reflections on New-Coke Dinah Shore

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Garrett and Meg kick off this Tuesday show by briefly tackling the age-old question, Which event felt more like a real golf tournament: the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic or LIV Adelaide? Garrett then brings on Dream Golf Resorts developer Michael Keiser (5:07) to talk about his project Rodeo Dunes, a soon-to-be-built resort outside of Denver, Colorado, which will join a Keiser-family collection that includes Bandon Dunes and Sand Valley. Michael talks about how he found the dunesy prairie property where Rodeo Dunes will sit, the process behind selecting Jimmy Craig and Coore & Crenshaw as the architects of the first two courses, how he hopes the new courses will stand out from others in the Dream Golf portfolio, and his thoughts on where golf architecture might go in the future. After that, Meg rejoins the podcast (35:38) to chat with Garrett about the first women's major of the year, the Chevron Championship—formerly known as the Dinah Shore—which took place outside of the Palm Springs area for the first time this past weekend. Lastly, Garrett and Meg run through the golf storylines they're tracking this week (59:52).

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Introducing The Park with Jim Wagner of Hanse Golf Course Design

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The Park in West Palm Beach is one of the most exciting municipal golf course projects in recent memory. Designed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, The Park opened on Monday and brings high-quality public golf architecture to South Florida. Andy saw the course last week, and he opens this episode by giving his reactions to the design and his thoughts on its innovative business model. To discuss The Park further, Andy sits down with Jim Wagner, the Vice President and Design Partner at Hanse Golf Course Design. Andy and Jim talk about the site in West Palm Beach, the concept for the course, the style of the greens, the inspiration behind the design, and Dirk Ziff's involvement with the project.

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Andy and Garrett Go to Augusta National

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Andy got to play Augusta National for the first time the day after the 2023 Masters. Garrett got to walk around Augusta National for the first time on Saturday at the 2023 ANWA. In this episode, they discuss.

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Masters Takeaways: Rahm vs. Koepka and a Mailbag with Shane Bacon

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Garrett and Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) kick off this post-Masters Tuesday episode by guessing what TFE founder Andy Johnson will shoot in his media-lottery round at Augusta National. They then give a thorough rundown of the Sunday duel between Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka at the Masters, touching on Rahm's strategy, ball-striking, and historic outperformance at Augusta, as well as Koepka's final-round lapses and outlook for the future. For the next segment, Garrett brings on Shane Bacon (@shanebacon), who spent the past week calling the action on the Featured Groups feed on Masters.com. Garrett and Shane discuss the ins and outs of broadcasting at Augusta National and run through a few mailbag questions from listeners. Lastly, Garrett is rejoined by Joseph to talk about the storylines they're tracking this week in golf.

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Masters Presser Reactions and an Alternative History of Augusta National's Design

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000

This midweek Masters episode starts with Garrett offering some solo thoughts on the pre-tournament press conferences at Augusta National (0:34). He touches on ANGC chairman Fred Ridley's announcement of a partnership with a local muni as well as Ridley's diplomatic but telling comments on the USGA and R&A's efforts to roll back the golf ball in elite competitions. Also assessed are Dustin Johnson's and Jon Rahm's reactions to the newly lengthened 13th hole. Garrett then brings on golf historian Bob Crosby (@otey71) to explore an alternative take on the history of Augusta National's course design (14:49). Bob takes Garrett through the origins and evolution of the third, eighth, seventh, and 10th holes at the Masters venue and offers a compelling interpretation of why they changed—or, in the case of the third hole, didn't change—and what it all meant.

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Five Things About the 2023 Masters with Trevor Immelman

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 14:20:00 +0000

Trevor Immelman, the 2008 Masters champion and current CBS lead analyst, joins host Andy to provide a preview of the upcoming 2023 Masters. Immelman brings fresh insights from his recent weekend spent at Augusta National, including an in-depth analysis of the changes made to the 13th hole and their impact on this year's tournament. Other topics discussed include Rory's pursuit of the Grand Slam, Scottie Scheffler's suitability for Augusta National, and how the preparation of LIV players will affect their performance in this year's first major championship.

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The Uncertain State of the LPGA Tour and a Trio of ANWA Player Profiles with Anne Walker

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Garrett and Meg Adkins (@megadkins_TFE) launch this Tuesday show by sharing their favorite memories from the erstwhile WGC-Dell Match Play. They then dig into the current state of the LPGA Tour, offering takeaways from this past week's Drive On Championship; thoughts on the players who are currently top tier (and almost top tier); criticisms of the awkward, momentum-free start to the LPGA schedule; and analysis of the quiet power struggle between the LPGA Tour, the Ladies European Tour, and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. For the next segment, Garrett brings on Anne Walker, head coach of the stellar Stanford women's golf team, to talk about the NCAA season so far and get some inside info on the three Stanford players who will participate in this week's Augusta National Women's Amateur: Brooke Seay, Megha Ganne, and the dominant Rose Zhang. Garrett and Meg then wrap up by discussing the golf storylines they're tracking this week.

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Masters Favorites, Golf Architecture Chat, and a Ranking of Golf Areas in Great Britain

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Andy opens the episode by running through his favorites for the 2023 Masters. He is then joined by golf architect Jaeger Kovich for a wide-ranging conversation. They talk about how Jaeger builds greens, the challenges of running his own firm, how he does master plans and presentations for clubs, and his thoughts about the potential impact of the Model Local Rule ball. They wrap up with Jaeger doing a power ranking of the different golf regions of Scotland and England.

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A Farewell to the Match Play and a Rollback Chat with Dean Snell

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

NOTE: If you initially hear last week's episode with Brendan Porath and Sean Martin, delete that episode and re-download. We made an uploading mistake. Sorry about that!

At the top of our Tuesday show, Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) calms Garrett's fears about the state of Jordan Spieth's game. They then talk about the PGA Tour's WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, which will no longer exist after this year (4:59). They review Austin Country Club, the excellent venue for the tournament, and run through the various (frustrating) reasons that the Match Play fizzled out. For the next segment, Garrett brings on Dean Snell, the founder of Snell Golf as well as one of the engineering minds behind the Titleist Professional and ProV1 golf balls, to discuss the governing bodies' new Model Local Rule from an equipment-industry perspective (29:45). Dean is, to say the least, not pro-rollback. Finally, Joseph and Garrett give their storylines to track in the golf world this week (1:09:52).

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A Rollback Extravaganza

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

On Tuesday, the USGA and R&A announced a Model Local Rule (MLR) that, if adopted, would reduce the flight of the golf ball in high-level tournaments. This is a historic move that deserves the mega-pod treatment. To kick things off, Andy and Garrett discuss the basics of the MLR and why the governing bodies have gone this route in tackling the distance issue (4:03). Then Andy brings on a series of guests: golf architect Tom Doak to explore the impact that the MLR might have on golf course design (30:04), former PGA Tour pro Roberto Castro to talk about the change from a player's perspective (48:34), and analytics whiz Joseph LaMagna to explore the effects that rollback could have on course management and strategy at the elite competitive level (1:09:23).

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The Tao of Scottie Scheffler and Rank-and-File Rumblings at the 2023 Players

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Our Tuesday show covers a variety of topics related to the past week's Players Championship. First, Garrett talks with Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) about whether Scottie Scheffler's win should count as 0.5 of a major (0:35). Then Garrett brings in the PGA Tour's Sean Martin (@PGATOURSMartin) to discuss Scheffler's mindset and approach to the game (8:05). Garrett and Sean touch on, among other things, the relationship between scrambling and faith. After that, Brendan rejoins the pod to chat with Garrett about the discontent that some rank-and-file players feel about the PGA Tour's new designated event model (33:21), and they close with two golf storylines to track in the coming week (56:55).

NOTE: We recorded this podcast on Monday morning, before the USGA and R&A announced their plan to limit distance at the elite levels of the game by rolling back the golf ball. We will cover that subject in depth on our Thursday episode this week.

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Assessing the PGA Tour's New Structure with Joe Ogilvie

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 16:30:00 +0000

Over the past week, the PGA Tour has released details about the structure of its new "designated event model." To sort it all out, Andy sits down with former tour player Joe Ogilvie (@ogilviej). Joe talks about his time on the Tour's player advisory council and policy board, the past 18 months in golf, his thoughts on the Tour's proposed changes, and what he would do if he were commissioner.

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Four Things About the 2023 Players Championship with Shane Bacon

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

It's Players week! Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) joins Andy to preview the action at TPC Sawgrass. They discuss how designated events will affect the 2023 Players and future tournaments, the Tour's response to LIV defectors (including last year's Players champion Cameron Smith), which players might have a breakout week, and the uniqueness of the Stadium Course's design. Shane and Andy wrap up by giving their picks to win.

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LIV Ratings, PGA Tour Telecast Changes, and Other Golf-on-TV Topics

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 09:00:00 +0000

LIV Golf is getting some brutal-sounding ratings on the CW, the PGA Tour's TV partners are changing things up, and golf broadcasting has become a hot topic lately. To break it all down, Garrett talks with Josh Carpenter (@JoshACarpenter), an assistant managing editor at Sports Business Journal. Josh is also, as will become apparent in this episode, a golf nut. He and Garrett discuss LIV's disappointing debut performance on the CW, what golf ratings can and can't tell us, and how the breakaway league's business prospects look in year two. In the second half of the episode, they dig into the attempts by CBS and NBC to freshen up PGA Tour telecasts and the potential effects of the new designated-event structure on the Tour's bottom line.

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Superintendent Series: Javier Campos of Cal Club

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Javier Campos (@CalClimbingSoup) is the golf course superintendent at the California Golf Club of San Francisco, more commonly known as Cal Club. Javier sits down with Andy to discuss, among other things, how he worked his way up the ranks of Cal Club's grounds crew, the influence of his mentor Thomas Bastis, the difficulties of the past winter in Northern California (which included a Caddyshack-like invasion of gophers), the intricacies of managing fine fescue and bentgrass surfaces on the West Coast, and his thoughts about autonomous maintenance equipment.

Before getting to his chat with Javier, Andy goes through what the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup top 10 would be if the FEC were determined by designated-event results only.

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The PGA Tour Season So Far

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Andy starts this episode by running through his 10 (early) favorites to win the 2023 Masters. He is then joined by Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) to talk about a variety of topics: their takeaways from the West Coast swing, the players on the PGA Tour who have stood out so far, the debate around the 10th hole at Riviera, the distinction between short par 4s and drivable par 4s, and Sports Illustrated's highly questionable new world ranking.

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Andrew Putnam Talks About Making It on the PGA Tour

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Thirty-four-year-old Andrew Putnam is a pro's pro. He has quietly put together an impressive career on the PGA Tour, winning once (at the 2018 Barracuda) and establishing himself as one of the best putters in the game. He joins Andy to discuss what it's like to be a tour pro living in the Pacific Northwest, what he thinks of the new designated-event series, why he plays with no swing coach, and what it takes to be a great on the greens.

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Full Swing Reactions with Megan Schuster

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000

The much-anticipated Netflix docuseries on professional golf has arrived. Full Swing debuted yesterday with eight episodes on the 2022 PGA Tour (and LIV) season. For some honest reactions to the show, Garrett calls up Megan Schuster (@megschuster), who covers golf and Formula 1 for The Ringer. Garrett and Megan start off by talking about what made Drive to Survive, Netflix's F1 series, so effective and popular. They then delve into Full Swing, discussing its strengths, most and least appealing characters, funniest random moments, and various shortcomings.

For more on Full Swing, check out The Fried Egg's new podcast Full Swing Thoughts, in which Andy Johnson, Brendan Porath, and Joseph LaMagna break down the series episode by episode. Search for it wherever you get podcasts, or:

Subscribe on iTunes

Subscribe on Spotify

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The State of LIV Golf

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000

LIV Golf, the upstart golf tour backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, will start its second season next week in Mexico. It's been an odd, somewhat rough offseason for Greg Norman's organization, with executives fleeing and no big-name player signings. To get a sense for what's going on in LIV-land, Garrett sits down with Adam Woodard (@AdamWoodard), who covers the league for Golfweek. Garrett and Adam talk about LIV's major successes and failures in 2022, its seeming loss of momentum in the past few months, and its prospects for 2023. They also discuss Adam's approach to and feelings about doing traditional, neutral-voiced reporting about a sports league associated with real-world ills.

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Why We're (Cautiously) Optimistic About the PGA Tour's Designated Events

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000

This week's Waste Management Phoenix Open is the PGA Tour's first full-field "designated event." The designated-event series, created in response to LIV Golf's attempts to lure the world's top male players with guaranteed paydays, will transform the Tour's structure in ways that are hard to predict. After discussing the Phoenix Open and its better-than-you-might-think venue, Andy and Garrett explain why they're excited about designated events, both as a product and as a catalyst for change on the PGA Tour. In the second half of the episode, they address some of their lingering questions about the series, and Andy lays out a pitch for each event's field size and qualification criteria.

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Thad Layton on Taking Arnold Palmer Design Company into the Future

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Thad Layton has worked for Arnold Palmer Design since he graduated from college 23 years ago, and today he is the Senior Golf Course Architect and Vice President at the company. He joins Andy to talk about working with Arnold Palmer and building golf courses all over the world, including getting his first lead-design gig on a project in Kazakhstan. In recent years, Thad has done a lot of compelling work under the APDC umbrella, and he tells Andy about guiding the company into a new era.

Before getting to his conversation with Thad (5:45), Andy shares some thoughts about the play stoppages at last weekend's Pebble Beach Pro-Am and how America's obsession with fast greens is partly to blame.

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How Digital Tech and AI Could Change Golf Course Design

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Lately Garrett has been wondering how recent technological advances, especially in the field of artificial intelligence, may change golf architecture in the coming decades. So he called up Peter Flory (@nle_golf), whose digital modeling was a key component of the Lido project in Wisconsin. Peter tells Garrett how he researched the history of the C.B. Macdonald-designed Lido Golf Club and which technological methods he used to help architect Tom Doak re-create the course in Wisconsin. Peter and Garrett then discuss the various effects that advances in digital and AI rendering may have on golf course design as a business and an artform.

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Golf Architecture Mailbag: Rollback Possibilities, Pet Peeves, and Public Golf Problems

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000

You asked, we answered. Andy and Garrett tackle a variety of golf architecture-related questions from listeners, including ones about the impact a potential equipment rollback will have on championship courses, which practices in modern golf course design are most objectionable, Robert Trent Jones II's pot-stirring Golf Magazine interview, why the Covid boom has not translated into widespread muni renovations, whether great architecture is becoming elitist and unaffordable, and more.

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Catching Up with Zac Blair

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000

After a two-year layoff to recover from shoulder surgery, Zac Blair is back on the PGA Tour this season. He's also back on the podcast, chatting with Andy about his return to professional golf. They also discuss the final stages of his Tree Farm project in South Carolina and the different contributions that he, Tom Doak, and Kye Goalby brought to the design and construction process. Finally, they turn their attention to the future, touching on potential golf developments Zac wants to be involved in and a golf trip that he'd like to take.

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The Superintendents' Masters

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000

The GCSAA Golf Championships, held annually in conjunction with the GCSAA Convention and Trade Show, is the biggest tournament of the year for golf course superintendents who play competitively. We attended last year’s edition and found it to be a fun, impressive event. With this year’s GCSAA Golf Championships approaching (February 4-6 in Orlando), we decided to tell the story of the 2022 tournament. Garrett talks to three different people in this episode: Scott Hollister, editor-in-chief of Golf Course Management magazine; and two players who contended for last year’s title, Tanner Westbrook and Seth Strickland. First Garrett discusses the history and identity of the tournament with Scott, then he speaks with Tanner and Seth about their backgrounds and careers in golf. Finally, we weave all three voices together in an account of the 2022 GCSAA national championship’s exciting finish.

This episode is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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Rob Collins Returns

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000

It has been over six years since Rob Collins's first appearance on The Fried Egg podcast. He was guest No. 4 back in 2016, and a lot has happened for his architecture firm King-Collins Golf since then. Rob talks with Andy about his busy 2022, which included the opening of Landmand Golf Club in Nebraska and his ongoing work at Red Feather Golf and Social Club in Lubbock, Texas. He reflects on how his life changed after the success of Sweetens Cove, and how he has handled the transition from struggling architect to one of the most prominent and in-demand names in the business. Rob and Andy wrap up with a discussion of projects and concepts Rob would like to pursue in the future, including his proposal (originally made for the Pinehurst No. 10 job) for five golf courses in one.

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Who Can Win a Major in 2023?

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000

With the 2023 golf season underway, we're already thinking ahead to the four men's major championships. Joseph LaMagna, who writes the excellent Finding the Edge newsletter, joins Andy to discuss which players have the best chance of winning a big one this year. They sort players into tiers ranging from "No Contention = Major Failure" to "Lightning in a Bottle." And yes, some LIV guys are in the mix!

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Seth Waugh on Frisco, LIV, and the PGA of America's Recent Moves

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Seth Waugh, the CEO of the PGA of America, joins Andy to talk about a range of recent happenings and hot-button issues. They discuss the decisions the PGA made when Covid-19 hit, how the organization goes about selecting host sites, the Ryder Cup, and the emergence of LIV Golf. Seth also gives details on two major golf course developments that the PGA is spearheading: the construction of the massive PGA Frisco complex and the renovation of West Palm Beach Muni by Gil Hanse

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Yolk with Doak 39: Ballyneal and Listener Questions

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000

We're back with another edition of the Yolk with Doak, our series with golf architect Tom Doak. Andy and Tom devote a portion of this episode to discussing Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club, Tom's acclaimed 2006 design in the Chop Hills of Colorado. They talk about Ballyneal's conception, how the owners influenced the final product, comparisons to Coore & Crenshaw's Sand Hills, and the holes that required the most earthmoving. In the second part of the episode, Tom fields listener questions about Old Macdonald at Bandon Dunes, whether par 3s can be strategic, holes with two greens, and the notion of playing a hole down another hole's fairway.

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Yolk with Doak 38: Pinehurst

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 16:45:00 +0000

Yesterday, Pinehurst announced that Tom Doak will design the resort's 10th 18-hole course on a dramatic property in Aberdeen, NC. Tom joins Andy to talk about the factors that will make No. 10 unique, including its elevation changes and the fast timeline for the project (his crew has already broken ground). They also discuss Pinehurst more generally, touching on the strengths of Donald Ross's No. 2 course and the importance of Coore & Crenshaw's 2010 restoration of it. In non-Pinehurst talk, they chat about how busy Tom is right now, when he says no to opportunities, and how he makes the most of his time on site.

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What We Enjoyed in 2022 and What We're Looking Forward to in 2023

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000

In the first pod of the new year, Andy and Garrett spend some time reflecting on their favorite golf moments from 2022 before looking ahead and picking a few things they're excited about in 2023. First they revisit memories from the biggest tournaments of the past year and relive casual rounds that exceeded expectations. Then they each choose a couple of events and projects that have them enthusiastic about the months to come.

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The Great English Golf Boom

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 12:00:00 +0000

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, golf caught on outside of Scotland for the first time. The game became especially popular in England, where the number of clubs skyrocketed in the 1890s and the first decade of the 1900s. Michael Morrison’s new book The Great English Golf Boom, 1864-1914: A History chronicles these developments with unprecedented detail and insight. He joins Garrett to discuss golf’s initial spread in England, the various differences between the English and Scottish games, and the pivotal innovations in golf course architecture and agronomy that English clubs introduced around the turn of the century. You can find Michael Morrison on Twitter at @golfhistorymike, and to purchase a copy of his book, simply email him at mike.morrison57@outlook.com.

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What to Know About Walter Travis (ft. Brian Schneider)

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

There’s an argument to be made that Walter Travis, the Australian-born American golfer who lived from 1862 to 1927, is the most underrated golf architect of the Golden Age. To learn more about Travis’s life and work, Andy sits down with Renaissance Golf Design associate Brian Schneider, who has done restoration work at several Travis courses. Andy and Brian discuss Travis’s impressive playing career, his relationship with legendary designer C.B. Macdonald, his bold and unique approach to green design, and his facility for creating reversible courses. They also talk about which Travis designs are the best preserved and most worth seeing.

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Let’s Talk About the OWGR

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The Official World Golf Ranking has unexpectedly become a lightning rod for debate this year because of its decisions to overhaul its formula and turn down the upstart LIV Golf league's request for immediate membership. To sort through this mess, Garrett sits down with Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna), co-founder of Optimal Approach Golf and author of the Finding the Edge newsletter. Joseph and Garrett tackle the ins and outs of the OWGR, explaining the new formula, the criteria LIV needs to meet to be granted world-ranking points, and the overall importance of the system to the world of professional golf.

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Why Golf?

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Garrett welcomes author Bob Cullen to the podcast to help explain the mysterious ways in which golf can transform a beginner into an addict overnight. Bob examined the subject in his book Why Golf?, which was published over 20 years ago and happens to be one of Garrett's favorite books on the game. Bob also talks about how his experience as a golfer has changed for him over the years and what he learned from writing a series of bestsellers with Dr. Bob Rotella.

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An Announcement from The Fried Egg

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 06:00:02 +0000

The Fried Egg is launching a membership! It's called Club TFE. Starting on January 2, 2023, members will have access to exclusive content, along with a variety of other perks. In this episode, Andy and Garrett dive into the details of what Club TFE will offer. They also chat about the history of The Fried Egg and how they think the company fits into the current media landscape.

To learn more about Club TFE and to sign up, go to thefriedegg.com/membership.

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Designing a Clubhouse

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

If you're a regular listener to The Fried Egg, chances are you've spent a fair amount of time thinking about golf course architecture. But have you ever looked at clubhouses—and other kinds of vertical structures often found on golf courses—and thought about how they're designed? Garrett has been curious about this subject for a while, and that's why he got in touch with Alex Warr (@alex_warr on Instagram), the lead designer of the clubhouse and other buildings at Zac Blair's Tree Farm project in Aiken, South Carolina. Alex tells Garrett about how he Instagram DMed his way into the job, the place-based philosophy behind the structures at the Tree Farm, why many building architects don't love golf, and the many parallels between appreciating golf courses and appreciating pretty much any other type of built environment.

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Assembling Retro Sets with Nick Sherburne of Club Champion

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Nick Sherburne, founder of Club Champion, brings decades of experience as a club maker and fitter to the podcast as he and Andy put together sets of their favorite clubs from the 80s, 90s, and early aughts. If the mention of names like Orlimar, Adams, Zebra, and Sonartec give you pangs of nostalgia, you'll enjoy Nick and Andy's lively Black Friday discussion of some of the best (Scotty Cameron Teryllium) and worst (TaylorMade Nubbins) clubs from past generations.

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Yolk with Doak 37: Scotland Travels, Restorations, and Listener Questions

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 14:45:00 +0000

In today's edition of the Yolk with Doak, Tom and Andy begin by reminiscing about their visits to Scotland earlier this year. A discussion of restorations, including Tom's own work at the Lido, takes up the middle part of the episode, and they finish with Tom answering listener questions about balancing client demands, handling criticism, choosing his favorite bunkers, and more.

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Yolk with Doak 36: Tom’s New Projects (ft. the Return of High Pointe)

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The Yolk with Doak is back! After a busy few months of travel for both Andy and Tom, they had a lot to catch up on. They start by talking about the revival of High Pointe, the first course Tom designed. He shares details about the routing, timeline, and whether he'll once again be the one shaping the greens. Next, some updates on the other ongoing projects, including Sedge Valley, Punta Brava in Mexico, and Cabot Highlands in Scotland. Look for part two of this conversation with Tom, which digs into listener questions, next week.

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Golf’s Scientific Revolution

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In his new book The Science of Golf, golf broadcaster Will Haskett (@willhaskett) delves into the scientific revolution that golf has experienced over the past quarter century. The book breaks down everything from launch-monitor technology and strokes-gained analytics to neuroscience and agronomy. Will joins Garrett to describe the enormous impact science has had on golf in the 21st century and to discuss the positive as well as potentially negative effects of certain scientific advances.

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The Many Shane Bacons

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 23:30:00 +0000

You can now add "children's book author" to Shane Bacon's (@shanebacon) lengthy résumé. The TV personality and host of the Get a Grip podcast just released his first book, "The Golfer's Zoo." He talks with Garrett about why he wanted to write golf book geared toward kids, the ways that becoming a parent changes one's relationship with the game, and the nature of the "golf guilt" that many moms and dads feel. The second half of the episode delves into Shane's career and how the field of golf media has evolved since he started out as a blogger in the late aughts.

"The Golfer's Zoo" is available for purchase at back9press.com/bacon.

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The Players That the PGA Tour Can’t Afford to Lose to LIV

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Only days after LIV's first-year finale in Miami, the high-stakes game of player recruitment for the Saudi-backed league's second season has ratcheted. Building on a recent piece by Andy in The Fried Egg Newsletter, Andy and Garrett discuss the top remaining players on the PGA Tour and their value in the tussle between the Tour and LIV. Andy and Garrett also reflect on the Tour's battlefield strategy this past year and how it might affect the future of both professional circuits.

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Superintendent Series: Brendan Parkhurst of Cape Arundel

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Brendan Parkhurst, superintendent at Cape Arundel Golf Club in Kennebunkport, Maine, joins Andy as the latest guest in our Superintendent Series. Brendan has been at Cape Arundel for over 20 years and has helped guide the Walter Travis-designed course through its restoration. The special care needed for Cape Arundel's dramatic greens, how a tidal river flood impacts the grass, and the pros and cons of taking care of a 5,800-yard course are all discussed. Brendan also shares some tips for how to handle the security detail and motorcade when the President of the United States is a frequent visitor.

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What’s Next in Golf Course Architecture?

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Golf course architecture is experiencing its biggest boom in almost 20 years. With demand for new courses and restoration/renovation work ramping up, the industry is at an important juncture. Andy and Garrett each share three things they hope and/or expect to see from golf course design in the near future. They explore possibilities for less suitable land, shorter courses, and experimental shaping as well as predictions for how the economy and climate change will shape trends.

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The New Yorker Goes Deep on LIV Golf

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Zach Helfand’s main job is editing The New Yorker’s “Talk of the Town” section, but for the past few months he has been working on a feature story about the battle between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. That article appears in this week’s print edition of the magazine and was published online under the title “Will the Saudis and Donald Trump Save Golf—or Wreck It?” Zach (@zhelfand) tells Garrett about his reporting process, the benefits of his outsider status in the golf world, and what he observed at the PGA Tour’s Tour Championship and LIV’s events at Trump Bedminster and the International. He also reveals how he wrangled a now-widely-aggregated interview with Majed Al Sorour, CEO of the Saudi Golf Federation and one of the major decision makers behind LIV.

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Sugarloaf Social Club Bought a Golf Course

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Ian Gilley is the co-founder and president of Sugarloaf Social Club, which is a golf society, a popular Instagram account, a merchandising operation, and now a part-owner of a golf course. Ian and Andy start by chatting about searching for hidden gems in Kansas and Nebraska and creating golf logos that stand the test of time. They then delve into why and how Ian and business partner David Cronheim recently purchased a six-hole course in Upstate New York. The course, which will soon be enjoyed by members of the Sugarloaf Field Club, has holes inspired by the Old Course at St. Andrews and a clubhouse inspired by Augusta National. Ian and Andy wrap up by talking about the three golf courses they think about the most.

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First Impressions of PGA Frisco

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

PGA Frisco is one of the most important golf-development projects of the past two decades. It consists of two 18-hole golf courses, lighted par-3 and putting courses, an ambitious hotel and retail enterprise, and a new "home" for the PGA of America. In the next 12 years, Frisco will host six PGA majors: two PGA Championships, two Senior PGAs, and two Women's PGAs. Andy visited the complex recently and joins Garrett to discuss everything he saw. The two cover the overall development and partnership between the PGA, Omni Hotels and Resorts, and the city of Frisco, Texas; and they break down the Gil Hanse-designed East course and the Beau Welling-designed West course. There's praise for the PGA's efforts to bring golf to a major metropolitan area as well as critiques of some architectural details and concerns about the cost of the sprawling compound.

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Superintendent Series: Sandy Reid of St. Andrews

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Sandy Reid (@SandyReidGK), the Director of Greenkeeping at St. Andrews Links, is today's guest for our Superintendent Series. Sandy has one of the busiest jobs in the turf industry: he oversees all seven courses at St. Andrews. This year was busier than ever for him, with the 150th Open and the Dunhill Links both taking place at the Old Course. Sandy shares how he and his team managed the infrastructure necessary for the events and the inevitable wear and tear to the course. He and Andy also talk about Sandy's time at Carnoustie, how he maintains courses that rarely shut down, what it's like having the property turn into a park on Sundays, and much more.

The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

NOTE: There was an issue with the originally posted version of this episode; you may need to re-download it.

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Mailbag: All of Your Golf Course Architecture Questions

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Andy and Garrett are back with another mailbag episode recorded in the midst of their trip through Massachusetts, Maine, and Upstate New York. This one is focused on all of your golf course architecture questions. Well, maybe not *all* of them, but Andy and Garrett do tackle some serious subjects, including which architect has done the most damage to golf course architecture. They also make time for not-so-hard-hitting topics such as the effectiveness of periscopes and bells and the correct distribution of on-course restrooms. The episode wraps up with advice on how to discuss golf course architecture with sane people and thoughts on course rankings and the crucial gap between "favorite" and "best."

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Mailbag: Presidents Cup Reactions and Burgerdog Musings

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000

From the living room of an A-frame house in Massachusetts, three members of the Fried Egg team—Andy, Garrett, and Will—reach into the mailbag and answer a batch of your questions. The boys cover a variety of Presidents Cup-related topics: surprises and disappointments from this past week’s event at Quail Hollow, venues they’d like to see in the future, whether they’re annoyed with Justin Thomas’s antics, and more. They wrap up with a rollicking discussion of burgerdogs, pickles, and future TFE events.

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The Presidents Cup: Past, Present, and Future

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 21:00:00 +0000

Team golf is back this week with the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow. To celebrate, Garrett and Andy take a walk down memory lane and examine the history of the event. From the split between the PGA of America and what would become the PGA Tour to the failure of other team competitions, the series of events that led to the Presidents Cup's creation is a fascinating study. The second half of the episode is dedicated to the present state and potential future of the tournament. Garrett and Andy go over what ails the event, the distractions surrounding this year's edition, and their own proposals to breathe some life into the Presidents Cup.

Notes:

The World Series of Golf-like tournament that Garrett and Andy discuss was called the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, and it ran from 1979 to 2014.
Garrett's account of the origins of the Presidents Cup draws extensively from Adam Schupak's book Deane Beman: Golf's Driving Force.

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Ranking the 2022 Major Championships with Geoff Shackelford

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Anticipation for men's major championship golf this year was sky-high. Tiger was returning to the Masters, the PGA Championship had been moved to Gil Hanse-restored Southern Hills, the U.S. Open was visiting the Country Club for the first time since 1988, and St. Andrews was hosting the 150th edition of the Open. To the delight of golf fans everywhere, the tournaments lived up to the hype. Andy Johnson welcomes Geoff Shackelford (@geoffshac), author of The Quadrilateral, a Substack newsletter dedicated to golf's majors, to relive the four biggest weeks in golf, reminisce on early- and late-round memories, and give their rankings of each major.

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Is Golf Still Booming?

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000

During the Covid-19 pandemic, recreational golf saw a major uptick. Rounds went up and equipment sales boomed. Have those boom times continued in 2022? Or has there been a regression to the mean? To take the temperature of the golf industry as a whole, Garrett speaks with Greg Nathan, the Chief Business Officer of the National Golf Foundation. Garrett and Greg discuss the nature of golf's "Covid bump," the overall health of the golf business, the future of golf course development, and more.

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The Uncertain Future of the European Tour

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

At this past week's BMW PGA Championship, multiple players who have signed with LIV Golf aired their grievances about the direction of the DP World Tour, formerly know as the European Tour. Ian Poulter, Sergio García, and other Euro vets feel that the proud, historic tour has become a mere "feeder tour," and that DPWT CEO Keith Pelley's negotiation of a "strategic alliance" with the PGA Tour is significantly to blame. They might have a point. Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison discuss the recent history of the European Tour, the decisions that led to its current status, how it should position itself in the new world order of professional golf, and whether it has any hope of returning to its former glory.

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Denny McCarthy on Putting Prowess, LIV, and the New PGA Tour

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Denny McCarthy (@_dennymccarthy) just had his most successful year ever on the PGA Tour, highlighted by a T-7 finish at the U.S. Open. He joins Andy Johnson to talk about his outlook for next season, getting hot just in time for the U.S. Open, and the recent work he put in to up his game. He also shares his thoughts on LIV Golf and the sweeping changes the PGA Tour introduced last week. Lastly, for listeners struggling with the flatstick, Denny, who has never finished worse than T-22 in Strokes Gained: Putting, talks through his process on the greens and shares a few tips.

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Andy’s Scottish Adventure, Part 2: North Berwick, The Old Course, Dunbar, Kilspindie

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In the second of two episodes recapping his first visit to Scotland, Andy Johnson gives Garrett Morrison his thoughts on two legendary courses—North Berwick Golf Club and the Old Course at St. Andrews—and two lesser-known gems in the East Lothian region, Dunbar Golf Club and Kilspindie Golf Club. They discuss the brilliance of North Berwick's hole designs, the uniqueness of the Old Course's terrain, the drama of Dunbar's routing, and the advantages of playing Kilspindie with hickories. Andy also offers some general advice on planning a golf trip to Scotland. (Hint: don't overbook yourself!)

Time stamps for course discussions:

(2:16) North Berwick

(37:07) The Old Course

(52:29) Dunbar

(1:01:58) Kilspindie

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Reviewing the PGA Tour’s Big Changes

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Earlier this month, Andy Johnson and Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) talked through the changes they'd like to see the PGA Tour make in order to compete with LIV Golf. After this week's onslaught of news and announcements about real alterations that the Tour will make to its structure, Andy welcomes Joseph back to break it all down. They discuss PIP, LIV, TMRW, and probably a few other acronyms; the effects they think the changes will have; and the importance of the Tour getting the details right as it moves into a new era.

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Superintendent Series: Jeff Austin on Reviving Yale Golf Course

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Our Superintendent Series is back with Jeff Austin, superintendent at Yale Golf Course (@Yale_GolfCourse). Prior to taking over at Yale, Jeff was an assistant superintendent at Augusta National, and he humors Andy with a few stories from his time there, including an interaction with a former president. Just over two years ago, Jeff took over at the Seth Raynor-designed Yale Golf Course, which had seen better days after a long Covid-related shutdown. Jeff talks about the challenges he tackled when he came aboard, explains how his workforce adds to the uniqueness of the job, and shares what they're doing to prepare for a Gil Hanse-led restoration starting at the end of 2023.

The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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What’s Next in the Legal Fight Between LIV and the PGA Tour?

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 11:15:00 +0000

The courtroom phase of the conflict between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour began last week with a win for the Tour: a federal judge denied an effort by LIV players to obtain a temporary restraining order that would have allowed them to take part in the FedEx Cup Playoffs. But the legal battle between the two golf leagues is far from over. To learn more about the LIV players’ ongoing antitrust lawsuit and its prospects of success, Garrett Morrison talks to Gabe Feldman (@SportsLawGuy), a professor at Tulane University who specializes in antitrust and sports law and hosts the podcast Between the Lines. Gabe explains the legal basis of the players’ claim against the PGA Tour, assesses the case’s merits, and predicts where the litigation between LIV and the Tour might go next.

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It’s Time for Chambers Bay to Get Another Major

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Garrett Morrison spent this past Sunday watching Japanese sensation Saki Baba become the latest U.S. Women's Amateur champion. He joins Andy Johnson to share his impressions of the course where all the action took place, Chambers Bay, and its role in future USGA championships after the controversial 2015 U.S. Open. With "anchor sites" like Pebble Beach and Pinehurst No. 2 booked into the 2050s, there's not much room for underdog courses to elbow their way in. Andy and Garrett dig into the why the USGA (and, to a slightly lesser extent, the PGA of America) have pursued this model of venue selection, the issues it's creating, and what they'd like to see change.

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Bandon Deep Dives: Bandon Dunes

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Our fifth and final deep dive into the 18-hole courses at Bandon Dunes is here! Since we’ve gone in reverse-chronological order, we have finally arrived at the OG, the 1999 David McLay Kidd design that launched Mike Keiser’s outpost in the Oregon dunes and changed the way everyone in the golf industry thought about the destination-resort business. Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison talk about Keiser’s bold vision for Bandon Dunes and the collaborative—or, more accurately, combative—nature of the construction process. They then explain why they believe the original Bandon course is, by a substantial margin, the weakest 18 at the resort.

The Bandon Deep Dives are brought to you by Zero Restriction.

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To Fend Off LIV, the PGA Tour Needs to Change. Here’s How.

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 15:14:41 +0000

On Monday, the PGA Tour released its 2022-23 schedule, and… well, it looks pretty much the same as this year’s schedule. That’s a problem, Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) argues in a new article on The Fried Egg website. If the PGA Tour expects to compete with the insurgent LIV league, it needs to rethink the structure of its season and especially its playoff series. Joseph joins Andy Johnson to discuss specific ways that the Tour can adjust its schedule to become a better, more competitive product.

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Andy’s Scottish Adventure, Part 1: Muirfield, Gullane, Elie

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

After wrapping up his first visit to Scotland a couple of weeks ago, Andy Johnson is ready to relive it with two podcasts recapping the trip. In this first installment, he and Garrett Morrison start with an in-depth discussion of Muirfield, the site of this week's AIG Women's Open. They touch on the history of the course, standout holes, and what to watch for at the tournament. Andy and Garrett then discuss the wealth of quality golf at Gullane Golf Club and an evening for the memory books at Elie.

Look for part 2—which will cover North Berwick, the Old Course, Kilspindie, and Dunbar—in the coming weeks.

Read more about Andy's lunch and afternoon round at Muirfield in his first Scotland journal.

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What Saudi Arabia Really Wants Out of LIV Golf

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 20:45:00 +0000

This week, the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational series is holding its third-ever tournament, LIV Bedminster, at a golf course owned by former president Donald Trump. Now there’s a sentence that our 2015 selves—even our 2020 selves—couldn’t have imagined writing. But here we are, and we need to come to grips with some complex topics. That’s why Brendan Quinn’s article “LIV Golf and the king-sized ambition behind a game on the bring,” published yesterday in The Athletic, is so valuable. It calls on the expertise of those who have been studying Saudi Arabia and its royal family for decades, and presents a clear, detailed picture of where LIV Golf came from, how it’s financed, and how it fits into the Saudi government’s plans for the future. Brendan discusses all of this and more with Garrett Morrison in this episode.

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James Duncan on Working with Coore & Crenshaw and Building Brambles

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

James Duncan has had over 30 years of experience in golf course architecture and has worked with Tom Doak and Gil Hanse in addition to being a longtime associate with Coore & Crenshaw. He joins Andy Johnson to talk about how he got his start in the business and what brought him from his native Denmark to America. He and Andy discuss his experiences at Austin Golf Club, Hidden Creek, and the ill-fated Dos Pueblos project, and they wrap up with an update on the Brambles project outside of Napa, California, which will open in the coming months.

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Takeaways from the 2022 Open Championship

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 03:30:00 +0000

Given the turmoil that has dominated men’s professional golf this year, a Rory McIlroy victory in the Open Championship at St. Andrews would have been a storybook ending to the major season. Well, too bad. Cameron Smith, as he reminded us in the process of dismantling the Old Course on Sunday, is really, really good at golf. To break down all of the action as well as the deeper storylines, Garrett Morrison speaks with Jamie Weir (@jamiecweir), golf correspondent for Sky Sports; Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna), the analytical mind behind the Finding the Edge newsletter; and The Fried Egg’s own Andy Johnson, who was on site all week in St. Andrews.

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The Evolution of the Old Course

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 14:45:00 +0000

How did the Old Course at St. Andrews become what it is today? Garrett Morrison takes a break from the action at the 150th Open Championship to chat with historian Bob Crosby (@otey71) about how golf’s most famous and influential course changed—in surprisingly radical ways—during the second half of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th. This evolution, Bob argues, has a lot to teach us about the nature of strategic course design. It also accounts for why the Old Course continues to fascinate us today.

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Five Things About the 2022 Open Championship with Michael Clayton

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 22:00:00 +0000

The 150th Open Championship is almost here, so Michael Clayton (@mikeclaytongolf) joins Andy Johnson to run through five storylines to watch for this week. Tiger, Rory, and the biggest star of week, St. Andrews, are all covered. Michael also discusses which fellow Australians he hopes to see in contention and tells some stories about his experiences playing in three Opens at the Old Course. There's also some LIV chatter, but only a few minutes' worth... promise!

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On My First Visit to St. Andrews...

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 11:30:00 +0000

Andy Johnson will take his maiden voyage to St. Andrews for next week's Open Championship. To prepare, he talks with a series of guests about their first visits to the Old Course. Tom Doak, James Duncan, Shane Bacon (@shanebacon), Michael Clayton (@mikeclaytongolf), Gil Hanse, and Zac Blair (@z_blair) all talk with Andy about their first impressions, what surprised them, and what they took away from their first trip to the Home of Golf.

Time stamps:

(3:15) Tom Doak

(7:02) James Duncan

(10:31) Shane Bacon

(17:19) Michael Clayton

(24:04) Zac Blair

(29:10) Gil Hanse

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We Regret to Inform You That LIV’s Golf Product Does Not Stink

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 17:30:36 +0000

This past weekend, the second event of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational series was staged at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club outside of Portland, Oregon. The Fried Egg's own Garrett Morrison was on site, and he joins Andy Johnson to reflect on what he saw. Garrett and Andy talk about the shotgun start, the team format, player attitudes, and a variety of other topics. They also make some projections about the futures of both LIV and the PGA Tour. Warning: if you'd rather not see men's professional golf be taken over by an autocracy's reputation-laundering scheme, things are starting to look a little grim.

Read "Smashing Pumpkin," Garrett's story about the battle that broke out within Pumpkin Ridge's membership when the LIV Portland event was announced in March.

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Yolk with Doak 35: All Things St. Andrews

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

With the 150th edition of the Open kicking off at the Old Course in a little less than two weeks, Tom Doak and Andy Johnson devote an entire episode to St. Andrews. Tom has gotten to know the course deeply over multiple decades, so he has a lot of thoughts on what first-time visitors should do and what makes the Old Course one of a kind. The bunkers, the reverse routing, and the evolution of the course are all discussed in depth. We hope this gets you excited for the final men's major of the year!

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Yolk with Doak 34: Saudi Golf Issues, Cabot Highlands, and Listener Questions

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In the latest installment of the Yolk with Doak, golf architect Tom Doak covers a wide range of topics with Andy Johnson. First, they spend some time examining Saudi Arabia's role in golf outside of the LIV tour, namely the kingdom's massive investment in golf course construction. Tom also provides updates on his current activities, which include the recently announced second course at Cabot Highlands, formerly known as Castle Stuart. Finally, Tom and Andy run through listener questions about the playability trend in design, changes to Tom's early projects, and the delicate balance that's required when imitating another architect's work. Look for part two of this conversation, which will focus on St. Andrews, this coming Friday.

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Superintendent Series: Pete Wendt of Congressional Country Club

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

With the KPMG Women's PGA Championship underway, Andy Johnson welcomes Pete Wendt (@PeteWendtCCC) to the latest edition of our Superintendent Series. Pete is the Director of Golf Courses and Grounds at Congressional Country Club, which is hosting the third women's major of the year this week. The Blue Course will be showing off its new look after an extensive renovation by Andrew Green that was completed last year. Pete talks about how Green's vision became reality and which aspects of the course he's most excited to see in action at the Women's PGA. Pete and Andy also cover other topics, ranging from Pete's schedule this week to how technology might be able to ease the industry's labor shortage.

The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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Takeaways from the 2022 U.S. Open

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 05:30:00 +0000

The 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline was an instant classic. It had all the key ingredients: a great course, a tough setup, a variety of big names in contention, a dramatic final-round duel, and a champion who sealed victory with an extraordinary shot on the 72nd hole. To discuss all of this and more, Garrett Morrison talks with four guests. First up is Nick Hardy (@NickHardy8), an up-and-coming tour pro who, at one point on Sunday afternoon, found himself two shots off the lead. Garrett then touches base with Paolo Uggetti (@PaoloUggetti), a staff writer at ESPN.com; Ryan Barath (@RDSBarath), a senior equipment editor at Golf.com; and Bradley Klein (@BradleySKlein), a journalist and golf architecture historian.

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Where Did Country Clubs Come From?

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 09:00:00 +0000

The late 1800s saw the invention of an important institution: the American country club. This week’s U.S. Open venue, The Country Club in Brookline, was the first—or at least one of the first. By the beginning of the 20th century, most major cities east of Chicago had several golf-focused clubs. What were the reasons for this proliferation? And what can we learn from the origins of country-club life in America? To get some answers, Garrett Morrison talks to Richard J. (“Pete”) Moss, a retired history professor and the author of the excellent Golf and the American Country Club.

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Five Things About the 2022 U.S. Open with Tron Carter

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

It's U.S. Open week! To give a preview of the action, Andy Johnson sits down with Tron Carter (@TronCarterNLU) and runs through five things they'll be watching for at The Country Club in Brookline. They touch on the virtues of the host city, the challenges of the course, the players who might be best prepared to take on TCC's small greens and heavy rough, the potential activities of Team Reed, and the long shadow cast by the insurgent LIV league.

The Fried Egg and No Laying Up have team members on site in Boston this week, so there will be plenty of #content to consume. For some visuals of the course, check out our preview video as well as NLU's.

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Fried Egg Stories: How to Slay a Monster (The Open Doctor and His Monster, Part 3)

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

This episode concludes our series “The Open Doctor and His Monster,” which chronicles the origins, rise, and end of the Robert Trent Jones era in golf. Today, we tell the story of the movement that challenged Jones’s ideas and revived the reputations of Donald Ross and other golf architects of the “Golden Age.” Ultimately, this movement led to a battle of ideas at Oakland Hills Country Club, where Jones had initially established his reputation as the “Open Doctor” in 1950. Our guests in this episode are Richard Howting, Bradley Klein (@BradleySKlein), Gil Hanse, and Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Fried Egg Stories: Ben Hogan vs. the Monster (The Open Doctor and His Monster, Part 2)

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In this second installment of our documentary series “The Open Doctor and His Monster,” we focus on the 1951 U.S. Open, in which Ben Hogan did battle with Robert Trent Jones’s modern architecture at Oakland Hills Country Club. Our guests in this episode are Ed Gruver (@EdGruver), Richard Howting, James Hansen, Robert Trent Jones Jr., and Bradley Klein (@BradleySKlein).

Fried Egg Stories: How to Make a Monster (The Open Doctor and His Monster, Part 1)

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Today, we kick off a three-part documentary series called “The Open Doctor and His Monster,” in which we chronicle the Robert Trent Jones era in golf: its origins in Rochester, New York; its breakthrough moment at Oakland Hills Country Club; and its recent fall from favor. In this first installment, we tell the story of how Robert Trent Jones rose from a blue-collar background to the status of “Open Doctor”—and how, in the process, he came up with ideas that would dominate golf course design for decades.

Our guests in this episode are Robert Trent Jones Jr., James Hansen, Richard Howting, and Bradley Klein (@BradleySKlein).

Chatting Pine Needles and U.S. Women’s Open with Kyle Franz

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 10:15:00 +0000

Golf architect Kyle Franz (@KyleFranzGolf) returns to the podcast to share his wealth of knowledge of Pine Needles, the site of the ongoing 2022 U.S. Women's Open. Kyle carried out a restoration of the Donald Ross course in 2017 and is on the grounds at Pine Needles this week. He chats with Andy Johnson about holes to watch for and what he learned from following Ingrid Lindblad and Annika Sörenstam during Thursday's first round. On the back half of the episode, Kyle provides an update on the busy summer he has ahead of him, which will include projects at Lookout Mountain and Cabot Citrus Farms.

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A Preview of The Country Club (ft. Gil Hanse)

Tue, 31 May 2022 19:30:41 +0000

With the U.S. Open a little over two weeks away, we are well into the "from many, one" process. The 2022 edition will be held at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, for the first time since 1988.* Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison talk about the deep history of professional golf at the course, the maze that is the championship routing, and the USGA’s planned setup. Gil Hanse stops by (26:45) to share insights from more than a decade of working at The Country Club, then Andy and Garrett wrap up with some holes to keep an eye on and a few critiques of the course’s weaknesses.

* A number of times in this pod, we mistakenly refer to the 1988 U.S. Open as the 1989 U.S. Open. TFE regrets the error.

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Takeaways from the 2022 PGA Championship

Tue, 24 May 2022 14:30:00 +0000

The final two days of the 2022 PGA Championship were generally a bit of a slog. The big names were going in the wrong direction, and the rest of the leaderboard wasn't producing much excitement. But then the final hour gave us Justin Thomas's playoff win, and all was forgiven. To recap the storylines of what ended up being a fun week, Garrett Morrison talks with three guests: Brendan Quinn (@BFQuinn), sportswriter for The Athletic; The Fried Egg's own Andy Johnson; and Stephen Britton (@sbrittonturf), golf course superintendent at the Chevy Chase Club.

Time stamps:

(3:28) Brendan Quinn

(28:44) Andy Johnson

(54:30) Stephen Britton

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On-the-Ground Observations from the 2022 PGA Championship

Fri, 20 May 2022 03:30:16 +0000

After a day of walking around Southern Hills Country Club and watching the first round of the PGA Championship, Garrett Morrison and Meg Adkins convene in the media center (right next to KVV as he did a guest spot on The Shotgun Start!) to discuss it all. Garrett and Meg offer observations on the tournament, the course, and the fans, and they wrap up with a few things they'll be watching for over the weekend.

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Five Things About the 2022 PGA Championship with Kevin Van Valkenburg

Sun, 15 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000

It's PGA Championship week! ESPN.com's Kevin Van Valkenburg (@kvanvalkenburg), who will be on site at Southern Hills, talks with Andy Johnson about all the major storylines heading into the second men's major of the year. From the challenges of the Perry Maxwell design to the players they think have the best chance to succeed, Andy and Kevin dive deep into all things PGA, including some suggested requirements for the club pros in the field this week.

Note: This podcast was recorded before it was announced that Phil Mickelson had withdrawn from the PGA Championship.

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Reminiscing About Phil’s Win at the 2021 PGA Championship

Fri, 13 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000

It's Flashback Friday: Fried Egg Edition! With the 2022 PGA Championship next week, Andy Johnson and Brendan Porath join Garrett Morrison to look back Phil Mickelson's victory last year at the Ocean Course. Andy and Brendan were on site at Kiawah Island all week. They reminisce about the lead-up to the event, the excitement around the venue, and the wild Sunday finish, which included a broadcast appearance by Andy himself. The group also reflects on what's transpired for Phil since his win and how the events of the past 12 months have colored their recollections of that historic week.

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Superintendent Series: Tyler Marcotte of Brambles

Tue, 10 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Today's guest on our Superintendent Series is Tyler Marcotte, the Head Superintendent at Brambles in Middletown, California. Tyler has one of the more interesting jobs in turf right now. He is currently overseeing the grow-in at Brambles, a new Coore & Crenshaw design just north of Napa Valley, and he has some unique co-workers: sheep! He shares details with Andy Johnson on how he plans to use sheep instead of mowers and what long-term benefits he hopes the sheep will bring. Tyler also provides an update on the grow-in and explains how his experiences working all over the country have aided him at Brambles.

The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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Bandon Deep Dives: Pacific Dunes

Fri, 06 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000

With our fourth deep dive into the five 18-hole courses at Bandon Dunes, we arrive at Tom Doak’s Pacific Dunes, which opened in 2001. Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison discuss the course’s intricate strategic puzzles; its use of the “sandy bowl,” the “gorse plain,” and a spectacular stretch of cliff-side land; its collection of short par 4s; and the way that Pacific Dunes, more than any other course at the resort, demands smart, precise golf. Tom Doak himself makes a cameo (16:30) to tell the story of how he discovered the portion of the property that would become the famous 13th hole.

The Bandon Deep Dives are brought to you by Zero Restriction.

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Can Course Design Change Golf Culture?

Tue, 03 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Golf's accessibility problem isn't new, and fixing it won't happen overnight. Golf architect Christine Fraser (@cfgolfdesign) knows this, but she also believes that good course design can chip away at the issue. She talks with Garrett Morrison about how tee positions, fairway lines, maintenance practices, and even entrances into golf facilities can all be designed to encourage an inclusive culture. Christine has worked on courses all over the world, including Lahinch, Royal Birkdale, and the Toronto Golf Club, and as one of the few women in golf architecture, she offers a fresh and important perspective.

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A Southern Hills Preview (ft. Gil Hanse)

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

The 2022 PGA Championship, which starts in three weeks, will be held at Southern Hills Country Club, a 1936 Perry Maxwell masterwork that has recently undergone a historical renovation by Hanse Golf Course Design. In this episode, Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison talk about what makes Southern Hills an exciting major venue and chat with Gil Hanse himself about his team’s work on the course.

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Superintendent Series: Justin DePippo of Bel-Air Country Club

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

For the latest edition of our Superintendent Series, Andy Johnson talks with Justin DePippo, the Director of Golf Course and Grounds at Bel-Air Country Club. Andy and Justin discuss Tom Doak's recent restoration of George Thomas's design at Bel-Air, the unique challenges of maintaining turf in the California canyons, the complex logistics behind golf course construction, and a variety of other topics.

The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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How Golf Courses Can Conserve More Water

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Happy Earth Day! As we did last year at this time, we asked Dr. Cole Thompson to come on the podcast and chat about golf's relationship with the environment. Cole is the assistant director of Green Section Research at the USGA, and he helps run the Turfgrass and Environmental Research Program. In this episode, Cole talks with Garrett Morrison about what may be the golf course industry's single biggest problem in the 21st century: water. Cole and Garrett address the optics issues around using water for recreational purposes in an era of climate change before delving into the many ways that golf courses can conserve more water and even offer H2O-related benefits to their communities.

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Pasatiempo Is So, So Good

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

After a recent visit to Pastiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, California, Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison figured it was time to dedicate a full podcast to this brilliant (and publicly accessible!) Alister MacKenzie design. From the underrated front nine to the controversial finishing holes, Andy and Garrett dig into the features that make the course a must-visit for any golfer. They wrap up their chat by turning an eye to the future and discussing their hopes and concerns regarding last week's news that Pasatiempo will undergo major rebuild of its heralded MacKenzie greens.

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Justin Ray Uses Numbers to Tell the Story of the PGA Tour Season So Far

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) has an unrivaled ability to present statistics and historical facts in a way that gives golf fans a better understanding of players and their performances. He and Garrett Morrison chat about Justin’s methods and his background in media before diving into the key storylines of the 2021-22 PGA Tour season so far. They explore some numbers and notes related to Scottie Scheffler’s rise, Collin Morikawa’s incredible early-career performance in majors, and Rory McIlroy’s [fire emoji] final round at the 2022 Masters. They also discuss some of the big questions they hope to see answered as the year unfolds. More of Justin's work can be found at Twenty First Group, where he is Head of Content, as well as on The Athletic and PGATour.com.

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Takeaways from the 2022 Masters

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 00:31:07 +0000

Scottie Scheffler played so brilliantly at the 2022 Masters that, for much of the final round, the outcome wasn’t in doubt. But what this Masters may have lacked in competitive tension, it made up for in rich storylines. To think through some of these deeper narratives, Garrett Morrison speaks with three guests: Jaime Diaz (@JaimeDiazGC), a veteran golf writer who is currently an analyst for Golf Channel; Bob Crosby (@Otey71), a golf historian; and Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna), the analytics whiz behind the Finding the Edge newsletter.

For more reflections on the Masters from the Fried Egg team, go to our Masters hub.

Timestamps:

(3:40) Jaime Diaz interview

(29:11) Bob Crosby interview

(49:18) Joseph LaMagna interview

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Advice for Spectating at the Masters

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

What should I know before going to the Masters? What are the most underrated and overrated vantage points at Augusta National? How can I best appreciate the course architecture? Should I actually avoid the merch tent? If you’re planning to attend the Masters sometime in the future, these are questions you might ask yourself. To get some answers, Garrett Morrison talks with Andy Johnson, Brendan Porath, and Michael Wolf (@bamabearcat), all of whom are deeply familiar with the lay of the land at Augusta National. They give recommendations for what a first-time Masters spectator should do (and not do), and they discuss their favorite spots on the property.

For more Fried Egg Masters coverage, check out our Masters hub.

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Five Things About the 2022 Masters with Shane Bacon

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 18:37:44 +0000

Masters week is here! To preview the upcoming action, Andy Johnson welcomes Shane Bacon (@shanebacon), co-host of Golf Today on Golf Channel and host of the recently revived Get a Grip podcast, to discuss the five things they're looking forward to seeing at Augusta National. From Scottie Scheffler to Justin Thomas to a potential Tiger return, Andy and Shane cover the top storylines going into the 2022 Masters.

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Digging into the Latest Design Changes at Augusta National

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 14:45:03 +0000

With the Augusta National Women’s Amateur wrapping up tomorrow and the 2022 Masters approaching, Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison sit down to discuss the latest changes to America’s most influential golf course. They touch on the tree removal along the right side of No. 11, the lengthening of No. 15, and the short-grass expansions on several holes. They also talk about which renovations they hope to see next, and how the club’s philosophy of course design and presentation may be shifting.

Read Andy’s article on the changes at Augusta National and Meg Adkins’s piece on how the format on the ANWA could be improved.

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Emilia Migliaccio on Nearly Winning the ANWA—and Then Deciding Not to Turn Pro

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

The 2022 Augusta National Women's Amateur begins tomorrow, and who better to talk to about it than Emilia Migliaccio (@emiliamigliacc1)? Emilia played in the inaugural ANWA in 2019, finished second last year, and will be in the field again this week. She talks with Garrett Morrison about the unique aspects of the event, the different challenges of the two host courses, her strategies for negotiating Augusta National’s greens, and the lessons she learned after coming up short in a playoff last year. In addition to being an elite amateur golfer, Emilia is also an accomplished writer and a Golf Channel reporter, and she explains why she has decided to pursue a career in journalism instead of turning professional in golf.

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A History of the Stymie

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Today we tell the story of one of the great lost elements of match-play golf: the stymie. A stymie occurred when one player’s ball on the green ended up between the hole and the opponent’s ball. Unless the balls were within six inches of one another, the ball closer to the hole could not be lifted. The player who was away simply had to figure out what to do next. When the governing bodies eliminated the stymie in 1952, more than a curious little quirk of match play was lost, according to our guest Stephen Proctor. In a conversation with Garrett Morrison, Stephen argues that the stymie embodied a larger attitude toward the game—an attitude that fell out of favor in the mid-20th century, but one that is worth remembering, and perhaps reviving, today.

Stephen's book The Long Golden Afternoon is available for pre-order now.

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Is an Equipment Rollback on the Horizon?

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

With last week's Distance Insights update from the USGA and R&A, it made sense to bring in Geoff Shackelford (@geoffshac) to discuss the latest developments. Geoff has been writing about and covering the distance issue in golf for over 20 years. In this episode, he chats with Andy Johnson about what's coming, how players and equipment companies will be affected, and whether bifurcation has finally arrived. Andy and Geoff also catch up on two timely topics: the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league and the Masters. You can read more of Geoff's musings in his Substack newsletter The Quadrilateral.

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Mailbag: Promoting Shot-Shaping on the PGA Tour, Improving Golf Telecasts, and Renovating Augusta National

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison sit down (in person this time!) to discuss an array of listener questions. They talk about how the PGA Tour can better assess shot-shaping skills, which musical artist TPC Sawgrass resembles, how golf telecasts can improve, which golf books they would recommend, whether big-name architects are getting too busy, and what changes they would make to Augusta National’s course if they had their druthers. Many thanks to our followers on Twitter and Instagram for the questions!

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Roberto Castro on the Wild 2022 Players Championship

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 02:10:35 +0000

Former PGA Tour player Roberto Castro (@cicioCASTRO) talks with Andy Johnson about the marathon that was the 2022 Players Championship. From the weather to the final putt on Monday, Roberto shares his insights into what makes the tournament so difficult to predict, how Saturday gave us a glimpse into what a rollback might look like, and what he thinks the most difficult shot on the course is. The current state of golf course development is also discussed in the back half of the episode.

In addition to hosting the Course Record Show podcast, Roberto runs his own golf consulting business, Castro Golf Consulting.

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Jerry Pate on Early TPC Sawgrass and His 1982 Players Win

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In February 2020, Garrett Morrison interviewed 1976 U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate about his win at the 1982 Players Championship, the first Players held at TPC Sawgrass. Jerry talked about his first impressions of the Pete Dye-designed Stadium Course, his post-victory leap into the pond next to the 18th green, and his fond memories of his friends Pete and Alice Dye. We used excerpts from Jerry and Garrett's conversation in our documentary podcast “Making TPC Sawgrass.” Since it’s now the 40th anniversary of the '82 Players, we figured it was a good time to air the interview in full.

Check out our video on the history, design, and evolution of TPC Sawgrass.

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Four Things About the 2022 Players Championship with Sean Martin

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

It’s tradition around here to release a “Five Things About...” episode on Tuesday before a major championship. Since the Players Championship, in spite of the PGA Tour’s best efforts, isn’t quite a major, we thought “Four Things” would suffice. Andy Johnson calls up Sean Martin (@PGATourSMartin), the newly anointed king of editorial at PGATour.com, to chat about the latest happenings on tour and the most interesting storylines going into the week at TPC Sawgrass.

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Let’s Not Learn the Wrong Lessons from Phil Mickelson’s Downfall

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Things have been moving quickly for Phil Mickelson. After his comments about the Saudi-backed Super Golf League made headlines, he was dropped by most of his major sponsors and pilloried by both the media and his PGA Tour colleagues. The backlash was surprisingly severe, even if much of it was well deserved. Mickelson’s knowing involvement with Saudi sportswashing was indefensible. But that doesn’t mean that everything he said about the SGL was nonsense. In fact, his basic position that the PGA Tour needs to be challenged is worth taking seriously. So in this episode, Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison discuss how competition from rival leagues could force the Tour to improve its product.

Here is Garrett’s article “Phil Mickelson and the Uses of Leverage.”

Also, check out the Fried Egg Events page on Golf Genius.

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Superintendent Series: Joshua C.F. Smith of Orinda Country Club and FlagBag Golf Co.

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Joshua C.F. Smith (@joshuacfsmith) has worn many hats in golf. From playing competitively in college to serving as superintendent at Orinda Country Club outside of Oakland, California, he has seen many aspects of the industry. He has also found time to become a renowned painter of golf landscapes and help found FlagBag Golf Co. (@flagbaggolf). In the latest installment of our Superintendent Series, Josh sits down with Andy Johnson to share stories about his wide-ranging career.

The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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A Primer on Sportswashing in Golf (ft. Will Bardwell and Dr. Helen Lenskyj)

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is making major inroads in professional golf. It holds lucrative annual events, funds a 10-event series on the Asian Tour, and hopes to lure the world’s best male players to a proposed Super Golf League. Recently, the SGL initiative has taken a hit because of Phil Mickelson’s loose lips, but Saudi Arabia appears committed to its golf strategy, and it’s clear that the country is engaged in a practice known as “sportswashing.” As one of our guests, Dr. Helen Lenskyj, defines it, sportswashing involves “attempts on the part of authoritarian regimes to improve their tarnished global reputations through sport.” It is important for golf fans to understand this concept because the Saudis aren’t going anywhere.

We have two guests today: Dr. Lenskyj, an academic researcher who focuses on the relationship between sports and global politics; and Will Bardwell, a civil rights attorney and golf writer.

Time stamps:

2:49—Will Bardwell interview, part 1

13:11—Helen Lenskyj interview

30:25—Will Bardwell interview, part 2

Reading material:

Will Bardwell, “Blind Men and Blood”

Helen Lenskyj, The Olympic Games: A Critical Approach

Check out The Fried Egg Events page on Golf Genius.

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Bandon Deep Dives: Bandon Trails

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The third of our deep dives into the five 18-hole courses at Bandon Dunes focuses on Bandon Trails, built by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 2005. Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison talk about how the construction of Bandon Trails fit into the resort’s history, and they play an interview clip in which Coore discusses the origins of the course’s three-part identity. Andy and Garrett then launch into a wide-ranging discussion of Bandon Trails’ (many) strengths and (few) weaknesses. They cover, among other things, their favorite green-to-tee transitions, the controversy around the 14th hole, and the course’s similarities to Saving Private Ryan, The Princess Bride, and Bruce Bowen. (All of that will make sense in context, we promise.)

The Bandon Deep Dives are brought to you by Zero Restriction.

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Reflecting on the PGA Tour’s First Month of 2022 and Previewing Riviera with Joseph LaMagna

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

With the final tournament of the West Coast swing upon us, it's a good time to catch up with Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna), Fried Egg contributor and author of the biweekly newsletter Finding the Edge, about the early part of the 2022 PGA Tour season. Andy Johnson grills Joseph on who has impressed and disappointed thus far and what he makes of the very low scores we've seen almost weekly. They wrap up their chat with what to expect at Riviera later this week and the specific skill sets the course will test.

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Superintendent Series: Eric Richardson of Essex County Club

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In the latest edition of our Superintendent Series, Andy Johnson meets up with Eric Richardson (@erichturf), Director of Grounds at Essex County Club, at the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Conference and Trade Show in San Diego, California. Along with architect Bruce Hepner, Eric has worked to return Essex County to its Donald Ross roots. He has overseen projects such as enlarging greens, changing mowing lines, reshaping bunkers, giving the course a minimalist look and feel, and maintaining ideal playing conditions on the property's unique terrain. Andy and Eric also discover they have a similar disdain for ball washers.

The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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Ben Cowan-Dewar on Founding Cabot and Becoming a Golf Course Developer

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Ben Cowan-Dewar is the co-founder and CEO of Cabot, the company that developed Cabot Cape Breton and recently purchased World Woods Golf Club in Florida. Ben talks with Andy Johnson about Cabot’s first U.S.-based property, which will be rebranded as Cabot Citrus Farms. They also discuss Ben’s unconventional path to becoming a golf course developer, the early days of Cabot Links, and his experiences working with Bill Coore and other great architects.

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What to Know About Perry Maxwell (ft. Chris Clouser and Colton Craig)

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In the latest installment of our “What to Know About…” series on golf’s greatest architects, we focus on Perry Maxwell, the designer of many courses, including Prairie Dunes, Southern Hills, and Old Town Club. Garrett Morrison and Andy Johnson kick off the episode by talking about The Fried Egg’s upcoming event at Dornick Hills Country Club, the first course Maxwell built. We then present two conversations: one between Garrett and biographer Chris Clouser on Perry Maxwell’s life and work, and another between Andy and architect Colton Craig (@craig_colton) on Colton’s quest to play every Maxwell course in existence. Toward the end of the podcast, we return to Chris for some closing reflections on Maxwell’s architectural legacy. (Time stamps below.)

The Banker, our June 6 event at Dornick Hills in Ardmore, Oklahoma, opens for registration on Monday, February 7. For more information, visit our new events page on Golf Genius.

Check out The Midwest Associate, Chris Clouser’s biography of Perry Maxwell.

Time stamps:

0:35—Discussion of Dornick Hills and The Banker

7:04—Chris Clouser interview

36:34—Colton Craig interview

54:05—Final thoughts with Chris Clouser

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Catching Up with Bill Coore

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Legendary golf course architect Bill Coore returns to the podcast for the first time in over two years. He and Andy Johnson have a lot to catch up on, and they cover a number of past and present Coore & Crenshaw projects, including Old Sandwich Golf Club, Bandon Trails, the Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame, and Brambles in Northern California. Bill shares his insights on the current boom in golf course construction and how it differs from the last upturn in the 90s and early 00s. He finishes with some reflections on what keeps him going and what he loves most about designing golf courses.

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Bandon Deep Dives: Old Macdonald

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In the second of their five Bandon Dunes deep dives, Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison discuss what may be the resort’s most polarizing course: Old Macdonald, built by Tom Doak and Jim Urbina in 2009. Andy and Garrett start with a historical rundown, touching on the origins of C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor’s “ideal holes,” the decision to make Old Mac a tribute to those templates, and the unusual collaborative process behind the construction of the course. Then Andy and Garrett dig into the nitty-gritty of Old Mac’s design. They talk about the holes they love (and don’t quite love), and they try to figure out why this unique, brilliant course sometimes rubs people the wrong way.

The Bandon Deep Dives are brought to you by Zero Restriction (code: OLDMAC).

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Challenging Golf Course Architecture’s Status Quo with Tim Jackson and David Kahn

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

While visiting Scottsdale, Arizona, Andy Johnson met up with Tim Jackson and David Kahn of Jackson Kahn Design (@JKDgolfdesign). Tim and David got their start working for Tom Fazio’s organization, founded their own firm in 2009, and went on to do striking, ambitious work at Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Scottsdale National Golf Club. In this episode, they describe their design style, share stories of working for Bob Parsons (“kaboom, baby!”), and explain how a video game helped them conceptualize the Bad Little Nine at Scottsdale National. They also have some choice words about the current state of golf course architecture as an art.

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Yolk with Doak 33: Listener Questions and the State of the Industry

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In this second part of his most recent conversation with Andy Johnson, Tom Doak answers more listener questions, including ones about the upcoming Sedge Valley project at Sand Valley and the non-golf literature that has influenced him. Tom and Andy also discuss how golf course architecture finds itself at a crossroads, with established architects approaching retirement just as construction has started to boom. Finally, Tom answers the hardest question in Yolk with Doak history.

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Building an Affordable Set of Used Golf Clubs with Ryan Barath

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As the supply-chain crisis escalates, new golf equipment is becoming pricier and harder to get ahold of. So it might be a good time to take an interest in used clubs. Ryan Barath (@rdsbarath), lead content strategist at Tour Experience Golf, is one of the industry's most knowledgeable resources on that subject. Ryan talks with Garrett Morrison about how his golf nerdery started and how the equipment business has changed during his career. In the second half of the episode, Ryan and Garrett give their picks for two sets of used clubs: one that can be had for under $750 total, and another that consists of equipment made before 2005. This exercise allows them to delve deeper into the products, innovations, and trends that have, for better or for worse, shaped 21st-century golf.

On The Fried Egg website: How to Assemble a Great Set of Used Golf Clubs

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Yolk with Doak 32: New Year’s Resolutions and Unconventional Course Concepts

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In the latest edition of our interview series with golf course architect Tom Doak, Tom answers listener questions about New Year's resolutions, forward-tee placement, and accounting for climate change in his designs. He also shares with Andy a number of new concepts and projects he'd like to explore, including a modern replica of Pine Valley, a course specifically for women, and a fresh take on residential golf. Look for part two of this conversation in the coming weeks.

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Superintendent Series: Devon Carroll on Women in Turf

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Why aren’t there more women in the turf industry? What changes would be necessary for there to be more? Devon Carroll (@turfgirl24), a doctoral candidate in turfgrass science at the University of Tennessee, has looked deeply into these questions. Recently she has been interviewing women who hold leadership roles in turf and finding out how more women might be recruited and retained. This topic has taken on additional urgency over the past several months as workplaces everywhere, including those in golf, have struggled to find labor. Devon joins Andy Johnson to talk about her background in golf and golf course maintenance, her experiences in the male-dominated field, and the ways that the industry can improve its gender diversity.

Check out Devon’s new peer-reviewed research paper, “Women in Turf: A Qualitative Study Examining How Women Have Sustained Their Leadership Role in the Turfgrass Industry.”

The Superintendent Series is brought to you by The Toro Company.

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Previewing the 2022 PGA Tour Season with Joseph LaMagna

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Let’s be honest: the PGA Tour season doesn’t really start until the serene seascapes of Kapalua fill our TV screens in the first week of January. To prepare for the occasion, Andy Johnson calls up Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna), the sharp mind behind the Finding the Edge newsletter, to discuss what to expect from Ponte Vedra’s princes in 2022. They talk about the youth wave in men’s professional golf, the keys to Collin Morikawa’s success, and whether Rory McIlroy is “back.” Andy and Joseph finish by running through several players who are primed for breakout years and a few who could regress to the mean.

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Fried Egg Events, Explained

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

For our final episode of 2021, we talk about The Fried Egg’s roster of 2022 events. First, Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison run through some FAQs: Why do we hold these events? How do we choose the venues? What’s the format? Can I register as a single? What if I’m not a particularly competitive player? (To address the latter two questions briefly: absolutely, and it doesn’t matter.) Then Andy and Garrett have an in-depth discussion of Lawsonia Links, site of the annual Steamshovel event. Lawsonia was designed by William Langford and Theodore Moreau in 1930, and it is an important course both to Andy and to The Fried Egg. We finish up with two clips from past episodes: a portion of Andy’s interview with architect Troy Miller about Charleston Municipal Golf Course, host of the King Tide; and a conversation between Andy and Garrett about Soule Park, host of the Boomerang.

Sign-ups for the first four Fried Egg events of 2022 open on Monday, January 3! Those events: the King Tide at Charleston Muni in Charleston, South Carolina; the Boomerang at Soule Park in Ojai, California; the Steamshovel at Lawsonia Links in Green Lake, Wisconsin; and the Coup de Grâce at the Dunes Club in New Buffalo, Michigan. For details, visit our EVENTS PAGE.

Here are some time stamps in case you’d like to skip around in the episode:

(0:37) Explanation of Fried Egg events and next year’s events in particular

(24:40) Discussion of Lawsonia Links

(40:50) Interview with Troy Miller about Charleston Muni

(55:10) Discussion of Soule Park

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Bandon Deep Dives: Sheep Ranch

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Over the next several weeks, we plan to record deep-dive discussions for all five 18-hole courses at Bandon Dunes. First up, in reverse-chronological order: Sheep Ranch. Before it was officially part of the resort, Sheep Ranch was a free-form course on which players could choose their own routings. Its 13 greens were designed by Tom Doak and the team at Renaissance Golf Design. When owners Mike Keiser and Phil Friedmann decided to incorporate Sheep Ranch into Bandon Dunes, they hired Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to transform it into a traditional 18-hole layout. Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison discuss the course’s history and evolution before giving their assessment of its current design. (Spoiler: they like it.)

Our Bandon Deep Dives are brought to you by Zero Restriction.

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Bees Can Guide Us to the Future of Golf (Seriously)

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

One of the most pressing issues in golf right now is the relationship between the game and the environment. As temperatures rise and water supplies dwindle, courses need to reevaluate the way they use resources and interact with their ecosystems. Sorting through these complexities is Parker Anderson’s specialty. Parker is the founder (and head beekeeper) of Greener Golf, a company that helps golf facilities quantify and improve their impact on the environment. In this episode, he talks with Garrett Morrison about the surprising benefits that a well-tended bee colony can offer a course and its surroundings. They also discuss the stigmas against the game, the potential for short courses to be ecological laboratories, and how golf can strive to be regenerative, not just sustainable.

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Which U.S. Golf Courses Still Need to Be Restored?

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Earlier this week, Andy Johnson wrote an article for The Fried Egg website on the great remaining restoration opportunities in American golf. It generated a lot of discussion, so Andy and Garrett decided to sit down and discuss the topic further. They go in depth on Andy’s top four restoration candidates—Augusta National, Riviera, Pebble Beach, and the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass—and they touch on the 12 other courses that made the list as well as a few notable ones that were left off. Andy and Garrett wrap up with some thoughts on what the future might hold for restoration and renovation in the golf course industry.

Article: America's Great Remaining Golf Course Restoration Opportunities

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Superintendent Series: Ken Nice of Bandon Dunes

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Ken Nice, Senior Director of Agronomy at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, joins Andy Johnson to discuss… basketball, of all things! Once the hoops chat is over, Ken shares some stories from his experience as the assistant superintendent during the construction of David McLay-Kidd's Bandon Dunes. Ken and Andy then talk about the evolution and growth of the resort, how he's handled overseeing the unique maintenance challenges at each course, his favorite spots on the property, and how he deals with the rare snow day and a packed tee sheet.

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Fried Egg Stories: The Hickory Open

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

For the latest installment of our audio documentary series, Garrett Morrison heads out to the Oregon coast for the 2021 U.S. Hickory Open. At this event, players must use wooden-shafted clubs either made before 1935 or faithfully based on those models. Garrett spends the day walking around Gearhart Golf Links, talking to a variety of characters, including John Henry Williams, a club repair specialist who has set up a workshop on site; Tad Moore, a renowned club builder and a co-founder of the Society of Hickory Golfers; and Colin McNamara, who is in contention to win the tournament. Garrett’s main purpose is to understand 21st-century hickory golf: where it came from, how it’s played, and why some people get absolutely hooked by it.

Season 2 of Fried Egg Stories is brought to you by Precision Pro Golf.

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Dream 18: Bandon Dunes

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

After a six-day stint at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, a trio of tired Eggs (@the_woke_yolk, @gfordgolf, @willknightsTFE) sit down to hash out their "Dream 18": a composite course consisting of their favorite holes from the five 18-hole courses on the property. For each hole number, they choose a winner and an honorable mention, and some lively debate ensues. This discussion should provide an accessible introduction to our upcoming deep dives into each course.

The Fried Egg’s trip to Bandon Dunes was made possible (and, at times, survivable) by Zero Restriction, makers of fine outerwear.

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Yolk with Doak 31: Municipal Golf, the Renaissance Cup, and Apache Stronghold

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Our series with golf architect Tom Doak continues as he and Andy Johnson catch up in Washington D.C., where they attended the National Links Trust Symposium on Municipal Golf. In addition to discussing sustainability and course maintenance in the municipal golf world, they talk about the few golf course restorations left that would interest Tom, how his design style has evolved over the years, and the origins of the Renaissance Cup. Lastly, Apache Stronghold Golf Club, a course of Tom’s that hasn't been mentioned much in the Yolk with Doak series, gets some overdue attention.

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What to Know About George C. Thomas Jr. (ft. Geoff Shackelford)

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

George C. Thomas Jr. is the golf architect behind Riviera Country Club, Bel Air Country Club, the North Course at Los Angeles Country Club, and the classic 1927 book Golf Architecture in America. To learn more about Thomas, Andy Johnson sits down with Geoff Shackelford (@geoffshac), who is the author not only of the Substack newsletter The Quadrilateral but also the book The Captain: George C. Thomas Jr. and His Golf Architecture. Geoff and Andy discuss various aspects of Thomas’s compelling albeit short life, including his diverse hobbies, contributions to Pine Valley, partnership with Billy Bell, and ever-evolving design style.

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Trevor Immelman on the Presidents Cup, Ernie Els, and What It Takes to Win on Today’s PGA Tour

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Trevor Immelman is the 2008 Masters champion, a TV analyst, and the incoming captain of the International Presidents Cup squad. In this episode, he chats with Andy Johnson about what it takes to be a winner on the PGA Tour today, his experience as an assistant captain at the 2019 Presidents Cup, and how things are looking for the International team going into 2022. Trevor also looks back at the beginning of his golf career in South Africa and the role Ernie Els played as a mentor-turned-competitor.

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Superintendent Series: Ryan Tuxhorn of Somerset Hills Country Club

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Ryan Tuxhorn (@r_tuxhorn) joins Andy Johnson for the latest edition of our Superintendent Series. Ryan went straight from college to working as an intern and making his way through the ranks at Merion Golf Club. He shares how his experiences there shaped his philosophies on everything from course maintenance to green speeds, and prepared him for his job as superintendent at Somerset Hills Country Club, where he has been for the past 13 years. He and Andy discuss the restoration work at Somerset Hills, how his approach has changed over the years, and his budding maple syrup business, which keeps him busy through the long New Jersey winters.

The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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What to Know About William Flynn (ft. Wayne Morrison)

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Wayne Morrison is the author of The Nature Faker, a monumental biography of William Flynn. It’s safe to say that no one on earth knows more about Flynn, the architect behind Shinnecock Hills and many other great courses. In this episode (which is the first of a few we have planned on specific architects), Wayne goes in depth with Andy Johnson on Flynn's life and work during the Golden Age of golf course design. Wayne talks about how he became interested in Flynn and how his massive book came together. He and Andy also touch on Flynn's involvement with many courses that have stood the test of time, including not only Shinnecock but also Pine Valley, Merion East, Cherry Hills, Rolling Green, Lancaster, and Indian Creek. You can order your own copy of The Nature Faker by emailing Wayne at wsmorrison@hotmail.com.

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A Keiser-Backed Renovation in Madison, the Doak Internship, and Women in Golf Course Design with Sara Mess

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Sara Mess joins Garrett Morrison to discuss her involvement in the Glenway Golf Park renovation in Madison, Wisconsin. This unique project, spearheaded by Michael Keiser and his wife Jocelyn, will both revive the Glenway course and engage the Madison community in a number of creative ways. Sara also discusses her time working at Renaissance Golf Design, her collaboration with Tom Doak on his recent books, and her insights on how access and inclusivity (and proper tee placement!) can help create more diversity in both golf and the field of golf course architecture.

If you're so inclined, subscribe to The Fried Egg Newsletter HERE.

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A Pair of Golden Age Munis: George Wright and Swope Memorial

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Andy Johnson’s recent travels have taken him to two municipal golf courses with A-1 architectural pedigrees: Donald Ross’s George Wright Golf Course near Boston, Massachusetts; and A.W. Tillinghast’s Swope Memorial Golf Course in Kansas City, Missouri. In this episode, Andy sits down with Garrett Morrison to reflect on what makes these courses special. They discuss Ross’s clever drainage methods at George Wright and Tillinghast’s adventurous use of hilly land at Swope Memorial. They also debate whether the restoration trend in the golf course industry, which has primarily affected private clubs so far, will soon filter down to municipal facilities.

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Vince India Talks Korn Ferry Tour Adventures and Q-School Exploits

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Korn Ferry Tour player Vince India (@vince_india) catches up with Andy Johnson and discusses the grind that is the Second Stage of Q-School. Vince has made it through every level of Q-School for six years running. He shares some of his favorite stories and explains how his mindset going into qualifying has changed over the years. Andy and Vince also discuss the rising importance of physical conditioning in pro golf and how to actually improve your weaknesses.

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Superintendent Series: Rodney Hine of Boston Golf Club

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Rodney Hine got his start in the turf industry as an assistant superintendent at Winged Foot Golf Club. He then moved into golf course design, serving as the grow-in superintendent at Tom Doak's Stonewall and eventually as a designer and agronomist for Hanse Golf Course Design. After helping Gil Hanse build Boston Golf Club in 2003, Rodney decided to stay on as the course's first superintendent, and he has been there ever since. In this installment of our Superintendent Series, he and Andy Johnson chat about Rodney's fascinating career, the quirky challenges of BGC, the importance of varied plant life on a golf course, and more.

The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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Three Takeaways from the 2021 Ryder Cup

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0000

This past weekend, Team USA won the Ryder Cup in dominant fashion, beating the European side 19-9. To get a handle on what this victory means, Garrett Morrison called up three different people—Ben Coley of Sporting Life, Joseph LaMagna of the Finding the Edge newsletter, and Shane Ryan of Golf Digest—and asked each for one big takeaway from the action at Whistling Straits.

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Five Things About the 2021 Ryder Cup with Lawrence Donegan

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Lawrence Donegan (@lawrencedonegan) is a longtime golf journalist who has worked for The Scotsman and The Guardian. He co-founded the excellent McKellar Magazine and hosts the McKellar Golf Podcast. With the 2020 (not a typo) Ryder Cup approaching, Lawrence joins Andy Johnson to share five things to watch for at Whistling Straits. They discuss Steve Stricker’s uninspired start to his week-of captaincy, the reasons behind Team USA’s chronic underperformance, the looming succession drama on the European side, and more.

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Thoughts on the Design of Whistling Straits

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 09:30:00 +0000

To get ready for this week’s Ryder Cup, Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison chat about the design of host venue Whistling Straits. Andy recently shot the Straits Course for a new Fried Egg video, so Garrett asks for his thoughts on Pete Dye’s routing, par-3 concepts, and outrageous shaping. They also discuss the PGA of America’s hefty build-outs, the reasons behind Andy’s hatred of catch basins, and the simple pleasure of gazing at a big ol’ lake all day.

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Mike Whan, the USGA‘s New CEO, on the Future of Golf

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000

After a well-regarded run as LPGA commissioner, Mike Whan started two months ago as the CEO of the USGA. Earlier this week, he sat down with Andy Johnson at Chicago Golf Club to discuss a variety of topics. They cover Whan's thinking about the USGA's priorities, championship host selection, and the potential of bringing the U.S. Open back to Chicago and the Midwest. Whan also weighs in on the hottest topic of the day: the distance increases golf has seen over the past few decades, and the USGA's role in securing the future health of the game.

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Mapmaking with Don Placek

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 21:35:06 +0000

In this wide-ranging conversation, Don Placek, Partner at Renaissance Golf Design, and Andy Johnson cover the complexity and challenges of the golf architecture consulting business, compare finding new golf courses to discovering new music, and discuss Don’s passion for drawing, maps, and art in general. Don shares how his passions and talents outside of golf improve Renaissance Golf Design’s work and how his routing maps help visualize the 3D world for their clients.

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Affordable Golf as a Family Business

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000

If you're in Northern Lower Michigan to play Arcadia Bluffs or Crystal Downs, you shouldn't skip Champion Hill Golf Course and Pinecroft Golf Course. Public, affordable, and well designed, Champion Hill and Pinecroft are owned and operated by one family. Is this the ideal business model for affordable golf? Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison tackle that question in this episode, but first they spend some time chatting about the Solheim Cup, which took place at Inverness Club this past weekend. After Andy and Garrett finish up, they throw it to a conversation Andy recently had with Lee Stone, the owner of Champion Hill and Pinecroft, and Jim Cole, the longtime superintendent of both courses.

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The Strategy of Team Match Play

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Team match play is the most entertaining format in golf, but we might not understand it very well. What factors should team captains consider when pairing players up for foursomes and four-ball? How much does a player's past match-play record matter? In alternate shot, how should teammates decide who tees off on which holes? Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) believes that the conventional answers to these questions rely on faulty reasoning. Joseph runs Optimal Approach Golf, which advises PGA Tour pros on strategy, and writes an excellent newsletter called Finding the Edge. In this episode, he and Garrett Morrison dig into the intricacies of team match play and the tactics that Team USA and Team Europe should use in the upcoming Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup.

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Superintendent Series: Jordan Caplan on Belvedere and Michigan Golf

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 15:55:38 +0000

Belvedere Golf Club superintendent Jordan Caplan joins the podcast to talk about the Willie Watson course and his role as the club's fourth superintendent in its almost 100-year history. Jordan and Andy Johnson discuss the challenges of course maintenance in harsh Northern Lower Michigan winters and the differences between the Belvedere job and Jordan’s past work at Philadelphia Cricket Club. They also chat about trends in golf architecture vs. building architecture, the abundance of quality golf in Michigan, and how to get your kids interested in the game. The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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Andrew Green on Restoring (and Renovating) Inverness Club

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Andrew Green is one of the busiest golf architects in the industry. He recently completed a restoration of Oak Hill's East Course and a renovation of Congressional's Blue Course, and he's currently doing work at Scioto, Wannamoisett, and Interlachen. Andrew's best-known project to date may be his bold 2017 restoration of Inverness Club, a 1919 Donald Ross design that has hosted six major championships. Next week, Inverness will appear on your TV as the host of the Solheim Cup, so Garrett Morrison figured it was a good time to call Andrew up and chat about Inverness's strengths, its complicated architectural history, Andrew's approach to balancing restoration with renovation, and his affection for a well-executed chocolate drop.

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Superintendent Series: Nick Nate on St. Andrews and South Bend

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 10:15:00 +0000

Nick Nate, superintendent at South Bend Country Club, talks with Andy Johnson about his career in turf, which has taken him from his hometown in South Bend, Indiana, to the Old Course and back home again. They discuss Nick's start in the business at Warren Golf Course when it first opened, the perks of his internship at St. Andrews and his stint in Scotland, prepping Medinah Country Club for the 2006 PGA Championship, and the challenges and rewards of bringing South Bend CC back to its George O'Neil roots. Nick also shares his Notre Dame gameday tips and predictions for the upcoming college football season. The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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Fried Egg Stories: Bobby Clampett and His Golfing Machine

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 05:14:06 +0000

Today, Homer Kelley's 1969 book The Golfing Machine is a standard text for those who study the science of the golf swing. Famous instructors cite it, as do tour pros like Bryson DeChambeau and Steve Elkington. But in 1982, The Golfing Machine was most associated with 23-year-old Bobby Clampett, who had been schooled in Kelley's system. Clampett had compiled a stellar amateur résumé, and after two rounds of the '82 Open Championship, he led by five shots. He was on the verge of validating what he had once told a reporter about The Golfing Machine: "It's the Bible of golf." In this edition of our audio documentary series, we tell the story of Homer Kelley, Bobby Clampett, and their quest to prove that science could solve the mysteries of the game.

Season two of Fried Egg Stories is brought to you by Precision Pro Golf. This episode was produced by Garrett Morrison and mixed by Cameron Hurdus.

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Olympic Golf Is Great (But Could Be Better)

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 19:23:23 +0000

The men's and women's golf competitions at the Olympic Games took place over the past couple of weeks, with Xander Schauffele and Nelly Korda earning gold medals for the United States. The action from Tokyo was fun to watch, but we couldn't help but wonder if it could be even more exciting. So Andy Johnson called up Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg), a senior writer for ESPN, and talked with him about what Olympic golf gets right and what it could do better. They also commiserate about the Chicago Bears' quarterback woes, if you're into that kind of thing. Make sure to check out Kevin's outstanding piece on taking his daughter to see Simone Biles at the Olympic gymnastics trials.

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What to Know About Golf in Japan (ft. Michael Wolf)

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 17:56:23 +0000

With the golf competitions underway at the Tokyo Olympics, Garrett Morrison sits down with Michael Wolf (@bamabearcat) to learn more about Japan's distinctive golf culture. Michael is a golf architecture and history nut who has traveled and played golf extensively in Japan. He and Garrett talk about the customs of Japanese golf clubs, Michael's tips and tricks for traveling within the country, and the top courses he has played there, including Olympic host Kasumigaseki Country Club. They also discuss the historical origins of golf in Japan and the flowering of Golden Age architecture in the country that resulted from Charles Hugh Alison's visit in the early 1930s.

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Yolk with Doak 30: What’s Happening at the Lido and Dornick Hills

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 04:22:07 +0000

In the latest installment of our interview series with Tom Doak, Tom gives an update on the progress at the Lido, the Keiser family’s latest course near Sand Valley. He and Andy discuss the pros and cons of the technology used to build the course, and they speculate on how it might be used in future restoration projects and in golf course architecture in general. They also chat about Tom’s ongoing work at Perry Maxwell's Dornick Hills Golf and Country Club in Ardmore, Oklahoma.

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Yolk with Doak 29: The Opening of St. Patrick’s and the Making of Pacific Dunes

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 22:24:47 +0000

The Yolk with Doak returns! In the first of two new episodes of our interview series with golf architect Tom Doak, we cover the recent grand opening of St. Patrick's Links at the Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort in Ireland. Tom and Andy chat about where the course would land on the Doak Scale and the unique challenge of finishing the project during a global pandemic. They also discuss Tom's new book, The Making of Pacific Dunes, which is available for purchase at doakgolf.com.

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Five Things About the 2021 Open Championship with Jaime Diaz

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 03:17:45 +0000

Golf Channel's Jaime Diaz joins Andy to discuss this week's Open Championship at Royal St. George's. Jaime has over 30 years of experience in golf journalism, and he shares his favorite memories from the Open and how writing about it differs from covering it for TV. He and Andy also talk about Bryson, Rory, Rahm, and other players hoping to lift the Claret Jug on Sunday.

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The Controversial Beginnings of Royal St. George’s

Sun, 11 Jul 2021 21:39:14 +0000

When Royal St. George's Golf Club, the host of the upcoming Open Championship, opened in the late 1880s, it looked a lot different than it does today. The earliest iteration of the course embodied the Victorian principles of its designer, Laidlaw Purves. Over the next few decades, those principles—and Royal St. George's itself—came under fire from a new school of golf writers and architects. Historian Bob Crosby joins Garrett Morrison to discuss this debate and its far-reaching consequences.

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Superintendent Series: Brendan Byrne on Llanerch and Philly Cheesesteaks

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 02:12:34 +0000

Brendan Byrne, superintendent and co-general manager at Llanerch Country Club in Havertown, Pennsylvania, chats with Andy about his 20+ year career in golf, from starting out at Rolling Green Golf Club to overseeing the recent restoration at Llanerch. He shares stories from his unique experience at the 1999 Ryder Cup, offers his expertise on managing staffs, and provides insight on how the golf industry has changed over the years. He and Andy also cover the Philly sports scene and give some opinions on the best cheesesteaks in the area. The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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Shane Ryan on the Ryder Cup and the State of Golf Media

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 20:49:46 +0000

Shane Ryan is a contributor for GolfDigest.com and the author of Slaying the Tiger, an account of the 2014 PGA Tour season. He sits down with Garrett Morrison to talk about the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, which he covered last week; his new book project and podcast series on the Ryder Cup; and how the golf world has changed since he went out on tour in 2014. They also touch on the current discourse around athletes' mental-health struggles, the reasons Team Europe kicks Team USA's butt in three out of every four Ryder Cups, and the decline of traditional golf journalism.

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2021 U.S. Open Recap with Shane Bacon

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 02:26:44 +0000

Shane Bacon, co-host of Golf Today and the Get a Grip podcast, joins Andy for a recap of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. The two discuss Jon Rahm's breakthrough major win, Bryson's claim of not caring about his 44 on the final nine, and the bizarre series of events on the 13th hole on Sunday. They also chat about what they're looking forward to at the upcoming Open Championship and Olympic Games.

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Viral Stretching Routines and Hilarious Host-Family Stories with Brad Marek

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 22:59:43 +0000

PGA professional Brad Marek joins Andy to discuss his great run at last month's PGA Championship. Brad played for years on the mini tours before becoming a well-regarded teaching pro at Corica Park in the Bay Area. In this episode, he and Andy delve into that transition. They also talk about everything from Brad's brush with stretching-themed social media fame to his experience at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.

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Five Things About the 2021 U.S. Open with Geoff Ogilvy

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 11:33:47 +0000

You probably know that Geoff Ogilvy won the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot. What you may have forgotten is that he also contended for the 2008 edition at Torrey Pines. In fact, at one point on Sunday, he was tied with eventual winner Tiger Woods. Now, 13 years later, the U.S. Open returns to the South Course at Torrey Pines, and Geoff joins Andy to preview the tournament. They run through five things that Andy will be watching for, and they also discuss Phil Mickelson's surprising win at Kiawah Island, Geoff's equally surprising affection for Torrey Pines South, and—of course—the mysteries of hang-gliding.

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Superintendent Series: Rich McIntosh on Torrey Pines and the U.S. Open

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 02:41:34 +0000

Rich McIntosh, superintendent of the South Course at Torrey Pines, joins Andy to discuss how preparations are going for the 2021 U.S. Open. Rich has an incredibly difficult job: taking one of the busiest municipal courses in the world and getting it ready for a national open. But it's not just a grind; Rich talks a lot in this episode about what he loves about preparing for big championships. He and Andy also touch on the recent renovation work at Torrey Pines, what to expect from the facility in the future, and some fun stories from the annual Farmers Insurance Open. The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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Mike Clayton on Phil’s Win, World Tours, and the U.S. Women’s Open

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 11:41:12 +0000

Time for a supersized episode! Last week, Andy called up Mike Clayton—former tour pro, current golf architect, and general voice of reason—to talk about Phil Mickelson’s victory at the PGA Championship, ideas for a world golf tour, and Mike’s upcoming project on Seven Mile Beach in Hobart, Tasmania. They also previewed the U.S. Women’s Open, which was contested at the Olympic Club this past weekend. To follow up on that part of conversation, the Fried Egg boys (Andy, Garrett, and Will) got together to chat about their takeaways from Yuko Saso’s win and Lexi Thompson’s collapse.

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Fried Egg Stories: The Qualifier

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 01:16:51 +0000

On April 26, 73 players arrived at Half Moon Bay Golf Links with hopes of qualifying for the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open at Olympic Club. One of them was Juli Inkster, Hall of Famer and seven-time major champion. Now 60 years old, Inkster was paired with two teenagers who hadn’t been born when she last won a major. Also in the qualifier field was Lucy Li, who in 2014 became the youngest player ever to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open. In this edition of Fried Egg Stories, we follow all four contestants through a 36-hole day at Half Moon Bay. Who, in the end, will be the qualifier?

This episode was produced and mixed by Garrett Morrison, and is brought to you by the U.S. Women’s Open.

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Five Things About the 2021 PGA Championship with Kyle Porter

Wed, 19 May 2021 00:04:14 +0000

Kyle Porter, golf writer for CBS and co-host of the First Cut podcast, joins Andy Johnson to preview this week's PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. Kyle and Andy each run through five things they'll be paying attention to as the action gets underway at the Ocean Course. They speculate on who will thrive at the difficult Pete Dye design and why so many top players don't seem to be in particularly good form.

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Superintendent Series: Jeff Stone on Kiawah and the PGA Championship

Mon, 17 May 2021 20:12:16 +0000

Jeff Stone has worked for the Kiawah Island Golf Resort since before the Ocean Course was built, and he has been the golf course superintendent at the Ocean Course since 2003. For this edition of the Superintendent Series, Jeff takes some time out of his hectic schedule to chat with Andy Johnson about getting the course ready for this week's PGA Championship. They discuss the differences between resort and championship conditions, the Ocean Course's transition from Bermudagrass to Paspalum, Jeff's memories of Pete Dye, and whether it's ever snowed on Kiawah Island. The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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Fried Egg Stories: Making the Ocean Course

Fri, 14 May 2021 01:39:48 +0000

In September 1989, a devastating hurricane hit South Carolina. Directly in its path was Kiawah Island, where Pete Dye had just begun to build a new golf course. And this wasn't just any course: in two years, it was supposed to host the Ryder Cup. To kick off the second season of Fried Egg Stories, we dig into drama behind the making of the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, host of next week's PGA Championship.

Season two of Fried Egg Stories is presented by Precision Pro Golf. This episode was produced by Garrett Morrison, co-hosted by Andy Johnson, and mixed by J Vierck. Thanks to Meg Adkins for transcript help, and to Troy Miller for connecting us with several interviewees.

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What’s New at the Ocean Course with Scot Sherman

Tue, 11 May 2021 18:23:18 +0000

Golf architect Scot Sherman joins Andy Johnson to discuss recent renovation work at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island for the 2021 PGA Championship. Scot talks about how being at the Ocean Course has brought his career full circle, and he explains some of the magic behind Pete Dye's design. He and Andy then dig into another recent project: along with Davis Love III and Mark Love, Scot completed an ambitious renovation of the municipal Belmont Golf Course in Richmond, Virginia. The work included a restoration of 12 of A.W. Tillinghast's original holes and a new six-hole short course and driving range for the First Tee of Richmond.

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Two Championship Golf Courses in California (and a Lovely Muni)

Tue, 04 May 2021 16:43:41 +0000

Last week, the Fried Egg team went on a whirlwind tour of California, and in this episode Andy and Garrett break down the highlights. First they discuss Soule Park, host of the Fried Egg's Boomerang event and one of the best public courses on the West Coast. They then talk about two storied championship venues that you'll soon see on TV: San Francisco's Olympic Club and San Diego's Torrey Pines, upcoming sites of the U.S. Women's Open and the U.S. Open, respectively. Andy and Garrett dig into the undeniable strengths of these courses as well as their substantial weaknesses.

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Golfers and Environmentalists Are Not Enemies

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 13:08:45 +0000

A common knock on golf courses is that they're bad for the environment. But that's an over-simplified view—and in some cases, a flat-out incorrect one. With Earth Day coming up, we thought it was time to sort through these issues with an expert, so Garrett Morrison sat down with Dr. Cole Thompson, the Assistant Director of Green Section Research at the USGA. In this episode, Garrett and Cole dig into current USGA-funded research on golf course sustainability, address a few popular criticisms of golf's ecological impact, and discuss how golf courses can become more environmentally beneficial and sustainable.

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Reviewing Hideki’s Masters Win with Sean Martin

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 03:34:33 +0000

For the past decade, Sean Martin, senior editor at PGA Tour.com, has been covering Hideki Matsuyama's career with more depth and nuance than any other golf writer. So who better than him to sit down with Andy Johnson and review Matsuyama's triumph at the 2021 Masters? Sean and Andy discuss the action down the stretch at Augusta National; Hideki's backstory, personality, potential, and relationship with the press; and the story behind Sean's appreciation of the new Masters champion's game.

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Five Things About the 2021 Masters with Shane Bacon

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 20:21:44 +0000

Golf Channel host Shane Bacon joins Andy Johnson to discuss the upcoming Masters Tournament. Shane and Andy each run through five things they're looking forward to seeing at Augusta National this week. They touch on Jordan Spieth's reemergence, Rory McIlroy's struggles, and the predictive power of name length, among other topics. On most weeks, you can catch Shane on Golf Today, the Golf Channel show he co-hosts with Damon Hack, and Get a Grip, his podcast with PGA Tour pro Max Homa. This week, you can watch Shane not only on Golf Channel's Live from the Masters broadcast but also on Masters.com coverage of the tournament.

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The Lost Masters with Curt Sampson

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 03:17:24 +0000

When the world is in disarray, what, if anything, is the role of professional sports? Specifically, what's the role of the Masters, a tournament that has always felt like an escape from everyday life? To explore those questions, Garrett Morrison talks with Curt Sampson, the author of several books on golf history. Garrett and Curt focus on the 1968 Masters, which took place at a time, like 2020, when society seemed to be unraveling. Ultimately, that edition of the tournament failed to provide the solace that many fans were seeking.

Reading material:

Curt's Golf Digest essay on the town of Augusta during the 2020 Masters

The Lost Masters: Grace and Disgrace in '68

The Masters: Golf, Money, and Power in Augusta, Georgia

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Jim Wagner of Hanse Golf Course Design on Contours and Cavemen

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 13:52:13 +0000

Jim Wagner is a longtime design partner at Hanse Golf Course Design and the head of the firm’s Caveman Construction crew. With the rise of the design-build approach in golf course architecture, Jim’s on-the-ground knowledge is more relevant than ever. He took some time away from an in-progress build at Jonathan’s Landing in Florida to chat with Andy Johnson about working with contractors, mentoring shapers, crafting contours, and staying hands-on as the Hanse name gets bigger. They also touch on new projects at PGA Frisco and West Palm Beach.

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Superintendent Series: Jim Huntoon on Mowing Lines and Myrtle Beach

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 13:11:26 +0000

Jim Huntoon is the golf course superintendent at the Heritage Club in the Myrtle Beach area and a contributor to the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association. In this installment of our Superintendent Series, Jim speaks with Andy about finding creativity in his daily routine, the impact of the pandemic on his operation, his memories of Mike Strantz, and the best spots (for golf and other activities) in the Myrtle Beach area. The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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An Insider’s View of Golf Course Rankings

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 11:53:03 +0000

For many people, golf course rankings published by major magazines provide an introduction to golf course architecture. They communicate the basic notion that some courses might (or should) be considered "greater" than others. Since 1996, Jonathan Cummings has served on one of the panels responsible for those rankings. Last year, he gathered up his tremendous knowledge about the rating process and published it in the form of a book, The Rating Game. He and Garrett Morrison discuss the book, the different approaches taken by the magazines to the rankings, and whether the entire course rating industry has done more harm than good.

Jonathan Cummings, The Rating Game

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How Your Personality Shapes Your Golf Game

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 22:13:01 +0000

Kiel Alderink is a PGA professional and one of Golf Digest's top instructors under the age of 40. Along with mental coach John Weir, he founded Mental Golf Type, a company that uses personality psychology to help golfers practice and play better. Kiel also happens to be Andy Johnson's longtime golf coach. In this episode, Kiel and Andy discuss the underrated influence of personality type on teaching and performance in golf. They also talk about that time Andy hit it so far left at the U.S. Mid Am that a bus tried to pick them up. Check out Kiel's work at mentalgolftype.com.

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Fried Egg Stories (Rerelease): Making TPC Sawgrass

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 18:32:39 +0000

Programming note: We first released this episode on Thursday, March 12, 2020. That evening, the Players Championship was canceled in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. So with the 2021 Players approaching, we thought we'd give this story another chance.

In this installment of our audio documentary series, we detail how PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman and golf course architect Pete Dye turned an alligator-infested swamp in Ponte Vedra Beach into a new kind of tournament venue. We also tell the story of the pros' first encounter with TPC Sawgrass at the 1982 Players Championship. This episode features interviews with Deane Beman, Jerry Pate, Vernon Kelly, Tom Doak, Sean Martin, and Adam Schupak.

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A Way Forward for Municipal Golf

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 03:52:50 +0000

Today we wrap up our deep dive into Andy Johnson's visit to North and South Carolina with a hybrid episode. The first half is devoted to a conversation that Andy had with Troy Miller at Charleston Municipal Golf Course. Troy recently completed a Seth Raynor-inspired renovation of Charleston Muni. After that interview, Andy and Garrett Morrison return to finish their chat about the courses Andy saw in the Carolinas. They talk not only about courses like Charleston Muni and Asheville Muni, but more generally about municipal golf in America and how it might find a way forward in the 21st century.

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Tony Jacklin on the Ryder Cup, the Yips, and the Concession (Golf Club)

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 19:58:25 +0000

In collaboration with Jack Nicklaus, English golf legend Tony Jacklin designed the Concession Golf Club, which will host the WGC-Workday Championship this week. Ahead of that event, Jacklin joined Andy Johnson to discuss his long, decorated career. They talk about his tenure as Ryder Cup captain, his relationships with Seve Ballesteros and other European stars, his triumphs at the 1969 Open and 1970 U.S. Open, and his eventual battles with exhaustion and nerves.

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Geoff Ogilvy - Instruction, P-Reed, Rollback, and Mixed Events

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 15:03:56 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy is back! He joins Andy to talk about he recent golf news, including the USGA’s potential adjustments to equipments standards and Patrick Reed’s rules incident at Torrey Pines. They also chat about the new Players Series, mixed events in Australia in which male and female pros as well as amateurs play for the same prize money. Geoff hosted one of these tournaments recently, and he discusses the concept's potential long-term impact on the game.

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Disc Golf Architecture with John Houck

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 13:43:50 +0000

Disc golf has a lot in common with golf. It's usually played over nine or 18 holes; there are tees and targets; there are drives, approaches, and putts; and scores are often calculated according to par. But Fried Egg listeners will be particularly interested to know that disc golf, like "ball golf," has its own history, style, and philosophy of course design. To find out more about disc golf architecture, Garrett talks with John Houck, the leading architect in the sport. They discuss John's approach to design, his thoughts on naturalness and strategy, and his hopes for the future of his craft. Check out an example of his work at Hillcrest Farm on Prince Edward Island.

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The Latest from the USGA Distance Insights Project

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 01:04:17 +0000

Thomas Pagel, the USGA's senior managing director of governance, joins Andy to discuss the USGA and R&A’s latest announcement regarding their years-long Distance Insights Project. Last year the governing bodies released a major Distance Insights Report, and last week they provided an update on new research topics and proposed changes to equipment standards. These efforts have garnered headlines and driven debate in the golf world about the possibility of "rolling back" equipment. Pagel takes Andy through the ins and outs of the USGA's recent announcement and what it means for the future of golf.

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Thoughts on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 19:26:34 +0000

Garrett and Andy sit down to discuss Andy's recent trip through the Carolinas. In this first part of their conversation, they open with some thoughts on the events and content projects The Fried Egg has on the schedule for 2021. Then they delve deeply into Pete Dye's Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. They talk about the chaotic origins of the course, its spectacular debut at the 1991 Ryder Cup, and how its architecture holds up today. There are also some digressions into Webb Simpson's recent comments on course design and Mike Strantz's place in the lineage of provocative golf architecture, among other topics. Oh, and make sure to visit The Fried Egg Pro Shop.

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Zac Blair Hires Doak and Goalby for the Tree Farm

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 02:00:06 +0000

Zac Blair makes his long-awaited return to the podcast to discuss the latest news on his golf course project in Aiken, South Carolina. Zac talks about his decision to hire Tom Doak and Kye Goalby as well as the membership structure and much more on the Tree Farm project.

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Yolk with Doak 28: The Lido Club

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 14:00:36 +0000

Tom Doak joins to discuss his latest project, rebuilding the Lido Club near the Sand Valley Golf Resort. Andy and Tom discuss the history of C.B. Macdonald's lost Lido, the challenges of rebuilding it, and how Tom and his crew are planning to recreate the historic course.

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Five Things About the 2021 PGA Tour Season with Sean Martin

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 03:05:45 +0000

Sean Martin, Senior Editor at PGA Tour.com, joins Andy to discuss the 2021 PGA Tour season. Both Sean and Andy identify five things they will be watching for this year. They talk about the youth wave on tour, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, and much more.

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Superintendent Series: Bob Ranum on Garden City and Mike Strantz

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 16:33:36 +0000

Long Island legend Bob Ranum joins Andy to talk about his career in golf course maintenance. Bob discusses his superintendent jobs at Garden City Golf Club and Atlantic Golf Club. Topics include helping to restore Garden City with Tom Doak, building a course with Rees Jones, and hanging out with Mike Strantz.

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Yolk with Doak 27: Tom’s 2020 American Road Trip

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 02:15:20 +0000

Tom Doak returns to delve more into his recent road trip across the United States. During his travels, Tom visited two upcoming projects, Dornick Hills in Oklahoma and Sandpiper in California. He and Andy also discuss how beauty affects a hole's reputation, memorable superintendents, and much more.

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Superintendent Series: Preparing Champions Golf Club for the U.S. Women’s Open

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 04:32:41 +0000

Chris Ortmeier, Director of Agronomy at Champions Golf Club, and Darin Bevard, Director of Championship Agronomy for the USGA, join Andy to discuss this week's U.S. Women's Open. Chris and Darin detail the unique challenges associated with the December date of this year's tournament. They also describe the two 18-hole courses at host venue Champions Golf Club and talk about what viewers can expect. The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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Yolk with Doak 26: Houston Open Redux

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 20:53:18 +0000

In the latest installment of our series with the golf course architect Tom Doak, he talks about his month-long road trip across America. One of his most prominent stops came at the PGA Tour's 2020 Houston Open at Memorial Park, a municipal course he recently redesigned. Tom reflects on what he learned from watching some of the world's best players tackle his work.

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Mike Young on the Fields

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 00:30:22 +0000

Golf course architect and owner Mike Young joins Andy to talk about his career in golf. Mike discusses getting his start in golf turf equipment sales and making the leap into design and eventually ownership at the Fields Golf Club in Georgia. He and Andy delve into how golf is changing and how Mike has adapted at his courses.

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Data Golf

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 03:18:01 +0000

Data Golf, founded by brothers Matt and Will Courchene, is on a mission to make sense of the piles of data coming out of professional golf today. In this episode, Garrett Morrison speaks with Matt about how advanced statistics might help us understand golf course design in a different way. Check out Matt and Will's website at datagolf.com. Brought to you by The Fried Egg Pro Shop.

Note: In this pod, we refer to the Mayakoba Golf Classic as "this week's" PGA Tour event. It's next week, of course; we just thought we'd release this episode a little early.

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Geoff Ogilvy - 2020 Masters

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:45:46 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy joins Andy to break down the 2020 Masters. Geoff tells some stories about playing with this year's champion Dustin Johnson and discusses DJ's great mental approach to golf. The conversation also touches on the excellent play from several members of the 2019 Presidents Cup Team, and on the reasons why Rory McIlroy might struggle getting out of the gate at major championships.

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Fried Egg Stories: The Pursuit of Perfect Turf

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 17:22:22 +0000

Even in November, Augusta National looks flawless. But why is it that we get so excited about green, uniform grass? In this edition of our audio documentary series, we dig into the backstory of America’s obsession with perfect turf. Our guests are Russ Myers, Ted Steinberg, George Waters, Derek Duncan, and John Jeffreys. Produced and hosted by Garrett Morrison. Engineered by J Vierck. Transcript assistance from Jay Fischl. Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

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Geoff Ogilvy - All 18 at Augusta National

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 20:56:42 +0000

Before the last year's Masters, we released a two-part discussion with Geoff Ogilvy about Augusta National Golf Club. Here, we present a condensed, one-episode version of that conversation. Andy and Geoff cover every hole at the course, delving into the details of the design as well as the strategies used by Masters contestants.

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Lukas Michel on His Travels and His Preparations for the Masters

Sat, 07 Nov 2020 15:48:31 +0000

2019 U.S. Mid Am Champion Lukas Michel joins the podcast to discuss his preparations for the Masters as well as his travels in the U.S. since the U.S. Amateur. Lukas details his work on Mike DeVries's restoration crew at Bloomfield Hills and the great golf he has played all over the country. Lukas last appeared on The Fried Egg Podcast after his U.S. Mid Am win in Episode 155.

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Luke Reese - One for the Memory Banks

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 21:09:29 +0000

Author Luke Reese joins the podcast to talk about his new book One for the Memory Banks. Luke reflects on his experiences learning the game late in life as an American in Scotland and the friendships he made along the way. One for the Memory Banks can be purchased using THIS LINK and will include a $10 donation to the National Links Trust.

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Superintendent Series: Josh Mahar on Wild Horse and Sand Hills

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 18:24:09 +0000

Josh Mahar, Superintendent at Wild Horse Golf Club, joins the podcast to discuss his longtime involvement in world-class golf in the Nebraska Sandhills. Josh was part of the grow-in team not only at Wild Hose but also at the renowned Sand Hills Golf Club. He and Andy talk about those experiences as well as Josh's overall career in the turf industry. The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

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School of Golf Architecture: Routing with Jeff Mingay, Part 2

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 04:30:33 +0000

This is the second part of Garrett’s discussion with golf architect Jeff Mingay (@jeff_mingay) about how golfers can “read” the routing of a course. Having laid out the shared traits of good routings, they dig into a few famous examples. They also tackle a couple of big questions: How have routing practices changed over time? And does the future hold any new possibilities?

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School of Golf Architecture: Routing with Jeff Mingay, Part 1

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 17:20:43 +0000

Routing is perhaps the most important step in designing a golf course, but it’s a difficult concept for non-architects to understand. How can a regular golfer “read” the routing of a course that has already been built? Garrett explores this question with golf architect Jeff Mingay (@jeff_mingay) for the fifth edition of the School of Golf Architecture. In the first of two episodes, Garrett and Jeff discuss the basic elements of effective golf course routing—elements that any golfer can recognize during a round.

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Jaeger Kovich on Aronimink Golf Club

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 03:31:41 +0000

Golf architect Jaeger Kovich joins the podcast to recall his time as a shaper for Hanse Golf Course Design during the firm's 2016 restoration of Aronimink Golf Club. This week, Aronimink plays host to the KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

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Superintendent Series: Stephen Britton on Royal Melbourne and TPC Potomac

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 01:51:21 +0000

Stephen Britton, Superintendent at Chevy Chase Country Club joins the podcast this week. He discusses his beginnings at Royal Melbourne and how it spurned an eventual move to America, his time working for TPC Potomac and hosting PGA Tour events, and what it was like to work at Wimbledon.

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Geoff Ogilvy - 2020 U.S. Open Recap

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 14:54:07 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy joins Andy to breakdown the 2020 U.S. Open. The pair focus in on the setup of Winged Foot and how it amplified DeChambeau’s talents while also discussing the future of golf given Bryson’s style of play. Geoff also talks about Sandy Links, the municipal course he grew up playing, its recent renovation.

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Fried Egg Stories: The Massacre at Winged Foot

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 20:11:05 +0000

The 1974 U.S. Open, better known as the "Massacre at Winged Foot," has become a touchstone in the debate over what a golf championship should be. Depending on your perspective, it's either the U.S. Open at its best or the U.S. Open at its worst. With the national championship returning to Winged Foot this week, we ask what it means for a tournament venue to be insanely difficult. Our guests for this episode are Hale Irwin, Neil Regan, Mark Mulvoy, and Jeremy Schaap, reading from his father's classic book about the tournament. Produced and hosted by Garrett Morrison. Edited and engineered by J Vierck. Transcript assistance from Jay Fischl. Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Brought to you by the U.S. Open Victory Club.

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John Bodenhamer on Setting Up the 2020 U.S. Open

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 01:39:03 +0000

John Bodenhamer, the USGA's Senior Managing Director of Championships, joins the pod this week to discuss all things U.S. Open! Andy and John work through this week’s setup, differences we’ll notice between this event and the 2006 U.S. Open, and how the USGA manages championships without fans. They close the conversation with a few thoughts on the USGA’s new anchor site.

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Geoff Ogilvy - Winged Foot, the U.S. Open, and the FedEx Cup

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 17:51:17 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy, winner of the last U.S. Open contested at Winged Foot, joins the podcast to preview the 2020 U.S. Open. Andy and Geoff start by discussing the FedEx Cup Finals and Geoff's thoughts on the format. Then they delve into Geoff's winning effort in 2006 and his predictions for the 2020 edition.

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Fried Egg Stories: Jackie Robinson the Golfer

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 21:57:01 +0000

In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first Black man to play Major League Baseball in the 20th century. You're probably familiar with that story. What you may not know is that the baseball diamond was not the only playing field where Robinson advocated for racial equality. He also did so on the golf course. In this edition of our audio documentary series, we tell the complicated, sad, even inconvenient story of Jackie Robinson the golfer. Produced and hosted by Garrett Morrison. Edited and engineered by J Vierck. Production assistance from Jay Fischl. Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Sponsored by the U.S. Open Victory Club. Sign up for free!

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The History of Winged Foot with Neil Regan

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 00:08:55 +0000

Neil Regan, Winged Foot Golf Club's historian, sits down with Andy to discuss Winged Foot's rich history, from Babe Ruth's exploits at the club to Monty's struggles on the 18th hole in 2006. Regan was extensively involved in Hanse Golf Course Design's recent restoration of the course, and he tells Andy about the thinking behind the green expansions.

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Stewart Hagestad on Bandon Dunes and the 2020 U.S. Amateur

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 01:07:15 +0000

One hundred and seventy-nine episodes after his first appearance, Stewart Hagestad rejoins The Fried Egg Podcast to discuss his run to the quarterfinals at the U.S. Amateur last week. Andy and Stewart talk not only about the tournament but also about how Bandon Dunes compares to other competitive venues, how match play contrasts with stroke play, their favorite amateur events, and the upcoming U.S. Open, which Stewart is preparing for right now.

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TPC Harding Park and the ”Mega Muni” Model

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 01:49:34 +0000

After an exciting PGA Championship, Andy and Garrett get together to discuss how TPC Harding Park fared in its major championship debut. They contemplate both virtues and flaws of its design, routing, and setup, and they compare it to Winged Foot, the host of the upcoming U.S. Open. Also, they get into some broader trends in municipal golf, specifically the contrast between "mega munis" and "mini munis" that Garrett explored in a recent article for The Fried Egg website.

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Fried Egg Stories: Remaking Harding Park

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 00:13:24 +0000

In this edition of our audio documentary series, we tell the story of Harding Park, a course that has, at different points in its history, represented both the best and the worst of municipal golf. This week, it hosts the 2020 PGA Championship, but just 22 years ago, it served as a parking lot for the 1998 U.S. Open. We talk to Bo Links, Ron Kroichick, Sean Elsbernd, Joe Shasky, and Sasha Perigo about these highs and lows, and also about the benefits and drawbacks of city golf in general. Produced and hosted by Garrett Morrison. Edited and engineered by J Vierck. Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

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Geoff Ogilvy - Bryson‘s Transformation, Harding Park, and Young Guns

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 01:22:33 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy returns to catch up with Andy Johnson about the latest happenings on the PGA Tour and to discuss the upcoming PGA Championship. Geoff talks about his fascination with the golf swing, which grew during the quarantine, and what he thinks the keys will be at Harding Park.

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Superintendent Series: Tony Nysse on Mountain Lake and Friar’s Head

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 19:28:51 +0000

Tony Nysse, the Director of Golf Course and Grounds at Mountain Lake, joins the podcast to discuss his affinity for golf course architecture and his career in the turf industry. Tony's many stories include giving architectural advice to a developer while in college, interning at Friar's Head, and restoring Old Marsh.

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Kerry Haigh on PGA Championship Setup

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 21:05:27 +0000

Kerry Haigh, the Chief Championships Officer of the PGA of America, joins Andy to discuss next week's PGA Championship at Harding Park. The conversation centers on Kerry's approach to setting up major championship golf.

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Yolk with Doak 25: Is Donald Ross Overrated? and Other Questions

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 12:36:42 +0000

In our latest talk with golf architect Tom Doak, we dive into a number of listener questions. Tom addresses whether Donald Ross is overrated, the ideas behind some of his greens at Lost Dunes, and which par 3, 4, and 5 from Scotland he would put in his backyard.

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Yolk with Doak 24: St. Andrews Beach, Covid-19, and East Potomac

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 00:57:00 +0000

In the second part of his recent conversation with Andy, Tom Doak explains why St. Andrews Beach—a design of his outside of Melbourne, Australia—is one of his favorite courses in the world. Later, he and Andy discuss the impact of Covid-19 on the design business and the golf world in general, and how this moment compares to 9/11 and the financial crisis of 2008. The episode wraps up with a discussion of the potential of East Potomac Golf Course in Washington, D.C., which Tom is set to restore.

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Yolk with Doak 23: Getting to 18, Pacific Dunes, and the Original Sheep Ranch

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 00:30:20 +0000

Tom Doak is back! The lead architect at Renaissance Golf Design joins Andy to talk about his latest book project, Getting to 18. They discuss the writing process, a few excerpts from the book, the story of how Tom met Bill Coore, and the secrets behind the routings of Pacific Dunes and the original Sheep Ranch. To purchase Getting to 18, a limited-edition book, visit doakgolf.com .

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Fried Egg Stories: The Ball, Part 3 - Better

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 06:10:00 +0000

This is the third and final episode of our miniseries on the design, history, and impact of the golf ball. It explores how advanced plastics made their way into the modern, solid-core ball, bringing the promise of “better things for better living through chemistry” to the game.

Guests: Harry Brown, Joe Henley, Mark O’Meara, and Dean Snell.

Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Brown, Golf Ball

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Fried Egg Stories: The Ball, Part 2 - Wound

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 06:05:00 +0000

This is the second episode of our miniseries on the design, history, and impact of the golf ball. It recounts the advent of the wound ball—the Haskell—and the ensuing debate over the future of the game.

Guests: Bob Crosby and Brett Cyrgalis.

Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Through the Green

Cyrgalis, Golf’s Holy War

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Fried Egg Stories: The Ball, Part 1 - Gutty

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 06:00:00 +0000

This is the first episode of our miniseries on the design, history, and impact of the golf ball. It focuses on the invention of the gutta percha ball and the surprising backstory of gutta percha itself.

Guests: Harry Brown, Stephen Proctor, and Helen Godfrey.

Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Brown, Golf Ball Proctor, Monarch of the Green Godfrey, Submarine Telegraphy and the Hunt for Gutta Percha

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Curtis Strange

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 18:59:47 +0000

Hall of Famer Curtis Strange joins Andy Johnson to discuss his storied career as well as recent events on the PGA Tour. Curtis tells Andy about his closing eagle to win the NCAA Championship, his back-to-back U.S. Open wins, and his near-miss at the 1985 Masters. The conversation also touches on the rise of a beefed-up Bryson DeChambeau and the recent split between Fox Sports, where Curtis was an analyst, and the USGA.

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Superintendent Series: Aaron McMaster on the Renovation of Orchard Lake

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 00:36:38 +0000

Aaron McMaster, the Superintendent at Orchard Lake Country Club, joins Andy to talk turf. They discuss the ins and outs of making agronomic changes to a golf course before diving into the story of Orchard Lake’s renovation by Keith Foster.

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Michael McCartin and Will Smith of National Links Trust

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 03:17:27 +0000

Last week, the National Park Service announced that it would begin negotiations with National Links Trust to operate three municipal golf courses in Washington, D.C. A non-profit founded by Michael McCartin and Will Smith, NLT has partnered with architects Tom Doak, Gil Hanse, and Beau Welling in hopes of renovating the East Potomac, Rock Creek Park, and Langston golf properties. Andy speaks with Mike and Will about this exciting development in a story that The Fried Egg has been tracking since last year. Among other topics, they discuss the RFP process, the NLT’s visions for the courses, the importance of compelling municipal golf architecture, and the role that D.C. golf facilities can play as community gathering spots and agents for social change.

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Yolk with Doak 22: Designed Randomness and the Maha Project

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 02:33:42 +0000

In the latest edition of the Yolk with Doak, Tom discusses the principles behind his Confidential Guide series, the value of randomness in design, and a unique new project of his near Napa Valley.

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School of Golf Architecture: Collaboration with Andy Staples

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 23:21:25 +0000

In this edition of our audio introduction to golf course design, Garrett speaks with architect Andy Staples (@buildsmartrgolf) about collaboration on construction projects. They discuss how Andy works with owners, contractors, and shapers; what “design-build” means and how people often misunderstand it; and whether architects get too much credit. For more on these topics, check out the post for this episode on The Fried Egg website.

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Superintendent Series: Steve Cook on Medinah and Major Championships

Thu, 28 May 2020 23:18:00 +0000

Steve Cook, the Director of Grounds at Medinah Country Club, joins the podcast. Andy and Steve talk about his long career, including his time in France and his experience prepping courses for major championships. They also discuss Steve’s management style, which has helped produce a number of up-and-coming leaders in the turf industry today.

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John Bodenhamer on USGA Championship Setup

Tue, 26 May 2020 13:58:46 +0000

John Bodenhamer, the USGA's Senior Managing Director of Championships, joins Andy Johnson on the podcast. The two talk about John's golf background and his time on some of the great early 80s BYU teams before diving into championship setup. The discussion finishes with a conversation about 2020's USGA championships and how they will go about filling the fields without qualifying.

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Stephen Proctor on the History of Challenge Matches

Fri, 22 May 2020 00:16:17 +0000

As an appetizer for the upcoming Tiger-Phil (plus Manning and Brady) match, Andy and Garrett speak with golf historian Stephen Proctor about the history of challenge matches. They discuss the importance of rowdy, big-money matches to early golf culture in Scotland, the eventual ascendancy of stroke play as the dominant competitive format, and the ways that today's televised matches might recapture some of the magic of the past. Stephen is the author of Monarch of the Green, a biography of Young Tom Morris.

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Nathaniel Crosby

Wed, 20 May 2020 03:54:50 +0000

2019 and '21 Walker Cup captain Nathaniel Crosby joins the podcast to talk about last week’s match at Seminole, his days on the European Tour, and next year's Walker Cup.

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Yolk with Doak 21: Linksland, Mike Strantz, and Environmentalism

Wed, 13 May 2020 20:13:10 +0000

This episode of the Yolk with Doak features the final part of the conversation Andy and Tom had this past January in Traverse City, Michigan. They discuss a variety of topics, including the challenges of building on linskland, Mike Strantz, Woking Golf Club, stymies, and how golf might mesh with environmentalism.

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Seminole Golf Club with Bill Coore and Zac Blair

Fri, 08 May 2020 16:21:14 +0000

On Sunday, May 17, four of the best golfers in the world will take on one of the best courses in the world. Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, and Matthew Wolff are set to play in TaylorMade Driving Relief, a televised charity skins match at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida. The rarely publicized Seminole is known as one of Donald Ross's most subtle and brilliant designs. To understand the course better, Andy talks to architect Bill Coore, who along with Ben Crenshaw restored Seminole in 2017, and PGA Tour pro Zac Blair, who has played the course several times in the annual Seminole Pro-Member.

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Brian Schneider

Tue, 05 May 2020 14:26:50 +0000

Renaissance Golf Senior Associate Brian Schneider joins Andy to talk golf course architecture. The discussion starts with Brian’s work at North Jersey CC, a Walter Travis design, and ranges from Llanarch CC's above-ground features to Augusta National to Langford & Moreau’s bold shaping. Follow Brian on Twitter (@bschneider126) and Instagram (bschneidergolf).

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Superintendent Series: Rich Shilling on Jeffersonville and Public Golf

Fri, 01 May 2020 00:43:57 +0000

Rich Shilling, superintendent of Jeffersonville Golf Course, joins the podcast. Andy and Rich discuss Jeffersonville’s improvement during his time there and the unique challenges of upgrading a course while continuing to allow public play. They also talk about his future plans and how the municipality approaches budgeting for renovations.

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School of Golf Architecture: Tie-Ins with Riley Johns

Sat, 25 Apr 2020 16:56:18 +0000

In the third installment of our serialized introduction to golf course design, we explore how architects and shapers make courses feel at home in their surroundings. Specifically, we discuss tie-ins, the features that connect the manmade landforms of a golf hole to the preexisting surroundings. To learn more about this subtle art, Garrett speaks with Riley Johns (@RileyJohnsGolf), one of the architects behind the Winter Park Nine and the new short course at Forest Dunes. After listening to the episode, check out the accompanying post on The Fried Egg website.

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Christina Kim

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 03:43:25 +0000

LPGA player Christina Kim joins the program this week. She discusses the importance of individuality, the Ladies European Tour vs. the LPGA, her quick rise as a junior player, her favorite courses around the world, and much more!

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Joel Dahmen

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 02:11:41 +0000

PGA Tour player Joel Dahmen takes time out of his Arizona quarantine to join Andy Johnson this week. The two talk about Mario Kart, qualifying for the U.S. Open after a trip to the bar, playing with big-name players, and just what he is doing during all this time off.

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Yolk with Doak 20: Sedge Valley, Drivable Par 4s, and the State of Restoration

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 18:43:20 +0000

Tom Doak returns to discuss a variety of topics with Andy, including topographical maps, green books, drivable par 4s, and the evolution of restoration projects in recent times. Tom also gives a quick update on his work at his new project at Sand Valley and answers some listener questions.

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School of Golf Architecture: Linksland with George Waters

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 19:41:35 +0000

The second part of our serialized introduction to course design profiles the first and most influential golf architect: the linksland. Coastal dunescapes gave the sport its first fields of play as well as its founding ethos. To learn more about how terrain has shaped the game, Garrett talks to George Waters (@gwatersgolf), the Manager of Green Section Education for the USGA and the author of the book Sand and Golf. Make sure to check out the accompanying post on The Fried Egg website; there you will find additional resources on the topic and outtakes from the interview with George.

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Superintendent Series: Josh Lewis on Bandon Dunes, Pasatiempo, and Chambers Bay

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 04:00:01 +0000

Josh Lewis, superintendent at Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club, joins Andy for the latest installment of our Superintendent Series, brought to you by the Toro Company. They talk about the impact COVID-19 has had on the turf industry before digging into Josh’s early days at Coos Bay, Bandon Dunes, Pasatiempo, and Chambers Bay. Follow Josh on Twitter @theturfyoda.

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Geoff Shackelford on Covid-19 and Golf

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 03:46:09 +0000

Geoff Shackelford joins Andy to discuss the whirlwind of coronavirus news and the likely short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic on golf.

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Fried Egg Stories: Making TPC Sawgrass

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 04:50:50 +0000

In this installment of our audio documentary series, we go back to a time when the PGA Tour operated out of a four-bedroom home in Ponte Vedra Beach. Not far from that home was a flat expanse of swampy jungle. We tell the story of how commissioner Deane Beman and architect Pete Dye turned that land into a new kind of golf venue—and how the pros reacted when they competed on it for the first time. This episode features interviews with Beman, U.S. Open and Players champion Jerry Pate, architect Tom Doak, TPC Sawgrass project manager Vernon Kelly, and journalists Adam Schupak and Sean Martin. It includes music from Assaf Ayalon, Avi Goldfinger, Maya Johanna, Ian Post, and Swirling Ship, and Kevin McLeod.

Sean Martin, “Leap of faith: Behind the Stadium Course’s wild debut at the 1982 Players Championship”

Adam Schupak, Golf’s Driving Force

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Michael Keiser, Jr.

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 05:05:47 +0000

Michael Keiser, Jr., the Managing Partner at Dream Golf, joins the podcast. The Keiser family and Dream Golf have been behind some of today's premier resorts, including Bandon, Sand Valley, and Cabot. Michael and Andy discuss working outside of golf, the failed Bandon Muni project, collaborating with some of today's greatest golf course architects, pushing the boundaries of an industry, and more.

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School of Golf Architecture: Place with Blake Conant

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 16:45:00 +0000

Welcome to School of Golf Architecture, The Fried Egg’s serialized introduction to golf course design. In this first installment, Garrett digs into the notion of place. He speaks with architect and builder Blake Conant about “place-based design” and the various ways in which a golf course can cultivate a strong sense of place. Toward the end of the discussion, Blake leads Garrett to a realization about the importance of building and preserving unique places in the modern world.

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Nick Mackay on the Business Side of Professional Golf

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 15:28:29 +0000

Current Georgia State University assistant golf coach Nick Mackay joins Andy to talk about his years as a golf agent. The two discuss what Nick looks for in young players and the intricacies of the business side of professional golf, from sponsorship deals to costs of trying to "make it." The pair finish with a discussion of Patrick Reed's antics and the Premier Golf League.

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Superintendent Series: Roger Null on His Life in Golf

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 03:04:35 +0000

Renowned golf course superintendent and architect Roger Null joins Andy for the latest installment in our Superintendent Series, brought to you by The Toro Company. Roger has nearly a half century of experience in the golf business, serving as a superintendent at Cedar Rapids CC and Old Warson CC, a design consultant at many courses in the Midwest, and even a general manager at Boone Valley GC. He is also an accomplished amateur player, with three GCSAA National Championships to his name (though Andy suspects the actual number is higher). Roger and Andy talk about how Roger got his start as a greenskeeper, what has changed in course maintenance in the past few decades, the difficulty of growing grass in St. Louis, how his work as an architect influenced his approach as a superintendent, and many other topics.

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Yolk with Doak 19: Pete Dye and Bandon vs. Scotland

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 19:59:35 +0000

Our series with golf architect Tom Doak continues with another segment of Andy and Tom’s recent conversation in Traverse City, Michigan. They begin with a series of listener questions, covering topics like green-to-tee transitions, golf culture in Africa, the pros and cons of Bandon Dunes and Scotland as golf destinations, Tom’s ongoing links project in Ireland, his growing interesting in the business side of golf development, and the importance of not pretending every new thing is the best thing ever. A discussion of common misinterpretations of well-known golf architects leads to an extended reflection on Pete Dye. They talk about how Tom would split 10 rounds at Dye-designed courses, the Dye family’s willingness to share knowledge and help Tom jump-start his career, and Pete Dye’s influential insistence on studying a variety of far-flung courses.

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Golf Fitness with Barrett Stover

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 05:46:05 +0000

Revolution Sports Performance Founder Barrett Stover joins Andy to discuss golf fitness. The two talk about the common misconceptions and easy ways golfers can stay more active and improve their golf games.

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Mike DeVries on Designing Affordable Golf and Learning from Maxwell and MacKenzie

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 21:39:29 +0000

For the first time since Episode 46, golf course architect Mike DeVries joins Andy on the podcast. DeVries was introduced to the game at Crystal Downs Golf Club in Michigan, and he worked for Tom Doak and Tom Fazio before starting his own design business. His best-known work is Cape Wickham Links on King Island in Tasmania, but he has also built several excellent, affordable public courses in his home state of Michigan. Mike and Andy discuss two of his accessible designs in the Grand Rapids area, Diamond Springs and The Mines, before speaking more broadly about the dual influences of Perry Maxwell and Alister MacKenzie, the joys of walking, and the challenges of routing courses on severe sites, such as the one where Mike’s stunning Greywalls course sits.

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Fried Egg Stories: Tiger’s Pro Debut

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 20:31:21 +0000

The latest edition of our audio documentary series focuses on Tiger Woods’s first tournament as a professional, the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open. But this isn’t a story about what happened on the course. Instead, we dig into the action in the press room, in front of the cameras, and during commercial breaks. It was in those spaces that the public image of Tiger, the myth of him as a professional golfer, began to be invented. And not everything went smoothly at first. This episode features interviews with two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange, Wieden+Kennedy ad man Jim Riswold, GMO tournament director Tom Strong, and journalists Jaime Diaz and Gary D’Amato. It includes music from Tristan Barton, Sebastian Borromeo, D Fine Us, Kevin Graham, Kloyd, Ian Post, and Kevin McLeod. Check out our sponsor, Visit Milwaukee, at visitmilwaukee.org/golf.

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Superintendent Series: Edric Funk and Matthew Wharton on the Turfgrass Industry

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 16:13:57 +0000

At the GCSAA Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Andy recorded a live episode with The Toro Company’s Edric Funk (@EdricFunk) and Carolina Golf Club superintendent Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper). The trio discussed the process behind innovation, the role of #TurfTwitter, the future of labor in the turfgrass industry, and the advent of robotics and automation in greenkeeping. Big thanks to our sponsor Toro for making the Superintendent Series possible

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Geoff Shackelford on the Distance Insights Report and the Premier Golf League

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 01:31:58 +0000

Lately, the biggest news in the golf world has revolved around topics that Golf Channel contributor Geoff Shackelford knows better than anyone. So Andy met up Geoff to get his thoughts on the bombshell USGA/R&A Distance Insights report, which represents a major shift in the governing bodies' rhetoric about golf's distance problem. They also discuss the emergence of the Premier Golf League as a potential disruptor in professional golf. Geoff broke this story two weeks ago on his blog geoffshackelford.com and continues to report on fresh revelations about the proposed world tour.

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Yolk with Doak 18: Templates, His Routing Book, and Modern Green Speeds

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 03:30:05 +0000

The Yolk with Doak, our series with golf architect Tom Doak, returns with Andy visiting Tom in Traverse City, Michigan, and sitting down for a wide-ranging conversation. In this first installment, they field a variety of reader questions. Among other things, they talk about how Tom uses (or resists over-using) template concepts in his work, how his book project on routing has led him to reassess some of his past courses, whether we should look to state golf associations as potential champions of affordable and interesting courses, and how modern green speeds have changed the way we design greens and play the game.

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Brad Faxon

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 00:18:01 +0000

During his long playing career, Brad Faxon won eight PGA Tour events, participated in two Ryder Cups, and became known as one of the best putters in golf history. Currently he serves as an analyst for Fox Sports’ USGA telecasts and a putting consultant to tour pros. Brad joined Andy at the PGA Show to discuss the art of the interview, the mental and emotional dimensions of golf, the importance of good architecture at tournament courses, and Brad’s memories of growing up in Rhode Island and learning about Golden Age design.

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Billy Draddy

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 04:38:48 +0000

At the PGA Show, Andy sits down with Billy Draddy, the creative director at Summit Golf Brands and founder of B. Draddy. They chat about Billy’s youthful days as a caddie at Winged Foot and Brookline before getting into his background in the clothing business. They cover his failures and success, the links between garment and golf course design, the challenges of pushing an against-the-grain product, and the wonders of alpacas.

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Bill Coore on Pete Dye, Sheep Ranch, and Under-Appreciated Holes

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 02:35:10 +0000

For the first time since May 2018, we welcome Bill Coore back to the podcast. Andy and Bill discuss the lack of sand bunkers and the tight, intricate routing at Sheep Ranch, Coore & Crenshaw's upcoming course at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. In addition, they talk about the late Pete Dye, Bill's mentor, and Bill's own Dye-like willingness to hire associates who have little to no golf experience. Andy and Bill cover various other topics, including the recent removal of Trinity Forest, a Coore & Crenshaw design, from the PGA Tour rota; what Bill learned from watching the pros at his recently renovated Plantation Course at Kapalua; and his thoughts on some of golf's most under-appreciated holes.

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A Tribute to Pete Dye

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 03:32:48 +0000

In honor of the great golf architect Pete Dye, who passed away last week, Andy and Garrett play and discuss several clips from past podcast episodes in which the guests discussed their experiences with Dye. Anecdotes include how Dye’s work inspired Bill Coore to get into golf course design, how Tom Doak’s experience on Dye’s construction crew caused him to turn down an offer from Robert Trent Jones, and how an aerial photo of PGA West changed the direction of Brian Silva’s career. Also featured is a segment from a yet-to-be-released podcast with Kohler Co. (Blackwolf Run, Whistling Straits) Director of Grounds Mike Lee.

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The Oldest Golf Course in Wisconsin - Eagle Springs

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 15:47:24 +0000

Mike Bolan—the owner of the Eagle Springs Golf Resort, the oldest golf course in Wisconsin—joins Andy on the podcast. Andy and Mike talk about the golf course and its history, and how Mike’s family has owned the course since 1893. Mike opens up about the difficulties of ownership in today’s golf landscape and details how he has kept Eagle Springs afloat over the years.

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Geoff Ogilvy - The Presidents Cup, Royal Melbourne, and the New Decade

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 05:22:31 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy joins Andy to talk about his experience being an assistant captain at the 2019 Presidents Cup. The two discuss the tournament and the brilliance of Royal Melbourne. Geoff talks about why Royal Melbourne stood out from the typical tour stop and why it allowed the best players to elevate their games. He also tells the story of his recent walk-off hole-in-one at Goat Hill Park and makes some predictions about the next decade in golf.

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Superintendent Series: Michael Vessely on Restoring Culver Academies Golf Course

Tue, 31 Dec 2019 18:54:45 +0000

Culver Military Academy Superintendent Michael Vessely joins Andy on the podcast. Michael and Andy start by talking about Michael's recent old tee box discoveries on the property and the historical deep dive its led. Michael then talks about how his perspective on maintenance has changed as he has understood architecture more. The conversation then moves to Michael's career and the journey to Culver and the benefits and challenges of the job. The pair wraps up talking about Michael's future plans and how he enjoys the experimental aspect of the job. Follow Michael on Twitter @mdvessely.

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Fried Egg Stories: The Doctor Goes Down Under

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 00:59:46 +0000

The second installment of our new audio documentary series digs into the history behind the venue of this week's Presidents Cup, Royal Melbourne Golf Club. This Australian gem exists in its current form because, in 1926, the famous British architect Dr. Alister MacKenzie decided to sail across the world and spend two and a half months down under. During his visit, he not only drew up plans for the West Course at Royal Melbourne but also consulted at many golf clubs throughout Australia. His apparent influence on golf in the country was enormous. So the question we ask in this episode is, essentially, how in the world did MacKenzie do all of that in 10 weeks? Or are we all giving him too much credit? Many thanks to Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking, Neil Crafter, and Sean Tully for contributing to this story. This episode features music from Kevin McLeod as well as Low Light and Borrtex.

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Fried Egg Stories: Meghan MacLaren

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 21:30:34 +0000

Something new on The Fried Egg podcast today! This episode has a documentary format. That is, rather than the usual interview, it takes the form of a story, with voice-overs from Garrett Morrison and excerpts from a conversation with Ladies European Tour player Meghan MacLaren. Think Revisionist History, but without the golf hatred. This is not a permanent format change, obviously—just a new direction we’re exploring.This past year, Meg MacLaren won the Women’s New South Wales Open and placed fifth on the LET Order of Merit, but she's still looking for a way onto the LPGA Tour. In October, she came to the U.S. for LPGA Qualifying School, which culminated with the two-week, 144-hole Q-Series at Pinehurst Resort. This episode tells the story of Meg’s Q-School experience. It also explores her thoughts about Harry Potter, blogging (which she does very well at megmaclaren.com), and the state of the women’s game.

This episode was created and hosted by Garrett Morrison and edited by J Vierck. It features music from Kevin MacLeod, Yehezkel Raz, Borrtex, and Oak and Cherry.

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Keith Rhebb

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 21:03:47 +0000

Golf course architect Keith Rhebb joins Andy at Winter Park for a chat about his recent work. The two start by discussing the continued success of Winter Park, which was slammed on an early Thursday afternoon. The conversation moves to some of Keith and Riley Johns' new work, their short course at Forest Dunes as well as the continued restoration efforts at Rolling Green. Keith also opens up to how it is to juggle his growing independent design business with his shaping work at Coore & Crenshaw as well as what he learned about Bill Coore from his time at Old Town.

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Superintendent Series: Tom Feller on Cedar Rapids and Tree Management

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 20:54:05 +0000

Cedar Rapids Country Club Superintendent Tom Feller joins Andy to discuss his life in turf. Tom and Andy start by talking about his morning routines which include no breakfast and regular walks of the golf course. The conversation then moves to how Tom got into turf and his early career in Myrtle Beach and Quincy, Illinois. Cedar Rapids CC's transformation has been well-documented and Tom has had a big hand in the improvements made both architecturally and agronomically. Andy asks how Tom was able to accomplish the massive tree removal and restoration work for such a low cost while not shutting down the course. The conversation ends with Tom spreading virtues on the tree management and flood mitigation work they have done at Cedar Rapids. Our Superintendent Series is brought to you by Toro Golf.

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Nick Hardy

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 20:28:04 +0000

Former University of Illinois standout, Nick Hardy joins Andy on the podcast to discuss his experience making the transition from college to the professional game. Nick talks about building structure to his practice sessions, dealing with some early disappointment, playing in his 3rd U.S. Open and breaking through 2nd stage of Q-School.

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Jaeger Kovich - Part 2

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 17:06:19 +0000

In part two of our podcast with golf architect Jaeger Kovich, he and Andy discuss critiques in golf architecture, Jaeger's Mt. Rushmore of golf architects and whether or not Seth Raynor is overrated. Jaeger also gives some advice for how he goes about seeing golf courses and planning his visits as well as his pet peeve in golf architecture. If you missed part 1, be sure to check it out to learn about Jaeger's background and how he got into golf architecture as a kid from New York City.

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Jaeger Kovich - Part 1

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 19:19:52 +0000

Golf Course Architect Jaeger Kovich joins Andy to talk about his career to date. Jaeger talks about how he got into architecture and cracked through despite graduating into the economic downturn in '09. The pair then talks about Jaeger's childhood playing golf in New York City, Jaeger's recent experience in France and architect Tom Simpson as well as the great A.W. Tillinghast courses in NY.

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Superintendent Series: Alex Beson-Crone on Blue Mound and Seth Raynor

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 18:40:11 +0000

Blue Mound Golf and Country Club's Superintendent Alex Beson-Crone joins the podcast. Andy and Alex discuss how Alex got into the turf industry and his early career at Erin Hills through its construction. The conversation then centers on Alex's transition from Erin Hills to the Seth Raynor-designed Blue Mound Golf and Country Club. Our Superintendent Series is brought to you by Toro Golf.

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Roaring Gap, Aiken, and Palmetto

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 04:31:32 +0000

Continuing their debriefing of their early-October Southern swing, Andy and Garrett review their visit to Roaring Gap Club in the Blue Ridge Mountains near the North Carolina-Virginia border. A 1925 Donald Ross design, Roaring Gap is charming and faithfully restored—an old-fashioned hideaway. Andy and Garrett talk routing, topography, mowing lines, and whether Ross courses can be compared to Bruce Springsteen albums. They wrap up the conversation with a tribute to maybe the best golf town in America: Aiken, SC, home to the public Aiken Golf Club as well as the private Palmetto Golf Club. They touch on not only the outstanding architecture of these two courses but also the laid-back, welcoming atmosphere that defines them and the town in the general.

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Reynolds Park and Old Town Club

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 03:22:21 +0000

In the first part of a conversation about their recent trip to the Carolinas, Andy and Garrett dig into two fascinating Perry Maxwell courses in Winston-Salem, NC: Reynolds Park Golf Course and Old Town Club. First, though, Andy reviews his visit to Mooresville Golf Club, a very good affordable course near Charlotte. Andy and Garrett then talk about Reynolds Park, a striking municipal course that they both regard as one of the top candidates for restoration in the country. They finish the episode with an in-depth discussion of Old Town Club. From its routing to its simple yet ingenious greens, this 1939 Perry Maxwell design, beautifully restored by Coore & Crenshaw in 2013, has a lot to teach any golf architecture enthusiast.

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Kevin Moore on Tournament Course Setup and Analytics-Driven Strategy

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 04:48:59 +0000

Kevin Moore joins Andy and Garrett to discuss Rory McIlroy's surprising and intriguing comments about soft course setups on the European Tour. Kevin is a former Division 1 college golfer, a professor of Mathematics Education, and the founder of a golf course analysis company called Squares2Circles, so he has some keen insights into what McIlroy means when he talks about "playing with strategy." Kevin, Andy, and Garrett also discuss how equipment technology has changed the way the best players interact with golf architecture, and they dig into whether Kevin himself senses a conflict between his rational, competitive side and his romantic, architecture-loving side. They close with a brief discussion of Aiken Golf Club, the venue for the upcoming Fried Egg event The Thoroughbred. Follow Kevin on Twitter at @kevcmoore and his company Squares2Circles at @Squares2Circles.

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Robert Crosby on the Influence of John Low

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 14:25:38 +0000

Joining first-time host Garrett Morrison is golf historian Robert Crosby, who is working on a book about the great John Low. Garrett and Bob touch on Bob's tumultuous college days and his thoughts about the escapist character of golf before delving into his research on the fascinating life and work of John Low. In the early 20th century, Low played an influential role in debates about golf architecture, equipment, and rules. His way of thinking about the game, as Bob eloquently describes, is just as relevant today as it was a century ago.

Robert Crosby's articles on John Low in the journal Through the Green: Part 1 - Part 2

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Lukas Michel - 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion

Tue, 24 Sep 2019 13:59:01 +0000

Last week Lukas Michel became the first international winner of the U.S. Mid Am at Colorado Golf Club, he joins Andy to talk about his week in Colorado and his golf career. The pair talk about amateur golf, how Lukas got prepared for his Mid Am run at Sand Hills, the awkward moment on the final hole of the match and his plans for the future.

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Geoff Shackelford on the Player-Empowerment Era and Golf Architecture’s Future

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 13:48:16 +0000

In part two of Andy's discussion with Golfweek and Golf Channel contributor Geoff Shackelford they discuss the new player empowerment era where golf has seen its biggest names speaking up on hot topics. The two discuss slow play and driver technology before Andy gets Geoff's take on the future of golf course architecture.

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Geoff Shackelford on Brooks, Rory, and the New Schedule

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 21:51:47 +0000

Geoff Shackelford joins the podcast to catch up with Andy on what's been going on in professional golf. Geoff answers important questions such as was the new schedule a success? Should Brooks have won Player of the Year and what we might see in with the TV contract negotiations.

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Craig Moore - Superintendent at Marquette Golf Club

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 03:43:21 +0000

Golf Course Superintendent Craig Moore joins the podcast to discuss maintaining turf on the United States Northern Border. Craig and Andy discuss the brilliant and varied architecture behind the 36 holes at Craig's facility the Marquette Golf Club. Craig discusses what it was like to build a course in the Upper Peninsula and some of the struggles maintaining turf that he faces.

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Perry Maxwell, Prairie Dunes and Southern Hills

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 14:46:59 +0000

The Fried Egg's Managing Editor Garrett Morrison joins Andy to discuss their recent trip to Prairie Dunes and Southern Hills. Garrett and Andy talk about their takeaways on Perry Maxwell and how he is an underappreciated architect. The two then dive into Prairie Dunes, comparing Maxwell's original 9 to his son Press' work building the second 9. The two then dive into Southern Hills and the recent renovation work by Gil Hanse. The upcoming major host wowed both Garrett and Andy.

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Yolk with Doak 17: Stonewall, the Consulting Business, and the Growing Distance Gap

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 18:21:07 +0000

In the third installment of our recent recording session with Tom Doak, Andy and Tom dive into his work at Stonewall in Elverson, Pennsylvania. The conversation then turns to Tom's future in the business of consulting at golf courses and what interests he might pursue in the final stage of his design career. Tom and Andy also discuss the increasing distance gap between professional and amateur golfers, and Tom compares Ben Crenshaw's playing style to Brooks Koepka's.

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Jaeger Kovich and Clyde Johnson - The Eclectic 18 of the UK

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 21:32:31 +0000

Golf course architects Jaeger Kovich and Clyde Johnson join the podcast to discuss their travels and new series on thefriedegg.com, The Eclectic 18. Both Jaeger and Clyde have traveled a great deal throughout their careers working for the likes of Tom Doak and Gil Hanse as well as their own projects, making a point to see all the areas courses. In this podcast, we discuss some of those travels and how they came up with the Eclectic 18 of the UK.

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Geoff Ogilvy - Lowry’s Win, Xander’s Driver, and What’s Ahead

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 03:39:18 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy joins the podcast to discuss the week of golf at the Open Championship. Geoff and Andy start by talking about Shane Lowry's impressive win and how tough it is to sleep on the lead. Rickie Fowler notched another high finish and Andy asked Geoff's perspective on top 5's in majors versus wins. Their conversation moved to the week's big controversy, the non-conforming drivers and if and how more rigorous testing should be administered. They wrap up the podcast talking about the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the new format this year and the possible other formats for the Tour and Playoffs.

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Geoff Ogilvy - The Open, Trackman, and Improving as a Pro

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 21:37:34 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy joins Andy to discuss the 2019 Open Championship. Before they hit on Royal Portrush and the tournament, Geoff and Andy discuss Matthew Wolff, his golf swing and how Trackman has led to more unique motions. Then Andy asks Geoff about getting better as a Tour pro and how difficult it is to do. Finally they close with discussion of Geoff's history at the Open Championship and how it differs from the other majors and who he expects to play well at Portrush.

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Arron Oberholser on Today’s Young Stars and the Open Championship

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 00:52:55 +0000

Golf Channel Analyst and Former PGA Tour winner Arron Oberholser joins the podcast to talk about new youth on Tour, Matthew Wolff, Colin Morikawa and Victor Hovland. Oberholser and Andy then discuss the difference between today's young stars and when Arron was a young player and the tools available. The conversation wraps with Arron talking about this year's schedule and the upcoming Open Championship.

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Russ Myers

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 03:28:30 +0000

Southern Hills Country Club’s Golf Course Superintendent Russ Myers joins Andy to discuss subjects ranging from his work at Southern Hills to his time working grounds at Augusta National. Russ has a long history with championship golf and tells stories from cutting cups in front of Greg Norman to restoring LACC and Southern Hills with Gil Hanse.

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Yolk with Doak 16: St. Patrick’s and Building from Scratch vs. Renovating

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 18:03:51 +0000

Tom Doak talks with Andy about what is more difficult: building a new course or renovating an existing one. Tom touches on his experience renovating the Gunnamatta Course at the National in Australia. Then he and Andy get to the big news: Tom has been hired to build a seaside links course in Ireland. They discuss his partnership with the Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort and his plans for the new St. Patrick's Links.

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Yolk with Doak 15: A New Course at Tara Iti and an Update on Memorial Park

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 03:33:22 +0000

In the return of our interview series with golf architect Tom Doak, Tom talks with Andy about several of his past, present, and future projects. They discuss his planned public course at Tara Iti in New Zealand, his work at the Renaissance Club in Scotland, the progress of his renovation of Memorial Park in Houston, and the state of his collaboration with Brooks Koepka.

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Charlie Danielson

Wed, 19 Jun 2019 03:25:38 +0000

Charlie Danielson joins the podcast after making the cut at the 2019 U.S. Open. Charlie and Andy discuss his qualifying for the U.S. Open after a major knee surgery that has kept him out of competition for the past year. Charlie goes into the transition from 4-time All-American at the University of Illinois to playing professionally and how the injury has made him reflect. Charlie also talks about his Saturday pairing with Phil at Pebble Beach and how it setup differently from his 2016 U.S. Open venue, Oakmont.

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Geoff Ogilvy - U.S. Open, Pebble, Winged Foot, and Life as a Pro

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 15:59:57 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy stops by in Monterey to talk the U.S. Open. Geoff and Andy discuss the U.S. Open's identity, his win in 2006, how par has changed and much more.

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Pebble Beach Golf Links with Garrett Morrison

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 16:44:33 +0000

The Fried Egg's Managing Editor Garrett Morrison joins the podcast to talk about his new role with The Fried Egg and this week's U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Garrett and Andy discuss what makes Pebble Beach a great golf course and a championship test that has endured 100 years.

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Monday Q Info - Part 2

Fri, 07 Jun 2019 04:27:22 +0000

In part two of our conversation with Monday Qualifier Founder Ryan French we zero in on the U.S. Open and its Sectional Qualifying. Ryan and Andy kick off the discuss the Web.com Tour putting an event opposite the U.S. Open and the difficult position it puts its players in. Then Ryan dives into some of the players who qualified and their interesting back stories which include funding their golf careers through Golden Tee.

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Monday Q Info - Part 1

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 17:40:38 +0000

The man behind the famed Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) Twitter account, Ryan French joins Andy to discuss how he started his account and Monday Qualifiers and Mini Tour golf. Ryan discusses where his interest in Monday Qualifiers and Mini-Tour stems from and some of his favorite stories since starting the account. In part two Ryan and Andy discuss the U.S. Open Sectional qualifying and some of the back stories behind the lesser known players.

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What to Know About Seth Raynor (ft. Anthony Pioppi)

Wed, 29 May 2019 16:22:41 +0000

Author, historian, Executive Director of the Seth Raynor Society and podcast host Anthony Pioppi joins Andy to discuss Seth Raynor and this week's U.S. Women's Open host, Country Club of Charleston. Anthony discusses Raynor's career and how he got into golf as well as his famed template holes and what he expects from this week's tournament.

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Blake Conant on the PGA Championship Setup and Brooks Koepka’s Win

Mon, 27 May 2019 03:39:20 +0000

Andy is joined by up and coming architect Blake Conant to discuss the 2019 PGA Championship. Blake and Andy talk about the week at Bethpage and the PGA's setup of the course and how it effected the championship. They also discuss it compared to Erin Hills and Blake talks about what he would like to see more of in the professional game.

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Geoff Ogilvy - The 2019 PGA Championship, Bethpage Black, and Brooks Koepka

Tue, 14 May 2019 16:10:10 +0000

The second half of Andy's latest conversation with Geoff Ogilvy centers on the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage. Geoff gives his thoughts on the new schedule and the PGA's place in golf. They then discuss Brooks Koepka and his unbelievable run in majors and public perception. They close with a discussion on Bethpage Black, what type of players will succeed and what makes it a special venue.

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Geoff Ogilvy - Tiger’s Masters Win, Putting, and Trinity Forest

Mon, 13 May 2019 01:29:33 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy joins the podcast to chat Tiger's win at the Masters and what he thought of Sunday. Andy and Geoff then discuss par and its relation to Trinity Forest.

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David Zinkand

Wed, 08 May 2019 20:21:34 +0000

Golf course architect David Zinkand joins the podcast to talk about his career. Andy and Dave discuss his time in college at Cornell and the Dreer Award and the opportunity to study abroad that came with it. Dave talks about how that experience altered his perception of golf course architecture and served as the foundation for his career. The conversation then flows through the distinct differences Dave experienced working for Arthur Hills versus architects such as Gil Hanse and Coore & Crenshaw. Andy and Dave then talk about a few of Dave's project work at Desert Forest, Old Elm and upcoming work to Canal Shores.

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Geoff Shackelford on Rustic Canyon, Municipal Golf, and Photography

Wed, 01 May 2019 23:19:25 +0000

In part two of our latest podcast with Geoff Shackelford, Andy and Geoff discuss the design of Rustic Canyon. They discuss the role of affordable golf and more importantly, municipal golf as well as the superintendent industry. Geoff also asks Andy about the progression of his drone photography. If you missed part one check it out as the two talk about the recent happenings in golf.

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Geoff Shackelford on Augusta National’s Setup and the Youth Invasion

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 17:16:10 +0000

Golf Channel and Golfweek contributor Geoff Shackelford joins the podcast to discuss the recent happenings in golf. Part one of Andy and Geoff's conversation starts with thoughts on Augusta's setup before meandering to the youth invasion in the game and technology. They then talk about the schedule and the good and bad of the condensed season. Part Two of the podcast will air later this week.

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Renovating Cal Club

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 14:05:18 +0000

Former California Golf Club President Allan Jamieson and revered Golf Historian David Normoyle join the podcast to discuss the California Golf Club and their ambitious renovation effort in 2006. The podcast starts with an interview with Allan Jamieson discussing the politics of the club and dynamics of the club before and after the renovation. Following Allan's interview, David Normoyle joins to discuss the intricacies of the California Golf Club's history and all the aspects that went into the renovation with Kyle Phillips.

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Introducing the National Links Trust

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 01:16:58 +0000

Michael McCartin and Will Smith join Andy to discuss their new non-profit The National Links Trust. They discuss the importance of municipal golf and the organizations vision and goals. To sign up for the National Links Trust's newsletter, visit their website here: https://www.nationallinkstrust.com/

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2019 Masters Recap with Shane Bacon

Sun, 14 Apr 2019 20:43:16 +0000

Fox Sports’ Shane Bacon joins Andy as they recap the 2019 Masters Tournament. They talk Tiger, his legacy, his style of play, Francesco, and others who had a chance this week. The two also discuss what lies ahead for the rest of 2019 and who has the best chances in majors moving forward.

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Geoff Ogilvy - The Second Nine at Augusta National

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 22:55:51 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy joins the podcast to talk about Augusta National. Geoff breaks down each hole and what makes it an unbelievable closing stretch.

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Geoff Ogilvy - The Front Nine at Augusta National

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 19:03:32 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy joins the podcast for another Masters episode. Andy and Geoff dive deep into playing Augusta National detailing the subtle design aspects that make the course a masterpiece. In this episode they discuss the front nine at Augusta National, the psychology of playing the course as a competitor and much more.

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Geoff Ogilvy - Playing in the Masters

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 14:40:55 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy joins The Fried Egg podcast to discuss all things Masters. Geoff and And talk about what it’s like to be a rookie at Augusta, the feeling of being in contention on Sunday, how he learned to prepare for the event, and much more. They also discuss the agronomy at Augusta National and how the course sets up unlike any other on tour.

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2019 Masters Preview with Sean Martin

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 19:46:29 +0000

PGA Tour Senior Editor Sean Martin joins the podcast to preview the Masters. Andy and Sean discuss the biggest surprises from the 2019 season thus far and dive into the nitty gritty on the 2019 Masters. Learn why Sean is just lukewarm on Tiger's chances and the pair retell Monty's reaction to the 1997 Saturday pairing with Woods.

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The Story of Aiken Golf Club

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 03:44:12 +0000

Andy is joined by Aiken Golf Club owner Jim McNair and golf course architect Blake Conant. Andy talks with Jim about how he and his family came to be owners of Aiken Golf Club and its rich, eventful history. Jim goes into detail about the renovation that he led in 1996 despite having no experience in architecture or construction and a small staff of 3. Following Jim, Andy calls Blake Conant to talk more about the golf course and what stuck most with Blake.

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Eric Lippert - Head Professional at Pebble Beach

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 21:08:32 +0000

Andy recaps his visit to Pebble Beach Golf Links for the Summit and is joined by Pebble Beach's Head Pro, Eric Lippert. They discuss Eric's path to Pebble, his playing career, this year's U.S. Open and advice for a first timer to the resort.

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How a Hole’s Par Changes a Player’s Strategy

Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:06:36 +0000

University of Denver Professor Andrew Urbaczewski and Ryan Elmore join the podcast to discuss their paper on Loss Aversion in Professional Golf. Andrew and Ryan took a look at the effect that the change in par on the 2nd hole at Pebble Beach and 9th hole at Oakmont had on scoring in the U.S. Open. Read their paper here and listen to the podcast to learn about how changing the way you view par could change your scores for the better.

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Ran Morissett

Mon, 25 Mar 2019 21:17:03 +0000

Golf Club Atlas Founder Ran Morrissett joins the podcast. Ran and Andy discuss dogs on golf courses, the founding of Golf Club Atlas, critiquing golf courses, Ran's 147 Custodians and much more.

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Yolk with Doak 14: The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 01:18:11 +0000

In the latest edition of our interview series with golf architect Tom Doak, Andy and Tom discuss his latest book, the fifth volume of his Confidential Guide to Golf Courses. They also touch on Tom's travels through India and his memories of the distinctive courses and cultures there. Finally, Tom talks about a future book project of his, which will be all about golf course routing.

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Geoff Ogilvy - The Players, the Majors, and the Vic Open

Thu, 21 Feb 2019 05:13:58 +0000

In part two of our most recent podcast with Geoff Ogilvy we discuss the PGA Tour's developing classes of events. Geoff talks about what he likes about invitationals and bigger events as a player. Andy and Geoff also talk about the PLAYERS and its attempt to become a major. The conversation wraps up talking about Geoff's most recent tournament playing the Vic Open a congruent event with the European Tour and LPGA Tour.

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Geoff Ogilvy - Riviera, Slow Play, and Adapting to Modern Equipment

Wed, 20 Feb 2019 05:54:59 +0000

Former U.S. Open Champion Geoff Ogilvy joins the podcast to discuss the latest happenings in golf. Andy and Geoff discuss the transition to the modern equipment including the low-spin and modern ball. They then talk about the weekend at Riviera, Geoff lends insight into what makes Riviera a course where veterans thrive and the two discuss potential solutions for slow play. Part two of the podcast will be released later this week.

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Luke Donald

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:11:16 +0000

PGA Tour star Luke Donald joins the podcast to talk about his career. Luke and Andy discuss how he got to world #1, his favorite courses on Tour, how he practices, his top moments and much more.

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LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 04:01:11 +0000

LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan joins the podcast. Mike talks about his aggressive approach to improving the LPGA Tour and what has succeeded and fallen short. He also discusses a few future ideas and what he's looking forward to in 2019. Listen to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify.

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The Impact of Equipment Technology on Tennis (and Golf)

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 02:41:12 +0000

What effect does technology have on golf? Maybe the question lies not in golf but elsewhere...

Economist Ian Fillmore joins us to discuss how the change from wooden racquets to composite racquets in tennis parallels the game of golf. Ian is an associate professor at Washington University of St. Louis and earned his PHD from the University of Chicago. You can read he and Jonathan Hall's paper Technological Change and Obsolete Skills: Evidence from Men’s Professional Tennis (link) and follow his website (link).

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Curtis James on Maintaining Old Elm

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 15:29:48 +0000

Old Elm Club's Director of Agronomy Curtis James joins the podcast. Andy and Curtis discuss his background, how agronomy and turf work together, how a municipal course could improve on a shoestring budget and the transformation of the Old Elm Club.

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Geoff Ogilvy - Scotland and What Distinguishes Challenging Golf from Hard Golf

Mon, 21 Jan 2019 04:52:48 +0000

Geoff Ogilvy and Andy talk about Geoff’s recent trip to Scotland and the allure of links golf. Geoff talks about the compelling aspects of women’s professional golf and how their game showcase architecture. Then the two discuss the idea of challenging versus hard golf.

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Geoff Ogilvy - Hawaii Swing, New Rules, and How to Test Pros

Wed, 16 Jan 2019 21:05:12 +0000

In the first episode of our new series with former U.S. Open Champion Geoff Ogilvy, Andy and Geoff discuss Waialae and Kapalua and their unique challenges. They also dive into what they like and don't like about the new rules in golf as well as testing the world's best players.

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Yolk with Doak 13: Memorial Park and the PGA Tour

Mon, 14 Jan 2019 06:26:19 +0000

Tom Doak joins Andy to discuss his upcoming redesign of Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston. This popular municipal course is going to host the 2020 Houston Open. Tom talks about his plans for the site, working with Brooks Koepka, and his strategy for testing the skills of PGA Tour pros.

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Roberto Castro - Part 2

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 05:08:50 +0000

PGA Tour player Roberto Castro joins The Fried Egg podcast for part 2. He and Andy talk how he builds his schedule, golf design trends, pace of play on the PGA Tour and much more.

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Roberto Castro - Part 1

Mon, 07 Jan 2019 01:40:00 +0000

PGA Tour player Roberto Castro joins the podcast. In part one, Andy and Roberto talk about the role of golf course architecture in golf, Roberto's time on the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour and how distance has changed the game. Roberto also discusses the difference in major championship setups to the regular week setup and how winning is underrated.

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Michael McCartin on East Potomac Park Golf Course

Sun, 25 Nov 2018 18:37:01 +0000

Andy is joined by golf course architect Michael McCartin to talk about municipal golf, specifically Washington DC's East Potomac Park Golf Course. The conversation starts with Michael's background and how he got into golf course architecture working for Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf Design. The two then get into a discussion about Michael's graduate school thesis (read here) on East Potomac. Upon opening, the reversible Walter Travis design became one of the nation's most popular and greatest municipal golf facilities. Today, it's a shell of its original self but has an opportunity (thanks to an upcoming change in management) that will allow for capital improvements.

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Patrick Boyd - Part 2

Tue, 20 Nov 2018 16:22:36 +0000

Patrick Boyd is the founder of National Custom Works and Boyd Blade and Ferrule. Patrick is one of the few people in golf making hand-crafted irons and also sports a wealth of golf course architecture. In part two we discuss fun golf courses, the fair police and take a trip down memory lane talking golf equipment of the yesteryear. If you missed part one, check it out and learn about Patrick's background and how he got into the equipment industry.

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Patrick Boyd - Part 1

Mon, 19 Nov 2018 01:45:53 +0000

Andy is joined by Patrick Boyd founder of National Custom Irons and golf course architecture nut. They discuss Patrick’s company, custom irons, his role at Sweetens Cove and much more.

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Yolk with Doak 12: Sand Valley, Golf in England, and Listener Questions

Sun, 11 Nov 2018 22:57:32 +0000

In the latest edition of our interview series with golf architect Tom Doak, Tom talks with Andy about his new project at Sand Valley. The two go on to discuss Tom's desire to do different types of projects and his affinity for golf in England. They finish up with some listener questions.

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Colin Sheehan - Part 3

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 09:03:00 +0000

Andy and Colin discuss the start of the Outpost Club, developing courses, caddying and much more. If you missed Part I or Part II of our podcast with Colin check them out.

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Colin Sheehan - Part 2

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 04:05:49 +0000

In part two of a three part podcast, Colin and Andy discuss Colin's career as a writer, golf architecture, golf in the UK and much more.

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Colin Sheehan - Part 1

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 23:07:56 +0000

The Fried Egg podcast is back with Yale Golf Coach Colin Sheehan. In part one, Andy and Colin discuss a wide range of topics from collegiate golf to golf course architecture. Part two will air on Monday, November 5th.

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The Effort to Restore Cobbs Creek

Tue, 11 Sep 2018 14:56:51 +0000

Joe Bausch and Mike Cirba join the podcast to discuss their work on the Cobbs Creek restoration project. Joe and Mike have been working tirelessly to get the Hugh Wilson municipal design restored over the past 11 years. We discuss the course's history, what spurred the restoration effort and the future of Cobbs.

For more information on Cobbs check out following links

Friends of Cobb's Creek

Golf Club Atlas Thread

Bausch Photo Collection

Bausch History Collection

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Shane Bacon

Mon, 27 Aug 2018 00:54:48 +0000

Fox play-by-play commentator and host of the Clubhouse podcast Shane Bacon joins the podcast. We talk about how Shane got into the golf business, the USGA calendar, the upcoming Ryder Cup and much more.

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2018 PGA Championship Recap

Mon, 13 Aug 2018 17:07:54 +0000

SB Nation's Brendan Porath and ESPN's Kevin Van Valkenburg join the podcast to recap a wild 2018 PGA. We discuss, Brooks Koepka, Tiger's run, Adam Scott's close call, the golf course and much more.

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2018 PGA Championship Preview

Tue, 07 Aug 2018 02:29:39 +0000

SB Nation's Brendan Porath and ESPN's Kevin Van Valkenburg join the podcast to preview the 2018 PGA Championship. We discuss last week's Bridgestone, who has the most to gain from a win at Bellerive and even have a drop in weather report from Gary Player.

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Changing Golf with Kevin Van Valkenburg

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 21:11:29 +0000

ESPN's Kevin Van Valkenburg joins Andy Johnson to discuss the changes each one of them would make to golf if they had the chance. They also discuss the recent happenings on Tour and look ahead to the PGA Championship.

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2018 Open Championship Recap

Mon, 23 Jul 2018 02:46:37 +0000

Brendan Porath and Sean Martin are back to recap the thrilling 2018 Open Championship. We talk Molinari's win, Tiger's surge, Rory, Spieth Xander and look ahead to the PGA.

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2018 Open Championship Preview

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 04:13:17 +0000

Brendan Porath and Sean Martin are back to preview this week's Open Championship! Sean gives us his on the ground report while Brendan breaks down the keys to staying awake for the whole Open.

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Chicago Golf Club

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 19:49:48 +0000

Chicago Golf Club Historian John Moran and Superintendent Scott Bordner join the podcast to discuss their historic course and the 2018 U.S. Senior Women's Open.

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Andrew Green - Part 2

Mon, 09 Jul 2018 02:44:30 +0000

The second part of our podcast with golf course architect Andrew Green is live. In part two we discuss Andrew’s restoration projects which include Inverness, Oak Hill and Scioto among others.

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Andrew Green - Part 1

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 02:49:08 +0000

Golf course architect Andrew Green joins the pod for the first of a two part podcast. In part I Andrew discusses how he got into golf, how he approaches his business, his recent trip to Scotland and much more.

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Casey Krahenbuhl

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 04:14:27 +0000

Casey Krahenbuhl joins the podcast to talk golf course architecture. We discuss the whether today's architects would design better courses than the golden age architects, Casey's recent work for David McLay Kidd at Mammoth Dunes and much more.

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2018 U.S. Open Recap with Brendan Porath and Sean Martin

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 19:02:05 +0000

Brendan Porath and Sean Martin join the podcast to discuss the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. We discuss Brooks Koepka's win, the course setup, Phil and much more.

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2018 U.S. Open Preview with Brendan Porath and Sean Martin

Tue, 12 Jun 2018 17:44:28 +0000

The PGA Tour's Sean Martin and SB Nation's Brendan Porath joined the podcast to preview the 2018 U.S. Open. We discuss Shinnecock Hills, players we like, dream U.S. Open rotas and much more.

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2018 U.S. Open Picks with Paulie

Tue, 12 Jun 2018 11:12:10 +0000

Our resident picks expert Paulie drops by the podcast to talk U.S. Open. We talk one and done, draftkings, longshots and strategy for this week's U.S. Open

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Yolk with Doak 11: Michigan Golf

Wed, 06 Jun 2018 02:31:42 +0000

Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf Design associate Don Placek join Andy to talk about their favorite courses in the golf-rich state of Michigan.

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Eamon Lynch

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 04:40:34 +0000

While attending Mammoth Dunes’ opening day, Golfweek contributor Eamon Lynch joined the podcast to discuss the Sand Valley resort, golf in the UK vs US, the PGA Tour schedule to date and the upcoming U.S. Open.

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Geoff Shackelford on the Byron Nelson and the PGA Tour Schedule

Mon, 21 May 2018 20:11:20 +0000

Golf analyst and noted golf course architecture expert Geoff Shackelford joins the podcast to discuss the AT&T Byron Nelson at Trinity Forest, the upcoming PGA Tour schedule and the future schedule.

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Gil Hanse - Part 2

Wed, 16 May 2018 03:10:44 +0000

In part two of the Gil Hanse podcast, Andy and Gil discuss some of Gil’s latest projects, how he’d split ten rounds of golf across America and much more.

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Gil Hanse - Part 1

Mon, 14 May 2018 02:14:20 +0000

Golf course architect Gil Hanse joins the podcast for a two-part podcast. In part one he discusses his career to date, golden age architecture, the Olympic Course in Rio and much more.

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2018 Players Preview

Tue, 08 May 2018 04:04:07 +0000

The PGA Tour's Sean Martin and SB Nation's Brendan Porath join the podcast to preview the 2018 PLAYERS Championship. We talk about players who have surprised and disappointed, the course and our picks for this week's tournament.

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Bill Coore and Jim Craig at Sand Valley

Fri, 04 May 2018 04:52:21 +0000

Live from Sand Valley’s opening day festivities Andy Johnson is joined by Bill Coore and Jim Craig of the renowned Coore & Crenshaw design firm. They talked about their brand new par-3 course The Sandbox, their 18-hole Sand Valley design, working for the Keisers and more.

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Yolk with Doak 10: The Loop

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 03:04:47 +0000

In the latest installment of our interview series with golf architect Tom Doak, Andy and Tom are joined by Renaissance Golf Design associate Don Placek to discuss the Loop, the unique reversible golf course in Michigan.

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Geoff Ogilvy - Part 2

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 01:49:34 +0000

In this episode, Geoff talks about how he got into golf course architecture, strategy, PGA Tour setups, his thoughts on TPC courses, and much more. If you missed part I be sure to check it out!

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Geoff Ogilvy - Part 1

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 01:44:44 +0000

2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy joins the podcast. Geoff and Andy talk about his career on the PGA Tour, whether winning is overrated, why the Masters is the greatest event in golf and much more.

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Tyler Rae

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 03:07:03 +0000

Golf course architect Tyler Rae joins the podcast to talk about his career. We begin our conversation with a lengthy discussion on the brilliance of Donald Ross, his most under the radar designs, his best designs and talents. The conversation then moved to Tyler’s career and experiences working for Keith Foster, Coore & Crenshaw and Ron Prichard.

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Andy Staples

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 00:40:33 +0000

Golf course architect Andy Staples joins the podcast to discuss his career. We dive into his affinity and passion for Community golf, his restoration of Meadowbrook C.C. and what he learned about Willie Park, courses that have inspired him, restoration and renovation and much more.

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2018 Masters Recap with Brendan Porath

Tue, 10 Apr 2018 17:14:24 +0000

Brendan Porath joins the podcast to discuss the 2018 Masters. We talk Patrick Reed, Rickie, Spieth, Rory and much more.

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2018 Masters: Sunday Preview

Sun, 08 Apr 2018 00:36:45 +0000

Will Knights joined the podcast to breakdown Saturday's action and look ahead to Sunday's final round.

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2018 Masters Preview

Wed, 04 Apr 2018 03:49:38 +0000

I am joined by the PGA Tour's Sean Martin, SB Nation's Brendan Porath and the Creative Director for Summit Golf Brands Billy Draddy. We talk about what we love about the Masters, our favorite storylines going into the week, Phil's practice round outfit, Masters scripting and who we like to win the 2018 Masters.

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2018 Masters: Paulie’s Picks

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 04:42:30 +0000

Paulie joins the podcast to discuss strategies and players for DraftKings, office pools and one and done leagues.

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Augusta Archives: Stewart Hagestad

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 04:08:16 +0000

2017 Masters low amateur winner Stewart Hagestad joins the podcast. We discuss his run in the 2017 Masters, how he prepared for the week, his favorite holes at Augusta National and much more.

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Augusta Archives: Craig Stadler

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 04:04:13 +0000

1982 Masters Champion Craig Stadler joins the podcast to talk about Augusta and the Masters. A few of the topics we discuss include the Champions dinner, Craig's win, what about Augusta fit his game, the future of the Masters and much more.

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Augusta Archives: Steve Scott

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 04:02:15 +0000

Welcome to the Augusta Archives, conversations with present and former Masters competitors. In this episode 1997 participant Steve Scott joins the podcast to talk about his experience in the Masters, the golf course and his favorite memories from his week at Augusta.

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Yolk with Doak 9: Routing - Part 2

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 03:35:06 +0000

This is part two of our discussion with Tom Doak and Don Placek about routing, one of the most difficult and important tasks in designing a golf course.

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Yolk with Doak 8: Routing - Part 1

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 02:31:06 +0000

Tom Doak and Andy Johnson are joined by Renaissance Golf Design associate Don Placek, who, aside from aiding in the every aspect of projects, is also responsible for Renaissance's artwork. In the first installment of a two-part series, Don, Tom, and Andy dig into the topic of golf course routing.

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Superintendent Roundtable

Mon, 19 Mar 2018 05:16:09 +0000

A few of the brightest young stars in the superintendent industry join the podcast. Shoreacres' Brian Palmer, Glen View Club's Brian Moore, Bob O' Link's Scott Pavalko and fellow golf nerd Jason Way joined for the first ever live podcast at Oak Park C.C.. We discussed their careers, working with architects, restoring Golden Age courses and much more.

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Zac Blair on Northern California Golf

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 02:50:33 +0000

PGA Tour player Zac Blair joins the podcast to talk about Northern California golf, Jack Nicklaus stories, PGA Tour setups and best golf cities.

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Recapping Tiger’s Performance at the Valspar with Brendan Porath and Sean Martin

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 02:47:33 +0000

SB Nation’s Brendan Porath and the PGA Tour’s Sean Martin join the podcast to talk about Tiger’s performance, what we expect going forward, Sam Burns, Augusta and much more.

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Arron Oberholser on the 2018 PGA Tour Season

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 02:30:58 +0000

Arron Oberholser joins the podcast to catch up about the start of the PGA Tour season. We kick off the conversation discussing a few San Francisco golf courses and the notion of score to par vs. shot values for professional golf. We then dive into Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods, the WGC schedule and much more.

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Ed Loar

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 04:59:03 +0000

Web.com Tour professional Ed Loar joins the podcast to talk about his career. Ed is one of the older guys on the Web.com Tour and has played golf on almost every Tour in the world. We discuss the ups and downs of golf, his recent stretch of great play on the Web.com Tour and how professional golf has changed over the years.

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Yolk with Doak 7: Bel-Air CC

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 04:47:23 +0000

This is the third and final part of our conversation with Tom Doak and his Renaissance Golf Design associates Eric Iverson, Brian Schneider, Blake Conant, and Kye Goalby. In this episode, we continue our discussion of George Thomas, Bel-Air CC, and golf course architecture as a whole.

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Yolk with Doak 6: George Thomas

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 06:52:03 +0000

In part two of our discussion with the Renaissance Golf Design crew, Tom Doak and his associates Eric Iverson, Brian Schneider, Blake Conant, and Kye Goalby talk about the career of George Thomas and his design at Bel-Air Country Club.

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Yolk with Doak 5: Renaissance Golf

Tue, 13 Feb 2018 05:05:57 +0000

In the latest edition of the Yolk with Doak, Andy Johnson talks with Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf Design associates Eric Iverson, Brian Schneider, Kye Goalby, and Blake Conant. In part one of what will be a three-part podcast, they cover how Renaissance Golf approaches golf course design and construction.

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Sean Tully

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 05:15:30 +0000

Zac Blair and I are joined by golf course superintendent and historian Sean Tully. We discuss Northern California golf, Alister MacKenzie, technology, Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, robot mowers and much more.

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Michael Weaver

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 07:14:45 +0000

Kyle Nathan and Andy Johnson are joined by Web.com Tour Player Michael Weaver. We discuss how Michael got into golf, the Latin American Tour, his run at the 2012 U.S. Amateur, playing in the Masters and much more.

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2018 Waste Management Open Preview and Picks

Tue, 30 Jan 2018 08:41:50 +0000

Paulie and Kyle Nathan join to breakdown who to pick for one and done leagues and DraftKings at TPC Scottsdale.

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Brandel Chamblee

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 03:34:51 +0000

Kyle Nathan and Andy Johnson are joined by Golf Channel Analyst, former PGA Tour player and author Brandel Chamblee. We discuss Jon Rahm's ascension, the modern golf swing, technology, Tiger Woods and much more.

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2018 Farmers Insurance Preview

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 04:52:18 +0000

Kyle Nathan and Paulie join the podcast to discuss last week's CareerBuilder and Abu Dhabi events. We then discuss Tiger's return and the rest of the field at Torrey Pines for this year's Farmers Insurance

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Yolk with Doak 4: Streamsong

Mon, 22 Jan 2018 06:35:03 +0000

Andy sits down with Tom Doak to discuss his contribution to the new Florida golf mecca, Streamsong Resort. They dig into the unique collaborative process behind the building of Tom's Blue course and Coore & Crenshaw's Red course.

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Mike Cocking

Fri, 19 Jan 2018 05:51:20 +0000

Australian Golf Course Architect Mike Cocking joins the podcast to discuss his career. Mike works with Michael Clayton, Geoff Ogilvy and Ashley Mead (OCCM), we discussed how he got into design, some of their recent projects, the history of Australian architecture and the ideal itinerary for an Australian golf trip.

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2018 CareerBuilder Preview

Tue, 16 Jan 2018 03:06:47 +0000

Paulie and Kyle Nathan join the podcast to recap the Sony Open and preview the CareerBuilder. Paulie lends his expertise navigating the field and picking out some players for one and done and DraftKings. We also dive into some listener questions and overrated/underrateds.

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Richie Ramsay

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 03:52:56 +0000

European Tour winner and former U.S. Amateur champion Richie Ramsay joins the podcast. We discuss Richie's career, turning pro before a Walker Cup, Anthony Kim and his favorite courses in the British Isles.

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2018 Sony Open Preview and Picks with Paulie

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 04:16:00 +0000

Our resident fantasy expert Paulie joins the podcast to talk about the Tournament of Champions, who to pick for one and done and Draftkings at the Sony and some predictions for 2018.

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Yolk with Doak 3: Waialae CC, the Sony Open, and Seth Raynor

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 06:01:11 +0000

In the latest episode of our interview series with Tom Doak, we discuss Tom's consulting work at Seth Raynor-designed Waialae Country Club, host course of the Sony Open. We talk about the changes to Waialae over the years, what Tom learns from PGA Tour players, his thoughts about Seth Raynor, and much more.

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Jim Urbina - Part 2

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 17:12:13 +0000

In part two of the Jim Urbina podcast we discuss Jim's background, C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor's use of templates, the importance of superintendents and the building of Old Macdonald.

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Jim Urbina - Part 1

Tue, 02 Jan 2018 03:36:35 +0000

Golf course architect Jim Urbina joined the podcast for a two part episode. We discuss restoration, easy things courses can do to improve, Perry Maxwell, Alister MacKenzie, his California courses and much more.

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Jon Cavalier and Zac Blair - 2017 Golf Season Recap

Thu, 28 Dec 2017 15:51:50 +0000

Jon Cavalier and Zac Blair join the podcast to discuss the 2017 golf year. We breakdown the ten best "new to us" courses that we saw, a few courses that surprised us, architecture, our plans for 2018 and much more. We discussed Jon's calendar in the podcast, to purchase the calendar check out these instructions - https://twitter.com/LinksGems/status/940726753152131075

If you enjoy the podcast please rate and review us in your podcast player of choice.

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Yolk with Doak 2: Golf Course Architecture 101 - Part 2

Tue, 26 Dec 2017 16:19:14 +0000

In the second and final installment of our introduction to golf course architecture, Tom Doak discusses what makes a great green complex and what he thinks about front-to-back sloping greens. He also recommends a few of the best golf course architecture books for beginners and responds to some overrated/underrateds.

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Mark Broadie

Thu, 21 Dec 2017 00:55:53 +0000

Mark Broadie joins Kyle Nathan and Andy Johnson to talk about golf statistics. We discuss how he came up with the strokes gained statistics, how they work, the world rankings, who he expects to breakout in 2017 and much more.

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Yolk with Doak 1: Golf Course Architecture 101 - Part 1

Mon, 18 Dec 2017 02:17:21 +0000

Renowned golf architect Tom Doak sits down with Andy talk through the basics of golf course architecture. In the first of a two-part episode, Tom elaborates on what golf course architecture is, the different schools of design, routing, and much more.

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Hero Debrief and 2018 Predictions with Adam Sarson and Brendan Porath

Mon, 04 Dec 2017 05:15:53 +0000

Brendan Porath and Adam Sarson joined the podcast to talk about Tiger’s return at the Hero and what to expect in 2018. We also touch on our favorite moments of 2017, make predictions for 2018 and talk about Tiger’s Monster sponsorship.

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Paul Goydos

Wed, 29 Nov 2017 04:55:23 +0000

PGA Tour Champions star and 2-time PGA Tour winner Paul Goydos joins the podcast to talk about his career, Tiger Woods, bifurication and much more!

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Mailbag: Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, and the Hall of Fame

Wed, 22 Nov 2017 16:35:07 +0000

Kyle Nathan joins the podcast to answer your questions. The conversation hits extensively on the ball and today's professional game, Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose's career, the Hall of Fame and architects, and a slew of overrated/underrateds.

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Keith Foster

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 07:13:00 +0000

Golf course architect Keith Foster joins the podcast to talk about his career. Our discussion includes trees, the restoration process, his solo work, Colt and Alison and A.W. Tillinghast.

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Bill Coore - Part 2

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 10:37:00 +0000

In part II, Bill discusses the concept of par, Trinity Forest and challenging the world's best and answers some listener questions. If you missed part I listen to it here.

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Bill Coore - Part 1

Fri, 10 Nov 2017 13:37:00 +0000

Legendary golf course architect Bill Coore joins the podcast to talk about his career in golf. In part I, we discuss the architects and courses who have had the most influence on his career and go into detail in some of his most famous projects. Listen to part 2 of the podcast here.

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Kyle Franz - Part 2

Wed, 08 Nov 2017 01:34:00 +0000

In part II of the Kyle Franz podcast we talk about golf in the British Isles, the ground game and professional golf, desert golf and overrated/underrated. If you haven't checked out Part I, listen here.

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Kyle Franz - Part 1

Tue, 07 Nov 2017 02:22:00 +0000

Golf course architect Kyle Franz joins the podcast to discuss his career and golf course architecture. In part I, Kyle talks about his background, working with some of today's great architects and Donald Ross and other great golden age architects.

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Jay Blasi and Brett Hochstein

Sat, 04 Nov 2017 01:24:00 +0000

Architects Jay Blasi and Brett Hochstein join the pod to discuss the dark ages of golf course architecture and what the future holds for those courses.

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Curtis Tyrrell

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 15:40:00 +0000

I am joined by Medinah Country Club's Director of Grounds Curtis Tyrrell. We talk about how he got into the industry, his experience renovating courses with Rees Jones and Tom Doak, stories from hosting a Ryder Cup and much more.

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The Buck Club

Thu, 19 Oct 2017 11:19:00 +0000

I am joined by Zac Blair and DJ Piehowski to talk golf course architecture and The Buck Club.

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Post-Presidents Cup Mailbag

Wed, 04 Oct 2017 22:00:00 +0000

Kyle Nathan (@drawsnfades) joins the podcast to answer your questions about the Presidents Cup, the new PGA Tour season, mid am regulations and much more.

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Kyle Hegland

Mon, 02 Oct 2017 20:56:00 +0000

Sand Hills Superintendent and golf course architecture nut Kyle Hegland and I sat down to talk in the Sand Hills library over the weekend. We talk about the drastic temperatures and unique challenges of maintaining Sand Hills, the genius of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, golf course architecture and much more.

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2017 PGA Tour Season Review and Presidents Cup Preview

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 05:17:00 +0000

SB Nation's Brendan Porath and the PGA Tour's Sean Martin join the podcast to talk about the 2016-2017 PGA Tour season, the young stars of the PGA Tour, the Presidents Cup and much more.

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FedEx Cup Mailbag

Thu, 21 Sep 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Kyle Nathan (@drawsnfades) joins the podcast to talk FedEx Cup and answer mailbag questions.

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Patrick Newcomb

Thu, 21 Sep 2017 00:32:00 +0000

Mackenzie Tour and Latin American Tour star Patrick Newcomb joins the podcast to talk about his strong 2017 season. We talk about bucket hats, his start at this week's Portugal Masters, playing around the world and much more.

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Mailbag: ANGC’s New Chairman, the FedEx Cup, and Walker Cup Selections

Fri, 25 Aug 2017 02:36:00 +0000

Kyle Nathan @drawsnfades joins the podcast to answer listener questions. We talk about Augusta National's new Chairman Fred Ridley, the FedEx Cup, the U.S. Am, the Walker Cup selections and much more.

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Jay Blasi

Sat, 19 Aug 2017 01:49:00 +0000

I am joined with golf course architect Jay Blasi. Jay and I discuss the future of golf course design, technology, Sharp Park, the reaction to Chambers Bay and much more.

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Mike DeVries

Thu, 17 Aug 2017 22:25:00 +0000

I am joined by golf course architect Mike DeVries. We talk about his background and how he got into architect, the philosophy of routing, golden age architects and much more.

Listen on iTunes or Stitcher and if you enjoy please leave a review!

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Three-Man Weave with D.J. Piehowski and Tron Carter

Thu, 17 Aug 2017 19:30:00 +0000

DJ Piehowski and Tron Carter join the pod to talk about the battle for the final top 125 spots We talk about relegation, the idea of a Death Panel and to answer listener questions.

Listen on iTunes or Stitcher and if you enjoy please leave a review!

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Post-PGA Championship Mailbag

Tue, 15 Aug 2017 03:53:00 +0000

Kyle Nathan @drawsnfades joins the podcast to answer mailbag questions and recap the PGA Championship. We discuss Justin Thomas, Louis Oosthuizen, some golf course architecture and Mid-Am Golf. If you want to ask a question for the next mailbag do so here and as always if you enjoy the podcast please rate and review us in iTunes and Stitcher.

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Mailbag: Major Championship Coverage, Future PGA Sites, and a PGA Tour Stock Market

Thu, 10 Aug 2017 07:26:00 +0000

Kyle Nathan @drawsnfades joins the pod to answer the latest mailbag questions. We talk PGA Championship coverage, future PGA sites, a potential PGA Tour stock market and much more.

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Talking PGA Championship, U.S. Amateur, and Walker Cup with Sean Martin

Tue, 08 Aug 2017 21:55:00 +0000

The PGA Tour's Sean Martin comes on the podcast to discuss the U.S. Amateur, Walker Cup and PGA Championship. The conversation floats between the subjects and also touches on technology, the business side of amateur golf and much more. Sean mentioned a piece he wrote on Brian Harman at the end of the podcast, here's the link to it.

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2017 PGA Championship Picks with Paulie

Tue, 08 Aug 2017 09:34:00 +0000

Our resident picks guru @friedeggpaulie joined the podcast to breakdown who he likes at this week's PGA Championship. We talk about the changes made to Quail Hollow and who it should help at 2017's final major championship.

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Brian Silva

Wed, 02 Aug 2017 22:21:00 +0000

Golf course architect Brian Silva joins the podcast to talk about his career. The conversation meanders from how he got his start in the industry, the essence of strategy and template holes.

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2017 Open Championship Recap

Mon, 24 Jul 2017 10:04:00 +0000

DJ Piehowski and Tron Carter joined the pod to recap what we saw at Birkdale. We talked extensively about Kuchar's tough loss and what Spieth's trajectory is.

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2017 Open Championship Preview

Tue, 18 Jul 2017 08:51:00 +0000

Skratch's DJ Piehowski and No Laying Up's Tron Carter join the podcast to preview this year's Open. We dive into Royal Birkdale, Bryson's big win at the Deere, Rory's struggles and our picks to win. If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review it in the iTunes store. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher.

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Dr. Greg Cartin

Wed, 12 Jul 2017 22:41:00 +0000

Sports psychologist Dr. Greg Cartin joins the podcast to speak about how to think while on the golf course. Dr. Greg works with a handful of PGA and Web.com Tour players to get them to maximize their results on the course.

Listen on iTunes

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Geoff Shackelford

Tue, 04 Jul 2017 01:12:00 +0000

Golf writer and golf course architecture expert Geoff Shackelford joins the podcast. We discuss a variety of topics including golf course architecture, technology and professional golf.

Also listen on iTunes and Stitcher. (If you enjoy please leave us a review). iTunes link Stitcher

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Scott Fawcett

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 04:44:00 +0000

Scott Fawcett joins the podcast to talk about how he works with Tour professionals and elite amateur players to manage their games better. Scott's DECADE system is being used by 25 Tour players and many of the top college programs. We talk about what the DECADE system is, how he came up with it and how he puts it in practice with his students and himself.

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2017 U.S. Open Recap

Mon, 19 Jun 2017 08:35:00 +0000

DJ Piehowski and Brendan Porath join the pod to rehash the 2017 U.S. Open. We discuss Brooks Koepka's win and his future major championship prospects, JT and Rickie, who impressed and Erin Hills.

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2017 U.S. Open Preview

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 09:50:00 +0000

I am joined by DJ Piehowski and Brendan Porath to discuss this week's U.S. Open at Erin Hills. We dive deep into the hoopla which is the U.S. Open, Erin Hills, the superstars, young guys trying to get a major and the older players who are trying to add to their legacies.

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David Esler

Sat, 03 Jun 2017 03:01:00 +0000

I am joined by golf course architect David Esler to talk about his career, his playing days at Ohio State and what has come of the Scarlet Course, some of his projects including his new Oregon coastline course Pacific Gales and much more.

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Lance Ringler

Mon, 29 May 2017 05:27:00 +0000

I am joined by Golfweek's Lance Ringler to recap what's happened so far at the NCAA Men's Championship and look ahead to the final three days. Lance talks about how he got into college golf, some of his favorite players and we discuss what has surprised us and impressed us from this year's championship. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher.

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Wyndham Clark

Fri, 26 May 2017 06:16:00 +0000

College's top ranked player, Oregon's Wyndham Clark joins the podcast to talk golf before this weekend's NCAA Championship. We talk about how he got into golf, what it's like to play at Oregon and his plans after graduation.

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2017 Players with Zac Blair, Tron Carter, and D.J. Piehowski

Sat, 13 May 2017 09:23:00 +0000

Zac Blair joins the three man weave to discuss his Players, the 9 he made on 17, Johnny Miller and much more.

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Steve Wenzloff

Thu, 11 May 2017 23:04:00 +0000

The PGA Tour's VP Of Design Services Steve Wenzloff joins the podcast to discuss the changes made at TPC Sawgrass and how they approach renovations and builds to PGA Tour venues.

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2017 Players Preview

Thu, 11 May 2017 00:28:00 +0000

The pod is onsite as I am joined by No Laying Up's Tron Carter and Skratch's DJ Piehowski to discuss the PLAYERS and the mystery of Ken Duke's snub.

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Jeff Mingay

Fri, 28 Apr 2017 23:00:00 +0000

Golf course architect Jeff Mingay joins the podcast to talk about his career, TPC Sawgrass and Augusta National, overlooked great architect AV Macan, music and much more. Also available on iTunes and Stitcher.

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Jake Nichols

Thu, 27 Apr 2017 16:14:00 +0000

Jake Nichols joins the podcast to talk about analytics and stats on the PGA Tour. Topics covered include who he expects to breakout, how he and the 15th club work with clients, how amateurs can use stats better and much more.

Follow @jalnichols

Also available on iTunes and Stitcher.

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2017 NOLA Preview with Tron Carter and D.J. Pie

Wed, 26 Apr 2017 09:04:00 +0000

No Laying Up's Tron Carter and Skratch's DJ Piehowski join the podcast to talk about the Heritage, Valero and to preview the PGA Tour's team event the Zurich Classic.

Also listen on iTunes and Stitcher.

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Riley Johns

Tue, 18 Apr 2017 23:04:00 +0000

I am joined by Riley Johns, a up and coming golf course architect who recently finished his first solo project with Keith Rhebb at Winter Park. Before Winter Park, Riley worked for great architects such as Tom Doak, Coore & Crenshaw and Rod Whitman.

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2017 Masters Recap with Tron Carter, Adam Sarson, and D.J. Piehowski

Mon, 10 Apr 2017 09:29:00 +0000

To breakdown Sergio's major triumph I am joined by Sergio's biggest fan Adam Sarson as well as No Laying Up's Tron Carter and Skratch's DJ Piehowski.

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2017 Masters Sunday Preview with Tron Carter and Young Neil

Sun, 09 Apr 2017 09:08:00 +0000

I am joined by No Laying Up's Tron Carter and Young Neil to talk about Saturday's action and preview what to expect from Sunday's.

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2017 Masters with Tron Carter and D.J. Piehowski

Sat, 08 Apr 2017 09:34:00 +0000

No Laying Up's Tron Carter @troncarter and the PGA Tour's D.J. Piehowski @djpie join the podcast to discuss the first two rounds of the Masters and what to expect this weekend.

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Arron Oberholser

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 01:55:00 +0000

Arron Oberholser joins the podcast to talk golf. We talk about how equipment has changed the game, the upcoming Masters, golf courses and architecture, Tiger Woods chances of playing at Augusta and the Grayson Murray situation.

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Nick Hardy and Dylan Meyer

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 23:55:00 +0000

I am joined by two of Illinois golf stars Nick Hardy and Dylan Meyer. I talk to each of them for a half hour about their golf careers, life in college and Illinois' golf teams.

Follow Nick and Dylan on Twitter.

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Tom Doak - Part 2

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 10:05:00 +0000

Part two of the Tom Doak podcast focuses on Tom's life as a golf course critic and we debut our new regular segment of overrated/underrated. If you missed it here is part 1 of our conversation.

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Tom Doak - Part 1

Thu, 16 Mar 2017 00:22:00 +0000

I host the illustrious architect Tom Doak. Because of Tom's generosity with his time, we split the podcast into two parts.

Part I focuses on Tom's background, projects and architectural philosophies and in Part II which will be published on Friday, March 17th, we focus on his life as a golf critic and golf courses to see around the globe. Listen to Part II

Tom recently joined Instagram and is a great follow, his profile is here @doakgolf. And be sure to check out his books if you enjoy golf course architecture and golf courses here.

Listen on iTunes

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Sean Martin

Tue, 28 Feb 2017 23:36:00 +0000

I am joined by the PGA TOUR's Sean Martin. Sean is a longtime scribe for the golf industry and we chat in detail about the PGA TOUR, the future of golf, names of the past and splice in some golf course architecture talk.

Follow @PGATOURSMartin

A link to Sean's Bryan Brothers piece he mentioned on the Podcast.

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Josh Gregory

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 07:07:00 +0000

Two-time National Champion coach at Augusta State and now PGA Tour coach Josh Gregory joins to talk golf, specifically his approach to coaching and his students John Peterson, Kelly Kraft, Patrick Reed and Henrik Norlander.

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Zac Blair and Jon Cavalier

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 09:57:00 +0000

National Golf Links of America Photo Credit: Jon Cavalier @linksgems

I am joined by Zac Blair and Jon Cavalier to talk golf courses and architecture. Topics range from Cypress Point and the Monterey Peninsula to architects to template holes and much more.

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Tee-K Kelly

Wed, 01 Feb 2017 00:44:00 +0000

I talk golf with former Ohio State star golfer Tee-K Kelly. Tee-K recently turned professional after a standout amateur and college career, earning full-status on the PGA Tour Latin American Tour for 2017. We talk about how he got into the game, his amateur career, favorite courses and what he is working on to take his game to the next level.

Follow Tee-K on Twitter

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Michael Clayton

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 05:17:00 +0000

I chat with Australian golf legend Michael Clayton. We discuss Michael's long career on the European Tour and what it was like to play with Seve Ballesteros, along how technology has been a detriment to the game, and OCCM's latest projects.

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David McLay Kidd

Wed, 11 Jan 2017 05:40:00 +0000

Our latest guest is one of today's finest architects, David McLay Kidd. David has designed the likes of Bandon Dunes, Nanea Golf Club and Gamble Sands to name a few and is currently working on projects at Sand Valley and Rolling Hills C.C. Our talk covered a wide variety of topics including how he got into architecture, his experience building Bandon Dunes as an unknown architect in his 20s, his Sand Valley and Rolling Hills projects and some nitty gritty architecture talk. Follow David on Twitter using the button below.

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Stewart Hagestad

Thu, 22 Dec 2016 02:40:00 +0000

We talk with the 2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion Stewart Hagestad. Stewart had a thrilling victory at Stonewall in September over Scott Harvey and with the win earned himself an invitation to Augusta National for the 2017 Masters. We talk with Stewart about the win at Stonewall, his prep for Augusta, his Walker Cup chances and his friendships with some PGA Tour players.

Here's the famed Barstool Video that we discussed on the podcast.

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Jon Cavalier

Tue, 20 Dec 2016 10:59:00 +0000

We talk golf, photography, golf course architecture and golf courses with the man behind @LinksGems, Jon Cavalier. Get to know Jon better and pick up a few tips on golf course photography and golf courses along the way.

Follow Jon on Instagram and Twitter.

Follow @LinksGems More golf course and architecture content...

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Keith Rhebb

Wed, 14 Dec 2016 09:04:00 +0000

Keith and Riley at Winter Park GC

We talk with Keith Rhebb, one of golf's up and coming architects. Keith has worked for over a decade as an Associate for Coore and Crenshaw and recently finished up his first solo project teaming up with Riley Johns and Blake Conant to build Winter Park GC in Orlando Florida. Keith came on podcast and we talked about how he got into golf course architecture, his experience working with Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, the Winter Park project and his goals for the future.

Follow @KeithRhebb

More on Winter Park from the Golf Channel

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Zac Blair

Tue, 06 Dec 2016 23:53:00 +0000

We talk PGA Tour and golf course architecture with PGA Tour pro Zac Blair! Topics range from Zac's unique path to the PGA Tour, his upcoming 2017 schedule, his golf course The Buck Club and a lot of golf course architecture talk. If you don't already follow Zac and the Buck Club on Twitter below.

Follow @z_blair Follow @TheBuckClub Previous podcasts...

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Vince India

Tue, 29 Nov 2016 06:48:00 +0000

We talked with Web.com Tour member Vince India about life as a professional golfer, both on and off the course.

From the podcast, here is John Peterson's Christmas decorations.

Yeah, I lost my mind again this year. New house, new scheme. #took5days #wortheveryminute

A video posted by John Peterson (@jpetepga) on Nov 26, 2016 at 4:43pm PST

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Rob Collins

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 03:04:00 +0000

We talk golf course architecture with golf course architect, Rob Collins. Rob is the principal designer of King Collins Design and responsible for the build and design of Sweetens Cove Golf Club. Listen here:

Some materials referenced in the podcast:

Montane Club

Jason Way Geeked on Golf Article

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USC Golf Coach Justin Silverstein

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 22:56:00 +0000

We bring back the podcast to talk some college golf with USC's Justin Silverstein! We cover a bevy of topics including USC's program and their fall season, the most impressive college players in the country, how college golf changed in the recent years, and what Justin expects from National Championship site Rich Harvest Farms.

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Jim Herman

Thu, 07 Jul 2016 00:54:00 +0000

We spoke with PGA Tour winner Jim Herman about his career thus far, his win at the Shell Houston Open, how he's preparing for the Open Championship, life on tour and golf course architecture. Hope you enjoy!

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