In the second of their five Bandon Dunes deep dives, Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison discuss what may be the resort’s most polarizing course: Old Macdonald, built by Tom Doak and Jim Urbina in 2009. Andy and Garrett start with a historical rundown, touching on the origins of C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor’s “ideal holes,” the decision to make Old Mac a tribute to those templates, and the unusual collaborative process behind the construction of the course. Then Andy and Garrett dig into the nitty-gritty of Old Mac’s design. They talk about the holes they love (and don’t quite love), and they try to figure out why this unique, brilliant course sometimes rubs people the wrong way.

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Bandon Deep Dives: Old Macdonald

A deeper level of golf: conversations and stories about golf course design, professional golf, and more from the team behind TheFriedEgg.com

Sports

Golf

Designed by Brian Schneider and Blake Conant, Old Barnwell near Aiken, South Carolina, is one of the best-reviewed and most buzzed-about new golf courses of the past several years. In this episode, Garrett sits down with Old Barnwell's founder Nick Schreiber to delve into the nuts and bolts of how the course came to be. They talk about Nick's early years as a caddie, his vision for a "mission-focused" private club, how he found the property, why he hired Schneider and Conant, and his plans for Old Barnwell's second and third courses. They also discuss the broader state of the golf course industry—specifically, whether the current surge in construction might prove to be a bubble.

How Old Barnwell Got Built

Following an exciting weekend of both men's and women's professional golf, Andy and Joseph convene to discuss the biggest storylines in professional golf. They start with what they are IN and OUT on, including appreciation for the dominance by Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda, along with qualms about tours stacking high-profile events against one another. Next, the two go through the biggest question marks remaining in the 2024 men's major championship season. Then Meg Adkins joins to provide her perspective on the Chevron Championship, Nelly Korda's ascension, and how women's golf should be prepared to capitalize on the momentum in women's sports. The episode closes with Recommendations.

Questions for the Remaining 2024 Majors and the Rise of Nelly Korda

Shane Bacon joins the podcast to talk about calling the featured groups at the Masters plus a debrief of the tournament and Scottie Scheffler. The two get into Augusta National as a tournament venue and how the course has changed its identity for the purpose of challenging the best in the game. Then they dive into all things Scottie Scheffler and how his simple process and mindset have set him up for a long run of greatness and how other players have struggled with the things Scottie does so well. Finally they finish off with some Harbour Town/RBC Heritage chatter and rounding thoughts on Bryson Dechambeau and other Masters loose ends.

Final Thoughts on the 2024 Masters with Shane Bacon

After Scottie Scheffler's victorious march through Augusta National on Sunday, Garrett and Joseph sat down to discuss a terrific 2024 Masters. First they talk about what they're IN and OUT on this week; then they run through a couple of their high-level takeaways from the tournament. Later, they bring on Andy Johnson (24:49) and Shane Bacon (58:18) to get some on-the-ground perspectives. Garrett and Joseph wrap up the episode with Recommendations.

Takeaways from the 2024 Masters

Ill-advised as it might be, we do what the episode title promises. Andy and Garrett sit down in the Draddy House in Augusta, Georgia, to rank all 18 holes at Augusta National Golf Club, from worst to best. Giddy up.

Bandon Deep Dives: Old Macdonald

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