Ozarks National is my favorite course at Big Cedar Lodge. Here's what I love about the course. At the tail end, I share some thoughts about the nine-hole course, Top of the Rock, and the 13-hole walking course, Mountain Top.

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Sean and Paul preview the Open Championship. But first they catch up on the news about Keegan Bradley Rory McIlroy's comments about his performance at the US Open. 

Then, they discuss Royal Troon, Johnson Wagner as a golf content master, and a myriad of other topics surrounding the field this week. They wrap up with their picks for the week.

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Buffalo Ridge at the Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, Missouri in one of three 18-hole championship golf courses. I highlight the opening stretch of holes, the views and vistas, and the excellent course conditions. There are also some lowlights, including the long cart rides between holes, the artificial features like waterfalls, and the feeling that the course is less connected to the surrounding area. Overall, Buffalo Ridge is a good golf course that serves a solid purpose in the Big Cedar resort, but it may not be everyone's favorite.

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Mark Mungeam discusses how he got into golf course architecture with the help of Geoffrey Cornish, his work at Olympia Fields in Chicago to prep it for a U.S. Open, the differences between private and muni projects. We also discuss rankings and Mungeam’s role on the American Society of Golf Course Architects. He will be the president starting in the fall 2025.

Mungeam is also a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and will become its president in the fall of 2025. We also hit on several talented up-and-coming golf architects, including Brian Schneider and Angela Moser. We wrap up talking about golf course rankings and the impact they can on the industry, but Mark Mungeam emphasizes the importance of focusing on doing the best job possible rather than worrying about rankings. He also discusses the trend of shorter golf courses and the need for entry-level courses to attract new players.

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Sean and Paul discuss:

- Their experiences playing Pinehurst
- Their favorite holes and the course's strong finish
- The past U.S. Opens at Pinehurst
- Bryson
- Xander's likely career major haul
- Wyndham Clark's rough patch
- Viktor Hovland bouncing back
- Scottie's personality... is he boring? 
- Tiger and Charlie

They wrap up making their picks and offering a few other bets they like and don't like.

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In this episode, I talk about my experience playing at Payne's Valley at Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri. A big, brawny, wide-open golf course with massive greens and a 19th hole.

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I played golf at Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, Missouri. It has five courses. Three championship courses - Ozarks National, Buffalo Ridge, and Payne's Valley. It also has a nine-hole course called Top of the Rock and a 13-hole walking course called Mountain Top.

Here are five things you should know about the experience.

1. It's massive
2. Golf is secondary at the resort, and that's OK!
3. Four of the five carts require carts
4. Comfort stations and free food
5. There one course you should play first and one to play last

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In this episode of the Bay State Golf Podcast, Sean and Burke discuss the upcoming PGA Championship. They start with the past majors at Valhalla and recall Kenny Perry's loss along with the Tiger Woods Bob May duel and Rory McIlroy's 2014 triumph. 

They also breakdown recent performances of Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and Bryson DeChambeau. The conversation ends with a discussion about players who are in the wilderness. The pod ends with their picks for the tournament and some dark horse contenders.

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After 14 months, Tun returns to the podcast. This pod revolves around Tung's journey in golf, starting from when they first played together in 2009 to Tung's recent foray into the game during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Tung shares his experiences and lessons learned as a beginner golfer, including the importance of surrounding himself with people who love the game and being curious about golf strategy and etiquette. They also discuss the challenges of managing expectations and the impact of previous athletic experiences on approaching golf. Overall, the conversation highlights the joy and complexity of learning and playing golf. The conversation in this section covers various topics related to golf, including spending money on golf equipment, the challenges of playing golf while in a relationship, dealing with first tee jitters, the importance of lessons, and selecting the right clubs for beginners. 

The main takeaways include the importance of finding ways to enjoy golf without spending excessive time on the course, the need for confidence and course knowledge to break 100, and the value of playing from the appropriate tee box. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of not giving unsolicited advice to new golfers and being open to sharing clubs with others. In this conversation, Sean and Tung discuss tips and advice for beginners in golf. They cover topics such as borrowing clubs, playing from the same tee, walking vs. using a cart, bringing extra golf balls, and buying equipment on a budget. 

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I discuss the best golf courses in Massachusetts for beginners, keeping value, ease of play, and an easy walk in mind. The list has 9-hole and 18-hole courses. The courses offer a mix of challenge and interest for beginners, making them great options to learn and enjoy the game of golf.

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