The Fried Egg Golf Podcast

Four Things About the 2023 Players Championship with Shane Bacon

<p>It's Players week! Shane Bacon (<a href="https://twitter.com/shanebacon">@shanebacon</a>) 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

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

Superintendent Series: Javier Campos of Cal Club

<p>Javier Campos (<a href="https://twitter.com/calclimbingsoup">@CalClimbingSoup</a>) 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 <em>Caddyshack</em>-like invasion of gophers), the intricacies of managing fine fescue and bentgrass surfaces on the West Coast, and his thoughts about autonomous maintenance equipment.</p><p>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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

The PGA Tour Season So Far

<p>Andy starts this episode by running through his 10 (early) favorites to win the 2023 Masters. He is then joined by Joseph LaMagna (<a href="https://twitter.com/JosephLaMagna">@JosephLaMagna</a>) 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Andrew Putnam Talks About Making It on the PGA Tour

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

Full Swing Reactions with Megan Schuster

<p>The much-anticipated Netflix docuseries on professional golf has arrived. <em>Full Swing </em>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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/megschuster">@megschuster</a>), who covers golf and Formula 1 for The Ringer. Garrett and Megan start off by talking about what made <em>Drive to Survive</em>, Netflix's F1 series, so effective and popular. They then delve into <em>Full Swing</em>, discussing its strengths, most and least appealing characters, funniest random moments, and various shortcomings.</p><p><strong>For more on <em>Full Swing</em>, 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:</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/full-swing-thoughts/id1670228339"><strong>Subscribe on iTunes</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/52ZpQZmOPyoawDbY2v6trW?si=a2da729f4826478a"><strong>Subscribe on Spotify</strong></a></p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

The State of LIV Golf

<p>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 (<a href="https://twitter.com/AdamWoodard">@AdamWoodard</a>), who covers the league for <em>Golfweek</em>. 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.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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>