The Fried Egg Golf Podcast

What to Know About William Flynn (ft. Wayne Morrison)

<p>Wayne Morrison is the author of <em>The Nature Faker</em>, 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 <em>The Nature Faker </em>by emailing Wayne at <a href="mailto:wsmorrison@hotmail.com">wsmorrison@hotmail.com</a>.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

A Keiser-Backed Renovation in Madison, the Doak Internship, and Women in Golf Course Design with Sara Mess

<p>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.</p> <p>If you're so inclined, subscribe to The Fried Egg Newsletter <a href="https://mailchi.mp/e067b372bd7f/tfenewsletter">HERE</a>.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

A Pair of Golden Age Munis: George Wright and Swope Memorial

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

Vince India Talks Korn Ferry Tour Adventures and Q-School Exploits

<p>Korn Ferry Tour player Vince India (<a href="https://twitter.com/vince_india">@vince_india</a>) 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Superintendent Series: Rodney Hine of Boston Golf Club

<p>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. </p> <p>The Superintendent Series 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>

Three Takeaways from the 2021 Ryder Cup

<p>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 <a href="https://www.sportinglife.com/golf"><em>Sporting Life</em></a>, Joseph LaMagna of the <a href="https://findingtheedge.substack.com/">Finding the Edge</a> newsletter, and Shane Ryan of <a href="https://www.golfdigest.com/contributor/shane-ryan"><em>Golf Digest</em></a>—and asked each for one big takeaway from the action at Whistling Straits.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Five Things About the 2021 Ryder Cup with Lawrence Donegan

<p>Lawrence Donegan (<a href="https://twitter.com/lawrencedonegan">@lawrencedonegan</a>) is a longtime golf journalist who has worked for <em>The Scotsman </em>and <em>The Guardian</em>. He co-founded the excellent <a href="https://www.mckellarmagazine.com/"><em>McKellar Magazine</em></a> and hosts the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mckellar/id1483786770">McKellar Golf Podcast</a>. 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Thoughts on the Design of Whistling Straits

<p>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 <a href="https://youtu.be/1d4qcAsjCHQ">new Fried Egg video</a>, 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. </p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Mike Whan, the USGA‘s New CEO, on the Future of Golf

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

Mapmaking with Don Placek

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

Affordable Golf as a Family Business

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

The Strategy of Team Match Play

<p>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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/JosephLaMagna">@JosephLaMagna</a>) 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 <a href="https://findingtheedge.substack.com/">Finding the Edge</a>. 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Superintendent Series: Jordan Caplan on Belvedere and Michigan Golf

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

Andrew Green on Restoring (and Renovating) Inverness Club

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

Superintendent Series: Nick Nate on St. Andrews and South Bend

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

Fried Egg Stories: Bobby Clampett and His Golfing Machine

<p>Today, Homer Kelley's 1969 book <em>The Golfing Machine</em> 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, <em>The Golfing Machine</em> 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 <em>The Golfing Machine</em>: "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.</p> <p>Season two of Fried Egg Stories is brought to you by <a href="https://www.precisionprogolf.com/">Precision Pro Golf</a>. This episode was produced by Garrett Morrison and mixed by Cameron Hurdus.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Olympic Golf Is Great (But Could Be Better)

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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/KVanValkenburg">@KVanValkenburg</a>), 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 <a href="https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/31733757/in-awe-simone-biles-greatness-my-daughter-25000-others">outstanding piece</a> on taking his daughter to see Simone Biles at the Olympic gymnastics trials.<p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

What to Know About Golf in Japan (ft. Michael Wolf)

<p>With the golf competitions underway at the Tokyo Olympics, Garrett Morrison sits down with Michael Wolf (<a href="https://twitter.com/bamabearcat">@bamabearcat</a>) 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Yolk with Doak 30: What’s Happening at the Lido and Dornick Hills

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

Yolk with Doak 29: The Opening of St. Patrick’s and the Making of Pacific Dunes

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

Five Things About the 2021 Open Championship with Jaime Diaz

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

The Controversial Beginnings of Royal St. George’s

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

Superintendent Series: Brendan Byrne on Llanerch and Philly Cheesesteaks

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

Shane Ryan on the Ryder Cup and the State of Golf Media

<p>Shane Ryan is a contributor for GolfDigest.com and the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Tiger-Year-Inside-Ropes/dp/0553390686/">Slaying the Tiger</a>, 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 <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ryder-cup-run/id1572429735">podcast series</a> 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

2021 U.S. Open Recap with Shane Bacon

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

Viral Stretching Routines and Hilarious Host-Family Stories with Brad Marek

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

Five Things About the 2021 U.S. Open with Geoff Ogilvy

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

Superintendent Series: Rich McIntosh on Torrey Pines and the U.S. Open

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

Mike Clayton on Phil’s Win, World Tours, and the U.S. Women’s Open

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

Fried Egg Stories: The Qualifier

<p>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?</p> <p>This episode was produced and mixed by Garrett Morrison, and is brought to you by the <a href="https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2021/u-s--womens-open.html#!latest">U.S. Women’s Open</a>.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>