Is August good? Is Spieth good? Eye-popping amateur scores, and Golf Advice

This holiday weekend Friday episode rolls into the weekend with some pleasant news from Andy’s round in Minnesota this week, tales of conference calls gone awry, and the announcement that the Shotgun Start now really, actually has merch in the form of a few hats. Then they get to the news of the week, starting with a report that the European Tour has plans for a return, concentrated in the UK on what will now be known here as the Manor swing. This transitions to comments from Lee Westwood, Adam Scott, and other international players on the difficulty and concerns of re-joining the PGA Tour in its earliest months and their plans to probably avoid it. Also, they debate around this what will happen to the OWGR when the American tour resumes but the rest of the world is still paused. The strong fields that keep building in the PGA Tour’s first few events are celebrated. They close with a wide-ranging and rambling preview of The Match at Medalist, reviewing and critiquing some of the formats and side challenges, the course’s strengths and weaknesses, Shark Tales from the club’s history, how it will stack up to the Seminole match, and some intel from the ground on how Tiger might be setting it up in his favor. Oh, and Andy also tells a story about watching Jonathan Quinn play QB for the Bears.

22 Maj 202051min

This Wednesday episode begins with a quick reaction to news that the U.S. Open will have no open qualifying this year. Then Brendan and Andy start to take on the monster that is the Spotlight of Ernie Els’ life and career. Part 1 starts with the 10,000-foot view, offering up some numbers that frame just how much of a talent he was and the success of his career. It transitions to his earliest days in South Africa and his decision to go full-time into golf, some of his immediate amateur success, and his mandated military service. Then the first decade of his pro career is explored in depth. They touch on the two U.S. Open wins, featuring the controversial drop at Oakmont and the “rowdiest crowd ever” at Congressional. His dominance on the world stage is praised with tales from across the globe in his 20s. The competing narratives of Ernie as a closing killer and choker are discussed after his first major win. The amusing tale of his engagement is relayed. And finally, the last few years before Tiger dominated the game are discussed in context of what was then presumed a future rivalry, with some amazing freezing cold takes in the Ernie v. Tiger debate before the year 2000.

20 Maj 20201h 43min

Andy and Brendan get together shortly after the conclusion of the Driving Relief match at Seminole to reflect on the return of televised golf. It starts with some gratitude for this effort and undertaking to bring golf back, and in such a prime venue. Then they get to some quick reactions on the day -- what they liked, did not like, and the aesthetic of the world’s best carrying their own bags through this world class course on the ocean. Grades are handed out for the different players, the course, the broadcast, and the overall coverage. They also settle their bet on who has to wear the apparel from the Kaboom Line. There are a few laments in there about Bill Murray, needless tweets, and distractions from the core product. But that leads to a debate on who this event was really for -- a larger audience or the golf addicts -- and whether a permanent program like this (best players, best courses, variety of match formats on tv) should emerge after the pandemic ends.

18 Maj 202046min

This joyous Friday episode starts with praise and thanks for the return of golf this weekend with the skins match at Seminole on Sunday. Brendan and Andy begin their preview with some reflective thoughts on why they’re so happy about this event and the larger meaning and impact it could have, for the obvious priority of raising money for Covid charity, but also for the game of golf. They preview some key holes to watch at Seminole, revel in the aesthetics of these players carrying their own bags in a world-class setting, and make a friendly wager (that wager leads to a lengthy diversion and critique of the new apparel offerings from PXG). A news segment touches on Rory committing to play the first three PGA Tour events, the PGA’s return to Quail Hollow, the Medalist Match TV crew including Sir Charles, and initial thoughts on the new PGA Tour video game (and its course rota). Then, in honor (or dishonor) of what would have been PGA Championship week, there are two short Flashlight segments to the year the PGA switched to stroke play and the year the PGA melted under the August sun in South Florida.

15 Maj 20201h 1min

This Wednesday episode goes in several different directions, from news of the day to two separate “Flashlights” at the end. Brendan and Andy begin with some reactions to the PGA Tour’s health guidelines and policies that were sent to the players on Tuesday in a 37-page deck. They got a look at the deck and pulled out some of the more substantive, amusing, and concerning points as things prepare to return next month at Colonial. Then they get to the further details of the match at Seminole, including reactions to not having to hit the fairway on the two long drive holes. The fearsome foursome that now makes up the US Ryder Cup captaincy group is reviewed, and it appears Zach Johnson is heading for the main job. They demand more spice, some new blood. But is this now a closed loop of captains and assistant captains or are there just not that many options out there? Then they transition to two short Flashlights, first on the 1994 Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf at Sunningdale between world No. 1 Greg Norman and No. 2 Nick Faldo. They praise the compact product, player interactions, and legendary course. A second Flashlight shines on the 1988 PGA in what would have been PGA week. Jeff Sluman’s win and career is given the treatment, as well as the odd history of the ‘88 venue, Oak Tree National, and the “Oak Tree Gang,” a prelude to the #JupLife collective.

13 Maj 20201h 4min

This Monday episode starts with a focus on weather talk as the ultimate small talk crutch, especially in our current quarantine moment. Tiger’s pet nicknames for ZJ and Bryson, unearthed in a video at the end of last week, are reviewed. Then Brendan and Andy react to the firmer details of The Match between Tiger and Phil at Medalist. They discuss the venue and atmosphere of the South Florida club, what Manning and Brady might bring to it, and the absurd betting lines for both that match and the one at Seminole. Andy gets so worked up about one line that he threatens to put a month’s mortgage on a team in one of these. The Vijay vs. KFT drama is also discussed in full after punting on it last week for the Crenshaw spotlight. The greatest hits on Mr. 300 and Keith Clearwater are re-visited, but a further lament is offered about the Tour’s lack of creativity to really use this unprecedented time to shake things up. They close with a quick hit news segment, including a discussion on plans for Memorial to monitor fans movements with chips in their badges and then tell them to separate.

10 Maj 202049min

This Friday episode features our SGS Spotlight for the week and the subject is Ben Crenshaw. As usual for these Spotlights, it’s long, but take it in at your own plumb-bob pace. We get into Crenshaw’s outrageous amateur career, including his three consecutive NCAA titles, intra-UT rivalry with Tom Kite, and the “Ben’s Wrens” that followed him. We go long on some of these NCAA moments and early pro days that had writers calling him the next Jack Nicklaus with Arnold Palmer’s charisma. His repeated majors close calls that followed are put in context before his major breakthrough at the 1984 Masters. His struggles in the 80s, both with his swing thoughts and health, are considered against the monumental hype that followed him from his earliest days as a pro. The emotional 1995 Masters win and the stirring 1999 Ryder Cup are given the treatment. We consider his contributions as an architect, one of the game’s greatest putters, and one of its great historians, when discussing his legacy at the end of the episode.

8 Maj 20202h

This Wednesday episode begins with a discussion on tacos, overrated components of tacos, and the delivery vessels of tacos. We then transition to the official announcement of the skins match at Seminole. We ponder how Rory will carry the conversation, how Rickie will activate, how DJ will strategize his way around, how Wolff could be a breakout star and, of course, whether TaylorMade will put CT machines on the first tee for testing. Mostly, we just praise the effort to bring televised golf (for a good cause) back into our lives and at a course that so few have seen on TV. An article on the European Tour’s dire financial situation also leads to a brief discussion on how different the world of golf might look when this is over and how the Euro Tour should focus on a trimmed down core product. Then Andy brings some numbers to the table to compare and contrast some of the peak decade-long runs we keep encountering during our Spotlight series and applying that marker to some modern superstars. How do they hold up against each other and to some of the names we’ve discussed in detail this past month, like Nick Faldo and Fred Couples? Lastly, we spend some time reliving the career of Bobby Clampett in what is not a full-fledged Spotlight but more of a short Flashlight review. His outrageous amateur run is discussed. We laugh at his hijinks from an all-around amusing 1979 U.S. Open, which also included the infamous Hinkle Tree and an imposter playing a practice round. Clampett’s flameout at the 1982 Open, where he held a 7-shot lead, is highlighted with Dan Jenkins reading. Finally, we discuss his place in history as the great hope of the Golfing Machine that fizzled out following the promise of his amateur success.

6 Maj 20201h 20min