Ep122🏌🏿‍♂️The Masters Review: 'The Greatest Shot in Golf History', and the 'Breathtaking Drama' of Day 4.

What a massive week in golf, The Masters is around the corner, and The National has just finished. Mark can’t believe how Tom Power Horan marked his ball at The National, and Nick thinks he might be onto something. Mark played a round with a 'kid' who marked his ball with something even more unusual. The National was great - even with the 'commentators curse' - and what Tom Power Horan did on the 8th hole was magical. Nick and Mark explain on the podcast. Mark talks about the opportunities that now present for David Micheluzzi after his recent performances, and we'll chat to him in a bonus episode on Wednesday this week (if he answers his phone!). Nick and Mark touch on Michael Wright holing a 40-footer for a birdie on the last to keep his tour card. So good.Nick talks about playing at Royal Pines back in the day and being mic'd up whilst playing.Mark reads a message he received from Bradley Hughes where he outlined one of his teaching philosophies. Both Nick and Mark love it. Particularly one line from Bradley, the boys discuss.Mark was surprised to hear that there are 18 LIV players who are in The Masters this weekend, and he talks about Greg Norman's comments about a potential LIV celebration should one of those players win. Will be fascinating to see, if it happens. Nick doesn't feel the LIV players, generally, are coming into The Masters with the best of form - Nick lists his favourites.Mark had homework, which was to arrange Graham Marsh as a guest - has he done his job? Well no. Maybe next week. Letters to the Editor is back, we love your feedback - plenty of comments on Jason Day and whether he can win The Masters.Baseball has introduced a new rule which has shortened games by an hour or so, and Nick and Mark reckon there is a lesson in this for golf. A 'no-brainer' is what Mark describes it as.Nick runs us through all the results from the last few days, including the disappointing result for Justice Bosio. Dimi Papadatos got so close in Chile, but not quite the win - still a great result. Masters is on this week, and we'll have a Masters special later this week. Nick counts down his Top 5 Masters Moments - we want to know your great moments, let us know on the socials.In the Masterclass this week, Nick talks through bunker shots and the importance of acceleration.Talk Birdie To Me, new episodes weekly wherever you get your podcasts.If you've got a friend who is into golf, we'd love you to share the podcast with them, and rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.We're live from Titleist and FootJoy HQ thanks to our great partners:BMW, luxury and comfort for the 19th hole;Titleist, the #1 ball in golf;FootJoy, the #1 shoe and glove in golf;PING will help you play your best;Golf Clearance Outlet, they beat everyone's prices;Betr, the fastest and easiest betting app in Australia;And watchMynumbers and Southern Golf Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 Apr 202340min

Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen are back with another episode of Talk Birdie To Me, and it starts with a disagreement. Mark loves the matchplay when there is World Cup style groups prior to the Top 16, Nick isn't a fan and prefers 1v1. Ironically, Mark reckons Nick is the reason why it is the way it is given he knocked out Tiger twice.Oh they don't get to that until after a bit of chardonnay chat. Ridiculous. This golf podcast is going downhill fast.But back to the golf, and it's all about The Masters.The boys are excited about the results of the matchplay - in particular, from an Aussie perspective, Jason Day's performance. Mark asks Nick if Jason can win The Masters, and if he is mentally capable of winning. They boys discuss. From a guy who has played the course, Nick outlines the hardest walk on the course - it may not be the one you'd expect. Mark talks about the involvement of Annika Sörenstam, he's a fan and reckons it's wonderful. Nick loves the ceremonial aspect of the event, and Mark tells a great story about meeting the legendary Sam Snead - a hilarious story about Sam being tanked in the bar at The Masters. Mark is excited about Justice Bosio and asks Nick if she were to win would that be back page on every paper in the country? It should be.We've got feedback asking Nick and Mark about Cam Young from the weekend. The boys discuss. Moves into a discussion about line of sight relief and disqualifications - Nick tells a great story about abusing rules officials from Wayne Riley - very funny.We get an update on Mark's performance in the Pro Am at Box Hill last week, where he had predicted he'd shoot a 64 or 65. Spoiler alert, he didn't. But Jay Mackenzie shot a 61 to win. What a performance! And we get an update on Nick's Pro Am performance at Eynesbury at the weekend. This leads to a chat about Graham Marsh and his secret career, he's a golf legend, and also from a famous sporting family. Mark wants to get him on to chat about his career, and that sets some homework for Nick to arrange.Mark's Top 5 is a cracker. This week it's the Top 5 things that amateur golfers do, copying from pro's, that they shouldn't. And this leads to Mark's Masterclass this week, which is on maths, okay not quite, but sort of. Mark talks about using the aim line on your ball from 30+ feet, and he's going to use maths to prove that you shouldn't do it and it's a waste of time. On the aim line on your ball, Nick gives Mark a different idea on how to do it - which Mark has never done.Nick talks us through the results this week. Matt Wallace wins on the DP World Tour, not a great week for the Aussies at the Puntacana Championship in the Caribbean. In the Asian tour, Travis Smythe has won a spot in the Open after his Hong Kong performance. And Gabi Ruffles with another strong performance, not a win, but a strong performance. Locally the Women's NSW Open in Foster/Tuncurry with a great win from Kiwi Momoka Kobori, and this week....what a week coming up....The National, the final event on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and Nick and Mark are commentating on Kayo/Fox Sports, and Nick is playing the Pro Am with Elvis Smylie.Talk Birdie To Me, new episodes weekly wherever you get your podcasts.If you've got a friend who is into golf, we'd love you to share the podcast with them, and rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.We're live from Titleist and FootJoy HQ thanks to our great partners:BMW, luxury and comfort for the 19th hole;Titleist, the #1 ball in golf;FootJoy, the #1 shoe and glove in golf;PING will help you play your best;Golf Clearance Outlet, they beat everyone's prices;Betr, the fastest and easiest betting app in Australia;And watchMynumbers and Southern Golf Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 Mars 202343min

After Nick murdered a bottle of chardonnay on the show last week, the show opens with a discussion about a drink or two during the pod.But after that, Nick and Mark are both pumped about Gabi Ruffels great performance from the weekend, what a great win, big future coming up. Mark talks about Gabi’s early days, her first ever swing, and her performance as a 15-year old at Victoria Golf Club.And how about David Micheluzzi, great performance in NSW and he’s now in the Open, and has a DP World Tour card for 2023/2024. The boys run through how he played at the weekend.Mark raves about the PGA drama this week, Nick and Mark talk through some of the notable performances from Valspar where Taylor Moore had a great win, impossible not to love. Nick has played this course multiple times, and talks through what the holes are like - particularly the challenges on 17 and 18. What about that putt on the last hole!Putting is front row and centre this week, Nick counts down his Top 5 clutch putts of all time, and the Masterclass this week is on how to nail your putting. In the wake of Taylor’s win, particularly the putting, Nick and Mark chat about the importance of the mental aspect in golf.Talking LIV, Mark and Nick talk about Marc Leishman going from a 2-shot lead, to, well, not the the result we’d have liked and his demise in the event. The boys talk through some of the poor performances from the LIV stars over the weekend, and comparing that to the drama in the PGA. Nick and Mark chat about the importance of scrambling well, Nick believes one of the most important stats each week is the scrambling stats.The Champions Tournament. The boys love watching Fred Couples play, and they love his tweets! Controversy corner: Mark makes a big claim about a golfing legend, an icon, accusing him of ‘cheating’. He names the player involved and explains why: “He’s a star, but he’s cheating, we need to have a chat”.The boys saw the snake that Leishman had to walk past at the weekend - nothing like a bit of snake chat. Mark reveals the animal that he saw at Kingston Heath recently and scared him…..hint, it isn’t a scary animal….The ball is big news. What is going on. There’s an update which comes courtesy of the LPGA and their view on distance, and the ball discussion. Sounds like the LPGA has had a whack.Feedback is back, we love your comments, and love to chat about them….plenty of feedback on last weeks comments about Scottie Scheffler from Nick and Mark. Always want to hear what you reckon, let us know on socials.We had a Twitter poll after last weeks show where Nick was drinking chardonnay during the show to find out if your preference would be chardonnay, sav, red or a beer….results on the pod today. And we get an update on how Nick played at Cathedral.Both Nick and Mark are playing Pro Am’s this week, Nick at Eynesbury and Mark at Box Hill. Mark makes the claim that he will shoot a 64. We look forward to it, and to hearing about how he did it on next weeks show, he’s convinced he’s a sure thing!Talk Birdie To Me, new episodes weekly wherever you get your podcasts.If you've got a friend who is into golf, we'd love you to share the podcast with them, and rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.We're live from Titleist and FootJoy HQ thanks to our great partners:BMW, luxury and comfort for the 19th hole;Titleist, the #1 ball in golf;FootJoy, the #1 shoe and glove in golf;PING will help you play your best;Golf Clearance Outlet, they beat everyone's prices;Betr, the fastest and easiest betting app in Australia;And watchMynumbers and Southern Golf Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

21 Mars 202343min

This week on Talk Birdie To Me, Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen are apart, much like Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle, the boys are in different parts of the country. Although at the end of the episode they don't meet up and make out, which is a relief all round. Nick is at the famous Cathedral Golf Course in regional Victoria, whilst Mark is doing the show overlooking the fourth hole at Box Hill Golf Course in Melbourne. You'll hear birds and the occasional golf swing in the background today!Plenty on the show. And we're lucky to get through without losing our podcast license given Nick is sucking down chardonnay like it's going out of fashion, and Mark gets in a pickle talking about having mud on his balls.The Players Championship in Florida was so exciting. Min Woo Lee didn't quite win, but what a performance. Scottie Scheffler in control and a deserved winner. The money involved, holy hell, some serious cash for the players, and Nick and Mark discuss how much Scheffler's caddie made, it's more than the vast majority of the golfers!Mark has a problem with Aaron Rai and his iron covers and black gloves.News this week on rolling the ball back, and having a ball specifically for elite competition. Nick and Mark break it down, and what it means. As usual, plenty of feedback from the Talk Birdie To Me family, the boys read out your tweets and Facebook comments, keep them coming in.In the Top 5 this week, Mark counts down the Top 5 worst rules in golf - and wants your input on what he's missed. Let us know on the socials.Nick runs through some results: we're taking credit for Wade Ormsby's great win in Thailand which came just after he was on the pod - if you haven't heard it, you can hear that bonus episode here. The boys are impressed with Louis Dobbelaar's first ever professional win at the New Zealand PGA, and Nick has some inside news on Brendan Jones.And in the masterclass today, Mark explains how Scheffler moves his right arm across his chest when he hits the ball, and why it works so well. See the video on our socials.Talk Birdie To Me, new episodes weekly wherever you get your podcasts.If you've got a friend who is into golf, we'd love you to share the podcast with them, and rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.We're live from Titleist and FootJoy HQ thanks to our great partners:BMW, luxury and comfort for the 19th hole;Titleist, the #1 ball in golf;FootJoy, the #1 shoe and glove in golf;PING will help you play your best;Golf Clearance Outlet, they beat everyone's prices;Betr, the fastest and easiest betting app in Australia;And watchMynumbers and Southern Golf Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 Mars 202341min

This week on Talk Birdie To Me, Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen talk about their love of Royal Melbourne, and take us through the new renovations - specifically the carpark which Mark describes as the 'best carpark in Australia by a mile'. Some people don't love the Royal Melbourne course, the boys don't get that, they love it and explain why. And Mark has a theory on the greens at Royal Melbourne which involves Ernie Els.Mark tells a great story about how former Tour Pro Wayne Smith virtually saved his career at a time when he was about to go out backwards.Whilst on renovations, the boys discuss the changes at Melbourne's metropolitan golf club, and the holes that have been redone.As usual we look at letters to the editor, and there's a couple of ripping bits of feedback that have come from you: the boys discuss golfers with the worst etiquette on the course, and both Nick and Mark name names - and they don't hold back!Top 5 this week: Nick names the Top 5 PGA courses that normal people can play - in fact he names 6, he couldn't separate two of them.The PGA has outlined a new format with designated tournaments having no cuts. What is it, how does it work, what do they think of it? Nick takes us through the details.The boys take us through the results over the past week, including Brendan Jones great win, and the bizarre situation that Shae Wools-Cobb found himself in with the 2-ball incident. And the results from The Athena, won by Grace Lennon.And Nick reveals Kurt Kitayama's nickname, and the story behind it, following his victory at Bay Hill.The Masterclass this week features Nick explaining why, and how, a lot of pros now are hitting a power fade, shaping the ball left to right off the tee. And why a fade is easier to control with the driver than a draw. See the video on our socials.Talk Birdie To Me, new episodes weekly wherever you get your podcasts.If you've got a friend who is into golf, we'd love you to share the podcast with them, and rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.We're live from Titleist and FootJoy HQ thanks to our great partners:BMW, luxury and comfort for the 19th hole;Titleist, the #1 ball in golf;FootJoy, the #1 shoe and glove in golf;PING will help you play your best;Golf Clearance Outlet, they beat everyone's prices;Betr, the fastest and easiest betting app in Australia;And watchMynumbers and Southern Golf Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 Mars 202338min

From time to time on the Talk Birdie To Me podcast, we'll put out a different kind of chat, separate to the usual show structure. And this week Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen chat with Tour Pro Wade Ormsby just after he has arrived at Millbrook for the NZ Open.We ask him about his time on the LIV tour, including getting into detail on the money involved for the players, how the exemptions and contacts work, and what his future in LIV may or may not be. And he explains in more details how the structure works with players moving in and out of the LIV roster, and what it means for them financially. And will Wade play in Adelaide in April? We find out.Talk Birdie To Me, new episodes weekly wherever you get your podcasts.If you've got a friend who is into golf, we'd love you to share the podcast with them, and rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.We're live from Titleist and FootJoy HQ thanks to our great partners:BMW, luxury and comfort for the 19th hole;Titleist, the #1 ball in golf;FootJoy, the #1 shoe and glove in golf;PING will help you play your best;Golf Clearance Outlet, they beat everyone's prices;Betr, the fastest and easiest betting app in Australia;And watchMynumbers and Southern Golf Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 Mars 202314min

Week 9 of the season, and there's so much going on in golf that the podcast could probably run for 3-hours - and whilst it's tempting, we'll keep it to a more manageable duration.Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen discuss The Honda Classic from last week - the extraordinary results all leading up to a playoff between Eric Cole and Chris Kirk. The boys discuss the personal demons that Kirk has dealt with, and how impressive the win was at the weekend given those challenges. Nick and Mark both chat about how they handled alcohol when they were touring.They discuss the remarkable results from the TPS Hunter Valley, and Brett Coletta's fantastic win, breaking the heart of Lincoln Tighe. A long discussion on Lincoln's performance before it went pear-shaped.And light of the results in The Hunter, Mark lists his Top 5 brain explosions on a golf course - and there are some very funny stories that come out.LIV is a discussion point, particularly in light of some of the scores being recorded last weekend - some great players shooting well over par. Nick has a theory on why it's happening.A fascinating conversation about the financial pressures facing players, particularly young players, who go to the United States. Nick reveals that when he moved to America, he and his wife mortgaged their house to be able to afford to play mini-tours in the US.During the week Mark posted a tweet saying, in part, "I absolutely hate that pros play pennant". And in the podcast, he doubles down and takes an even stronger position. Both Nick and Mark have been asked to play pennant, and they discuss their position on the issue.Mark talks about missing the cut at the British Open one year, and then spending two days with his caddie getting drunk all over Scotland, before being shocked at the leaderboard showing Jean van de Verde leading.As usual we read your input in 'Letters to the Editor', with Nick and Mark reading and responding to your feedback. Keep it coming.And we wrap with the Masterclass with Mark talking about how a small adjustment to your backswing can improve your short game in 'one minute'.Talk Birdie To Me, new episodes weekly wherever you get your podcasts.If you've got a friend who is into golf, we'd love you to share the podcast with them, and rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.We're live from Titleist and FootJoy HQ thanks to our great partners:BMW, luxury and comfort for the 19th hole;Titleist, the #1 ball in golf;FootJoy, the #1 shoe and glove in golf;PING will help you play your best;Golf Clearance Outlet, they beat everyone's prices;Betr, the fastest and easiest betting app in Australia;And watchMynumbers and Southern Golf Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 Mars 202340min

It's week 8 of the season, and this is the second episode of the new 'Talk Birdie To Me' podcast where Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen discuss what's been going on this week in golf around the world and at home.On this weeks show Nick and Mark talk about just how good Jon Rahm is, and in the Masterclass, Nick O'Hern breaks down Rahm's putting tempo. Nick also takes us through his Top 5 short par 4's in the world, and outlines his thoughts on them. We talk about Riviera, is it the fairest test in golf? Mark thinks so, and the boys discuss why nobody is laying up at Riviera these days. And whilst we're talking Riviera, we obviously have to discuss Tiger. Tiger, oh Tiger, what were you thinking. Nick and Mark discuss Tiger's brain fade. However, brain fade aside, he was hitting the ball at Riviera at 180mph so was impressive.Wouldn't be an episode without a LIV Golf update, there have been a bunch of new signings by LIV at the weekend, we run through the list and discuss.And the new Netflix show Full Swing is streaming. Nick and Mark love it, and can't stop talking about it. Before we forget - we've got a brand new segment featuring, well you.....it's called 'Tweets to the Editor' and Nick and Mark run through some of your feedback (good or bad) from the socials on the show.Talk Birdie To Me, new episodes weekly.If you've got a friend who is into golf, we'd love you to share the podcast with them, and rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.We're live from Titleist and FootJoy HQ thanks to our great partners:BMW, luxury and comfort for the 19th hole;Titleist, the #1 ball in golf;FootJoy, the #1 shoe and glove in golf;PING will help you play your best;Golf Clearance Outlet, they beat everyone's prices;Betr, the fastest and easiest betting app in Australia;And watchMynumbers and Southern Golf Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

21 Feb 202335min