The Fried Egg Golf Podcast

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

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

Thad Layton on Taking Arnold Palmer Design Company into the Future

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

How Digital Tech and AI Could Change Golf Course Design

<p>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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/nle_golf">@nle_golf</a>), 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

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

Catching Up with Zac Blair

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

The Superintendents' Masters

<p>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 <em>Golf Course Management </em>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.</p><p>This episode is brought to you by the Toro Company.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Rob Collins Returns

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

Who Can Win a Major in 2023?

<p>With the 2023 golf season underway, we're already thinking ahead to the four men's major championships. Joseph LaMagna, who writes the excellent <a href="https://findingtheedge.substack.com/">Finding the Edge</a> 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!</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

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

Yolk with Doak 39: Ballyneal and Listener Questions

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

Yolk with Doak 38: Pinehurst

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

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

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

The Great English Golf Boom

<p>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 <em>The Great English Golf Boom, 1864-1914: A History </em>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 <a href="https://twitter.com/GolfHistoryMike">@golfhistorymike</a>, and to purchase a copy of his book, simply email him at mike.morrison57@outlook.com.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

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

Let’s Talk About the OWGR

<p>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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/JosephLaMagna">@JosephLaMagna</a>), co-founder of <a href="https://www.optimalapproachgolf.com/">Optimal Approach Golf</a> and author of the <a href="https://findingtheedge.substack.com/">Finding the Edge</a> 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Why Golf?

<p>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 <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Why-Golf-Mystery-Game-Revisited/dp/0743242475">Why Golf?</a></em>, 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

An Announcement from The Fried Egg

<p>The Fried Egg is launching a membership! It's called <a href="https://thefriedegg.com/membership/">Club TFE</a>. 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.</p> <p>To learn more about Club TFE and to sign up, go to <a href="https://thefriedegg.com/membership/">thefriedegg.com/membership</a>.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Designing a Clubhouse

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 <em>they're </em>designed? Garrett has been curious about this subject for a while, and that's why he got in touch with Alex Warr (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/alex_warr/?hl=en">@alex_warr</a> 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.<p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Assembling Retro Sets with Nick Sherburne of Club Champion

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

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

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

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

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

Golf’s Scientific Revolution

<p>In his new book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Science-Golf-Math-Technology-Data/dp/1510771859/"><em>The Science of Golf</em></a>, golf broadcaster Will Haskett (<a href="https://twitter.com/willhaskett">@willhaskett</a>) 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

The Many Shane Bacons

<p>You can now add "children's book author" to Shane Bacon's (<a href="https://twitter.com/shanebacon">@shanebacon</a>) lengthy résumé. The TV personality and host of the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6UBWyAjcLB0kvGVlNU8iw8?si=e9b09feef20d4bbb">Get a Grip</a> 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.</p> <p>"The Golfer's Zoo" is available for purchase at <a href="http://back9press.com/bacon">back9press.com/bacon</a>.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>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 <a href="https://mailchi.mp/cf6189decaac/sweet-home-chicago?e=%5BUNIQID%5D">recent piece</a> 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Superintendent Series: Brendan Parkhurst of Cape Arundel

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

What’s Next in Golf Course Architecture?

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

The New Yorker Goes Deep on LIV Golf

<p>Zach Helfand’s main job is editing <em>The New Yorker</em>’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 “<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/10/24/will-the-saudis-and-donald-trump-save-golf-or-wreck-it">Will the Saudis and Donald Trump Save Golf—or Wreck It?</a>” Zach (<a href="https://twitter.com/zhelfand">@zhelfand</a>) 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Sugarloaf Social Club Bought a Golf Course

<p>Ian Gilley is the co-founder and president of Sugarloaf Social Club, which is a golf society, a popular <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sugarloafsocialclub/?hl=en">Instagram account</a>, 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

First Impressions of PGA Frisco

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

Superintendent Series: Sandy Reid of St. Andrews

<p>Sandy Reid (<a href="https://twitter.com/sandyreidgk">@SandyReidGK</a>), 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.</p> <p>The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.</p> <p>NOTE: There was an issue with the originally posted version of this episode; you may need to re-download it.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>