Ep168: Feedback: Paul Azinger's 'War By the Shore', Member/Guests, and How to Go About Considering New Clubs

After dropping into the Talk Birdie studio last week, Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland has briefly come back with a couple of players who have just signed on for the Australian Open, and he reveals them to Nick and Mark and hints at some DP World Tour names to be revealed shortly.He gives an update on ticket sales saying that this is not a normal golf event, and that is what they're seeing in ticket sales with under 1,000 GA tickets left for the sunday which is well ahead of the same time in previous years. Nick and Mark want to know who will be partnered with Rory, and whilst James can't reveal that, the boys give their suggestions on how it might look....watch this space.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.

6 Okt 5min

Today on Talk Birdie we have a guest in studio, the boss of Golf Australia James Sutherland, who is in to talk about a few things - not the least of which is how he got Rory to sign on for the Australian Open, and the new handicap system, website, app, which has launched in the last day or so.We start with the Australian Open, and James talks about how the Rory appearance has changed the ticket sales profile, rather than tickets being bought late as usual, they are being bought very early and that the event will be a sellout so if you're planning to go, and thought about turning up and getting a ticket on the day, you will be unlikely to find any available.Mark can't wait to see how Rory plays Royal Melbourne Composite, and Nick says that for a major tournament this (Royal Melbourne Composite) is the best course in the world, and asks James did that have an influence on Rory's decision to come. James outlines how he got Rory's signature, and why he thought he thought, after a handshake agreement, that the deal may fall over!James talks about how they monitor what Tour Pro's say about Australia and that influences their approach to attracting the big names.Onto the new handicap system, it is a significant change, and James explains what it means, why the change, and what it will do.After the turn Mark puts his thoughts on the Australian Amateur to James for his response. Should it be a 72-hole tournament or is matchplay a more exciting structure. James explains what the rationale for the existing structure is and why there are no plans to change it.Finally - ask the boss. We read out a few wolfpacker questions for James:'Swingmate' wants James to explain why prize money in the Australian Open is lower than other tournaments.Ryan believes that golf, at a grassroots level, is expensive and is there anything James and Golf Australia can do about this, particularly for new players.And Sam would like to know what the lessons were (good and bad) from the combined Mens and Womens Opens 2024.A fun pod today, and great to hear from the Golf Australia boss James Sutherland.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.

2 Okt 29min

Well....there's a bit to unpack today. The Ryder Cup had everything. Incredible golf, clutch shots, comebacks, drama, and appalling behaviour from fans....where to start...We start with Shane Lowry's incredible cup retaining putt. Followed by an equally incredible celebration, and after what he had to put up with from the crowd, he deserved that moment. Nick and Mark watched plenty of it over the weekend and loved it. Mark said that he was up and down on his couch like anything.Nick praised the leadership of Luke Donald, particularly his speech prior to play starting where he both inspired his team, and gave a subtle whack to the US team. Nick also noted two key errors that the US team made and explains what they were and why the were errors. Mark believes the selection of Keegan was, in hindsight, a poor one.But the crowd behaviour. Oh the crowd. Whilst a hostile crowd, for the Europeans was no surprise, Mark says what was a surprise was that with only a couple of exceptions the US players let it happen around them and says that they should not want to 'win like that'. Nick explains how you perform at such a high level when you're being abused.And we discuss that extraordinary comeback on the final day by the US team. When we thought they were gone, they very nearly pulled it back in what would have been one of the great wins.And for the US Ryder Cup team, Nick says .....it is time for Tiger.Mark raises Justin Rose's up and down...what a shot it was. And in the BMW Touch of Class, Nick awards this weeks to a US golfer and explains why.After the turn, the Top 5 for Betr is Marks Top 5 Ryder Cup moments from the weekend - good and bad. And of course we finally got a multi to come off, and we're pretty happy about that.PING Globals from Nick is largely, although not entirely, about the Ryder Cup. Although we are diverted slightly when Mark is made aware that Timmy Trumpet is coming to Melbourne....should we get him on? Maybe.Feedback is all Ryder Cup as you'd expect.And Nicks masterclass is on Shane Lowry's winning (or retaining) putt.Massive pod today, Ryder Cup pretty much all show.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.

30 Sep 53min

Feedback pod today and we've got some cracking questions from wolfpackers to run through.Mick has a question about slow play at his club, particularly as they have some older members.Jack is looking forward to the Australian Open and, aside from Rory, wants to know has there been any other big names revealed as coming.Wayne asks for Nick and Marks thoughts on the best Australian Open finish they ever saw.Mike once saw New Zealand's Ryan Fox hit a policeman with a wayward drive, we find out if Nick and Mark ever hit anyone.....Nick did, and drew blood, Mark was playing with a celebrity when the celebrity hit someone - and that story ended hilariously (not for the person but for us).After the turn, we have a 59 to rate, is Mark feeling generous ?Ned is heading to New Zealand in January and is after some advice on courses that he should look to play on the North Island.Richard has a solution to the length issue in golf.Jeff has a suggestion for the best drive under pressure.And following on from Jeffs suggestion, Mark ends on a sad (for him) story (hilarious for us) about a drive on the same course Jeff raises.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 Sep 23min

After last weeks Talk Birdie Mini where Nick and Mark selected their 'dream teams' consisting of one player from each of Australia, the US, Europe, and an International to face off at Royal Melbourne Composite, en-route to the tournament, there has been an incident rendering all 8 players unable to play, and the venue now out of action.So, excluding the original selections of Shark, Karrie, Tiger, Jack, Seve, Faldo, Player and Locke - Nick and Mark need to select their team to come off the bench.Listen to Nick and Mark muse, discuss and decide live on the pod.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.

25 Sep 9min

What a week....big week in golf, plenty to discuss. We start with a chat about one of our favourite young players, Elvis Smylie who nearly won the French Open at the weekend! Absolute gun.And Mark tells us about giving some advice to a couple of golfers at his club last night, he explains the tips he gave them with their putting and runs them by Nick - does Nick rate the tips? Mark certainly does, suggesting that, were it to exist, he deserves a Nobel Prize for Golf based on the advice he gave. You be the judge. In a nutshell is was around 'changing the goal of the shot in your mind'.Mark also recommended that you become a 'plonker'. We won't even try to explain, we'll let him do it on the pod.Ryder Cup chat, it's close now, and if you're not on board our Betr multi, give yourself an uppercut, as we reckon it's a shot. Details on yesterday's Ryder Cup preview pod, or at the Betr website here.Both Nick and Mark saw a video this week of Tour Pro Nakajima pulling out of a drive, it was strange. We discuss. And Nick tells a story about a Tour Pro he played with who made a habit of doing it, he names the player.Then...after Mark had an intervention over his social media arguments a month or so back, he's at it again, having fights on Twitter. Nick and Dan raise his behaviour and ask for an explanation....and he gives it. It's do with golf architects, course design, trees, and he lines up from the back tees and has a red hot crack.Calming it down, for our great friends at BMW, the Touch of Class was something involving Steve Alker at Cypress. It was indeed a touch of class, and we explain what happened.After the Turn, Nicks Top 5 memories, thanks to Betr, are his favourite Ryder Cup memories - good or bad. Mark wants to know yours, has Nick missed any? He missed Marks fave, which he explains.Onto Feedback for Southern Golf Club - masses of feedback on our Lucas Parsons chat last week, most good, some bad, we hand-picked a few - including a massive whack for Nick and Mark from one wolfpacker....sheez... Also feedback on iron covers, Mark's LIV Monday Qualifying idea, and a shoutout to a Tour Pro making a comeback after serious illness.Nick runs through results around the world in the PING Globals, with another great stat this week....he's making a habit of these stats, might be a new segment....and Marks masterclass is on bad lies.Phew !!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.

24 Sep 58min

Well it's here, the week before one of the great golf weekends - the Ryder Cup. But before we get to our preview, a reminder about our Talk Birdie To Me Golf Day at Links Golf and Wellbeing at Hope Island on the Gold Coast, it's now two weeks away (Wednesday October 8th), Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen will be playing the tournament along with 80 or 90 wolfpackers. A few tickets left here. The prizes are brilliant:FootJoy vouchers;⁠Titleist GT Driver and 3 wood with a custom fitting with a Titleist Fitting Specialist;⁠A set of custom fitted Vokey Wedges fitted by a Titleist Fitting Specialist;⁠A couple of dozen Pro V1 golf balls;Golf Clearance Outlet vouchersLuxury Escapes vouchersAnd the hole in one prize from Luxury Escapes: a week at the Pullman Maldives with return flights for two if you if you don't mind! Conditions apply, but there is only 3 conditions - pros ineligible (Nick and Mark you're out), only one prize - so if two aces are hit we do a random draw, and it applies on the 17th hole, which is a gettable Par 3.Fun!Now onto the pod. Nick and Mark are previewing the Ryder Cup, and Mark's first recommendation is to download the Ryder Cup app, it's brilliant. Nick talks about his memories of playing in Europe and feeling almost a part of it, as all the European pros wanted to be involved. Mark has a feeling the crowd, despite the US component being parochial, will lean European as there have been huge amounts of tickets sold to Europeans apparently. We discuss the pay controversy and the difference in approach between the Europeans and the US teams, Mark believes this is bad karma for the US and it will 'bite them'.As usual for a big event, we're putting a Talk Birdie multi on and working in our favour is that Hummer from Betr doesn't know a lot about the Ryder Cup, so we shot through our very gettable multi without any context for him and, in a moment of weakness, he whacked it up.Multi is:Scheffler to not have a winning record for the tournament, into;Europe to lead going into day 3, into;Europe to win.7 bucks. Get on board here under Betr specials and if you're not a member, it's a 60-second sign up process. We are confident, but of course there is no guarantee - so if you can't afford to lose it, don't bet it.We wrap up our Ryder Cup preview pod with some comments from Nick on how they are setting up Bethpage and why, and Nick outlines what he believes the US always get wrong in the Ryder Cup.It's going to be a ripper, we can't wait !!!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.

23 Sep 27min