Ep84: Why Nick O'Hern said 'No' to playing Augusta, the 'Craziest' Golf Decision Mark has seen, and Yasir/Monahan Break Bread

We're scattered all over the place today. Nick is at home in his daughter's bedroom, Mark is at 3AW in Melbourne, and Dan is in Wollongong. The wonders of technology, but the nature of it is that the pod does sound a touch different.

But....Mark has come in all excited, he has a new putter that he bought on eBay, and he is showing it off and tells us the backstory. Leads to a chat about Nick and Marks putting techniques - and Mark reckons you should 'roll' putts, not 'hit' putts. Big news as well, Mark is like a kid in a candy shop ... he is off on Wednesday night to play Tara Iti, his dream course! Nick gives him some tips.

Mark tells Nick about seeing what he calls the 'craziest decision from a golfer he has seen in his life' this week. He explains. Nick is in vigorous agreement. It has to do with the Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion Wenyi Deng. Nick explains why he turned down a chance to play Augusta early in his career, and reminds Mark of the one chance he had to play it but skipped it to go to a party. Ouch.

Mark thinks that the PIF boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan and Jay Monahan are appearing to break bread, saying that they are getting very cosy at the moment. Is something happening? Are discussions progressing? And if the Grand Prix of golf gets up, how could the Australian leg look? Nick and Mark discuss, and Mark gives his idea to create an Amateur Sandbelt Classic.

And just before the turn, we put a question to Nick O'Hern from pod Wolfpack member Nick about his 2005 Dunhill playing partner. Another ripping story from Nick O'Hern. Speaking of Nicks playing partners, he names the Top 5 celebs that he has played with, who he has not told us about before. The Top 5 for the great team at Southern Golf Club. Into feedback, for Flinders Golf Club, plenty of it, and we discover Nick has never seen the Ned Flanders Leftorium episode of The Simpsons. Both Mark and Dan are horrified.

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PING Global results are big this week, Nick is particularly excited about Cassie Porter being promoted to the LPGA tour. And for the new watchMynumbers app, Marks masterclass today is inspired by Cashmere Keith Mitchell 3-putting the last hole to lose the tournament at the weekend.

Thanks to our great Talk Birdie partners:

• PING will help you play your best, like they have for Nick O'Hern. See your local golf shop or professional for a PING club fitting;
• The new watchMynumbers app, the most powerful data based golf app in the world, download from the App Store or Google Play;
• Golf Clearance Outlet, join GCO Live for great member benefits and comps. They're in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and the Sunshine Coast, or online here.
• Southern Golf Club - Home of the Australian Master of the Amateurs in January 2025, entry is free!
• Flinders Golf Club, an historical treasure!

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