Ep92: Mark: The Australian Open 'Format Experiment' is Over, it is Beyond a Joke and Can't Continue.

What a weekend! The Open was great, with some exceptional golf played. Congratulations to Ryggs Johnston, Jiyai Shin, and Simon Seungmin Lee.

We're live from Titleist HQ surrounded by about a million boxes of Pro V1's and the simulator right behind us. We start with the Open and Johnston - his 'classic college swing', how he's come out of nowhere, and Mark asks Nick if he would have won if Kingston Heath had played like a typical sandbelt course. Nick gives his view and rationale. We discuss Lucas Herberts final day which went pear-shaped, with his emotions on full show. The format. Nick and Mark say it simply doesn't work, with Mark saying 'it is now beyond a joke and cannot continue, the format experiment is over'. He has a revised idea on what GA could do, involving piggybacking off LIV Adelaide. Nick is a fan of the idea and Mark gets to work on getting a board member on the pod in the next week or two to discuss it.

SMS alert goes off, it's a voicemail from Pete in Gippsland who wants to discuss pace of play at the Open. Nick and Mark are in vigorous agreement with the principal of Pete's comments. Mark reveals he has been unwell over the weekend - self inflicted, so zero sympathy from Nick and Dan. He blames last weeks guest, superstar Michael Peña, for leading him astray at the Kingston Heath bar. Sounds a bit excusey.

Last week Mark looked at the Huntingdale redevelopment, and describes Mike Cocking as a genius for how it's shaping up. He has an idea about a golf day there for the Talk Birdie Wolfpack. Play golf, have a feed, couple of speakers, organise gift packs. Some kind of cost to cover it obviously, but let us know if you're keen....if enough are, we'll sus it.

Inspired by Ryggs, Nicks Top 5 for Southern Golf Club, are unknown winners in tournaments. He forgets one obvious one. Feedback is focused on the Baker-Finch comments last week, and the Michael Peña pod. It's a busy show so later in the week we'll do a bonus pod with some Wolfpack questions. The hotline rings: Michael from Rich River Golf Club wants to discuss walking the fairways in major tournaments. Plenty of fantastic results from Nick in the PING Globals with, as usual PING players doing well as they so often do.

We had an sms from Frank at watchMynumbers who was watching Lucas Herbert practise on Sunday prior to tee-time, and he gave us a fascinating stat on the practise putts. The watchMynumbers Masterclass is on Jiyai Shin, Ash Buhai and Rory McIlroy's backswing.

• 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;
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• Golf Clearance Outlet, join GCO Live for great member benefits and comps. They're in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and the Sunshine Coast, or online here.
• Southern Golf Club - Home of the Australian Master of the Amateurs in January 2025, entry is free!

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