The PGA Tour’s venue problem, LIV’s poor ratings in Mexico, and OWGR awakening?

This Wednesday episode begins with the breaking news that D.J. Trahan has had to WD in Palm Springs after a positive Covid test. There’s also the news of yet another Tiger Woods back surgery, which Brendan and Andy discuss in the context of his past injury history and what it might mean for any future. Then they get into a loaded schedule for the week with the return of the European Tour, LPGA, and Champions Tour providing a full slate. Andy rejoices in Westy’s current reign and the strength of field in Abu Dhabi. At the American Express, they delight in some Brooks Koepka quotes about how this week is a warm-up for next week, which is a reconnaissance mission at Torrey Pines for the U.S. Open. Andy gets realllll snooty about which locales have “real winter” and which regions do not. The celebs (and cable guys) at the LPGA opener are also put under the microscope. News closes with the PGA Tour’s new responsible gaming slogan and a chat on all the under 24 year olds now in the top 25 in the OWGR.

20 Jan 202149min

This Monday episode pushes on even though Brendan is wallowing in a state of despair about the Browns season coming to a close. They quickly transition from that sadness to the triumph of Kevin Na, who does not enter the Rickie Zone but rather the Swedish Pancake Zone with his fifth Tour win. They examine some of the places he’s bagged those Ws and some of the other names in the Pancake Stack. The Sony is broken down into some things they liked -- the Chris Kirk story, outrageous scoring, Webb’s sunscreen application apathy -- and some things they didn’t like -- preemptively playing preferred lies, the Nick Taylor ruling, Peppy Peter’s quote that angles never matter. News hits on a driving range netting rumor, Bryson’s trouble on the backend, and the announcement that Ralph Lauren was dropping Justin Thomas.

18 Jan 202147min

It’s Friday! And more importantly, it’s sumo citrus season. Andy and Brendan begin this episode with a good old fashioned fruit chat extolling again the virtues of their favorite orange, which Andy unexpectedly ran into on Thursday. Then they get to the delectable controversy over the PGA Tour’s 11th hour installation of internal out-of-bounds at Waialae’s 18th hole. They cover this in depth, including the BfB being the only one to find what one article termed the “death zone, Billy Ho being available for comment on it, and Cam Smith also adding that the lack of grandstands have made these firmer greens tougher to play without backboards. News hits on the Pebble Beach Pro-Am playing as a pro-only event and if that will do anything to change or toughen the setup. This leads to a lengthy and moderately unhinged proposal about one event a year where you get a quota of internal OB you can set up on a course, e.g. a patch in front of the 6th green at Pebble. They close with a Flashback on an Aussie character, past Hawaiian Open champ and yips sufferer.

15 Jan 202143min

This Wednesday episode is here to celebrate the Sony Open as the event of the week. But first there’s an important uninformed discussion on RV operation and licensing. Andy’s three things to watch for at Waialae focus on a potential backboard-less 18th hole that will hopefully make it play as Tom Doak intended, and then two young up-and-comers also in the field. There’s of course a shout out to Robert Allenby and the night he took that pummeling from a sentient sidewalk. Featured groups are back, but not PGA Tour Live despite the subscription charge for the month of January. There are some tasty groups this week and this prompts a fun head-to-head wager on who will lose more strokes on the green this week. News hits on the Masters announcement for limited patrons and the return of ANWA and then also the late Sunday announcement that the 2022 PGA would be relocated. This leads to an unexpected discussion on the Stand-up Mixer Championship as well as Brendan somehow talking himself into accepting Bethpage as the replacement.

13 Jan 202152min

This Monday episode came on the heels of a dispiriting Bears loss and in the middle of a Browns first quarter beatdown so it may bounce around a bit as Brendan and Andy recap the 2021 PGA Tour opener. First they hit on Harris English and his first win after some early career success and then an almost eight-year drought. This leads to more concern about the new FedExCup top 30 now getting invites to a Tournament of Mostly Champions. They also discuss the broadcast dismay at Joaquin Niemann not warming up before the playoff, Rahm’s outburst about metal spike marks all over the green, and Hideki’s abominable putting. A separate segment addresses Justin Thomas using a homophobic slur, his apology, and the Tour’s secretive discipline policy that does it no favors in this instance. News hits on Jordan Spieth going to see Butch, the misinterpretation of a “report” that the PGA is already moving in 2022, and reports that the WGC Mexico may be leaving Geronimo behind.

11 Jan 202141min

This Friday episode begins with Andy disclosing a mice problem that’s vexed him all week. Then they turn to the real, actual problems of the week, notably what took place at the Capitol building and how it should impact golf’s relationship with Donald Trump. They discuss next year’s PGA Championship and whether the PGA of America will move their major from Trump Bedminster. A full review of the year’s first round a Kapalua then ensues, with a breakdown of what they liked and didn’t like from one of their favorite events. This covers the amusing details of Pat Reed’s non-deal for apparel, Lanto getting his commercial, and Adam Scott’s quote that there are only 10-12 serious competition events and the rest is “a bit of entertainment.” Bryson’s latest on endorphins, CNS, and speed training until you blackout is pondered with great amusement. Flashback Friday is on a hard-luck TOC runner-up who also happened to be the first player on Tour to use a metal wood. They close with hope, and maybe a bit of delusion, that Deshaun Watson may be heading to the Bears because he followed a couple Chicago weathermen.

8 Jan 202158min

The Shotgun Start is back! And Andy and Brendan are in the best podcasting shape of their lives as a new year begins. They start this Wednesday episode with some banter about the practice of resolutions before diving into the schedule for the week. That prompts a quick discussion on the Big Money Classic and whether Alaqua Lakes has a reciprocal club in the UK. Then it’s on to the event of the week, the Tournament of Mostly Champions. There’s a lengthy discussion on the uneven lies of Kapalua and the centerline bunker at the 5th hole, prompting another visit down the road of what makes the pros hate those so much. There’s some intel from the ground on some Bryson driving range antics, as well as his “calibration” putting with an umbrella guy trying to stifle the wind. An Activation Station segment focuses on some of the big equipment and apparel brand changes. Lastly, they make some predictions and wish-list items for 2021, some serious and some not-so-serious. And in what is now tradition, what random middling player out there will get the annual Spieth OWGR comparison prop?

6 Jan 20211h 2min

Andy and Brendan put a bow on another year of Shotgun Start podcasts with the final installment of their Year in Review series. Part 4 begins with the first major championship of the year, the PGA at TPC Harding Park, and runs through the end of the PGA Tour season in Atlanta. They again remember some of the amusements (Jeff Hart!), controversies (Trigger the Dog!), and triumphs (Hermie go low!) from this stretch in golf, including stories from the LPGA, Euro Tour, and other areas (Big Cedar Phil) in the world of golf.

30 Dec 20202h 1min