Deere Dilemmas, Dire Spieth future props, and a Tosti Tale from the Quad Cities
Andy and Brendan are back after a long holiday weekend, and this is truly a rambling show about nothing. But there are some BIG questions asked, like, say, who will win more Tour events from now on -- Davis Thompson, Michael Thorbjornsen, or Jordan Spieth? They discuss the youth at the top of the Deere leaderboard and how it’s become a course with literally zero hard holes and nothing but wedges. There’s a lengthy chat on Spieth’s momentary flirtation with 59 on Saturday and what went wrong from there, and his future prospects. There are some other odds and ends from Deere Run like JT not playing ZJ’s charity outing this year, an IBF comp to Scottie Scheffler, and an amusing Tosti Tale on his pro-am, his caddie, and his rental car antipathy. Michael Rubin gets thirstbucket of the week for his little white party. The Euro Tour event is discussed momentarily, but mostly with some testimony from the ground about the power lines. They close with a few thoughts on the Palmer Cup at Lahinch and consensus that it is the creepiest trophy in golf.
8 Jul 202454min
An SGS Golf Advice Bonanza, A preferred lies 59 at John Deere, and Euro Tour sickness
Brendan is joined by the golf sicko’s golf sicko, his former colleague and former college golfer, Kyle Robbins, for a holiday weekend off-the-rails bonanza. They begin by Brendan demanding that Kyle defend the John Deere Classic, its dartboard low scores, and the validity of Hayden Springer’s 59 there in the first round. Then they get into the state of the Euro Tour, where Beef Johnston, Ross Fisher, and other favorites are slopping around on the leaderboard. Then they draw on Kyle’s past and present as a former competitive golfer and current shit-stirrer to answer a beefy round of Golf Advice questions about a playing partner carrying a firearm in his bag for pace of play confrontations, having to use iron covers after losing your fantasy football league but then getting invited to Augusta, spouting off “radical” golf podcast opinions despite not being a golfer, and dealing with a pouty brother-in-law.
5 Jul 20241h 11min
Some Open questions for Troon, R&A leadership changes, and lingering Pinehurst critiques
Brendan is joined by the inimitable Geoff Shackelford for this Wednesday episode of the Shotgun Start, and they begin by pondering whether Andy has achieved “America’s guest” status. Then they quickly transition to the upcoming “links season” in pro golf with Geoff’s impending trip to Scotland and with The Open and the Scottish Open fast approaching. There’s a chat on the current issues with the Scottish, where Troon falls in the Open rota and what really works for it as a venue, and some favorite memories from walking the grounds at the 2016 edition there. Then they have a lengthy chat about the R&A announcing a successor to Martin Slumbers, what it says about the direction of pro golf, Slumbers’s tenure, and what that new job must confront right away. They then bounce back to the last major at Pinehurst for some Shackelford thoughts on how the course played and a few spots that could be fixed ahead of the next U.S. Open, which is already coming up soon. They close with a few thoughts on Scottie Scheffler’s season which dovetails into some big Open storylines and the prime contenders, namely Rory McIlroy.
3 Jul 20241h
How we define “choking” in golf, Akshay for Pres Cup, and Backboarding peaks
It is a first of the month recording for the Shotgun Start, which means extra pep and enthusiasm. Brendan is joined by Joseph LaMagna to discuss the Rocket Mortgage Classic, specifically what “hypnotherapy” is and why it is working for the winner in Detroit. They also discuss how this could be the blueprint for a PG-B Tour event with its nice field mix and good Sunday leaderboard from it. They discuss Cam Young’s rough Sunday, snapping his driver, and the discourse around him being unable to win. They also hit on Akshay’s three-putt to lose and his current positioning for the Presidents Cup alongside many others outside the auto-qualifying spots. The odd finish on the DP World Tour is cause for a separate chat on what it means to be “choking” in golf, but that’s after they discuss what may be the greatest backboarding moment of all time, one so bad it’s good. The U.S. Senior Open will bring us Blandemonium Monday, which is a thing after producer PJ jumps in with his notes on the weekend in Newport. News hits on Nelly having to WD with a dog bite and Chambers Bay entertaining the idea of hosting a LIV event with the USGA perhaps leaving them out in the cold.
1 Jul 20241h 1min
PGA leadership change, Scottie season “asterisks,” and Vanity Handicap advice
Brendan and Andy close out the month of June with this Friday episode ramble on Seth Waugh’s sudden departure leading the PGA, some on-the-ground intel about deliberate backboarding setups on multiple tours, and discourse around Scottie Scheffler’s season getting into nitpick territory. They attempt to “flip it” to a new area of scrutiny with the world No. 1, namely a self-correcting driver. There is cutthroat corner for one player in Detroit who somehow snuck in the field despite not being a competitive player for the past few years. They close it out with robust SGS Golf Advice on how to deal with a vanity handicap and what constitutes actually “playing golf” when in negotiations with your significant other.
28 Jun 202458min
Mule outcries, PG-B Tour reforms, and fun with U.S. Senior Open notables
Andy and Brendan are together in the New York area for this lively Wednesday episode that runs the gamut of some tried and true SGS subjects. They begin by reading the latest description for a new Sun Day Red collection and then quickly transition to an article featuring lots of mule comments on PGA Tour reforms and ongoing PAC discussions. Is the Tour really churning the right way? The schedule for the week devolves into reading the tee sheet for the U.S. Senior Open, which provides ample entertainment and is loaded with goodies. News hits on the Dutch Olympic Federation telling its qualified golfers that they cannot play because they don’t think they’re good enough or capable of winning in Paris.
26 Jun 202452min
Scheffler Szn continues through protest, Yang gets a major, Rahm’s angry at drones
What another great, weird weekend in golf. Andy and Brendan convene to cover it all, from Scottie Scheffler’s sixth win of the year, the wild protest scene on the 18th green, Tom Kim’s charge, and the disgrace that is TPC River Highlands and the changes that were done to make it harder. At the Women’s PGA, they hail the very cool story of Amy Yang getting her first major a full 17 years into her career, Nelly Korda’s missed cut and curious majors record, and the claustrophobic Sahallee. LIV Nashville is covered as Magicsticks season might be upon us, Jon Rahm is shouting at drones and the sky, and is playing a week after being unable to at a major. The DPWT coverage leads to Joe Dean minute, as in, who is he? Finally they bring in new producer PJ Clark for Champions Tour coverage to understand more of what was said and what happened at the Dick’s Open.
24 Jun 202451min
Jay speaks, How Pinehurst flustered Scottie, Unsubstantiated rumors and Golf Advice
Summer Friday rambles are back in session for this episode. Andy and Brendan begin with a keyboard malfunction, a conspiracy about vowel-less hats, and the latest Sun Day Red collection. There’s a power ranking of Joe West, Joey Crawford, and Ed Hochuli spurred on by the “Travelers” alternate logo that SGS created. Then they get to a round of unsubstantiated rumors about sponsor’s exemptions into signature events, a yippy superstar, and Boomer-confusion. Scottie Scheffler's comments about the wiregrass last week prompt further discussion on variety of course setups and skills, as well as the longevity needed to be one of the greats. News hits on Jay Monahan speaking to media at TPC River Highlands and if anything matters from it. They close with an SGS Golf Advice with some Tommy Tolles follow up, getting a motorized push cart, and getting your kids into golf.
21 Jun 20241h
