The Fried Egg Golf Podcast

Takeaways from the 2024 Open Championship

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

Final Insights into Royal Troon and a 2016 Open Lookback

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

Five Things About the 2024 Open Championship with Andrew Cotter

<p>Andrew Cotter joins Andy Johnson to preview the 2024 Open Championsip at Royal Troon. The two dive into the biggest storylines going into the tournament, including the history of the golf course, how Rory McIlroy will bounce back after the U.S. Open, what to expect from Bryson DeChambeau, how Scottie Scheffler's week could define his 2024 season, and more.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

A Preview of Royal Troon

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

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

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

What Is the Biggest Question in Golf?

<p>Andy Johnson is wondering - what is the biggest question in golf right now? He's joined by CBS Sports' Kyle Porter, architect Brian Schneider and former PGA Tour pro Roberto Castro to discuss what's on the minds of some of golf's deep thinkers. With questions about the professional and amateur game, Andy and guests take a look at where golf may be headed in the future.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

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

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

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

The State of Rory McIlroy with Shane Ryan

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

Takeaways from the 2024 U.S. Open

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

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

<p>Garrett brings on Joseph, who is covering this week's U.S. Open on site at Pinehurst No. 2, to discuss Joseph's early impressions of the course, including his sense of its difficulty and firmness level. In the second half of the pod, Garrett and Joseph discuss takeaways from their recent rewatch of the 2014 U.S. Open at No. 2, which Martin Kaymer won in an eight-stroke runaway. They finish up with some thoughts on which players might perform well this week.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

<p>Shane Bacon joins Andy Johnson to preview the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. The two dive into the biggest storylines going into the tournament, including Scottie Scheffler's dominant form, Jon Rahm's injuries, and how the venerable course will fare against today's best players. </p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

A Preview of Pinehurst No. 2

<p>Andy and Garrett convene to discuss the venue of next week's 2024 U.S. Open, the great Pinehurst No. 2. They touch on the skill sets that the course emphasizes, the short-game challenges it poses, the best aspects of Donald Ross's design and Coore &amp; Crenshaw's 2011 renovation, and a few of the most interesting holes.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

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

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

<p>For the sixth installment of our Great Courses series, historian Lee Pace joins Garrett for a deep dive into the history of the Pinehurst Resort and Donald Ross's Pinehurst No. 2 golf course. Lee and Garrett discuss the origins of James Walker Tufts's retreat in the unpromising environs of the North Carolina Sandhills, how golf was introduced to Pinehurst, and Ross's influence on the development of several excellent courses at the resort. They also detail the evolution of the No. 2 course's architecture, from its earliest iteration in 1907, to the introduction of Bermudagrass greens in the mid-1930s, to Coore &amp; Crenshaw's restoration in the early 2010s. Lee and Garrett finish with descriptions of a few of No. 2's key holes.</p><p>Check out Lee Pace's 2012 account <a href="https://uncpress.org/book/9781469607917/the-golden-age-of-pinehurst/"><em>The Golden Age of Pinehurst</em></a> as well as his most recent book <a href="https://uncpress.org/book/9781469662862/good-walks/"><em>Good Walks</em></a>. </p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

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

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

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

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

Takeaways from the 2024 PGA Championship

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

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

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

Five Things About the 2024 PGA Championship with Kyle Porter

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

All Things Pinehurst No. 10 with Architect Angela Moser

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

Biggest Stock Movers of the 2024 Pro Golf Season

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

George Bryan on YouTube Fame and Tour Dreams

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

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

<p>Andy and Garrett convene for their first golf architecture mailbag in a while, tackling questions about new courses they're excited to see in the next couple of years, which current tour pros might make good architects, how The Lido bucks convention, the holes at Yale that they're most eager to see restored, and the cultural forces that are shaping golf course design right now. As usual, they open the episode with In and Out, and they wrap it up with Recommendations.</p><p>Note: The Scottie Scheffler interview that Garrett refers to in this episode was conducted by Friend of the Program Sean Martin for PGA Tour dot com. <a href="https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2024/03/11/q-and-a-scottie-scheffler-on-his-return-to-tpc-sawgrass-pickleball-first-course-design-project-players-championship">Read that piece here</a>.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

How Old Barnwell Got Built

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

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

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

Final Thoughts on the 2024 Masters with Shane Bacon

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

Takeaways from the 2024 Masters

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

Ranking Every Hole at Augusta National

<p>Ill-advised as it might be, we do what the episode title promises. Andy and Garrett sit down in the Draddy House in Augusta, Georgia, to rank all 18 holes at Augusta National Golf Club, from worst to best. Giddy up.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

Five Things About the 2024 Masters with Trevor Immelman

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