The Fried Egg Golf Podcast

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

<p>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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/BenColeyGolf">@BenColeyGolf</a>) of <em>Sporting Life </em>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).</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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 <a href="https://alistermackenzie.org/store/mackenziereader"><em>The MacKenzie Reader</em></a>, 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Takeaways from the 2023 U.S. Open

<p>Garrett launches this U.S. Open recap show by asking Los Angeles resident and ESPN staff writer Paolo Uggetti (<a href="https://twitter.com/PaoloUggetti">@PaoloUggetti</a>) 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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/JosephLaMagna">@JosephLaMagna</a>), Fried Egg contributor and <a href="https://findingtheedge.substack.com/">Finding the Edge</a> 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).</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

The PGA Tour, Presented by Saudi Arabia

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

The Rose Zhang Hypecast

<p>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 <a href="https://theathletic.com/4561812/2023/05/30/rose-zhang-lpga-tour/"><em>excellent </em>recent profile of Rose</a>. Garrett and Meg close the episode (1:08:34) with a couple of recommendations.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Top Five Golfers of the Post-Tiger Era, NCAA Golf Championships, and Golden Age Auctions

<p>Andy opens this mega-episode by running through his top five players of the post-Tiger era. Golf Channel's Brentley Romine (<a href="https://twitter.com/BrentleyGC">@BrentleyGC</a>) then joins the show (18:50) to talk all things NCAA Golf, including the men's and women's national championships, Rose Zhang's next steps, and players to look out for in the men's tournament. For a final segment, Ryan Carey of Golden Age Auctions (<a href="https://twitter.com/GoldenAgeBid">@GoldenAgeBid</a>) chats with Andy (1:00:23) about how he started and built his golf-centric auction house and some of the intriguing items and stories he has encountered along the way.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Takeaways from the 2023 PGA Championship

<p>Brooks Koepka is your 2023 PGA champion. Fried Egg contributor and<a href="https://findingtheedge.substack.com/"> Finding the Edge</a> author Joseph LaMagna (<a href="https://twitter.com/JosephLaMagna">@JosephLaMagna</a>) 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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 <em>Little Poison</em>, 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.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Little-Poison-Runyan-Long-Shot-Championship/dp/1496231422">John Dechant, <em>Little Poison</em></a></p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Five Things About the 2023 PGA Championship with Ryan Lavner

<p>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."</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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.</p><p>Bradley Klein is the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Donald-Ross-Architect-Expanded/dp/0578083981/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5BFEDVZEYSEM&amp;keywords=discovering+donald+ross&amp;qid=1683745868&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=discovering+donald+ross%2Cstripbooks%2C90&amp;sr=1-1"><em>Discovering Donald Ross</em></a>.</p><p>Chris Buie is the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Life-Times-Donald-Ross/dp/0940889749"><em>The Life and Times of Donald Ross</em></a>.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneRyanHere">@ShaneRyanHere)</a> 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 <em>Golf Digest </em><a href="https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-simple-answer-to-the-pga-tour-s-slow-play-problem--a-first-h">HERE</a>. Finally, Brendan returns to talk with Garrett about the storylines they're tracking this week in golf (1:04:13). </p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

PGA Championship Favorites and Oak Hill Insights

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Does Golf Need a Shot Clock?

<p><em>Washington Post</em> 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 <em>Post</em>, and has authored two books on baseball, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Grind-Inside-Baseballs-Endless-Season/dp/0399575952/"><em>The Grind: Inside Baseball's Endless Season</em></a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/National-Pastime-Politics-Baseball-Washington/dp/0385517858"><em>National Pastime: Sports, Politics, and the Return of Baseball to Washington, D.C.</em></a></p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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 &amp; 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).</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Introducing The Park with Jim Wagner of Hanse Golf Course Design

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Andy and Garrett Go to Augusta National

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>Garrett and Joseph LaMagna (<a href="https://twitter.com/JosephLaMagna">@JosephLaMagna</a>) 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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/shanebacon">@shanebacon</a>), 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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&amp;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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/Otey71">@otey71</a>) 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Five Things About the 2023 Masters with Trevor Immelman

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>Garrett and Meg Adkins (<a href="https://twitter.com/megadkins_TFE">@megadkins_TFE</a>) 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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!</p><p>At the top of our Tuesday show, Joseph LaMagna (<a href="https://twitter.com/JosephLaMagna">@JosephLaMagna</a>) 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).</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

A Rollback Extravaganza

<p>On Tuesday, the USGA and R&amp;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).</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>Our Tuesday show covers a variety of topics related to the past week's Players Championship. First, Garrett talks with Brendan Porath (<a href="https://twitter.com/BrendanPorath">@BrendanPorath</a>) 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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/PGATOURSMartin">@PGATOURSMartin</a>) 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).</p><p>NOTE: We recorded this podcast on Monday morning, before the USGA and R&amp;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. </p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Assessing the PGA Tour's New Structure with Joe Ogilvie

<p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>