Snakepits, Monday Q PIP Impacts, and Burger Dog qualms
This Wednesday episode begins with Brendan having to answer to some angry Aussies and attempt to clarify his Leishman comp from Monday. It’s also a rambling episode with Andy on the road with a broken phone, an alarm clock that won’t go off, and a birthday date with Torrey Pines and Brendan trying to find a couple spare minutes in between childcare disruptions. There’s intel from the U.S. Women’s Open media day at Olympic, where Andy has some issues with the burger dog fixins and Brendan has some questions about the mowing lines. Eventually, they run through the shhhedule for the week, hitting on three things to watch at the Valspar, some amusing intel from another island pitch-and-putt on the Euro Tour, and some diminutive notables on the Champions Tour. They also discuss the viral video of Monday qualifier Michael Visacki and the authenticity of a story that PIP can’t account for.
27 Huhti 202140min
Louisiana pillow fight, Slow play will ruin your day, and Buddy’s boy
This Monday episode begins with Andy disclosing an explosive handicap scandal from his Fried Egg event over the weekend. Then they get to the golf from the weekend, beginning with the first to finish -- the LA Open on the LPGA. Brooke Henderson’s 10th career win is praised but the pace of play is lamented. There’s also a call for more primetime golf to fill the void of our boring lives on weekend nights. At the Zurich Classic, they ponder whether it’s fair that pro golfers should have to hit shots for millions of dollars with alligators lurking so close to them. They also debate the futures of Cam Smith and Marc Leishman, and whether the latter is an Aussie Kuchar. The rowdy crowd with the cliche shouts is also given the Alonzo Mourning gif treatment. On the KFT, there’s intel about Tony Romo’s dilemma of staying in that event or bailing for a club calcutta. Tyson Alexander, son of Buddy, is regaled with a reading of several facts about this week’s KFT winner. Garrick Higgo is anointed as a new SGS favorite. News closes with a Tiger sighting and a new segment -- This Week in PIP, in which a “thirstbucket of the week” is crowned.
26 Huhti 202146min
PIP Squeaks, longitude or latitude, and a Franco Flashback Friday
This Friday episode begins with some reaction to both “town crier” and “baton boy” references making it onto featured group coverage on Billy Tour Live. There’s also some reaction to the Crier’s contention that TPC Louisiana was not built to be played in wind. There’s amusement over the explanation of the Bubba-Scheffler team and confusion over some brands of golf clothing. Then the news of the week, the revelation of a Player Impact Program on the PGA Tour, is dissected. Andy and Brendan break down the actual nuts and bolts of the program, as reported by Eamon Lynch. They giggle over some of the metrics being employed, which don’t seem long for the formula. They offer their critiques and praise for different elements of it or at least what it’s efforting to do, and then laugh at some of the early reactions. Early action from the LA Open is also praised, while Tony Romo’s first round in Dallas is not. Flashback Friday is on the 1999 and 2000 winner of the Compaq Classic, then the name of the stop on Tour in New Orleans. They explore the mud shack upbringing of Carlos Franco, his hero status in Paraguay, his worldwide success, and then his breakthrough PGA Tour win in 1999 in NOLA.
23 Huhti 20211h 4min
The third annual walk-up music quiz
After year off, the PGA Tour returns to New Orleans and while there may no longer be walk-up music at this event, the listeners demand that this annual game goes on. So Andy makes a playlist of songs hinting at the inane, insider, and downright specious. Play along as Brendan attempts to guess what Andy is getting at with some of these song choices for a few SGS favorites on Tour. This comes after they run through the schedule for the week, with the LA Open on the LPGA winning event of the week honors. Andy dishes on some of the great features to watch for at Wilshire. There’s some intel from the first ever Euro Tour event in Gran Canaria about roads running through the course that will kick balls hundreds of yards away from where they land. There’s also ample chatter about some of the puzzling partnerships this week at Zurich.
20 Huhti 202150min
Ko drought ends, Romo’s County Am adventure, and the legend of M.T. Johnson
This Monday episode begins with a discussion of some Chicago saloons, such as Lottie’s, the title sponsor of this week’s LPGA event, which Lydia Ko won on Saturday night. Brendan and Andy get into some of the astounding stats of Ko’s recent run, the brilliant pace of play, and what it could mean for a second peak. Then there’s an unplanned diversion into the Will County Amateur, where Tony Romo contended before a second-day fade. For the Heritage, they discuss Stewart Cink’s longevity, his kid caddie, and his past coach changes. Collin Morikawa’s frightening putter is also a topic as is the Si Woo Kim putt that hung on the lip for 40 seconds, leading to a mini-flashback to a similar issue that might have cost Denis Watson the U.S. Open after some tough justice from a rules official with an eye patch. The interminable Euro Tour playoff is covered as are the Peter Uihlein and Steve Stricker victories. News hits on the Town Crier ringing his bell and announcing his opinion on arm lock putting.
19 Huhti 202157min
Pepperdine facts, Mother’s Day gifts, and Flashback Friday PGA whetting
It’s Friday and there is no script. Andy and Brendan begin with some thoughts on the first ever non-profit casino being built at TPC Scottsdale. Then there are some Mother’s Day gift ideas, like “tournament-used hazard water” on offer from TPC Sawgrass. The event of the week, the Western Intercollegiate, is reviewed, leading to some “bones to pick” with college coaches slowing down pace of play and the kerfuffle over the conclusion preempting first round LPGA coverage. There’s also a quiz on the Pepperdine basketball program. The ridiculous efforts and costs, borne by the local tournament and its charity efforts, to heighten the range net at Harbour Town are excoriated. Brittany That’s Amore’s charge, as well as Lydia Ko also potentially ending her drought, are discussed on the LPGA. The frigid conditions and schnitzel consumption of the Austrian Open are noted. Precision Pro Flashback Friday closes with a look back at an absolutely brutal day the last time a major was played at Kiawah, as well as some lofty prognostications for the Prince of Ponte Vedra.
16 Huhti 202156min
Everyman travel for Hideki, Pete Dye’s Harbour Town, and a Baton Boy apology
The Masters has come and gone but Shotgun Start plays on with this Wednesday episode. They begin with some clean up from the first men’s major of the year, hitting on Hideki’s overly onerous modes of transportation after winning the Masters, the Town Crier’s attempt at an apology, and other post Masters “viral” moments. Then they’re on to the Harbour Town for the Heritage, highlighting the traits of the course and how different it will play compared to last year. The range net extension put up for the Thicc Boi, who then WD’d, is also covered. There is also a rumor about a welcome return to the Tour traveling circus. Shhhhedule for the week then focuses on the LPGA returning with a primetime event from Wednesday to Saturday. Event of the week is given to the college kids playing a MacKenzie on the other side of the country. News hits on some on-site fan constraints for the upcoming U.S. Opens in California.
13 Huhti 202143min
Hideki Can Win
Andy and Brendan put a bow on a fantastic weekend at the Masters, beginning with Hideki Matsuyama playing his way into a green jacket. They dispute the notion that this was somehow a boring Sunday or middling Masters. The entire first portion of the podcast covers Hideki, from what it means to his home country, the excitement from Saturday night that will be a lasting memory from this 2021 edition, the impact of his amateur experience here, and the impressive blow-by-blow of his work on Sunday that kept the chasers at arms length. Then they get to those chasers, hitting on Xander’s flop at the finish, the Spieth temptation, and both the non-PGA Tour member present and promising future of Zalatoris. They review some of their contender and pretender calls from Saturday night and then get into the alarming sequel of the Town Crier’s circus act. They close with three things they’ll most remember from the week and a note of gratitude to all of you for supporting the podcast this week.
12 Huhti 20211h 20min
